FORM OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT
Published on November 2, 2004
Exhibit 10.9
MFA
MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC.
2004 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN
Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement
AGREEMENT by
and between MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Company),
and ________________ (the Optionee), dated as of the _______ day of
_________, __________ (the Effective Date).
WHEREAS, the
Company maintains the 2004 Equity Compensation Plan (the Plan)
(capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective
meanings ascribed thereto by the Plan);
WHEREAS,
the Optionee is a _________ of a Participating Company; and
WHEREAS, in
accordance with the Plan, the Committee has determined that it is in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant stock options and/or DERS
to the Optionee subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
NOW,
THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
1.
Grant of Stock Option.
The Company
hereby grants the Optionee options (the Options) to purchase
________ shares of Common Stock, subject to the following terms and conditions and
subject to the provisions of the Plan relating to Options (including Section 15
thereof). The Plan is hereby incorporated herein by reference as though set forth
herein in its entirety.
The Options
is not intended to be, and shall not be qualified as, an incentive stock
options under Section 422 of the Code.
2.
Option Price.
The
Option Exercise Price per Share shall be $________.
3.
Initial Exercisability.
Subject to
paragraph 5 below, the Options, to the extent that there has been no
Termination of Service and the Options have not otherwise expired or been
forfeited, shall first become exercisable (unless sooner exercisable in
accordance with Section 15 of the Plan) as follows:
For the Period Ending |
Percent of Total Options First Exercisable |
4.
Exercisability Upon and After Termination of Optionee.
(a) | If
upon any Termination of Service for any reason other than death, Retirement or
Disability, the Optionee shall have the right, subject to the provisions of
the Plan, to exercise the Options at any time within three months after such
Termination of Service, but only to the extent that, at the date of Termination of
Service, the Optionees right to exercise the Options had accrued pursuant
to the terms of this Agreement and had not previously been exercised; provided,
however, that, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, if there occurs a
Termination of Service by the Company for
Cause or a Termination of Service by the Optionee (other than on account of
death, Retirement or Disability), any Options not exercised in full prior to
such termination shall be canceled. |
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(b) | If
the Optionee dies while an Eligible Person or within three months after any
Termination of Service other than for Cause or a Termination of Service by the
Optionee (other than on account of death, Retirement or Disability), and has not
fully exercised the Options, then the Options may be exercised in full, subject
to the provisions of the Plan, at any time within 12 months after the Optionees
death, by the Successor of the Optionee, but only to the extent that, at the
date of death, the Optionees right to exercise the Options had accrued and
had not been forfeited pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and had not
previously been exercised. |
(c) | Upon
Termination of Service for reason of Disability or Retirement, the Optionee shall
have the right, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to exercise the Option
at any time within 24 months after such Termination of Service, but only to the
extent that, at the date of Termination of Service, the Optionees right
to exercise the Options had accrued pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and
had not previously been exercised. |
(d) | No
Options which had not become exercisable at the time of cessation of
employment shall ever be or become exercisable (except as may be provided in
accordance with Section 15 of the Plan). No provision of this paragraph 4 is
intended to or shall permit the exercise of the Options to the extent the
Options was not exercisable upon cessation of employment (except as may be so
provided). |
5.
Term.
Unless earlier
expired or forfeited, the Options shall, notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, expire in its entirety upon the tenth anniversary of the date
hereof. The Option shall also expire and be forfeited at such times and in such
circumstances as otherwise provided hereunder or under the Plan.
6.
Dividend Equivalent Rights.
Subject to
Section 11 of the Plan, ________ DERs are granted to the Optionee, consisting of the
right to receive cash per DER in an amount equal to the dividend distributions paid on
a Share subject to an Option, but only to the extent that the underlying Options
to which such DERs are subject are exercisable in accordance with the Plan and this
Agreement, but have not yet been exercised, and have not previously expired or
been forfeited. Notwithstanding the other provisions of Section 11 of the Plan,
each payment under the DERs shall be made as soon as practicable (but not more than
60 days) after the time at which the corresponding dividend distribution is made
to stockholders of the Company; provided, however, that, if the Committee
permits the Optionee to elect to defer the Optionees receipt of such
payments, the Optionee may elect such a deferral on such terms and conditions as
may be prescribed by the Committee, and using such forms as the Committee may
provide, for this purpose. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution to
stockholders is made and the extent to which such distribution constitutes a
dividend is not known at the time, (i) the Committee may (but need not) direct
that a payment be made in respect of the Optionees DERs as the Committee
deems appropriate, and (ii) as soon as practicable (but not more than 60 days) after
the extent to which the distribution constitutes a dividend has been determined by
the Company in its discretion (A) in the case of a prior underpayment (or if no
prior payments had been made), the Company shall make any payments (without
interest) as may be required to reflect such determination, and (B) in the case of
a prior overpayment, the Optionee shall make any repayment (without interest)
required to reflect such determination.
7.
Miscellaneous.
(a) | THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, WITHOUT
REFERENCE TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS. The captions of this Agreement are
not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified except by a written agreement executed
by the parties hereto or their respective successors and legal representatives.
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement. |
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(b) | The
Committee shall have the power to construe and interpret this Agreement, and to
establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the
Plan. In this connection, the Committee may correct any defect or supply any
omission, or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, in this Agreement, or in
any related agreements, in the manner and to the extent it shall deem
necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective. All decisions and
determinations by the Committee in the exercise of this power shall be final and
binding upon the Company and the Optionee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Committee shall not take any action or make any interpretation with respect to
this Agreement or the Plan that would cause (a) the Plan or the Options to not
satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or
(b) any member of the Committee to be disqualified as a Non-Employee Director
under such Rule. |
(c) | All
notices hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company or the Committee,
shall be delivered to the Board or mailed to its principal office, addressed to
the attention of the Board; and if to the Optionee, shall be delivered
personally or mailed to the Optionee at the address appearing in the records
of the Company. Such addresses may be changed at any time by written notice to the
other party given in accordance with this paragraph 7(c). |
(d) | The
failure of the Optionee or the Company to insist upon strict compliance with any
provision of this Agreement or the Plan, or to assert any right the Optionee or
the Company, respectively, may have under this Agreement or the Plan, shall not be
deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right
of this Agreement or the Plan. |
(e) | Nothing
in the Plan or this Agreement shall confer on any individual any right to
continue in the employ or other service of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(if applicable) or interfere in any way with the right of the Company and
its stockholders to terminate the individuals employment or other service at
any time. |
(f) | Any
and all payments hereunder to the Optionee shall be made from the general
funds of the Company and no special or separate fund shall be established or
other segregation of assets made to assure such payments; provided, however, that
bookkeeping reserves may be established in connection with the satisfaction of
payment obligations hereunder. The obligations of the Company hereunder are
unsecured and constitute a mere promise by the Company to make benefit payments
in the future and, to the extent that any person acquires a right to receive
payments hereunder from the Company, such right shall be no greater than the
right of an general unsecured creditor of the Company. |
(g) | This
Agreement (together with the Plan) contains the entire agreement between the
parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto. |
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, the Company and the Optionee have executed this Agreement as of the
day and year first above written.
MFA MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[NAME OF
OPTIONEE]
|
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