CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC false 0000732834 0000732834 2022-05-19 2022-05-19

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 19, 2022

 

 

CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Oklahoma   001-32886   73-0767549

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

20 N. Broadway

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  73102
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (405) 234-9000

Not Applicable.

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.01 par value   CLR   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2). 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

At the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2022 Annual Meeting”) of Continental Resources, Inc. (the “Company”) held on May 19, 2022, the Company’s shareholders, upon recommendation of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), approved the Company’s 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). As a result of the 2022 Plan being approved and adopted by shareholders at the 2022 Annual Meeting, no further awards will be made under the Company’s 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”); however, restricted stock awards granted under the 2013 Plan prior to shareholder approval of the 2022 Plan will remain outstanding in accordance with their terms. The 2022 Plan is described in further detail in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the 2022 Annual Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 2022 (the “Proxy Statement”), and the full text of the 2022 Plan is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Report on Form 8-K. The forms of Restricted Stock Award Agreements for employees and non-employee directors approved by the Board to be used in connection with restricted stock awards granted under the 2022 Plan are filed as Exhibits 10.2 and 10.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

10.1    Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan
10.2    Form of Employee Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan
10.3    Form of Non-Employee Director Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan
104    Cover page interactive data file (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.
    (Registrant)
Dated: May 19, 2022    
    By:  

/s/ John D. Hart

      John D. Hart
     

Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice

President of Strategic Planning

Exhibit 10.1

CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.

2022 LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

1.    Purpose. The purpose of the Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to provide a means through which (a) Continental Resources, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation (the “Company”), and the Affiliates may attract, retain and motivate qualified persons as employees, directors, consultants, and other individual service providers, thereby enhancing the profitable growth of the Company and the Affiliates and (b) persons upon whom the responsibilities of the successful administration and management of the Company and the Affiliates rest, and whose present and potential contributions to the Company and the Affiliates are of importance, can acquire and maintain stock ownership or awards the value of which is tied to the performance of the Company, thereby strengthening their concern for the Company and the Affiliates. Accordingly, the Plan provides for the grant of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Awards, Dividend Equivalents, Other Stock-Based Awards, Cash Awards, Substitute Awards, or any combination of the foregoing, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

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

(a)    “Affiliate” means, with respect to any person or entity, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, association, trust or other organization that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person or entity. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any entity or organization, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power (i) to vote more than 50% of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of the controlled entity or organization or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the controlled entity or organization, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

(b)    “ASC Topic 718” means the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, as amended or any successor accounting standard.

(c)    “Award” means any Option, SAR, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Stock Award, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock-Based Award, Cash Award, or Substitute Award, together with any other right or interest, granted under the Plan.

(d)    “Award Agreement” means any written instrument (including any employment, severance or change in control agreement) that sets forth the terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations applicable to an Award, in addition to those set forth under the Plan.

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

(f)    “Cash Award” means an Award denominated in cash granted under Section 6(i).

(g)    “Change in Control” means, except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the occurrence of any of the following events after the Effective Date:

(i)    The consummation of an agreement to acquire or a tender offer for the beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of either (x) the then-outstanding shares of Stock (the “Outstanding Stock”) or (y) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this clause (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company or its subsidiaries, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company, (D) any acquisition by any entity pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of clause (iii) below or (E) any transaction in which the Outstanding Stock or Outstanding Company Voting Securities are issued, sold or transferred to an Excluded Person;

(ii)    The individuals constituting the Board on the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason (other than due to death or Disability) to constitute at least majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a

 

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director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election, by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to such nomination) will be considered as though such individual were an Incumbent Director, but excluding, for purposes of this proviso, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened proxy contest with respect to election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a “person” (as used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), in each case, other than the Board, which individual, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be deemed to be an Incumbent Director for purposes of this definition, regardless of whether such individual was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors;

(iii)    Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or an acquisition of assets of another entity that results in the Company engaging in a transaction that has a similar result as the foregoing actions (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) the Outstanding Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination represent or are converted into or exchanged for securities which represent or are convertible into more than 50% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock or common equity interests and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or other governing body, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company, or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no person, excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company, an Excluded Person or the entity resulting from such Business Combination, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20 or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock or common equity interests of the entity resulting from such Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors or similar governing body of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

(iv)    Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 2(g), for purposes of an Award that provides for a deferral of compensation under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, to the extent the impact of a Change in Control on such Award would subject a Participant to additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, a Change in Control described in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above with respect to such Award will mean both a Change in Control and a “change in the ownership of a corporation,” “change in the effective control of a corporation,” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of a corporation’s assets” within the meaning of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules as applied to the Company.

(h)    “Change in Control Price” means the amount determined in the following clause or clauses, as determined by the Committee to most appropriately reflect the transaction(s) at issue: (i) the price per share offered to holders of Stock in any merger or consolidation, (ii) the per share Fair Market Value of the Stock immediately before the Change in Control or other event without regard to assets sold in the Change in Control or other event and assuming the Company has received the consideration paid for the assets in the case of a sale of the assets, (iii) the amount distributed per share of Stock in a dissolution transaction, (iv) the price per share offered to holders of Stock in any tender offer or exchange offer whereby a Change in Control or other event takes place, or (v) if such Change in Control or other event occurs other than pursuant to a transaction described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this Section 2(h), the value per share of the Stock that may otherwise be obtained with respect to such Awards or to which such Awards track, as determined by the Committee as of the date determined by the Committee to be the date of cancellation and surrender of such Awards. In the event that the consideration offered to stockholders of the Company in any transaction described in this Section 2(h) or in Section 8(e) consists of anything other than cash, the Committee shall determine the fair cash equivalent of the portion of the consideration offered which is other than cash and such determination shall be binding on all affected Participants to the extent applicable to Awards held by such Participants.

(i)    “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including the guidance and regulations promulgated thereunder and successor provisions, guidance and regulations thereto.

(j)    “Committee” means a committee of two or more directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided, however, that, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Committee shall consist solely of two or more Qualified Members. For purposes of this Plan, the term “Committee” shall also include the Board to the extent the Board elects to administer the Plan, and shall also include any individual that has received administrative delegation from the Committee pursuant Section 3(c) of this Plan.

 

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(k)    “Disability” means the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically verifiable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months. For purposes of this Plan, the determination of Disability shall be made in the sole and absolute discretion of the Committee.

(l)    “Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(g), to receive cash, Stock, other Awards or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock, or other periodic payments.

(m)    “Effective Date” means May 19, 2022.

(n)    “Eligible Person” means any individual who, as of the date of grant of an Award, is an officer or employee of the Company or of any Affiliate, and any other person who provides services to the Company or any Affiliate, including directors of the Company; provided, however, that, any such individual must be an “employee” of the Company or any of its parents or subsidiaries within the meaning of General Instruction A.1(a) to Form S-8 if such individual is granted an Award that may be settled in Stock. An employee on leave of absence may be an Eligible Person.

(o)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including the guidance, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and successor provisions, guidance, rules and regulations thereto.

(p)    “Excluded Person” means (i) Harold G. Hamm (“Hamm”), (ii) any of Hamm’s lineal descendants, (iii) Hamm’s guardian or other legal representative of Hamm or Hamm’s estate, (iv) any trust of which at least one of the trustees is Hamm, or the principal beneficiaries of which are any one or more of the persons or entities described in clause (i) through (iii) above, (v) any person or entity that is controlled by any one or more of the persons or entities described in clause (i) through (iv) above, (vi) any group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder) that includes one or more of the persons or entities described in clauses (i) through (v) above, provided that such persons and entities described in clauses (i) through (v) above control more than 50% of the voting power of such group.

(q)    “Fair Market Value” of a share of Stock means, as of any specified date, (i) if the Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of the Stock, as reported on the stock exchange composite tape on that date (or if no sales occur on such date, on the last preceding date on which such sales of the Stock are so reported); (ii) if the Stock is not traded on a national securities exchange but is traded over the counter on such date, the average between the reported high and low bid and asked prices of Stock on the most recent date on which Stock was publicly traded on or preceding the specified date; or (iii) in the event Stock is not publicly traded at the time a determination of its value is required to be made under the Plan, the amount determined by the Committee in its discretion in such manner as it deems appropriate, taking into account all factors the Committee deems appropriate, including the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Notwithstanding this definition of Fair Market Value, with respect to one or more Award types, or for any other purpose for which the Committee must determine the Fair Market Value under the Plan, the Committee may elect to choose a different measurement date or methodology for determining Fair Market Value so long as the determination is consistent with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules and all other applicable laws and regulations.

(r)     “ISO” means an Option intended to be and designated as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(s)    “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules” means the limitations and requirements of Section 409A of the Code, as amended from time to time, including the guidance and regulations promulgated thereunder and successor provisions, guidance and regulations thereto.

(t)    “Nonstatutory Option” means an Option that is not an ISO.

(u)    “Option” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(b), to purchase Stock at a specified price during specified time periods, which may either be an ISO or a Nonstatutory Option.

(v)    “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(h).

 

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(w)    “Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under the Plan that remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.

(x)    “Qualified Member” means a member of the Board who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3), and (ii) “independent” under the listing standards or rules of the securities exchange upon which the Stock is traded, but only to the extent such independence is required in order to take the action at issue pursuant to such standards or rules.

(y)    “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(d) that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.

(z)    “Restricted Stock Unit” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(e), to receive Stock, cash or a combination thereof at the end of a specified period (which may or may not be coterminous with the vesting schedule of the Award).

(aa)    “Retirement” means, unless otherwise set forth within an Award Agreement, the termination of an Eligible Person’s employment with the Company or Affiliate on or after attaining age sixty two (62).

(bb)    “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, promulgated by the SEC under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(cc)    “SAR” means a stock appreciation right granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(c).

(dd)    “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(ee)    “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, including the guidance, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and successor provisions, guidance, rules and regulations thereto.

(ff)    “Stock” means the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and such other securities as may be substituted (or re-substituted) for Stock pursuant to Section 8.

(gg)    “Stock Award” means unrestricted shares of Stock granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(f).

(hh)    “Substitute Award” means an Award granted under Section 6(j).

3.     Administration.

(a)    Authority of the Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, Rule 16b-3 and other applicable laws, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to:

(i)    designate Eligible Persons as Participants;

(ii)    determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to an Eligible Person;

(iii)    determine the number of shares of Stock or amount of cash to be covered by Awards;

(iv)    determine the terms and conditions of any Award, including whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be vested, settled, exercised, cancelled or forfeited (including conditions based on continued employment or service requirements or the achievement of one or more performance or other goals);

(v)    modify, waive or adjust any term or condition of an Award that has been granted, which may include the acceleration of vesting, waiver of forfeiture restrictions, modification of the form of settlement of the Award (for example, from cash to Stock or vice versa), early termination of a performance period, or modification of any other condition or limitation regarding an Award;

(vi)    determine the treatment of an Award upon a termination of employment or other service relationship;

(vii)    impose a holding period with respect to an Award or the shares of Stock received in connection with an Award;

 

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(viii)    interpret and administer the Plan and any Award Agreement;

(ix)    correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, in any Award, or in any Award Agreement; and

(x)    make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, Affiliates, stockholders, Participants, beneficiaries, and permitted transferees under Section 7(a) or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant. The Committee’s determinations need not be uniform with respect to Participants, and need not apply consistently across Awards.

(b)    Exercise of Committee Authority. At any time that a member of the Committee is not a Qualified Member, any action of the Committee relating to an Award granted or to be granted to an Eligible Person who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company where such action is not taken by the full Board may be taken either (i) by a subcommittee, designated by the Committee, composed solely of two or more Qualified Members, or (ii) by the Committee but with each such member who is not a Qualified Member abstaining or recusing himself or herself from such action; provided, however, that upon such abstention or recusal, the Committee remains composed solely of two or more Qualified Members. Such action, authorized by such a subcommittee or by the Committee upon the abstention or recusal of such non-Qualified Member(s), shall be the action of the Committee for purposes of the Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, the full Board may take any action relating to an Award granted or to be granted to an Eligible Person who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company.

(c)    Delegation of Authority. The Committee may delegate any or all of its powers and duties under the Plan to a subcommittee of directors or to any officer of the Company, including the power to perform administrative functions and grant Awards; provided, that such delegation does not (i) violate state or corporate law, or (ii) result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3(d)(1) for Awards granted to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company. Upon any such delegation, all references in the Plan to the “Committee,” other than in Section 8, shall be deemed to include any subcommittee or officer of the Company to whom such powers have been delegated by the Committee. Any such delegation shall not limit the right of such subcommittee members or such an officer to receive Awards; provided, however, that such subcommittee members and any such officer may not, acting alone, grant Awards to himself or herself, a member of the Board, or any executive officer of the Company or an Affiliate, or take any action with respect to any Award previously granted to himself or herself, a member of the Board, or any executive officer of the Company or an Affiliate. The Committee may also appoint agents who are not executive officers of the Company or members of the Board to assist in administering the Plan, provided, however, that such individuals may not be delegated the authority to grant or modify any Awards that will, or may, be settled in Stock.

(d)    Limitation of Liability. The Committee and each member thereof shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or employee of the Company or any Affiliate, the Company’s legal counsel, independent auditors, consultants or any other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company or any Affiliate acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be indemnified and held harmless by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.

(e)    Participants in Non-U.S. Jurisdictions. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to comply with applicable laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company or any Affiliate operates or has employees, directors or other service providers from time to time, or to ensure that the Company complies with any applicable requirements of foreign securities exchanges, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (i) determine which of the Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which Eligible Persons outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Persons outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any foreign exchange; (iv) establish sub-plans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable (any such sub-plans and/or modifications shall be attached to the Plan as appendices), provided, however, that no such sub-plans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 4(a); and (v) take any action, before or after an Award is granted, that it deems advisable to comply with any

 

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applicable governmental regulatory exemptions or approval or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange. For purposes of the Plan, all references to foreign laws, rules, regulations or taxes shall be references to the laws, rules, regulations and taxes of any applicable jurisdiction other than the United States or a political subdivision thereof.

4.     Stock Subject to the Plan.

(a)    Number of Shares Available for Delivery. Subject to adjustment in a manner consistent with Section 8, (i) 8,000,000 shares of Stock plus (ii) any shares of Stock that are available for issuance under the Amended and Restated Continental Resources, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan as of the Effective Date are reserved and available for delivery with respect to Awards. The amount in clause (i) of the preceding sentence shall also be the total number of shares available for the issuance of shares upon the exercise of ISOs.

(b)    Application of Limitation to Grants of Awards. Subject to Section 4(c), no Award may be granted if the number of shares of Stock that may be delivered in connection with such Award exceeds the number of shares of Stock remaining available under the Plan minus the number of shares of Stock issuable in settlement of or relating to then-outstanding Awards. The Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or Substitute Awards) and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award.

(c)    Availability of Shares Not Delivered under Awards. If all or any portion of an Award expires or is cancelled, forfeited, exchanged, settled in cash or otherwise terminated, the shares of Stock subject to such Award (including (i) shares forfeited with respect to Restricted Stock, and (ii) the number of shares withheld or surrendered to the Company in payment of any exercise or purchase price of an Award or taxes relating to Awards) shall not be considered “delivered shares” under the Plan, shall be available for delivery with respect to Awards. If an Award may be settled only in cash, such Award need not be counted against any share limit under this Section 4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shares of Stock will not be available for future Awards under this Plan: (A) shares withheld, or otherwise tendered by Participants, as full or partial payment to the Company upon the exercise of Options granted under this Plan; or (B) shares reserved for issuance upon the grant of SARs to the extent the number of reserved shares exceeds the number of shares actually issued upon exercise of the SARs.

(d)    Shares Available Following Certain Transactions. Substitute Awards granted in accordance with applicable stock exchange requirements and in substitution or exchange for awards previously granted by a company acquired by the Company or any subsidiary or with which the Company or any subsidiary combines shall not reduce the shares authorized for issuance under the Plan or the limitations on grants to non-employee members of the Board under Section 5(b), nor shall shares subject to such Substitute Awards be added to the shares available for issuance under the Plan as provided above (whether or not such Substitute Awards are later cancelled, forfeited or otherwise terminated).

(e)    Stock Offered. The shares of Stock to be delivered under the Plan shall be made available from (i) authorized but unissued shares of Stock, (ii) Stock held in the treasury of the Company, including shares purchased on the open market.

5.     Eligibility; Award Limitations for Non-Employee Members of the Board.

(a)    Awards may be granted under the Plan only to Eligible Persons.

(b)    In each calendar year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, a non-employee member of the Board may not be granted Awards for such individual’s service on the Board having a value (determined, if applicable, pursuant to ASC Topic 718) on the date of grant in excess of $1,000,000; provided, that for any calendar year in which a non-employee member of the Board (i) first commences service on the Board, (ii) serves on a special committee of the Board, or (iii) serves as lead director or chairman of the Board, additional Awards may be granted to such non-employee member of the Board in excess of such limit; provided, further, that the limit set forth in this Section 5(b) shall be applied without regard to (A) cash fees paid to a non-employee member of the Board during such calendar year (or grants of Awards, if any, made to a non-employee member of the Board in lieu of all or any portion of such cash fees) or (B) grants of Awards, if any, made to a non-employee member of the Board during any period in which such individual was an employee of the Company or any Affiliate or was otherwise providing services to the Company or to any Affiliate other than in the capacity as a director of the Company.

 

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6.     Specific Terms of Awards.

(a)    General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with any other Award. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 10), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including subjecting such awards to service- or performance-based vesting conditions. Without limiting the scope of the preceding sentence, with respect to any performance-based conditions, (i) the Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance goals applicable to an Award, and (ii) any such performance goals may relate to the performance of the Participant, the Company (on a consolidated basis), or to specified subsidiaries, business or geographical units or operating areas of the Company, (iii) the performance period or periods over which performance goals will be measured shall be established by the Committee, and (iv) any such performance goals and performance periods may differ among Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the Committee may exercise its discretion to reduce or increase the amounts payable under any Award.

(b)    Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options, which may be designated as either ISOs or Nonstatutory Options, to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i)    Exercise Price. Each Award Agreement evidencing an Option shall state the exercise price per share of Stock (the “Exercise Price”) established by the Committee; provided, however, that except as provided in Section 6(j) or in Section 8, the Exercise Price of an Option shall not be less than the greater of (A) the par value per share of the Stock or (B) 100% of the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock as of the date of grant of the Option (or in the case of an ISO granted to an individual who owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or any of its subsidiaries, 110% of the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock on the date of grant).

(ii)    Time and Method of Exercise; Other Terms. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the Exercise Price may be paid or deemed to be paid, the form of such payment, including cash or cash equivalents, Stock (including previously owned shares or through a cashless exercise, i.e., “net settlement”, a broker-assisted exercise, or other reduction of the amount of shares otherwise issuable pursuant to the Option), other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or any Affiliate, other property, or any other legal consideration the Committee deems appropriate (including notes or other contractual obligations of Participants to make payment on a deferred basis), the methods by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, including the delivery of Restricted Stock subject to Section 6(d), and any other terms and conditions of any Option. In the case of an exercise whereby the Exercise Price is paid with Stock, such Stock shall be valued based on the Stock’s Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise. No Option may be exercisable for a period of more than ten years following the date of grant of the Option (or in the case of an ISO granted to an individual who owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or any of its subsidiaries, for a period of more than five years following the date of grant of the ISO).

(iii)    ISOs. The terms of any ISO granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. ISOs may only be granted to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company or employees of a parent or any subsidiary corporation of the Company. Except as otherwise provided in Section 8 below, no term of the Plan relating to ISOs (including any SAR in tandem therewith) shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted under the Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify either the Plan or any ISO under Section 422 of the Code, unless notice has been provided to the Participant that such change will result in such disqualification. ISOs shall not be granted more than ten years after the earlier of the adoption of the Plan or the approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Stock subject to an ISO and the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of stock of any parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code) subject to any other incentive stock options of the Company or a parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code) that are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, or such other amount as may be prescribed under Section 422 of the Code, such excess shall be treated as Nonstatutory Options in accordance with the Code. As used in the previous sentence, Fair Market Value shall be determined as of the date the ISO is granted. If a Participant shall make any disposition of shares of Stock issued pursuant to an ISO under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to disqualifying dispositions), the Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within the time provided to do so in the applicable award agreement.

 

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(c)    SARs. The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i)    Right to Payment. An SAR is a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise over (B) the grant price of the SAR as determined by the Committee.

(ii)    Grant Price. Each Award Agreement evidencing an SAR shall state the grant price per share of Stock established by the Committee; provided, however, that except as provided in Section 6(j) or in Section 8, the grant price per share of Stock subject to an SAR shall not be less than the greater of (A) the par value per share of the Stock or (B) 100% of the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock as of the date of grant of the SAR.

(iii)    Method of Exercise and Settlement; Other Terms. The Committee shall determine the form of consideration payable upon settlement, the method by or forms in which Stock (if any) will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. SARs may be either free-standing or granted in tandem with other Awards. No SAR may be exercisable for a period of more than ten years following the date of grant of the SAR.

(iv)    Rights Related to Options. An SAR granted in connection with an Option shall entitle a Participant, upon exercise, to surrender that Option or any portion thereof, to the extent unexercised, and to receive payment of an amount determined by multiplying (A) the difference obtained by subtracting the Exercise Price with respect to a share of Stock specified in the related Option from the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the SAR, by (B) the number of shares as to which that SAR has been exercised. The Option shall then cease to be exercisable to the extent surrendered. SARs granted in connection with an Option shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Award Agreement governing the Option, which shall provide that the SAR is exercisable only at such time or times and only to the extent that the related Option is exercisable and shall not be transferable except to the extent that the related Option is transferrable.

(d)    Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i)    Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose. Except as provided in Section 7(a)(iii) and Section 7(a)(iv), during the restricted period applicable to the Restricted Stock, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hedged, hypothecated, margined or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.

(ii)    Dividends and Splits. As a condition to the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee may allow a Participant to elect, or may require, that any cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock, applied to the purchase of additional Awards or deferred without interest to the date of vesting of the associated Award of Restricted Stock. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and specified in the applicable Award Agreement, cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock, or Stock distributed in connection with a Stock split or Stock dividend, and other property (other than cash) distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Stock or other property has been distributed, and no interest shall be paid during any deferral period.

(e)    Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i)    Award and Restrictions. Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee may impose.

(ii)    Settlement. Settlement of vested Restricted Stock Units shall occur upon vesting or upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Restricted Stock Units by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). Restricted Stock Units shall be settled by delivery of (A) a number of shares of Stock equal to the number of Restricted Stock Units for which settlement is due, or (B) cash in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the specified number of shares of Stock equal to the number of Restricted Stock Units for which settlement is due, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee at the date of grant or thereafter.

(f)    Stock Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Stock Awards to Eligible Persons as a bonus, as additional compensation, or in lieu of cash compensation any such Eligible Person is otherwise entitled to receive, in such amounts and subject to such other terms as the Committee in its discretion determines to be appropriate.

 

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(g)    Dividend Equivalents. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Persons, entitling any such Eligible Person to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividends or other distributions paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award (other than an Award of Restricted Stock or a Stock Award). The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or at a later specified date and, if distributed at a later date, may be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Stock, Awards, or other investment vehicles or accrued in a bookkeeping account without interest, and subject to such restrictions on transferability and risks of forfeiture, as the Committee may specify.

(h)    Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Eligible Persons such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of, or the performance of, specified Affiliates. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Other Stock-Based Awards. Stock delivered pursuant to an Other Stock-Based Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine.

(i)    Cash Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Cash Awards, on a free-standing basis or as an element of, a supplement to, or in lieu of any other Award under the Plan to Eligible Persons in such amounts and subject to such other terms as the Committee in its discretion determines to be appropriate.

(j)    Substitute Awards; No Repricing. Awards may be granted in substitution or exchange for any other Award granted under the Plan or under another plan of the Company or an Affiliate or any other right of an Eligible Person to receive payment from the Company or an Affiliate. Awards may also be granted under the Plan in substitution for awards held by individuals who become Eligible Persons as a result of a merger, consolidation or acquisition of another entity or the assets of another entity by or with the Company or an Affiliate. Such Substitute Awards referred to in the immediately preceding sentence that are Options or SARs may have an exercise price that is less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of the substitution if such substitution complies with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, Section 424 of the Code and the guidance and regulations promulgated thereunder, if applicable, and other applicable laws and exchange rules. Except as provided in this Section 6(j) or in Section 8, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to (i) reduce the Exercise Price or grant price of an outstanding Option or SAR, (ii) grant a new Option, SAR in substitution for, or upon the cancellation of, any previously granted Option or SAR that has the effect of reducing the Exercise Price or grant price thereof, (iii) exchange any Option or SAR for Stock, cash or other consideration when the Exercise Price or grant price per share of Stock under such Option or SAR exceeds the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock or (iv) take any other action that would be considered a “repricing” of an Option or SAR under the applicable listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Stock is listed (if any).

7.     Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.

(a)    Limit on Transfer of Awards.

(i)    Except as provided in Sections 7(a)(iii) and (iv), each Option and SAR shall be exercisable only by the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or by the person to whom the Participant’s rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7(a), an ISO shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

(ii)    Except as provided in Sections 7(a)(i), (iii) and (iv), no Award, other than a Stock Award, and no right under any such Award, may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.

(iii)    To the extent specifically provided by the Committee and permitted pursuant to Form S-8 and the instructions thereto, an Award may be transferred by a Participant on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish; provided, however, that no Award (other than a Stock Award) may be transferred to a third-party financial institution for value.

 

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(iv)    An Award may be transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order entered or approved by a court of competent jurisdiction upon delivery to the Company of a written request for such transfer and a certified copy of such order.

(b)    Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or any Affiliates upon the exercise or settlement of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee shall determine in its discretion, including cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis (which may be required by the Committee or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee); provided, however, that any such deferred or installment payments will be set forth in the Award Agreement. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock.

(c)    Evidencing Stock. The Stock or other securities of the Company delivered pursuant to an Award may be evidenced in any manner deemed appropriate by the Committee in its sole discretion, including in the form of a certificate issued in the name of the Participant or by book entry, electronic or otherwise, and shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which such Stock or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal, state or other laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be inscribed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Further, if certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Company may retain physical possession of the certificates and may require that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, related to the Restricted Stock.

(d)    Consideration for Grants. Awards may be granted for such consideration, including services, as the Committee shall determine, but shall not be granted for less than the minimum lawful consideration.

(e)    Additional Agreements. Each Eligible Person to whom an Award is granted under the Plan may be required to agree in writing, as a condition to the grant of such Award or otherwise, to subject an Award that is exercised or settled following such Eligible Person’s termination of employment or service to a general release of claims and/or a noncompetition or other restricted covenant agreement in favor of the Company and the Affiliates, with the terms and conditions of such agreement(s) to be determined in good faith by the Committee.

8.     Subdivision or Consolidation; Recapitalization; Change in Control; Reorganization.

(a)    Existence of Plans and Awards. The existence of the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company, the Board or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of debt or equity securities ahead of or affecting Stock or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or any part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding.

(b)    Additional Issuances. Except as expressly provided herein, the issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, including upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities, and in any case whether or not for fair value, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Stock subject to Awards theretofore granted or the purchase price per share of Stock, if applicable.

(c)    Subdivision or Consolidation of Shares. The terms of an Award and the share limitations under the Plan shall be subject to adjustment by the Committee from time to time, in accordance with the following provisions:

(i)    If at any time, or from time to time, the Company shall subdivide as a whole (by reclassification, by a Stock split, by the issuance of a distribution on Stock payable in Stock, or otherwise) the number of shares of Stock then outstanding into a greater number of shares of Stock or in the event the Company distributes an extraordinary cash dividend, then, as appropriate (A) the maximum number of shares of Stock available for delivery with respect to Awards and applicable limitations with respect to Awards provided in Section 4 and Section 5 (other than cash limits) shall be increased proportionately, and the kind of shares or other securities available for the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted, (B) the number of shares of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) that may be acquired under any then-outstanding Award shall be increased proportionately, and (C) the price (including the Exercise Price or

 

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grant price) for each share of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) subject to then-outstanding Awards shall be reduced proportionately, without changing the aggregate purchase price or value as to which outstanding Awards remain exercisable or subject to restrictions; provided, however, that in the case of an extraordinary cash dividend that is not an Adjustment Event, the adjustment to the number of shares of Stock and the Exercise Price or grant price, as applicable, with respect to an outstanding Option or SAR may be made in such other manner as the Committee may determine that is permitted pursuant to applicable tax and other laws, rules and regulations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Awards that already have a right to receive extraordinary cash dividends as a result of Dividend Equivalents or other dividend rights will not be adjusted as a result of an extraordinary cash dividend.

(ii)    If at any time, or from time to time, the Company shall consolidate as a whole (by reclassification, by reverse Stock split, or otherwise) the number of shares of Stock then outstanding into a lesser number of shares of Stock, then, as appropriate (A) the maximum number of shares of Stock available for delivery with respect to Awards and applicable limitations with respect to Awards provided in Section 4 and Section 5 (other than cash limits) shall be decreased proportionately, and the kind of shares or other securities available for the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted, (B) the number of shares of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) that may be acquired under any then-outstanding Award shall be decreased proportionately, and (C) the price (including the Exercise Price or grant price) for each share of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) subject to then-outstanding Awards shall be increased proportionately, without changing the aggregate purchase price or value as to which outstanding Awards remain exercisable or subject to restrictions.

(d)    Recapitalization. In the event of any change in the capital structure or business of the Company or other corporate transaction or event that would be considered an “equity restructuring” within the meaning of ASC Topic 718 and, in each case, that would result in an additional compensation expense to the Company pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 718, if adjustments to Awards with respect to such event were discretionary or otherwise not required (each such an event, an “Adjustment Event”), then the Committee shall equitably adjust (i) the aggregate number or kind of shares that thereafter may be delivered under the Plan, (ii) the number or kind of shares or other property (including cash) subject to an Award, (iii) the terms and conditions of Awards, including the purchase price or Exercise Price of Awards and performance goals, as applicable, and (iv) the applicable limitations with respect to Awards provided in Section 4 and Section 5 (other than cash limits) to equitably reflect such Adjustment Event (“Equitable Adjustments”). In the event of any change in the capital structure or business of the Company or other corporate transaction or event that would not be considered an Adjustment Event, and is not otherwise addressed in this Section 8, the Committee shall have complete discretion to make Equitable Adjustments (if any) in such manner as it deems appropriate with respect to such other event.

(e)    Change in Control and Other Events. In the event of a Change in Control or other changes in the Company or the outstanding Stock by reason of a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange or other relevant change occurring after the date of the grant of any Award, the Committee, acting in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of any holder, may exercise any power enumerated in Section 3 (including the power to accelerate vesting, waive any forfeiture conditions or otherwise modify or adjust any other condition or limitation regarding an Award) and may also effect one or more of the following alternatives, which may vary among individual holders and which may vary among Awards held by any individual holder:

(i)    accelerate the time of exercisability of an Award so that such Award may be exercised in full or in part for a limited period of time on or before a date specified by the Committee, after which specified date all unexercised Awards and all rights of holders thereunder shall terminate;

(ii)    redeem in whole or in part outstanding Awards by requiring the mandatory surrender to the Company by selected holders of some or all of the outstanding Awards held by such holders (irrespective of whether such Awards are then vested or exercisable) as of a date, specified by the Committee, in which event the Committee shall thereupon cancel such Awards and pay to each holder an amount of cash or other consideration per Award (other than a Dividend Equivalent or Cash Award, which the Committee may separately require to be surrendered in exchange for cash or other consideration determined by the Committee in its discretion) equal to the Change in Control Price, less the Exercise Price with respect to an Option and less the grant price with respect to an SAR, as applicable to such Awards; provided, however, that to the extent the Exercise Price of an Option or the grant price of an SAR exceeds the Change in Control Price, such Award may be cancelled for no consideration;

(iii)    cancel, substitute or modify Awards that remain subject to a restricted period as of the date of a Change in Control or other such event in exchange for a cash payment, other property or consideration, a substitute Award, or a substitution of the form of settlement of that Award (including substituting a Stock-settled Award for a cash-settled Award), in each case, which is equivalent to the economic value of the cancelled, substituted or modified Award as of the date of the applicable event, with the

 

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Committee making valuation assumptions deemed appropriate to reflect the Change in Control or other such event giving rise to the cancellation; or

(iv)    make such other adjustments to Awards then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such Change in Control or other such event (including the substitution, assumption, or continuation of Awards by the successor company or a parent or subsidiary thereof);

provided, however, that so long as the event is not an Adjustment Event, the Committee may determine in its sole discretion that no adjustment is necessary to Awards then outstanding. If an Adjustment Event occurs, this Section 8(e) shall only apply to the extent it is not in conflict with Section 8(d).

(f)    Vesting Upon Change in Control. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, unless expressly provided otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement, Awards granted under the Plan to any Eligible Person shall be immediately vested, fully earned and exercisable upon the occurrence of a Change in Control.

9.     General Provisions.

 (a)    Termination of Employment; Termination of Service.

(i)    If an Eligible Person’s employment with the Company or Affiliate terminates a result of death, Disability or Retirement, the Eligible Person (or personal representative in the case of death) shall be entitled to purchase all or any part of the shares subject to any vested Option for a period of up to three (3) months from such date of termination (one year in the case of death or a Disability that is also a “disability” within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, in lieu of the three-month period). If an Eligible Person’s employment terminates for any other reason, the Eligible Person shall be entitled to purchase all or any part of the shares subject to any vested Option for a period of up to three (3) months from such date of termination. In no event shall any Option be exercisable past the term of the Option. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the vesting of unvested Awards in the event of termination of employment of any Participant.

(ii)    If an Eligible Person’s service relationship with the Company or Affiliate terminates, the unvested portion of any Award shall be forfeited unless otherwise accelerated pursuant to the terms of the Eligible Person’s Award Agreement or by the Committee. The Eligible Person will have a period of one (1) year following the termination date of the service relationship to exercise any Nonstatutory Options which were otherwise exercisable on the termination date.

(iii)    Notwithstanding the foregoing in clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 9(a), the Committee may provide for alternative treatment of Awards in an Award Agreement.

(b)    Tax Withholding. The Company and any Affiliate are authorized to withhold from any Award granted, or any payment relating to an Award, including from a distribution of Stock, taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company, the Affiliates and Participants to satisfy the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award in such amounts as may be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the form of payment acceptable for such tax withholding obligations, including the delivery of cash or cash equivalents, Stock (including through delivery of previously owned shares, net settlement, a broker-assisted sale, or other cashless withholding or reduction of the amount of shares otherwise issuable or delivered pursuant to the Award), other property, or any other legal consideration the Committee deems appropriate. Any determination made by the Committee to allow a Participant who is subject to Rule 16b-3 to pay taxes with shares of Stock through net settlement or previously owned shares shall be approved by either a committee made up of solely two or more Qualified Members or the full Board. If such tax withholding amounts are satisfied through net settlement or previously owned shares, the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be so withheld or surrendered shall be the number of shares of Stock that have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or surrender equal to the aggregate amount of such tax liabilities determined based on the greatest withholding rates for federal, state, foreign and/or local tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that may be utilized without creating adverse accounting treatment for the Company with respect to such Award, as determined by the Committee.

(c)    Limitation on Rights Conferred under Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ or service of the

 

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Company or any Affiliate, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment or service relationship at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and/or employees and/or other service providers, or (iv) other than as associated with the rights of a holder of a Restricted Stock Award, conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of an Award.

(d)    Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. All questions arising with respect to the provisions of the Plan and Awards shall be determined by application of the laws of the State of Oklahoma, without giving effect to any conflict of law provisions thereof, except to the extent Oklahoma law is preempted by federal law. The obligation of the Company to sell and deliver Stock hereunder is subject to applicable federal and state laws and to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale, or delivery of such Stock. With respect to any claim or dispute related to or arising under the Plan, the Company and each Participant who accepts an Award hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction, forum and venue of the state and federal courts located in Oklahoma, unless otherwise set forth in an Award Agreement.

(e)    Severability and Reformation. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable law or, if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of the Plan or any Award Agreement conflict with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 (as those terms or provisions are applied to Eligible Persons who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act) or Section 422 of the Code (with respect to ISOs), then those conflicting terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent they so conflict with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 (unless the Board or the Committee, as appropriate, has expressly determined that the Plan or such Award should not comply with Rule 16b-3) or Section 422 of the Code, in each case, only to the extent Rule 16b-3 and such sections of the Code are applicable. With respect to ISOs, if the Plan does not contain any provision required to be included herein under Section 422 of the Code, that provision shall be deemed to be incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if that provision had been set out at length herein; provided, further, that, to the extent any Option that is intended to qualify as an ISO cannot so qualify, that Option (to that extent) shall be deemed a Nonstatutory Option for all purposes of the Plan.

(f)    Unfunded Status of Awards; No Trust or Fund Created. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for certain incentive awards. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and a Participant or any other person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Company or such Affiliate.

(g)    Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company or any Affiliate from taking any corporate action which is deemed by the Company or such Affiliate to be appropriate or in its best interest, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on the Plan or any Award made under the Plan. No employee, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any Affiliate as a result of any such action.

(h)    Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional shares of Stock or whether such fractional shares of Stock or any rights thereto shall be cancelled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated with or without consideration.

(i)    Interpretation. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, and, where appropriate, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural. In the event of any conflict between the terms and conditions of an Award Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control. The use herein of the word “including” following any general statement, term or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as “without limitation”, “but not limited to”, or

 

B-13


words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter. References herein to any agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement, instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof and not prohibited by the Plan.

(j)    Facility of Payment. Any amounts payable hereunder to any individual under Disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to manage properly his financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such individual, or may be applied for the benefit of such individual in any manner that the Committee may select, and the Company shall be relieved of any further liability for payment of such amounts.

(k)    Conditions to Delivery of Stock. Nothing herein or in any Award Agreement shall require the Company to issue any shares with respect to any Award if that issuance would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, constitute a violation of the Securities Act, any other applicable statute or regulation, or the rules of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, as then in effect. In addition, each Participant who receives an Award under the Plan shall not sell or otherwise dispose of Stock that is acquired upon grant, exercise or vesting of an Award in any manner that would constitute a violation of any applicable federal or state securities laws, the Plan or the rules, regulations or other requirements of the SEC or any stock exchange upon which the Stock is then listed. At the time of any exercise of an Option or SAR, or at the time of any grant of any other Award, the Company may, as a condition precedent to the exercise of such Option or SAR or settlement of any other Award, require from the Participant (or in the event of his or her death, his or her legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) such written representations, if any, concerning the holder’s intentions with regard to the retention or disposition of the shares of Stock being acquired pursuant to the Award and such written covenants and agreements, if any, as to the manner of disposal of such shares as, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, may be necessary to ensure that any disposition by that holder (or in the event of the holder’s death, his or her legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) will not involve a violation of the Securities Act, any other applicable state or federal statute or regulation, or any rule of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, as then in effect. Stock or other securities shall not be delivered pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement (including any Exercise Price, grant price, or tax withholding) is received by the Company.

(l)    Section 409A of the Code. It is the general intention, but not the obligation, of the Committee to design Awards to comply with or to be exempt from the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, and Awards will be operated and construed accordingly. Neither this Section 9(l) nor any other provision of the Plan is or contains a representation to any Participant regarding the tax consequences of the grant, vesting, exercise, settlement, or sale of any Award (or the Stock underlying such Award) granted hereunder, and should not be interpreted as such. In no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by the Participant on account of non-compliance with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, in the event that a “specified employee” (as defined under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules) becomes entitled to a payment under an Award that would be subject to additional taxes and interest under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules if the Participant’s receipt of such payment or benefits is not delayed until the earlier of (i) the date of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the date that is six months after the Participant’s “separation from service,” as defined under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules (such date, the “Section 409A Payment Date”), then such payment or benefit shall not be provided to the Participant until the Section 409A Payment Date. Any amounts subject to the preceding sentence that would otherwise be payable prior to the Section 409A Payment Date will be aggregated and paid in a lump sum without interest on the Section 409A Payment Date. The applicable provisions of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules are hereby incorporated by reference and shall control over any Plan or Award Agreement provision in conflict therewith.

(m)    Clawback. The Plan and all Awards granted hereunder are subject to any written clawback policies that the Company, with the approval of the Board or an authorized committee thereof, may adopt either prior to or following the Effective Date, including any policy adopted to conform to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and rules promulgated thereunder by the SEC and that the Company determines should apply to Awards. As of the Effective Date, the Plan and all Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to the Continental Resources, Inc. Clawback Policy, as amended. Any such policy may subject a Participant’s Awards and amounts paid or realized with respect to Awards to reduction, cancelation, forfeiture or recoupment if certain specified events or wrongful conduct occur, including an accounting restatement due to the Company’s material noncompliance with financial reporting regulations or other events or wrongful conduct specified in any such clawback policy.

(n)    Status under ERISA. The Plan shall not constitute an “employee benefit plan” for purposes of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

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(o)    Plan Effective Date and Term. The Plan was adopted by the Board to be effective on the Effective Date. No Awards may be granted under the Plan on and after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, which is May 19, 2032. However, any Award granted prior to such termination (or any earlier termination pursuant to Section 10), and the authority of the Board or Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award in accordance with the terms of the Plan, shall extend beyond such termination until the final disposition of such Award.

10.    Amendments to the Plan and Awards. The Committee may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any Award or Award Agreement, the Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to the Plan, including any increase in any share limitation, shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders not later than the annual meeting next following such Committee action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Committee may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other changes to the Plan to stockholders for approval; provided, that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may take any action without the consent of an affected Participant that materially and adversely affects the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award if such action is taken to comply with changes in applicable laws, regulations, or listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Stock is listed (if any). For purposes of clarity, any adjustments made to Awards pursuant to Section 8 will be deemed not to materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award and therefore may be made without the consent of affected Participants.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT

CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.

2022 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Award Agreement”), is entered into as of [•] (the “Date of Grant”) by and between [•] (the “Participant”) and CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC. (the “Company”):

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Participant is an employee of the Company, and it is important to the Company that the Participant be encouraged to remain in its employ; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of such facts, the Company desires to provide to the Participant an opportunity to acquire shares of the Common Stock of the Company, as hereinafter provided, pursuant to Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a copy of which has been provided to the Participant; and

WHEREAS, any capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the same meanings given them in the Plan.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth and for good and valuable consideration, the Participant and the Company hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Grant of Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant effective as of the Date of Grant specified above, as a matter of separate inducement but not in lieu of any salary or other compensation for the Participant’s services for the Company, an award (the “Award”) of [•] ([•]) shares of Common Stock (the “Restricted Shares”), under and subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof for all purposes.

Section 2. Stock Held by Company; Ownership of Restricted Shares. The Company shall evidence the Restricted Shares in the manner that it deems appropriate. The Company may issue a certificate or certificates registered in the name of the Participant representing the total number of Restricted Shares represented by the Award and retain that certificate or those certificates until the restrictions on the Restricted Shares expire or the Restricted Shares are forfeited as described in this Award Agreement. All Restricted Shares under the Award held by the Company pursuant to this Award Agreement shall constitute issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the


Company for all corporate purposes, and the Participant shall be entitled to all the rights of absolute ownership of the Restricted Shares, including the right to vote those shares and the right to receive all cash dividends thereon (subject to vesting restrictions as described in Section 3) provided that the right to receive such dividends shall terminate with respect to shares of Common Stock which are forfeited under this Award Agreement. If shares of Common Stock vest in the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement, the Company shall, if requested by the Participant, deliver to the Participant a certificate representing such vested shares of Common Stock.

Section 3. Vesting of Award. If the Participant’s employment with the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliated Entity remains full-time and continuous at all times prior to any of the vesting dates specified below (the “Vesting Dates”), the restrictions on a number of the Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Award Agreement will expire and such Restricted Shares will become transferable and nonforfeitable, on or after the applicable Vesting Date, on a cumulative basis, according to the table below:

 

Number of Shares

  

Vesting Date

[•]    [•]
[•]    [•]

Dividends, if any, that are payable with respect to the Restricted Shares under this Award Agreement shall be paid without interest to the Participant on the date of vesting of the associated Restricted Shares, and then only with respect to the portion of such dividends as to which the Award was then vested, with the remaining portions of such dividends, if any, to be paid without interest to the Participant on the date the associated Restricted Shares respectively become vested. If the Participant terminates employment prior to the applicable Vesting Date for any reason, the Restricted Shares for which the restrictions have not lapsed as of the date of termination (including any dividends payable thereon) shall be null and void and shall be forfeited to the Company, and neither the Participant nor any other person shall have any interest therein in any manner whatsoever, unless Participant’s vesting in the Award is accelerated pursuant to Section 6.

Section 4. Restrictions; Forfeiture. The Restricted Shares are restricted in that they may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise alienated or hypothecated in any way, shall not be assignable by operation of law and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition of the Restricted Shares contrary to the provisions hereof shall be null and void and without effect. The Restricted Shares are also restricted in the sense that they may be forfeited to the Company. The Participant hereby agrees that if the Restricted Shares are forfeited, as provided in Section 3, the Company shall have the right to deliver the Restricted Shares to the Company’s transfer agent for, at the Company’s election, cancellation or transfer to the Company.

 

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Section 5. Employment. So long as the Participant shall continue to be a full-time and continuous employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliated Entity, the Award shall not be affected by any change of duties or position. This Award Agreement shall not be construed as (i) giving Participant the right to continue as a Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or any Affiliate, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate Participant’s employment or service relationship at any time, (iii) giving Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and/or employees and/or other service providers or (iv) other than as associated with the rights of a holder of a Restricted Stock Award, conferring on Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of this Award. With respect to the Award, the Company may, in its sole discretion, determine that if the Participant is on leave of absence for any reason the Participant will be considered to still be in the employ of, or providing services for, the Company (and, hence, as a result of such leave of absence, Restricted Shares for which the restrictions have not lapsed as of the date the leave of absence began will not be automatically forfeited to the Company while the Participant remains on leave of absence), provided that rights to the Restricted Shares during a leave of absence will be limited to only those rights actually earned or vested when the leave of absence began, meaning that no restrictions on any Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Award will expire and no Restricted Shares will become transferable and nonforfeitable during any leave of absence, even if a Vesting Date would otherwise occur during such leave of absence, and upon the Participant’s return from leave of absence, the Company, in its sole discretion, may adjust the vesting schedule in Section 3 hereof to account for such leave of absence.

Section 6. Acceleration of Award Upon Change in Control. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, as defined in the Plan, the Award shall become 100% vested and restrictions on all of the Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Award will expire and such Restricted Shares will become transferable and nonforfeitable.

Section 7. Delivery of Stock. Promptly following the expiration of the restrictions on the Restricted Shares as contemplated in Section 3 or Section 6 of this Award Agreement, the Company shall cause to be issued and delivered to the Participant or the Participant’s designee a certificate or other evidence of the number of Restricted Shares as to which restrictions have lapsed, free of any restrictive legend relating to the lapsed restrictions, upon receipt by the Company of any tax withholding as may be requested pursuant to Section 9. The value of such Restricted Shares shall not bear any interest owing to the passage of time.

Section 8. Securities Law Restrictions. Notwithstanding any provision of this Award Agreement to the contrary, the Award shall be vested and Common Stock (including the Restricted Shares) issued only upon compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and any other applicable securities law, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, and with

 

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the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Common Stock may then be listed. No Common Stock will be issued hereunder if such issuance would constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state, or foreign securities laws or other law or regulations or the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Common Stock may then be listed. In addition, Common Stock will not be issued hereunder unless (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act is at the time of issuance in effect with respect to the shares issued or (ii) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the shares issued may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares subject to the Award will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue such shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained. If deemed necessary by the Company to comply with the Securities Act or any applicable laws or regulations relating to the sale of securities, the Participant, at the time of any issuance hereunder and as a condition imposed by the Company, shall take action to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation and shall represent, warrant and agree that the shares of Common Stock subject to the Award are being purchased for investment and not with any present intention to resell the same and without a view to distribution, and the Participant shall, upon the request of the Company, execute and deliver to the Company an agreement to such effect. The Participant acknowledges that any stock certificate representing Common Stock purchased under such circumstances will be issued with a restricted securities legend.

Section 9. Withholding of Taxes. The Company and any Affiliate are authorized to withhold from this Award, or any payment relating to this Award, taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving this Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company, the Affiliates and Participants to satisfy the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to this Award in such amounts as may be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the form of payment acceptable for such tax withholding obligations, including the delivery of cash or cash equivalents, Stock (including through delivery of previously owned shares, net settlement, a broker-assisted sale, or other cashless withholding or reduction of the amount of shares otherwise issuable or delivered pursuant to this Award), other property, or any other legal consideration the Committee deems appropriate. Any determination made by the Committee to allow a Participant who is subject to Rule 16b-3 of the Securities exchange Act of 1934 to pay taxes with shares of Stock through net settlement or previously owned shares shall be approved by either a committee made up of solely two or more Qualified Members, as defined in the Plan, or the full Board. If such tax withholding amounts are satisfied through net settlement or previously owned shares, the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be so withheld or surrendered

 

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shall be the number of shares of Stock that have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or surrender equal to the aggregate amount of such tax liabilities determined based on the greatest withholding rates for federal, state, foreign and/or local tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that may be utilized without creating adverse accounting treatment for the Company with respect to this Award, as determined by the Committee.

Section 10. Notices. All notices or other communications relating to the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or mailed (U.S. mail) and shall be deemed to be delivered (i) on the date on which actually received by the person to whom it is delivered personally, (ii) three (3) business days following the date on which a properly addressed notice or communication is mailed via regular U.S. mail, or (iii) on the date on which receipt is acknowledged if sent via certified U.S. mail. Any notice by the Company to the Participant shall be sent to the Participant at the then current address as maintained by the Company or such other address as the Participant may advise the Company in writing. Any notice by the Participant to the Company shall be sent to the Secretary of the Company. Any person entitled to notice hereunder may waive such notice in writing.

Section 11. Furnish Information. The Participant agrees to furnish to the Company all information requested by the Company to enable it to comply with any reporting or other requirements imposed upon the Company by or under any applicable statute or regulation.

Section 12. Remedies. The parties to this Award Agreement shall be entitled to recover from each other reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the successful enforcement of the terms and provisions of this Award Agreement whether by action to enforce specific performance or for damages for its breach or otherwise.

Section 13. No Liability for Good Faith Determinations. The Company and the members of the Board shall not be liable for any act, omission or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to this Award Agreement or the Restricted Shares granted hereunder.

Section 14. Execution of Receipts and Releases. Any payment of cash or any issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock or other property to the Participant, or to the Participant’s legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall, to the extent thereof, be in full satisfaction of all claims of such persons hereunder. The Company may require the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, as a condition precedent to such payment or issuance, to execute a release and receipt therefor in such form as it shall determine.

Section 15. No Guarantee of Interests. The Board and the Company do not guarantee the Common Stock of the Company from loss or depreciation.

 

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Section 16. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of the Award hereunder, the Participant hereby agrees to keep confidential all information and knowledge, except that which has been disclosed in any public filings required by law, that the Participant has relating to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse and tax and financial advisors. In the event any breach of this promise comes to the attention of the Company, it shall take into consideration that breach in determining whether to recommend the grant of any future similar award to the Participant.

Section 17. Successors. This Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees and distributees, and upon the Company, its successors and assigns.

Section 18. Severability. If any provision of this Award Agreement is held to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions hereof, but such provision shall be fully severable and this Award Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had never been included herein.

Section 19. Company Action. Any action required of the Company shall be by resolution of the Board or Committee or by a person or entity properly authorized to act by resolution of the Board or Committee.

Section 20. Headings. The titles and headings of sections are included for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construction of the provisions hereof.

Section 21. Governing Law. All questions arising with respect to the provisions of this Award Agreement shall be determined by application of the laws of Oklahoma, without giving any effect to any conflict of law provisions thereof, except to the extent Oklahoma state law is preempted by federal law. The obligation of the Company to sell and deliver Common Stock hereunder is subject to applicable laws and to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale or delivery of such Common Stock.

Section 22. Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue. The Participant hereby consents and agrees that state courts located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma and the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma each shall have personal jurisdiction and proper venue with respect to any dispute between the Participant and the Company arising in connection with the Award or this Award Agreement. In any dispute with the Company, the Participant will not raise, and the Participant hereby expressly waives, any objection or defense to any such jurisdiction as an inconvenient forum.

 

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Section 23. Amendment. This Award Agreement may be amended by the Board or by the Committee at any time (i) if the Board or the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that amendment is necessary or advisable in light of any addition to or change in any federal or state, tax or securities law or other law or regulation, which change occurs after the Date of Grant and by its terms applies to the Award, or (ii) other than in these circumstances described in subparagraph (i) or provided in the Plan, with the Participant’s consent.

Section 24. Acknowledgements. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Participant is not relying upon any determination by the Company, its affiliates, or any of their respective employees, directors, officers, attorneys or agents (collectively, the “Company Parties”) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant, (ii) the Participant is not relying upon any written or oral statement or representation of the Company Parties regarding the tax effects associated with the Participant’s execution of this Award Agreement and the Participant’s receipt, holding and vesting of the Restricted Shares, and (iii) in deciding to enter into this Award Agreement, the Participant is relying on the Participant’s own judgment and the judgment of the professionals of the Participant’s choice with whom the Participant has consulted. The Participant hereby releases, acquits, and forever discharges the Company Parties from all actions, suits, debts, obligations, liabilities, claims, damages, losses, costs and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, on account of, arising out of, or in any way related to the tax effects associated with the Participant’s execution of this Award Agreement and the Participant’s receipt or holding of the Restricted Shares. The Participant further understands and acknowledges that the Participant should consult with a tax advisor regarding the advisability of filing with the Internal Revenue Service an election under section 83(b) of the Code with respect to the Restricted Shares for which the restrictions have not lapsed. This election must be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the Date of Grant set forth in this Award Agreement. This time period cannot be extended. The Participant acknowledges (a) that the Participant has been advised to consult with a tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of this award of the Restricted Shares and (b) that timely filing of a section 83(b) election is the Participant’s sole responsibility, even if the Participant requests the Company or its representative to file such election on the Participant’s behalf.

Section 25. Clawback. This Award Agreement is subject to any written clawback policies that the Company, with the approval of the Board, or an authorized committee thereof, may adopt, including any policy adopted to conform to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and rules promulgated thereunder by the SEC and that the Company determines should apply to awards. As of the Date of Grant, this Award shall be subject to the Continental Resources, Inc. Clawback Policy, as amended. Any such policy may subject Participant’s Awards and amounts paid or realized with respect to Awards to reduction, cancelation, forfeiture or recoupment if certain specified events or wrongful conduct occur, including an accounting restatement due to the Company’s material noncompliance with financial reporting regulations or other events or wrongful conduct specified in any such clawback policy.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Award Agreement as of the Date of Grant.

 

Continental Resources, Inc.,

an Oklahoma corporation

By:    
“Participant”

 

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Exhibit 10.3

RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT

CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.

2022 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

DIRECTOR AGREEMENT

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Award Agreement”), is entered into as of [•] (the “Date of Grant”) by and between [•] (the “Participant”) and CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC. (the “Company”):

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Participant is a member of the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company, and it is important to the Company that the Participant be encouraged to remain in its service; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of such facts, the Company desires to provide to the Participant an opportunity to acquire shares of the Common Stock of the Company, as hereinafter provided, pursuant to the Continental Resources, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a copy of which has been provided to the Participant; and

WHEREAS, any capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the same meanings given them in the Plan.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth and for good and valuable consideration, the Participant and the Company hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Grant of Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant effective as of the Date of Grant specified above, as a matter of separate inducement but not in lieu of any fees or other compensation for the Participant’s services for the Company, an award (the “Award”) of [•] ([•]) shares of Common Stock (the “Restricted Shares”), under and subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof for all purposes.

Section 2. Stock Held by Company; Ownership of Restricted Shares. The Company shall evidence the Restricted Shares in the manner that it deems appropriate. The Company may issue a certificate or certificates registered in the name of the Participant representing the total number of Restricted Shares represented by the Award and retain that certificate or those certificates until the restrictions on the Restricted Shares expire or the Restricted Shares are forfeited as described in this Award Agreement. All Restricted Shares under the Award held by the Company pursuant


to this Award Agreement shall constitute issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company for all corporate purposes, and the Participant shall be entitled to all the rights of absolute ownership of the Restricted Shares, including the right to vote those shares and the right to receive all cash dividends thereon (subject to vesting restrictions as described in Section 3) provided that the right to receive such dividends shall terminate with respect to shares of Common Stock which are forfeited under this Award Agreement. If shares of Common Stock vest in the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement, the Company shall, if requested by the Participant, deliver to the Participant a certificate representing such vested shares of Common Stock.

Section 3. Vesting of Award. If the Participant’s service as a member of the Board remains continuous at all times prior to any of the vesting dates specified below (the “Vesting Dates”), the restrictions on a number of the Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Award Agreement will expire and such Restricted Shares will become transferable and nonforfeitable, on or after the applicable Vesting Date, on a cumulative basis, according to the table below:

 

Number of Shares

  

Vesting Date

[•]    [•]
[•]    [•]

Dividends, if any, that are payable with respect to the Restricted Shares under this Award Agreement shall be paid without interest to the Participant on the date of vesting of the associated Restricted Shares, and then only with respect to the portion of such dividends as to which the Award was then vested, with the remaining portions of such dividends, if any, to be paid without interest to the Participant on the date the associated Restricted Shares respectively become vested. If the Participant terminates service prior to the applicable Vesting Date for any reason, the Restricted Shares for which the restrictions have not lapsed as of the date of termination (including any dividends payable thereon) shall be null and void and shall be forfeited to the Company, and neither the Participant nor any other person shall have any interest therein in any manner whatsoever, unless Participant’s vesting in the Award is accelerated pursuant to Section 6.

Section 4. Restrictions; Forfeiture. The Restricted Shares are restricted in that they may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise alienated or hypothecated in any way, shall not be assignable by operation of law and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition of the Restricted Shares contrary to the provisions hereof shall be null and void and without effect. The Restricted Shares are also restricted in the sense that they may be forfeited to the Company. The Participant hereby agrees that if the Restricted Shares are forfeited, as provided in Section 3, the Company shall have the right to deliver the Restricted Shares to the Company’s transfer agent for, at the Company’s election, cancellation or transfer to the Company.

 

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Section 5. Board Service. So long as the Participant shall continue to be a continuous member of the Board, the Award shall not be affected by any change of duties or position. Nothing in the Plan or in this Award Agreement shall be construed as (i) giving Participant the right to continue as a Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or any Affiliate, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate Participant’s employment or service relationship at any time, (iii) giving Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and/or employees and/or other service providers or (iv) other than as associated with the rights of a holder of a Restricted Stock Award, conferring on Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of this Award.

Section 6. Acceleration of Award Upon Change in Control. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, as defined in the Plan, the Award shall become 100% vested and restrictions on all of the Restricted Shares granted pursuant to this Award will expire and such Restricted Shares will become transferable and nonforfeitable.

Section 7. Delivery of Stock. Promptly following the expiration of the restrictions on the Restricted Shares as contemplated in Section 3 or Section 6 of this Award Agreement, the Company shall cause to be issued and delivered to the Participant or the Participant’s designee a certificate or other evidence of the number of Restricted Shares as to which restrictions have lapsed, free of any restrictive legend relating to the lapsed restrictions. The value of such Restricted Shares shall not bear any interest owing to the passage of time.

Section 8. Securities Law Restrictions. Notwithstanding any provision of this Award Agreement to the contrary, the Award shall be vested and Common Stock (including the Restricted Shares) issued only upon compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and any other applicable securities law, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, and with the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Common Stock may then be listed. No Common Stock will be issued hereunder if such issuance would constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws or other law or regulations or the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Common Stock may then be listed. In addition, Common Stock will not be issued hereunder unless (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act is at the time of issuance in effect with respect to the shares issued or (ii) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the shares issued may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares subject to the Award will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue such shares as to which such requisite authority has not

 

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been obtained. If deemed necessary by the Company to comply with the Securities Act or any applicable laws or regulations relating to the sale of securities, the Participant, at the time of any issuance hereunder and as a condition imposed by the Company, shall take action to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation and shall represent, warrant and agree that the shares of Common Stock subject to the Award are being purchased for investment and not with any present intention to resell the same and without a view to distribution, and the Participant shall, upon the request of the Company, execute and deliver to the Company an agreement to such effect. The Participant acknowledges that any stock certificate representing Common Stock purchased under such circumstances will be issued with a restricted securities legend.

Section 9. Notices. All notices or other communications relating to the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or mailed (U.S. mail) and shall be deemed to be delivered (i) on the date on which actually received by the person to whom it is delivered personally, (ii) three (3) business days following the date on which a properly addressed notice or communication is mailed via regular U.S. mail or (iii) on the date on which receipt is acknowledged if sent via certified U.S. mail. Any notice by the Company to the Participant shall be sent to the Participant at the then current address as maintained by the Company or such other address as the Participant may advise the Company in writing. Any notice by the Participant to the Company shall be sent to the Secretary of the Company. Any person entitled to notice hereunder may waive such notice in writing.

Section 10. Furnish Information. The Participant agrees to furnish to the Company all information requested by the Company to enable it to comply with any reporting or other requirements imposed upon the Company by or under any applicable statute or regulation.

Section 11. Remedies. The parties to this Award Agreement shall be entitled to recover from each other reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the successful enforcement of the terms and provisions of this Award Agreement, whether by action to enforce specific performance or for damages for its breach or otherwise.

Section 12. No Liability for Good Faith Determinations. The Company and the members of the Board shall not be liable for any act, omission or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to this Award Agreement or the Restricted Shares granted hereunder.

Section 13. Execution of Receipts and Releases. Any payment of cash or any issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock or other property to the Participant, or to the Participant’s legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall, to the extent thereof, be in full satisfaction of all claims of such persons hereunder. The Company may require the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, as a condition precedent to such payment or issuance, to execute a release and receipt therefor in such form as it shall determine.

 

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Section 14. No Guarantee of Interests. The Board and the Company do not guarantee the Common Stock of the Company from loss or depreciation.

Section 15. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of the Award hereunder, the Participant hereby agrees to keep confidential all information and knowledge, except that which has been disclosed in any public filings required by law, that the Participant has relating to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse and tax and financial advisors. In the event any breach of this promise comes to the attention of the Company, it shall take into consideration that breach in determining whether to recommend the grant of any future similar award to the Participant.

Section 16. Successors. This Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees and distributees, and upon the Company, its successors and assigns.

Section 17. Severability. If any provision of this Award Agreement is held to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions hereof, but such provision shall be fully severable and this Award Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had never been included herein.

Section 18. Company Action. Any action required of the Company shall be by resolution of the Board or Committee or by a person or entity properly authorized to act by resolution of the Board or Committee.

Section 19. Headings. The titles and headings of sections are included for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construction of the provisions hereof.

Section 20. Governing Law. All questions arising with respect to the provisions of this Award Agreement shall be determined by application of the laws of Oklahoma, without giving any effect to any conflict of law provisions thereof, except to the extent Oklahoma state law is preempted by federal law. The obligation of the Company to sell and deliver Common Stock hereunder is subject to applicable laws and to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale or delivery of such Common Stock.

 

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Section 21. Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue. The Participant hereby consents and agrees that state courts located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma and the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma each shall have personal jurisdiction and proper venue with respect to any dispute between the Participant and the Company arising in connection with the Award or this Award Agreement. In any dispute with the Company, the Participant will not raise, and the Participant hereby expressly waives, any objection or defense to any such jurisdiction as an inconvenient forum.

Section 22. Amendment. This Award Agreement may be amended by the Board or by the Committee at any time (i) if the Board or the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that amendment is necessary or advisable in light of any addition to or change in any federal or state, tax or securities law or other law or regulation, which change occurs after the Date of Grant and by its terms applies to the Award, or (ii) other than in these circumstances described in subparagraph (i) or provided in the Plan, with the Participant’s consent.

Section 23. Acknowledgements. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Participant is not relying upon any determination by the Company, its affiliates, or any of their respective employees, directors, officers, attorneys or agents (collectively, the “Company Parties”) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant, (ii) the Participant is not relying upon any written or oral statement or representation of the Company Parties regarding the tax effects associated with the Participant’s execution of this Award Agreement and the Participant’s receipt, holding and vesting of the Restricted Shares, and (iii) in deciding to enter into this Award Agreement, the Participant is relying on the Participant’s own judgment and the judgment of the professionals of the Participant’s choice with whom the Participant has consulted. The Participant hereby releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company Parties from all actions, suits, debts, obligations, liabilities, claims, damages, losses, costs and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, on account of, arising out of, or in any way related to the tax effects associated with the Participant’s execution of this Award Agreement and the Participant’s receipt or holding of the Restricted Shares. The Participant further understands and acknowledges that the Participant should consult with a tax advisor regarding the advisability of filing with the Internal Revenue Service an election under section 83(b) of the Code with respect to the Restricted Shares for which the restrictions have not lapsed. This election must be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the Date of Grant set forth in this Award Agreement. This time period cannot be extended. The Participant acknowledges (a) that the Participant has been advised to consult with a tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of this award of the Restricted Shares and (b) that timely filing of a section 83(b) election is the Participant’s sole responsibility, even if the Participant requests the Company or its representative to file such election on the Participant’s behalf.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Award Agreement as of the Date of Grant.

 

Continental Resources, Inc.,
an Oklahoma corporation
By:    
 

 

“Participant”

 

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