aehr20160920_def14a.htm

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. __)

 

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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

 

 

Aehr Test Systems

 

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AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

400 Kato Terrace

Fremont, California 94539

_____________________________

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 18, 2016

_____________________________

 

 

To The Shareholders of

    Aehr Test Systems:

 

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, or the Annual Meeting, of Aehr Test Systems, a California corporation, or the Company, to be held on October 18, 2016, at 4:00 p.m., at the Company’s corporate headquarters located at 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, California 94539, for the following purposes:

 

 

1.

To elect seven directors.

 

 

2.

To approve the adoption of the Company’s 2016 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

 

3.

To approve the adoption of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

 

4.

To ratify the selection of Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2017.

 

 

5.

To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.

 

 

6.

To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.

 

 

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on September 6, 2016 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

 

 

    By Order of the Board of Directors,  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

GAYN ERICKSON

 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 
 

 

 

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

 

      THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS FURNISHED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES BY THE COMPANY, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FOR THE 2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS. THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE RELATED PROXY FORM ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 26, 2016. YOU CAN VOTE YOUR SHARES USING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

 

 

COMPLETE AND RETURN A WRITTEN PROXY CARD; OR

 

 

ATTEND THE COMPANY’S 2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND VOTE.

 

 

      ALL SHAREHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING. HOWEVER, TO ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION AT THE MEETING, YOU ARE URGED TO MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE POSTAGE-PREPAID ENVELOPE ENCLOSED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ANY SHAREHOLDER ATTENDING THE MEETING MAY VOTE IN PERSON EVEN IF HE OR SHE HAS RETURNED A PROXY CARD.

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY

MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD OCTOBER 18, 2016:

 

 

The Company’s Proxy Statement, form of proxy card and 2016 Annual Report are available at: www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Annual Reports/Proxies.”

 

 
 

 

  

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

400 Kato Terrace

Fremont, California 94539

_______________

 

PROXY STATEMENT

_______________

 

2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

 

This Proxy Statement is being furnished to the shareholders of Aehr Test Systems, a California corporation, or the Company, in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors, or the Board, for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company, or the Annual Meeting, to be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. local time, and at any adjournments thereof.

 

At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders will be asked:

 

 

1.

To elect seven directors.

 

 

2.

To approve the adoption of the Company’s 2016 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

 

3.

To approve the adoption of Company’s Amended and Restated 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

 

4.

To ratify the selection of Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2017.

 

 

5.

To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.

 

 

6.

To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.

 

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on September 6, 2016 as the record date for the determination of the holders of Common Stock entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each such shareholder will be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock, or Common Share, held on all matters to come before the Annual Meeting and may vote in person or by proxy authorized in writing.

 

The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, containing financial statements for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016, is being mailed with these proxy solicitation materials to all shareholders entitled to vote. This Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy are first being sent to holders of the Common Shares on or about September 26, 2016.

 

THE ANNUAL MEETING

 

Date, Time and Place

 

The Annual Meeting will be held on October 18, 2016 at 4:00 p.m., local time, at 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, California 94539.

 

General

 

The Company’s principal office is located at 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, California 94539 and its telephone number is (510) 623-9400.

 

 
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Record Date and Shares Entitled to Vote

 

Shareholders of record at the close of business on September 6, 2016, or the Record Date, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 13,598,934 shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote.

 

Revocability of Proxies

 

Any proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked by the person giving it at any time before its use by delivering to the Secretary of the Company a written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date or by attending the meeting and voting in person.

 

Voting and Proxy Solicitation 

 

Each shareholder voting for the election of directors may cumulate his or her votes, giving one candidate a number of votes equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of shares that the shareholder is entitled to vote, or distributing the shareholder’s votes on the same principle among as many candidates as the shareholder chooses. No shareholder shall be entitled to cumulate votes for any candidate unless the candidate’s name has been properly placed in nomination prior to the voting and the shareholder, or any other shareholder, has given notice at the meeting prior to the voting of the intention to cumulate votes. On all other matters, each share has one vote.

 

The Company is soliciting proxies for the Annual Meeting from its shareholders. The cost of this solicitation will be borne by the Company. The Company may reimburse brokerage firms and other persons representing beneficial owners of shares for their expenses in forwarding solicitation material to such beneficial owners. Proxies may also be solicited by certain of the Company’s directors, officers and regular employees, without additional compensation, personally or by telephone, facsimile or special delivery letter.

 

Quorum; Abstentions; Broker Non-Votes

 

The required quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting is a majority of the shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the Record Date. Votes cast by proxy or in person at the Annual Meeting will be tabulated by the Inspector of Elections, appointed for the meeting, who will determine whether or not a quorum is present. If the shares present, in person and by proxy, do not constitute the required quorum, the meeting may be adjourned to a subsequent date for the purposes of obtaining a quorum. Shares that are voted “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “WITHHELD FROM” a matter are treated as being present at the meeting for purposes of establishing a quorum and shares that are voted “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN” are also treated as shares entitled to vote, or the Votes Cast, at the Annual Meeting with respect to such matter.

 

While there is no definitive statutory or case law authority in California as to the proper treatment of abstentions, the Company believes that abstentions should be counted for purposes of determining both (i) the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business and (ii) the total number of Votes Cast with respect to a proposal (other than the election of directors). In the absence of controlling precedent to the contrary, the Company intends to treat abstentions in this manner. Accordingly, abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the proposal.

 

Broker non-votes (i.e. votes from shares of record by brokers as to which the beneficial owners have no voting instructions) will be counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business, but will not be counted for purposes of determining the number of Votes Cast with respect to the proposal on which the broker has expressly not voted. Thus, a broker non-vote will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists but will not otherwise affect the outcome of the voting on a proposal. With respect to a proposal that requires a majority of the outstanding shares (such as an amendment to the articles of incorporation), however, a broker non-vote has the same effect as a vote against the proposal.

 

Deadline for Receipt of Shareholder Proposals for 2017 Annual Meeting

 

Shareholders are entitled to present proposals for action at a forthcoming meeting if they comply with the requirements of the proxy rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Proposals of shareholders of the Company intended to be presented for consideration at the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must be received by the Company no later than May 31, 2017, in order that they may be included in the proxy statement and form of proxy related to that meeting.

 

 
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Shareholder Information

 

IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 14A-3 PROMULGATED UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED, THE COMPANY HEREBY UNDERTAKES TO PROVIDE WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH PERSON, A COPY OF THE COMPANY’S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K, INCLUDING THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

 

If you share an address with another shareholder, only one annual report and proxy statement may be delivered to all shareholders sharing your address unless the Company has contrary instructions from one or more shareholders. Shareholders sharing an address may request a separate copy of the annual report or proxy statement by writing to: Aehr Test Systems, 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, CA 94539, Attention: Investor Relations or by calling investor relations at (510) 623-9400, and the Company will promptly deliver a separate copy. If you share an address with another shareholder and you are receiving multiple copies of annual reports or proxy statements, you may write us at the address above to request delivery of a single copy of these materials in the future.

 

How to Obtain Directions to Location of Annual Meeting

 

The Annual Meeting is being held at the time and place set forth above. You can obtain directions to attend the Annual Meeting and vote your shares in person by calling the Company at (510) 623-9400, or by visiting the Company’s website www.aehr.com under the heading “Contact Us” and the subheading “Offices.”

 

Internet Availability of Proxy Materials

 

This Proxy Statement, the form of proxy card and 2016 Annual Report are available on the Company’s website www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Annual Reports/Proxies.”

 

 
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PROPOSAL 1

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

At the Annual Meeting, seven directors are to be elected to serve until the next Annual Meeting or until their successors are elected and qualified. Unless otherwise instructed, the proxy holders will vote the proxies received by them for the election of the seven nominees named below. Each nominee has consented to be named a nominee in this Proxy Statement and to continue to serve as a director if elected. Should any nominee become unable or decline to serve as a director or should additional persons be nominated at the meeting, the proxy holders intend to vote all proxies received by them in such a manner as will assure the election of as many nominees listed below as possible (or, if new nominees have been designated by the Board of Directors, in such a manner as to elect such nominees) and the specific nominees to be voted for will be determined by the proxy holders. The Company is not aware of any reason that any nominee will be unable or will decline to serve as a director. There are no arrangements or understandings between any director or executive officer and any other person pursuant to which he is or was to be selected as a director or officer of the Company.

 

The names of the nominees, ages as of May 31, 2016, and certain information about them as of the Record Date are set forth below:

 

Name of Nominee

 

Age

 

Position

 

Director

Since

Rhea J. Posedel

 

74

 

Chairman

 

1977

Gayn Erickson

 

52

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

2012

Robert R. Anderson (1)(2)

 

78

 

Director

 

2000

William W.R. Elder (2)(3)

 

77

 

Director

 

1989

Mario M. Rosati

 

70

 

Director

 

1977 (4)

John M. Schneider (1)(3)

 

49

 

Director

 

2014 (5)

Howard T. Slayen (1)

 

69

 

Director

 

2008


(1)

Member of the Audit Committee

(2)

Member of the Compensation Committee

(3)

Member of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee

(4)

Mr. Rosati was a member of the Board of Directors from 1977 to September 2008 and then rejoined the Board of Directors in February 2009

(5)

Mr. Schneider has been a member of the Board of Directors since December 2014.

 

RHEA J. POSEDEL is a founder of the Company and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors since the Company’s inception in 1977. He also served as Executive Chairman of the Company from January 2012 to March 2013. Mr. Posedel served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since the Company’s inception in 1977 until January 2012. From the Company’s inception through May 2000, Mr. Posedel also served as President of the Company. Prior to founding the Company, Mr. Posedel held various project engineering and engineering managerial positions at Lockheed Martin Corporation, Ampex Corporation, and Cohu, Inc. Mr. Posedel received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University.

 

Mr. Posedel brings to the Board of Directors senior leadership experience, industry and technical expertise, and a deep knowledge of the Company’s operations, strategy and vision.

  

GAYN ERICKSON has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Company since January 2012. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Erickson served as corporate officer, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Verigy Ltd.’s memory test business from

 

 
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February 2006 until October 2011. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Agilent Technologies' Semiconductor Memory Test products. He has over 27 years of executive and general management, operations, marketing, sales and R&D program management experience, dating back to the late 1980s when he began his career in semiconductor test with Hewlett-Packard's Automated Test Group. Mr. Erickson received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University.

 

 Mr. Erickson brings to the Board of Directors senior leadership experience, semiconductor test industry and technical expertise, and strategic business development experience.  

 

ROBERT R. ANDERSON has been a director of the Company since October 2000. Mr. Anderson currently is a director of MKS Instruments, Inc., a semiconductor components and equipment supplier. Mr. Anderson also serves as a director for Energetiq Technology, Inc., a private company. Mr. Anderson was co-founder, Chairman of the Board, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of KLA Instruments (KLAC), a supplier of process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related nanoelectronics industries, from 1975 through 1994. Mr. Anderson is a graduate of Bentley University and served as a trustee of Bentley University from 1993 through 2004.

 

Mr. Anderson brings to the Board of Directors a strong background in advising high-tech companies through his public company board experience. As the co-founder, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of a high-tech company, Mr. Anderson brings to the Board of Directors expertise in the semiconductor equipment industry, business development, mergers and acquisition and financing and senior management experience.

 

DR. WILLIAM W. R. ELDER, OBE has been a director of the Company since 1989. From 1981 to 1996, Dr. Elder was the Chief Executive Officer of Genus, Inc., a semiconductor equipment company, and then again from 1998 until the company was acquired by AIXTRON AG in 2005. Dr. Elder retired from AIXTRON AG in December 2007. Dr. Elder has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Maskless Lithography, Inc., a capital equipment start-up company based in San Jose, California, since 2010. In 2015, Maskless Lithography, Inc. sold its assets to Chimeball Technology, a Taiwanese equipment company. Dr. Elder continues as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Maskless Lithography, Inc. during the company’s wind down. Dr. Elder received a B.S.I.E. and an honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of Paisley in Scotland.

 

As President and Chief Executive Officer of a semiconductor equipment company, Dr. Elder brings to the Board of Directors senior leadership experience, strong industry knowledge and operations expertise.

 

MARIO M. ROSATI was a director of the Company from 1977 to 2008, and then rejoined the Board of Directors in 2009. Mr. Rosati is a member of the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, which he joined in 1971. Mr. Rosati is a director of Sanmina Corporation, a publicly-held electronics manufacturing services company, as well as several privately-held companies. Mr. Rosati received a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

 

As a senior partner in a major Silicon Valley based law firm, Mr. Rosati brings legal expertise in the oversight of legal and regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions and financing experience to the Board of Directors. Mr. Rosati also brings to the Board of Directors a strong background in advising high-tech companies through his public company board experience.

 

JOHN M. SCHNEIDER has been a director of the Company since December 2014. Mr. Schneider has been the owner and President of PWA Real Estate and PWA Construction, since their creation in 2008 and 2014, respectively. Mr. Schneider was the owner, President and CEO of Private Wealth Advisors and PWA Securities, a SEC-registered Registered Investment Advisor and FINRA-

 

 
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registered Broker/Dealer since their creation in 2003 and 2008, respectively. In July 2015, Mr. Schneider sold his ownership position in both investment companies to his existing partner. He retains his role as a registered representative and investment advisor with them. Mr. Schneider is currently the owner and President of JMS Capital Group, LLC, which is a holding company encompassing JMS Wealth Services, PWA Construction (dba JMS Development) and PWA Real Estate (dba JMS Real Estate). Mr. Schneider graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics, obtaining their "Honors in Economics" distinction. He is also a graduate of the College of Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado and is a Certified Financial Planner.

 

As the founder of multiple investment companies, Mr. Schneider brings to the Board of Directors a strong expertise in business development, financing and investment activities. Mr. Schneider also brings to the Board of Directors a strong background in advising companies through his private company board experience.

 

HOWARD T. SLAYEN has been a director of the Company since 2008. Since June 2001, Mr. Slayen has been providing independent financial consulting services to various organizations and clients. From October 1999 to May 2001, Mr. Slayen served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Quaartz Inc., a web-hosted communications company. From 1971 to September 1999, Mr. Slayen held various positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers/Coopers & Lybrand, including his last position as a Corporate Finance Partner. Mr. Slayen currently serves as a director for several non-profit organizations. Mr. Slayen received a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

 

As Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of a high-tech company, Corporate Finance Partner for a large international accounting firm and chair of the audit committee of two other public technology companies, Mr. Slayen brings to the Board of Directors senior leadership experience, expertise in accounting and financial reporting, financing and investing activities, and internal control and compliance. Mr. Slayen also brings to the Board of Directors a strong background in advising high-tech companies through his public company board experience.

 

Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors

 

The seven nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of the shares present or represented and entitled to be voted for them shall be elected as directors. Votes withheld from any director are counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business, but have no other legal effect in the election of directors under California law. See “Quorum; Abstentions; Broker Non-Votes.”

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE

ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE.

 

 
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Board Matters and Corporate Governance

 

Board Meetings and Committees

 

The Board of Directors held a total of six meetings during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016. No incumbent director during his period of service in such fiscal year attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the committees of the Board upon which such director served.

 

The Board of Directors has three committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

 

The Audit Committee currently consists of directors Messrs. Slayen, Anderson and Schneider, each of whom is an independent member of the Board of Directors, as defined by the Nasdaq director independence standards, as well as applicable SEC rules, as currently in effect. The Audit Committee held five meetings during fiscal year 2016. More information regarding the functions performed by the Committee is set forth in the section entitled “Report of the Audit Committee.” The Audit Committee is governed by a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. A copy of the Audit Committee charter is available on the Company’s website at www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Investor Relations.” The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Slayen is an audit committee financial expert as defined by the rules of the SEC.

 

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors currently consists of Messrs. Anderson and Elder, each of whom is an independent member of the Board of Directors, as defined by the Nasdaq director independence standards, as well as applicable SEC rules, as currently in effect. The Compensation Committee held one meeting during fiscal year 2016. The Compensation Committee reviews and advises the Board of Directors regarding all forms of compensation to be provided to the officers, employees, directors and consultants of the Company. The Compensation Committee is governed by a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. The Company maintains a copy of the Compensation Committee charter on its website at www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Investor Relations.” More information regarding the Compensation Committee’s processes and procedures can be found herein in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis.”    

 

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors currently consists of Messrs. Elder and Schneider, each of whom is an independent member of the Board of Directors, as defined by the Nasdaq director independence standards, as well as applicable SEC rules, as currently in effect. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding matters concerning corporate governance; reviews the composition and evaluates the performance of the Board of Directors; selects, or recommends for the selection of the Board of Directors, director nominees; evaluates director compensation; reviews the composition of committees of the Board of Directors and recommends persons to be members of such committee; and reviews conflicts of interest of members of the Board of Directors and corporate officers. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is governed by a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors did not hold any meetings during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016. The Company maintains a copy of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee charter on its website at www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Investor Relations.”

 

Shareholder Recommendations

 

The policy of the Board of Directors is to consider properly submitted shareholder recommendations for candidates for membership on the Board as described below under “Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors.” In evaluating such recommendations, the Board of Directors seeks to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience and capability on the Board and to address the membership criteria set forth under “Director Qualifications” below. Any shareholder recommendations proposed for consideration by the Board of Directors should include the candidate’s name and qualifications for Board membership and should be addressed to:

 

 
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Aehr Test Systems

400 Kato Terrace

Fremont, CA 94539

Attn: Secretary

 

In addition, procedures for shareholder direct nomination of directors are discussed under “Deadline for Receipt of Shareholder Proposals” above.

 

Director Qualifications

 

Members of the Board should have the highest professional and personal ethics and values, consistent with the Company’s Code of Conduct and Ethics adopted by the Board. They should have broad experience at the policy-making level in business. They should be committed to enhancing shareholder value and should have sufficient time to carry out their duties and to provide insight and practical wisdom based on experience. Their service on other boards of public companies should be limited to a number that permits them, given their individual circumstances, to perform responsibly all director duties. Each director must represent the interests of all shareholders.

 

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

 

The Board of Directors utilizes a variety of methods for identifying and evaluating nominees for director. The Board of Directors periodically assesses the appropriate size of the Board, and whether any vacancies on the Board are expected due to retirement or otherwise. In the event that vacancies are anticipated, or otherwise arise, the Board of Directors considers various potential candidates for director. Candidates may come to the attention of the Board of Directors through current Board members, professional search firms, shareholders or other persons. These candidates are evaluated at regular or special meetings of the Board of Directors, and may be considered at any point during the year. As described above, the Board of Directors considers properly submitted shareholder recommendations for candidates for the Board. Following verification of the shareholder status of persons proposing candidates, any recommendations are aggregated and considered by the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled meeting prior to the issuance of the proxy statement for the Company’s annual meeting. If any materials are provided by a shareholder in connection with the recommendation of a director candidate, such materials are forwarded to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also review materials provided by professional search firms or other parties in connection with a candidate who is not recommended by a shareholder. In evaluating such recommendations, the Board of Directors seeks to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience and capability on the Board.

 

The Company seeks board members whose background, skills and experience will best assist the Company in the oversight of its business and operations. This includes understanding of and experience in manufacturing, technology, finance, and legal and regulatory compliance. Senior leadership experience and public company board experience are two of the key qualities evaluated when considering nominees for the Company’s Board of Directors. A goal of the nomination process is for the Board of Directors to be comprised of directors with a diverse set of skills and experience to provide oversight and advice concerning the Company’s current business and growth strategies.

 

The Board of Directors has determined that each of its current directors, except for Rhea J. Posedel, the Company’s Chairman, and Gayn Erickson, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, is independent within the meaning of the Nasdaq director independence standards, as well as applicable SEC rules, as currently in effect.

 

 
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Annual Meeting Attendance

 

Although the Company does not have a formal policy regarding attendance by members of the Board at the Company’s annual meetings of shareholders, directors are encouraged to attend annual meetings of the Company’s shareholders.

 

Code of Conduct and Ethics

 

The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Conduct and Ethics for all directors, officers and employees of the Company, which includes the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and any other principal accounting officer. The Code of Conduct and Ethics may be found on the Company’s website at www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Investor Relations.” The Company will disclose any amendment to the Code of Conduct and Ethics or waiver of a provision of the Code of Conduct and Ethics, including the name of the officer to whom the waiver was granted, on the Company’s website at www.aehr.com under the heading “Investors” and the subheading “Investor Relations.”

 

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

 

The Board of Directors maintains a structure that currently separates the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer with Rhea J. Posedel currently serving in the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Gayn Erickson currently serving in the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and with an Audit Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee for oversight of specific areas of responsibility. The Company believes that this structure is appropriate and allows for efficient and effective oversight, given the Company’s relatively small size (both in terms of number of employees and in scope of operational activities directly conducted by the Company) and its corporate strategy. The Board of Directors does not have a lead independent director nor does the Board have a specific role in risk oversight of the Company. The Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the Committees of the Board and, as needed, other executive officers and employees of the Company provide the Board of Directors with information regarding the Company’s risks. The Board of Directors, or the Committee with special responsibility for oversight of the area implicated by the highlighted risks, then uses this information to perform its oversight role and inform its decision making with respect to such areas of risk.

 

Communications with the Board

 

The Company does not have a formal policy regarding shareholder communication with the Board of Directors. However, shareholders may communicate with the Board by submitting a letter to the attention of the Chairman of the Board, c/o Aehr Test Systems, 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, CA 94539. Communication received in writing will be collected, organized and processed by the Chairman of the Board who will distribute the communications to the members of the Board of Directors, as appropriate, depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication received.

 

 
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PROPOSAL 2

 

APPROVAL OF THE 2016 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

The shareholders are being asked to approve a new equity incentive plan, the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2016 Plan”). Based on the compensation committee’s recommendation, our Board of Directors adopted the 2016 Plan in September 2016, subject to approval from our shareholders at our 2016 Annual Meeting. If our shareholders approve the 2016 Plan, the 2016 Plan will replace our 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2006 Plan”) and will continue in effect until 2026 (unless earlier terminated by the 2016 Plan’s administrator, as defined below), and we will cease granting awards under the 2006 Plan once the 2016 Plan is approved by our shareholders.

 

Reasons for Voting for Approval of the 2016 Plan

 

The 2016 Plan Will Allow Us to Continue Attracting and Retaining the Best Talent

 

Our 2006 Plan is scheduled to expire in October 2016. Our Board of Directors believes that our success depends on the ability to attract and retain the best available personnel and that the ability to grant equity awards is crucial to recruiting and retaining the services of such individuals. In addition, our Board of Directors believes that equity awards align the interests of employee and other service providers and shareholders by giving employees and other service providers an ownership stake in the company, motivate them to achieve outstanding performance, and provide an effective means of rewarding them for their contributions to our success. If shareholders do not approve the 2016 Plan at the 2016 Annual Meeting, we will be unable to continue our equity incentive program after our 2006 Plan expires in October 2016, which could prevent us from successfully attracting and retaining highly skilled employees and other service providers.

 

A Reasonable Number of Shares Will Be Reserved Under the 2016 Plan

 

If our shareholders approve the 2016 Plan, the total number of shares of our common stock (“Shares”) that will be reserved for issuance under the 2016 Plan will be equal to (i) 800,000 plus (ii) any Shares which have been reserved but not issued pursuant to any equity awards granted under our 2006 Plan, plus (iii) any Shares subject to outstanding equity awards granted under our Stock Option 1996 Plan, as amended (the “1996 Plan”) or our 2006 Plan that are added to the 2016 Plan, as described in the summary of the 2016 Plan below. We anticipate that these Shares will be enough to meet our expected needs for the next three years. The compensation committee and our Board of Directors considered the following when determining the number of Shares to reserve for issuance under the 2016 Plan:

 

Number of Shares Remaining under the 2006 Plan. As of August 31, 2016, the number of Shares that remained available for issuance under the 2006 Plan was 1,437,420 plus any Shares subject to outstanding equity awards granted under our 2006 Plan that return to the 2006 Plan under the 2006 Plan’s terms. Any shares made subject to new awards granted under the 2006 Plan between August 31, 2016 and the date the Plan is approved by our shareholders will reduce the shares available for issuance under the Plan. As of the same date, the outstanding equity awards under the 2006 Plan covered a total of 3,455,933 Shares, which consists of (i) 3,381,933 shares subject to outstanding options, with a weighted average exercise price of $1.67, and a weighted term of 4.21 years and (ii) 74,000 shares subject to outstanding awards of Restricted Stock Units, or RSUs, and Performance Stock Units, or PSUs.

 

Overhang. As of August 31, 2016, 3,455,933 Shares were subject to outstanding equity awards under our 1996 Plan and 2006 Plan and 1,437,420 Shares were available for future awards under our 2006 Plan. This represents approximately 36% of the outstanding Shares as of August 31, 2016.

 

 
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Historical Grant Practices. The compensation committee and our Board of Directors considered the number of equity awards that we granted in the last three fiscal years. In 2014, 2015, and 2016, we granted equity awards covering 908,000, 1,253,000, and 127,000 Shares, respectively, for a total of approximately 2,288,000 Shares over that three-year period.

 

Proxy Advisory Firm Guidelines. In light of our significant institutional shareholder base, the compensation committee and our Board of Directors considered proxy advisory firm guidelines.

 

If our shareholders approve the 2016 Plan, we expect that the share reserve under the 2016 Plan will allow us to continue to grant equity-based compensation at levels we deem appropriate for the next three years, and that we will not have to restructure our existing compensation programs for reasons that are not directly related to the achievement of our business objectives. To remain competitive without equity-based compensation arrangements, it likely will be necessary to replace components of compensation previously awarded in equity with cash. We do not believe increasing cash compensation to make up for any shortfall in equity compensation would be practical or advisable, because we believe that a combination of equity awards and cash compensation provide a more effective compensation strategy than cash alone for attracting, retaining and motivating our employees long-term and aligning employees’ and shareholders’ interests. In addition, any significant increase in cash compensation in lieu of equity awards could substantially increase our operating expenses and reduce our cash flow from operations, which could adversely affect our business results and could adversely affect our business strategy, including using cash flow for strategic acquisitions, research and development of innovative new products, and improvements in the quality and performance of existing products.

 

The 2016 Plan Gives Us the Ability to Fully Deduct Certain Performance-based Awards for Federal Income Tax Purposes

 

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) generally denies us a corporate tax deduction for annual compensation exceeding $1 million paid to our chief executive officer and other “covered employees,” as determined under Section 162(m) of the Code (“Section 162(m)”) and applicable guidance. However, certain types of compensation, such as performance-based compensation, are generally excluded from this deductibility limit.

 

The 2016 Plan is designed to enable (but not require) us to grant equity awards that qualify as fully deductible performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) by setting limits on the size of awards that may be granted under the 2016 Plan to employees in a single year, as further described below. If our shareholders approve the 2016 Plan, they will be approving these limits, the eligibility requirements for participation in the 2016 Plan, the performance measures upon which specific performance goals for certain awards would be based, and the other material terms necessary to grant awards under the 2016 Plan that qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m).

 

We are not, however, required to structure equity award grants to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), and the 2016 Plan gives Aehr Test Systems the flexibility to grant equity awards that do not qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m).

 

The 2016 Plan Includes Compensation and Governance Best Practices

 

The 2016 Plan includes provisions that are considered best practice for compensation and corporate governance purposes. These provisions protect our shareholders’ interests, as follows:

 

No Annual Evergreen. The 2016 Plan does not contain an annual “evergreen” provision that automatically increases the number of Shares available for issuance each year. As a result, any

 

 
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future increases to the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2016 Plan will require approval from our shareholders.

 

Administration. The 2016 Plan will be administered by the compensation committee, which consists entirely of independent non-employee directors.

 

Repricing or Exchange Programs are Not Allowed. The 2016 Plan does not permit outstanding awards to be repriced or exchanged for other awards.

 

Annual Limits on Awards to Non-Employee Directors. The 2016 Plan sets reasonable, annual limits as to the awards that non-employee directors may receive during each fiscal year.

 

No Single-Trigger Vesting Acceleration upon a Change in Control. Awards under the 2016 Plan granted to employees and consultants will be treated in a Change in Control in the manner determined by the administrator, and the terms of the 2016 Plan provide for an award to vest upon a Change in Control only if the award is not assumed or substituted. For any such award that vests in whole or in part based on the achievement of performance goals or other performance-based vesting criteria, those goals or criteria will be deemed achieved at 100% of target levels, but prorated based on the portion of the performance period that has elapsed as of immediately prior to the Change in Control.

 

Limited transferability. Awards under the 2016 Plan generally may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise encumbered, unless otherwise approved by the administrator.

 

No Tax Gross-ups. The 2016 Plan does not provide for any tax gross-ups.

 

Forfeiture Events. Each award under the 2016 Plan will be subject to any clawback policy of ours, and the administrator may require a participant to forfeit, return, or reimburse us for all or a portion of the award and any amounts paid under the award in order to comply with the applicable clawback policy or applicable laws. We intend to adopt clawback policy covering our annual and long-term incentive award plans and arrangements once the SEC adopts final rules implementing the requirement of Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

 

Our executive officers and directors have an interest in the approval of the 2016 Plan because they are eligible to receive equity awards under the 2016 Plan.

 

Summary of the 2016 Plan

 

The following paragraphs provide a summary of the principal features of the 2016 Plan and its operation. However, this summary is not a complete description of all of the provisions of the 2016 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the 2016 Plan. A copy of the 2016 Plan is provided as Appendix A to this proxy statement.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT

SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE 2016 PLAN AND THE NUMBER

OF SHARES RESERVED FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER.

 

Purposes of the 2016 Plan

 

The purposes of the 2016 Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel; to provide additional incentive to employees, directors, and consultants; and to promote the success of our business. These incentives are provided through the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock,

 

 
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restricted stock units, performance units, and performance shares as the plan administrator (as defined below) may determine.

 

Shares Available for Issuance

 

Subject to the adjustment provisions contained in the 2016 Plan, our shareholders are being asked to approve a number of Shares for issuance under the 2016 Plan equal to the sum of (i) 800,000 Shares, (ii) any Shares which have been reserved but not issued pursuant to any equity awards granted under our 2006 Plan as of the date the 2016 Plan is approved by our shareholders, and (iii) any Shares subject to outstanding stock options, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, or similar awards that were previously granted under the 1996 Plan or the 2006 Plan that, on or after the date the 2016 Plan is approved by our shareholders, expire or otherwise terminate without having been exercised in full, or that are forfeited to or repurchased by us, with the maximum number of Shares to be added from the 1996 Plan and the 2006 Plan pursuant to clauses (ii) and (iii) equal to 4,893,353 Shares. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired common stock. Any shares made subject to new awards granted under the 2006 Plan between August 31, 2016 and the date the Plan is approved by our shareholders will reduce the shares available for issuance under the Plan.

 

If any award granted under the 2016 Plan expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full or is forfeited to or repurchased by us due to failure to vest, then the expired, unexercised, forfeited, or repurchased Shares subject to such award will become available for future grant or sale under the 2016 Plan. With respect to the exercise of stock appreciation rights, the gross Shares issued pursuant to a stock appreciation right will cease to be available under the 2016 Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an award will not become available for future grant or sale under the 2016 Plan. If an award is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such payment will not reduce the number of Shares available for issuance under the 2016 Plan.

 

For purposes of determining the number of Shares that remain available for issuance under the 2016 Plan and the number of Shares returned to the 2016 Plan’s share reserve, each share subject to an award other than an option, a stock appreciation right, or any other award that is based solely on an increase in value of the Shares following the grant date will count as 2.00 shares.

 

Limitation

 

The 2016 Plan contains annual grant limits intended to satisfy Section 162(m). Specifically, the maximum number of Shares covered by or the maximum initial value of awards that can be issued to any particular employee or consultant under the 2016 Plan in any fiscal year is set forth below:

 

Award Type

 

Annual Number of Shares or Dollar Value

Stock Options

 

Maximum of 200,000 Shares (increasing to 400,000 Shares in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

Stock Appreciation Rights

 

Maximum of 200,000 Shares (increasing to 400,000 Shares in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

Restricted Stock

 

Maximum of 75,000 Shares (increasing to 150,000 Shares in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

Restricted Stock Units

 

Maximum of 75,000 Shares (increasing to 150,000 Shares in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

Performance Shares

 

Maximum of 75,000 Shares (increasing to 150,000 Shares in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

Performance Units

 

Maximum of 75,000 Shares with a maximum initial value of $250,000 (increasing to 150,000 Shares and $500,000 in the fiscal year the participant’s service as an employee begins)

 

 
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The 2016 Plan also provides that in any fiscal year, a non-employee board member may not be granted awards with a grant date fair value (determined in accordance with GAAP) exceeding $150,000 (increased to $300,000 in the fiscal year his or her service as an non-employee director begins). Any award granted to a participant while he or she was an employee or a consultant (other than a non-employee director) will not count for purposes of this limitation.

 

In the event of any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities or other change in the corporate structure affecting our common stock, the 2016 Plan administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the 2016 Plan, will adjust the number and class of shares that may be delivered under the 2016 Plan, and/or the number, class and price of shares of stock subject to outstanding awards, and the award grant limitations discussed above.

 

Administration

 

Our Board of Directors has delegated administration of the 2016 Plan to the compensation committee. Our Board of Directors and the compensation committee may further delegate administration of the 2016 Plan to any committee of our Board of Directors, or a committee of individuals satisfying applicable laws appointed by our Board of Directors in accordance with the terms of the 2016 Plan. For purposes of this summary of the 2016 Plan, the term “administrator” will refer to our Board of Directors or any committee designated by our Board of Directors to administer the 2016 Plan. To make grants to certain officers and key employees, the members of the committee must qualify as “non-employee directors” under Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In the case of awards intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exemption under Section 162(m), administration must be by a committee comprised solely of two or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m).

 

Subject to the terms of the 2016 Plan, the administrator has the sole discretion to select the service providers who will receive awards; to determine the terms and conditions of awards; and to approve forms of award agreements for use with the 2016 Plan; to modify or amend each award (subject to the repricing restrictions of the 2016 Plan), including to accelerate vesting or waive forfeiture restrictions, and to interpret the provisions of the 2016 Plan and outstanding awards. The administrator may allow a participant to defer the receipt of payment of cash or delivery of Shares that otherwise would be due to such participant. The administrator may make rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of satisfying applicable foreign laws and may make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the 2016 Plan. The administrator will issue all awards pursuant to the terms and conditions of the 2016 Plan.

 

The Administrator may not implement a program allowing for the cancellation of awards in exchange for different awards and/or cash, the transfer of an outstanding award to a financial institution or other person or entitled selected by the administrator, or the increase or reduction of the exercise price of any outstanding award.

 

Eligibility

 

All types of awards other than incentive stock options may be granted to our non-employee directors and to employees and consultants of any parent, subsidiary, or affiliate corporation of ours. Incentive stock options may be granted only to employees of Aehr Test Systems or any parent or subsidiary corporation of Aehr Test Systems. As of August 31, 2016, we had approximately 75 employees (including 2 employee directors), 5 non-employee directors, and 1 consultant.

 

 
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Stock Options

 

An option gives a participant the right to purchase a specified number of Shares for a fixed exercise price during a specified period of time. Each option granted under the 2016 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement specifying the number of Shares subject to the option and the other terms and conditions of the option, consistent with the requirements of the 2016 Plan.

 

The exercise price per share of each option may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of grant. However, any incentive stock option granted to a person who at the time of grant owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock or any parent or subsidiary corporation of ours (a “ten percent shareholder”) must have an exercise price per share equal to at least 110% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. The aggregate fair market value of the shares (determined on the grant date) covered by incentive stock options which first become exercisable by any participant during any calendar year also may not exceed $100,000. The fair market value of the common stock is generally the closing sales price of our stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

Options will be exercisable at such times or under such conditions as determined by the administrator and set forth in the award agreement.

 

Upon the termination of a participant’s service, the unvested portion of the participant’s option generally expires. The vested portion of the option will remain exercisable for the period following the participant’s termination of service that was determined by the administrator and specified in the participant’s award agreement, and if no such period was determined by the administrator, the vested portion of the option will remain exercisable for: (i) 3 months following a termination of the participant’s service for reasons other than death or disability (and if the participant dies within the 3-month period, the period will be extended to one year from the date of the participant’s death) or (ii) 12 months following a termination of the participant’s service due to death or disability. However, if the exercise of an option is prevented by applicable law, the exercise period may be extended under certain circumstances described in the 2016 Plan. In no event will the option be exercisable after the end of the option’s term.

 

The term of an option will be specified in the award agreement but may not be more than ten years (or five years for an incentive stock option granted to a ten percent shareholder).

 

The 2016 Plan provides that the administrator will determine the acceptable form(s) of consideration for exercising an option. An option will be deemed exercised when we receive the notice of exercise and full payment for the Shares to be exercised, together with applicable tax withholdings.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights

 

A stock appreciation right gives a participant the right to receive the appreciation in the fair market value of our common stock between the date an award is granted and the date it is exercised. Upon exercise of a stock appreciation right, the holder of the award will be entitled to receive an amount determined by multiplying: (i) the difference between the fair market value of a share on the date of exercise and the exercise price by (ii) the number of exercised stock appreciation rights. We may pay the appreciation in cash, in Shares, or a combination of both. Each stock appreciation right granted under the 2016 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement specifying the exercise price and the other terms and conditions of the award.

 

The exercise price per share of each stock appreciation right may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of grant.

 

 
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Stock appreciation rights will be exercisable at such times or under such conditions as determined by the administrator and set forth in the award agreement.

 

The term of a stock appreciation right may not be more than ten years. The terms and conditions relating to the period of exercise of stock appreciation rights following the termination of a participant’s service are similar to those for options described above.

 

Restricted Stock Awards

 

Awards of restricted stock are rights to acquire or purchase Shares that vest in accordance with the terms and conditions established by the administrator in its sole discretion. Unless otherwise provided by the administrator, a participant will forfeit any Shares of restricted stock that have not vested by the termination of the participant’s service. Each restricted stock award granted will be evidenced by an award agreement specifying the number of Shares subject to the award and the other terms and conditions of the award. The administrator will determine the vesting conditions that apply to an award of restricted stock, but if an award of restricted stock is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), the vesting conditions will be based on a specified list of performance goals and certain other requirements, as further discussed below.

 

Unless the administrator provides otherwise, participants holding Shares of restricted stock will have voting rights and rights to dividends and other distributions with respect to such Shares without regard to vesting. However, such dividends or other distributions will be subject to the same restrictions and forfeitability provisions that apply to the Shares of restricted stock with respect to which they were paid. The administrator has the discretion to reduce or waive any restrictions and to accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed.

 

Restricted Stock Units

 

A restricted stock unit represent a right to receive cash or a share of our common stock if the performance goals or other vesting criteria set by the administrator are achieved or the restricted stock unit otherwise vests. Each award of restricted stock units granted under the 2016 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement specifying the number of Shares subject to the award and other terms and conditions of the award.

 

The administrator may set vesting conditions based upon the achievement of company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the administrator, in its discretion. However, if an award of restricted stock units is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), the vesting conditions will be based on a specified list of performance goals and certain other requirements, as further discussed below.

 

After an award of restricted stock units has been granted, the administrator has the discretion to reduce or waive any restrictions or vesting criteria that must be met to receive a payout or to accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed. A participant will forfeit any unearned restricted stock units upon termination of his or her service. The administrator in its sole discretion may pay earned restricted stock units in cash, Shares, or a combination of both.

 

Performance Units and Performance Shares

 

Performance units and performance shares are awards that will result in a payment to a participant only if performance goals established by the administrator are achieved or the awards otherwise vest. Performance units will have an initial value established by the administrator on or before the date of grant. Each performance share will have an initial value equal to the fair market value of a share on the grant date.

 

 
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Performance units and performance shares will result in a payment to a participant only if the performance goals or other vesting criteria set by the administrator are achieved or the awards otherwise vest.

 

Each award of performance units or performance shares granted under the 2016 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement specifying the performance period and other terms and conditions of the award. The administrator may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the administrator, in its discretion. However, if an award of performance shares or performance units is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), the vesting conditions will be based on a specified list of performance goals and certain other requirements, as further discussed below.

 

After an award of performance units or performance shares has been granted, the administrator has the discretion to accelerate, reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such performance units or performance shares, but may not increase the amount payable at a given level of performance.

 

The administrator has the discretion to pay earned performance units or performance shares in the form of cash, Shares (which will have an aggregate fair market value equal to the earned performance units or performance shares at the close of the applicable performance period), or a combination of both.

 

A participant will forfeit any performance units or performance shares that have not been earned or have not vested as of the termination of his or her service with us.

 

Performance Goals

 

The granting and/or vesting of awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares and performance units, and other incentives under the 2016 Plan may be made subject to the attainment of performance goals relating to one or more business criteria within the meaning of Section 162(m) and may provide for a targeted level or levels of achievement, including: stock price, revenue, profit, bookings, cash flow, customer retention, customer satisfaction, net bookings, net income, net profit, operating cash flow, operating expenses, total earnings; earnings per share, diluted or basic; earnings per share from continuing operations, diluted or basic; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; pre-tax profit; net asset turnover; inventory turnover; capital expenditures; net earnings; operating earnings; gross or operating margin; profit margin, debt; working capital; return on equity; return on net assets; return on total assets; return on capital; return on investment; return on sales; net or gross sales; market share; economic value added; cost of capital; change in assets; expense reduction levels; debt reduction; productivity; new product introductions; delivery performance; individual objectives; and total shareholder return. Any performance goals may be used to measure the performance of our company as a whole or, except with respect to shareholder return metrics, to a region, business unit, affiliate or business segment, and performance goals may be measured either on an absolute basis, a per share basis or relative to a pre-established target, to a previous period’s results or to a designated comparison group, and, with respect to financial metrics, which may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), in accordance with accounting principles established by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) or which may be adjusted when established to either exclude any items otherwise includable under GAAP or under IASB principles or include any items otherwise excludable under GAAP or under IASB principles. In all other respects, performance goals will be calculated in accordance with Aehr Test Systems’ financial statements, generally accepted accounting principles, or under a methodology established by the administrator prior to or at the time of the issuance of an award and which is consistently applied with respect to a performance goal in the relevant performance period. In addition, the administrator will adjust any performance criteria, performance goal, or other feature of an award that relates to or is wholly or partially based on the number of, or the value of, any stock of Aehr Test Systems, to reflect any stock dividend or split, repurchase, recapitalization, combination,

 

 
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or exchange of shares or other similar changes in such stock. The performance goals may differ from participant to participant and from award to award.

 

To the extent necessary to comply with the performance-based compensation provisions of Section 162(m), with respect to any award granted subject to performance goals, and within the first 25% of the performance period and no more than 90 days following the commencement of the performance period (or such other time required or permitted by Section 162(m)), the administrator will, in writing: (i) designate one or more participants to whom an award will be made; (ii) select the performance goals applicable to the performance period; (iii) establish the performance goals, and amounts or methods of computation of the awards which may be earned for the performance period; and (iv) specify the relationship between performance goals and the amounts or methods of computation of such awards, as applicable, to be earned by each participant for such performance period. Following the completion of each performance period, the administrator will certify in writing whether the applicable performance goals have been achieved for such performance period. In determining the amounts earned by a participant, the administrator may reduce or eliminate (but not increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the administrator may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the performance period. A participant will be eligible to receive payment pursuant to an award for a performance period only if the performance goals for such period are achieved.

 

Transferability of Awards

 

Awards generally are not transferable other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution. However, the administrator may permit an award other than an incentive stock option to be assigned or transferred during a participant’s lifetime (i) under a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement, or other divorce or separation agreement, (ii) to a “family member” (within the meaning of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) in connection with the participant’s estate plan, or (iii) or as required by law.

 

Dissolution or Liquidation

 

In the event of a proposed dissolution or liquidation of our company, the administrator will notify each participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. An award will terminate immediately prior to consummation of such proposed action to the extent the award has not been previously exercised.

 

Change in Control

 

The 2016 Plan provides that, in the event of a merger or Change in Control, each award will be treated as the administrator determines, including that each award be assumed or substantially equivalent awards substituted by the acquiring or succeeding corporation or its affiliate. The administrator will not be required to treat all outstanding awards the same in the transaction.

 

If the successor corporation does not assume or substitute for the award, the participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding options and stock appreciation rights, all restrictions on restricted stock and restricted stock units will lapse. With respect to awards with performance-based vesting that are not assumed or substituted for, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) and all other terms and conditions will be deemed met. In addition, if an option or stock appreciation right is not assumed or substituted for, the administrator will notify the participant in writing or electronically that the option or stock appreciation right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the administrator, in its sole discretion, and the option or stock appreciation right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.

 

 
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For awards granted to our non-employee directors, in the event of a Change in Control, (i) the non-employee director will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding options and stock appreciation rights, (ii) all restrictions on the non-employee director’s restricted stock and restricted stock units will lapse, and (iii) with respect to the non-employee director’s awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) and all other terms and conditions will be deemed met.

 

Forfeiture Events

 

Each award under the 2016 Plan will be subject to any clawback policy of ours, and the administrator also may specify in an award agreement that the participant’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an award will be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events. The administrator may require a participant to forfeit, return, or reimburse us all or a portion of the award and any amounts paid under the award in order to comply with such clawback policy or applicable laws.

 

Termination or Amendment

 

The 2016 Plan will automatically terminate ten years from the date of its adoption by our Board of Directors, unless terminated at an earlier time by our Board of Directors. The administrator may amend, alter, suspend, or terminate the 2016 Plan at any time, provided that no amendment may be made without shareholder approval to the extent approval is necessary or desirable to comply with any applicable laws. No amendment, alteration, suspension, or termination may impair the rights of any participant unless mutually agreed otherwise between the participant and the administrator.

 

Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

The following summary is intended only as a general guide to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of participation in the 2016 Plan. The summary is based on existing U.S. laws and regulations as of the Record Date, and there can be no assurance that those laws and regulations will not change in the future. The summary does not purport to be complete and does not discuss the tax consequences upon a participant’s death, or the provisions of the income tax laws of any municipality, state or foreign country in which the participant may reside. As a result, tax consequences for any particular participant may vary based on individual circumstances.

 

Incentive Stock Options

 

A participant recognizes no taxable income for regular income tax purposes as a result of the grant or exercise of an option that qualifies as incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code. If a participant exercises the option and then later sells or otherwise disposes of the Shares acquired through the exercise the option after both the two-year anniversary of the date the option was granted and the one-year anniversary of the exercise, the participant will recognize a capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the sale price of the Shares and the exercise price, and we will not be entitled to any deduction for federal income tax purposes.

 

However, if the participant disposes of such Shares either on or before the two-year anniversary of the date of grant or on or before the one-year anniversary of the date of exercise (a “disqualifying disposition”), any gain up to the excess of the fair market value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the exercise price generally will be taxed as ordinary income, unless the Shares are disposed of in a transaction in which the participant would not recognize a loss (such as a gift). Any gain in excess of that amount will be a capital gain. If a loss is recognized, there will be no ordinary income, and such loss will be a capital loss. Any ordinary income recognized by the participant upon the disqualifying disposition of

 

 
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the Shares generally should be deductible by us for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.

 

For purposes of the alternative minimum tax, the difference between the option exercise price and the fair market value of the Shares on the exercise date is treated as an adjustment item in computing the participant’s alternative minimum taxable income in the year of exercise. In addition, special alternative minimum tax rules may apply to certain subsequent disqualifying dispositions of the Shares or provide certain basis adjustments or tax credits for purposes.

 

Nonstatutory Stock Options

 

A participant generally recognizes no taxable income as the result of the grant of such an option. However, upon exercising the option, the participant normally recognizes ordinary income equal to the amount that the fair market value of the Shares on such date exceeds the exercise price. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. Upon the sale of the Shares acquired by the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option, any gain or loss (based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value on the exercise date) will be taxed as capital gain or loss. No tax deduction is available to us with respect to the grant of a nonstatutory stock option or the sale of the Shares acquired through the exercise of the nonstatutory stock option.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights

 

In general, no taxable income is reportable when a stock appreciation right is granted to a participant. Upon exercise, the participant generally will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of any Shares received. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon any later disposition of the Shares would be capital gain or loss.

 

Restricted Stock Awards

 

A participant acquiring Shares of restricted stock generally will recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the Shares on the vesting date. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. The participant may elect, pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code to accelerate the ordinary income tax event to the date of acquisition by filing an election with the Internal Revenue Service no later than thirty days after the date the Shares are acquired. Upon the sale of Shares acquired pursuant to a restricted stock award, any gain or loss, based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value on the date the ordinary income tax event occurs, will be taxed as capital gain or loss.

 

Restricted Stock Unit Awards

 

There are no immediate tax consequences of receiving an award of restricted stock units. A participant who is awarded restricted stock units generally will be required to recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of Shares issued to such participant at the end of the applicable vesting period or, if later, the settlement date elected by the administrator or a participant. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon any later disposition of any Shares received would be capital gain or loss.

 

Performance Shares and Performance Unit Awards

 

A participant generally will recognize no income upon the grant of a performance share or a performance unit award. Upon the settlement of such awards, participants normally will recognize ordinary income in the year of receipt in an amount equal to the cash received and the fair market value of any cash or unrestricted Shares received. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. Upon the sale of any Shares received, any gain

 

 
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or loss, based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value on the date the ordinary income tax event occurs, will be taxed as capital gain or loss.

 

Section 409A

 

Section 409A provides certain requirements for non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements with respect to an individual’s deferral and distribution elections and permissible distribution events. Awards granted under the 2016 Plan with a deferral feature will be subject to the requirements of Section 409A. If an award is subject to and fails to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A, the recipient of that award may recognize ordinary income on the amounts deferred under the award, to the extent vested, which may be prior to when the compensation is actually or constructively received. Also, if an award that is subject to Section 409A fails to comply with Section 409A’s provisions, Section 409A imposes an additional 20% federal income tax on compensation recognized as ordinary income, as well as interest on such deferred compensation.

 

Tax Effect for Aehr Test Systems

 

We generally will be entitled to a tax deduction in connection with an award under the 2016 Plan in an amount equal to the ordinary income realized by a participant and at the time the participant recognizes such income (for example, the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option) except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code. Special rules limit the deductibility of compensation paid to our chief executive officer and other “covered employees” as determined under Section 162(m) and applicable guidance. Under Section 162(m), the annual compensation paid to any of these specified executives will be deductible only to the extent that it does not exceed $1,000,000. However, we can preserve the deductibility of certain compensation in excess of $1,000,000 if the conditions of Section 162(m) are met. These conditions include (among others) shareholder approval of the 2016 Plan and its material terms, setting limits on the number of awards that any individual may receive and for awards other than certain stock options and stock appreciation rights, establishing performance criteria that must be met before the award actually will vest or be paid. The 2016 Plan has been designed to permit (but not require) the plan administrator to grant awards that are intended to qualify as performance-based for purposes of satisfying the conditions of Section 162(m).

 

THE FOREGOING IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION UPON PARTICIPANTS AND AEHR TEST SYSTEMS WITH RESPECT TO AWARDS UNDER THE 2016 PLAN. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE AND DOES NOT DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER TAX REQUIREMENTS, THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF A PARTICIPANT’S DEATH, OR THE PROVISIONS OF THE INCOME TAX LAWS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, STATE, OR FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANT MAY RESIDE.

 

Number of Awards Granted to Employees, Consultants and Directors

 

The number of awards that an employee, director, or consultant may receive under the 2016 Plan is in the discretion of the administrator and therefore cannot be determined in advance. The following table sets forth: (i) the aggregate number of shares of common stock subject to options granted under the 2006 Plan during the fiscal year 2016 to each of our named executive officers; executive officers, as a group; directors who are not executive officers, as a group; and all employees who are not executive officers, as a group; (ii) the average per share exercise price of such options; (iii) the aggregate number of shares subject to RSUs and PSUs (at target) granted under the 2006 Plan during the fiscal year 2016 to each of our named executive officers; executive officers, as a group; directors who are not executive officers, as a group; and all employees who are not executive officers, as a group; and (iv) the grant-date value of shares subject to such RSUs and PSUs.

 

 
21

 

 

Name of Individual or Group

 

Number of

Shares

Subject to

Options

Granted(1)

   

Average Per

Share

Exercise Price

of Option

Grants

   

Number of

Shares

Subject to

RSUs and

PSUs

Granted

   

Dollar Value

of Shares

Subject to

RSUs and

PSUs

Granted(1)

 

Gayn Erickson
President and Chief Executive Officer

    --       --       35,000     $ 75,600  

Kenneth B. Spink
VP of Finance and CFO

    29,000     $ 2.30       --       --  

Gary L. Larson
Former VP of Finance and CFO

    --       --       --       --  

Mark D. Allison
VP of Worldwide Sales

    --       --       --       --  

David S. Fucci
VP of Operations

    --       --       --       --  

David S. Hendrickson
VP of Engineering

    --       --       --       --  

All executive officers, as a group

    29,000     $ 2.30       35,000     $ 75,600  

All directors who are not executive officers, as a group

    50,000     $ 2.17       --       --  

All employees who are not executive officers, as a group

    13,500     $ 1.54       --       --  

(1)

Reflects the aggregate grant date fair value of awards computed in accordance with ASC 718.

 

Vote Required and Board of Directors’ Recommendation

 

The affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on this proposal is required to approve the 2016 Plan.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE
APPROVAL OF THE 2016 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN.

 

 
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PROPOSAL 3

 

APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE

 

2006 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

The shareholders are being asked to approve an amendment and restatement of the 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”). The ESPP was initially adopted in 2006. The ESPP currently has a share reserve of 182,144 Shares of Company common stock (“Shares”). Our Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of Aehr Test Systems and its shareholders to amend and restate the ESPP to (i) provide that an additional 350,000 Shares will be added to the ESPP so that the maximum number of Shares available for sale under the ESPP will be 532,144 Shares, (ii) authorize the grant of purchase rights that do not qualify under Code Section 423 (as defined below) pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans that are designed to achieve desired tax or other objectives, (iii) extend the term of the ESPP indefinitely (unless terminated by the ESPP’s administrator, as defined below) and (iv) make certain other changes to the general terms and conditions of the ESPP. Our Board of Directors believes that this greater number of Shares will be sufficient to maintain the ESPP for the next four years. If approved by our shareholders, the amendment and restatement of the ESPP would become effective as of the date the Board of Directors approved the amendment and restatement.

 

Reasons for Voting for Approval of the Amendment and Restatement of the ESPP

 

Our ESPP is scheduled to expire in October 2016. If the amendment and restatement is approved, the ESPP will be a significant part of our overall equity compensation strategy, especially with respect to our non-executive employees. The ESPP allows our employees to buy our Shares at a discount through payroll deductions. In the highly competitive technology industry in which we compete for talent, we believe that offering an employee stock purchase program is critical to our ability to maintain competitive. If the amendment and restatement of the ESPP is not approved by the Company’s shareholders, we may be restricted in our ability to offer competitive compensation to existing employees and qualified candidates, and our business and ability to increase long-term shareholders value could be adversely affected.

 

Description of the ESPP

 

The following paragraphs provide a summary of the principal features of the ESPP and its operation. However, this summary is not a complete description of all of the provisions of the ESPP and is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the ESPP. A copy of the ESPP is provided as Appendix B to this proxy statement.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE ESPP AND THE NUMBER OF SHARES RESERVED FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER.

 

Additional Information Regarding the ESPP

 

 

The actual number of Shares that will be purchased under the ESPP cannot be determined because such number will depend on a number of indeterminable factors (including the number of participants, the rates at which participants make contributions to the ESPP, and our stock price). However, in fiscal years 2014, 2015 and 2016, the numbers of Shares purchased under the ESPP were 120,213 Shares, 86,792 Shares, and 85,817 Shares, respectively.

 

 

60 employees participated in the most recently completed offering period under the ESPP, purchasing approximately 49,570 Shares (with an approximate value of $48,876 on the date of purchase) were purchased at a purchase price of $0.986 per Share. As of August 31, 2016

 

 
23

 

 

 

approximately 60 employees were eligible to participate in the ESPP.

 

 

As of August 31, 2016, there were 60 employees participating in the offering period then in progress under the ESPP.

 

Summary of the ESPP

 

The following is a summary of the principal features of the ESPP, as amended and restated, and its operation. The summary is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the ESPP, which is attached as Appendix B to this Proxy Statement.

 

General

 

The ESPP originally was adopted by our Board of Directors in October 2006 and approved by our shareholders on October 26, 2006. Our Board of Directors approved the amendment and restatement of the ESPP in September 2016, subject to shareholder approval at the 2016 Annual Meeting. The purpose of the ESPP is to provide eligible employees with an opportunity to purchase shares of Aehr Test Systems’ common stock through contributions, generally through payroll deductions. The ESPP permits our Board of Directors or the compensation committee (referred to herein as the “administrator”) to grant purchase rights that qualify for preferential tax treatment under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In addition, if our shareholders approve this proposal, the ESPP will authorize the grant of purchase rights that do not qualify under Code Section 423 pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans adopted by our Board of Director or other committee (including the compensation committee) administering the ESPP that are designed to achieve desired tax or other objectives.

 

The ESPP is scheduled to expire in October 2016. If our shareholders approve this proposal, the ESPP will continue indefinitely unless it is terminated by the ESPP’s administrator.

 

Shares Available for Issuance

 

As of August 31, 2016, a total of approximately 182,144 Shares are available for sale under the ESPP. The ESPP currently provides that the maximum number of Shares available for issuance is 1,150,000 Shares. If our shareholders approve this proposal, a total of 532,144 Shares will be reserved for issuance under the ESPP.

 

Administration

 

Our Board of Directors or the compensation committee administers the ESPP. All questions of interpretation or application of the ESPP are determined by the administrator and its decisions are final and binding upon all participants. The administrator has full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret, and apply the terms of the ESPP, to designate separate offerings under the ESPP, to adjudicate disputed claims under the ESPP, and to establish such procedures that it deems necessary for the administration of the ESPP. The administrator is further authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding eligibility to participate, the definition of “compensation,” handling of contributions, and making of contributions to the ESPP, among other responsibilities.

 

Eligibility

 

Each employee of Aehr Test Systems (or Aehr Test Systems’ designated subsidiaries or affiliates) is eligible to participate in the ESPP, except that no employee will be eligible to participate in the ESPP to the extent that (i) immediately after the grant, such employee would own 5% or more of the combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of Aehr Test Systems or its parents or subsidiaries, or (ii) his or her rights to purchase stock under all of Aehr Test Systems’ employee stock purchase plans accrues at a

 

 
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rate that exceeds $25,000 worth of stock (determined as of the fair market value of the shares on the beginning of the offering period) for each calendar year. In addition, the administrator, in its sole discretion and prior to an offering date, may determine that an individual will not be eligible to participate if he or she: (i) has not completed at least 2 years of service since his or her last hire date (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the administrator in its discretion), (ii) customarily works not more than 20 hours per week (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the administrator in its discretion), (iii) customarily works not more than 5 months per calendar year (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the administrator in its discretion), (iv) is an executive, officer or other manager, or (v) is a highly compensated employee under Section 414(q) of the Code.

 

Offering Period

 

Unless otherwise determined by the administrator, each offering period under the ESPP will have a duration of approximately 24 months, commencing on the first trading day on or after April 1 of each year and terminating on the first trading day on or after April 1, approximately 24 months later, and commencing on the first trading day on or after October 1 of each year and terminating on the first trading day on or after October 1, approximately 24 months later. The administrator, in its discretion, may modify the terms of offering periods before they begin, provided that no offering period may last more than 27 months.

 

Participation

 

The ESPP permits participants to purchase Shares through payroll deductions of up to 10% of their eligible compensation, which includes base straight time gross earnings and commissions (to the extent such commissions are an integral, recurring part of compensation), but exclusive of payments for incentive compensation, bonuses, payments for overtime and shift premium, equity compensation income and other similar compensation. Once an employee becomes a participant in the ESPP, the employee automatically will participate in each successive offering period until the employee withdraws from the ESPP or the employee’s employment with Aehr Test Systems or one of Aehr Test Systems’ designated subsidiaries or affiliates terminates. On the first day of each offering period, each participant automatically is granted a right to purchase shares of our common stock. This purchase right expires at the end of the offering period or upon termination of employment, whichever is earlier, but is exercised on the last trading day of the offering period to the extent of the contributions made during such offering period.

 

Purchase Price

 

Unless and until the administrator determines otherwise, the purchase price will be 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of our common stock on (i) the first day of the offering period, or (ii) the last day of the offering period, subject to compliance with the Code and the terms of the ESPP. The fair market value of our common stock on any relevant date will be the closing price of our stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

Payroll Deductions; Payment for Shares

 

Contributions are accumulated throughout each offering period, generally through payroll deductions. The number of whole shares that a participant may purchase in each offering period will be determined by dividing the total amount of a participant’s contributions during that offering period by the purchase price; provided, however, that a participant may not purchase more than 3,000 shares each offering period. During an offering period, a participant may discontinue his or her participation in the ESPP and generally may change the rate of payroll deductions in an offering period, including to cease deductions (change contribution rate to 0%) but remain eligible to purchase shares on the next purchase date with funds previously contributed. No fractional shares will be purchased under the ESPP and any

 

 
25

 

 

contributions accumulated in a participant’s account that are not sufficient to purchase a full share will be refunded as soon as administratively possible after the end of the offering period.

 

All participant contributions are credited to the participant’s account, are generally only withheld in whole percentages and are included with Aehr Test Systems’ general funds where permissible. Funds received by Aehr Test Systems pursuant to purchases under the ESPP will be added to the company’s general funds but will not be segregated unless required by applicable law. A participant generally may not make additional contributions into his or her account outside the regularly established process.

 

Withdrawal

 

Generally, a participant may withdraw all of his or her contributions from an offering period at any time by written or electronic notice without affecting his or her eligibility to participate in future offering periods. Once a participant withdraws from a particular offering period, however, that participant may not participate again in the same offering period. To participate in a subsequent offering period, the participant must deliver a new subscription agreement to Aehr Test Systems.

 

Termination of Employment

 

Upon termination of a participant’s employment for any reason, including disability or death, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the ESPP and the contributions credited to the participant’s account (to the extent not used to make a purchase of our common stock) will be returned to him or her or, in the case of death, to the person or persons entitled thereto as provided in the ESPP, and such participant’s right to purchase shares under the ESPP will automatically be terminated.

 

Adjustments upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Change of Control

 

Changes in Capitalization

 

In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, common stock, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of common stock or other securities of Aehr Test Systems, or other change in the corporate structure of Aehr Test Systems affecting our common stock such that an adjustment is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the ESPP, then the administrator will adjust the number and class of common stock that may be delivered under the ESPP, the purchase price per share, the number of shares of common stock covered by each right to purchase shares under the ESPP that has not yet been exercised, and the maximum number of shares a participant can purchase during an offering period.

 

Dissolution or Liquidation

 

In the event of Aehr Test Systems’ proposed dissolution or liquidation, the administrator will shorten any offering period then in progress by setting a new purchase date and any offering periods will end on the new purchase date. The new purchase date will be prior to the dissolution or liquidation. If the administrator shortens any offering periods then in progress, the administrator will notify each participant in writing, at least ten business days prior to the new purchase date, that the purchase date has been changed to the new purchase date and that the right to purchase shares under the ESPP will be exercised automatically on the new purchase date, unless the participant has already withdrawn from the offering period.

 

 
26

 

 

Change in Control

 

In the event of a merger or “change in control,” as defined in the ESPP, each right to purchase shares under the ESPP will be assumed or an equivalent right to purchase shares will be substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation. In the event the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the ESPP purchase rights, the administrator will shorten the offering period with respect to which such ESPP purchase right relates by setting a new purchase date on which such offering period will end. The new purchase date will be prior to the merger or change in control. If the administrator shortens any offering periods then in progress, the administrator will notify each participant in writing, prior to the new purchase date, that the purchase date has been changed to the new purchase date and that the right to purchase shares under the ESPP will be exercised automatically on the new purchase date, unless the participant has already withdrawn from the offering period.

 

Amendment and Termination of the ESPP

 

The administrator may at any time amend, suspend, or terminate the ESPP, including the term of any offering period then outstanding. Generally, no such termination can adversely affect previously granted rights to purchase shares under the ESPP.

 

The ESPP is scheduled to expire in October 2016. If our shareholders approve this proposal, the ESPP will continue until terminated by our Board of Directors in accordance with the terms of the ESPP.

 

Plan Benefits

 

Participation in the ESPP is voluntary and is dependent on each eligible employee’s election to participate and his or her determination as to the level of payroll deductions. Accordingly, future purchases under the ESPP are not determinable. Non-employee directors are not eligible to participate in the ESPP. No purchases have been made under the ESPP since its adoption by our Board of Directors.

 

Certain Federal Income Tax Information

 

The following brief summary of the effect of the U.S. federal income taxation upon the participant and Aehr Test Systems with respect to the shares purchased under the ESPP does not purport to be complete and does not discuss the tax consequences of a participant’s death or the income tax laws of any state or foreign country in which the participant may reside.

 

The ESPP, and the right of U.S. participants to make purchases thereunder, is intended to qualify under the provisions of Sections 421 and 423 of the Code. Under these provisions, no income will be taxable to a participant until the shares purchased under the ESPP are sold or otherwise disposed of. Upon sale or other disposition of the shares, the participant will generally be subject to tax in an amount that depends upon the holding period. If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of more than two years from the first day of the applicable offering period and one year from the applicable date of purchase, the participant will recognize ordinary income measured as the lesser of (a) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such sale or disposition over the purchase price, or (b) an amount equal to 15% of the fair market value of the shares as of the first day of the applicable offering period. Any additional gain will be treated as long-term capital gain. If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of these holding periods, the participant will recognize ordinary income generally measured as the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the shares are purchased over the purchase price. Any additional gain or loss on such sale or disposition will be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on how long the shares have been held from the date of purchase. Aehr Test Systems generally is not entitled to a deduction for amounts taxed as ordinary income or capital gain to a participant except to the extent of ordinary income recognized by participants upon a sale or disposition of shares prior to the expiration of the holding periods described above.

 

 
27

 

 

THE FOREGOING IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION UPON PARTICIPANTS AND AEHR TEST SYSTEMS UNDER THE ESPP. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE AND DOES NOT DISCUSS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF A PARTICIPANT’S DEATH OR THE PROVISIONS OF THE INCOME TAX LAWS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, STATE, OR FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANT MAY RESIDE.

 

Vote Required and Board of Directors’ Recommendation

 

The amendment and restatement of the ESPP must be approved by a majority of the votes cast, meaning that the amendment and restatement of the ESPP will be approved only if the number of votes “FOR” approval of the amendment and restatement of the ESPP exceeds the number of votes “AGAINST” approval of the amendment and restatement of the ESPP.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE
APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE ESPP.

 

 
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PROPOSAL 4

 

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

 

The Board of Directors of the Company has selected Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc., as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, to audit the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2017, and recommends that shareholders vote for ratification of such appointment. In the event of a negative vote on such ratification, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors will reconsider their selection. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors in their discretion may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year.

 

Representatives of Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. are expected to be present at the meeting with the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so, and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Fees

 

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed or to be billed by Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015:

 

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

               
    2016     2015  

Total Audit Fees

  $ 170,630     $ 165,457  

 

Audit Fees. Aggregate fees billed or to be billed for professional services rendered for the audit of the Company’s fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 annual consolidated financial statements and for the review of the condensed consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports during such periods and for the review of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 and Form S-3.

 

The Audit Committee pre-approves all audit and other permitted non-audit services provided by the Company’ independent registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. Pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year, and any pre-approval is detailed as to the particular service or category of services and is subject to a budget. The Audit Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. The Audit Committee has delegated the authority to grant pre-approvals to the committee chair, when the full Audit Committee is unable to do so. These pre-approvals are reviewed by the full Audit Committee at its next regular meeting. In fiscal 2016, all audit and non-audit services were pre-approved in accordance with the Company’s policy.

 

Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors

 

The ratification of the appointment of Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2017 will be considered approved if a majority of the shares of Common Stock present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting vote “FOR” the resolution.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE

RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF BURR PILGER MAYER, INC. AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT

REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR FISCAL 2017.

 

 
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PROPOSAL 5

 

APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

         In accordance with the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act, and the related rules enacted by the SEC, the Company is submitting an advisory “say-on-pay” resolution for shareholder consideration.

 

          As described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section, presented in this Proxy Statement on page 32, the Company believes that the executive compensation program is designed to support the Company’s long-term success by achieving the following objectives:

 

 

1.

reward executive officers for performance and link executive compensation to the creation of shareholder value through the use of performance and equity-based compensation;

 

 

2.

attract, retain and motivate highly qualified executive officers by compensating them at a level that is competitive with other companies in similar industries;

 

 

3.

share the risks and rewards of the Company’s business with the Company’s executive officers; and

 

 

4.

maximize long-term shareholder returns by utilizing compensation funds in a cost-effective manner.

 

           The Company urges shareholders to read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section, as well as the Summary Compensation Table and the related compensation tables and narrative that follow it. This information provides detailed information regarding the Company’s executive compensation program, policy and processes, as well as the compensation of named executive officers. The program balances medium term and long-term compensation elements to achieve the defined objectives and link executive compensation with shareholder value.

 

          This vote is advisory and, therefore, will not be binding upon the Company, the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors. Although this resolution is non-binding, the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors value the opinions that shareholders express in their vote and will review and consider the outcome of the vote when making future executive compensation decisions.

 

Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors

 

          The advisory vote on executive compensation will be considered approved if a majority of the shares of Common Stock present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting vote “FOR” the resolution. The Board of Directors strongly endorses the Company’s actions in this regard and unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

 

         “RESOLVED, that the shareholders of Aehr Test Systems, or the Company, approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section, the Summary Compensation Table, and the related compensation tables and narrative in the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.”

 

  

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

 

 
30

 

  

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

The names of the executive officers of the Company, ages as of May 31, 2016, and certain information about them as of the mailing date of this Proxy Statement are set forth below:

Name

 

Age

 

Position

Gayn Erickson

  52  

President and Chief Executive Officer

Kenneth B. Spink

  55  

Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Mark D. Allison

  60  

Vice President of Worldwide Sales

Carl N. Buck

  64  

Vice President of Marketing

David S. Hendrickson

  59  

Vice President of Engineering

David Fucci

  67  

Vice President of Operations

Kunio Sano

  60  

President, Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K.

-------------------------------------  

 

    GAYN ERICKSON See “Proposal 1 – Election of Directors” above.

 

    KENNETH B. SPINK joined the Company in 2008 as Corporate Controller and was elected Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer in September 2015. Mr. Spink has more than 30 years of accounting and finance experience in high tech, public accounting, leasing, service and construction industries. He was previously the Corporate Accounting Manager at Applied Materials and began his career with the accounting firm Deloitte. Mr. Spink received a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Hayward.

 

    MARK D. ALLISON joined the Company as Vice President of Worldwide Sales in August 2013.  From October 2011 to August 2013, Mr. Allison operated Mark Allison Consulting, providing strategic planning and sales/marketing services to companies in the semiconductor and IT industries.  From September 2006 to October 2011, Mr. Allison served as Vice President of Marketing at Verigy Ltd., a manufacturer of semiconductor test equipment.  Prior to that, Mr. Allison held various sales, marketing, general management and test engineering positions at companies including Advantest, Integrated Measurement Systems, Megatest, Micron and Texas Instruments.  Mr. Allison received his B.S.E.E. from the University of Notre Dame.

 

    CARL N. BUCK joined the Company as a Product Marketing Manager in 1983 and held various positions until he was elected Vice President of Engineering in November 1992, Vice President of Research and Development Engineering in November 1996, Vice President of Marketing in September 1997, Vice President of Contactor Business Group in May 2002, Vice President of Marketing and Contactor Business Group in October 2005, Vice President of Sales and Marketing in October 2011, and currently as Vice President of Marketing of the Company. From 1978 to 1983, Mr. Buck served as Product Marketing Manager at Intel Corporation, an integrated circuit and microprocessor company. Mr. Buck received a B.S.E.E. from Princeton University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.

 

   DAVID S. HENDRICKSON joined the Company as Vice President of Engineering in October 2000. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Hendrickson served as Platform General Manager, and from 1995 to 1999 as Engineering Director and Software Director of Siemens Medical (formerly Acuson Corporation), a medical ultrasound products company. From 1990 to 1995, Mr. Hendrickson served as Director of Engineering and Director of Software of Teradyne Inc. (formerly Megatest Corporation), a manufacturer of semiconductor

 

 
31

 

 

capital equipment. Mr. Hendrickson received a B.S. in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology.

 

    DAVID FUCCI joined the Company as Vice President of Operations in June 2014.  From February 2003 to May 2014, Mr. Fucci served as Vice President of Manufacturing Operations/Vice President of Quality & Compliance at DCG Systems, a leading provider of design-to-test solutions for the global semiconductor industry. DCG Systems was a division of Credence Systems Corporation, a provider of test solutions for the semiconductor industry, until 2008. Mr. Fucci was Director of Worldwide Operations/Supply Chain Management at Wireless Online, Inc. from 2000 to 2002. Prior to that, he was Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations for MicroTouch Systems. Mr. Fucci received his B.S.E.E. from the Northeastern University and an M.B.A. from Boston University.

 

     KUNIO SANO joined the Company as Vice President of New System Development, Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K., the Company's subsidiary in Japan, in June 1998 and was elected President, Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K. in January 2001. From 1991 to 1998, he served as Manager of the Development Engineering Department at Tokyo Electron Yamanashi Limited, a leading worldwide semiconductor equipment manufacturer. Prior to that, Mr. Sano held a development engineering position at TOKICO LTD. and test engineering and design positions at Oki Engineering Co., Ltd. Mr. Sano received a B.S.E.E. from Sagami Institute of Technology in Kanagawa, Japan.

 

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

General Philosophy

 

        The Company compensates the Company’s executive officers through a combination of base salary, cash bonus and equity compensation designed to be competitive with comparable companies. The Company’s primary objectives of the overall executive compensation program are to attract, retain, motivate and reward Company executive officers while aligning their compensation with the achievements of key business objectives and maximization of shareholder value.

 

The Company’s compensation programs are designed to:

 

 

1.

reward executive officers for performance and link executive compensation to the creation of shareholder value through the use of performance and equity-based compensation;

 

 

2.

attract, retain and motivate highly qualified executive officers by compensating them at a level that is competitive with other companies in similar industries;

 

 

3.

share the risks and rewards of the Company’s business with the Company’s executive officers; and

 

 

4.

maximize long-term shareholder returns by utilizing compensation funds in a cost-effective manner.

 

        To achieve these objectives, the Company has implemented and maintains compensation plans that tie a significant portion of executive officers’ overall compensation to the Company’s financial performance and Common Stock price. In determining the compensation for the Company’s executive officers, the Company considers a number of factors, including information regarding comparably sized companies in the semiconductor equipment and materials industries in the United States. The Company also considers the level of the executive officer, the geographical region in which the executive officer resides and the executive officer’s overall performance and contribution to the Company. The compensation packages provided by the Company to its executive officers, including the named executive officers, include both cash-based and equity-based compensation. A component of these compensation packages is linked to the performance of individual executive officers as well as Company-wide performance objectives. The Compensation Committee ensures that the total compensation paid to the Company’s executive officers is competitive and consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy and corporate governance guidelines. The Compensation Committee relies upon Company employees, personal knowledge of semiconductor equipment industry compensation practices, compensation data in SEC filings, and national

 

 
32

 

 

and regional compensation surveys to provide information and recommendations to establish specific compensation packages for executive officers.

 

Role of Compensation Committee 

 

        The Company’s executive officer compensation program is overseen and administered by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee reviews and advises the Board of Directors regarding all forms of compensation to be provided to the executive officers of the Company. The Compensation Committee is appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors, and consists of Messrs. Anderson and Elder, each of whom is an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

The Company’s Compensation Committee has primary responsibility for ensuring that the Company’s executive officer compensation and benefit program is consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy and corporate governance guidelines and for determining the executive compensation packages offered to the Company’s executive officers.

 

The Compensation Committee is responsible for:

 

 

1.

determining the specific executive officer compensation methods to be used by the Company and the participants in each of those specific programs;

 

 

2.

determining the evaluation criteria and timelines to be used in those programs;

 

 

3.

determining the processes that will be followed in the ongoing administration of the programs; and

 

 

4.

determining their role in the administration of the programs.

 

Many of the actions take the form of recommendations to the full Board of Directors where final approval, rejection or redirection may occur. The Compensation Committee is responsible for administering the compensation programs for all Company executive officers. The Compensation Committee has delegated the responsibility of administering the compensation programs for all other Company employees to the Company's officers.

 

Elements of Compensation

 

In structuring the Company’s compensation program, the Compensation Committee seeks to select the types and levels of compensation that will further its goals of rewarding performance, linking executive officer compensation to the creation of shareholder value, attracting and retaining highly qualified executive officers and maximizing long-term shareholder returns.

 

The Company designs base salary to provide the essential reward for an executive officer’s work. Once base salary levels are initially determined, increases in base salary are provided to recognize an executive officer’s specific performance achievements.

 

The Company utilizes equity-based compensation, including stock options and restricted stock units, or RSUs, to ensure that the Company has the ability to retain executive officers over a longer period of time, and to provide executive officers with a form of reward that aligns their interests with those of the Company’s shareholders. Executive officers whose skills and results the Company deems to be critical to the Company’s long-term success are eligible to receive higher levels of equity-based compensation.

 

The Company also utilizes various forms of performance-based compensation, including cash bonuses and commissions that allow the Company to remain competitive with other companies while providing additional compensation for an executive officer’s outstanding results and for the achievement of corporate objectives.

 

Core benefits, such as the Company’s basic health benefits, 401(k) program, Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, and life insurance, are designed to provide support to executive officers and their families.

 

Currently, the Company uses the following executive officer compensation vehicles:

 

 

Cash-based programs: base salary, annual bonus plan and a revenue commission plan; and

 

 
33

 

 

 

Equity-based programs: The 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP, and the ESOP.

 

These programs apply to all executive level positions, except for the revenue commission plan, which only applies to Mark Allison, the Vice President of Worldwide Sales. Periodically, but at least once near the close of each fiscal year, the Compensation Committee reviews the existing plans and recommends those that should be used for the subsequent year.

 

Consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy, the Company has structured each element of the Company’s executive officer compensation program as described below.

 

Base Salary

 

The Company creates a set of base salary structures that are both affordable and competitive in relation to the market. The Company determines the Company’s executive officer salaries based on job responsibilities and individual experiences. The Company monitors base salary levels within the market and makes adjustments to the Company’s structures as needed after considering the recommendations of management. The Company’s Compensation Committee reviews the salaries of the Company’s executive officers annually, and the Company’s Compensation Committee grants increases in salaries based on individual performance during the prior calendar year, provided that any increases are within the guidelines determined by the Compensation Committee for each position.

 

Annual Bonus

 

The Company’s executive annual bonus plan provides for cash bonus awards, dependent upon attaining stated corporate objectives and personal performance goals. The Company’s executive officers are eligible to receive cash bonuses based upon the Company’s achievement of certain financial and performance goals set by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee approves the performance criteria on an annual basis and these financial and performance goals typically have a one-year time horizon. The Compensation Committee believes that the practice of awarding incentive bonuses based on the achievement of performance goals furthers the Company’s goal of strengthening the connection between the interests of management and the Company’s shareholders.

 

In fiscal 2016, the Company’s Compensation Committee determined the maximum eligible cash bonus levels for Gayn Erickson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Gary L. Larson, former Chief Financial Officer, Kenneth B. Spink, current Chief Financial Officer, and David Fucci, Vice President of Operations were up to 80%, 40%, 40% and 40% of their base salaries, respectively. Carl Buck, the Company’s Vice President of Marketing was eligible to receive a maximum bonus of $50,000, and additional $10,000, depending upon performance against milestones. David S. Hendrickson, the Company’s Vice President of Engineering was eligible to receive a maximum bonus of $70,000, depending upon performance against milestones. Kunio Sano, the President of Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K, or ATS-J, was eligible to receive a target bonus of $10,000 plus 1% of ATS-J revenues over target. Based on the corporate financial performance for the year, the Compensation Committee awarded no cash bonuses to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and Vice Presidents. The annual incentive bonus plan is discretionary, and the Compensation Committee may modify, suspend, eliminate or adjust the plan, the goals and the total or individual payouts at any time.

 

In fiscal 2017, Gayn Erickson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth B. Spink, Chief Financial Officer, Carl Buck, Vice President of Marketing, David Fucci, Vice President of Operations, and David S. Hendrickson, Vice President of Engineering are eligible to receive a maximum cash bonus of up to 100%, 60%, 60%, 60% and 30%, respectively of their base salaries depending on Company performance. Additionally, David S. Hendrickson is eligible to receive a maximum bonus of $50,000, depending upon performance against milestones. Kunio Sano, the President of ATS-J, is eligible to receive a target bonus of $10,000 plus 1% of ATS-J revenues over target.

 

Revenue Commission

 

During fiscal 2016 and 2017, Mark Allison, the Vice President of Worldwide Sales was and will be eligible to receive revenue commission based on achievement of revenue objectives or quotas. Mark Allison receives a standard commission for revenue up to 100% of quota and accelerated commissions based on revenue above quota. Commissions are considered earned at the time of revenue recognition and are paid after the close of the quarter of revenue recognition.

 

 
34

 

  

Under this plan, Mark Allison, the Vice President of Worldwide Sales earned $38,367 in fiscal 2016 and was paid $34,135 during fiscal 2016. The remaining $4,232 earned in fiscal 2016 was paid to Mark Allison in fiscal 2017. Commissions earned by Mark Allison in fiscal 2016 are included in the annual compensation salary column in the Summary Compensation Table on page 37.

 

Equity Compensation

 

The Company awards equity compensation to the Company’s executive officers based on the performance of the executive officer and guidelines related to each executive officer’s position in the Company. The Company determines the Company’s equity compensation guidelines based on information derived from the Company’s experience with other companies and, with respect to the Company’s executive officers, informal surveys of companies in the Company’s industry. The Company typically bases awards to newly hired executive officers and for continuing executive officers on these guidelines as well as an executive officer’s performance for the prior fiscal year. The Company evaluates each executive officer’s awards based on the factors described above and competitive practices in the Company’s industry. The Company believes that stock option ownership is an important factor in aligning corporate and individual goals. The Company utilizes equity-based compensation, including stock options, to encourage long-term performance with corporate performance and extended executive officer tenure producing potentially significant value.

 

The Company’s Compensation Committee generally grants stock options and RSUs to executive officers. Such grants are typically made at the first meeting of the Board of Directors held each fiscal year. The Company believes annual awards at this time allow the Compensation Committee to consider a number of factors related to the option award decisions, including corporate performance for the prior fiscal year, executive officer performance for the prior fiscal year and expectations for the upcoming fiscal year. With respect to newly hired executive officers, the Company’s standard practice is to make stock option grants effective on or shortly after the executive officer’s hire date. The Company does not plan or time the Company’s stock option grants in coordination with the release of material non-public information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive officer compensation.

 

The criteria for determining the appropriate salary level, bonus and stock option grants for each of the executive officers include: (a) Company performance as a whole; (b) business unit performance (where appropriate); and (c) individual performance. Company performance and business unit performance are measured against both strategic and financial goals. Examples of these goals are to obtain operating profit, revenue growth, and timely new product introduction. Individual performance is measured to specific objectives relevant to the executive officer’s position and a specific time frame.

 

These criteria are usually related to a fiscal year time period, but may, in some cases, be measured over a shorter or longer time frame.

 

The processes used by the Compensation Committee include the following steps:

 

 

1.

The Compensation Committee periodically reviews information comparing the Company’s compensation levels to other companies in similar industries, other leading companies (regardless of industry) and competitors. Primarily, personal knowledge of semiconductor equipment industry compensation practices, compensation data in SEC filings, and national and regional compensation surveys are used.

 

 

2.

At or near the start of each evaluation cycle, the Compensation Committee meets with the Chief Executive Officer to review, revise as needed, and agree on the performance objectives set for the other executive officers. The Chief Executive Officer and Compensation Committee jointly set the Company objectives to be used. The business unit and individual objectives are formulated jointly by the Chief Executive Officer and the specific individual. The Compensation Committee also, with the Chief Executive Officer, jointly establishes and agrees on respective performance objectives of each executive officer.

 

 

3.

Throughout the performance cycle review, feedback is provided by the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors, as appropriate.

 

 

4.

At the end of the performance cycle, the Chief Executive Officer evaluates each other executive officers’ relative success in meeting the performance goals. The Chief Executive Officer makes recommendations on salary, bonus and stock options, utilizing the comparative results as a factor. Also included in the decision criteria are subjective factors such as teamwork, leadership 

 

 
35

 

 

 

contributions and ongoing changes in the business climate. The Chief Executive Officer reviews the recommendations and obtains Compensation Committee approval. 

 

 

5.

The final evaluations and compensation decisions are discussed with each executive officer by the Chief Executive Officer or Compensation Committee, as appropriate.

 

In fiscal 2016, the Company granted a total of 127,500 RSUs and options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock of which a total of 64,000 RSUs and options were granted to the Company’s executive officers, representing 50.2% of all RSUs and options granted in fiscal 2016. The Company’s Compensation Committee does not apply a formula for allocating stock options to executive officers. Instead, the Company’s Compensation Committee considers the role and responsibilities of the executive officers, competitive factors, the non-equity compensation received by the executive officers and the total number of options to be granted in the fiscal year.

 

Other Benefits

 

Executive officers are eligible to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefit plans, such as medical, dental, group life, disability, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, the Company’s 401(k) plan, the Company’s 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, ESOP, and ESPP. The executive officers participate on the same basis as other employees, except that the company made payments for a supplemental insurance to cover the uninsured out-of-pocket amounts related to healthcare for the executive officers. Other than these payments, there were no other special benefits or perquisites provided to any executive officer in fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2016, the Company made payments for health and life insurance premiums and medical costs as reflected in the Summary Compensation Table below under the “All Other Compensation” column. The Company does not maintain any pension plan, retirement benefit or deferred compensation arrangement other than the Company’s 401(k) plan and ESOP. The Company is not required to make contributions to the 401(k) plan and did not make any during fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2016, the Company contributed $60,000 to the Company’s ESOP.

 

        The Company entered into Change of Control Severance Agreements on January 24, 2001 with Mr. Carl N. Buck, and Mr. David S. Hendrickson; on September 7, 2011 with Mr. Kunio Sano; on January 3, 2012 with Mr. Gayn Erickson; on August 12, 2013 with Mr. Mark Allison; on June 2, 2014 with Mr. David Fucci; and on September 9, 2015 with Mr. Kenneth B. Spink; pursuant to which those executives would be entitled to a payment in the event of a termination of employment for specified reasons following a change of control of the Company. For this purpose, a change of control of the Company means a merger or consolidation of the Company, a sale by the Company of all or substantially all of its assets, the acquisition of beneficial ownership of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company by any person or a change in the composition of the Board as a result of which fewer than a majority of the directors are incumbent directors. Termination of employment for purposes of these agreements means a discharge of the executive officer by the Company, other than for specified causes including dishonesty, conviction of a felony, misconduct or wrongful acts. Termination also includes resignation following the occurrence of an adverse change in the executive officer’s position, duties, compensation or work conditions. The amounts payable under the agreements will change from year to year based on the executive’s compensation.

 

In the event of a termination following a change of control, the amounts payable to Messrs. Allison, Buck, Erickson, Fucci, Hendrickson, Sano, and Spink based on their base salaries at May 31, 2016, would be approximately $96,000, $92,000, $444,000, $101,000, $136,000, $77,000 and $150,000, respectively. In addition to the amounts payable to the executive officers mentioned in the previous sentence, the aggregate values of the acceleration of vesting of the executive officers’ unvested stock options based on the spread between the closing price of the Company’s Common Stock on May 31, 2016 (the last business day of the last fiscal year) of $1.01 and the exercise price of the stock options would be zero for all executive officers.

 

Compensation of the Chief Executive Officer

 

The Compensation Committee used the same compensation policy described above for all executive officers to determine the compensation for Mr. Gayn Erickson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, in fiscal year 2016. In setting both the cash-based and the equity-based elements of Mr. Erickson’s compensation, the Compensation Committee considered the company’s performance, competitive forces taking into account Mr. Erickson’s experience and knowledge, and Mr. Erickson’s leadership in achieving

 

 
36

 

 

the Company’s long-term goals. During fiscal year 2016, Mr. Erickson received RSUs under the Company’s 2006 Equity Incentive Plan for 35,000 shares, which vest subject to the achievement of a performance condition. This performance condition was met in fiscal year 2016. The Compensation Committee believes Mr. Erickson’s fiscal year 2016 compensation was fair relative to the Company’s performance and Mr. Erickson’s individual performance and leadership, and that it rewards him for this performance and will serve to retain him as a key employee.

 

Policy on Deductibility of Compensation

 

The Company is required to disclose the Company’s policy regarding qualifying executive compensation for deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which provides that, for purposes of the regular income tax, the otherwise allowable deduction for compensation paid or accrued with respect to the executive officers of a publicly-held company, which is not performance-based compensation, is limited to no more than $1 million per year. It is not expected that the compensation to be paid to the Company’s executive officers for fiscal 2016 will exceed the $1 million limit per officer; however, to the extent such compensation to be paid to such executive officers exceeds the $1 million limit per officer, such excess will be treated as performance-based compensation.

 

Compensation of Executive Officers

 

The following table shows information concerning compensation awarded to, earned by or paid for services to the Company in all capacities during the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and each of the three other most highly compensated executive officers with annual compensation in excess of $100,000 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

Name and Principal Position

 

Fiscal

Year

 

Salary (1)

   

Bonus (2)

   

Stock

Awards

   

Option

Awards

(3)

   

All Other

Compensation

(4)

   

Total

 

Gayn Erickson

 

2016

  $ 273,192       --     $ 75,600     $ 125,148     $ 34,061 (5)   $ 508,001  

President and Chief Executive

 

2015

  $ 275,018       --       --     $ 202,053     $ 26,517     $ 503,588  

Officer

 

2014

  $ 230,702     $ 4,384       --     $ 75,206     $ 27,754     $ 338,046  
                                                     

Kenneth B. Spink

  2016   $ 173,983       --       --     $ 22,160     $ 12,237 (6)   $ 208,380  

Vice President of Finance and

                                                   

Chief Financial Officer

                                                   
                                                     

Gary L. Larson

 

2016

  $ 66,489       --       --     $ 22,281     $ 10,773 (7)   $ 99,543  

Former Vice President of Finance

 

2015

  $ 192,964       --       --     $ 39,178     $ 12,269     $ 244,411  

and Chief Financial Officer

 

2014

  $ 179,155     $ 1,332       --     $ 30,141     $ 45,448     $ 256,076  
                                                     

David S. Hendrickson

 

2016

  $ 232,149       --       --     $ 58,643     $ 42,154 (8)   $ 332,946  

Vice President of Engineering

 

2015

  $ 232,149       --       --     $ 53,930     $ 38,793     $ 324,872  
   

2014

  $ 210,972     $ 20,000       --     $ 44,377     $ 69,963     $ 345,312  
                                                     

Mark Allison (12)

 

2016

  $ 219,574       --       --     $ 46,469     $ 15,215 (9)   $ 281,258  

Vice President of

 

2015

  $ 207,630       --       --     $ 44,151     $ 7,224     $ 259,005  

Worldwide Sales

 

2014

  $ 202,633       --       --     $ 23,893     $ 25,158     $ 251,684  
                                                     

David Fucci

 

2016

  $ 174,013       --       --     $ 40,833     $ 30,118 (10)   $ 244,964  

Vice President of Operations

 

2015

  $ 162,635       --       --     $ 31,130     $ 22,799 (11)   $ 216,564  

 

(1)

The amounts in this column include any salary contributed by the named executive officer to the Company’s 401(k) plan.

 

(2)

Bonus amounts earned in fiscal 2014 were made under the Company’s executive bonus plan.

 

(3)

The amounts in this column represent the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes computed in accordance with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board, or

 

 
37

 

 

FASB, Accounting Standards Codification 718, or ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation,” (formerly FASB Statement 123R). See Note 1 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 for assumptions used to estimate the fair value of options granted during fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014.

 

(4)

Consists of contributions made by the Company under its ESOP, health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company during the fiscal years ended May 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

 

(5)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $31,180.

 

(6)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $10,565.

 

(7)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $10,017.

 

(8)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $39,856.

 

(9)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $12,984.

 

(10)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $28,448.

 

(11)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $21,094.

 

(12)

The amount shown in the Salary column for fiscal 2016 includes $38,367 in commissions earned in fiscal 2016.

 

Grants of Plan Based Awards in Fiscal 2016

 

The following table provides information with regard to each grant of an award made to the persons named in the Summary Compensation Table during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016.     

 

   

Estimated Future Payouts

Under Non-Equity

Incentive Plan Awards (1) 

 

Grant

 

All Other

Stock

Awards:

Number of

Shares of Stock

   

All Other 

Option

Awards:

Number of

Securities

Underlying

   

Exercise

Price of

Option

   

Grant Date

Fair Value of

Stock Option

 

Name

 

Target ($)

   

Maximum ($)

 

Date

 

Or Units

   

Option # (2)

   

Awards ($) (3)

   

Awards ($)

 

Gayn Erickson

  $ 110,007     $ 220,014  

6/23/15

    35,000 (4)     --       --     $ 75,600  
                                                   

Kenneth B. Spink

  $ 38,000     $ 76,000  

9/9/15

            29,000     $ 2.30     $ 41,827  
                                                   

Gary L. Larson

  $ 41,787     $ 83,574                 --       --       --  
                                                   

David S. Hendrickson

  $ 70,000     $ 70,000                 --       --       --  
                                                   

Mark Allison (5)

  $ --     $ --                 --       --       --  
                                                   

David Fucci

  $ 34,800     $ 69,600                 --       --       --  

 


(1)

Reflects the target and maximum values of cash bonus award to the named executive officers in fiscal 2016. The cash bonus award amounts actually earned by the named executive officers in fiscal 2016

 

 
38

 

 

are shown in the Summary Compensation Table for fiscal 2016 under the heading “Annual Compensation, Bonus” refer to “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” above for a description of the cash bonus compensation.

 

(2)

The stock options granted in fiscal 2016 are generally exercisable starting one month after the date of grant, with 1/48th of the shares covered thereby becoming exercisable at that time and with an additional 1/48th of the total number of option shares becoming exercisable each month thereafter, with full vesting occurring on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant. These options generally expire seven years from the date of grant.

 

(3)

Options are granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock, as determined by reference to the closing price reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market on the date of grant.

 

(4)

Mr. Erickson received RSUs under the Company’s 2006 Equity Incentive Plan for 35,000 shares which vest subject to the achievement of a performance condition. This performance condition was met in fiscal 2016.

 

(5)

Mr. Allison is eligible to receive revenue commission instead of a cash bonus award. Mr. Allison is eligible to receive $75,000 at the target worldwide consolidated revenues, plus 0.528% of worldwide consolidated revenues above target worldwide consolidated revenues.

 

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal 2016 Year-End

 

The following table presents certain information concerning the outstanding equity awards held as of May 31, 2016 by each named executive officer.

 

                 
               
   

Option Awards

Number of Securities

Underlying Unexercised Options (1)

   

Option

Exercise

 

Option

Expiration

Name

 

Exercisable

   

Unexercisable

   

Price (2)

 

Date (3)

Gayn Erickson

    341,667       --     $ 0.5900  

1/3/2019

      53,854       1,146     $ 1.2710  

6/26/2019

      69,270       25,730     $ 1.2800  

6/25/2020

      43,749       56,251     $ 2.7100  

8/20/2021

      15,437       41,563     $ 2.1000  

4/21/2022

                           

Kenneth B. Spink

    1,300       --     $ 1.2500  

7/8/2018

      7,250       250     $ 1.2710  

6/26/2016

      9,062       4,063     $ 1.2800  

6/25/2020

      5,250       6,750     $ 2.7100  

8/20/2021

      2,572       6,928     $ 2.1000  

4/21/2022

      4,833       24,167     $ 2.3000  

9/9/2022

                           

David S. Hendrickson

    40,000       --     $ 1.2500  

7/8/2018

      39,166       834     $ 1.2710  

6/26/2019

      54,687       20,313     $ 1.2800  

6/25/2020

      24,609       31,641     $ 2.7100  

8/20/2021

      6,770       18,230     $ 2.1000  

4/21/2022

                           

Mark Allison

    58,437       26,563     $ 1.7300  

8/12/2020

      15,312       19,688     $ 2.7100  

8/20/2021

      5,416       14,584     $ 2.1000  

4/21/2022

                           

David Fucci

    38,333       41,667     $ 2.2750  

6/2/2021

      5,416       14,584     $ 2.1000  

4/21/2022

 


 

 
39

 

  

(1)

Stock options outstanding are generally exercisable starting one month after the date of grant, and with an additional 1/48th of the total number of option shares becoming exercisable each month thereafter, with full vesting occurring on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant.

 

(2)

Options are granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock, as determined by reference to the closing price reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market on the date of grant.

 

(3)

These options generally expire seven years from the date of grant.

 

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in Fiscal 2016

 

           During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016, there were no options exercised by the persons named in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

 

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control

 

The following table shows the potential payments upon termination or change of control for the persons named in the Summary Compensation Table as of May 31, 2016.

 

Named Executive Benefits and Payments

Upon Termination:

 

Involuntary

Termination not for

Cause Following a

Change of Control (1)

 

Gayn Erickson

       

Base salary

  $ 412,500  

Medical continuation

    31,180  
         

Kenneth B. Spink

       

Base salary

  $ 142,500  

Medical continuation

    7,924  
         

David S. Hendrickson

       

Base salary

  $ 116,075  

Medical continuation

    19,928  
         

Mark Allison

       

Base salary

  $ 90,000  

Medical continuation

    6,492  
         

David Fucci

       

Base salary

  $ 87,000  

Medical continuation

    14,224  

 


(1)

A change of control of the Company means a merger or consolidation of the Company, a sale by the Company of all or substantially all of its assets, the acquisition of beneficial ownership of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company by any person or a change in the composition of the Board as a result of which fewer than a majority of the directors are incumbent directors. Involuntary termination not for cause means a discharge of the executive by the Company, other than for specified causes including dishonesty, conviction of a felony, misconduct or wrongful acts, and also includes resignation following the occurrence of an adverse change in the executive officer’s position, duties, compensation or work conditions.

 

 
40

 

 

Director Compensation

 

Rhea J. Posedel and Gayn Erickson, inside directors of the Company, do not receive any compensation for their services as members of the Board of Directors. An inside director is a director who is a regular employee of the Company, whereas an outside director is not an employee of the Company. Each outside director received (1) an annual retainer of $25,000 paid in quarterly installments, (2) $2,500 for each regular board meeting such member attended, and (3) $1,250 for each special telephonic board meeting such member attended. Committee members attending a committee meeting not held in conjunction with a regular board meeting received the following amounts: audit committee chair - $2,000; audit committee member - $1,500; compensation committee chair - $1,750; and other committee members - $1,250. Committee members attending a committee meeting held in conjunction with a regular board meeting received 50% of the amounts noted above for each respective committee member. Outside directors are also reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in attending board and committee meetings.

 

Directors are also eligible to participate in the Company’s Equity Incentive Plans. On October 20, 2015, outside directors Robert Anderson, William Elder, Mario Rosati, John Schneider and Howard Slayen were each granted options to purchase 10,000 shares at $2.17 per share. All exercise prices are equal to the closing price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of the grant as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

         The following table sets forth the compensation paid by the Company during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016 to the Company’s non-executive officer directors:

 

Director Compensation

 

Name

 

Year

 

Fees

Earned or

Paid in

Cash ($)

   

Option

Awards ($)

(1)

   

Non-equity

Incentive Plan

Compensation

($)

   

All Other

Compensation

($) (2)

   

Total

Compensation

($)

 

Rhea J. Posedel

 

2016

  $ 95,389 (3)   $ 31,994       --     $ 15,213     $ 142,596  

Robert R. Anderson

 

2016

    23,000     $ 31,329       --       --     $ 54,329  

William W. R. Elder

 

2016

    18,750     $ 29,376       --       --     $ 48,126  

Mario M. Rosati

 

2016

    18,750     $ 28,009       --       --     $ 46,759  

John M. Schneider

 

2016

    17,750     $ 39,564       --       --     $ 57,314  

Howard T. Slayen

 

2016

    24,000     $ 31,134       --       --     $ 55,134  

 


 

 

(1)

Reflects the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016 in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC 718. See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2016 filed with the SEC on August 29, 2016 regarding the assumptions underlying valuation of equity awards. Rhea Posedel was not granted any option award during fiscal 2016. The full grant date fair values of the awards granted in fiscal 2016 to outside directors Robert Anderson, William Elder, Mukesh Patel, Mario Rosati, John Schneider and Howard Slayen, computed in accordance with ASC 718, were equal to $13,391 each. At the end of fiscal 2016, the aggregate number of option awards outstanding for each director was as follows: 165,500 held by Rhea Posedel; 103,513 held by Robert Anderson; 157,622 held by William Elder, 173,254 held by Mario Rosati, 49,259 held by John Schneider and 189,298 held by Howard Slayen. Options granted generally vest at either one-sixth (1/6th), or one-twelfth (1/12th) or one-forty-eighth (1/48th) of the shares each month after the date of grant, so long as the optionee remains a director of the Company.

 

 
41

 

  

 

(2)

Includes health and life insurance premiums and medical costs paid by the Company in the amount of $14,429, and contributions made by the Company under its ESOP in the amount of $784.

 

 

(3)

Reflects salary earned by Rhea Posedel in fiscal 2016 as an employee of the Company.

 

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

 

 

Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons

 

In its ordinary course of business, the Company enters into transactions with certain of its directors and officers. The Company believes that each such transaction has been on terms no less favorable for the Company than could have been obtained in a transaction with an independent third party. The Company’s policy is to require that any transaction with a related party that is required to be reported under applicable SEC rules, be reviewed and approved according to an established procedure. Such a transaction is reviewed and approved by the Company’s Audit Committee as required by the Audit Committee’s charter. We have not adopted specific standards for approval of these transactions, but instead we review each such transaction on a case by case basis.

 

 

Legal Counsel

 

During fiscal 2016, Mr. Mario M. Rosati, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, was also a member of the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, or WSGR. The Company retained WSGR as its legal counsel during the fiscal year. The Company plans to retain WSGR as its legal counsel again during fiscal 2017.

 

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

The Compensation Committee consists of Messrs. Anderson and Elder. No interlocking relationship exists between the Company’s Board of Directors and Compensation Committee and the board of directors or compensation committee of any other company.

 

 

 

REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K and, based on such review and discussions, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement.

 

 

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

 

 

 

Robert R. Anderson

 

William W.R. Elder

 

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, DIRECTORS

AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Company’s Common Stock as of August 1, 2016, or some other practical date in cases of the principal shareholders, by: (i) each person (or group of affiliated persons) known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company’s Common Stock, (ii) each director of the Company, (iii) each of

 

 
42

 

 

the Company’s executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table appearing herein, and (iv) all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group:

 

   

Shares Beneficially

Owned(1)

 

Beneficial Owner

 

Number

   

Percent(2)

 
                 

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

               

Rhea J. Posedel (3)

    1,120,474       8.4 %

Gayn Erickson (4)

    883,347       6.4 %

Robert R. Anderson (5)

    791,060       5.9 %

William W. R. Elder (6)

    283,790       2.1 %

Mario M. Rosati (7)

    396,548       2.9 %

John M. Schneider (8)

    1,278,604       9.6 %

Howard T. Slayen (9)

    307,487       2.3 %

Kenneth B. Spink (10)

    36,726        *  

David S. Hendrickson (11)

    241,468       1.8 %

Mark Allison (12)

    97,839        *  

David Fucci (13)

    63,868        *  

All Directors and Executive Officers as a group (13 persons) (14)

    5,769,427       38.1 %
                 

Principal Shareholders:

               

QVT Financial LP (15)

    1,410,548 (16)     9.6 %
1177 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10036                

 


*

Represents less than 1% of the Common Shares

 

(1)

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table, the persons and entities named in the table have represented to the Company that they have sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned, subject to community property laws where applicable. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each of the individuals listed in the table is c/o Aehr Test Systems, 400 Kato Terrace, Fremont, California 94539.

 

(2)

Percentage ownership is based on 13,331,965 shares of Common Stock outstanding on August 1, 2016. Shares of Common Stock subject to options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016 are deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding such options for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of such person but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.

 

(3)

Includes 991,289 shares held by the Rhea J. Posedel Family Trust, and 83,218 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(4)

Includes 547,903 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(5)

Includes 706,122 shares held by the Robert Anderson 2000 Revocable Trust, and 84,938 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(6)

Includes 3,000 shares held by Derek S. Elder, Mr. Elder’s son, 111,800 shares held by William WR Elder & Gloria L S Elder, Trustees of the Elder Family Trust DTD 12/02/88, and 156,788 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(7)

Includes 27,000 shares held by Mario M. Rosati and Douglas Laurice, trustees for the benefit of Mario M. Rosati, 151,016 shares held by Mario M. Rosati, Trustee of the Mario M. Rosati Trust, U/D/T dated 1/5/90, 22,500 shares held by WS Investment Company, LLC (2001A) for which Mr. Rosati is a general partner, 19,911 shares held by Mario M. Rosati and Danelle Storm Rosati,

 

 
43

 

 

Trustees of the Rosati Family Trust U/D/T dated May 23, 1997, and 172,420 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(8)

Includes 398,500 shares held by PWA Real Estate, LLC for which Mr. Schneider is an affiliate, 331,800 shares held by Private Wealth Adv 401K PSP for which Mr. Schneider is the owner, 305,176 shares held by Dharma Group Insurance Co for which Mr. Schneider is an affiliate, 14,860 shares held by Carla Frank for which Mr. Schneider is an advisor, and Mr. Schneider is the custodian for 7,925, 7,225, 3,775, and 810 shares held in custodial accounts for the benefit of Beatrice Schneider, Helena Schneider, Alexandria Schneider and Ava Schneider, respectively, and 39,987 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(9)

Includes 188,464 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(10)

Includes 36,726 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(11)

Includes 179,555 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(12)

Includes 91,457 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(13)

Includes 52,708 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(14)

Includes 1,796,932 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of August 1, 2016.

 

(15)

Includes 1,410,548 shares on Schedule 13G filed April 20, 2015 with the SEC by QVT Financial LP.

 

(16)

The shares are issuable upon conversion of their outstanding convertible notes.

 

 

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE (1)

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company serves as the representative of the Board for general oversight of the Company’s financial accounting and reporting system of internal control, audit process and process for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations. The Audit Committee evaluates the scope of the annual audit, reviews audit results, consults with management and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm prior to the presentation of financial statements to shareholders and, as appropriate, initiates inquiries into aspects of the Company's financial affairs.

 

The Company’s management has primary responsibility for preparing the Company’s consolidated financial statements and for the Company’s financial reporting process. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc., or BPM, is responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the audited consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2016. BPM, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2016, issued their unqualified report dated August 29, 2016 on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

The Audit Committee has also discussed with BPM the matters required to be discussed by the Auditing Standards No. 16, “Communications with Audit Committee.” The Audit Committee has also received the written disclosures and the letter from BPM required by the applicable Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requirements for independent accountant communications with audit committees concerning auditor independence, and has conducted a discussion with BPM relative to its independence. The Audit Committee has considered whether BPM's provision of non-audit services is compatible with its independence.

 

 
44

 

 

Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors of Aehr Test Systems that the Company's audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016 be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

 

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

Howard T. Slayen

 

Robert R. Anderson

  John M. Schneider

 

(1) The information regarding the Audit Committee is not “soliciting” material and is not deemed “filed” with the SEC, and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.

 

 

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires that directors, certain officers of the Company and 10% shareholders file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC as to the Company’s securities beneficially owned by them. Such persons are also required by SEC rules to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

 

Based solely on its review of copies of such forms received by the Company, or on written representations from certain reporting persons, the Company believes that all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners were complied with during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016.

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The Company’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the last fiscal year is being mailed with this Proxy Statement to shareholders entitled to notice of the meeting. The Annual Report includes the consolidated financial statements, unaudited selected consolidated financial data and management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations.

 

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

The Company knows of no other matters to be submitted to the meeting. If any other matters properly come before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed Proxy to vote the shares they represent as the Board of Directors may recommend.

 

 

 

By Order of the Board of Directors,

 

 

GAYN ERICKSON

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Dated: September 26, 2016

 

 
45

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

 

2016 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

1.

Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Plan are:

 

 

to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility,

 

 

to provide additional incentive to Employees, Directors and Consultants, and

 

 

to promote the success of the Company’s business.

 

          The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonstatutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, Performance Shares, and other stock or cash awards as the Administrator may determine.

 

 

2.

Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions will apply:

 

 

(a)

Administrator” means the Board or any of its Committees as will be administering the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.

 

 

(b)

Affiliate” means any entity that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company.

 

 (c)          Applicable Laws” means the legal and regulatory requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards, including but not limited to U.S. federal and state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any non-U.S. country or jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.

 

 (d)          Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares, or other stock or cash awards as the Administrator may determine.                   

 

 

(e)

Award Agreement” means the written or electronic agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan. The Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

 

(f)

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

 

(g)

Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(i)     A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (“Person”), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control. Further, if the shareholders of the Company immediately before such change in ownership continue to retain immediately after the change in ownership, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership

 

 
46

 

 

of shares of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to the change in ownership, direct or indirect beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company or of the ultimate parent entity of the Company, such event shall not be considered a Change in Control under this subsection (i). For this purpose, indirect beneficial ownership shall include, without limitation, an interest resulting from ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or other business entities which own the Company, as the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary corporations or other business entities; or

 

(ii)     A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12)-month period by Directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this subsection (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or

 

(iii)     A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (iii), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Company’s shareholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a shareholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s stock, (2) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection (iii), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.

 

For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.

 

Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is 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.

 

 (h)               Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.

 

 
47

 

 

(i)               “Committee” means a committee of Directors or of other individuals satisfying Applicable Laws appointed by the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board, in accordance with Section 4 hereof.

 

(j)               “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

 

(k)               “Company” means Aehr Test Systems, a California corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

(l)               “Consultant” means any natural person, including an advisor, engaged by the Company or a Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate to render bona fide services to such entity, provided the services (i) are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction, and (ii) do not directly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, in each case, within the meaning of Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act, and provided, further, that a Consultant will include only those persons to whom the issuance of Shares may be registered under Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

(m)              “Determination Date” means the latest possible date that will not jeopardize the qualification of an Award granted under the Plan as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).

 

(n)              “Director” means a member of the Board.

 

(o)              “Disability” means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, provided that in the case of Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, the Administrator in its discretion may determine whether a permanent and total disability exists in accordance with uniform and non-discriminatory standards adopted by the Administrator from time to time.

 

(p)              “Employee” means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed by the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director’s fee by the Company will be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.

 

(q)              “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(r)               “Exchange Program” means a program under which (i) outstanding Awards are surrendered or cancelled in exchange for awards of the same type (which may have higher or lower exercise prices and different terms), awards of a different type, and/or cash, (ii) Participants would have the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Administrator, and/or (iii) the exercise price of an outstanding Award is increased or reduced.

 

(s)              “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(i)   If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(ii)     If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or, if no bids and asks were

 

 
48

 

 

reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such bids and asks were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

(iii)     In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.

 

(t)              “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company.

 

(u)              “Full Value Award” means any Award which results in the issuance of Shares other than Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or other Awards that are based solely on an increase in value of the Shares following the grant date.

 

(v)              “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that by its terms qualifies and is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(w)             “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(x)              “Officer” means 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.

 

(y)              “Option” means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.

 

(z)               “Outside Director” means a Director who is not an Employee.

 

(aa)            “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

(bb)           “Participant” means the holder of an outstanding Award.

 

(cc)            “Performance Goals” will have the meaning set forth in Section 12 of the Plan.

 

(dd)           “Performance Period” means any Fiscal Year of the Company or such other period as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

(ee)            “Performance Share” means an Award denominated in Shares which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of Performance Goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine pursuant to Section 11.

 

(ff)             “Performance Unit” means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of Performance Goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of the foregoing pursuant to Section 11.

 

(gg)           “Period of Restriction” means the period during which the transfer of Shares of Restricted Stock are subject to restrictions and therefore, the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Such restrictions may be based on the passage of time, continued service, the achievement of target levels of performance, or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Administrator.

 

(hh)           “Plan” means this 2016 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

(ii)              “Restricted Stock” means Shares issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock award under Section 8 of the Plan, or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.

 

 
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(jj)              “Restricted Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share, granted pursuant to Section 9. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.

 

(kk)            “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the Plan.

 

(ll)              “Section 16(b)” means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

 

(mm)          “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

(nn)            “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and the final regulations and any guidance promulgated thereunder, as may be amended from time to time.

 

(oo)           “Service Provider” means an Employee, Director or Consultant.

 

(pp)            “Share” means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 15 of the Plan.

 

(qq)           “Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, that pursuant to Section 10 is designated as a Stock Appreciation Right.

 

(rr)              “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

 

3.

Stock Subject to the Plan.

 

(a)     Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 15(a) of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is (i) 800,000 Shares, plus (ii) any Shares which have been reserved but not issued pursuant to any awards granted under the Company’s 2006 Stock Plan, as amended, as of the date of stockholder approval of this Plan, plus (iii) any Shares subject to stock options, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, or similar awards granted under the Company’s 2006 Stock Plan, as amended, or the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended (together, the “Existing Plans”) that, on or after the date this Plan is approved by the Company’s shareholders, expire or otherwise terminate without having been exercised in full and Shares issued pursuant to awards granted under the Existing Plans that are forfeited to or repurchased by the Company, with the maximum number of Shares to be added to the Plan from the Existing Plans pursuant to clauses (ii) and (iii) equal to 4,893,353. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

 

(b)     Full Value Awards. Any Shares subject to Full Value Awards will be counted against the numerical limits of Section 3(a) as 2.00 Shares for every 1 Share subject thereto. Further, if Shares subject to any Full Value Award are forfeited to or repurchased by the Company and otherwise would return to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(c), 2.00 times the number of Shares so forfeited or repurchased will return to the Plan and will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

 

(c)     Lapsed Awards. If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, or, with respect to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares, is forfeited to, or repurchased by, the Company due to failure to vest, then the unpurchased Shares (or for Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights the forfeited or repurchased Shares), which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). With respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, the gross Shares issued (i.e., Shares actually issued pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right, as well as the Shares that represent

 

 
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payment of the exercise price and any applicable tax withholdings) pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right will cease to be available under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will not become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. For purposes of clarification, no Shares purchased by the Company with proceeds received from the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will become available for issuance under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing and, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will equal the aggregate Share number stated in Section 3(a), plus, to the extent allowable under Section 422 of the Code, any Shares that become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3(c).

 

(d)              Share Reserve. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

 

 

4.

Administration of the Plan.

 

(a)              Procedure.

 

(i)     Multiple Administrative Bodies. Different Committees with respect to different groups of Service Providers may administer the Plan.

 

(ii)     Section 162(m). To the extent that the Administrator determines it to be desirable to qualify Awards granted hereunder as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m), the Plan will be administered by a Committee of two (2) or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m).

 

(iii)     Rule 16b-3. To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder will be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.

 

(iv)     Other Administration. Other than as provided above, the Plan will be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee, which committee will be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws.

 

(b)               Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator will have the authority, in its discretion:

 

(i)     to determine the Fair Market Value;

 

(ii)     to select the Service Providers to whom Awards may be granted hereunder;

 

(iii)     to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;

 

(iv)     to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;

 

(v)     to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, the exercise price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on performance

 

 
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criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator will determine;

 

(vi)     to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards granted pursuant to the Plan;

 

(vii)     to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of satisfying applicable foreign laws or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable foreign laws;

 

(viii)     to modify or amend each Award (subject to Sections 5(d) and 21 of the Plan), including but not limited to the discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of Awards and to extend the maximum term of an Option (subject to Section 7(b) of the Plan regarding Incentive Stock Options);

 

(ix)     to allow Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations in such manner as prescribed in Section 16 of the Plan;

 

(x)     to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator;

 

(xi)     to allow a Participant to defer the receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that otherwise would be due to such Participant under an Award; and

 

(xii)     to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the Plan.

 

(c)              Effect of Administrator’s Decision. The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations will be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders of Awards and will be given the maximum deference permitted by Applicable Laws.

 

 

5.

Award Limitations.

 

(a)              Annual Awards for Employees and Consultants. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15, during any Fiscal Year, no Employee or Consultant will be granted:

 

(i)     Options covering more than 200,000 Shares during any Fiscal Year, increasing to 400,000 Shares in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Employee.

 

(ii)     Stock Appreciation Rights covering more than 200,000 Shares during any Fiscal Year, increasing to 400,000 Shares in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service an as Employee.

 

(iii)     Shares of Restricted covering more than 75,000 Shares during any Fiscal Year, increasing to 150,000 Shares in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Employee.

 

(iv)     Restricted Stock Units covering more than 75,000 Shares during any Fiscal Year, increasing to 150,000 Shares in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Employee.

 

(v)     Performance Shares covering more than 75,000 Shares during any Fiscal Year, increasing to 150,000 Shares in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Employee.

 

 
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(vi)     Performance Units covering more than 75,000 Shares or having an initial value greater than $250,000, increasing to 150,000 and $500,000, respectively in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Employee.

 

(b)             Annual Awards for Outside Directors. No Outside Director may be granted, in any Fiscal Year, Awards with a grant date fair value (determined in accordance with GAAP) of greater than $150,000, increasing to $300,000 in the Fiscal Year of his or her initial service as an Outside Director. Any Award granted to a Participant while he or she was an Employee, or while he or she was a Consultant but not an Outside Director, will not count for purposes of the limitations under this Section 5(b).

 

(c)              No Exchange Program. The Administrator may not implement an Exchange Program.

 

6.              Eligibility. Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, and such other cash or stock awards as the Administrator determines may be granted to Service Providers. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.

 

7.              Stock Options.

 

(a)              Grant of Option. Each Option will be designated in the Award Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of the Shares with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the portion of the Options falling within such limit will be Incentive Stock Options and the excess Options will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For purposes of this Section 7(a), incentive stock options will be taken into account in the order in which they were granted. The fair market value of the Shares will be determined as of the time the option with respect to such Shares is granted.

 

(b)              Term of Option. The term of each Option will be stated in the Award Agreement but will not exceed ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted. Moreover, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the Incentive Stock Option will be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement.

 

(c)              Option Exercise Price and Consideration.

 

(i)            Exercise Price. The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option will be determined by the Administrator, subject to the following:

 

(1)        In the case of an Incentive Stock Option

 

(A)     granted to an Employee who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

(B)     granted to any Employee other than an Employee described in paragraph (A) immediately above, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

 
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(2)     In the case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

(3)     Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options may be granted with a per Share exercise price of less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant pursuant to a transaction described in, and in a manner consistent with, Section 424(a) of the Code.

 

(ii)          Waiting Period and Exercise Dates. At the time an Option is granted and subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Administrator will fix the period within which the Option may be exercised and will determine any conditions that must be satisfied before the Option may be exercised.

 

(iii)         Form of Consideration. The Administrator will determine the acceptable form of consideration for exercising an Option, including the method of payment. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Administrator will determine the acceptable form of consideration at the time of grant. Such consideration may consist entirely of: (1) cash; (2) check; (3) other Shares, provided that such Shares have a fair market value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which such Option will be exercised and provided that accepting such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company, as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion; (4) consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted (or other) cashless exercise program (whether through a broker or otherwise) implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan; (5) by net exercise; (6) such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws; or (7) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

(d)              Exercise of Option.

 

(i)     Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Shareholder. Any Option granted hereunder will be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator, subject to the provisions of this Plan, and set forth in the Award Agreement. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

An Option will be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) a notice of exercise (in such form as the Administrator may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Administrator and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option will be issued in the name of the Participant or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company will issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 15 of the Plan.

 

Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.

 

(ii)     Termination of Relationship as a Service Provider other than Death or Disability. If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, other than upon the Participant’s termination as the result of the Participant’s death or Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such

 

 
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period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for three (3) months following the Participant’s termination, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If Participant dies during such post-employment period, the Option may be exercised following the Participant’s death for one (1) year after Participant’s death, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified by the Administrator, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.

 

(iii)          Disability of Participant. If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s termination, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If, after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.

 

(iv)          Death of Participant. If a Participant dies while a Service Provider, the Option may be exercised following the Participant’s death within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of death (but in no event may the option be exercised later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement), by the Participant’s designated beneficiary, provided such beneficiary has been designated prior to Participant’s death in a form acceptable to the Administrator. If no such beneficiary has been designated by the Participant, then such Option may be exercised by the personal representative of the Participant’s estate or by the person(s) to whom the Option is transferred pursuant to the Participant’s will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following Participant’s death, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If the Option is not so exercised within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if at the time of death Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will immediately revert to the Plan.

 

(v)           Tolling Expiration. A Participant’s Award Agreement may also provide that:

 

(1)     if the exercise of the Option following the termination of Participant’s status as a Service Provider (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would result in liability under Section 16(b), then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in the Award Agreement, or (B) the tenth (10th) day after the last date on which such exercise would result in liability under Section 16(b); or

 

(2)     if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the Participant’s status as a Service Provider (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be

 

 
55

 

 

prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of Shares would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option or (B) the expiration of a period of thirty (30)-day period after the termination of the Participant’s status as a Service Provider during which the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of such registration requirements.

 

 

8.

Restricted Stock.

 

(a)     Grant of Restricted Stock. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock to Service Providers in such amounts as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Company as escrow agent will hold Shares of Restricted Stock until the restrictions on such Shares have lapsed.

 

(b)     Restricted Stock Agreement. Each Award of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Period of Restriction, the number of Shares granted, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.

 

(c)     Transferability. Except as provided in this Section 8, Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction.

 

(d)     Other Restrictions. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may impose such other restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock as it may deem advisable or appropriate.

 

(e)     Removal of Restrictions. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 8, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant made under the Plan will be released from escrow as soon as practicable after the last day of the Period of Restriction. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed.

 

(f)     Voting Rights. During the Period of Restriction, Service Providers holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares, unless the Administrator determines otherwise.

 

(g)     Dividends and Other Distributions. During the Period of Restriction, Service Providers holding Shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Shares unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement. If any such dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, the Shares will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.

 

(h)     Return of Restricted Stock to Company. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock for which restrictions have not lapsed will revert to the Company and again will become available for grant under the Plan in accordance with Section 3(b) of the Plan.

 

(i)     Section 162(m) Performance Restrictions. For purposes of qualifying grants of Restricted Stock as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator, in its discretion, may set restrictions based upon the achievement of Performance Goals. The Performance Goals will be set by the Administrator on or before the Determination Date. In granting Restricted Stock that is intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator will follow any procedures determined by it from time to time to be necessary or appropriate to ensure qualification of the Award under Code Section 162(m) (e.g., in determining the Performance Goals).

 

 
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9.

Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a)     Grant of Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator, at any time and from time to time, Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time as determined by the Administrator.

 

(b)     Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Each Award of Restricted Stock Units will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine, including all terms, conditions, and restrictions related to the grant, the number of Restricted Stock Units and the form of payout, which, subject to Section 9(e), may be left to the discretion of the Administrator.

 

(c)     Vesting Criteria and Other Terms. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Administrator will set vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the number of Restricted Stock Units that will be paid out to the Participant. The Administrator may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit, or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion. After the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any restrictions for such Restricted Stock Units.

 

(d)     Earning Restricted Stock Units. Upon meeting the applicable vesting criteria, the Participant will be entitled to receive a payout as specified in the Award Agreement.

 

(e)     Form and Timing of Payment. Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) set forth in the Award Agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Restricted Stock Units in cash, Shares, or a combination thereof. Shares represented by Restricted Stock Units that are fully paid in cash again will be available for grant under the Plan.

 

(f)     Cancellation. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited to the Company and become available for grant under the Plan.

 

(g)     Section 162(m) Performance Restrictions. For purposes of qualifying grants of Restricted Stock Units as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator, in its discretion, may set restrictions based upon the achievement of Performance Goals. The Performance Goals will be set by the Administrator on or before the Determination Date. In granting Restricted Stock Units which are intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator will follow any procedures determined by it from time to time to be necessary or appropriate to ensure qualification of the Award under Code Section 162(m) (e.g., in determining the Performance Goals).

 

 

10.

Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(a)     Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, a Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion.

 

(b)     Exercise Price and Other Terms. The Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, will have complete discretion to determine the terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan, provided, however, that the exercise price will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.

 

 
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(c)              Stock Appreciation Right Agreement. Each Stock Appreciation Right grant will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the exercise price, the term of the Stock Appreciation Right, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.

 

(d)              Expiration of Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan will expire upon the date determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the term will be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 7(d) also will apply to Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(e)               Payment of Stock Appreciation Right Amount. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

 

(i)     The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; multiplied by

 

(ii)     The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.

 

At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.

 

 

11.

Performance Units and Performance Shares.

 

(a)              Grant of Performance Units/Shares. Subject to the terms of the Plan, Performance Units and Performance Shares may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time, as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion.

 

(b)              Value of Performance Units/Shares. Each Performance Unit will have an initial value that is established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant. Each Performance Share will have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.

 

(c)               Performance Objectives and Other Terms. The Administrator will set performance objectives or other vesting provisions (including, without limitation, continued status as a Service Provider) in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units/Shares that will be paid out to the Service Providers. Each Award of Performance Units/Shares will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Performance Period, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. The Administrator may set performance objectives based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.

 

(d)              Earning of Performance Units/Shares. After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/Shares will be entitled to receive a payout of the number of Performance Units/Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives or other vesting provisions have been achieved. After the grant of a Performance Unit/Share, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such Performance Unit/Share.

 

(e)              Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units/Shares. Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares will be made as soon as practicable after the expiration of the applicable

 

 
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Performance Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Shares in the form of cash, in Shares (which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period) or in a combination thereof.

 

(f)               Cancellation of Performance Units/Shares. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned or unvested Performance Units/Shares will be forfeited to the Company, and again will be available for grant under the Plan.

 

(g)              Section 162(m) Performance Restrictions. For purposes of qualifying grants of Performance Units/Shares as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator, in its discretion, may set restrictions based upon the achievement of Performance Goals. The Performance Goals will be set by the Administrator on or before the Determination Date. In granting Performance Units/Shares which are intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m), the Administrator will follow any procedures determined by it from time to time to be necessary or appropriate to ensure qualification of the Award under Code Section 162(m) (e.g., in determining the Performance Goals).

 

 

12.

Performance-Based Compensation Under Code Section 162(m).

 

(a)               General. If the Administrator, in its discretion, decides to grant an Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), the provisions of this Section 12 will control over any contrary provision in the Plan; provided, however, that the Administrator may in its discretion grant Awards that are not intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) to such Participants that are based on Performance Goals or other specific criteria or goals but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Section 12.

 

(b)               Performance Goals. The granting and/or vesting of Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units and other incentives under the Plan may be made subject to the attainment of performance goals relating to one or more business criteria within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) and may provide for a targeted level or levels of achievement (“Performance Goals”) including stock price, revenue, profit, bookings, cash flow, customer retention, customer satisfaction, net bookings, net income, net profit, operating cash flow, operating expenses, total earnings; earnings per share, diluted or basic; earnings per share from continuing operations, diluted or basic; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; pre-tax profit; net asset turnover; inventory turnover; capital expenditures; net earnings; operating earnings; gross or operating margin; profit margin, debt; working capital; return on equity; return on net assets; return on total assets; return on capital; return on investment; return on sales; net or gross sales; market share; economic value added; cost of capital; change in assets; expense reduction levels; debt reduction; productivity; new product introductions; delivery performance; individual objectives; and total shareholder return. Any Performance Goals may be used to measure the performance of the Company as a whole or, except with respect to shareholder return metrics, to a region, business unit, affiliate or business segment, and any Performance Goals may be measured either on an absolute basis, a per share basis or relative to a pre-established target, to a previous period’s results or to a designated comparison group, and, with respect to financial metrics, which may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), in accordance with accounting principles established by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB Principles”) or which may be adjusted when established to either exclude any items otherwise includable under GAAP or under IASB Principles or include any items otherwise excludable under GAAP or under IASB Principles. In all other respects, Performance Goals will be calculated in accordance with the Company’s financial statements, generally accepted accounting principles, or under a methodology established by the Administrator prior to or at the time of the issuance of an Award and which is consistently applied with respect to a Performance Goal in the relevant Performance Period. In addition, the Administrator will adjust any performance criteria, Performance Goal or other feature of an Award that relates to or is wholly or partially based on the number of, or the value of,

 

 
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any stock of the Company, to reflect any stock dividend or split, repurchase, recapitalization, combination, or exchange of shares or other similar changes in such stock. The Performance Goals may differ from Participant to Participant and from Award to Award. Prior to the Determination Date, the Administrator will determine whether any significant element(s) will be included in or excluded from the calculation of any Performance Goal with respect to any Participant.

 

(c)               Procedures. To the extent necessary to comply with the performance-based compensation provisions of Code Section 162(m), with respect to any Award granted subject to Performance Goals, within the first twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period, but in no event more than ninety (90) days following the commencement of any Performance Period (or such other time as may be required or permitted by Code Section 162(m)), the Administrator will, in writing, (i) designate one or more Participants to whom an Award will be made, (ii) select the Performance Goals applicable to the Performance Period, (iii) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period, and (iv) specify the relationship between Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Participant for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Administrator will certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amounts earned by a Participant, the Administrator will have the right to reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Administrator may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period. A Participant will be eligible to receive payment pursuant to an Award for a Performance Period only if the Performance Goals for such period are achieved.

 

(d)              Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, any Award which is granted to a Participant and is intended to constitute qualified performance based compensation under Code Section 162(m) will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in the Code (including any amendment to Section 162(m)) or any regulations and ruling issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as qualified performance-based compensation as described in Code Section 162(m), and the Plan will be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

 

 13.        Leaves of Absence/Transfer Between Locations. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant will not cease to be an Employee in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Parent, or any Subsidiary. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed three (3) months, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, then six (6) months following the first (1st) day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant will cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and will be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

 

14.

Transferability of Awards.

 

(a)               General. Except to the limited extent provided in Section 14(b), an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant.

 

(b)              Limited Transferability. The Administrator may permit an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) to be assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, during a Participant’s lifetime: (i) under a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulations Section 1.421-1(b)(2); or (ii) to a “family member,” within the meaning of and in accordance with instructions for Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities

 

 
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Act, to the extent such assignment or transfer is in connection with the Participant’s estate plan; or (iii) to the extent required by any Applicable Law.

 

 

15.

Adjustments; Dissolution or Liquidation; Change in Control.

 

(a)               Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will adjust the number and class of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan and/or the number, class, and price of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the numerical Share limits in Sections 3 and 5 of the Plan.

 

(b)              Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. To the extent it previously has not been exercised, an Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.

 

(c)               Change in Control. Except as set forth in this Section 15(c), in the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity or a Change in Control, each outstanding Award will be treated as the Administrator determines, including, without limitation, that Awards may be assumed, or substantially equivalent Awards will be substituted, by the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof) with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices. In taking any of the actions permitted under this, the Administrator will not be required to treat all Awards similarly in the transaction.

 

In the event that the successor corporation does not assume or substitute for the Award (and for the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the vesting limitations under Section 5(c)), the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met. All other terms and conditions with respect to such Awards with performance-based vesting will be deemed met. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is not assumed or substituted in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.

 

For the purposes of this subsection (c), an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit or Performance Share, for each Share subject to such Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.

 

 
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Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more Performance Goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such Performance Goals without the Participant’s consent; provided, however, a modification to such Performance Goals only to reflect the successor corporation’s post-Change in Control corporate structure will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.

 

(d)     Outside Director Awards. With respect to Awards granted to an Outside Director, in the event of a Change in Control, the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights as to all of the Shares underlying such Award, including those Shares which otherwise would not be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met.

 

 

16.

Tax.

 

(a)     Withholding Requirements. Prior to the delivery of any Shares or cash pursuant to an Award (or exercise thereof) or such earlier time as any tax withholding obligations are due, the Company will have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local, foreign or other taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required to be withheld with respect to such Award (or exercise thereof).

 

(b)     Withholding Arrangements. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit a Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part by (without limitation) (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable cash or Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld or other greater amount up to the maximum statutory rate under Applicable Laws, as applicable to the Participant, if such other greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting treatment, as determined by the Company (including in connection with the effectiveness of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 amending FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation), (iii) delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a fair market value equal to the statutory amount required to be withheld, provided the delivery of such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences, as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion, or (iv) selling a sufficient number of Shares otherwise deliverable to the Participant through such means as the Administrator may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount required to be withheld. The amount of the withholding requirement will be deemed to include any amount which the Administrator agrees may be withheld at the time the election is made, not to exceed the amount determined by using the maximum federal, state or local marginal income tax rates applicable to the Participant with respect to the Award on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined.

 

(c)     Compliance With Section 409A. Awards will be designed and operated in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. The Plan and each Award Agreement under the Plan is intended to meet the requirements of Section 409A and will be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. To the extent that an Award or payment, or the settlement or deferral thereof, is subject to Section 409A, the Award will be granted, paid, settled or deferred in a manner that will meet the requirements of Section 409A, such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A.

 

 
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 17.          Forfeiture Events. The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award will be subject to the reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary under this Plan, an Award shall be subject to the Company’s clawback policy as may be established and/or amended from time to time (the “Clawback Policy”). The Administrator may require a Participant to forfeit, return or reimburse the Company all or a portion of the Award and any amounts paid thereunder pursuant to the terms of the Clawback Policy or as necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.

 

18.          No Effect on Employment or Service. Neither the Plan nor any Award will confer upon a Participant any right with respect to continuing the Participant’s relationship as a Service Provider, nor will they interfere in any way with the Participant’s right or the right of the Company, or Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, to terminate such relationship at any time, with or without cause, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

 

19.           Grant Date. The grant date of an Award will be, for all purposes, the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator. Notice of the determination will be provided to each Participant within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.

 

20.           Term of Plan. Subject to Section 24 of the Plan, the Plan will become effective upon its adoption by the Board. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years from the date adopted by the Board, unless terminated earlier under Section 21 of the Plan.

 

21.          Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)               Amendment and Termination. The Administrator may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan.

 

(b)               Shareholder Approval. The Company will obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws.

 

(c)               Effect of Amendment or Termination. No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of the Plan will materially impair the rights of any Participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Termination of the Plan will not affect the Administrator’s ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.

 

22.     Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.

 

(a)               Legal Compliance. Shares will not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Laws and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

(b)              Investment Representations. As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.

 

 
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23.           Inability to Obtain Authority. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction or to complete or comply with the requirements of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any state, federal or foreign law or under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the stock exchange on which Shares of the same class are then listed, or any other governmental or regulatory body, which authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary or advisable for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance will not have been obtained.

 

24.           Shareholder Approval. The Plan will be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. Such shareholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.

 

 
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APPENDIX B

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2006 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

1.     Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Companies with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock through accumulated Contributions. The Company intends for the Plan to have two components: a Code Section 423 component (the “423 Component”) and a non-Code Section 423 component (the “Non-423 Component”). The Company’s intention is to have the 423 Component qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (although the Company makes no undertaking or representation to maintain such qualification). The provisions of the 423 Component, accordingly, will be construed so as to extend and limit Plan participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. In addition, this Plan authorizes the grant of an option to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Non-423 Component that does not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code; such an option will be granted pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans adopted by the Administrator designed to achieve tax, securities laws or other objectives for Eligible Employees and the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the 423 Component.

 

2.     Definitions.

 

(a)     “Administrator” means the Board or any Committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan pursuant to Section 14.

 

(b)     “Affiliate” means any entity, other than a Subsidiary, in which the Company has an equity or other ownership interest.

 

(c)     “Applicable Laws” means the legal and regulatory requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards, including but not limited to U.S. federal and state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any non-U.S. country or jurisdiction where options are, or will be, granted under the Plan.

 

(d)     “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(e)     “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(i)     A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (“Person”), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control; or

 

(ii)     A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12)-month period by Directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date

 

 
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of the appointment or election. For purposes of this clause (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or

 

(iii)     A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Company’s shareholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a shareholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s stock, (2) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection, gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.

 

For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final U.S. Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.

 

Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is 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.

 

(f)     “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or U.S. Treasury Regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation or other official applicable guidance promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.

 

(g)     “Committee” means a committee of the Board appointed in accordance with Section 14 hereof.

 

(h)     “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

 

(i)     “Company” means Aehr Test Systems, a California corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

 
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(j)     Compensation” means an Eligible Employee’s base straight time gross earnings and commissions (to the extent such commissions are an integral, recurring part of compensation), but exclusive of payments for incentive compensation, bonuses, payments for overtime and shift premium, equity compensation income and other similar compensation.  The Administrator, in its discretion, may (i) establish a different definition of Compensation for a subsequent Offering Period and/or (ii) determine the application of this definition to Participants on payrolls outside the United States.  In each case, such discretion shall be exercised on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis for Participants in the 423 Component.

 

(k)     “Contributions” means the payroll deductions and other additional payments that the Company may permit to be made by a Participant to fund the exercise of options granted pursuant to the Plan.

 

(l)     “Designated Company” means any Subsidiary or Affiliate that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan. For purposes of the 423 Component, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be Designated Companies, provided, however that at any given time, a Subsidiary that is a Designated Company under the 423 Component will not be a Designated Company under the Non-423 Component.

 

(m)     “Director” means a member of the Board.

 

(n)     “Eligible Employee” means any individual who is a common law employee providing services to the Company or a Designated Company and is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in any calendar year by the Employer, or any lesser number of hours per week and/or number of months in any calendar year established by the Administrator (if required under applicable local law) for purposes of any separate Offering or for Eligible Employees participating in the Non-423 Component. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship will be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence that the Employer approves or is legally protected under Applicable Laws. Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated three (3) months and one (1) day following the commencement of such leave. The Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to an Enrollment Date for all options to be granted on such Enrollment Date in an Offering, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis or as otherwise permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2) that the definition of Eligible Employee will or will not include an individual if he or she: (i) has not completed at least two (2) years of service since his or her last hire date (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (ii) customarily works not more than twenty (20) hours per week (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iii) customarily works not more than five (5) months per calendar year (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iv) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code, or (v) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code with compensation above a certain level or is an officer or subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, provided the exclusion is applied with respect to each Offering in an identical manner to all highly compensated individuals of the Employer whose Employees are participating in that Offering. Each exclusion will be applied with respect to an Offering in a manner complying with U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e)(2)(ii).

 

 
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(o)     “Employer” means the employer of the applicable Eligible Employee(s).

 

(p)     “Enrollment Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.

 

(q)     “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(r)     “Exercise Date” means the first Trading Day on or after April 1 and October 1 of each year. The first Exercise Date under the Plan will be the first Trading Day on or after April 1, 2017. The Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to an Enrollment Date for all options to be granted on such Enrollment Date, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis) when the Exercise Date will occur during an Offering Period.

 

(s)     “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date and unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(i)     If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the Nasdaq Capital Market, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the date of determination (or on the last preceding Trading Day if the date of determination is not a Trading Day), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(ii)     If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Fair Market Value will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or if no bids and asks were reported on that date, as applicable, on the last preceding Trading Day such bids and asks were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

(iii)     In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.

 

(t)     “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company.

 

(u)     “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering Period then in progress.

 

(v)     “Offering” means an offer under the Plan of an option that may be exercised during an Offering Period as further described in Section 4. For purposes of the Plan, the Administrator may designate separate Offerings under the Plan (the terms of which need not be identical) in which Employees of one or more Employers will participate, even if the dates of the applicable Offering Periods of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. Each Designated Company can participate in a separate Offering from the Company and from any other Designated Company. To the extent permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(a)(1), the terms of each Offering need not be identical provided that the terms of the Plan and an Offering together satisfy U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3).

 

(w)     Offering Periods” means the periods of approximately twenty-four (24) months during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised, (i) commencing on the first Trading

 

 
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Day on or after April 1 of each year and terminating on the first Trading Day on or after April 1, approximately twenty-four (24) months later, and (ii) commencing on the first Trading Day on or after October 1 of each year and terminating on the first Trading Day on or after October 1, approximately twenty-four (24) months later. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Sections 4 and 20.

 

(x)     “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

(y)     “Participant” means an Eligible Employee that participates in the Plan.

 

(z)     “Plan” means this Aehr Test Systems Amended and Restated 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

(aa)      “Purchase Period” means the approximately six (6)-month period commencing after one Exercise Date and ending with the next Exercise Date, except that the first Purchase Period of any Offering Period will commence on the Enrollment Date and end with the next Exercise Date.

 

(bb)     “Purchase Price” shall be determined by the Administrator (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis) prior to an Enrollment Date for all options to be granted on such Enrollment Date, subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule) or pursuant to Section 20. Unless and until the Administrator provides otherwise, the Purchase Price will be equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period or the Exercise Date, whichever is lower; provided however, that the Purchase Price may be determined for subsequent Offering Periods by the Administrator subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other Applicable Law, regulation or stock exchange rule) or pursuant to Section 20.

 

(cc)      “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

(dd)     “Trading Day” means a day on which the national stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is listed is open for trading.

 

(ee)      “U.S. Treasury Regulations” means the Treasury regulations of the Code. Reference to a specific Treasury Regulation or Section of the Code will include such Treasury Regulation or Section, any valid regulation promulgated under such Section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such Section or regulation.

 

3.     Eligibility.

 

(a)     Offering Periods. Any Eligible Employee on a given Enrollment Date will be eligible to participate in the Plan, subject to the requirements of Section 5.

 

(b)     Non-U.S. Employees. Eligible Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether they also are citizens or residents of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the participation of such Eligible Employees is prohibited under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the

 

 
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applicable jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code. In the case of the Non-423 Component, Eligible Employees may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the Administrator has determined that participation of such Eligible Employees is not advisable or practicable.

 

(c)     Limitations. Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Eligible Employee will be granted an option under the Plan (i) to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (as defined in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company accrues at a rate, which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the stock at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

 

4.     Offering Periods. The Plan will be implemented by consecutive, overlapping Offering Periods with a new Offering Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after April 1 and October 1 each year, or on such other date as the Administrator will determine. The Administrator will have the power to change the duration of Offering Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future Offerings without shareholder approval if such change is announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter; provided, however, that no Offering Period may last more than twenty-seven (27) months.

 

5.     Participation. An Eligible Employee may participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a) by (i) submitting to the Company’s stock administration office (or its designee), on or before a date determined by the Administrator prior to an applicable Enrollment Date, a properly completed subscription agreement authorizing Contributions in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose (which may be similar to the form attached hereto as Exhibit A), or (ii) following an electronic or other enrollment procedure determined by the Administrator. A Participant’s subscription agreement will remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10 hereof.

 

6.     Contributions.

 

(a)     At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5, he or she will elect to have Contribution