UNITED STATES
|
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
|
Washington, DC 20549
|
|
SCHEDULE 14C INFORMATION STATEMENT
|
|
Information Statement Pursuant to Section 14(c) of the
Securities
|
Exchange Act of 1934
|
Check the appropriate box:
[X]
|
Preliminary Information Statement
|
[_]
|
Definitive Information Statement
|
[_]
|
Confidential, of the Use of the Commission Only
(as permitted by Rule 14c-5(d) (2))
|
XcelMobility, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
___________________________________________________________________
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the
appropriate box):
|
[X]
|
No fee required.
|
[_]
|
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules
14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
|
|
1)
|
Title of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
|
|
|
|
|
2)
|
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction
applies:
|
|
|
|
|
3)
|
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0- 11 (set forth the amount on
which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
|
|
|
|
|
4)
|
Proposed maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
|
|
|
|
|
5)
|
Total fee paid:
|
|
|
|
[_]
|
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:
|
[_]
|
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
|
|
1)
|
Amount Previously Paid:
|
|
|
|
|
2)
|
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
|
|
|
|
|
3)
|
Filing Party:
|
|
|
|
|
4)
|
Date Filed:
|
|
|
|
XCELMOBILITY, INC.
|
|
|
NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN BY WRITTEN CONSENT OF
STOCKHOLDERS
|
May _, 2014
|
|
May _, 2014
Dear XcelMobility, Inc. Stockholders:
This Information Statement is furnished by the Board of
Directors (the
Board
) of XcelMobility, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the
Company
), to holders of record as of the close of business on May 9,
2014 (the
Stockholders
) of the Companys common stock, $0.001 par value
per share (the Common Stock), pursuant to Section 14(c) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act
). The purpose of
this Information Statement is to inform our Stockholders that, on May 9, 2014,
holders of at least a majority of the outstanding capital stock of the Company,
acted by written consent in lieu of a special meeting of stockholders in
accordance with Section 78.320 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (
NRS
) to
authorize and approve (i) an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (the
Amendment
) of the Company increasing the amount of authorized shares of
Common Stock to 400,000,000 shares, and (ii) our Equity Incentive Plan, pursuant
to which the Company will reserve for issuance thereunder 40,000,000 of the
Companys outstanding Common Stock. A copy of the Amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation is attached as
Annex A
to this Information Statement, and a
copy of the Equity Incentive Plan is attached as
Annex B
to this
Information Statement.
The approval of the Amendment and the Equity Incentive Plan
will not become effective until at least 20 calendar days after the initial
mailing of this Information Statement (the
Effective Date
).
No action is required by you. The accompanying Information
Statement is furnished to inform our Stockholders of the action described above
before it takes effect in accordance with Rule 14c-2 promulgated under the
Exchange Act. This Information Statement is being first mailed to you on or
about May 23, 2014.
WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU FOR A PROXY AND YOU ARE REQUESTED
NOT TO SEND US A PROXY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPANYS CONTROLLING STOCKHOLDERS HAVE
VOTED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT AND THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN. THE NUMBER OF
VOTES HELD BY THE STOCKHOLDERS EXECUTING THE WRITTEN CONSENT IS SUFFICIENT TO
SATISFY THE STOCKHOLDER VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR THIS MATTER UNDER APPLICABLE LAW
AND THE COMPANYS CHARTER, SO NO ADDITIONAL VOTES WILL CONSEQUENTLY BE NEEDED TO
APPROVE THESE ACTIONS.
By Order of the Board of
Directors
/s/ Renyan Ge
Renyan Ge
Chief Executive Officer
Redwood City, CA
May _, 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
|
|
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
|
1
|
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
|
2
|
APPROVAL OF INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED SHARES
|
4
|
APPROVAL OF THE 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
|
6
|
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
|
10
|
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS, DIRECTORS,
AND OFFICERS
|
14
|
REASONS WE USED SHAREHOLDER CONSENT AS
OPPOSED TO SOLICITATION OF
|
|
SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL VIA PROXY STATEMENT AND SPECIAL
MEETING
|
16
|
INTERESTS OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN OR
OPPOSITION TO MATTERS ACTED UPON
|
16
|
DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS TO SECURITY HOLDERS SHARING AN
ADDRESS
|
16
|
WHERE YOU CAN OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
|
16
|
|
|
ANNEX A: AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION
|
|
ANNEX B: 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
|
|
XCELMOBILITY, INC.
|
303 Twin Dolphins Drive, Suite 600
|
Redwood City, CA 94065
|
|
|
INFORMATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(C)
|
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND
|
REGULATION 14C PROMULGATED THEREUNDER
|
|
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
XcelMobility, Inc. (the
Company
) is a Nevada
corporation with principal executive offices located at 303 Twin Dolphins Drive,
Suite 600, Redwood City, CA 94065. Our telephone number is (650) 632-4210. On
May 9, 2014, the Companys Board of Directors (the
Board
), after
careful consideration, unanimously deemed advisable and approved and adopted (i)
an amendment to our articles of incorporation (the
Amendment
)
increasing the number of authorized shares of Common Stock to 400,000,000
shares, and (ii) our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the
Equity Incentive
Plan
), pursuant to which the Company reserved for issuance thereunder
40,000,000 shares of the Companys outstanding Common Stock. This Information
Statement is being sent to holders of record (the
Stockholders
) of the
Companys Common Stock as of May 9, 2014 (the
Record Date
), by the
Board to notify them about actions that the holders of at least a majority of
the outstanding capital stock of the Company (the
Consenting
Stockholders
) entitled to vote on the Amendment and the Equity Incentive
Plan (the
Required Vote
), have taken by written consent, in lieu of a
special meeting of the Stockholders. The Required Vote was obtained on May 9,
2014 in accordance with the relevant sections of the Nevada Revised Statutes
(
NRS
) and our Articles of Incorporation and our By-laws (the
Charter
).
Section 78.320 of the NRS generally provides that any action
required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders may be taken
without a meeting if, before or after the action, a written consent thereto is
signed by stockholders holding at least a majority of the voting power, except
that if a different proportion of voting power is required for such an action at
a meeting, then that proportion of written consents is required. In order to
eliminate the costs and management time involved in obtaining proxies and in
order to effect the above actions as early as possible in order to accomplish
the purposes of the Company as herein described, the Board consented to the
utilization of, and did in fact obtain, the written consent of the Consenting
Stockholders who collectively own shares representing a majority of our Common
Stock.
We are not asking you for a proxy and you are requested not
to send us a proxy.
Copies of this Information Statement are expected to be mailed
on or about May 23, 2014, to the holders of record on the Record Date of our
outstanding shares. The matters that are subject to approval of the Stockholders
will not be completed until at least 20 calendar days after the initial mailing
of this Information Statement. This Information Statement is being delivered
only to inform you of the corporate actions described herein before they take
effect in accordance with Rule 14c-2 promulgated under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act
).
We have asked brokers and other custodians, nominees and
fiduciaries to forward this Information Statement to the beneficial owners of
our capital stock held of record and will reimburse such persons for
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in forwarding such material.
Dissenting Stockholders
Under Nevada Law, our dissenting stockholders are not entitled
to appraisal rights with respect to the approval of the Amendment and the Equity
Incentive Plan, and we will not independently provide our stockholders with any
such right.
Information Statement Costs
The entire cost of furnishing this Information Statement will
be borne by the Company. We will request brokerage houses, nominees, custodians,
fiduciaries and other like parties to forward this Information Statement to the
beneficial owners of the Common Stock held of record by them and will reimburse
such persons for their reasonable charges and expenses in connection therewith.
THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF A MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND NO
STOCKHOLDERS MEETING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER ANY MATTER DESCRIBED HEREIN.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPANYS CONTROLLING STOCKHOLDERS HAVE
VOTED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT AND THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN. THE NUMBER OF
VOTES HELD BY THE STOCKHOLDERS EXECUTING THE CONSENT IS SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY THE
STOCKHOLDER VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR SUCH MATTER UNDER APPLICABLE LAW AND THE
COMPANYS CHARTER, SO NO ADDITIONAL VOTES WILL BE NEEDED TO APPROVE THIS ACTION.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements included in this Information Statement
regarding the Company are forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act),
and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. This information may involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements, which involve assumptions and describe
our future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use
of the words may, will, should, expect, anticipate, estimate,
believe, intend or project or the negative of these words or other
variations on these words or comparable terminology. Actual events or results
may differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements as a
result of various factors. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can
be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained in this
Information Statement will in fact occur. We are not under any obligation, and
we expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
VOTE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL
As of the Record Date, there were 73,349,579 shares of Common
Stock issued and outstanding. Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one
vote. For the approval of the Equity Incentive Plan, the affirmative vote of a
majority of the shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the
Record Date, or 36,674,790 Shares was required for approval.
CONSENTING STOCKHOLDERS
On the Record Date, 4 stockholders holding 38,352,000 shares of
the Companys issued and outstanding Common Stock (approximately 52.3%),
consented in writing to the approval of the Amendment and the Equity Incentive
Plan.
Under Section 14(c) of the Exchange Act, the transactions
cannot become effective until the expiration of the 20-day Period.
APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO
THE COMPANYS
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
General Information
As of the date hereof, pursuant to our Articles of
Incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to One Hundred Million
(100,000,000) shares of Common Stock. We propose to increase our authorized
shares of Common Stock from One Hundred Million (100,000,000) to Four Hundred
Million (400,000,000) shares of Common Stock.
The Consenting Shareholders representing a majority of the
Companys outstanding voting stock have given their written consent to increase
the authorized number of shares of Common Stock. Under the NRS, the consent of
the holders of a majority of the voting power is effective as shareholders
approval. We will file the Amendment with the Nevada Secretary of State in order
to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock to Four Hundred
Million (400,000,000) shares of Common Stock no earlier than (20) calendar days
from the date of mailing of this Information Statement. A copy of the form of
Amendment is attached hereto as
Annex A
.
The Amendment will not result in any changes to the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company and will only affect the
number of shares that may be issued by the Company in the future.
Reasons for the Amendment
The primary purpose of this amendment to increase the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock is to make available for future issuance by us
additional shares of Common Stock and to have a sufficient number of authorized
and unissued shares of Common Stock to maintain flexibility in our corporate
strategy and planning. We believe that it is in the best interests of our
Company and its shareholders to have additional authorized but unissued shares
available for issuance to meet business needs as they arise. The Board of
Directors believes that the availability of additional shares will provide our
Company with the flexibility to issue Common Stock for possible future
financings, stock dividends or distributions, acquisitions, stock option plans,
and other proper corporate purposes that may be identified in the future by the
Board of Directors, without the possible expense and delay of a special
shareholders meeting. The issuance of additional shares of Common Stock may
have a dilutive effect on earnings per share and, for shareholders who do not
purchase additional shares to maintain their pro rata interest in our Company,
on such shareholders percentage voting power.
The authorized shares of Common Stock in excess of those issued
will be available for issuance at such times and for such corporate purposes as
the Board of Directors may deem advisable, without further action by our
shareholders, except as may be required by applicable law or by the rules of any
stock exchange or national securities association trading system on which the
securities may be listed or traded. Upon issuance, such shares will have the
same rights as the outstanding shares of Common Stock. Holders of Common Stock
have no preemptive rights. The availability of additional shares of Common Stock
is particularly important in the event that the Board of Directors determines to
undertake any actions on an expedited basis and thus to avoid the time, expense
and delay of seeking shareholder approval in connection with any potential
issuance of Common Stock of which we have none contemplated at this time other
than as discussed herein.
We have no arrangements, agreements, understandings, or plans
at the current time for the issuance or use of the additional shares of common
stock proposed to be authorized. The Board of Directors does not intend to issue
any common stock except on terms which the Board of Directors deems to be in the
best interests of our company and its then existing stockholders.
Principal Effects on Outstanding Common Stock
The proposal to increase the authorized Common Stock will
affect the rights of existing holders of Common Stock to the extent that future
issuances of Common Stock will reduce each existing shareholders proportionate
ownership and may dilute earnings per share of the shares outstanding at the
time of any such issuance. The Amendment will be effective upon filing with the
Nevada Secretary of State.
Potential Anti-Takeover Aspects and Possible Disadvantages
of Shareholder Approval of the Increase
The increase in the authorized number of shares of Common Stock
could have possible anti-takeover effects. These authorized but unissued shares
could (within the limits imposed by applicable law) be issued in one or more
transactions that could make a change of control of the Company more difficult,
and therefore more unlikely. The additional authorized shares could be used to
discourage persons from attempting to gain control of the Company by diluting
the voting power of shares then outstanding or increasing the voting power of
persons that would support the Board of Directors in a potential takeover
situation, including by preventing or delaying a proposed business combination
that is opposed by the Board of Directors although perceived to be desirable by
some shareholders. The Board of Directors does not have any current knowledge of
any effort by any third party to accumulate our securities or obtain control of
the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, solicitation in opposition to
management or otherwise.
While the Amendment may have anti-takeover ramifications, our
Board of Directors believes that the financial flexibility offered by the
Amendment outweighs any disadvantages. To the extent that the Amendment may have
anti-takeover effects, the Amendment may encourage persons seeking to acquire
our Company to negotiate directly with the Board of Directors enabling the Board
of Directors to consider the proposed transaction in a manner that best serves
the shareholders interests.
Other than as set forth above, there are currently no plans,
arrangements, commitments or understandings for the issuance of additional
shares of Common Stock.
Amendment
The Third Article of the Companys Articles of Incorporation
will be amended to read as follows:
The Corporation shall have authority to issue a total of
Four
Hundred Million (400,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per
share, and 20,000,000 Preferred Shares, par value $0.001. To the fullest extent
permitted by the laws of the State of Nevada (currently set forth in NRS 78.195
and 78.1955), as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended or
supplemented, the board of directors may fix and determine the designations,
rights, preferences or other variations of each class or series within each
class of capital stock of the Corporation. The Corporation may issue the shares
of stock for such consideration as may be fixed by the board of directors.
A copy of the Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation is
attached as
Annex A
.
No Dissenters Rights
Under Nevada Law, our dissenting shareholders are not entitled
to appraisal rights with respect to the Amendment, and we will not independently
provide our shareholders with any such right.
APPROVAL OF THE COMPANYS
2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
General
The Equity Incentive Plan has been approved by the Board and
the Stockholders in order to ensure (i) favorable federal income tax treatment
for grants of incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code, and (ii)
continued eligibility to receive a federal income tax deduction for certain
compensation paid under our Plan by complying with Rule 162(m) of the Code.
Our Board and management all believe that the effective use of
stock-based long-term incentive compensation is vital to our ability to achieve
strong performance in the future. The Equity Incentive Plan will maintain and
enhance the key policies and practices adopted by our management and Board to
align employee and stockholder interests. In addition, our future success
depends, in large part, upon our ability to maintain a competitive position in
attracting, retaining and motivating key personnel. We believe that the adoption
of the Equity Incentive Plan is essential to permit our management to continue
to provide long-term, equity-based incentives to present and future employees.
The following is a brief summary of the Equity Incentive Plan.
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Equity
Incentive Plan, a copy of which is attached as
Annex B
to this
Information Statement.
Summary of the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan
The principal provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan are
summarized below. This summary is not a complete description of all of the
Equity Incentive Plans provisions, and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Equity Incentive Plan which is attached as
Annex B
to
this Information Statement. Capitalized terms in this summary not defined in
this proxy statement have the meanings set forth in the Equity Incentive Plan.
Purpose and Eligible Participants.
The purpose of
the Equity Incentive Plan is to attract, retain and reward high-quality
executive, employees and other persons who provide services to the Company and
or its affiliates and subsidiaries, by enabling these persons to acquire a
proprietary interest in the Company. As of the mailing date of this Information
Statement, 4 individuals are eligible to participate in the Equity Incentive
Plan.
Types of Awards.
The Equity Incentive Plan
permits the grant of the following types of awards, in the amounts and upon the
terms determined by the Committee:
Options.
Options may either be incentive stock options
(ISOs) which are specifically designated as such for purposes of compliance
with Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code or non-qualified stock options
(NSOs). Options shall vest as determined by the Committee or the applicable
employment agreement, subject to certain statutory limitations regarding the
maximum term of ISOs and the maximum value of ISOs that may vest in one year.
The exercise price of each Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided
that such price will not be less than the fair market value of a share on the
date of the grant of the ISO. The term for the Options may be set by the
Committee but in no event shall the term exceed ten (10) years from the date of
grant. Recipients of options have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any
shares covered by the award until the award is exercised and a stock certificate
or book entry evidencing such shares is issued or made, respectively.
Stock Appreciation Rights.
Generally, upon exercise of a
stock appreciation right, the recipient will receive cash, shares of Company
stock, or a combination of cash and stock, with a value equal to the excess of:
(i) the fair market value of a specified number of shares of Company stock on
the date of the exercise, over (ii) a specified exercise price or grant price.
The grant price of a stock appreciation right and all other terms and
conditions
will be established by the Committee in its sole discretion or
as set forth in the applicable Award agreement. The term of a stock appreciation
right will be set by the Committee but in no event will the term exceed ten (10)
years from the date of grant.
Restricted Stock Awards.
Restricted stock awards consist
of shares granted to a participant that are subject to one or more risks of
forfeiture. Restricted stock awards may be subject to risk of forfeiture based
on the passage of time or the satisfaction of other criteria, such as continued
employment or Company
performance
. Recipients of restricted stock awards
are entitled to vote and receive dividends attributable to the shares underlying
the award beginning on the grant date.
Restricted Stock Units.
Restricted stock units consist
of a right to receive shares in the future in consideration of the performance
of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such conditions during the
Restriction Period as the Board may specify. Each such grant or sale may be made
without additional consideration or in consideration of a payment by a
Participant that is less than the Fair Market Value at the date of
grant
. Recipients of
restricted stock units have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any
shares covered by the award until the date a stock certificate or book entry
evidencing such shares is issued or made, respectively.
Performance Awards.
Performance awards are earned upon
achievement of performance objectives
during
a performance period
established by the Committee. Recipients of performance awards have no rights as
a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by the award until the date a
stock certificate or book entry evidencing such shares is issued or made,
respectively.
Number of Shares.
Subject to adjustment as
provided in the Equity Incentive Plan, the total number of shares of Common
Stock reserved and available for delivery in connection with awards under the
Equity Incentive Plan shall be 40,000,000 Any shares of Common Stock delivered
under the Equity Incentive Plan shall consist of authorized and issued or
unissued shares. Subject to the adjustments provided in Section 13(d) of the
Equity Incentive Plan, no contraction of the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding will affect the validity or enforceability of any awards then
outstanding.
Administration.
Subject to the terms of the
Equity Incentive Plan, the Compensation Committee of the Board (the
Committee), or if none, the Board, shall have full and final authority, in
each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Equity Incentive
Plan, to: interpret the provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan; select Eligible
Employees, Directors and Consultants to become Participants; make Awards;
determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all other
matters relating to, Awards; prescribe Award agreements (which need not be
identical for each Participant); adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations
for the administration of the Equity Incentive Plan; construe and interpret the
Equity Incentive Plan and Award agreements and correct defects, supply omissions
or reconcile inconsistencies therein; and make all other decisions and
determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the
administration of the Equity Incentive Plan. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board, unless the context otherwise requires, all actions and determinations
that the Equity Incentive Plan contemplates that the Board may take may be taken
by the Committee in its stead.
Amendments.
The Board, or the Committee acting
pursuant to such authority as may be delegated to it by the Board, may amend,
alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Equity Incentive Plan or the
Committees authority to grant Awards under the Equity Incentive Plan, provided
that, without the consent of an affected Participant, except as otherwise
contemplated by the Equity Incentive Plan or the terms of an Award agreement, no
such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of a
Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. Except as
otherwise provided in the Equity Incentive Plan, the Committee may waive any
conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate
any Award theretofore granted and any Award agreement relating thereto, provided
that, without the consent of an affected Participant, except as otherwise
contemplated by the Equity Incentive Plan or the terms of an Award agreement, no
Committee action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such
Participant under such Award.
Term.
The Committee may grant awards pursuant to
the Equity Incentive Plan until it is discontinued or terminated; provided,
however, that no Award may be granted under the Equity Incentive Plan after
October 1, 2018.
Change of Control.
Notwithstanding any provision
of the Equity Incentive Plan to the contrary and unless otherwise provided in
the applicable Award agreement, in the event of any Change of Control:
(1) Any Option carrying a right to exercise that was not
previously exercisable and vested shall become fully exercisable and vested as
of the time of the Change of Control and shall remain exercisable and vested for
the balance of the stated term of such Option without regard to any Termination
of Employment, subject to certain exceptions;
(2) Any SARs outstanding as of the date the Change of Control
occurs will become fully vested and will be exercisable in accordance with
procedures established by the Committee;
(3) Any restrictions and other conditions applicable to any
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units held by the Participant will lapse
and such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units will become fully vested as
of the date of the Change of Control;
(4) Any Performance Shares or Performance Units held by the
Participant relating to Performance Periods before the Performance Period in
which the Change of Control occurs that have been earned but not paid will
become immediately payable in cash; and
(5) Any Other Stock-Based Awards that vest solely on the basis
of the passage of time will be treated in connection with a Change of Control in
the same manner as are Awards of Restricted Shares and RSUs, as described in
Section 13(a)(3) of the Equity Incentive Plan.
Payment.
Payment of Awards may be in the form of
cash, Stock, other Awards or combinations thereof as the Committee may
determine, and with such restrictions as it may impose. The Committee, either at
the time of grant or by subsequent amendment, may require or permit deferral of
the payment of Awards under such rules and procedures as it may establish. It
also may provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of
interest or other earnings on the deferred amounts, or the payment or crediting
of dividend equivalents where the deferred amounts are denominated in Stock
equivalents.
Transfer Restrictions.
No Award or other right or
interest of a Participant under the Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated or
otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation or liability of such
Participant to any party (other than the Company or a subsidiary), or assigned
or transferred by such Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent
and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and
Options, SARs or Other Stock-Based Awards that may be exercisable shall be
exercised during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his
or her guardian or legal representative, except that Options (other than ISOs),
SARs and Other Stock-Based Awards may be transferred to one or more
Beneficiaries or other transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and
may be exercised by such transferees in accordance with the terms of such
Option, SAR, or Other Stock Based Award but only if and to the extent such
transfers are permitted by the Committee pursuant to the express terms of an
Option, SAR or Other Stock-Based Award agreement (subject to any terms and
conditions which the Committee may impose thereon). A Beneficiary, transferee,
or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any
Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any
Award agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined
by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Committee.
Federal Income Tax Matters
Options.
Under present law, an optionee will not
recognize any taxable income on the date an NSO is granted pursuant to the
Equity Incentive Plan. Upon exercise of the option, however, the optionee must
recognize, in the year of exercise, compensation taxable as ordinary income in
an amount equal to the difference between the option price and the fair market
value of Company common stock on the date of exercise. Upon the sale of the
shares, any resulting gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss. The
Company will receive an income tax deduction in its fiscal year in which NSOs
are exercised equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by those
optionees exercising options, and must comply with applicable tax withholding
requirements.
ISOs granted under the Equity Incentive Plan are intended to
qualify for favorable tax treatment under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code. Under Section 422, an optionee recognizes no taxable income when the
option is granted. Further, the optionee generally will not recognize any
taxable income when the option is exercised if he or she has at all times from
the date of the options grant until three months before the date of exercise
been an employee of the Company. The Company ordinarily is not entitled to any
income tax deduction upon the grant or exercise of an incentive stock option.
This favorable tax treatment for the optionee, and the denial of a deduction for
the Company, will not, however, apply if the optionee disposes of the shares
acquired upon the exercise of an incentive stock option within two years from
the granting of the option or one year from the receipt of the shares.
Restricted Stock Awards.
Generally, no income is
taxable to the recipient of a restricted stock award in the year that the award
is granted. Instead, the recipient will recognize compensation taxable as
ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the shares in the year in
which the risks of forfeiture restrictions lapse. Alternatively, if a recipient
makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, the
recipient will, in the year that the restricted stock award is granted,
recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income equal to the fair market value
of the shares on the date of the award. The Company normally will receive a
corresponding deduction equal to the amount of compensation the recipient is
required to recognize as ordinary taxable income, and must comply with
applicable tax withholding requirements.
Restricted Stock Units.
A recipient of restricted
stock units will generally recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income in
an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares (or the amount of cash)
distributed to settle the restricted stock units on the vesting date(s). The
Company normally will receive a corresponding deduction at the time of vesting,
equal to the amount of compensation the recipient is required to recognize as
ordinary taxable income, and must comply with applicable tax withholding
requirements.
Performance Awards.
A recipient of performance
awards will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income equal to the value
of the shares of Company common stock or the cash received, as the case may be,
in the year that the recipient receives payment. The Company normally will
receive a deduction equal to the amount of compensation the recipient is
required to recognize as ordinary taxable income, and must comply with
applicable tax withholding requirements.
Stock Appreciation Rights.
Generally, a recipient
of a stock appreciation right will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary
income equal to the value of the shares of Company common stock or the cash
received in the year that the stock appreciation right is exercised. The Company
normally will receive a corresponding deduction equal to the amount of
compensation the recipient is required to recognize as ordinary taxable income,
and must comply with applicable tax withholding requirements.
THE FOREGOING IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF U.S.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION WITH RESPECT TO THE GRANT AND EXERCISE OF AWARDS UNDER
THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE, AND DOES NOT
DISCUSS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INDIVIDUALS DEATH OR THE PROVISIONS OF THE
INCOME TAX LAWS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, STATE OR FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH ANY
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL MAY RESIDE.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
General Philosophy
Our Board of Directors is responsible for establishing and
administering the Companys executive and director compensation.
Executive Compensation
The following summary compensation table indicates the cash and
non-cash compensation earned from the Company during the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2013 and 2012 by the current and former executive officers of the
Company and each of the other two highest paid executives or directors, if any,
whose total compensation exceeded $100,000 during those periods.
Summary Compensation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Principal
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
Incentive Plan
|
|
|
All Other
|
|
|
|
|
Position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ronald Edward Strauss,
|
|
2013
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Executive Chairman of the Board
|
|
2012
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Renyan Ge, Director,
|
|
2013
|
|
$
|
7,835
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
7,835
|
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
2012
|
|
$
|
60,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
60,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Xili Wang, Chief Financial
|
|
2013
|
|
$
|
17,427
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
17,427
|
|
Officer & Secretary
|
|
2012
|
|
$
|
36,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
36,000
|
|
Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change-in-Control
SEC regulations state that we must disclose information
regarding agreements, plans or arrangements that provide for payments or
benefits to our executive officers in connection with any termination of
employment or change in control of the Company. Please see the section entitled
Employment Agreements below for a discussion of management compensation in the
event of a termination of employment or change in control of the Company.
Employment Agreements
We have entered into employment agreements with Ronald Strauss,
Renyan Ge and Xili Wang, per the following:
Ronald Edward Strauss
- The Company is party to a
Management Service Agreement with Ronald Edward Strauss in connection with his
service as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, commencing August 30,
2011 and continuing for an indefinite term. Mr. Strauss is entitled to a payment
of $5,000 per month as a base management fee during the Companys development
period. After an aggregate of $2,000,000 is raised by the Company in a
financing, Mr. Strauss compensation shall be reviewed and a new base management
fee shall be agreed upon by the Companys Board of Directors, such revised
management fee to be no less than $180,000 per year. The Board of Directors will
recommend a bonus program for Mr. Strauss subject to specific performance
criteria.
In the event the Company terminates Mr. Strauss service
agreement without cause (as defined in his management service agreement), Mr.
Strauss shall be entitled to certain payments in lieu of notice depending on Mr.
Strauss length of service. Specifically, if Mr. Strauss service period is less
than 36 months, he shall be entitled to receive 18 monthly payments equal to his
monthly management fee at the time of termination in lieu of an 18 month notice
period; and where Mr. Strauss service is more than 36 months, he shall be
entitled to receive 30 monthly payments equal to his monthly management fee at
the time of termination in lieu of a 30 month notice. If the Company elects to
give Mr. Strauss notice of termination, in the absence of just cause, Mr.
Strauss may choose to receive payments due in either a lump sum, or on a
continuance basis or a combination of both. During the notice period, Mr.
Strauss will not be required to perform the responsibilities of his position.
Where there is just cause for termination or if Mr. Strauss is in material
breach of his management service agreement, Mr. Strauss will not be entitled to
notice, bonus payment or payment in lieu of notice.
In the event there is a change in control of the Company, Mr.
Strauss may elect to either terminate his existing service agreement and sign a
new agreement with the controlling entity, or in the event Mr. Strauss does not
sign a new agreement with the controlling entity, the controlling entity will provide Mr. Strauss a cash payment
equal to 1.5 times his annual salary at the time of the change in control event.
Mr. Strauss may terminate his management service agreement upon two months
notice.
Renyan Ge
- The Company is a party to a Management
Service Agreement with Renyan Ge in connection with his service as Chief
Executive Officer of the Company, commencing August 30, 2011 and continuing for
an indefinite term. Mr. Ge is entitled to a payment of $5,000 per month as a
base management fee during the Companys development period. After an aggregate
of $2,000,000 is raised by the Company in a financing, Mr. Ges compensation
shall be reviewed and a new base management fee shall be agreed upon by the
Companys Board of Directors, such revised management fee to be no less than
$180,000 per year. The Board of Directors will recommend a bonus program for Mr.
Ge subject to specific performance criteria.
In the event the Company terminates Mr. Ges service agreement
without cause (as defined in his management service agreement), Mr. Ge shall be
entitled to certain payments in lieu of notice depending on Mr. Ges length of
service. Specifically, if Mr. Ges service period is less than 36 months, he
shall be entitled to receive 18 monthly payments equal to his monthly management
fee at the time of termination in lieu of an 18 month notice period; and where
Mr. Ges service is more than 36 months, he shall be entitled to receive 30
monthly payments equal to his monthly management fee at the time of termination
in lieu of a 30 month notice. If the Company elects to give Mr. Ge notice of
termination, in the absence of just cause, Mr. Ge may choose to receive payments
due in either a lump sum, or on a continuance basis or a combination of both.
During the notice period, Mr. Ge will not be required to perform the
responsibilities of his position. Where there is just cause for termination or
if Mr. Ge is in material breach of his management service agreement, Mr. Ge will
not be entitled to notice, bonus payment or payment in lieu of notice.
In the event there is a change in control of the Company, Mr.
Ge may elect to either terminate his existing service agreement and sign a new
agreement with the controlling entity, or in the event Mr. Ge does not sign a
new agreement with the controlling entity, the controlling entity will provide
Mr. Ge a cash payment equal to 1.5 times his annual salary at the time of the
change in control event. Mr. Ge may terminate his management service agreement
upon two months notice.
Xili Wang
- The Company is a party to a Management
Service Agreement with Xili Wang in connection with her service as Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, commencing August 30, 2011 and continuing for
an indefinite term. Ms. Wang is entitled to a payment of $3,000 per month as a
base management fee during the Companys development period. After an aggregate
of $2,000,000 is raised by the Company in a financing, Ms. Wangs compensation
shall be reviewed and a new base management fee shall be agreed upon by the
Companys Board of Directors, such revised management fee to be no less than
$150,000 per year. The Board of Directors will recommend a bonus program for Ms.
Wang subject to specific performance criteria.
In the event the Company terminates Ms. Wangs service
agreement without cause, Ms. Wang shall be entitled to certain payments in lieu
of notice depending on Ms. Wangs length of service. Specifically, if Ms. Wangs
service period is less than 36 months, she shall be entitled to receive 18
monthly payments equal to her monthly management fee at the time of termination
in lieu of an 18 month notice period; and where Ms. Wangs service is more than
36 months, she shall be entitled to receive 30 monthly payments equal to her
monthly management fee at the time of termination in lieu of a 30 month notice.
If the Company elects to give Ms. Wang notice of termination, in the absence of
just cause, Ms. Wang may choose to receive payments due in either a lump sum, or
on a continuance basis or a combination of both. During the notice period, Ms.
Wang will not be required to perform the responsibilities of her position. Where
there is just cause for termination or if Ms. Wang is in material breach of her
management service agreement, Ms. Wang will not be entitled to notice, bonus
payment or payment in lieu of notice.
In the event there is a change in control of the Company, Ms.
Wang may elect to either terminate her existing service agreement and sign a new
agreement with the controlling entity, or in the event Ms. Wang does not sign a
new agreement with the controlling entity, the controlling entity will provide
Ms. Wang a cash payment equal to 1.5 times her annual salary at the time of the
change in control event. Ms. Wang may terminate her management service agreement
upon two months notice.
Other than as noted above, none of our executive officers or
directors received, nor do we have any arrangements to pay out, any bonus, stock
awards, option awards, non-equity incentive plan compensation, or non-qualified
deferred compensation.
Compensation of Directors
Other than as noted below, we have no standard arrangement to
compensate directors for their services in their capacity as directors.
Directors are not paid for meetings attended. However, we intend to review and
consider future proposals regarding board compensation. All travel and lodging
expenses associated with corporate matters are reimbursed by us, if and when
incurred.
The following table sets forth compensation paid to our
non-executive directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.
|
|
Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nonqualified
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earned
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Equity
|
|
|
Deferred
|
|
|
All
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
or Paid
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
Incentive Plan
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
in Cash
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Earnings
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Name
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory D. Tse
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
Stock Option Plans - Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal
Year End
None.
Pension Table
The Company contributes to a state pension plan organized by
municipal and provincial governments in respect of its employees in PRC. The
compensation expense related to this plan was $20,073 and $6,600 for the years
ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
Retirement Plans
We do not offer any annuity, pension, or retirement benefits to
be paid to any of our officers, directors, or employees in the event of
retirement. There are also no compensatory plans or arrangements with respect to
any individual named above which results or will result from the resignation,
retirement, or any other termination of employment with our company, or from a
change in the control of our Company.
Compensation Committee
The Company does not have a separate Compensation Committee.
Instead, the Companys Board of Directors reviews and approves executive
compensation policies and practices, reviews salaries and bonuses for other
officers, administers the Companys stock option plans and other benefit plans,
if any, and considers other matters.
Risk Management Considerations
We believe that our compensation policies and practices for our
employees, including our executive officers, do not create risks that are
reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our Company.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS, DIRECTORS, AND
OFFICERS
The following table sets forth certain information as of May 1,
2014, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock for (i) each
director and officer, (ii) all of our directors and officers as a group, and
(iii) each person known to us to own beneficially five percent (5%) or more of
the outstanding shares of our common stock. As of May 1, 2014, there were
73,349,579 shares of common stock outstanding.
To our knowledge, except as indicated in the footnotes to this
table or pursuant to applicable community property laws, the persons named in
the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of
common stock indicated.
Name and Address of
|
|
Shares Beneficially
|
|
|
Percentage Beneficially
|
|
Beneficial Owner(1)
|
|
Owned
|
|
|
Owned
|
|
Directors and Executive Officers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ronald Edward Strauss(2)
303 Twin
Dolphins Drive, Suite 600
Redwood City, CA 94065
|
|
13,332,000
|
|
|
18.17%
|
|
Renyan Ge(3)
303 Twin Dolphins Drive, Suite 600
Redwood City, CA 94065
|
|
16,968,000
|
|
|
23.13%
|
|
Xili Wang
303 Twin Dolphins Drive,
Suite 600
Redwood City, CA 94065
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Gregory D. Tse
303 Twin Dolphins Drive, Suite 600
Redwood City, CA 94065
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
All Officers and Directors as a Group
|
|
30,300,000
|
|
|
41.31%
|
|
5% Shareholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sheen Ventures Limited(2)
8th Floor,
Henley Building,
5 Queens Road,
Central, Hong Kong
|
|
13,332,000
|
|
|
18.17%
|
|
CC Wireless Limited(3)
Room 15A, 17/F,
Mai On
Industrial Building,
17-21 Kung Yip Street,
Kwai Chung, Hong Kong
|
|
16,968,000
|
|
|
23.13%
|
|
Yixuan Li
Unit 904, Bldg B, Jinmingxuan
Yangguang Mingju, Luohu District
Shenzhen Guangdong, P.R.C.
|
|
6,000,000
|
|
|
8.18%
|
|
(1)
|
Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance
with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the rules of the SEC,
shares of common stock which an individual or group has a right to acquire
within 60 days pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants are deemed
to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of
such individual or group, but are not deemed to be beneficially owned and
outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any
other person shown in the table.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Ms. Guo Jie has direct ownership over the 13,332,000
shares held by Sheen Ventures Limited, a company organized under the laws
of Hong Kong. Ms. Guo Jie is the wife of Mr. Strauss. As such, Mr. Strauss
may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of the securities by reason of his influence or
control over Ms. Guo Jies voting and disposition decisions.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Mr. Renyan Ge holds voting and dispositive control over
the 16,968,000 shares held by CC Wireless Limited, a company organized
under the laws of Hong Kong.
|
Changes in Control
There are no existing arrangements that may result in a change
in control of the Company.
REASONS WE USED SHAREHOLDER CONSENT AS OPPOSED TO
SOLICITATION OF SHAREHOLDER
APPROVAL VIA PROXY STATEMENT AND SPECIAL MEETING
The Amendment and the Equity Incentive Plan require shareholder
approval. Shareholder approval could have been obtained by us in one of two
ways: (i) by the dissemination of a proxy statement and subsequent majority vote
in favor of the actions at a shareholders meeting called for such purpose, or
(ii) by a written consent of the holders of a majority of our voting securities.
However, the latter method, while it represents the requisite shareholder
approval, is not deemed effective until twenty (20) days after this Information
Statement has been sent to all of our shareholders giving them notice of and
informing them of the actions approved by such consent.
Given that we have already secured the affirmative consent of
the holders of a majority of our voting securities to the Amendment and the
Equity Incentive Plan, we determined that it would be a more efficient use of
limited corporate resources to forego the dissemination of a proxy statement and
subsequent majority vote in favor of the actions at a shareholders meeting
called for such a purpose, and rather proceed through the written consent of the
holders of a majority of our voting securities. Spending the additional company
time, money and other resources required by the proxy and meeting approach would
have been potentially wasteful and, consequently, detrimental to completing the
Amendment in a manner that is timely and efficient for us and our shareholders.
INTERESTS OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN OR OPPOSITION TO MATTERS
ACTED UPON
No director, officer, nominee for election as a director,
associate of any director, officer of nominee or any other person has any
substantial interest, direct or indirect, by security holdings or otherwise,
resulting from the matters described herein which is not shared by all other
shareholders pro rata in accordance with their respective interest. No director
has informed the Company that he intends to oppose any of the corporate actions
to be taken by the Company as set forth in this Notice and Information
Statement.
DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS TO SECURITY HOLDERS SHARING AN
ADDRESS
Only one copy of this Information Statement is being delivered
to multiple stockholders sharing an address, unless the Company has received
contrary instructions from one or more of the stockholders. The Company will
deliver promptly, upon written or oral request, a separate copy of this
Information Statement to a stockholder at a shared address to which a single
copy of this document was delivered. A stockholder may mail a written request to
XcelMobility, Inc., Attention: Secretary, 303 Twin Dolphins Drive, Suite 600
,
Redwood City, CA 94065
to request:
-
a separate copy of this Information Statement;
-
a separate copy of Information Statements in the future; or
-
delivery of a single copy of Information Statements, if such stockholder
is receiving multiple copies of those documents.
WHERE YOU CAN OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly, current and other reports and other
information with the SEC. Certain of our SEC filings are available over the
Internet at the SECs web site at
www.sec.gov
. You may also read and copy
any document we file with the SEC at its public reference room by writing to the
Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington,
D.C. 20549. Callers in the United States can also call 1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information on the operations of the public reference facilities.
Dated: May __, 2014
ANNEX A
AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
ANNEX B
2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
XCELMOBILITY, INC. 2014
EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1.
Purpose
.
The purpose of this
XcelMobility, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) is to assist
XcelMobility, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the Company), and its subsidiaries
in attracting, retaining, and rewarding high-quality executives, employees, and
other persons who provide services to the Company and/or its Affiliates and
Subsidiaries, by enabling these persons to acquire or increase a proprietary
interest in the Company.
2.
Definitions
.
For purposes of the Plan,
the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such
terms defined in
Section 1
hereof:
(a) Affiliate means an entity which
is not a Subsidiary, but in which the Company has an equity interest, provided,
however, that no entity will be considered an Affiliate for purposes of an Award
of Nonqualified Stock Options or SARs to an employee or director of, or
consultant to, the entity unless the Stock would be considered service
recipient stock within the meaning of Code Section 409A, in the context of such
an Award.
(b) Award means an award under the
Plan of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance
Shares, Performance Units or Other Stock-Based Awards granted under the Plan.
(c) Beneficiary means the person(s),
trust(s) or estate who or which by designation of the Participant in his or her
most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Company or by
operation of law succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant under
the Plan and Award agreement upon such Participants death.
(d) Board means the Board of
Directors of the Company.
(e) Cause means, unless otherwise
defined in an Award agreement or in an Employment Agreement:
(1) the commission by the Participant
of (A) a felony or (B) any serious crime involving fraud, dishonesty or breach
of trust;
(2) gross negligence or intentional
misconduct by the Participant with respect to the Company or any affiliate
thereof or in the performance of his duties to the Company or any affiliate
thereof;
(3) failure to follow a reasonable,
lawful and specific direction of the President and CEO of the Company;
(4) failure by the Participant to
cooperate in any corporate investigation, or
(5) breach by the Participant of any
material provision of an employment agreement entered into between the Company
or its subsidiaries and the Participant, which breach is not corrected by the
Participant within ten (10) calendar days after receipt by the Participant of
written notice from the Company or Affiliate of such breach.
For purposes of this definition, no act
or failure to act by the Participant shall be considered intentional unless
done or omitted to be done by the Participant in bad faith and without reasonable belief that the Participants action or omission was
in the best interests of the Company or Affiliate.
(f) Change of Control means the
happening of any of the following events:
(1) The acquisition by any individual,
entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act (a Person)) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule
13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then
outstanding shares of Stock (the Outstanding Company Common Stock) or (B) the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the Outstanding
Company Voting Securities), provided, however, that the following acquisitions
shall not constitute a Change of Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the
Company; (ii) any acquisition by the Company; (iii) any acquisition by any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company
or any company controlled by the Company; or (iv) any acquisition by any
corporation pursuant to a transaction described in
clauses (A), (B) and (C)
of paragraph (3) of this Section 2(f)
; or
(2) Individuals who, as of the
effective date of the Plan, constitute the Board (the Incumbent Board) cease
for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided,
however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such effective
date whose election, or nomination for election by the stockholders of the
Company, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then
comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual
were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such
individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or
threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors
or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on
behalf of a Person other than the Board; or
(3) Approval by the stockholders of
the Company of a reorganization, merger, share exchange or consolidation (a
Business Combination), unless, in each case following such Business
Combination: (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who
were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common
Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such
Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of,
respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined
voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a
corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company through one or
more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership,
immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common
Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be; (B) no
Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or
such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns,
directly or indirectly, 25% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding
shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business
Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting
securities of such corporation Company except to the extent that such Person
owned 25% or more of the Outstanding Company Common Stock or Outstanding Company
Voting Securities prior to the Business Combination; and (C) at least a majority
of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such
Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the
execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business
Combination; or
- 2
(4) Approval by the stockholders of
the Company of (A) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (B)
the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, other than to a corporation with respect to which, following such sale
or other disposition: (i) more than 50% of, respectively, the then-outstanding
shares of common stock of such corporation and the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors is then beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were
the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and
Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such sale or other
disposition in substantially the same proportion as their ownership, immediately
prior to such sale or other disposition, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock
and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be; (ii) less than
25% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of such
Company and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
of such Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors is then
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any Person (excluding any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such Company), except
to the extent that such Person owned 25% or more of the Outstanding Company
Common Stock or Outstanding Company Voting Securities prior to the sale or
disposition; and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of
directors of such corporation were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of
the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing
for such sale or other disposition of assets of the Company or were elected,
appointed or nominated by the Board.
(g) Change of Control Price means the
greater of (A) the highest Fair Market Value of a share of Stock during the
60-day period ending on the date of the Change of Control, and (B) the highest
price per share of Stock paid to holders of Stock in any transaction (or series
of transactions) constituting or resulting from the Change of Control, provided,
however, that, in the case of ISOs, unless the Committee otherwise provides,
such price will be based only on transactions occurring on the date on which the
ISOs are cashed out.
(h) Code means the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and
successor provisions and regulations thereto.
(i) Commission means the Securities
and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.
(j) Committee means the Compensation
Committee of the Board, if formed, and in the absence of one, shall mean the
Board or its delegate.
(k) Common Stock or Stock means the
common stock of the Company, and such other securities as may be substituted (or
resubstituted) for Common Stock pursuant to
Section 13(d)
hereof.
(l) Company means XcelMobility, Inc.
or any successor thereto.
(m) Consultant means any person who
is engaged by the Company or any Subsidiary to render consulting or advisory
services to such entity, and any natural person, including an advisor, who is
engaged by the Company or any Subsidiary, to render bona fide consulting or
advisory services to such entity and who is compensated for the services.
- 3
(n) Director means a member of the
Board.
(o) Disability or Disabled means
the absence of the Participant from the Participants duties with the Company on
a full time basis for 180 consecutive days as a result of incapacity due to
mental or physical illness which is determined to be total and permanent by a
physician selected by the Company or its insurers and reasonably acceptable to
the Participant or the Participants legal representative.
(p) Effective Date means June _,
2014.
(q) Eligible Employee means such
employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, including each
Executive Officer and employees who may also be directors of the Company, that
are selected by the Committee, in its sole discretion, from time to time to
receive an Award under the Plan. An employee on leave of absence may be
considered as still in the employ of the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate for
purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.
(r) Employment Agreement means, with
respect to any Participant, any written agreement executed by the Participant
and the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate setting forth the specific terms and
conditions of the Participants employment with the Company, Subsidiary or
Affiliate.
(s) Exchange Act means the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder
and successor provisions and rules thereto.
(t) Executive Officer means an
executive officer of the Company as defined under the Exchange Act.
(u) Fair Market Value means, on any
date, the average of the opening and closing sales prices of the Common Stock on
the exchange on which the Common Stock is traded on that date, or if no prices
are reported on that date, on the last preceding date on which such prices of
the Common Stock are so reported. In the event the Common Stock is not publicly
traded at the time a determination of its value is required to be made
hereunder, the determination of its fair market value shall be made by the
Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate, consistent with Treasury
regulations and other formal Internal Revenue Service guidance under Code
Section 409A so that Awards of Nonqualified Stock Options or SARs granted under
this Plan shall not constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section
409A.
(v) Good Reason means the Termination
of Employment by the Participant for any of the following reasons, the
occurrence of which has been properly noticed in writing and such Good Reason
event has not been cured within ten (10) business days after Participants
receipt of such written notice:
(1) involuntary reduction in the
Participants Base Salary unless such reduction occurs simultaneously with a
reduction in officers salaries generally applicable on a company-wide basis;
(2) involuntary discontinuance or
reduction in bonus award opportunities for the Participant under the Companys
incentive or bonus plan unless a generally applicable company-wide reduction or
elimination of all officers bonus awards occurs simultaneously with such
discontinuance or reduction;
- 4
(3) involuntary discontinuance of the
Participants participation in any employee benefit plans maintained by the
Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate unless such plans are discontinued by reason of
law or loss of tax deductibility to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate with
respect to contributions to such plans, or are discontinued as a matter of
Company policy applied equally to all participants in such plans that are in the
same classification of employees as the Participant;
(4) failure to obtain an assumption of
the Companys, Subsidiarys or Affiliates obligations under the Participants
Employment Agreement by any successor to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate
(as applicable), regardless of whether such entity becomes a successor as a
result of a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, or other form of
reorganization, except when the rights and obligations of the Company,
Subsidiary or Affiliate under such Employment Agreement are vested in the
successor by operation of law;
(5) involuntary relocation of the
Participants primary office as specified in the applicable Award agreement to a
location more than fifty (50) miles from the location of that office; and
(6) material reduction of the
Participants duties in effect on the effective date of the Participants most
current Employment Agreement, provided, however that a change in title or
reporting line will not constitute Good Reason unless such change is coupled
with a material reduction in the actual duties of the Participant.
(w) Incentive Stock Option or ISO
means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option
within the meaning of Code Section 422 or any successor provision thereto.
(x) Management Objectives means the
measurable performance objective(s) for the Company or any Subsidiary, Affiliate
or any unit, division, geographic region, or function thereof or any individual
that may be established by the Committee for a Performance Period with respect
to any performance-based Awards made under the Plan, including Options, SARs,
Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units
and Other Stock-Based Awards. Management Objectives may be described in terms of
Company-wide objectives or objectives that are related to the performance of the
individual Participant or of the Affiliate, Subsidiary, division, department,
geographic region or function within the Company in which the Participant is
employed. The Management Objectives for Awards that are intended to constitute
performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Code will be based on one or more of the following criteria: earnings per share;
total shareholder return; operating income; net income; cash flow; free cash
flow; return on equity; return on capital; revenue growth; earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); stock price;
debt-to-capital ratio; stockholders equity per share; operating income as a
percent of revenue; gross profit as a percent of revenue; selling, general and
administrative expenses as a percent of revenue; operating cash flow; pre-tax
profit; orders; revenue; customer value; or any of the foregoing criteria
adjusted in a manner prescribed within the time permitted under Section 162(m)
of the Code by the Committee (i) to exclude one or more specified components of
the calculation thereof or (ii) to include one or more other specified items,
including, but not limited to, exclusions under subsection (i) or inclusions
under subsection (ii) designed to reflect changes during the Performance Period
in generally accepted accounting principles or in tax rates, currency
fluctuations, the effects of acquisitions or dispositions of a business or
investments in whole or in part, extraordinary or nonrecurring items, the gain
or loss from claims or litigation and related insurance recoveries, the effects
of impairment of tangible or intangible assets, or the effects of restructuring
or reductions in force or other business recharacterization activities, income
or expense related to defined benefit or defined contribution pension plans,
uninsured losses from natural catastrophes or political and legal developments
affecting the Companys business (including losses as a result of war,
terrorism, confiscation, expropriation, seizure, new regulatory requirements,
business interruption or similar events).
- 5
(y) Nonqualified Stock Option means
any Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
(z) Option means a right, granted to
a Participant under
Section 7
hereof, to purchase Common Stock at a
specified price during specified time periods.
(aa) Other Stock-Based Award means an
Award made pursuant to
Section 12
.
(bb) Participant means an Eligible
Employee, Director or Consultant who has been granted an Award under the Plan
that remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible
Employee, Director or Consultant.
(cc) Performance Period means, in
respect of a Performance Share or Performance Unit, a period of time established
by the Committee pursuant to
Section 11
of this Plan within which the
Management Objectives relating to such Performance Share or Performance Unit are
to be achieved.
(dd) Performance Share means a
bookkeeping entry that records the equivalent of one share of Common Stock
awarded pursuant to
Section 11
of this Plan.
(ee) Performance Unit means a
bookkeeping entry that records a unit awarded pursuant to
Section 11
of
this Plan that has a value specified in the agreement evidencing the Award.
(ff) Plan means XcelMobility, Inc.
2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as may be amended from time
to time.
(gg) Restricted Stock means Common
Stock awarded to a Participant in accordance with the provisions of
Section
9
of the Plan.
(hh) Restricted Stock Units or RSUs
means an Award made pursuant to
Section 10
of this Plan of the right to
receive shares of Common Stock at the end of a specified Restriction Period.
(ii) Spread Value means, with respect
to a share of Stock subject to an Award, an amount equal to the excess of the
Fair Market Value, on the date such value is determined, over the Awards
exercise or grant price, if any.
(jj) Stock Appreciation Right or
SAR means a right granted pursuant to
Section 8
.
(kk) Subsidiary shall have the
meaning set forth in Code Section 424(f).
(ll) Termination of Employment means
the voluntary or involuntary termination of a Participants employment with the
Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate or any reason, including death, Disability,
or retirement. With respect to an Eligible Employee who is such solely by virtue
of his service on the Board, Termination of Employment means the Eligible
Employees cessation of service on the Board. The Committee, in it sole
discretion, shall determine whether a Termination of Employment is a result of Disability, and shall
determine whether military or other government or eleemosynary service
constitutes a Termination of Employment. To the extent necessary, Termination
of Employment will be limited to those circumstances that constitute a
separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
- 6
(mm) Valuation Date means each day on
which the exchange on which the Common stock is actively traded is open for
business.
3.
Administration.
(a)
Authority of the Committee.
The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.
The Committee shall
have full and final authority, in each case subject to and consistent with the
provisions of the Plan, to: interpret the provisions of the Plan; select
Eligible Employees, Directors and Consultants to become Participants; make
Awards; determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all
other matters relating to, Awards; prescribe Award agreements (which need not be
identical for each Participant); adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations
for the administration of the Plan; construe and interpret the Plan and Award
agreements and correct defects, supply omissions or reconcile inconsistencies
therein; and make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may
deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. Except as
otherwise determined by the Board, unless the context otherwise requires, all
actions and determinations that the Plan contemplates that the Board may take
may be taken by the Committee in its stead.
(b)
Manner of Exercise of Committee
Authority.
Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and
binding on all persons, including the Company, Affiliates, Subsidiaries,
Participants, Beneficiaries, transferees under
Section 13(c)
hereof or
other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant, and shareholders.
The Committee shall exercise its authority only by a majority vote of its
members at a meeting or without a meeting by a writing signed by a majority of
its members. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the
taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any
power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or
managers of the Company, Affiliates or Subsidiaries, or committees thereof, the
authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform
administrative functions to the extent permitted under applicable law. The
Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.
(c)
Limitation of Liability
. The
Committee and each member thereof shall be entitled, in good faith, to rely or
act upon any report or other information furnished to it, him or her by any
Executive Officer, other officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary, the
Companys independent auditors, consultants or any other agents assisting in the
administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee and any officer or employee
of the Company or a subsidiary acting at the direction or on behalf of the
Committee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken
or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent
permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect
to any such action or determination.
4.
Stock Subject to Plan.
(a)
Overall Number of Shares
Available for Delivery.
Subject to adjustment as provided in
Section
13(d)
hereof, the total number of shares of Common Stock reserved and
available for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be
40,000,000
provided, however, that the total number of shares of Common
Stock with respect to which ISOs may be granted shall not exceed 400,000,000. Any shares of Common Stock delivered under
the Plan shall consist of authorized and issued or unissued shares. Subject to
the adjustments provided in
Section 13(d)
hereof, no contraction of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding will affect the validity or
enforceability of any Awards then outstanding.
- 7
(b)
Application of Limitation to
Grants of Awards.
No Award may be granted if the number of shares of Common
Stock to be delivered in connection with such Award exceeds the number of shares
of Common Stock remaining available under the Plan minus the number of shares of
Common Stock issuable in settlement of or relating to then-outstanding Options.
The Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate
counting, avoid double counting and make adjustments if the number of shares of
Common Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously
counted in connection with an Award.
(c)
Availability of Shares Not
Delivered under Awards.
Shares of Common Stock subject to an Award under the
Plan which Award is canceled, expired, forfeited or otherwise terminated without
a delivery of shares to the Participant or with the return to the Company of
shares previously delivered, including the number of shares surrendered in
payment of any taxes relating to any Award, hereof will again be available for
Awards under the Plan, except that if any such shares could not again be
available for Awards to a particular Participant under any applicable law or
regulation, such shares shall be available exclusively for Awards to
Participants who are not subject to such limitation. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, (i) shares of Stock tendered in payment of the exercise price of an
Option, (ii) shares of Stock withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax
withholding obligation with respect to an Award, and (iii) shares of Stock that
are repurchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of the
exercise of an Option, may not again be available for issuance in connection
with Awards under the Plan. Also notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Spread
Value of a SAR is paid in shares of Stock, the shares representing the excess,
if any, of (a) the number of shares of Stock subject to the SAR over (b) the
number of shares of Stock delivered in payment of the Spread Value may not again
be available for issuance in connection with Awards under the Plan.
5.
Eligibility
.
Awards may be granted
under the Plan to Eligible Employees, Directors and Consultants.
6.
Awards General Terms and Limitations
.
(a)
Awards Granted at Fair Market
Value
. The exercise price of an Option and the grant price of a SAR may not
be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. In addition, to
the extent that the value of an Other Stock-Based Award is based on Spread
Value, the grant price for the Other Stock-Based Award may not be less than 100%
of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in
connection with any reorganization, merger, consolidation or similar transaction
in which the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company is a
surviving corporation, the Committee may grant Options, SARs or Other
Stock-Based Awards in substitution for similar awards granted under a plan of
another party to the transaction, and in such case the exercise price or grant
price of the substituted Options, SARs or Other Stock-Based Awards granted by
the Company may equal or exceed 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of
grant reduced by any unrealized gain existing as of the date of the transaction
in the option, stock appreciation right or other award being replaced, with the
adjusted exercise price determined in accordance with the requirements of
Section 409A of the Code (in the case of a Nonqualified Stock Option) or Section
425 of the Code (in the case of an Incentive Stock Option).
(b)
Annual Award Limitation
. The
total number of Restricted Stock, RSUs and other shares of Stock subject to or underlying Options, SARs,
Performance Shares, Performance Units and Other Stock-Based Awards awarded to
any Participant during any year may not exceed 5,000,000 shares. A Performance
Share or Performance Unit paid to a Participant with respect to any Performance
Period may not exceed $1,000,000 times the number of years in the Performance
Period.
- 8
(c)
Performance-Based Awards
. In
the discretion of the Committee, any Award granted pursuant to the Plan may be
designated as a performance-based award intended to qualify, through the
application of Management Objectives over a specified Performance Period, as
performance-based compensation within the meaning, and in accordance with the
provisions, of Code Section 162(m).
7.
Terms of Options.
(a)
General.
Options may be
granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Section 7
. In
addition, the Committee may impose on any Option or the exercise thereof, at the
date of grant, such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms
requiring forfeiture of Options in the event of the Participants Termination of
Employment and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his
or her Option. Options granted under the Plan will be in the form of Incentive
Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options. The Committee shall (subject to
Section 13(i)
) retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive or
modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Option that is not mandatory
under the Plan.
(b)
Specific Terms of Options.
The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following
terms and conditions:
(1)
Exercise Price.
The
exercise price per share of Common Stock purchasable under an Option shall be
determined by the Committee, provided that such exercise price shall be not less
than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of
such Option.
(2)
Vesting.
Each Participant
shall acquire a nonforfeitable right to Options awarded to him in accordance
with the provisions of the agreement evidencing the Award of the Options.
(3)
Time and Method of
Exercise.
The Committee shall determine, at the date of grant or thereafter,
the time(s) at which or the circumstances under which an Option may be exercised
in whole or in part (including based on completion of future service
requirements), the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to
be paid, the form of such payment, including, without limitation, cash or Common
Stock held for more than six months, and the methods by or forms in which Common
Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. The specific
circumstances under which a Participant may exercise an Option will be set forth
in the agreement evidencing the Award of the Option to the Participant.
(4)
ISOs.
Except as otherwise
expressly provided in the Plan, the Committee may designate, at the time of
grant, that the Option is an ISO under Section 422 of the Code. ISOs may be
granted only to those Eligible Employees who are entitled to acquire incentive
stock options from the Company under Code Section 422. The terms of any ISO
granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Code
Section 422. Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of the Plan
relating to ISOs shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any
discretion or authority granted under the Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify
either the Plan or any ISO under Code Section 422, unless the Participant has
first requested the change that will result in such disqualification. If any
provision of the Plan or any Option designated by the Committee as an ISO shall
be held not to comply with requirements necessary to entitle such Option to such
tax treatment, then (1) such provision shall be deemed to have contained from
the outset such language as shall be necessary to entitle the Option to the tax
treatment afforded under Section 422 of the Code, and (2) all other provisions
of the Plan and the Award agreement shall remain in full force and effect. An
Option granted under the Plan will be an ISO only if the agreement evidencing
the award of the Option specifically states that the Option is to be an ISO; if
the Agreement does not so state, the Option will be a Nonqualified Stock Option.
In addition, an Option may be an ISO only if it is awarded within ten years
after the Effective Date.
- 9
(5)
Term of Options.
Options
will terminate after the first to occur of the following:
(i) Expiration of the Option as
provided in the applicable Award agreement as determined by the Committee;
(ii) Termination of the Option Award,
as provided for in
Section 7(b)(7)
, following the Participants
Termination of Employment; or
(iii) Ten years from the date of
grant.
(6)
Acceleration/Extension of
Exercise Time
. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the right
(but shall not in any case be obligated) to permit purchase of shares under any
Option prior to the time such Option would otherwise vest under the terms of the
applicable Award agreement. In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion,
shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated) to permit any
Option granted under the Plan to be exercised after its termination date
described in
Section 7(b)(7)
, but in no event later than the last day of
the term of the Option as set forth in the applicable Award agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee will not extend the exercise period
of any Option to the extent that the extension would cause the Option to be
considered nonqualified deferred compensation subject to the provisions of
Section 409A.
(7)
Exercise of Options Upon
Termination of Employment, Death or Disability
. Except as otherwise provided
in this
Section 7(b)(7)
or in
Section 7(b)(6)
, or as otherwise
expressly provided in a Participants Award agreement as authorized by the
Committee, the right of the Participant to exercise Options shall terminate upon
the Participants Termination of Employment, regardless of whether or not the
Options were vested in whole or in part on the date of Termination of
Employment.
(i)
Termination of Employment.
Any Option or portion thereof that is not exercisable on the date of a
Participants Termination of Employment shall immediately expire, and any Option
or portion thereof which is exercisable on the date of such Termination of
Employment may be exercised during a three-month period after such date (after
which period the Option shall expire), but in no event may the Option be
exercised after its expiration under the terms of the Award agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participants Termination of Employment is
by the Company or an Affiliate for Cause or by the Participant other than for
Good Reason, then any Option or unexercised portion thereof granted to said
Participant shall immediately expire upon such Termination of Employment.
- 10
(ii)
Disability or Death of
Participant
. In the event of the Disability or death of a Participant under
the Plan while the Participant is employed by the Company or an Affiliate, any
Option or portion thereof which is not exercisable on the date of such
Disability or death shall immediately expire, and any Option or portion thereof
which is exercisable on the date of such Disability or death may be exercised at
any time from time to time, within a one-year period after the date of such
Disability or death, by the Participant, the guardian of his estate, the
executor or administrator of his estate or by the person or persons to whom his
rights under the Option shall pass by will or the laws of descent and
distribution (after which period the Option will expire), but in no event may
the Option be exercised after its expiration under the terms of the Award
agreement, and provided that an exercise of an Incentive Stock Option later than
three months after the date of the Participants death shall be treated as the
exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option..
8.
Terms of Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a)
General
. A SAR represents
the right to receive a payment, in cash, shares of Stock or both (as determined
by the Committee), equal to the Spread Value on the date the SAR is exercised.
The grant price of a SAR and all other applicable terms and conditions will be
established by the Committee in its sole discretion and will be set forth in the
applicable Award agreement. Subject to the terms of the applicable Award
agreement, a SAR will be exercisable, in whole or in part, by giving written
notice of exercise to the Company, but in no event will a SAR be exercisable
later than the tenth anniversary of the date on which it was granted.
(b)
Specific Terms of SARs.
The
Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Participants on the following terms and
conditions:
(1)
Term of SARs.
SARs will
terminate after the first to occur of the following:
(i) Expiration of the SAR as provided
in the applicable Award agreement as determined by the Committee;
(ii) Termination of the SAR Award, as
provided for in
Section 8(b)(2)
, following the Participants Termination
of Employment; or
(iii) Ten years from the date of
grant.
(2)
Exercise of Stock Appreciation
Rights Upon Termination of Employment, Death or Disability
. Except as
otherwise provided in this
Section 8(b)(2)
, or as otherwise expressly
provided in a Participants Award agreement as authorized by the Committee, the
right of the Participant to exercise the SAR shall terminate upon the
Participants Termination of Employment, regardless of whether or not the SAR
was vested in whole or in part on the date of Termination of Employment.
(i)
Termination of Employment
.
Any SAR or portion thereof that is not exercisable on the date of a
Participants Termination of Employment shall immediately expire, and any SAR or
portion thereof which is exercisable on the date of such Termination of
Employment may be exercised during a three-month period after such date (after
which period the SAR shall expire), but in no event may the SAR be exercised after its expiration under the terms of the Award
agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participants Termination of
Employment is by the Company or an Affiliate for Cause or by the Participant
other than for Good Reason, then any SAR or unexercised portion thereof granted
to said Participant shall immediately expire upon such Termination of
Employment.
- 11
(ii)
Disability or Death of
Participant
. In the event of the Disability or death of a Participant under
the Plan while the Participant is employed by the Company or an Affiliate, any
SAR or portion thereof which is not exercisable on the date of such Disability
or death shall immediately expire, and any SAR or portion thereof that is
exercisable on the date of such Disability or death may be exercised at any time
from time to time, within a one-year period after the date of such Disability or
death, by the Participant, the guardian of his estate, the executor or
administrator of his estate or by the person or persons to whom his rights under
the SAR shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution (after which
period the SAR will expire), but in no event may the SAR be exercised after is
expiration under the terms of the Award agreement.
9.
Terms of Restricted Stock Awards.
(a)
General.
Shares of
Restricted Stock may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Section 9
. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award of
Restricted Stock, at the date of grant, such additional terms and conditions,
not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall
determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of shares of Restricted Stock in
the event of the Participants Termination of Employment and terms permitting a
Participant to make elections relating to his or her shares of Restricted Stock.
The Committee shall (subject to
Section 13(i)
) retain full power and
discretion to accelerate, waive or modify, at any time, any term or condition of
an Award of shares of Restricted Stock that is not mandatory under the Plan.
Except in cases in which the Committee is authorized to require other forms of
consideration under the Plan, or to the extent other forms of consideration must
be paid to satisfy the requirements of Delaware law, no consideration other than
services may be required for the grant of any shares of Restricted Stock.
(b)
Vesting.
Each Participant
shall acquire a nonforfeitable right to shares of Restricted Stock awarded to
him in accordance with the provisions of the agreement evidencing the Award of
the Restricted Stock.
(c)
Ownership Rights.
Subject to
the terms of the Plan, to divestment based on the forfeiture restrictions
applying to an Award of Restricted Stock and to the other terms of the Award
agreement, (i) Restricted Stock granted pursuant to an Award shall for all
purposes be issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (ii) the
Participant shall be the record owner of the Restricted Stock granted by the
Award, shall have the right to vote the Restricted Stock as Common Stock on any
matter upon which holders of Common Stock are entitled to vote, and shall be
entitled to dividends and distributions on the Restricted Stock which are
payable with respect to outstanding shares of Common Stock.
10.
Terms of Restricted Stock Units.
(a)
Agreement to Grant Stock.
Each such grant or sale shall constitute the agreement by the Company to
deliver shares of Common Stock to the Participant in the future in consideration
of the performance of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such
conditions during the Restriction Period as the Board may specify.
- 12
(b)
Exercise Price.
Each such
grant or sale may be made without additional consideration or in consideration
of a payment by such Participant that is less than the Fair Market Value at the
date of grant.
(c)
Restrictions.
Each such
grant or sale shall be subject to such forfeiture and other restrictions as may
be determined by the Board at the date of grant, and may provide for the lapse
or other modification of such restrictions in the event of a Change of Control.
(d)
Voting and Dividend Rights.
While and to the extent that forfeiture restrictions apply to an Award, the
Participant shall have no right to transfer any rights under his or her Award
and shall have no rights of ownership in the Restricted Stock Units and shall
have no right to vote them, but the Board may, at or after the date of grant,
authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on the shares underlying such
units on either a current or deferred or contingent basis, either in cash, in
additional shares of Common Stock, or in other rights or property.
11.
Performance Shares and Performance Units.
(a)
Agreement to Grant Units.
Each grant shall specify the number of Performance Shares or Performance
Units to which it pertains, which number may be subject to adjustment to reflect
changes in compensation or other factors.
(b)
Performance Periods.
The
Performance Period with respect to each Performance Share or Performance Unit
shall be such period of time commencing with the date of grant as shall be
determined by the Board on the date of grant.
(c)
Specification of Performance
Goals.
Any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units shall specify
Management Objectives which, if achieved, will result in payment or early
payment of the Award, and each grant may specify in respect of such specified
Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level of achievement and shall set
forth a formula for determining the number of Performance Shares or Performance
Units that will be earned if performance is at or above the minimum level, but
falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The
grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units shall specify that, before the
Performance Shares or Performance Units shall be earned and paid, the Board must
certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.
(d)
Time and Form of Payment.
Each grant shall specify the time and manner of payment of Performance
Shares or Performance Units that have been earned. Any grant may specify that
the amount payable with respect thereto may be paid by the Company in cash, in
shares of Common Stock or in any combination thereof and may either grant to the
Participant or retain in the Board the right to elect among those alternatives.
(e)
Limitations on Awards.
Any
grant of Performance Shares may specify that the amount payable with respect
thereto may not exceed a maximum specified by the Board at the Date of Grant.
Any grant of Performance Units may specify that the amount payable or the number
of shares of Common Stock issued with respect thereto may not exceed maximums
specified by the Board at the date of grant.
(f)
Dividend Equivalents.
The
Board may, at or after the date of grant of Performance Shares, provide for the
payment of dividend equivalents to the holder thereof on either a current or
deferred or contingent basis, either in cash, in additional shares of Common
Stock or in other rights or property.
- 13
12.
Other Stock-Based Awards
.
(a)
Other Stock-Based Awards
.
The Committee may grant Awards, other than Options, SARs, Restricted Stock,
RSUs, Performance Shares or Performance Units, that are denominated in, valued
in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Stock.
The purchase, exercise, exchange or conversion of Other Stock-Based Awards
granted under this
Section 12
and all other terms and conditions
applicable to the awards will be determined by the Committee in its sole
discretion and will be set forth in the applicable Award agreement.
13.
General Provisions.
(a)
Change of Control.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary and unless otherwise
provided in the applicable Award agreement, in the event of any Change of
Control:
(1) Any Option carrying a right to
exercise that was not previously exercisable and vested shall become fully
exercisable and vested as of the time of the Change of Control and shall remain
exercisable and vested for the balance of the stated term of such Option without
regard to any Termination of Employment, subject only to (A) applicable
restrictions set forth in
Section 13(b) and (c)
hereof and (B) the
Boards right to cancel all Options and, if an Option in the Boards judgment
has value based on its exercise price, provide for a payment of the aggregate
spread in the cancelled Options. In addition, a Participant who is an Executive
Officer of the Company and whose employment is involuntarily terminated by the
Company within 60 days after a Change of Control will be permitted to surrender
for cancellation within 60 days after the Change of Control any Option or
portion of an Option to the extent not exercised and to receive a payment of
shares of Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date the
Participant surrenders the Option equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the Change
of Control Price, over (B) the exercise price of the Option. The provisions of
this
Section 13(a)(1)
will not be applicable to any Options granted to a
Participant if the Change of Control results from the Participants beneficial
ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d(3) under the Exchange Act) of Stock or
Voting Securities;
(2) Any SARs outstanding as of the
date the Change of Control occurs will become fully vested and will be
exercisable in accordance with procedures established by the Committee. The
provisions of this
Section 13(a)(2)
will not be applicable to any SARs
granted to a Participant if the Change of Control results from the Participants
beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d(3) under the Exchange Act)
of Stock or Voting Securities;
(3) Any restrictions and other
conditions applicable to any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units held by
the Participant will lapse and such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units
will become fully vested as of the date of the Change of Control;
(4) Any Performance Shares or
Performance Units held by the Participant relating to Performance Periods before
the Performance Period in which the Change of Control occurs that have been
earned but not paid will become immediately payable in cash. In addition, any
Performance Shares or Performance Units awarded to a Participant for a
Performance Period that has not been completed at the time of the Change of
Control will be deemed satisfied at the target level for the Performance Period,
and payment with respect to the Performance Shares or Performance Units will be made in cash upon the
Change of Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Committee in its sole
discretion determines that any Performance Shares or Performance Units awarded
would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code, and if the Change of Control would not be considered a
change in control for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, then a
Participants entitlement to payment with respect to the Performance Shares or
Performance Units will be determined as described above in
Section
13(a)(4)
, but payment with respect to such Performance Shares or Performance
Units will be made on the date originally scheduled for payment or, if earlier,
upon the Participants Termination of Employment; and
- 14
(5) Any Other Stock-Based Awards that
vest solely on the basis of the passage of time will be treated in connection
with a Change of Control in the same manner as are Awards of Restricted Shares
and RSUs, as described in
Section 13(a)(3)
above. Other Stock-Based
Awards that vest on the basis of satisfaction of performance criteria will be
treated in connection with a Change of Control in the same manner as are
Performance Shares and Performance Units, as described in
Section
13(a)(4)
above, except that payment will be made only in shares of Stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the committee in its sole discretion
determines that any Other Stock-Based Award would be considered nonqualified
deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and if the
Change of Control would not be considered a change in control for purposes of
Section 409A of the Code, then a Participants entitlement to payment with
respect to the Other Stock-Based Award will be determined as described above in
this
Section 13(a)(5)
, but payment with respect to such Other Stock-Based
Award will be made on the date originally scheduled for payment, or, if earlier,
upon the Participants Termination of Employment.
(b)
Compliance with Legal and Other
Requirements.
The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable
by the Committee, postpone the issuance or delivery of Common Stock or payment
of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or
qualification of such Common Stock or other required action under any federal or
state law, rule or regulation, listing or other required action with respect to
any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Common Stock or
other securities of the Company may in the future be listed or quoted, or
compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee may
consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such
representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such
other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance
or delivery of Common Stock or payment of other benefits in compliance with
applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other
obligations.
(c)
Limits on Transferability;
Beneficiaries.
No Award or other right or interest of a Participant under
the Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or subject to
any lien, obligation or liability of such Participant to any party (other than
the Company or a subsidiary), or assigned or transferred by such Participant
otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a
Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and Options, SARs or Other
Stock-Based Awards that may be exercisable shall be exercised during the
lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his or her guardian or
legal representative, except that Options (other than ISOs), SARs and Other
Stock-Based Awards may be transferred to one or more Beneficiaries or other
transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and may be exercised by such
transferees in accordance with the terms of such Option, SAR, or Other Stock
Based Award but only if and to the extent such transfers are permitted by the
Committee pursuant to the express terms of an Option, SAR or Other Stock-Based
Award agreement (subject to any terms and conditions which the Committee may impose thereon). A
Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from
or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the
Plan and any Award agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise
determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Committee.
- 15
(d)
Adjustments.
In the event
that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common
Stock, or other property), capital contribution, recapitalization, forward or
reverse split, reorganization, merger, acquisition, consolidation, spin-off,
combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other
corporate transaction or event affects the Common Stock such that an adjustment
is determined by the Committee to be appropriate under the Plan, then the
Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of
(1) the number and kind of shares of Common Stock which may be delivered in
connection with Awards granted thereafter, (2) the number and kind of shares of
Common Stock subject to or deliverable in respect of Awards and (3) the exercise
price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award and/or make provision
for payment of cash or other property in respect of any outstanding Award. In
addition, the Committee is authorized to make such adjustments in the terms and
conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards as the Committee deems
equitable in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without
limitation, events described in the preceding sentence, as well as acquisitions
and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Company, Subsidiary or
any business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or Subsidiary, or
in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles,
tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committees
assessment of the business strategy of the Company, Subsidiary or business unit
thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business
conditions, personal performance of a Participant, and any other circumstances
deemed relevant.
(e)
Payments and Payment
Deferrals
. Payment of Awards may be in the form of cash, Stock, other Awards
or combinations thereof as the Committee may determine, and with such
restrictions as it may impose. The Committee, either at the time of grant or by
subsequent amendment, may require or permit deferral of the payment of Awards
under such rules and procedures as it may establish. It also may provide that
deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest or other
earnings on the deferred amounts, or the payment or crediting of dividend
equivalents where the deferred amounts are denominated in Stock equivalents.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no action will be taken or authorized pursuant to
this
Section 13(e)
to the extent that it would violate the requirements
of Section 409A of the Code or cause any Award of Options or SARs to be
considered to provide for the deferral of compensation within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code.
The Committee may require that each
person acquiring shares of Stock pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree
with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the shares without a
view to the distribution thereof. The certificates for such shares may include
any legend that the committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on
transfer. All certificates for shares of Stock or other securities delivered
under the Plan will be subject to such stock transfer orders and other
restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations
and other requirements of the Commission, any stock exchange upon which the
Stock is then listed and any applicable Federal, state or foreign securities
law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such
certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
(f)
Award Agreements
. Each Award
under the Plan will be evidenced by a written agreement (which need not be
signed by the recipient unless otherwise specified by the Committee or otherwise provided under the Plan) that sets forth the
terms, conditions and limitations for each Award. Such terms may include, but
are not limited to, the term of the Award, vesting and forfeiture provisions,
and the provisions applicable in the event of the recipients Termination of
Employment. The Committee may amend an Award agreement, provided that no such
amendment may materially and adversely affect an outstanding Award without the
Award recipients consent.
- 16
(g)
Foreign Employees.
In order
to facilitate the making of any grant or combination of grants under this Plan,
the Board may provide for such special terms for Awards to Participants who are
foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Subsidiary outside
of the United States of America as the Board may consider necessary or
appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom.
Moreover, the Board may approve such supplements to or amendments, restatements
or alternative versions of this Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate
for such purposes, without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect
for any other purpose, and the secretary or other appropriate officer of the
Company may certify any such document as having been approved and adopted in the
same manner as this Plan. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or
restatements, however, shall include any provisions that are inconsistent with
the terms of this Plan as then in effect unless this Plan could have been
amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the
stockholders of the Company.
(h)
Taxes.
The Company and any
Affiliate or Subsidiary is authorized to withhold from any payment to a
Participant amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in
connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other
action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and
Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and
other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include
authority to withhold or receive Common Stock or other property and to make cash
payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participants tax obligations
(not to exceed the minimum statutorily required tax withholding), either on a
mandatory or elective basis in the discretion of the Committee.
(i)
Changes to the Plan and
Awards.
The Board, or the Committee acting pursuant to such authority as may
be delegated to it by the Board, may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or
terminate the Plan or the Committees authority to grant Awards under the Plan,
provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, except as
otherwise contemplated by the Plan or the terms of an Award agreement, no such
Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of a Participant
under any previously granted and outstanding Award. Except as otherwise provided
in the Plan, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend,
alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any
Award agreement relating thereto, provided that, without the consent of an
affected Participant, except as otherwise contemplated by the Plan or the terms
of an Award agreement, no Committee action may materially and adversely affect
the rights of such Participant under such Award.
(j)
Limitation on Rights Conferred
under Plan.
Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be
construed as (i) giving any Eligible Employee or Participant the right to
continue as an Eligible Employee or Participant or in the employ or service of
the Company or a subsidiary, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the
Company or a Subsidiary to terminate any Eligible Employees or Participants
employment or service at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Employee or
Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated
uniformly with other Participants and employees, or (iv) conferring on a
Participant any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company unless and until
the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Common Stock in
accordance with the terms of an Option or an Award of Restricted Stock. To the
extent that an employee of a Subsidiary or Affiliate receives an Award under the
Plan, that Award can in no event be understood or interpreted to mean that the Company is the
employees employer or that the employee has an employment relationship with the
Company.
- 17
(k)
Provisions Held Invalid or
Unenforceable
. If any provision of the Plan is held invalid or
unenforceable, the invalidity or unenforceability will not affect the remaining
parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be enforced and construed as if such
provision had not been included.
(l)
Nonexclusivity of the Plan.
The adoption of the Plan by the Board shall not be construed as creating any
limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other
compensation and incentive arrangements for employees, agents and brokers of the
Company and its subsidiaries as it may deem desirable.
(m)
Payments in the Event of
Forfeitures; Fractional Shares.
Unless otherwise determined by the
Committee, in the event of a forfeiture of a share of Common Stock, Option or
SAR with respect to which a Participant paid cash or other consideration, the
Participant shall be repaid the amount of such cash or other consideration.
(n)
Governing Law.
The validity,
construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan,
and any Award agreement shall be determined in accordance with Delaware law,
without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws, and applicable federal
law.
(o)
Plan Effective Date.
The
Plan has been adopted by the Board and the shareholders of the Company as of the
Effective Date.
(p)
Last Grant Date.
No Award
may be granted under the Plan after
October 1, 2018.
(q)
Unfunded Status of Plan.
It
is presently intended that the Plan constitute an unfunded plan for incentive
and deferred compensation. The Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or
other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver
Stock or make payments; however, unless the Committee otherwise determines, the
structure of such trusts or other arrangements must be consistent with the
unfunded status of the Plan.
- 18
XcelMobility (CE) (USOTC:XCLL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2025 to Feb 2025
XcelMobility (CE) (USOTC:XCLL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Feb 2025