EXHIBIT 99.10
RHYTHMS NETCONNECTIONS INC.
AUTOMATIC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Corporation has implemented an automatic option grant program
under the Plan pursuant to which eligible non-employee members of the Board will
automatically receive special option grants at periodic intervals over their
period of Board service in order to provide such individuals with a meaningful
incentive to continue to serve as members of the Board.
B. Optionee is an eligible non-employee Board member, and this
Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is intended to carry out the purposes of,
the Plan in connection with the automatic grant of an option to purchase shares
of Common Stock under the Plan.
C. All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee, as
of the Grant Date, a Non-Statutory Option to purchase up to the number of Option
Shares specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable
from time to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the
Exercise Price.
2. OPTION TERM. This option shall have a term of ten (10) years
measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5, 6 or 7.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY.
(a) This option may, in connection with the Optionee's estate
plan, be assigned in whole or in part during Optionee's lifetime to one or more
members of the Optionee's immediate family or to a trust established for the
exclusive benefit of one or more such family members. The assigned portion shall
be exercisable only by the person or persons who acquire a proprietary interest
in the option pursuant to such assignment. The terms applicable to the assigned
portion shall be the same as those in effect for this option immediately prior
to such assignment.
(b) Should the Optionee die while holding this option, then this
option shall be transferred in accordance with Optionee's will or the laws of
descent and distribution. However, Optionee may designate one or more persons
as the beneficiary or beneficiaries of this option, and this option shall, in
accordance with such designation, automatically be transferred to such
beneficiary or beneficiaries upon the Optionee's death while holding such
option. Such
beneficiary or beneficiaries shall take the transferred option subject to all
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including (without limitation) the
limited time period during which this option may, pursuant to Paragraph 5, be
exercised following Optionee's death. or by the Optionee's designated
beneficiary or beneficiaries of that option.
4. EXERCISABILITY/VESTING.
(a) This option shall be immediately exercisable for any or all
of the Option Shares, whether or not the Option Shares are at the time vested in
accordance with the Vesting Schedule, and shall remain so exercisable until the
Expiration Date or sooner termination of the option term under Paragraph 5, 6 or
7.
(b) Optionee shall, in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set
forth in the Grant Notice, vest in the Option Shares in one or more installments
over his or her period of Board service. Vesting in the Option Shares may be
accelerated pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 5, 6 or 7. In no event,
however, shall any additional Option Shares vest following Optionee's cessation
of service as a Board member.
5. CESSATION OF BOARD SERVICE. Should Optionee's service as a Board
member cease while this option remains outstanding, then the option term
specified in Paragraph 2 shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be
outstanding) prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with the following
provisions:
(a) Should Optionee cease to serve as a Board member for any
reason (other than death or Permanent Disability) while this option is
outstanding, then the period during which this option may be exercised shall
be reduced to a twelve (12)-month period measured from the date of such
cessation of Board service, but in no event shall this option be exercisable
at any time after the Expiration Date. During such limited period of
exercisability, this option may not be exercised in the aggregate for more
than the number of Option Shares (if any) in which Optionee is vested on the
date of his or her cessation of Board service. Upon the EARLIER of (i) the
expiration of such twelve (12)-month period or (ii) the specified Expiration
Date, the option shall terminate and cease to be exercisable with respect to
any vested Option Shares for which the option has not been exercised.
(b) Should Optionee die during the twelve (12)-month period
following his or her cessation of Board service and hold this option, at the
time of his or her death, then the personal representative of Optionee's estate
or the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to
Optionee's will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution or
the designated beneficiary or beneficiaries of this option (as the case may be)
shall have the right to exercise this option for any or all of the Option Shares
in which Optionee is vested at the time of Optionee's cessation of Board service
(less any Option Shares purchased by Optionee after such cessation of Board
service but prior to death). Such right of exercise shall terminate, and this
option shall accordingly cease to be exercisable for such vested Option Shares,
upon the EARLIER of (i) the expiration of the twelve (12)-month period measured
from the date of Optionee's cessation of Board service or (ii) the specified
Expiration Date.
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(c) Should Optionee cease service as a Board member by reason of
death or Permanent Disability, then all Option Shares at the time subject to
this option but not otherwise vested shall vest in full so that this option may
be exercised for any or all of the Option Shares as fully vested shares of
Common Stock at any time prior to the EARLIER of (i) the expiration of the
twelve (12)-month period measured from the date of Optionee's cessation of Board
service or (ii) the specified Expiration Date, whereupon this option shall
terminate and cease to be outstanding.
(d) Upon Optionee's cessation of Board service for any reason
other than death or Permanent Disability, this option shall immediately
terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to any and all Option Shares
in which Optionee is not otherwise at that time vested in accordance with the
normal Vesting Schedule or the special vesting acceleration provisions of
Paragraphs 6 and 7 below.
6. CORPORATE TRANSACTION.
(a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, all the Option
Shares at the time subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall
automatically vest so that this option shall, immediately prior to the specified
effective date for the Corporate Transaction, become exercisable for all of the
Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for
all or any portion of those vested shares. Immediately following the
consummation of the Corporate Transaction, this option shall terminate and cease
to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation or
its parent company.
(b) If this option is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after
such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which
would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such Corporate
Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate
Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the Exercise
Price, PROVIDED the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
7. CHANGE IN CONTROL/HOSTILE TAKE-OVER.
(a) All the Option Shares subject to this option at the time of
a Change in Control but not otherwise vested shall automatically vest so that
this option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in
Control, become exercisable for all of the Option Shares as fully-vested shares
of Common Stock and may be exercised for all or any portion of those vested
shares. This option shall remain exercisable for such fully-vested Option
Shares until the EARLIEST to occur of (i) the specified Expiration Date, (ii)
the sooner termination of this option in accordance with Paragraph 5 or 6 or
(iii) the surrender of this option under Paragraph 7(b).
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(b) Optionee shall have an unconditional right, exercisable
at the time during the thirty (30)-day period immediately following the
consummation of a Hostile Take-Over to surrender this option to the
Corporation in exchange for a cash distribution from the Corporation in an
amount equal to the excess of (i) the Take-Over Price of the Option Shares at
the time subject to the surrendered option (whether or not those Option
Shares are otherwise at the time vested) over (ii) the aggregate Exercise
Price payable for such shares. This Paragraph 7(b) limited stock appreciation
right shall in all events terminate upon the expiration or sooner termination
of the option term and may not be assigned or transferred by Optionee.
(c) To exercise the Paragraph 7(b) limited stock appreciation
right, Optionee must, during the applicable thirty (30)-day exercise period,
provide the Corporation with written notice of the option surrender in which
there is specified the number of Option Shares as to which the option is being
surrendered. Such notice must be accompanied by the return of Optionee's copy
of this Agreement, together with any written amendments to such Agreement. The
cash distribution shall be paid to Optionee within five (5) business days
following such delivery date. The exercise of such limited stock appreciation
right in accordance with the terms of this Paragraph 7 has been pre-approved
pursuant to the express provisions of the Automatic Option Grant Program, and
neither the approval of the Plan Administrator nor the consent of the Board
shall be required at the time of the actual option surrender and cash
distribution. Upon receipt of the cash distribution, this option shall be
cancelled with respect to the shares subject to the surrendered option (or the
surrendered portion), and Optionee shall cease to have any further right to
acquire those Option Shares under this Agreement. The option shall, however,
remain outstanding for the balance of the Option Shares (if any) in accordance
with the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and the Corporation shall
accordingly issue a replacement stock option agreement (substantially in the
same form as this Agreement) for those remaining Option Shares.
8. ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be made to the
Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder.
9. STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not have any
stockholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall
have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record
of the purchased shares.
10. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option with respect to all or any
part of the Option Shares for which this option is at the time exercisable,
Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the option) must take the
following actions:
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(i) To the extent the option is exercised for vested
Option Shares, execute and deliver to the Corporation a Notice of
Exercise for the Option Shares for which the option is exercised. To
the extent this option is exercised for unvested Option Shares,
execute and deliver to the Corporation a Purchase Agreement for those
unvested Option Shares.
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the
purchased shares in one or more of the following forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to the
Corporation,
(B) shares of Common Stock held by Optionee (or
any other person or persons exercising the option) for the
requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation's
earnings for financial reporting purposes and valued at Fair
Market Value on the Exercise Date, or
(C) to the extent the option is exercised for
vested Option Shares, through a special sale and remittance
procedure pursuant to which Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising the option) shall concurrently provide
irrevocable instructions (I) to a Corporation-designated
brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased
shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds
available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the
aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus
all applicable Federal, state and local income and employment
taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of
such exercise and (II) to the Corporation to deliver the
certificates for the purchased shares directly to such brokerage
firm in order to complete the sale.
(iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate
documentation that the person or persons exercising the option (if
other than Optionee) have the right to exercise this option.
(b) Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure is
utilized in connection with the option exercise, payment of the Exercise Price
must accompany the Notice of Exercise (or the Purchase Agreement) delivered to
the Corporation in connection with the option exercise.
(c) As soon after the Exercise Date as practical, the
Corporation shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares,
with the appropriate legends affixed thereto. To the extent any such Option
Shares are unvested, the certificates for those Option Shares shall be endorsed
with an appropriate legend evidencing the Corporation's repurchase rights and
may be held in escrow with the Corporation until such shares vest.
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(d) In no event may this option be exercised for any fractional
shares.
11. NO IMPAIRMENT OF RIGHTS. This Agreement shall not in any way
affect the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or
otherwise make changes in its capital or business structure or to merge,
consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its
business or assets. In addition, this Agreement shall not in any way be
construed or interpreted so as to affect adversely or otherwise impair the right
of the Corporation or the stockholders to remove Optionee from the Board at any
time in accordance with the provisions of applicable law.
12. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
(a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of the Option
Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the Corporation and
Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating thereto and with all
applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National Market, if
applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for trading at the time of
such exercise and issuance.
(b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval from
any regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to
this option shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to
the non-issuance or sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall
not have been obtained. The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts
to obtain all such approvals.
13. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise provided
in Paragraph 3 or 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and assigns and
Optionee, Optionee's assigns, the legal representatives, heirs and legatees of
Optionee's estate and any beneficiaries of this option designated by Optionee.
14. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered to the
Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed
to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice required to
be given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed to Optionee
at the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the Grant Notice.
All notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or upon deposit in
the U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the party to be
notified.
15. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced hereby are
made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited by and
subject to the terms of the Plan.
16. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and enforcement
of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California
without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
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EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify Rhythms NetConnections Inc. (the "Corporation") that I
elect to purchase _____________ shares of the Corporation's Common Stock (the
"Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of $___________ per share (the
"Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to me
under the Corporation's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan on _________________,
________.
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise Price for the
Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement with the
Corporation (or other documents) evidencing the Option and shall deliver
whatever additional documents may be required by such agreement as a condition
for exercise. Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker-dealer sale and
remittance procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise
Price for any Purchased Shares in which I am vested at the time of exercise of
the Option.
____________________, ________
Date
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Optionee
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Address:
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Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:
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Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above:
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Social Security Number:
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APPENDIX
The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Automatic Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CHANGE IN CONTROL shall mean a change in ownership or control of
the Corporation effected through either of the following transactions:
(i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person
or related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person
that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership (within
the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of securities possessing
more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of
the Corporation's outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made directly to the Corporation's stockholders, or
(ii) a change in the composition of the Board over a period
of thirty-six (36) consecutive months or less such that a majority of
the Board members ceases, by reason of one or more contested elections
for Board membership, to be comprised of individuals who either (A)
have been Board members continuously since the beginning of such
period or (B) have been elected or nominated for election as Board
members during such period by at least a majority of the Board members
described in clause (A) who were still in office at the time the Board
approved such election or nomination.
D. COMMON STOCK shall mean shares of the Corporation's common stock.
E. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
F. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following
stockholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(i) a merger or consolidation in which securities
possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting
power of the Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a
person or persons different from the persons holding those securities
immediately prior to such transaction, or
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation
or dissolution of the Corporation.
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G. CORPORATION shall mean Rhythms NetConnections Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and any successor corporation to all or substantially all of the
assets or voting stock of Rhythms NetConnections Inc. which shall by
appropriate action adopt the Plan.
H. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have
been exercised in accordance with Paragraph 10 of the Agreement.
I. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as
specified in the Grant Notice.
J. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option expires
as specified in the Grant Notice.
K. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date
shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing
selling price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as
the price is reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers on the Nasdaq National Market. If there is no closing selling
price for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair
Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding
date for which such quotation exists.
(ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling
price per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock
Exchange which serves as the primary market for the Common Stock, as
such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions
on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price for the Common
Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the
closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such
quotation exists.
▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as
specified in the Grant Notice.
▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Automatic Stock
Option accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed
of the basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
N. HOSTILE TAKEOVER shall mean the acquisition, directly or
indirectly, by any person or related group of persons (other than the
Corporation or a person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by,
or is under common control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of securities possessing more
than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation's
outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly to
the Corporation's stockholders which the Board does not recommend such
stockholders to accept.
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O. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
P. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.
Q. NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the form
of Exhibit I.
R. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option.
S. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
T. PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to
perform his or her usual duties as a member of the Board by reason of any
medically determinable physical or mental impairment which is expected to result
in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of
twelve (12) months or more.
U. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan.
V. PURCHASE AGREEMENT shall mean the stock purchase agreement (in
form and substance satisfactory to the Corporation) which grants the Corporation
the right to repurchase, at the Exercise Price, any and all unvested Option
Shares held by Optionee at the time of Optionee's cessation of Board service and
which precludes the sale, transfer or other disposition of any purchased Option
Shares while those shares are unvested and subject to such repurchase right.
W. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
X. TAKE-OVER PRICE shall mean the GREATER of (i) the Fair Market
Value per share of Common Stock on the date the option is surrendered to the
Corporation in connection with a Hostile Take-Over or (ii) the highest reported
price per share of Common Stock paid by the tender offeror in effecting the
Hostile Take-Over.
Y. VESTING SCHEDULE shall mean the vesting schedule specified in the
Grant Notice, pursuant to which the Option Shares will vest in one or more
installments over the Optionee's period of Board service, subject to
acceleration in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.
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