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EXHIBIT 99.2
ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Board has adopted the Plan for the purpose of retaining the
services of selected Employees and consultants and other independent advisors
who provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).
B. Optionee is to render valuable services to the Corporation (or a
Parent or Subsidiary), and this Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is
intended to carry out the purposes of, the Plan in connection with the
Corporation's grant of an option to Optionee.
C. All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee, as
of the Grant Date, an option to purchase up to the number of Option Shares
specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable from time
to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the Exercise Price.
2. OPTION TERM. This option shall have a term of ten (10) years
measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5 or 6.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. During Optionee's lifetime, this
option may be assigned in whole or in part in accordance with the terms of a
Qualified Domestic Relations Order. The assigned portion shall be exercisable
only by the person or persons who acquire a proprietary interest in the option
pursuant to such Qualified Domestic Relations Order. The terms applicable to the
assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for this option
immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents
issued to the assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.
4. DATES OF EXERCISE. This option shall become exercisable for
the Option Shares in one or more installments as specified in the Grant Notice.
As the option becomes exercisable for such installments, those installments
shall accumulate and the option shall remain exercisable for the accumulated
installments until the Expiration Date or sooner termination of the option term
under Paragraph 5 or 6.
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5. CESSATION OF SERVICE. The option term specified in Paragraph 2
shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be outstanding) prior to the
Expiration Date should any of the following provisions become applicable:
(i) Should Optionee cease to remain in Service for
any reason (other than death, Permanent Disability or Misconduct) while
this option is outstanding, then Optionee shall have a period of three
(3) months (commencing with the date of such cessation of Service)
during which to exercise this option, but in no event shall this option
be exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.
(ii) Should Optionee die while this option is
outstanding, then the personal representative of Optionee's estate or
the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to
Optionee's will or in accordance with the laws of descent and
distribution shall have the right to exercise this option. Such right
shall lapse and this option shall cease to be outstanding upon the
earlier of (A) the expiration of the twelve (12)- month period measured
from the date of Optionee's death or (B) the Expiration Date.
(iii) Should Optionee cease Service by reason of
Permanent Disability while this option is outstanding, then Optionee
shall have a period of twelve (12) months (commencing with the date of
such cessation of Service) during which to exercise this option. In no
event shall this option be exercisable at any time after the Expiration
Date.
(iv) During the limited period of post-Service
exercisability, this option may not be exercised in the aggregate for
more than the number of vested Option Shares for which the option is
exercisable at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service. Upon the
expiration of such limited exercise period or (if earlier) upon the
Expiration Date, this option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding
for any vested Option Shares for which the option has not been
exercised. To the extent Optionee is not vested in the Option Shares at
the time of Optionee's cessation of Service, this option shall
immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to those
shares.
(v) Should Optionee's Service be terminated for
Misconduct, then this option shall terminate immediately and cease to
remain outstanding.
(vi) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the
provisions of Paragraph 6 shall govern the period for which this option
is to remain exercisable following Optionee's cessation of Service and
shall supersede any provisions to the contrary in this paragraph.
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6. SPECIAL ACCELERATION OF OPTION.
(a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the
exercisability of this option, to the extent outstanding at such time but not
otherwise fully exercisable, shall automatically accelerate so that this option
shall, immediately prior to the effective date of the Corporate Transaction,
become exercisable for any or all of the Option Shares at the time subject to
this option as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. No such acceleration of this
option, however, shall occur if and to the extent: (i) this option is, in
connection with the Corporate Transaction, either to be assumed by the successor
corporation (or parent thereof) or to be replaced with a comparable option to
purchase shares of the capital stock of the successor corporation (or parent
thereof) or (ii) this option is to be replaced with a cash incentive program of
the successor corporation which preserves the spread existing on the Option
Shares for which this option is not exercisable at the time of the Corporate
Transaction (the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Option Shares over the
aggregate Exercise Price payable for such shares) and provides for subsequent
pay-out in accordance with the same exercise schedule in effect for the option
pursuant to the option exercise schedule set forth in the Grant Notice. The
determination of option comparability under clause (i) shall be made by the Plan
Administrator, and such determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.
(b) Immediately following the Corporate Transaction, this
option, to the extent not previously exercised, shall terminate and cease to be
outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation (or
parent thereof) in connection with the Corporate Transaction.
(c) If this option is assumed in connection with a
Corporate Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted,
immediately after such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class
of securities which would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such
Corporate Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such
Corporate Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the
Exercise Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
(d) Upon an Involuntary Termination of Optionee's Service
within eighteen (18) months following a Corporate Transaction in which this
option is assumed or replaced, the exercisability of this option, to the extent
outstanding at such time but not otherwise fully exercisable, shall
automatically accelerate so that this option shall immediately become fully
exercisable for all the Option Shares at the time subject to this option as
fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for any or all of those
shares at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Expiration Date or (ii) the
expiration of the one (1)-year period measured from the effective date of the
Involuntary Termination.
(e) This Agreement shall not in any way affect the right
of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its
capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or
sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
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7. ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be made to the
Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder.
8. STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not have
any stockholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall
have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record
of the purchased shares.
9. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option with respect to all
or any part of the Option Shares for which this option is at the time
exercisable, Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the option)
must take the following actions:
(i) Execute and deliver to the Corporation a
Notice of Exercise for the Option Shares for which the option is
exercised.
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the
purchased shares in one or more of the following forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to the
Corporation;
(B) a promissory note payable to the
Corporation, but only to the extent authorized by the Plan
Administrator in accordance with Paragraph 13;
(C) shares of Common Stock held by Optionee
(or any other person or persons exercising the option) for the
requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation's
earnings for financial reporting purposes and valued at Fair
Market Value on the Exercise Date; or
(D) through a special sale and remittance
procedure pursuant to which Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising the option) shall concurrently provide
irrevocable written instructions (I) to a Corporation-designated
brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased
shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds
available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the
aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus
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all applicable Federal, state and local income and employment
taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of
such exercise and (II) to the Corporation to deliver the
certificates for the purchased shares directly to such brokerage
firm in order to complete the sale.
Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure is
utilized in connection with the option exercise, payment of the
Exercise Price must accompany the Notice of Exercise delivered to
the Corporation in connection with the option exercise.
(iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate
documentation that the person or persons exercising the option (if other
than Optionee) have the right to exercise this option.
(iv) Make appropriate arrangements with the
Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining Optionee)
for the satisfaction of all Federal, state and local income and
employment tax withholding requirements applicable to the option
exercise.
(b) As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the
Corporation shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares,
with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.
(c) In no event may this option be exercised for any
fractional shares.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
(a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of the
Option Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the
Corporation and Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating
thereto and with all applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq
National Market, if applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for
trading at the time of such exercise and issuance.
(b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval
from any regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to this
option shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the
non-issuance or sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not
have been obtained. The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to
obtain all such approvals.
11. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise
provided in Paragraphs 3 and 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and
assigns and Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs
and legatees of Optionee's estate.
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12. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered to the
Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed
to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice required to be
given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed to Optionee at
the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the Grant Notice. All
notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or upon deposit in the
U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the party to be notified.
13. FINANCING. The Plan Administrator may, in its absolute
discretion and without any obligation to do so, permit Optionee to pay the
Exercise Price for the purchased Option Shares by delivering a promissory note.
The terms of any such promissory note (including the interest rate, the
requirements for collateral and the terms of repayment) shall be established by
the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.
14. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced hereby
are made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited by and
subject to the terms of the Plan. All decisions of the Plan Administrator with
respect to any question or issue arising under the Plan or this Agreement shall
be conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in this option.
15. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and
enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
California without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
16. EXCESS SHARES. If the Option Shares covered by this Agreement
exceed, as of the Grant Date, the number of shares of Common Stock which may
without stockholder approval be issued under the Plan, then this option shall be
void with respect to such excess shares, unless stockholder approval of an
amendment sufficiently increasing the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
under the Plan is obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.
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EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify Onyx Acceptance Corporation (the "Corporation")
that I elect to purchase shares of the Corporation's Common Stock (the
"Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of $ per share (the
"Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to me
under the Corporation's 1998 Non-Officer Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan on
, 199 .
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise Price for the
Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement with the
Corporation (or other documents) evidencing the Option and shall deliver
whatever additional documents may be required by such agreement as a condition
for exercise. Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker-dealer sale and
remittance procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise
Price.
_____________________________, 199_
Date
____________________________________
Optionee
Address:____________________________
____________________________________
Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate: ____________________________________
Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above: ____________________________________
____________________________________
Social Security Number: ____________________________________
Employee Number: ____________________________________
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APPENDIX
The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
D. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
E. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following
stockholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(i) a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing more
than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or
persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately
prior to such transaction, or
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation or dissolution
of the Corporation.
F. CORPORATION shall mean Onyx Acceptance Corporation, a Delaware
corporation.
G. DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER shall mean any judgment, decree or order
(including approval of a property settlement agreement) which provides or
otherwise conveys, pursuant to applicable State domestic relations laws
(including community property laws), marital property rights to any spouse or
former spouse of the Optionee.
H. EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.
I. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have been
exercised in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Agreement.
J. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as specified
in the Grant Notice.
K. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option expires as
specified in the Grant Notice.
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L. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date
shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling
price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as the price is
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq
National Market or any successor system. If there is no closing selling
price for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market
Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for
which such quotation exists.
(ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape
of transactions on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price
for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value
shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which
such quotation exists.
X. XXXXX DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as specified in
the Grant Notice.
X. XXXXX NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
O. INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION shall mean the termination of Optionee's
Service which occurs by reason of:
(i) Optionee's involuntary dismissal or discharge by the
Corporation for reasons other than Misconduct, or
(ii) Optionee's voluntary resignation following (A) a change in
Optionee's position with the Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary
employing Optionee) which materially reduces Optionee's level of
responsibility, (B) a reduction in Optionee's level of compensation
(including base salary, fringe benefits and participation in
corporate-performance based bonus or incentive programs) by more than
fifteen percent (15%) or (C) a relocation of Optionee's place of
employment by more than fifty (50) miles, provided and only if such
change, reduction or relocation is effected by the Corporation without
Optionee's consent.
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P. MISCONDUCT shall mean the commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement or dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use or disclosure by
Optionee of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely
affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary) in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed
to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of
Optionee or any other individual in the Service of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary).
Q. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy the
requirements of Code Section 422.
R. NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit I.
S. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock subject
to the option as specified in the Grant Notice.
T. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
U. PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an
unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.
V. PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to engage
in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable
physical or mental impairment which is expected to result in death or has lasted
or can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12) months or
more.
W. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1998 Non-Officer Stock Option/Stock
Issuance Plan.
X. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee of
Board members, to the extent the committee is at the time responsible for the
administration of the Plan.
Y. QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER shall mean a Domestic Relations
Order which substantially complies with the requirements of Code Section 414(p).
The Plan Administrator shall have the sole discretion to determine whether a
Domestic Relations Order is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order.
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Z. SERVICE shall mean the Optionee's performance of services for the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in the capacity of an Employee, a
non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent
advisor.
AA. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
AB. SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation)
in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation, provided
each corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns,
at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more
of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
corporations in such chain.
A-4.
