STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
Exhibit
10.3
▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ENERGY, INC.
THIS
AGREEMENT is entered into as of the __th day of _____, 200_
(the
“Date of Grant”)
BETWEEN:
▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ENERGY, INC.,
a
company incorporated pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada,
(the
“Company”)
AND:
_____________________________,
of
_______________
(the
“Optionee”)
WHEREAS:
A. The
Board of Directors of
the Company (the “Board”) has approved and adopted the ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Energy, Inc.
2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2008 Plan”), pursuant to which the Board is
authorized to grant to employees and other selected persons stock options to
purchase common shares of the Company (the “Common Stock”);
B. The
2008 Plan provides
for the granting of stock options that either (i) are intended to qualify as
“Incentive Stock Options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or (ii) do not qualify under
Section 422 of the Code (“Non-Qualified Stock Options”); and
C. The
Board has authorized
the grant to Optionee of options to purchase a total of ________________
(_________)
shares
of Common Stock (the “Options”), which Options are intended to be (select
one):
[
] Incentive
Stock Options;
[
X ] Non
Qualified Stock Options
NOW
THEREFORE, the Company agrees to offer to the Optionee the option to purchase,
upon the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan, ____________________
(_________)
shares
of Common Stock. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have
the
meanings ascribed thereto in the 2008 Plan.
1. Exercise
Price.
The
exercise price of the options shall be US$_____
per
share.
2. Limitation
on the Number of Shares.
If the
Options granted hereby are Incentive Stock Options, the number of shares which
may be acquired upon exercise thereof is subject to the limitations set forth
in
Section 6(e)(iv) of the 2008 Plan.
3. Vesting
Schedule.
The
Options shall vest in accordance with Exhibit A.
4. Options
not Transferable.
The
Options may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner
(whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will, by applicable
laws of descent and distribution or, in the case of a Non-Qualified Stock
Option, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, and shall not be
subject to execution, attachment or similar process; provided,
however,
that if
the Options represent a Non-Qualified Stock Option, such Option is transferable
without payment of consideration to immediate family members of the Optionee
or
to trusts or partnerships established exclusively for the benefit of the
Optionee and Optionee’s immediate family members. Upon any attempt to transfer,
pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any Option or of any right or
privilege conferred by the 2008 Plan contrary to the provisions thereof, or
upon
the sale, levy or attachment or similar process upon the rights and privileges
conferred by the 2008 Plan, such Option shall thereupon terminate and become
null and void.
5. Investment
Intent.
By
accepting the Options, the Optionee represents and agrees that none of the
shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of the Options will be
distributed in violation of applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
In addition, the Company may require, as a condition of exercising the Options,
that the Optionee execute an undertaking, in such a form as the Company shall
reasonably specify, that the Stock is being purchased only for investment and
without any then-present intention to sell or distribute such
shares.
6. Termination
of Employment and Options.
Vested
Options shall terminate, to the extent not previously exercised, upon the
occurrence of the first of the following events:
| (a) |
Expiration.
Ten (10) years from the Date of
Grant.
|
| (b) |
Termination
for Cause.
The date of the first discovery by the Company of any reason for
the
termination of an Optionee’s employment or contractual relationship with
the Company or any related company for cause (as determined in the
sole
discretion of the 2008 Plan administrator), and, if an Optionee’s
employment is suspended pending any investigation by the Company
as to
whether the Optionee’s employment should be terminated for cause, the
Optionee’s rights under this Agreement and the 2008 Plan shall likewise be
suspended during the period of any such
investigation.
|
| (c) |
Termination
Due to Death or Disability.
The expiration of one (1) year from the date of the death of the
Optionee
or cessation of an Optionee’s employment or contractual relationship by
reason of Disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e) of the
Code). If
an Optionee’s employment or contractual relationship is terminated by
death, any Option held by the Optionee shall be exercisable only
by the
person or persons to whom such Optionee’s rights under such Option shall
pass by the Optionee’s will or by the laws of descent and
distribution.
|
2
| (d) |
Termination
for Any Other Reason.
The expiration of three (3) months from the date of an Optionee’s
termination of employment or contractual relationship with the
Company or
any affiliated company or subsidiary of the Company (a “Related
Corporation”) for any reason whatsoever other than termination of service
for cause, death or
Disability.
|
Each
unvested Option granted pursuant hereto shall terminate immediately upon
termination of the Optionee’s employment or contractual relationship with the
Company for any reason whatsoever, including Disability unless vesting is
accelerated in accordance with Section 11(e) of the 2008 Plan.
7. Stock.
In the
case of any stock split, stock dividend or like change in the nature of shares
of Stock covered by this Agreement, the number of shares and exercise price
shall be proportionately adjusted as set forth in Section 5(b) of the 2008
Plan.
8. Exercise
of Option.
Options
shall be exercisable, in full or in part, at any time after vesting, until
termination; provided,
however,
that any
Optionee who is subject to the reporting and liability provisions of Section
16
of the Securities
Exchange Act
of 1934
with respect to the Common Stock shall be precluded from selling or transferring
any Common Stock or other security underlying an Option during the six (6)
months immediately following the grant of that Option. If less than all of
the
shares included in the vested portion of any Option are purchased, the remainder
may be purchased at any subsequent time prior to the expiration of the Option
term. No portion of any Option for less than fifty (50) shares (as adjusted
pursuant to Section 5(b) of the 2008 Plan) may be exercised; provided, that
if
the vested portion of any Option is less than fifty (50) shares, it may be
exercised with respect to all shares for which it is vested. Only whole shares
may be issued pursuant to an Option, and to the extent that an Option covers
less than one (1) share, it is unexercisable.
Each
exercise of the Option shall be by means of delivery of a notice of election
to
exercise (which may be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B)
to the
President of the Company at its principal executive office, specifying the
number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased and accompanied by payment
in
cash by certified check or cashier’s check in the amount of the full exercise
price for the Common Stock to be purchased. In addition to payment in cash
by
certified check or cashier’s check, an Optionee or transferee of an Option may
pay for all or any portion of the aggregate exercise price by complying with
one
or more of the following alternatives:
| (a) |
by
delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock previously held
by such
person, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, or by the Company
withholding shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable pursuant
to
exercise of the Option, which shares of Common Stock received or
withheld
shall have a fair market value at the date of exercise (as determined
by
the 2008 Plan administrator) equal to the aggregate purchase price
to be
paid by the Optionee upon such exercise;
or
|
3
| (b) |
by
complying with any other payment mechanism approved by the 2008 Plan
administrator at the time of
exercise.
|
It
is a
condition precedent to the issuance of shares of Common Stock that the Optionee
execute and/or deliver to the Company all documents and withholding taxes
required in accordance with Sections 11(a) and 11(f) of the 2008
Plan.
9. Holding
period for Incentive Stock Options. In order
to
obtain the tax treatment provided for Incentive Stock Options by Section 422
of
the Code, the shares of Common Stock received upon exercising any Incentive
Stock Options received pursuant to this Agreement must be sold, if at all,
after
a date which is later of two (2) years from the date of this agreement is
entered into or one (1) year from the date upon which the Options are exercised.
The Optionee agrees to report sales of shares prior to the above determined
date
to the Company within one (1) business day after such sale is concluded. The
Optionee also agrees to pay to the Company, within five (5) business days after
such sale is concluded, the amount necessary for the Company to satisfy its
withholding requirement required by the Code in the manner specified in Section
11(f) of the 2008 Plan. Nothing in this Section 9 is intended as a
representation that Common Stock may be sold without registration under state
and federal securities laws or an exemption therefrom or that such registration
or exemption will be available at any specified time.
10. Resale
restrictions may apply.
Any
resale of the shares of Common Stock received upon exercising any Options will
be subject to resale restrictions contained in the securities legislation
applicable to the Optionee. The Optionee acknowledges and agrees that the
Optionee is solely responsible (and the Company is not in any way responsible)
for compliance with applicable resale restrictions.
11. Subject
to 2008 Plan.
The
terms of the Options are subject to the provisions of the 2008 Plan, as the
same
may from time to time be amended, and any inconsistencies between this Agreement
and the 2008 Plan, as the same may be from time to time amended, shall be
governed by the provisions of the 2008 Plan, a copy of which has been delivered
to the Optionee, and which is available for inspection at the principal offices
of the Company.
12. Professional
Advice.
The
acceptance of the Options and the sale of Common Stock issued pursuant to the
exercise of Options may have consequences under federal and state tax and
securities laws which may vary depending upon the individual circumstances
of
the Optionee. Accordingly, the Optionee acknowledges that he or she has been
advised to consult his or her personal legal and tax advisor in connection
with
this Agreement and his or her dealings with respect to Options. Without limiting
other matters to be considered with the assistance of the Optionee’s
professional advisors, the Optionee should consider: (a) whether upon the
exercise of Options, the Optionee will file an election with the Internal
Revenue Service pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code and the implications
of
alternative minimum tax pursuant to the Code; (b) the merits and risks of an
investment in the underlying shares of Common Stock; and (c) any resale
restrictions that might apply under applicable securities laws.
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13. No
Employment Relationship.
Whether
or not any Options are to be granted under this 2008 Plan shall be exclusively
within the discretion of the 2008 Plan administrator, and nothing contained
in
this 2008 Plan shall be construed as giving any person any right to participate
under this 2008 Plan. The grant of an Option shall in no way constitute any
form
of agreement or understanding binding on the Company or any Related Company,
express or implied, that the Company or any Related Company will employ or
contract with an Optionee, for any length of time, nor shall it interfere in
any
way with the Company’s or, where applicable, a Related Company’s right to
terminate Optionee’s employment at any time, which right is hereby
reserved.
14. Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement is the only agreement between the Optionee and the Company with
respect to the Options, and this Agreement and the 2008 Plan supersede all
prior
and contemporaneous oral and written statements and representations and contain
the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the
Options.
15. Notices.
Any
notice required or permitted to be made or given hereunder shall be mailed
or
delivered personally to the addresses set forth below, or as changed from time
to time by written notice to the other:
The
Company:
▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇
Energy, Inc.
▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention:
President
With
a
copy to:
Gottbetter
& Partners, LLP
▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇,
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention:
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
The
Optionee:
______________________
______________________
______________________
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| ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ENERGY, INC. | ||||
| Per: | ||||
|
Authorized Signatory |
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|
[Officer] |
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EXHIBIT
A
TERMS
OF THE OPTION
Name
of the Optionee:
Date
of Grant:
Designation:
| 1. |
Number
of Options granted:
|
| 2. |
Purchase
Price:
|
| 3. |
Vesting
Dates:
|
| 4. |
Expiration
Date:
|
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EXHIBIT
B
To:
▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇
Energy, Inc.
Attention:
President
Notice
of Election to Exercise
This
Notice of Election to Exercise shall constitute proper notice under the ▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Energy, Inc.’s (the “Company”) 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2008
Plan”) pursuant to Section 8 of that certain Stock Option Agreement (the
“Agreement”) dated as of the ____ day of _____, 200_, between the Company and
the undersigned.
The
undersigned hereby elects to exercise Optionee’s option to purchase shares
of
the common stock of the Company at a price of US$____ per share, for aggregate
consideration of US$,
on the
terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement and the 2008 Plan. Such
aggregate consideration, in the form specified in Section 8 of the Agreement,
accompanies this notice.
The
Optionee hereby directs the Company to issue, register and deliver the
certificates representing the shares as follows:
|
Registration
Information:
|
Delivery
Instructions:
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Name
to appear on certificates
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Name
|
|
|
Address
|
Address
|
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|
Telephone
Number
|
DATED
at
____________________________________, the day
of
________________________, 20___.
| |
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|
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(Name of Optionee - Please type or print) |
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(Signature and, if applicable, Office) |
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(Address of Optionee) |
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(City, State, and Zip Code of Optionee) |
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