SCHEDULE
14C
(RULE
14C-101)
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN INFORMATION STATEMENT
SCHEDULE
14C INFORMATION
Information
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(c) of the Securities
and
Exchange Act of 1934
Check the
appropriate box:
[
] Preliminary
Information Statement
[
] Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14c-5(d)(2))
[ x
] Definitive
Information Statement
Gulfport
Energy Corporation
(Name of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check Appropriate Box):
[ x
] No fee
required
[
] Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14c-5(g) and 0-11
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1) |
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies: |
|
2) |
Aggregate
number of securities to which transactions
applies: |
|
3) |
Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was
determined): |
|
4) |
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
[
] Fee paid
previously with preliminary materials
[
] |
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing |
|
1) |
Amount
Previously Paid: |
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2) |
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.: |
GULFPORT
ENERGY CORPORATION
14313 N.
MAY AVENUE, SUITE 100
OKLAHOMA
CITY, OKLAHOMA 73134
NOTICE
OF ACTION WITHOUT A MEETING
To the
Stockholders of Gulfport Energy Corporation:
This
Information Statement is being furnished on or about April 28, 2005 by Gulfport
Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to
holders of the Company’s outstanding common stock, par value $0.01 per share
(“Common
Stock”), as of
close of business on the record date, January 24, 2005 (the “Record
Date”),
pursuant to Rule 14c-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange
Act”). The
purpose of this Information Statement is:
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(1)
|
to
inform holders of Common Stock that the Company has obtained the written
consent of the requisite holders of Common Stock as of close of business
on the Record Date approving the Company’s 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the
“Plan”);
and |
|
(2)
|
to
serve as notice of the foregoing action in accordance with Section 228(e)
of the Delaware General Corporation Law. |
The close
of business on January 24, 2005 is the Record Date for the determination of the
holders of Common Stock entitled to receive this Information Statement. The
Company had 20,146,566 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding
and 14,131
shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding or issuable pursuant
to the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock as of close of business on the
Record Date. Each share of Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote
on the matter submitted to the common stockholders. The holders of Series A
Preferred Stock do not have any voting rights with respect to the
Plan.
Under
Delaware law, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock as of close of business on the Record Date is
required to approve the Plan. On January 24, 2005, in accordance with Delaware
law, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
executed a written consent approving the Plan. ACCORDINGLY,
WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU FOR A PROXY, AND YOU ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SEND US A
PROXY.
The
approximate date on which this Information Statement is being sent by the
Company to the holders of Common Stock as of close of business on the Record
Date is April 28, 2005.
|
|
|
|
Sincerely, |
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|
/s/Mike
Liddell |
|
|
Mike Liddell |
April 28,
2005 |
Chief Executive
Officer |
GULFPORT
ENERGY CORPORATION, INC.
14313 N.
MAY AVENUE, SUITE 100
OKLAHOMA
CITY, OKLAHOMA 73134
INFORMATION
STATEMENT
Background
This
Information Statement is being furnished on or about April 28, 2005 by the
Company to holders of Common Stock as of close of business on the Record Date
pursuant to Rule 14c-2 under the Securities Exchange Act. The purpose of this
Information Statement is:
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(1)
|
to
inform holders of Common Stock that the Company has obtained the written
consent of the requisite holders of Common Stock as of close of business
on the Record Date approving the Plan; and |
|
(2)
|
to
serve as notice of the foregoing action in accordance with Section 228(e)
of the Delaware General Corporation Law. |
Section
228(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware states that,
unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any action that
may be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken
without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if consents in
writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by the holders of
outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be
necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares
entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, and those consents are
delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware,
its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the corporation
having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are
recorded. The Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation contains no
provision or language in any way limiting the right of the stockholders to take
action by written consent.
On
January 24, 2005, holders of more than a majority of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock executed a written consent approving the Plan. This consent was
executed following approval of the actions by the Company’s board of directors
on January 24, 2005. Because the actions have been approved by the holders of
the requisite number of outstanding shares of Common Stock that are entitled to
cast votes, no other stockholder approval of these actions is necessary. This
Information Statement will also serve as notice of actions taken without a
meeting as required by Section 228(e) of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
No further notice of the actions described herein will be given to you.
This
Information Statement is provided to the Company’s stockholders for
informational purposes only, and you need not take any further action in
connection with this Information Statement. The Company will bear all costs of
preparing and delivering this Information Statement.
Outstanding
Shares and Voting Rights
Pursuant
to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company currently
has authorized the issuance of 35,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 5,000,000
shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which the Company has
designated 30,000 shares as Series A Preferred Stock. As of close of business on
the Record Date, the Company had 20,146,566 shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding and 14,131 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding
or issuable pursuant to the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock. Each
share of Common Stock outstanding as of close of business on the Record Date is
entitled to one vote on the matter submitted to a vote of the common
stockholders. The holders of Series A Preferred Stock do not have any voting
rights with respect to the Plan.
This
Information Statement is being mailed on or about April 28, 2005 to the holders
of record of Common Stock as of close of business on the Record Date which is
January 24, 2005. Section 213(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law sets
forth the rules for ascertaining the record date to determine which stockholders
of a corporation are eligible to consent to action by written consent pursuant
to Section 228 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Pursuant to Section
213(b), the Company’s board of directors approved the matters set forth in this
Information Statement on the Record Date and, therefore, holders of record of
the Common Stock as of close of business on the Record Date were entitled to
consent to the actions described in this Information Statement.
The
January 24, 2005 written consent of common stockholders referenced above and
described in this Information Statement was executed by stockholders holding
over 61.2% of the shares of Common Stock eligible to vote on those matters on
that date. ACCORDINGLY,
WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU FOR A PROXY, AND YOU ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SEND US A
PROXY. Plan
participants may not exercise any options issued under the Plan until at least
20 days after the mailing of this Information Statement, or on or about May 12,
2005.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership of the Company’s Common Stock as of the Record Date by (1) each
director, (2) each named executive officer, (3) each person known or believed by
the Company to own beneficially five percent or more of the Common Stock and (4)
all directors and executive officers as a group.
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|
Beneficial
Ownership (2) |
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner (1) |
|
Shares |
Percentage |
|
|
|
|
Charles
E. Davidson (3)
411
West Putnam Avenue
Greenwich,
CT 06830 |
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19,576,603 |
71.5% |
|
|
|
|
Mike
Liddell (4) |
|
2,494,350 |
12.1% |
|
|
|
|
Robert
Brooks (5) |
|
20,000 |
* |
|
|
|
|
David
Houston (6) |
|
20,000 |
* |
|
|
|
|
Mickey
Liddell (7) |
|
20,000 |
* |
|
|
|
|
Dan
Noles (8) |
|
20,000 |
* |
|
|
|
|
Michael
G. Moore (9) |
|
10,000 |
* |
|
|
|
|
Joel
McNatt |
|
-- |
* |
|
|
|
|
All
directors and executive officers as a group
(7
individuals) |
|
2,584,350 |
12.5% |
_________________________
* Less than
one percent
(1) Unless
otherwise indicated, each person or group has sole voting and sole dispositive
power with respect to all listed shares. The address of the Company’s directors
and executive officers is 14313 N. May Avenue, Suite 100, Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma 73134.
(2) Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the SEC’s rules. In computing
percentage ownership of each person, shares of Common Stock subject to options
held by that person that are currently exercisable, or exercisable within 60
days of the Record Date, are deemed to be beneficially owned. These shares,
however, are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage
ownership of each other person. The percentage of shares beneficially owned is
based on 20,146,566 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date.
Unless otherwise indicated, all amount exclude shares issuable upon the exercise
of outstanding options that are not exercisable as of the Record Date or
exercisable within 60 days of the Record Date.
(3) Includes
8,046,023 shares of Common Stock held by CD Holding, L.L.C. and 810,957 shares
of Common Stock held in an IRA for Mr. Davidson. Mr. Davidson is the sole member
of CD Holding, L.L.C. Mr. Davidson is the Chairman and controlling member of
Wexford Management, L.L.C. In addition, the amount includes 3,479,292 shares of
Common Stock owned by the following investment funds (the “Wexford Entities”)
that are affiliated with Wexford Management: Wexford Special Situations 1996,
L.P.; Wexford Special Situations 1996 Institutional, L.P.; Wexford Special
Situations 1996, Limited; Wexford-Euris Special Situations 1996, L.P.; Wexford
Spectrum Investors, L.L.C.; Wexford Capital Partners II, L.P.; Wexford Overseas
Partners I, L.P. Includes 7,240,331 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of warrants that, as of the Record Date, were exercisable owned by the
following investment funds that are affiliated with Wexford Management: Wexford
Special Situations 1996, Limited; Wexford-Euris Special Situations 1996, L.P.;
Wexford Spectrum Investors, L.L.C.; Wexford Capital Partners II, L.P.; Wexford
Overseas Partners I, L.P. Mr. Davidson disclaims beneficial ownership of the
3,479,292 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 7,240,331 shares of
Common Stock owned by the Wexford Entities.
(4) Includes
1,447,070 shares of Common Stock held of record by Liddell Investments, L.L.C.
Mr. Liddell is the sole member of Liddell Investments, L.L.C. Includes 590,010
shares of Common Stock held of record by certain family members of Mr. Liddell.
Also includes 457,270 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of
options that, as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60
days of the Record Date.
(5) Represents
20,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options that,
as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
Record Date.
(6) Represents
20,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options that,
as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
Record Date.
(7) Represents
20,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options that,
as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
Record Date.
(8) Represents
20,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options that,
as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
Record Date.
(9) Represents
10,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options that,
as of the Record Date, were exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
Record Date.
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
Members
of the Company’s board of directors who are also officers or employees of the
Company do not receive compensation for their services as directors. The Company
pays its non-employee directors a monthly retainer of $1,000 and a per meeting
attendance fee of $500 and reimburses all ordinary and necessary expenses
incurred in the conduct of the Company’s business.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
The
following table sets forth the compensation information earned during 2004, 2003
and 2002 by the Chief Executive Officer and by the two other most highly
compensated executive officers of the Company whose annual salary and bonus
exceeded $100,000 (the “named
executives”), in
all capacities in which they served during that period.
Name
and Principal Position |
|
|
Year |
|
Annual
Compensation (1) |
|
All
Other Compensation (2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary |
|
|
Bonus |
|
|
|
|
Mike
Liddell |
|
|
2004 |
|
$ |
224,184 |
|
$ |
29,108 |
|
$ |
22,423 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
218,566 |
|
|
24,000 |
|
|
19,500 |
|
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
24,000 |
|
|
19,142 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Moore |
|
|
2004 |
|
$ |
128,813 |
|
$ |
17,138 |
|
$ |
8,757 |
|
Vice
President & Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
105,000 |
|
|
13,800 |
|
|
7,128 |
|
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
105,000 |
|
|
23,800 |
|
|
8,094 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
(1) Amounts
shown include cash and non-cash compensation earned and received by the named
executives as well as amounts earned but deferred at their election. The
Company provides various perquisites to certain employees, including the
named executives. In each case, the aggregate value of the perquisite provided
to the named executives did not exceed 10% of such named executive’s total
annual salary and bonus.
(2) Amounts
for Mike Liddell include the Company’s matching 401(k) plan contributions of
$15,198, $12,000,
and $13,717during 2004, 2003 and 2002 respectively and life insurance premium
payments of $7,225, $7,500
and $5,425 during 2004, 2003 and 2002 respectively. Amounts for Michael Moore
represent the Company’s matching 401(k) plan contributions during each of the
indicated years.
Stock
Options
No
options were granted to the named executive officers during 2004. The following
table sets forth the number of unexercised options held by named executives as
of December 31, 2004. No options were exercised by named executives in
2004, 2003 or 2002.
|
|
Number
of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
at Fiscal Year End |
Value
of Unexercised In
the
Money Options Year End |
Name |
|
|
Exercisable(1) |
|
|
Un-exercisable |
|
|
Exercisable(2) |
|
|
Unexercisable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mike
Liddell |
|
|
457,270 |
|
|
- |
|
$ |
576,160 |
|
|
- |
|
Mike
Moore |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
- |
|
|
12,600 |
|
|
- |
|
(1) |
These
options are exercisable at $2.00 per share.
|
(2) |
Value
for “in the money” options represents the positive spread between the
exercise price of $2.00 per share and the closing price of the shares of
Common Stock of $3.26 per share as reported by the NASD OTC Bulletin Board
on December 30, 2004. |
Employment
Agreements
In June
2003, the Company renewed a five year employment agreement with its Chief
Executive Officer, Mike Liddell. The employment agreement provides an annual
base salary of $200,000 adjusted for cost of living increases. The employment
agreement contains a change of control provision which guarantees Mr. Liddell
one-year salary upon the occurrence of a change of control in the
Company.
Securities
Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The
following table sets forth certain information, as of December 31, 2004, with
respect to all compensation plans previously approved by the Company’s security
holders which consists of the Company’s 1999 Stock Option Plan. Amounts below do
not include shares issuable under the Company’s 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The
Company does not have any equity compensation plans which have not been approved
by the Company’s security holders.
|
Number
of Securities To be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants
and Rights |
|
Weighted
Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and
Rights |
|
Number
of Securities Remaining Available For Future Issuance Under Equity
Compensation Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in Far Left
Column) |
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
|
627,337 (1)
|
|
$2.00
|
|
--
(1)
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
--
|
|
--
|
|
--
|
Total
|
627,337
|
|
$2.00
|
|
--
|
__________________
(1)
No
additional securities will be issued under the Company’s 1999 Stock Option Plan
other than upon the exercise of options that are outstanding.
ADOPTION
OF THE GULFPORT ENERGY CORPORATION
2005
STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
The
Company’s board of directors and a majority of the stockholders of the Company
have approved the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to
enable the Company, and any of its affiliates, to attract and retain the
services of the types of employees, consultants and directors who will
contribute to the Company’s long range success and to provide incentives which
are linked directly to increases in share value which will inure to the benefit
of the Company’s stockholders. The Plan provides a means by which eligible
recipients of awards may be given an opportunity to benefit from increases in
value of the Common Stock of the Company through the granting of one or more of
the following awards: (1) incentive stock options and (2) nonstatutory stock
options.
Summary
of the Terms of the Plan
The
following is a summary of the principal terms and provisions of the Plan. The
full text of the Plan is attached to this information statement as
Appendix A. Please refer to Appendix A for a
more complete description of the terms of the Plan.
Eligibility.
Eligible award recipients are employees, consultants, and directors of the
Company and its affiliates. Incentive stock options may be granted only to
employees of the Company. Awards other than incentive stock options may be
granted to employees, consultants and directors.
Shares
Subject to the Plan. The
shares that may be issued pursuant to awards consist of the Company’s authorized
but unissued Common Stock, and the maximum aggregate amount of such Common Stock
which may be issued upon exercise of all awards under the Plan, including
incentive stock options, may not exceed 1,404,606 shares, subject to certain
adjustments, less 627,337 shares, the total number of shares underlying options
granted to employees prior to the adoption of this Plan and outstanding on the
effective date (“Prior
Outstanding Options”) under
the Company’s 1999 Stock Option Plan (the “1999
Plan”). No
employee may be granted options covering more than 650,000 shares of Common
Stock during any calendar year.
If prior
to the termination of the Plan, a Prior Outstanding Option expires, is
forfeited, cancelled or terminated for any reason without having been exercised
in full, the shares subject to such expired, forfeited, cancelled or terminated
Prior Outstanding Option will again be available for purposes of the Plan. The
number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of awards
under the Plan will be increased by the number of shares of Common Sock
underlying such expired, forfeited or terminated Prior Outstanding Options.
However, the maximum number of shares reserved for the grant of options
available under the Plan (including incentive stock options) may not exceed
1,404,606 shares. Awards for fractional shares of Common Stock may not be issued
under the terms of the Plan. If any award under the Plan expires or otherwise
terminates, in whole or in part, without having been exercised in full, the
shares of Common Stock withheld from issuance under such award will become
available for future issuance under the Plan. If shares issued under the Plan
are reacquired by the Company pursuant to the terms of any forfeiture provision,
such shares will become available for future awards. The shares of Common Stock
subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired shares, bought on the
market or otherwise.
Options. The
Company may grant incentive stock options and nonstatutory stock options under
the Plan. The Company may grant incentive stock options under the Plan to any
person employed by us or by any of our affiliates. The exercise price for
incentive stock options granted under the Plan may not be less than 100% of the
fair market value of the Common Stock on the option grant date unless such
option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option
satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(the “Code”).
Employees who own more than 10% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock may
not be granted an incentive stock option unless the exercise price of such
option is at least 110% of the fair market value of the Common Stock at the date
of grant and the option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years
from the date of grant. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value at
the time of grant of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options
are exercisable for the first time by any optionholder during any calendar year
(under all plans of the Company and its affiliates) exceeds $100,000, the
options or portions thereof which exceed such limit will be treated as
nonstatutory stock options. The Plan also provides for grants of nonstatutory
stock options to any officers, employees, directors or consultants performing
services for the Company or its affiliates. The exercise price for nonstatutory
stock options granted under the Plan may not be less than 35% of the fair market
value of the Common Stock on the
option grant date unless such option is granted
pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option satisfying the
provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code. The options will generally vest in the
manner determined by the administrator of the Plan and as set forth in specific
stock option agreements which may be in periodic installments, based upon the
achievement of performance or other criteria, or upon a change of control. It is
contemplated that option grants normally will specify an exercise price that is
not less than fair market value. The Plan specifies additional restrictions
applicable to options with an exercise price that is less than fair market value
at the date of grant. All options granted under the Plan with a per share
exercise price equal to the fair market value of a share on the date of grant
shall generally be deemed to have been intended to be “qualified
performance-based compensation” for purposes of section 162(m) of the Code.
In
addition, an option may also qualify as “performance-based” if vesting is
subject to the attainment of any of the performance goals set forth in the
Plan.
Options
granted under the Plan will generally terminate on the tenth anniversary of the
date of grant. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of
an option may be paid either in cash at the time of purchase, or in the
discretion of the administrator, with Common Stock held by the participant for
at least six months prior to the exercise or through a “cashless exercise”
procedure that is acceptable to the administrator in its full discretion, to the
extent such procedure does not violate applicable law or, subject to applicable
law, in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the
administrator in its discretion.
Unless
otherwise provided in an option agreement or in an employment agreement the
terms of which have been approved by the administrator, in the event of a
termination of a optionholder’s employment (other than upon the optionholder’s
termination for cause, death or disability), the optionholder may exercise his
or her option (to the extent that the optionholder was entitled to exercise such
option as of the date of termination) but only within such period ending on the
earlier of (1) the date three months following the termination of the employment
or (2) the expiration of the term of the option as set forth in the option
agreement. If, after termination, the optionholder does not exercise his or her
option within the time specified in the option agreement, the option will
terminate. Unless otherwise provided in an option agreement, in the event an
optionholder’s termination of employment due to disability or death, the options
may be exercised (to the extent the optionholder was entitled to exercise such
option as of the date of termination), but only within such period of time
ending on the earlier of (1) twelve months following such termination or (2) the
expiration of the term of the option as set forth in the option agreement.
Outstanding options that are not exercisable at the time a termination of a
optionholder’s employment for any reason (including upon the optionholder’s
death or disability) will be forfeited and expire at the close of business on
the date of such termination. In the event of termination for cause, all
outstanding options, whether or not exercisable will be forfeited and expire as
of the beginning of business on the date of such termination.
Transferability.
Incentive stock options are not transferable except by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of the
optionholder only by the optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company in a form
satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the
death of the optionholder, may thereafter be entitled to exercise the option. A
nonstatutory stock option may, in the sole discretion of the administrator, be
transferable to a permitted transferee upon written approval by the
administrator to the extent provided in the option agreement. A permitted
transferee includes: (1) a transfer by gift or domestic relations order to a
member of the optionholder’s immediate family, any person sharing the
optionholder’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which
these persons have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in
which these persons (or the optionholder) control the management of assets, and
any other entity in which these persons (or the optionholder) own more than 50%
of the voting interests; (2) third parties designated by the administrator in
connection with a program established and approved by the administrator pursuant
to which participants may receive a cash payment or other consideration in
consideration for the transfer of such nonstatutory stock option; and (3) such
other transferees as may be permitted by the administrator in its sole
discretion. If the nonstatutory stock option does not provide for
transferability, then the nonstatutory stock option will not be transferable
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised
during the lifetime of the optionholder only by the optionholder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the optionholder may, by delivering written
notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third
party who, in the event of the death of the optionholder, may thereafter be
entitled to exercise the option.
Administration. The
Plan will be administered by the board of directors of the Company unless and
until the board delegates administration to a committee consisting of one or
more members of the board. The administrator will have the general authority to
construe and interpret the Plan and apply its provisions. The administrator’s
specific powers under the Plan include, but are not limited to: (1) determining
when awards are to be granted under the Plan, (2) selecting, subject to the
limitations set forth in the Plan, those participants to whom awards shall be
granted, (3) prescribing the terms and conditions of each award, and (4)
determining the number of shares of Common Stock to be made subject to each
award, and amending the terms of any outstanding award, including the ability to
change the exercise price of an outstanding award. All decisions made by the
administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding
on the Company and the participants.
Capitalization
Adjustments. In the
event that any change in the capitalization of the Company affects its Common
Stock (through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization,
reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock
split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change
in corporate structure or similar corporate transaction) such that an adjustment
is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of
participants under the Plan, the administrator will proportionally adjust any or
all of (1) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or class of shares
which may be purchased pursuant to awards granted hereunder; (2) the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock or class of shares which may be purchased
pursuant to incentive stock options granted hereunder; (3) the number and/or
class of shares of Common Stock covered by outstanding options and awards; (4)
the maximum number of shares of stock with respect to which options may be
granted to any single optionee during any calendar year; and (5) the exercise
price of any stock option in effect prior to such change to reflect any increase
or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock or change in the fair
market value of such Common Stock resulting from such transaction. Any
fractional shares resulting from such an adjustment shall be
eliminated.
Dissolution
or Liquidation. In the
event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding awards
will terminate immediately prior to such event.
Change
in Control. In the
event of a change of control, the administrator in its discretion may provide
for an acceleration of vesting and exercisability in the terms of any option
agreement. A change of control under the Plan is (1) the consummation of a
merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or any other
corporate reorganization or the sale of stock of the Company, if more than 50%
of the combined voting power of the continuing or surviving entity’s securities
outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation, reorganization or sale
of stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by persons who were not stockholders
of the Company immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, reorganization
or sale of stock; provided, however, that in making the determination of
ownership by the stockholders of the Company, immediately after the
reorganization, equity securities which persons own immediately before the
reorganization as stockholders of another party to the transaction shall be
disregarded; (2) incumbent directors cease for any reason to constitute at least
a majority of the board; or (3) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all
or substantially all of the Company’s assets; provided, however, a transaction
shall not constitute a change of control if: (a) its sole purpose is to change
the state of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company that
will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the
Company’s securities immediately before such transaction or (b) it constitutes
an initial public offering or a secondary public offering that results in any
security of the Company being listed (or approved for listing) on any securities
exchange or designated (or approved for designation) as a national market
security on an interdealer quotation system.
In the
event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any corporate
separation or division, including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off
or a spin-off, or a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company; a
merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity; or a
reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity, but the shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by
virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities,
cash or otherwise, the Plan provides that the Company, to the extent permitted
by applicable law, but otherwise in the sole discretion of the administrator,
may provide for: (1) the continuation of outstanding awards by the Company (if
the Company is the surviving entity); (2) the assumption of the Plan and such
outstanding awards by the surviving entity or its parent; (3) the substitution
by the surviving entity or its parent of awards with substantially the same
terms for such outstanding awards and, if appropriate, subject to certain
equitable adjustment provisions; (4) the cancellation of such outstanding awards
in consideration for a payment equal in value to the fair market value of vested
awards, or in the case of an option, the difference between the fair market
value and the exercise price for all shares of Common Stock subject to exercise
(i.e., to the extent vested) under any outstanding stock option; or (5) the
cancellation of such outstanding awards without payment of any consideration. If
such awards would be canceled without consideration for vested awards, the
participant shall have the right, exercisable during the later of the ten-day
period ending on the fifth day prior to such merger or consolidation or ten days
after the administrator provides the award holder a notice of cancellation, to
exercise such awards in whole or in part without regard to any installment
exercise provisions in the option agreement.
Amendment
of the Plan and Awards. At any
time, and from time to time, the board may amend or terminate the Plan. However,
except in the case of adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, no amendment may
be effective unless approved by the stockholders of the Company to the extent
stockholder approval is necessary to satisfy any applicable law or any Nasdaq or
securities exchange listing requirements. At the time of such amendment, the
board shall determine, upon advice from counsel, whether such amendment will be
contingent on stockholder approval. Rights under any award granted before
amendment of the Plan may not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless
the participant consents in writing to such amendment. However, a cancellation
of an award where the participant receives a payment equal in value to the fair
market value of the vested award or, in the case of vested options, the
difference between the fair market value and the exercise price, shall not be an
impairment of the participant’s rights that requires consent.
Federal
Income Tax Consequences
The
following general discussion of federal income tax consequences is based upon
current statutes, regulations, and interpretations. It does not purport to be
complete discussion of the federal income tax consequences of the Plan, nor does
it describe the consequences of state, local or foreign tax laws which may be
applicable. Accordingly, any participant receiving a grant under the Plan should
consult with his or her own tax adviser. Reference should be made to the
applicable provisions of the Code.
Stock
Options. Under
existing federal income tax provisions, a participant who receives a
nonqualified stock option or an incentive stock option will not normally realize
any income, nor will the Company normally receive any deduction for federal
income tax purposes upon the grant of an option. On exercise of an incentive
stock option, the holder will not recognize any income and the Company will not
be entitled to a deduction. However, the amount by which the fair market value
of the shares on the exercise date of an incentive stock option exceeds the
purchase price generally will constitute an item of adjustment for alternative
minimum tax purposes and may therefore result in alternative minimum tax
liability to the option holder. Generally, upon exercise of a nonqualified stock
option, the excess of the fair market value of Common Stock on the date of
exercise over the exercise price will be taxable as ordinary income to the
optionee. Subject to any deduction limitation under section 162(m) of the Code
(which is discussed below), the Company will be entitled to a federal income tax
deduction in the same amount and at the same time as (1) the optionee recognizes
ordinary income, or (2) if the Company complies with applicable income reporting
requirements, the optionee should have reported the income. An optionee’s
subsequent disposition of shares acquired upon the exercise of a non-qualified
option will ordinarily result in capital gain or loss.
The
disposition of shares acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option will
ordinarily result in capital gain or loss. However, if the holder disposes of
shares acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option within two years
after the date of grant or one year after the date of exercise (a “disqualifying
disposition”), the holder will generally recognize ordinary income, in the
amount of the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the
option was exercised over the option exercise price. Any excess of the amount
realized by the holder on the disqualifying disposition over the fair market
value of the shares on the date of exercise of the option will generally be
capital gain. The Company will generally be entitled to a deduction equal to the
amount of ordinary income recognized by a holder.
If an
option is exercised through the use of shares previously owned by the holder,
such exercise generally will not be considered a taxable disposition of the
previously owned shares and thus no gain or loss will be recognized with respect
to such shares upon such exercise. However, if the option is an incentive stock
option, and the previously owned shares were acquired on the exercise of an
incentive stock option or other tax-qualified stock option, and the holding
period requirement for those shares is not satisfied at the time they are used
to exercise the option, such use will constitute a disqualifying disposition of
the previously owned shares resulting in the recognition of ordinary income in
the amount described above.
Special
rules may apply in the case of an optionee who is subject to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act.
Section
162(m). Section
162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally disallows a federal income tax
deduction to any publicly held corporation for compensation paid in excess of $1
million in any taxable year to the chief executive officer or any of the four
other most highly compensated executive officers who are employed by Company on
the last day of the taxable year, but does allow a deduction for
“performance-based compensation,” the material terms of which are disclosed to
and approved by the stockholders. The Company has structured and intends to
implement and administer the Plan so that compensation resulting from
nonstatutory option exercises, including options vesting in accordance with
certain specified performance goals can qualify as “performance-based
compensation.” The administrator, however, has the discretion to grant awards
with terms that will result in the awards not constituting performance-based
compensation. To allow the Company to qualify awards as “performance-based
compensation,” the Company has obtained stockholder approval of the
Plan.
Section
280G. Under
certain circumstances, the accelerated vesting or exercise of options or the
accelerated lapse of restrictions with respect to other awards in connection
with a change of control might be deemed an “excess parachute payment” for the
purposes of the golden parachute tax provisions of Section 280G of the Internal
Revenue Code. to the extent it is so considered, the grantee may be subject to a
20% excise tax and the Company may be denied a federal income tax
deduction.
Section
409A.
Effective January 1, 2005, Section 409A of the Code imposes new requirements on
nonqualified deferred compensation, including restrictions on (1) the timing of
elections to defer; (2) the timing of distributions; and (3) restrictions on the
ability of the employer or the participant to accelerate the timing of
distributions. Nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements that do not
satisfy these requirements are currently includible in gross income to the
extent not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and not previously
included in gross income. If a deferred amount is required to be included in
income under Section 409A, the amount also is subject to interest and an
additional income tax. The interest imposed is equal to the interest at the
underpayment rate plus one percentage point, imposed on the underpayments that
would have occurred had the compensation been includible in income for the
taxable year when first deferred, or if later, when not subject to a substantial
risk of forfeiture. The additional income tax is equal to 20 percent of the
compensation required to be included in gross income. Subject to certain
exceptions, the grant of a stock option, stock appreciation right or other
equity-based compensation may provide for a deferral of compensation subject to
Section 409A. The new rules apply to nonqualified deferred compensation awards
granted on or after January 1, 2005 and will apply to nonqualified deferred
compensation awards granted prior to 2005 that are not vested by December 31,
2004 and may apply to vested awards that are modified after such
date.
The grant
of an incentive stock option does not constitute a deferral of compensation. A
nonstatutory stock option does not provide for a deferral of compensation if:
(1) the exercise price may never be less than the fair market value of the
underlying stock on the date the option is granted, (2) the receipt, transfer or
exercise of the option is subject to taxation under Section 83 of the Code, and
(3) the option does not include any feature for the deferral of compensation
other than the deferral of recognition of income until the later of exercise or
disposition of the option. If under the terms of the option, the amount required
to purchase the stock is or could become less than the fair market value of the
stock on the date of grant, the grant of the stock option may provide for the
deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A. To the extent an arrangement
grants the recipient a right other than to purchase stock at a defined price and
such additional rights allow for the deferral of compensation (for example,
tandem arrangements involving options and stock appreciation rights), the entire
arrangement provides for the deferral of compensation.
An award
provides for the deferral of compensation only if the Participant has a legally
binding right during a taxable year to compensation that is not subject to a
substantial risk of forfeiture, and that, pursuant to the terms of the plan, is
payable to (or on behalf of) the Participant in a later year (more than 2-1/2
months after the end of the year in which the Participant has a legal right to
such vested compensation). Section 409A provides certain transition rules and
exceptions. Guidance under Section 409A also permits plans and awards to be
amended during 2005 to comply with the new requirements. The Company has
included certain provisions in the Plan and the form of option agreement that
are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A in the event an
option is determined to constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However,
the Company does not represent or warrant that awards under the plan will
satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. Participants are encouraged to consult
with their individual tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of awards
under the plan and the application of Section 409A.
Dissenter’s
Rights of Appraisal
The
Company’s stockholders have no rights to appraisal of their shares of Common
Stock or other rights to dissent under Delaware law, the Company’s Certificate
of Incorporation or Bylaws in connection with the matters discussed in this
Information Statement.
Grant
of Stock Options under the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
On
January 24, 2005, the board of directors of the Company granted the following
named executive officers the following number of stock options under the Plan at
an exercise price of $3.36 per share, which represents the closing price per
share of the Company’s Common Stock on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board on January
24, 2005.
Executive
Officer |
|
|
Options |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mike
Liddell
Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
457,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Moore
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Group |
|
|
487,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Executive
Director Group |
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Executive
Officer Employee group |
|
|
129,999 |
|
These
grants were issued pursuant to standard stock option agreements under the Plan
which have been attached as exhibits to a current report on Form 8-K filed by
the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18,
2005. The Company anticipates that the shares of Common Stock to be awarded
under the Plan or to be issued upon the exercise of options granted under the
Plan will be registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Additional
information concerning the Company, including its annual and quarterly reports
on Forms 10-KSB and 10-QSB, and current reports on Form 8-K, which have been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may be accessed through the
EDGAR archives at www.sec.gov.
|
|
|
|
By
the Order of the Board of Directors |
|
|
/s/ Joel
McNatt |
|
|
Joel McNatt |
|
Secretary |
April 28,
2005
Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma
APPENDIX
A
2005
STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
GULFPORT
ENERGY CORPORATION
2005
STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
1.
Purpose;
Eligibility.
1.1.
General
Purpose. The
name of this plan is the Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
(the “Plan”). The
purpose of the Plan is to enable Gulfport Energy Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and
any Affiliate to obtain and retain the services of the types of Employees,
Consultants and Directors who will contribute to the Company’s long range
success and to provide incentives which are linked directly to increases in
share value which will inure to the benefit of all shareholders of the Company.
1.2.
Eligible
Award Recipients. The
persons eligible to receive Awards are the Employees, Consultants and Directors
of the Company and its Affiliates.
1.3.
Available
Awards. The
purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which eligible recipients of Awards
may be given an opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the Common
Stock through the granting of one or more of the following Awards: (a) Incentive
Stock Options and (b) Nonstatutory Stock Options.
2.
Definitions.
2.1.
“Administrator” means
the Board or the Committee appointed by the Board in accordance with
Section
3.5.
2.2.
“Affiliate” means any
parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, whether now or
hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f),
respectively, of the Code.
2.3.
“Award” means any
right granted under the Plan, including an Incentive Stock Option, a
Nonstatutory Stock Option and a 409A Award.
2.4.
“Board” means the
Board of Directors of the Company.
2.5.
“Cause” means
if the Participant is a party to an employment or service agreement with the
Company or its Affiliates and such agreement provides for a definition of Cause,
the definition therein contained, or, if no such agreement exists, it shall mean
(a) the commission of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or a crime
involving moral turpitude or the commission of any other act involving willful
malfeasance or material fiduciary breach with respect to the Company or an
Affiliate, (b) conduct tending to bring the Company into substantial public
disgrace, or disrepute, or (c) gross negligence or willful misconduct with
respect to the Company or an Affiliate. The Administrator, in its absolute
discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to
whether a Participant has been discharged for Cause.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
2.6.
“Change
in Control” shall
mean:
(a)
The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into
another entity or any other corporate reorganization or the sale of stock of the
Company, if more than 50% of the combined voting power (which voting power shall
be calculated by assuming the conversion of all equity securities convertible
(immediately or at some future time) into shares entitled to vote, but not
assuming the exercise of any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase those
shares) of the continuing or Surviving Entity’s securities outstanding
immediately after such merger, consolidation, reorganization or sale of stock is
owned, directly or indirectly, by persons who were not shareholders of the
Company immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, reorganization or sale
of stock; provided, however, that in making the determination of ownership by
the shareholders of the Company, immediately after the reorganization, equity
securities which persons own immediately before the reorganization as
shareholders of another party to the transaction shall be disregarded;
(b)
Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority
of the Board; or
(c)
The sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
Company’s assets.
(d)
A transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if its sole purpose is to
change the state of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company
that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held
the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.
(e)
A transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if it constitutes an
initial public offering or a secondary public offering that results in any
security of the Company being listed (or approved for listing) on any securities
exchange or designated (or approved for designation) as a national market
security on an interdealer quotation system.
2.7.
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.8.
“Committee” means a
committee of one or more members of the Board appointed by the Board to
administer the Plan in accordance with Section
3.5.
2.9.
“Common
Stock” means the
par value $0.01 per share common stock of the Company.
2.10.
“Company” means
Gulfport Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
2.11.
“Consultant” means
any person, including an advisor, (a) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to
render consulting or advisory services and who is compensated for
such services or who provides bona
fide services
to the Company or an Affiliate pursuant to a written agreement or (b) who is a
member of the Board of Directors of an Affiliate; provided that, except as
otherwise permitted in Section
5.4(b) hereof,
such person is a natural person and such services are not in connection with the
offer or sale of securities in a capital raising transaction and do not directly
or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
2.12.
“Continuous
Service” means
that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an
Employee, Consultant or Director, is not interrupted or terminated. The
Participant’s Continuous Service shall not be deemed to have terminated merely
because of a change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to
the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change
in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that
there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service.
For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant
of an Affiliate or a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous
Service. The Administrator or the chief executive officer of the Company, in
that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service shall be
considered interrupted in the case of any leave of absence approved by that
party, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave.
2.13.
“Covered
Employee” means the
chief executive officer and the four (4) other highest compensated officers of
the Company for whom total compensation is required to be reported to
shareholders under the Exchange Act, as determined for purposes of Section
162(m) of the Code.
2.14.
“Date
of Grant” means
the date on which the Administrator adopts a resolution expressly granting an
Award to a Participant or, if a different date is set forth in such resolution
as the Date of Grant, then such date as is set forth in such resolution.
2.15.
“Director” means a
member of the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.16.
“Disability” means
that the Optionee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by
reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment; provided,
however, for purposes of determining the term of an Incentive Stock Option
pursuant to Section
6.10 hereof,
the term Disability shall have the meaning ascribed to it under Code Section
22(e)(3). The determination of whether an individual has a Disability shall be
determined under procedures established by the Plan Administrator. Except in
situations where the Plan Administrator is determining Disability for purposes
of the term of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to Section
6.10 hereof
within the meaning of Code Section 22(e)(3), the Plan Administrator may rely on
any determination that a Participant is disabled for purposes of benefits under
any long-term disability plan maintained by the Company or any Affiliate in
which a Participant participates.
2.17.
“Effective
Date” shall
mean January 24, 2005.
2.18.
“Employee” means any
person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. Mere service as a Director or
payment of a director’s fee by the Company or an Affiliate shall not be
sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company or an Affiliate.
2.19.
“Exchange
Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
2.20.
“Fair
Market Value” means, as
of any date, the value of the Common Stock as determined in good faith by the
Administrator as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is admitted to quotation on
the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System
(“Nasdaq”), the
Fair Market Value on any given date shall not be less than the average of the
highest bid and lowest asked prices of the Common Stock reported for such date
or, if no bid and asked prices were reported for such date, for the last day
preceding such date for which such prices were reported; (ii) if the Common
Stock is admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq
National Market or Nasdaq Small Cap Market, the Fair Market Value on any date
shall not be less than the closing price reported for the Common Stock on such
exchange or system for such date or, if no sales were reported for such date,
for the last date preceding the date for such a sale was reported; or (iii) in
the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value
determined in good faith by the Administrator and such determination shall be
conclusive and binding on all persons.
2.21.
“409A
Award” means
an Award that is considered “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the
meaning of Section 409A of the Code and Section 7 of this Plan.
2.22.
“Incentive
Stock Option” means an
Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.23.
“Incumbent
Directors” means
individuals who, on the Effective Date, constitute the Board, provided that any
individual becoming a Director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election
or nomination for election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (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) shall
be an Incumbent Director. No individual initially elected or nominated as a
director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest
with respect to Directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened
solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall
be an Incumbent Director.
2.24.
“Listing
Date” means the
first date upon which any security of the Company is listed (or approved for
listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or
approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security
on an interdealer quotation system.
2.25.
“Non-Employee
Director” means a
Director who is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.
2.26.
“Nonstatutory
Stock Option” means an
Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
2.27.
“Officer” means (a)
before the Listing Date, any person designated by the Company as an officer and
(b) on and after the Listing Date, a person who is an officer of the Company
within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
2.28.
“Option” means an
Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option granted pursuant to the
Plan.
2.29.
“Option
Agreement” means a
written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms
and conditions of an individual Option grant. Each Option Agreement shall be
subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and need not be identical.
2.30.
“Optionholder” means a
person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such
other person who holds an outstanding Option.
2.31.
“Outside
Director” means a
Director who is an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of
the Code and Treasury Regulations § 1.162-27(e)(3).
2.32.
“Participant” means a
person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such
other person who holds an outstanding Award.
2.33.
“Plan” means
this Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.
2.34.
“Rule
16b-3” means
Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as
in effect from time to time.
2.35.
“SEC” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.36.
“Securities
Act” means the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.37.
“Surviving
Entity” means
the Company if immediately following any merger, consolidation or similar
transaction, the holders of outstanding voting securities of the Company
immediately prior to the merger or consolidation own equity securities
possessing more than 50% of the voting power of the entity existing following
the merger, consolidation or similar transaction. In all other cases, the other
entity to the transaction and not the Company shall be the Surviving Entity. In
making the determination of ownership by the shareholders of an entity
immediately after the merger, consolidation or similar transaction, equity
securities which the shareholders owned immediately before the merger,
consolidation or similar transaction as shareholders of another party to the
transaction shall be disregarded. Further, outstanding voting securities of an
entity shall be calculated by assuming the conversion of all equity securities
convertible (immediately or at some future time) into shares entitled to vote.
2.38.
“Ten
Percent Shareholder” means a
person who owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code)
stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power
of all classes of stock of the Company or of any of its Affiliates.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
3.
Administration.
3.1.
Administration
by Board. The
Plan shall be administered by the Board unless and until the Board delegates
administration to a Committee, as provided in Section 3.4 (the group that
administers the Plan is referred to as the “Administrator”).
3.2.
Powers
of Administrator. The
Administrator shall have the power and authority to select and grant to
Participants, Awards pursuant to the terms of the Plan.
3.3.
Specific
Powers. In
particular, the Administrator shall have the authority: (i) to construe and
interpret the Plan and apply its provisions; (ii) to promulgate, amend and
rescind rules and regulations relating to the administration of the Plan; (iii)
to authorize any person to execute, on behalf of the Company, any instrument
required to carry out the purposes of the Plan; (iv) to determine when Awards
are to be granted under the Plan; (v) from time to time to select, subject to
the limitations set forth in this Plan, those Participants to whom Awards shall
be granted; (vi) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be made
subject to each Award; (vii) to determine whether each Stock Option is to be an
ISO or a Non-Statutory Stock Option; (viii) to prescribe the terms and
conditions of each Award, including, without limitation, the exercise price and
medium of payment, vesting provisions and other provisions, and to specify the
provisions of the Option Agreement relating to such grant or sale; (ix) to amend
any outstanding Awards for the purpose of modifying the time or manner of
vesting, the exercise price, subject to applicable legal restrictions; provided,
however, that if any such amendment impairs a Participant’s rights or increases
a Participant’s obligations under his or her Award, such amendment shall also be
subject to the Participant’s consent (provided, however, a cancellation of an
Award where the Participant receives a payment equal in value to the difference
between the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to a Stock Option and
the exercise price, shall not be an impairment of the Participant’s rights that
requires consent); (x) to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of
absences which may be granted to a Participant without constituting termination
of their employment for purposes of the Plan; (xi) to make decisions with
respect to outstanding Stock Options that may become necessary upon a change in
corporate control or an event that triggers anti-dilution adjustments; and (xii)
to make any and all other determinations which it determines to be necessary or
advisable for administration of the Plan.
3.4.
Decisions
Final. All
decisions made by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall
be final and binding on the Company and the Participants.
3.5.
The
Committee.
(a)
General.
The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees
of one (1) or more members of the Board. The term “Committee” shall
apply to any person or persons to whom authority for administration of the Plan
has been delegated. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee
shall have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers
theretofore possessed by the Board, including the power to delegate to a
subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to
exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board or the Plan Administrator
shall thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such
resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted
from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time
and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan. The members of the
Committee shall be appointed by and to serve at the pleasure of the Board. From
time to time, the Board may increase or decrease the size of the Committee, add
additional members to, remove members (with or without cause) from, appoint new
members in substitution therefor, and fill vacancies, however caused, in the
Committee. The Committee shall act pursuant to a vote of the majority of its
members or, in the case of a committee comprised of only two members, the
unanimous consent of its members, whether present or not, or by the written
consent of the majority of its members and minutes shall be kept of all of its
meetings and copies thereof shall be provided to the Board. Subject to the
limitations prescribed by the Plan and the Board, the Committee may establish
and follow such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it may
determine to be advisable.
(b)
Committee
Composition when Common Stock is Publicly Traded. At such
time as the Common Stock is publicly traded, in the discretion of the Board, a
Committee may consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors who are also
Outside Directors. Within the scope of such authority, the Board or the
Committee may (i) delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board
who are not Outside Directors the authority to grant Stock Rights to eligible
persons who are either (A) not then Covered Employees and are not expected to be
Covered Employees at the time of recognition of income resulting from such Stock
Award or (B) not persons with respect to whom the Company wishes to comply with
Section 162(m) of the Code or (ii) delegate to a committee of one or more
members of the Board who are not Non-Employee Directors the authority to grant
Stock Awards to eligible persons who are not then subject to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act.
3.6.
Indemnification. In
addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as Directors
or members of the Committee, and to the extent allowed by applicable law, the
Administrator and each of the Administrator’s consultants shall be indemnified
by the Company against the reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees,
actually incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding or in
connection with any appeal therein, to which the Administrator or any of its
consultants may be party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under
or in connection with the Plan or any option granted under the Plan, and against
all amounts paid by the Administrator or any of its consultants in settlement
thereof (provided that the settlement has been approved by the Company, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) or paid by the Administrator or any
of its consultants in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or
proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in
such action, suit or proceeding that such Administrator or any of its
consultants did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person
reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company, and in the case
of a criminal proceeding, had no reason to believe that the conduct complained
of was unlawful; provided, however, that within 60 days after institution of any
such action, suit or proceeding, such Administrator or any of its consultants
shall, in writing, offer the Company the opportunity at its own expense to
handle and defend such action, suit or proceeding.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
4.
Shares
Subject to the Plan.
4.1
Share
Reserve. Subject
to the provisions of Section
11.1 relating
to adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, the shares that may be issued
pursuant to Awards shall consist of the Company’s authorized but unissued Common
Stock, and the maximum aggregate amount of such Common Stock which may be issued
upon exercise of all Awards under the Plan, including Incentive Stock Options,
shall not exceed One Million Four Hundred Four Thousand Six Hundred Six
(1,404,606) shares less 627,337, the total number of shares underlying options
granted to Employees prior to the adoption of this Plan and outstanding on the
Effective Date under the Gulfport Energy Corporation 1999 Stock Option Plan
(“Prior Outstanding Options”). If, prior to the termination of the Plan, a Prior
Outstanding Option shall expire, be forfeited, cancelled or terminate for any
reason without having been exercised in full, the shares subject to such
expired, forfeited, cancelled or terminated Prior Outstanding Options shall
again be available for purposes of the Plan and the number of shares of Common
Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of Awards under the Plan shall be
increased by the number of shares of Common Stock underlying such expired,
forfeited or terminated Prior Outstanding Options. In no event, however, will
the maximum aggregate amount of Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise
of all Awards under the Plan, including Incentive Stock Options, exceed
1,404,606 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment in accordance with
Section
11.1 hereof.
Awards for fractional shares of Common Stock may not be issued under the terms
of the Plan.
4.2
Reversion
of Shares to the Share Reserve. If any
Award shall for any reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or in part,
without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock withheld from
issuance under such Award shall revert to and again become available for
issuance under the Plan. If shares issued under the Plan are reacquired by the
Company pursuant to the terms of any forfeiture provision, such shares shall
again be available for the purposes of the Plan.
4.3
Source
of Shares. The
shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired
shares, bought on the market or otherwise.
5.
Eligibility.
5.1
Eligibility
for Specific Awards.
Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. Awards other than
Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Consultants and Directors.
5.2
Ten
Percent Shareholders.
A Ten Percent Shareholder shall not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless
the exercise price of such Option is at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of
the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the Date of Grant and the Option is
not exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the Date of Grant.
5.3
Section
162(m) Limitation. Subject
to the provisions of Section
11.1 relating
to adjustments upon changes in the shares of Common Stock, no Employee shall be
eligible to be granted Options covering more than Six Hundred Fifty Thousand
(650,000) shares of Common Stock during any calendar year. This Section
5.3 shall
not apply prior to the Listing Date and, following the Listing Date, this
Section
5.3 shall
not apply until (a) the earliest of: (i) the first material modification of the
Plan (including any increase in the number of shares of Common Stock reserved
for issuance under the Plan in accordance with Section
4.1); (ii)
the issuance of all of the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
the Plan; (iii) the expiration of the Plan; or (iv) the first meeting of
shareholders at which Directors are to be elected that occurs after the close of
the third calendar year following the calendar year in which occurred the first
registration of an equity security under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; or (b)
such other date required by Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
5.4
Consultants.
(a) Prior
to the Listing Date, a Consultant shall not be eligible for the grant of an
Award if, at the time of grant, either the offer or the sale of the Company’s
securities to such Consultant is not exempt under Rule 701 of the Securities Act
(“Rule
701”) because
of the nature of the services that the Consultant is providing to the Company,
or because the Consultant is not a natural person, or as otherwise provided by
Rule 701, unless the Company determines that such grant need not comply with the
requirements of Rule 701 and will satisfy another exemption under the Securities
Act as well as comply with the securities laws of all other relevant
jurisdictions.
(b) From
and after the Listing Date, a Consultant shall not be eligible for the grant of
an Award if, at the time of grant, a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the
Securities Act (“Form
S-8”) is not
available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities
to such Consultant because of the nature of the services that the Consultant is
providing to the Company, or because the Consultant is not a natural person, or
as otherwise provided by the rules governing the use of Form S-8, unless the
Company determines both (i) that such grant (1) shall be registered in another
manner under the Securities Act (e.g., on a Form S-3 Registration Statement) or
(2) does not require registration under the Securities Act in order to comply
with the requirements of the Securities Act, if applicable, and (ii) that such
grant complies with the securities laws of all other relevant jurisdictions.
5.5
Directors.
Each Director of the Company shall be eligible to receive discretionary grants
of Awards under the Plan.
6.
Option
Provisions. Each
Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the
Administrator shall deem appropriate. All Options shall be separately designated
Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options at the time of grant, and,
if certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates will be
issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of each type of Option.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no liability to any
Participant or any other person if an Option designated as an Incentive Stock
Option fails to qualify as such at any time or if an Option is determined to
constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section
409A of the Code and the terms of such Option do not satisfy the additional
conditions applicable to nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A
of the Code and Section 7 of the Plan. The provisions of separate Options need
not be identical, but each Option shall include (through incorporation of
provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the substance of each
of the following provisions:
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
6.1
Term. Subject
to the provisions of Section
5.2
regarding Ten Percent Shareholders, no Incentive Stock Option shall be
exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it was granted.
6.2
Exercise
Price of an Incentive Stock Option. Subject
to the provisions of Section
5.2
regarding Ten Percent Shareholders, the exercise price of each Incentive Stock
Option shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is
granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Incentive Stock Option may be granted
with an exercise price lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if
such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another
option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.
6.3
Exercise
Price of a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The
exercise price of each Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be not less than
thirty-five percent (35%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject
to the Option on the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a Nonstatutory Stock Option may be granted with an exercise price lower than
that set forth in the preceding sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to
an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner satisfying the
provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.
6.4
Consideration.
(a) The
purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option shall be paid, to
the extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations, either (i) in cash
or by certified or bank check at the time the Option is exercised or (ii) in the
discretion of the Administrator, upon such terms as the Administrator shall
approve, the exercise price may be paid: (1) by delivery to the Company of other
Common Stock, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, with a Fair Market
Value on the date of delivery equal to the exercise price (or portion thereof)
due for the number of shares being acquired, or by means of attestation whereby
the Participant identifies for delivery specific shares of Common Stock that
have been held for more than six (6) months (or such longer or shorter period of
time required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting purposes)
that have a Fair Market Value on the date of attestation equal to the exercise
price (or portion thereof) and receives a number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the difference between the number of shares thereby purchased and the number
of identified attestation shares of Common Stock (a “Stock
For Stock Exchange”); (2)
during any period for which the Common Stock is publicly traded (i.e., the
Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market
system, including without limitation the Nasdaq National Market, or if the
Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq System (but not on the Nasdaq National
Market) or any similar system whereby the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a
recognized securities dealer but closing sale prices are not reported), by a
copy of instructions to a broker directing such broker to sell the Common Stock
for which such Option is exercised, and to remit to the Company the aggregate
Exercise Price of such Options (a “Cashless
Exercise”); (3) in
any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the
Administrator, including without limitation with a full-recourse promissory
note. However, if there is a stated par value of the shares and applicable law
requires, the par value of the shares, if newly issued, shall be paid in cash or
cash equivalents. The shares shall be pledged as security for payment of the
principal amount of the promissory note and interest thereon. The interest rate
payable under the terms of the promissory note shall not be less than the
minimum rate (if any) required to avoid the imputation of additional interest
under the Code. Subject to the foregoing, the Administrator (in its sole
discretion) shall specify the term, interest rate, amortization requirements (if
any) and other provisions of such note. Unless the Administrator determines
otherwise, shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value at least equal to
the principal amount of the loan shall be pledged by the holder to the Company
as security for payment of the unpaid balance of the loan and such pledge shall
be evidenced by a pledge agreement, the terms of which shall be determined by
the Administrator, in its discretion; provided, however, that each loan shall
comply with all applicable laws, regulations and rules of the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System and any other governmental agency having
jurisdiction. Unless otherwise specifically provided in the Option, the purchase
price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option that is paid by delivery
(or attestation) to the Company of other Common Stock acquired, directly or
indirectly from the Company, shall be paid only by shares of the Common Stock of
the Company that have been held for more than six (6) months (or such longer or
shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial
accounting purposes). Notwithstanding the forgoing, during any period for which
the Common Stock is publicly traded (i.e., the Common Stock is listed on any
established stock exchange or a national market system, including without
limitation the Nasdaq National Market, or if the Common Stock is quoted on the
Nasdaq System (but not on the Nasdaq National Market) or any similar system
whereby the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer
but closing sale prices are not reported), a Cashless Exercise, exercise with a
promissory note or other transaction by a Director or executive officer that
involves or may involve a direct or indirect extension of credit or arrangement
of an extension of credit by the Company, or an Affiliate in violation of
section 402(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (codified as Section 13(k) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. § 78m(k)) shall be prohibited with
respect to any Award under this Plan.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
6.5
Transferability
of an Incentive Stock Option. An
Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws
of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the
Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form
satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the
death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.
6.6
Transferability
of a Nonstatutory Stock Option. A
Nonstatutory Stock Option may, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, be
transferable to a permitted transferee upon written approval by the
Administrator to the extent provided in the Option Agreement. A permitted
transferee includes:
(1) a transfer by gift or domestic relations order to a member of the
Optionholder’s immediate family (child, stepchild, grandchild, parent,
stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew,
mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or
sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the
Optionholder’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which
these persons have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in
which these persons (or the Optionholder) control the management of assets, and
any other entity in which these persons (or the Optionholder) own more than 50%
of the voting interests; (2) third parties designated by the Administrator in
connection with a program established and approved by the Administrator pursuant
to which Participants may receive a cash payment or other consideration in
consideration for the transfer of such Nonstatutory Stock Option; and (3) such
other transferees as may be permitted by the Administrator in its sole
discretion. If the Nonstatutory Stock Option does not provide for
transferability, then the Nonstatutory Stock Option shall not be transferable
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be
exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionholder may, by delivering written
notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third
party who, in the event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be
entitled to exercise the Option.
6.7
Vesting
Generally. The
Option may, but need not, vest and therefore become exercisable in periodic
installments that may, but need not, be equal. The Option may be subject to such
other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may be exercised (which
may be based on performance or other criteria) as the Administrator may deem
appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options may vary. No Option
may be exercised for a fraction of a share of Common Stock. The Administrator in
its discretion may provide for an acceleration of vesting and exercisability in
the terms of any Option Agreement in the event a Change in Control occurs.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
6.8
Termination
of Continuous Service. Unless
otherwise provided in an Option Agreement or in an employment agreement the
terms of which have been approved by the Administrator, in the event an
Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates (other than upon the Optionholder’s
death or Disability), the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the
extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date
of termination) but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (a)
the date three (3) months following the termination of the Optionholder’s
Continuous Service, or (b) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth
in the Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement,
the Option shall terminate. Outstanding Options that are not exercisable at the
time an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates for any reason (including
upon the Optionholder’s death or Disability) shall be forfeited and expire at
the close of business on the date of such termination.
6.9
Extension
of Termination Date. An
Optionholder’s Option Agreement may also provide that if the exercise of the
Option following the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service (other
than upon the Optionholder’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any
time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the
registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option shall
terminate on the earlier of (a) the expiration of the term of the Option in
accordance with Section
6.1 or (b)
the expiration of a period of three (3) months after the termination of the
Optionholder’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option would
not be in violation of such registration requirements.
6.10
Disability
of Optionholder. Unless
otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, in the event that an Optionholder’s
Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s Disability, the
Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder
was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination), but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (a) the date twelve (12)
months following such termination or (b) the expiration of the term of the
Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, after termination, the
Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified
herein, the Option shall terminate.
6.11
Death
of Optionholder. Unless
otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, in the event an Optionholder’s
Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s death, then the
Option may be exercised (to the extent the Optionholder was entitled to exercise
such Option as of the date of death) by the Optionholder’s estate, by a person
who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a
person designated to exercise the Option upon the Optionholder’s death, but only
within the period ending on the earlier of (a) the date twelve (12) months
following the date of death or (b) the expiration of the term of such Option as
set forth in the Option Agreement. If, after death, the Option is not exercised
within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
6.12
Early
Exercise. The
Option may, but need not, include a provision whereby the Optionholder may elect
at any time before the Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates to exercise
the Option as to any part or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to the
Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. In such case, the shares of
Common Stock acquired on exercise shall be subject to the vesting schedule that
otherwise would apply to determine the exercisability of the Option. Any
unvested shares of Common Stock so purchased may be subject to any other
restriction the Administrator determines to be appropriate.
6.13
Reload
Options. At the
discretion of the Administrator, the Option may include a “reload” feature
pursuant to which an Optionholder exercising an option by the delivery of a
number of shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section
6.4 hereof
would automatically be granted an additional Option (with an exercise price
equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the additional
Option is granted and with the same expiration date as the original Option being
exercised, and with such other terms as the Administrator may provide) to
purchase that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number delivered in
a Stock For Stock Exercise of the original Option.
6.14
Section
409A Limitation. Each
Option shall include a provision whereby, notwithstanding any provision of the
Plan or the Option Agreement to the contrary, the Option shall satisfy the
additional conditions applicable to nonqualified deferred compensation under
section 409A of the Code, in accordance with Section
7
hereof, in the
event any Award under this Plan is granted with an exercise price less than Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is
granted (regardless of whether or not such exercise price is intentionally or
unintentionally priced at less than Fair Market Value, or is materially modified
at a time when the Fair Market Value exceeds the exercise price), or is
otherwise determined to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within
the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive
Plan
7.
Additional
Conditions Applicable to Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Under Section 409A
of the Code. In the
event any Award under this Plan is granted with an exercise price less than Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is
granted (regardless of whether or not such exercise price is intentionally or
unintentionally priced at less than Fair Market Value, or is materially modified
and deemed a new grant at a time when the Fair Market Value exceeds the exercise
price), or is otherwise determined to constitute “nonqualified deferred
compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (a “409A
Award”), the
following additional conditions shall apply and shall supersede any contrary
provisions of this Plan or the terms of any Option Agreement.
7.1
Exercise.
No 409A Award shall be exercisable earlier than upon one of the following:
(a)
Specified
Time. A
specified time or a fixed schedule set forth in the Option Agreement, but not
later than after the expiration of ten (10) years from the Date of Grant. If the
Option Agreement does not specify a fixed time or schedule, such time shall be
the date that is the fifth anniversary of the Date of Grant.
(b)
Separation
from Service.
Separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) by the
409A Award recipient; provided however, if the Optionholder is a “key employee”
(as defined in Section 416(i) of the Code without regard to paragraph (5)
thereof) and any of the Company’s stock is publicly traded on an established
securities market or otherwise, exercise under this Section
7.1(b) may not
be made before the date which is six months after the date of separation from
service.
(c)
Death.
The date of death of the Optionholder.
(d)
Disability.
The date the Optionholder becomes disabled (within the meaning of Section 7.4(b)
hereof).
(e)
Unforeseeable
Emergency. The
occurrence of an unforeseeable emergency (within the meaning of Section 7.4(c)
hereof), but only if the net value (after payment of the exercise price) of the
number of shares of Common Stock that become exercisable do not exceed the
amounts necessary to satisfy such emergency plus amounts necessary to pay taxes
reasonably anticipated as a result of the exercise, after taking into account
the extent to which the emergency is or may be relieved through reimbursement or
compensation by insurance or otherwise or by liquidation of the participant’s
other assets (to the extent such liquidation would not itself cause sever
financial hardship).
(f)
Change
in Control Event. The
occurrence of a Change in Control Event (within the meaning of Section 7.4(a)
hereof), including the Company’s discretionary exercise of the right to
accelerate such Option upon a Change in Control Event or to terminate the Plan
or any 409A Award granted thereunder within 12 months of the Change in Control
Event.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive
Plan
7.2
Term.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or the terms of any Option
Agreement, the term of any 409A Award shall expire and no longer be exercisable
on the date that is the later of: (a) 2-1/2 months after the end of the
Company’s taxable year in which the Option first becomes exercisable pursuant to
Section
7.1 hereof
and is not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture; or (b) 2-1/2 months
after the end of the Optionholder’s taxable year in which the Option first
becomes exercisable pursuant to Section
7.1 hereof
and is not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, but not later than the
earlier of (i) the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option was
granted, or (ii) the term specified in the Option Agreement.
7.3
No
Acceleration. A 409A
Award may not be accelerated or exercised prior to the time specified in
Section
7.1 hereof,
except in the case of one of the following events:
(a)
Domestic
Relations Order. The
Option may permit the acceleration of the exercise time or schedule to an
individual other than the Plan Participant as may be necessary to comply with
the terms of a domestic relations order (as defined in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of
the Code).
(b)
Conflicts
of Interest. The
Option may permit the acceleration of the exercise time or schedule as may be
necessary to comply with the terms of a certificate of divestiture (as defined
in Section 1043(b)(2) of the Code).
(c)
Change
in Control Event. The
Administrator may exercise the discretionary right to accelerate such Option
upon a Change in Control Event or to terminate the Plan or any 409A Award
granted thereunder within 12 months of the Change in Control Event and cancel
the Award for compensation.
7.4
Definitions.
Solely for purposes of this Section 7 and not for other purposes of the Plan,
the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a)
“Change
in Control Event” means
the occurrence of a change in the ownership of the Company, a change in
effective control of the Company, or a change in the ownership of a substantial
portion of the assets of the Company (as defined in IRS Notice 2005-1,
Q&A-11, Q&A-12, Q&A-13 and Q&A-14).
(b)
“Disabled” means a
Participant (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by
reason of any medically determinable 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 12 months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable
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 12 months, receiving
income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an
accident and health plan covering Employees.
(c) “Unforeseeable
Emergency” means a
severe financial hardship to the Participant resulting from an illness or
accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, or a dependent (as
defined in Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, loss of the
Participant’s property due to casualty, or similar extraordinary and
unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of
the Participant.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
8.
Covenants
of the Company.
8.1
Availability
of Shares. During
the terms of the Awards, the Company shall keep available at all times the
number of shares of Common Stock required to satisfy such Awards.
8.2
Securities
Law Compliance. Each
Stock Option Agreement and Option Agreement shall provide that no shares shall
be purchased or sold thereunder unless and until (i) any then applicable
requirements of state or federal laws and regulatory agencies shall have been
fully complied with to the satisfaction of the Company and its counsel and (ii)
if required to do so by the Company, the Participant shall have executed and
delivered to the Company a letter of investment intent in such form and
containing such provisions as the Administrator may require. The Company shall
use reasonable efforts to seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or
agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to
grant Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Awards; provided,
however, that
this undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the Securities
Act the Plan, any Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any
such Award. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain from
any such regulatory commission or agency the authority which counsel for the
Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under
the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to issue
and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Awards unless and until such
authority is obtained.
9.
Use
of Proceeds from Stock.
Proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Awards shall constitute
general funds of the Company.
10.
Miscellaneous.
10.1
Acceleration
of Exercisability and Vesting. The
Administrator shall have the power to accelerate the time at which an Award may
first be exercised or the time during which an Award or any part thereof will
vest in accordance with the Plan, notwithstanding the provisions in the Award
stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during which it
will vest.
10.2
Shareholder
Rights. No
Participant shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of
a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to such Award
unless and until such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of
the Award pursuant to its terms and no adjustment shall be made for dividends
(ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property) or
distributions of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date
such Common Stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 11.1,
hereof.
10.3
No
Employment or other Service Rights. Nothing
in the Plan or any instrument executed or Award granted pursuant thereto shall
confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an
Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or shall
affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (a) the employment
of an Employee with or without notice and with or without Cause, (b) the service
of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the
Company or an Affiliate or (c) the service of a Director pursuant to the Bylaws
of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate
law of the state in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the
case may be.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
10.4
Transfer,
Approved Leave of Absence. For
purposes of the Plan, no termination of employment by an Employee shall be
deemed to result from either (a) a transfer to the employment of the Company
from an Affiliate or from the Company to an Affiliate, or from one Affiliate to
another; or (b) an approved leave of absence for military service or sickness,
or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the employee’s right to
re-employment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the
policy pursuant to which the leave of absence was granted or if the
Administrator otherwise so provides in writing.
10.5
Incentive
Stock Option $100,000 Limitation.
To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of
grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are
exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year
(under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds one hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000), the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit
(according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as
Nonstatutory Stock Options.
10.6
Investment
Assurances. The
Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring
Common Stock under any Award, (a) to give written assurances satisfactory to the
Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and
business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably
satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial
and business matters and that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone or
together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising
the Award; and (b) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company
stating that the Participant is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Award for
the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or
otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any
assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (i) the
issuance of the shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or acquisition of
Common Stock under the Award has been registered under a then currently
effective registration statement under the Securities Act or (ii) as to any
particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that
such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable
securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place
legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems
necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws,
including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Common
Stock.
10.7
Withholding
Obligations. To the
extent provided by the terms of an Option Agreement and subject to the
discretion of the Administrator, the Participant may satisfy any federal, state
or local tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise or acquisition of
Common Stock under an Award by any of the following means (in addition to the
Company’s right to withhold from any compensation paid to the Participant by the
Company) or by a combination of such means: (a) tendering a cash payment; (b)
authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from the shares of
Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Participant as a result of the exercise
or acquisition of Common Stock under the Award, provided,
however, that no
shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of
tax required to be withheld by law; (c) delivering to the Company previously
owned and unencumbered shares of Common Stock of the Company or (d) by execution
of a recourse promissory note.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
11.
Adjustments
Upon Changes in Stock.
11.1
Capitalization
Adjustments. If any
change is made in the Common Stock subject to the Plan, or subject to any Award,
without the receipt of consideration by the Company (through merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock
dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock split, liquidating
dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate
structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the
Company), then (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or class of
shares which may be purchased pursuant to Awards granted hereunder; (ii) the
aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or class of shares which may be
purchased pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted hereunder; (iii) the
number and/or class of shares of Common Stock covered by outstanding Options and
Awards; (iv) the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to which Options
may be granted to any single Optionee during any calendar year; and (v) the
exercise price of any Stock Option in effect prior to such change shall be
proportionately adjusted by the Administrator to reflect any increase or
decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock or change in the Fair
Market Value of such Common Stock resulting from such transaction; provided,
however, that any fractional shares resulting from the adjustment shall be
eliminated. The Administrator shall make such adjustments, and its determination
shall be final, binding and conclusive. The conversion of any convertible
securities of the Company shall not be treated as a transaction “without receipt
of consideration” by the Company.
11.2
Dissolution
or Liquidation. In the
event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, then all outstanding
Awards shall terminate immediately prior to such event.
11.3
Change
in Control - Asset Sale, Merger, Consolidation or Reverse Merger.
In the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any corporate
separation or division, including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off
or a spin-off, or a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company; a
merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the Surviving Entity; or a
reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity, but the shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by
virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities,
cash or otherwise, then, the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
but otherwise in the sole discretion of the Administrator may provide for: (i)
the continuation of outstanding Awards by the Company (if the Company is the
Surviving Entity); (ii) the assumption of the Plan and such outstanding Awards
by the Surviving Entity or its parent; (iii) the substitution by the Surviving
Entity or its parent of Awards with substantially the same terms (including an
award to acquire the same consideration paid to the shareholders in the
transaction described in this Section
11.3) for
such outstanding Awards and, if appropriate, subject to the equitable adjustment
provisions of Section 11.1 hereof; (iv) the cancellation of such outstanding
Awards in consideration for a payment equal in value to the Fair Market Value of
vested Awards, or in the case of an Option, the difference between the Fair
Market Value and the exercise price for all shares of Common Stock subject to
exercise (i.e., to the extent vested) under any outstanding Stock Option; or (v)
the cancellation of such outstanding Awards without payment of any
consideration. If such Awards would be canceled without consideration for vested
Awards, the Participant shall have the right, exercisable during the later of
the ten-day period ending on the fifth day prior to such merger or consolidation
or ten days after the Administrator provides the Award holder a notice of
cancellation, to exercise such Awards in whole or in part without regard to any
installment exercise provisions in the Option Agreement.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
12.
Amendment
of the Plan and Awards.
12.1
Amendment
of Plan.
The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend or terminate the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section
11 relating
to adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, no amendment shall be effective
unless approved by the shareholders of the Company to the extent shareholder
approval is necessary to satisfy any applicable law or any Nasdaq or securities
exchange listing requirements. At the time of such amendment, the Board shall
determine, upon advice from counsel, whether such amendment will be contingent
on shareholder approval.
12.2
Shareholder
Approval. The
Board may, in its sole discretion, submit any other amendment to the Plan for
shareholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan
intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the
regulations thereunder regarding the exclusion of performance-based compensation
from the limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to certain
executive officers.
12.3
Contemplated
Amendments. It is
expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any respect the
Board deems necessary or advisable to provide eligible Employees with the
maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to Incentive Stock Options or to
the nonqualified deferred compensation provisions of Section 409A of the Code
and/or to bring the Plan and/or Awards granted under it into compliance
therewith.
12.4
No
Impairment of Rights. Rights
under any Award granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired by
any amendment of the Plan unless (a) the Company requests the consent of the
Participant and (b) the Participant consents in writing. However, a cancellation
of an Award where the Participant receives a payment equal in value to the Fair
Market Value of the vested Award or, in the case of vested Options, the
difference between the Fair Market Value and the exercise price, shall not be an
impairment of the Participant’s rights that requires consent.
12.5
Amendment
of Awards. The
Administrator at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of any one
or more Awards; provided,
however, that
the rights under any Award shall not be impaired by any such amendment if (a)
the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (b) the Participant
consents in writing. However, a cancellation of an Award where the Participant
receives a payment equal in value to the Fair Market Value of the vested Award
or, in the case of vested Options, the difference between the Fair Market Value
and the exercise price, shall not be an impairment of the Participant’s rights
that requires consent.
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
13. General
Provisions.
13.1
Other
Compensation Arrangements. Nothing
contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional
compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if such approval is
required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable
only in specific cases.
13.2
Recapitalizations.
Each
Stock Option Agreement shall contain provisions required to reflect the
provisions of Section 11.1.
13.3
Delivery. Upon
exercise of an Option granted under this Plan, the Company shall issue Stock or
pay any amounts due within a reasonable period of time thereafter. Subject to
any statutory obligations the Company may otherwise have, for purposes of this
Plan, thirty days shall be considered a reasonable period of time.
13.4
Other
Provisions. The
Stock Option Agreements authorized under the Plan may contain such other
provisions not inconsistent with this Plan, including, without limitation,
restrictions upon the exercise of the Awards, as the Administrator may deem
advisable.
13.5
Disqualifying
Dispositions. Any
Participant who shall make a “disposition” (as defined in Section 424 of the
Code) of all or any portion of shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of
an Incentive Stock Option within two (2) years from the Date of Grant of such
Incentive Stock Option or within one (1) year after the issuance of the shares
of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of such Incentive Stock Option shall be
required to immediately advise the Company in writing as to the occurrence of
the sale and the price realized upon the sale of such shares of Common Stock.
14.
Effective
Date of Plan. The
Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date, but no Incentive Stock
Option granted to any Employee or any Award granted to a Covered Employee may be
exercised unless and until the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the
Company, which approval shall be within twelve (12) months before or after the
date the Plan is adopted by the Board.
15.
Termination
or Suspension of the Plan. The
Plan shall terminate automatically on January 23, 2015, but no later than the
day before the 10th anniversary of the Effective Date. No Award shall be granted
pursuant to the Plan after such date, but Awards theretofore granted may extend
beyond that date. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any earlier
date pursuant to Section 12.1 hereof. No Awards may be granted under the Plan
while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
16.
Choice
of Law.
The law of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the
construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to such
state’s conflict of law rules.
17.
Execution. To
record the adoption of the Plan by the Board, the Company has caused its
authorized officer to execute the Plan as of the date specified below.
Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
[SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS]
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, upon
authorization of the Board of Directors, the undersigned has caused the Gulfport
Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan to be executed effective as of the
24th day of January, 2005.
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Gulfport Energy
Corporation |
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By: |
/s/ Mike Liddell |
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Mike Liddell |
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Chief Exective
Officer |
Gulfport Energy Corporation 2005 Stock Incentive Plan