S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 11, 2024

Registration No. 333-   

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

 

 

DRILLING TOOLS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   87-2488708
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

3701 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150

Houston, Texas

  77042
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

David Johnson

Chief Financial Officer

Drilling Tools International Corporation

3701 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150

Houston, Texas 77042

(Name and address of agent for service)

(832) 742-8500

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

copies to:

Michael J. Blankenship

Winston & Strawn, LLP

800 Capitol St., Suite 2400

Houston, TX 77002-2925

Telephone: (713) 651-2600

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act ☐

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) is being filed in order to register an additional 893,057 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001, per share (“Common Stock”) of Drilling Tools International Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant”) that may be awarded under the Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), which are securities of the same class and relate to the same employee benefit plan as those shares registered on the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-8 previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 28, 2023 (File No. 333-274242) (the “Prior Registration Statement”), which is hereby incorporated by reference.

These shares of Common Stock consist of 893,057 shares of Common Stock that have become reserved for issuance in accordance with the “evergreen” provision of the Plan since the filing of the Prior Registration Statement, which provides that the total number of shares subject to the Plan will be increased from time to time pursuant to a specified formula.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act, and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The documents listed in (a) through (d) below are incorporated by reference in this registration statement:

 

  (a)

the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024;

 

  (b)

the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for the Quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024;

 

  (c)

the Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on March  7, 2024 (Item 1.01), March  12, 2024 (Item 5.02), March 19, 2024 (Item 2.01, as amended by the Registrant’s Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on May  28, 2024), March  19, 2024 (Items 1.01 and 2.03) and May 16, 2024 (Item 5.07) (except for any portions of such Current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/A furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and/or Item 7.01 thereof and any corresponding exhibits thereto not filed with the SEC); and

 

  (d)

the description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the “Description of Securities” attached as Exhibit 4.2 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024, and any subsequent amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered 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 of such documents; provided, however, that documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the rules of the SEC shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement.

Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein 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 such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.


Item 8.

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

  4.1    Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-41103), filed with the SEC on June 27, 2023).
  4.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-41103), filed with the SEC on June 27, 2023).
  4.3    Form of Specimen Common Stock Certificate of Drilling Tools International Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Drilling Tools International Corporation’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-41103), filed with the SEC on June 27, 2023).
  4.4*    Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
  5.1*    Opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP.
 23.1*    Consent of Weaver and Tidwell, LLP.
 23.2    Consent of Winston & Strawn LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement).
 24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this Registration Statement).
107*    Filing Fee Table.

 

*

Filed herewith.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 Houston, State of Texas on this 11th day of June, 2024.

 

DRILLING TOOLS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ R. Wayne Prejean
  R. Wayne Prejean
  Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints R. Wayne Prejean as such person’s true lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the Registrant and any subsequent registration statements related thereto pursuant to Instruction E to Form S-8 (and all further amendments, including post-effective amendments thereto), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, and generally to do all such things in their names and behalf in their capacities as officers and directors to enable the registrant to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and all requirements of the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitutes or substitute, may lawfully 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 date indicated.


Signature

  

Title

 

Date

    

/s/ R/ Wayne Prejean

R. Wayne Prejean

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  June 11, 2024

/s/ David R. Johnson

David R. Johnson

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  June 11, 2024

/s/ Thomas O. Hicks

Thomas O. Hicks

   Chairman of the Board   June 11, 2024

/s/ Eric C. Neuman

Eric C. Neuman

   Director   June 11, 2024

/s/ John D. Furst

John D. Furst

   Director   June 11, 2024

/s/ C. Richard Vermillion

C. Richard Vermillion

   Director   June 11, 2024

/s/ Curtis L. Crofford

Curtis L. Crofford

   Director   June 11, 2024

/s/ Thomas M. Patterson

Thomas M. Patterson

   Director   June 11, 2024
EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

DRILLING TOOLS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

2023 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

Effective June 20, 2023

Section 1. General.

The purposes of the Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) are to (a) encourage the profitability and growth of the Company through short-term and long-term incentives that are consistent with the Company’s objectives; (b) give Participants an incentive for excellence in individual performance; (c) promote teamwork among Participants; and (d) give the Company a significant advantage in attracting and retaining key Employees, Directors and Consultants. To accomplish such purposes, the Plan provides that the Company may grant (i) Options, (ii) Stock Appreciation Rights, (iii) Restricted Shares, (iv) Restricted Stock Units, (v) Performance-Based Awards (including performance-based Restricted Shares and Restricted Stock Units), (vi) Other Share-Based Awards, (vii) Other Cash-Based Awards or (viii) any combination of the foregoing. The Plan was originally adopted in connection with the consummation of the Company’s going public business combination (the “Going Public Transaction”) contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, entered into on February 13, 2023, by and among the Company (as defined below), ROC Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Drilling Tools International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Merger Agreement”).

Section 2. Definitions.

For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:

(a) “Administrator” means the Board, or, if and to the extent the Board does not administer the Plan, the Committee in accordance with Section 3 of the Plan.

(b) “Affiliate” means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Person specified. A Person shall be deemed an Affiliate of the Company for purposes of this definition only for such periods as the requisite ownership or control relationship is maintained. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by,” or “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise.

(c) “Articles of Incorporation” means the articles of incorporation of the Company, as amended and/or restated and in effect from time to time.

(d) “Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Share, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance-Based Award, Other Share-Based Award or Other Cash-Based Award granted under the Plan.

(e) “Award Agreement” means a written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Award granted under the Plan. Evidence of an Award may be in written or electronic form, may be limited to notation on the books and records of the Company and, with the approval of the Administrator, need not be signed by a representative of the Company or a Participant. Any shares of Common Stock that become deliverable to the Participant pursuant to the Plan may be issued in certificate form in the name of the Participant or in book-entry form in the name of the Participant. Each Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(f) “Beneficial Owner” (or any variant thereof) has the meaning defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

(g) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(h) “Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Company, as may be amended and/or restated from time to time.


(i) “Cause” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in any Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate unexpired employment, severance, or similar agreement or Award Agreement with a Participant, or if no such agreement exists or if such agreement does not define “Cause” (or a term of like import), Cause means (i) the Participant’s breach of fiduciary duty or duty of loyalty to the Company, (ii) the Participant’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a crime involving moral turpitude or a felony, (iii) the Participant’s failure, refusal or neglect to perform and discharge his or her duties and responsibilities on behalf of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company (other than by reason of Disability) or to comply with any lawful directive of the Board or its designee, (iv) the Participant’s breach of any written policy of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (including, without limitation, those relating to sexual harassment or the disclosure or misuse of confidential information), (v) the Participant’s breach of any agreement with the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (including, without limitation, any confidentiality, non-competition, non- solicitation or assignment of inventions agreement), (vi) the Participant’s commission of fraud, dishonesty, theft, embezzlement, self- dealing, misappropriation or other malfeasance against the business of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, or (vii) the Participant’s commission of acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or gross misconduct in the performance of any aspect of his or her lawful duties or responsibilities, which have or may be expected to have an adverse effect on the Company, its Subsidiaries or Affiliates. A Participant’s employment shall be deemed to have terminated for “Cause” if, on the date his or her employment terminates, facts and circumstances exist that would have justified a termination for Cause, to the extent that such facts and circumstances are discovered by the Company within three (3) months following such termination. The Administrator, in its absolute discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to whether a Participant has been discharged for Cause for purposes of the Plan.

(j) “Change in Capitalization” means any (i) merger, consolidation, reclassification, recapitalization, spin-off, spin-out, repurchase or other reorganization or corporate transaction or event, (ii) extraordinary dividend (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock or other property), stock split or reverse stock split, (iii) combination or exchange of shares, (iv) other change in corporate structure or (v) payment of any other distribution, which, in any such case, the Administrator determines, in its sole discretion, affects the Common Stock such that an adjustment pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan is appropriate.

(k) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(i) any Person becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”), excluding any Person who becomes such a Beneficial Owner in connection with a transaction described in clause (A) of paragraph (iii) below or any acquisition directly from the Company; or

(ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the number of Directors then serving on the Board: individuals who, during any period of two (2) consecutive years, constitute the Board and any new Director (other than a Director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including, but not limited to, a consent solicitation, relating to the election of Directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two (2) year period or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended; or

(iii) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation (A) that results in the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities (or such surviving entity or, if the Company or the entity surviving such merger is then a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof) outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, and (B) immediately following which the individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the Board of the entity surviving such merger or consolidation or, if the Company or the entity surviving such merger is then a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof; or

(iv) the consummation of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

(v) the consummation of an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than (A) a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned directly or indirectly by stockholders of the Company following the completion of such transaction in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale, or (B) a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets immediately following which the individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the entity to which such assets are sold or disposed or, if such entity is a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof.

 

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For each Award that constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Code Section 409A, a Change in Control (where applicable) shall be deemed to have occurred under the Plan with respect to such Award only if the event(s) constituting a “Change in Control” also constitutes a “change in control event” under Code Section 409A.

(l) “Change in Control Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12 of the Plan.

(m) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor thereto. Any reference to a section of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any regulations and administrative guidance promulgated thereunder.

(n) “Committee” means any committee or subcommittee the Board may appoint to administer the Plan. Subject to the discretion of the Board, the Committee shall be composed entirely of individuals who meet the qualifications of a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and any other qualifications required by the applicable stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are traded. If at any time or to any extent the Board shall not administer the Plan, then the functions of the Administrator specified in the Plan shall be exercised by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, any action of the Committee with respect to the administration of the Plan shall be taken by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is duly constituted or unanimous written consent of the Committee’s members.

(o) “Common Stock” means common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company (and any stock or other securities into which such shares of common stock may be converted or into which they may be exchanged).

(p) “Company” means Drilling Tools International Corporation, a Delaware corporation (f/k/a ROC Energy Acquisition Corp.) (or any successor corporation, except as the term “Company” is used in the definition of “Change in Control” above).

(q) “Consultant” means any individual consultant or independent contractor of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, in each case, who is not an Employee, Executive Officer or Non-Employee Director.

(r) “Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board on or after the Effective Date.

(s) “Disability” means, with respect to any Participant who is an Employee, a permanent and total disability as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3).

(t) “Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22 of the Plan.

(u) “Eligible Director” means a person who is (i) with respect to actions intended to obtain an exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 16b-3, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3; and (ii) with respect to actions undertaken to comply with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, an “independent director” under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or a person meeting any similar requirement under any successor rule or regulation.

(v) “Eligible Recipient” means: (i) an Employee; (ii) a Non-Employee Director; or (iii) a Consultant, in each case, who has been selected as an eligible recipient under the Plan by the Administrator.

(w) “Employee” shall mean any employee of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, as described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h), including an Executive Officer or Director who is also treated as an employee.

(x) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

(y) “Executive Officer” means each Participant who is an executive officer (within the meaning of Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) of the Company.

(z) “Exercise Price” means, with respect to any Award under which the holder may purchase shares of Common Stock, the price per share at which a holder of such Award granted hereunder may purchase shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Award, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with Code Section 409A, as applicable.

 

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(aa) “Fair Market Value” as of a particular date shall mean: (i) if the shares of Common Stock are listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including, without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Fair Market Value shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (or if no sales were reported, the closing price on the last trading date immediately preceding such date) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination; (ii) if the shares of Common Stock are not then listed on a national securities exchange, the average of the highest reported bid and lowest reported asked prices for a share of Common Stock as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System for the last preceding date on which there was a sale of such stock in such market; or (iii) whether or not the shares of Common Stock are then listed on a national securities exchange or traded in an over-the-counter market or the value of such shares is not otherwise determinable, such value as determined by the Administrator in good faith and in a manner not inconsistent with Code Sections 409A or 422, as applicable.

(bb) “Free Standing Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a) of the Plan.

(cc) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and that meets the requirements set out in the Plan.

(dd) “Non-Employee Director” means a Director who is not an Employee.

(ee) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

(ff) “Outstanding Common Stock” means the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Common Stock.

(gg) “Option” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

(hh) “Other Cash-Based Award” means a cash Award granted to a Participant under Section 11 of the Plan, including cash awarded as a bonus or upon the attainment of Performance Goals or otherwise as permitted under the Plan.

(ii) “Other Share-Based Award” means a right or other interest granted to a Participant under the Plan that is denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to shares of Common Stock, including, but not limited to, unrestricted shares of Common Stock or dividend equivalents, each of which may be subject to the attainment of Performance Goals or a period of continued employment or other terms or conditions as permitted under the Plan.

(jj) “Participant” means an Eligible Recipient who holds an outstanding Award under the Plan, and, upon his or her death, his or her successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case may be, solely with respect to any Awards outstanding at the date of the Eligible Recipient’s death.

(kk) “Performance-Based Award” means any Award granted under the Plan that is subject to one or more Performance Goals. Any dividends or dividend equivalents payable or credited to a Participant with respect to any unvested Performance-Based Award shall be subject to the same Performance Goals as the shares of Common Stock or units underlying the Performance-Based Award.

(ll) “Performance Goals” means performance goals based on performance criteria selected by the Administrator, which performance criteria may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: (i) earnings before interest and taxes; (ii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (iii) net operating profit after tax; (iv) cash flow; (v) revenue; (vi) net revenues; (vii) sales; (viii) days sales outstanding; (ix) income; (x) net income; (xi) operating income; (xii) net operating income; (xiii) operating margin; (xiv) earnings; (xv) earnings per share; (xvi) return on equity; (xvii) return on investment; (xviii) return on capital; (xix) return on assets; (xx) return on net assets; (xxi) total shareholder return; (xxii) economic profit; (xxiii) market share; (xxiv) appreciation in the fair market value, book value or other measure of value of the shares of Common Stock; (xxv) expense or cost control; (xxvi) working capital; (xxvii) customer satisfaction; (xxviii) employee retention or employee turnover; (xxix) employee satisfaction or engagement; (xxx) environmental, health or other safety goals; (xxxi) individual performance; (xxxii) strategic objective milestones; (xxxiii) any other criteria specified by the Administrator in its sole discretion; and (xxxiv) any combination of, or a specified increase or decrease in, as applicable, any of the foregoing. Where applicable, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of attaining a specified level of the particular criteria or the attainment of a percentage increase or decrease in the particular criteria, and may be applied to one or more of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, or a division or strategic business unit of the Company or Affiliate thereof, or may be applied to

 

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the performance of the Company relative to a market index, a group of other companies or a combination thereof, all as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. The Performance Goals may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment shall be made (or no vesting shall occur), levels of performance at which specified payments shall be made (or specified vesting shall occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment shall be made (or at which full vesting shall occur). At the time a Performance-Based Award is granted, the Administrator may specify any reasonable definition of the Performance Goals it uses. Such definitions may provide for equitable adjustments to the Performance Goals in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Company or an Affiliate thereof or the financial statements of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, in response to changes in applicable laws or regulations, or to account for items of gain, loss or expense determined to be unusual in nature, infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature and infrequent in occurrence or related to the disposal of a segment of a business or related to a change in accounting principles. If the Administrator determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company or an Affiliate or the manner in which the Company or an Affiliate conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the Performance Goals unsuitable, the Administrator may modify such Performance Goals in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate. If a Participant is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit or function during a performance period, the Administrator may determine that the Performance Goals or performance period are no longer appropriate and may (x) adjust, change or eliminate the Performance Goals or the applicable performance period as it deems appropriate to make such goals and period comparable to the initial goals and period, or (y) make a cash payment to the Participant in an amount determined by the Administrator.

(mm) “Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, however, a Person shall not include (i) for purposes of determining whether a Change in Control has occurred only, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of stock of the Company.

(nn) “Plan” means this Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended and/or amended and restated from time to time.

(oo) “Related Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a) of the Plan.

(pp) “Restricted Shares” means an Award of shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan subject to certain restrictions and/or vesting requirements that lapse at the end of a specified period or periods.

(qq) “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award consisting of an unfunded, unsecured right granted to a Participant, as described in Section 10 of the Plan, that is (i) valued solely by reference to Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock, (ii) subject to any restrictions specified in the Award Agreement, and (iii) payable in cash or in shares of Common Stock (as specified in the Award Agreement).

(rr) “Restricted Period” means the period of time determined by the Administrator during which an Award or a portion thereof is subject to restrictions or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.

(ss) “Rule 16b-3” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) of the Plan.

(tt) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

(uu) “Stock Appreciation Right” means the right pursuant to an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan to receive an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value, as of the date such Award or portion thereof is surrendered, of the shares of Common Stock covered by such Award or such portion thereof, over (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price of such Award or such portion thereof.

(x) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, any other Person as to which such first Person owns or otherwise controls, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting shares or other similar interests or a sole general partner interest or managing member or similar interest of such other Person. An entity shall be deemed a Subsidiary of the Company for purposes of this definition only for such periods as the requisite ownership or control relationship is maintained.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option or any determination relating to an Incentive Stock Option, “Subsidiary” means a corporation that is a subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Code Section 424(f).

(ww) “Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards granted by a company or other entity in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation, or acquisition of property or stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

Section 3. Administration.

(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator in accordance with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 16b-3”), to the extent applicable.

(b) Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator, subject, in the case of any Committee, to any restrictions on the authority delegated to it by the Board, shall have the power and authority, without limitation:

(i) to select those Eligible Recipients who shall be Participants;

(ii) to determine whether and to what extent Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units, Other Share-Based Awards, Other Cash-Based Awards or a combination of any of the foregoing, are to be granted hereunder to Participants;

(iii) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be made subject to each Award;

(iv) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of each Award granted hereunder, including, but not limited to, (A) the restrictions applicable to Awards and the conditions under which restrictions applicable to such Awards shall lapse, (B) the Performance Goals and performance periods applicable to Awards, if any, (C) the Exercise Price of each Award, (D) the vesting schedule applicable to each Award, (E) any confidentiality or restrictive covenant provisions applicable to the Award, and (F) subject to the requirements of Code Section 409A (to the extent applicable), any amendments to or waivers of the terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, including, but not limited to, extending the exercise period of such Awards and accelerating the vesting schedule of such Awards;

(v) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, which shall govern all Award Agreements evidencing Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units or Other Share-Based Awards, Other Cash-Based Awards or any combination of the foregoing granted hereunder;

(vi) to determine Fair Market Value;

(vii) to approve forms of Award Agreements for use with the Plan;

(viii) to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of absence which may be granted to a Participant without constituting termination of the Participant’s employment for purposes of Awards granted under the Plan;

(ix) to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable;

(x) to reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan, any Award Agreement or other instrument or agreement relating to the Plan or an Award granted under the Plan;

(xi) to construe and interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any Award Agreement relating thereto), and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan; and

(xii) to exercise all powers and authorities either specifically granted under the Plan or necessary or advisable in the administration of the Plan.

 

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(c) Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded, the Administrator may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one (1) or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it. Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may delegate to one (1) or more officers of the Company, the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election which is the responsibility of, or which is allocated to, the Committee herein, and which may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to Directors or other persons who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or decisions concerning the timing, pricing or amount of an Award to such Director or other person. Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 3(c), it is intended that any action under the Plan intended to qualify for the exemptions provided by Rule 16b-3 will be taken only by the Board or by a committee or subcommittee of two (2) or more Eligible Directors. However, the fact that any member of such committee or subcommittee shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any action that is otherwise valid under the Plan.

(d) All decisions made by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties, including the Company and the Participants. No member of the Board or the Committee, or any officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, omission, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board or the Committee and each and any officer or employee of the Company and of any Subsidiary thereof acting on their behalf shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company in respect of any such action, omission, determination or interpretation.

Section 4. Shares Reserved for Issuance Under the Plan and Limitations on Awards.

(a) Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5 of the Plan, in addition to Awards with respect to the 2,421,000 shares of Common Stock relating to the outstanding stock options assumed or substituted by the Company in connection with the Going Public Transaction, the Administrator is authorized to deliver with respect to Awards granted under the Plan an aggregate of ten percent (10%) of the Outstanding Common Stock as of the Effective Date; provided, that the total number of shares of Common Stock that will be reserved, and that may be issued, under the Plan will automatically increase on the first trading day of each calendar year, beginning with calendar year 2024, by a number of shares of Common Stock equal to three percent (3%) of the total number of Outstanding Common Stock on the last day of the prior calendar year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may act prior to January 1 of a given year to provide that there will be no such increase in the share reserve for that year or that the increase in the share reserve for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock than provided herein.

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted during any fiscal year to any Non-Employee Director, taken together with any cash fees paid to such Non-Employee Director during the fiscal year with respect to such Director’s service as a Non-Employee Director, shall not exceed $750,000, increased to $1,000,000 in the fiscal year of his or her initial services as a Non-Employee Director (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date Fair Market Value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes).

(c) Shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may, in whole or in part, be authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or shares that shall have been or may be reacquired by the Company in the open market, in private transactions or otherwise. Any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award under the Plan that, after the Effective Date, are forfeited, canceled, settled or otherwise terminated without a distribution of shares of Common Stock to a Participant will thereafter be deemed to be available for Awards. In applying the immediately preceding sentence, if (i) shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or issued in respect of, or as part of, any Award are withheld to cover taxes or any applicable Exercise Price, such shares shall be treated as having been issued under the Plan and shall not be available for issuance under the Plan, and (ii) any share-settled Stock Appreciation Rights or Options are exercised, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Stock Appreciation Rights or Options shall be deemed issued under the Plan and shall not be available for issuance under the Plan. In addition, shares of Common Stock (x) tendered to exercise outstanding Options or other Awards, (y) withheld to cover applicable taxes on any Awards or (z) repurchased on the open market using Exercise Price proceeds shall not be available for issuance under the Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, (A) shares of Common Stock underlying Awards that are subject to the achievement of performance goals shall be counted against the share reserve based on the target value of such Awards unless and until such time as such Awards become vested and settled in shares of Common Stock, and (B) Awards that, pursuant to their terms, may be settled only in cash shall not count against the share reserve set forth in Section 4(a).

 

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(d) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan; provided however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding options intended to qualify as incentive stock options shall be counted against the Incentive Stock Option limit in Section 7(b). In the event that an entity acquired by the Company or any Affiliate or with which the Company or any Affiliate combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by such entity’s equityholders (if such approval is required) and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the equity securities available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common equity of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan; provided, that Awards using such available shares of Common Stock shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Affiliates immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

(e) In the event that the Company or an Affiliate thereof consummates a transaction described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.424-1(a)(3), individuals who become Employees or Directors on account of such transaction may be granted Substitute Awards due to assumption of or in substitution for awards granted by their former employer, and any such Substitute Awards that are Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted with an Exercise Price less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the grant date thereof; provided, however, that the Exercise Price of, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, and other terms and conditions of Substitute Awards that are Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be determined in accordance with the applicable provisions of Code Sections 409A and 424.

Section 5. Equitable Adjustments.

In the event of any Change in Capitalization, an equitable substitution or proportionate adjustment shall be made, in each case, as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, in (a) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, (b) the kind, number and Exercise Price subject to outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan; provided, however, that any such substitution or adjustment with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall occur in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, and (c) the kind, number and purchase price of shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding Restricted Shares or Other Share-Based Awards granted under the Plan, in each case as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that any fractional shares of Common Stock resulting from the adjustment shall be eliminated for no consideration. Such other equitable substitutions or adjustments shall be made as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with a Change in Capitalization, the Administrator may provide, in its sole discretion, for the cancellation of any outstanding Award granted hereunder (i) in exchange for payment in cash or other property having an aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock covered by such Award, reduced by the aggregate Exercise Price or purchase price thereof, if any, and (ii) with respect to any Awards for which the Exercise Price or purchase price per share of Common Stock is greater than or equal to the then current Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock, for no consideration. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, any adjustment with respect to an Incentive Stock Option due to an adjustment or substitution described in this Section 5 shall comply with the rules of Code Section 424(a), and in no event shall any adjustment be made which would render any Incentive Stock Option granted hereunder to be disqualified as an incentive stock option for purposes of Code Section 422. The Administrator’s determinations pursuant to this Section 5 shall be final, binding and conclusive.

Section 6. Eligibility.

The Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, from among Eligible Recipients.

Section 7. Options.

(a) General. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, grant Options to Participants. Solely with respect to Participants who are Employees, the Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options or a combination of both. With respect to all other Participants, the Administrator may grant only Nonqualified Stock Options. Each Participant who is granted an Option shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, which Award Agreement shall specify whether the Option is an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option and shall set forth, among other things, the Exercise Price of the Option, the term of the Option, and provisions regarding vesting and exercisability of the Option granted thereunder. The provisions of each Award Agreement that grants Options need not be the same with respect to each Participant, and such Award Agreement to individual Participants need not be the same in subsequent years (if granted at all). More than one Option may be granted to the same Participant and be outstanding

 

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concurrently hereunder. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 7 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. The prospective recipient of an Option shall not have any rights with respect to such Award, unless and until such recipient has received an Award Agreement and, if required by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, executed and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty (60) days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date.

(b) Limits on Incentive Stock Options. If the Administrator grants Incentive Stock Options, then to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any individual during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and of any parent corporation (within the meaning of Code Section 424(e) and of any Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such Options will be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options to the extent required by Code Section 422. Subject to Section 5, the maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to Options intended to be Incentive Stock Options is 2,976,854 shares of Common Stock and, for the avoidance of doubt, such share limit shall not be subject to the annual adjustment provided in Section 4(b). Each Participant who exercises an Incentive Stock Option must notify the Company in writing immediately after the Participant makes a Disqualifying Disposition of any shares of Common Stock received pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options. A “Disqualifying Disposition” is any disposition (including any sale) of such shares of Common Stock before the later of (i) two years after the date the Participant was granted the Incentive Stock Option, or (ii) one year after the date the Participant acquired the shares of Common Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option.

(c) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of shares of Common Stock purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall the Exercise Price of an Option be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant, and (ii) no Incentive Stock Option granted to an Employee who, at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any parent corporation (within the meaning of Code Section 424(e)) or of any Subsidiary shall have an Exercise Price less than one-hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on such date.

(d) Option Term. The maximum term of each Option shall be fixed by the Administrator, but in no event shall (i) an Option be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such Option is granted, and (ii) an Incentive Stock Option granted to an Employee who, at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any parent corporation (within the meaning of Code Section 424(e)) or of any Subsidiary be exercisable more than five (5) years after the date such Option is granted. Each Option’s term is subject to earlier expiration pursuant to the applicable provisions in the Plan and the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the authority to accelerate the exercisability of any outstanding Option at such time and under such circumstances as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this Plan (including, without limitation, Section 7(h)), if, on the date an outstanding Nonqualified Stock Option would expire, the exercise of such Option, including by a “net exercise” or “cashless” exercise, would violate applicable law, the expiration date applicable to such Option will be tolled, except to the extent such tolling would violate Code Section 409A, to a date that is thirty (30) calendar days after the date the exercise of such Option would no longer violate applicable securities laws.

(e) Exercisability. Each Option shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions, including the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals, as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator may also provide that any Option shall be exercisable only in installments, and the Administrator may waive such installment exercise provisions at any time, in whole or in part, based on such factors as the Administrator may determine in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, an Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a share.

(f) Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised in whole or in part by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased, accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate Exercise Price of the shares of Common Stock so purchased in cash or its equivalent, as determined by the Administrator. As determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, with respect to any Option or category of Options, payment in whole or in part may also be made (i) by means of consideration received under any cashless exercise procedure approved by the Administrator (including the withholding of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon exercise), (ii) in the form of unrestricted shares of Common Stock already owned by the Participant which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the shares of Common Stock as to which such Option shall be exercised, (iii) by check acceptable to the Company on in cash, (iv) any other form of consideration approved by the Administrator and permitted by applicable law, or (v) any combination of the foregoing. In determining which methods a Participant may utilize to pay the Exercise Price, the Administrator may consider such factors as it determines are appropriate; provided, however, that with respect to Incentive Stock Options, all such discretionary determinations shall be made by the Administrator at the time of grant and specified in the Award Agreement.

 

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(g) Termination of Employment or Service. Unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise, in the event that the employment or service of a Participant with the Company and all Affiliates thereof shall terminate, the following terms and conditions shall apply:

(i) In the event of the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company without Cause or due to a resignation by the Participant for any reason, (A) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they are exercisable at the time of such termination, shall remain exercisable until the date that is ninety (90) days after such termination (with such period being extended to one (1) year after the date of such termination in the event of the Participant’s death during such ninety (90) day period), on which date they shall expire, and (B) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were not exercisable at the time of such termination, shall expire at the close of business on the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of its term.

(ii) In the event of the termination of a Participant’s employment or service as a result of the Participant’s Disability or death, (A) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were exercisable at the time of such termination, shall remain exercisable until the date that is one (1) year after such termination, on which date they shall expire, and (B) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were not exercisable at the time of such termination, shall expire at the close of business on the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of its term.

(iii) In the event of the termination of a Participant’s employment or service for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant shall expire at the commencement of business on the date of such termination.

(iv) For purposes of determining which Options are exercisable upon termination of employment or service for purposes of this Section 7(h), Options that are not exercisable solely due to a blackout period shall be considered exercisable.

(v) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, an Incentive Stock Option may not be exercised more than three (3) months following the date as of which a Participant ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or Disability. In the event that an Incentive Stock Option is exercisable following the date that is three (3) months following the date as of which a Participant ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or Disability, such Option shall be deemed to be a Nonqualified Stock Option.

(h) Other Change in Employment Status. An Option may be affected, with regard to vesting schedule, exercisability, termination, and other terms and conditions, by leaves of absence, changes from full-time to part-time employment, partial disability or other changes in the employment status or service of a Participant, as evidenced in a Participant’s Award Agreement.

(i) Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon a Change in Control, all outstanding Options shall be subject to Section 12 of the Plan.

Section 8. Stock Appreciation Rights.

(a) General. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted either alone (“Free Standing Rights”) or in conjunction with all or part of any Option granted under the Plan (“Related Rights”). Any Related Right that relates to a Nonqualified Stock Option may be granted at the same time the Option is granted or at any time thereafter, but before the exercise or expiration of the Option. Any Related Right that relates to an Incentive Stock Option must be granted at the same time the Incentive Stock Option is granted. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of Stock Appreciation Rights shall be made, the number of shares of Common Stock to be awarded, the Exercise Price, and all other terms and conditions of the Stock Appreciation Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Related Right may be granted for more shares of Common Stock than are subject to the Option to which it relates and (ii) each Stock Appreciation Right must be granted with an Exercise Price not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. The provisions of each Award Agreement that grants Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each Participant, and such Award Agreement to individual Participants need not be the same in subsequent years (if granted at all). Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions set forth in this Section 8 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable, as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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(b) Awards. The prospective recipient of a Stock Appreciation Right shall not have any rights with respect to such Award, unless and until such recipient has received an Award Agreement and, if required by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, executed and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty (60) days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date.

(c) Exercisability.

(i) Stock Appreciation Rights that are Free Standing Rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement.

(ii) Stock Appreciation Rights that are Related Rights shall be exercisable only at such time or times and to the extent that the Options to which they relate shall be exercisable in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 above and this Section 8 of the Plan.

(d) Payment Upon Exercise.

(i) Upon the exercise of a Free Standing Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive up to, but not more than, that number of shares of Common Stock, determined using the Fair Market Value, equal in value to the product of (A) the excess of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of Exercise Price specified in the Free Standing Right, multiplied by (B) the number of shares of Common Stock in respect of which the Free Standing Right is being exercised.

(ii) A Related Right may be exercised by a Participant by surrendering the applicable portion of the related Option. Upon such exercise and surrender, the Participant shall be entitled to receive up to, but not more than, that number of shares of Common Stock, determined using the Fair Market Value, equal in value to the product of (A) the excess of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of exercise over the Exercise Price specified in the related Option, multiplied by (B) the number of shares of Common Stock in respect of which the Related Right is being exercised. Options which have been so surrendered, in whole or in part, shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the Related Rights have been so exercised.

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may determine to settle the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right in shares of Common Stock, cash, or any combination of shares of Common Stock and cash.

(e) Termination of Employment or Service.

(i) Subject to Section 8(f), in the event of the termination of employment or service with the Company and all Affiliates thereof of a Participant who has been granted one or more Free Standing Rights, such rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement.

(ii) Subject to Section 8(f), in the event of the termination of employment or service with the Company and all Affiliates thereof of a Participant who has been granted one or more Related Rights, such rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as set forth in the related Options.

(f) Term.

(i) The term of each Free Standing Right shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Free Standing Right shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such right is granted.

(ii) The term of each Related Right shall be the term of the Option to which it relates, but no Related Right shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such right is granted.

(g) Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon a Change in Control, all outstanding Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to Section 12 of the Plan.

 

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Section 9. Restricted Shares.

(a) General. Each Award of Restricted Shares granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Restricted Shares may be issued either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of Restricted Shares shall be made; the number of shares of Common Stock to be awarded; the price, if any, to be paid by the Participant for the acquisition of Restricted Shares; the Restricted Period, if any, applicable to the Restricted Shares; the Performance Goals (if any) applicable to Restricted Shares; and all other terms and conditions of the Restricted Shares. If the restrictions, Performance Goals and/or terms and conditions established by the Administrator are not attained, a Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Shares in accordance with the terms of the grant. The terms and conditions applicable to each Award Agreement that grants Restricted Shares need not be the same with respect to each Participant, and such Award Agreement to individual Participants need not be the same in subsequent years (if granted at all).

(b) Awards and Certificates. The prospective recipient of Restricted Shares shall not have any rights with respect to any such Award, unless and until such recipient has received an Award Agreement and, if required by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, executed and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty (60) days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date. Except as otherwise provided in herein, (i) each Participant who is granted an Award of Restricted Shares may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be issued a stock certificate in respect of such Restricted Shares; and (ii) any such certificate so issued shall be registered in the name of the Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to any such Award. The Company may require that the stock certificates, if any, evidencing Restricted Shares granted hereunder be held in the custody of the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that, as a condition of any award of Restricted Shares, the Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the shares of Common Stock covered by such Award. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, any Restricted Shares (whether before or after any vesting conditions have been satisfied) may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be issued in uncertificated form pursuant to the customary arrangements for issuing shares in such form.

(c) Restrictions and Conditions. The Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Section 9 shall be subject to the following restrictions and conditions and any additional restrictions or conditions as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant or thereafter:

(i) The Restricted Shares shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award Agreement and in the Plan.

(ii) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide for the lapse of restrictions in installments and may accelerate or waive such restrictions in whole or in part based on such factors and such circumstances as the Administrator may determine, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, the attainment of certain Performance Goals, the Participant’s termination of employment or service as Non-Employee Director or Consultant of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, or the Participant’s death or Disability.

(iii) Subject to this Section 9(c)(iii), the Participant shall generally have the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to Restricted Shares during the Restricted Period. In the Administrator’s discretion and as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant may be entitled to dividends or dividend equivalents on an Award of Restricted Shares, which will be payable in accordance with the terms of such grant as determined by the Administrator in accordance with Section 19 of the Plan. Certificates for unrestricted shares of Common Stock may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be delivered to the Participant only after the Restricted Period has expired without forfeiture in respect of such Restricted Shares, except as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine.

(iv) The rights, if any, of Participants granted Restricted Shares upon termination of employment or of service as a Non-Employee Director or Consultant of the Company or an Affiliate thereof for any reason during the Restricted Period shall be set forth in the Award Agreement.

(d) Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon a Change in Control, all outstanding Restricted Shares shall be subject to Section 12 of the Plan.

 

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Section 10. Restricted Stock Units.

(a) General. Restricted Stock Units may be issued either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of Restricted Stock Units shall be made; the number of Restricted Stock Units to be awarded; the Restricted Period, if any, applicable to Restricted Stock Units; the Performance Goals (if any) applicable to Restricted Stock Units; and all other terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Units. If the restrictions, Performance Goals and/or terms and conditions established by the Administrator are not attained, a Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Stock Units in accordance with the terms of the grant. The terms and conditions applicable to each Award Agreement that grants Restricted Stock Units need not be the same with respect to each Participant, and such Award Agreement to individual Participants need not be the same in subsequent years (if granted at all).

(b) Award Agreement. The prospective recipient of Restricted Stock Units shall not have any rights with respect to any such Award, unless and until such recipient has received an Award Agreement and, if required by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, executed and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty (60) days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date.

(c) Restrictions and Conditions. The Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Section 10 shall be subject to the following restrictions and terms and conditions and any additional restrictions or terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant or, subject to Code Section 409A, thereafter:

(i) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide for the lapse of restrictions in installments and may accelerate or waive such restrictions in whole or in part based on such factors and such circumstances as the Administrator may determine, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, the attainment of certain Performance Goals, the Participant’s termination of employment or service as a Non-Employee Director or Consultant of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, or the Participant’s death or Disability.

(ii) Participants holding Restricted Stock Units shall have no voting rights or other rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying such Award. A Restricted Stock Unit may, at the Administrator’s discretion, carry with it a right to dividend equivalents, subject to Section 19 of the Plan. Any such right to dividend equivalents would entitle the holder to be credited with an amount equal to all cash dividends paid on one share of Common Stock while the Restricted Stock Unit is outstanding. The Administrator, in its discretion, may grant dividend equivalents from the date of grant, only after a Restricted Stock Unit is vested, or otherwise.

(iii) The rights, if any, of Participants granted Restricted Stock Units upon termination of employment or of service as a Non-Employee Director or Consultant of the Company or an Affiliate thereof for any reason during the Restricted Period shall be set forth in the Award Agreement.

(d) Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. Settlement of vested Restricted Stock Units shall be made to Participants in the form of shares of Common Stock, unless the Administrator, in its sole discretion, provides for the payment of the Restricted Stock Units in cash (or partly in cash and partly in shares of Common Stock) equal to the value of the shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be distributed to the Participant.

(e) Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon a Change in Control, all outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to Section 12 of the Plan.

Section 11. Other Share-Based or Cash-Based Awards.

(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards to Participants in the form of Other Share-Based Awards or Other Cash-Based Awards, as deemed by the Administrator to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan and as evidenced by an Award Agreement. The Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, consistent with the terms of the Plan, at the date of grant or thereafter, including any Performance Goals and performance periods. Shares of Common Stock or other securities or property delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 11 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, shares of Common Stock, other Awards, notes or other property, as the Administrator shall determine, subject to any required corporate action.

 

13


(b) The prospective recipient of an Other Share-Based Award or Other Cash-Based Award shall not have any rights with respect to such Award, unless and until such recipient has received an Award Agreement and, if required by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, executed and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty (60) days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date.

(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon a Change in Control, all outstanding Other Share-Based Awards and Other Cash-Based Awards shall be subject to Section 12 of the Plan.

Section 12. Change in Control.

Unless the Administrator provides otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement or in another applicable agreement between the Company or an applicable Affiliate and the Participant, and subject to Section 5, in the event of a Change in Control, the Company may provide for: (i) the continuation of any Award by the Company, if the Company is the surviving corporation; (ii) the assumption of any Award by the surviving entity or its parent or subsidiary; (iii) the substitution by the surviving entity or its parent or subsidiary of equivalent awards for any Award, provided, however, that any such substitution with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall occur in accordance with the requirements of Code Sections 409A or 424, as applicable; or (iv) settlement of any Award on a per share basis for the Change in Control Price (less, to the extent applicable, the Exercise Price), or, if the Exercise Price equals or exceeds the Change in Control Price, such Award shall terminate and be canceled without consideration. To the extent that Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units or other Awards settle in shares of Common Stock in accordance with their terms upon a Change in Control, such shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive as a result of the Change in Control transaction the same consideration as the shares of Common Stock held by stockholders of the Company as a result of the Change in Control transaction. For purposes of this Section 12, “Change in Control Price” shall mean (A) the price per share of Common Stock paid to stockholders of the Company in the Change in Control transaction, or (B) in the case of a Change in Control occurring solely by reason of events not related to a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock upon a Change in Control, as determined by the Administrator. To the extent that the consideration paid in any such Change in Control transaction consists all or in part of securities or other non-cash consideration, the value of such securities or other non-cash consideration shall be determined in good faith by the Administrator.

Section 13. Amendment and Termination.

(a) The Board or the Committee may amend, alter or terminate the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, or termination shall be made that would materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of a Participant under any Award theretofore granted without such Participant’s prior written consent.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) approval of the Company’s stockholders shall be obtained for any amendment that would require such approval in order to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422, if applicable, any rules of the stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are traded or other applicable law, and (ii) without stockholder approval to the extent required by the rules of any applicable national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted, except as otherwise permitted under Section 5 of the Plan, (A) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (B) the Administrator may not cancel any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right and replace it with a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right, another Award or cash, and (C) the Administrator may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system.

(c) Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and Code Sections 409A and 424, as applicable, the Administrator may modify, extend or renew outstanding Awards under the Plan, or accept the surrender of outstanding Awards (to the extent not already exercised) and grant new Awards in substitution of them (to the extent not already exercised).

(d) No alteration, modification or termination of an Award will, without the prior written consent of the Participant, adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Award already granted under the Plan, provided that, notwithstanding anything in this Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may amend an Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of correcting errors occurring in connection with the grant, operation or documentation of an Award, including rescinding an Award erroneously granted, including, but not limited to, an Award erroneously granted to an individual who is not eligible to receive on an Award on the date of grant of the Award. By accepting an Award under the Plan, each Participant agrees to any amendment made pursuant to this Section 13(d) to any Award Agreement under the Plan without further consideration or action.

 

14


Section 14. Unfunded Status of Plan.

The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. Neither the Company, the Board nor the Committee shall be required to establish any special or separate fund or to segregate any assets to assure the performance of its obligations under the Plan. With respect to any payments not yet made or shares of Common Stock not yet transferred to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.

Section 15. Rights as Stockholder.

No individual shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock covered by or relating to any Award until the date of record issuance of such shares of Common Stock in the books of the Company or the issuance of a stock certificate with respect to such shares. Except for adjustments provided in Section 5, no adjustment to any Award shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date occurs prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.

Section 16. Deferrals of Payment.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, including Code Section 409A, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of shares of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Award, shall be deferred. The Administrator may also, in its sole discretion, establish one or more programs under the Plan to permit selected Participants the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of any such consideration, including any applicable election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for payments of amounts, shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions, rules and procedures that the Administrator deems advisable for the administration of any such deferral program.

Section 17. Withholding Taxes.

Each Participant shall, no later than the date as of which the value of an Award first becomes includible in the gross income of such Participant for federal, state and/or local tax purposes, pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator regarding payment of, any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to the Award. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on the making of such payments or arrangements, and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Participant. Whenever cash is to be paid pursuant to an Award granted hereunder, the Company shall have the right to deduct therefrom an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local withholding tax requirements related thereto. Whenever shares of Common Stock are to be delivered pursuant to an Award, the Company shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to the Company in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy any related federal, state or local taxes to be withheld and applied to the tax obligations. With the approval of the Administrator, a Participant may satisfy the foregoing requirement by electing to have the Company withhold from delivery of shares of Common Stock or by delivering already owned unrestricted shares of Common Stock, in each case, having a value equal to the amount required to be withheld or other greater amount not exceeding the maximum statutory rate required to be collected on the transaction under applicable law, as applicable to the Participant, if such other greater amount would not, as determined by the Administrator, result in adverse financial accounting treatment (including in connection with the effectiveness of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-09). Such shares of Common Stock shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Fractional share amounts shall be settled in cash. Such an election may be made with respect to all or any portion of the shares of Common Stock to be delivered pursuant to an Award. The Company may also use any other method of obtaining the necessary payment or proceeds, as permitted by law, to satisfy its withholding obligation with respect to any Option or other Award.

Section 18. Certain Forfeitures.

The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain events, in addition to the applicable vesting conditions of an Award. Such events may include, without limitation, breach of any non-competition, non- solicitation, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that are contained in an Award Agreement or that are otherwise applicable to the Participant, a termination of the Participant’s employment for Cause, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and its Subsidiaries and/or its Affiliates.

 

15


Section 19. Dividends; Dividend Equivalents.

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, to the extent that an Award contains a right to receive dividends or dividend equivalents while such Award remains unvested, such dividends or dividend equivalents will be accumulated and paid only after and to the extent that the underlying Award vests.

Section 20. Non-United States Employees.

Without amending the Plan, the Administrator may grant Awards to Eligible Recipients residing in non-United States jurisdictions on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan, including the terms of any award agreement or plan, adopted by the Company or any Subsidiary thereof to comply with, or take advantage of favorable tax or other treatment available under, the laws of any non-United States jurisdiction, as may in the judgment of the Administrator be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan and, in furtherance of such purposes the Administrator may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, sub-plans and the like as may be necessary or advisable to comply with provisions of laws in other countries or jurisdictions in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operates or has employees.

Section 21. Transfer of Awards.

No purported sale, assignment, mortgage, hypothecation, transfer, charge, pledge, encumbrance, gift, transfer in trust (voting or other) or other disposition of, or creation of a security interest in or lien on, any Award or any agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing (each, a “Transfer”) by any holder thereof in violation of the provisions of the Plan or an Award Agreement will be valid, except with the prior written consent of the Administrator, which consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of the Administrator, and other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Any purported Transfer of an Award or any economic benefit or interest therein in violation of the Plan or an Award Agreement shall be null and void ab initio, and shall not create any obligation or liability of the Company, and any person purportedly acquiring any Award or any economic benefit or interest therein transferred in violation of the Plan or an Award Agreement shall not be entitled to be recognized as a holder of such shares of Common Stock. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, an Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant or, during any period during which the Participant is under a legal disability, by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative. Under no circumstances will a Participant be permitted to transfer an Option or Stock Appreciation Right to a third-party financial institution without prior stockholder approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Incentive Stock Option is transferrable by the Participant to whom it was granted only by will or the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by such Participant.

Section 22. No Employment Rights; No Right to Award.

The adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any Eligible Recipient any right to continued employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate thereof, as the case may be, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or an Affiliate thereof to terminate the employment or service of any of its Eligible Recipients at any time for any reason or no reason. No party shall have any claim or right to receive an Award under the Plan. The Administrator’s granting of an Award to a Participant at any time shall neither require the Administrator to grant any other Award to such Participant or other party at any time nor preclude the Administrator from making subsequent grants to such Participant or other party. There is no requirement for uniformity of treatment among Participants.

Section 23. Effective Date.

The Plan will be effective as of the date of consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement so long as the Plan has been approved by the Company’s stockholders. The Plan will be unlimited in duration and, in the event of Plan termination, will remain in effect as long as any shares of Common Stock awarded under it are outstanding and not fully vested; provided, however, that no Awards will be made under the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided further, that in no event may an Incentive Stock Option be granted more than ten years after the earlier of (a) the date of the adoption of the Plan by the Board or (b) the Effective Date.

 

16


Section 24. Code Section 409A.

The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under the Plan be either exempt from Code Section 409A or comply with Code Section 409A to the extent subject thereto, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan shall be interpreted and be administered consistent with such intent. Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the “short-term deferral period” as defined in Code Section 409A shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless applicable law requires otherwise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, to the extent required in order to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties and other liabilities under Code Section 409A, amounts that would otherwise be payable and benefits that would otherwise be provided upon a “separation from service” to a Participant who is a “specified employee” shall be paid on the first business day after the date that is six (6) months following the Participant’s separation from service (or upon the Participant’s death, if earlier), provided that if such amounts are payable in installments, then all installments otherwise payable during such six-month period shall be accumulated and paid on such first business day thereafter and all remaining installment payments shall be paid according to their original schedule. In addition, for purposes of the Plan, each amount, including each installment in a series of installment payments, to be paid or benefit to be provided to the Participant pursuant to the Plan shall be construed as a separate identified payment for purposes of Code Section 409A. Nothing contained in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall be construed as a guarantee of any particular tax effect with respect to an Award. The Company does not guarantee that any Awards provided under the Plan will be exempt from or in compliance with the provisions of Code Section 409A, and in no event will the Company be liable for any or all portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses or liabilities that may be incurred by a Participant (or any party claiming through on or behalf of such Participant) on account of any Award being subject to, but not in compliance with, Code Section 409A.

Section 25. Notification of Election under Code Section 83(b).

If any Participant shall, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, make the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code, such Participant shall notify the Company of such election within 10 days after filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service and shall promptly provide a copy of such filing notice to the Company.

Section 26. Compliance with Laws.

(a) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in shares of Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to (i) all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, (ii) such approvals as may be required by governmental agencies or the applicable national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock may be admitted, and (iii) policies maintained by the Company from time to time in order to comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations and corporate governance requirements, including, without limitation, with respect to insider trading restrictions. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless and until such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel (if the Company has requested such an opinion), satisfactory to the Company, that such shares of Common Stock may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Administrator shall have the authority to provide that all shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company issued under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and the Administrator may cause a legend or legends to be put on certificates representing shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company issued under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company issued under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Company’s instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

(b) The Administrator may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of shares of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of shares of Common Stock to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Administrator determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, the Company shall, subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Code Section 409A, (i) pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares of Common Stock would have been vested or issued, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price (in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right) or any

 

17


amount payable as a condition of issuance of shares of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award), and such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof, or (ii) in the case of Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units or Other Share-Based Awards, provide the Participant with a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units or Other Share-Based Awards, or the underlying shares of Common Stock in respect thereof.

Section 27. Paperless Administration.

In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

Section 28. Clawback/Recovery.

The Plan and all Awards issued hereunder shall be subject to any compensation recovery and/or recoupment policy adopted by the Company to comply with applicable law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or to comport with good corporate governance practices, as such policies may be amended from time to time. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with the Company or a Subsidiary.

Section 29. Governing Law.

The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law of such state.

Section 30. Severability.

If any provision of this Plan, any Award Agreement or any other agreement entered into in connection with an Award shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable by any court of law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and all provisions shall remain enforceable in any other jurisdiction. In addition, if any particular provision contained in this Plan, any Award Agreement or any other agreement entered into in connection with an Award shall for any reason be held to be excessively broad as to duration, geographic scope, activity or subject, it shall be construed by limiting and reducing such provision as to such characteristic so that the provision is enforceable to fullest extent compatible with applicable law.

Section 31. Captions and Titles.

The use of captions and titles in this Plan or any Award Agreement or any other agreement entered into in connection with an Award is for the convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Plan or such agreement.

Section 32. Plan Document Controls.

In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the Plan and an Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall control.

 

18

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

June 11, 2024

Drilling Tools International Corporation

3701 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150

Houston, Texas 77042

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Drilling Tools International Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Form S-8 Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the registration of the offer and sale of up to 893,057 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), issuable pursuant to the terms and in the manner set forth in the Drilling Tools International Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

This opinion letter is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”).

In connection with this opinion letter, we have examined and are familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (i) the Registration Statement, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Act; (ii) the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as currently in effect; (iii) the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company, as currently in effect; (iv) the Plan; and (v) unanimous written consent of the board of directors of the Company relating to, among other things, the approval of the Plan, the reservation for issuance of the Shares issuable thereunder and the filing of the Registration Statement. We have also examined such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth below.

In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. As to any facts material to this opinion that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

 


Drilling Tools International Corporation

June 11, 2024

Page Two

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, paid for and delivered pursuant to the terms and in the manner set forth in the Plan, and assuming that the Shares have been and remain duly reserved for issuance within the limits of the Common Stock then remaining authorized but unissued, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

The foregoing opinion is based upon and limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the statutory provisions, the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). We express no opinion herein as to any other laws, statutes, regulations or ordinances. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or supplement such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes that may hereafter occur. This opinion letter is being furnished solely for the Company’s benefit in connection with the offer, sale and issuance of the Shares and is not to be used, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose without our prior written consent.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby concede that we are experts within the meaning of the Act or that our firm is within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Winston & Strawn LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of our report dated March 28, 2024, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Drilling Tools International Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2023.

/s/ WEAVER AND TIDWELL, L.L.P.

WEAVER AND TIDWELL, L.L.P.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

June 11, 2024

EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

Form S-8

(Form Type)

Drilling Tools International Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities

 

Security Type

 

Security
Class

Title

 

Fee
Calculation
Rule

 

Amount
Registered(1)

 

Proposed
Maximum
Offering

Price Per
Unit

 

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate

Offering

Price

 

Fee Rate

 

Amount of
Registration
Fee

Equity

  Common Stock, par 
value $0.0001 per
share
  Other(2)   893,057(3)   $5.99(4)   $5,349,411.43(4)   0.00014760    $789.57

Total Offering Amounts

      $5,349,411.43       $789.57

Total Fee Offsets

              $0

Net Fee Due

              $789.57

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to which this exhibit relates shall be deemed to register any additional shares of common stock of Drilling Tools International Corporation (the “Registrant,” and such shares, the “Common Stock”) that become issuable under the Registrant’s 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended or amended and restated, the “Plan”) by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar transaction that results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

(2)

Fee calculated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and 457(h) under the Securities Act.

 

(3)

893,057 additional shares of Common Stock covered by this Registration Statement are authorized and reserved for issuance under the Plan in accordance with the “evergreen” provision of the Plan. See “Explanatory Note.”

 

(4)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) under the Securities Act based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market on June 10, 2024 (such date being within five business days of the date of this Registration Statement).