UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14 (a) of the Securities Exchange

Act of 1934

 

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Check the appropriate box:

¨Preliminary Proxy Statement
¨Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only

(as permitted by Rule 14a-6 (e) (2))

xDefinitive Proxy Statement
¨Definitive Additional Materials
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Inter Parfums, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

 

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

 

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Inter Parfums, Inc.

551 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10176

 

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

to be Held on September 13, 2016

 

To the Shareholders of Inter Parfums, Inc.:

 

The annual meeting of shareholders of Inter Parfums, Inc. (the “company”) will be held at the offices of the company, at 10:00 A.M., New York City Time, on September 13, 2016, at

 

Inter Parfums, Inc.

551 Fifth Avenue – 15th Floor

New York, NY 10176

Tel: 212.983.2640

 

for the following purposes:

 

1.To elect a board of directors consisting of nine (9) members to hold office until our next annual meeting and until their successors are elected and qualified;

 

2.To vote for the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation;

 

3.To approve the adoption of our 2016 Stock Option Plan; and

 

4.To consider and transact such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting or any adjournments of the annual meeting.

 

The board of directors has fixed the close of business on July 19, 2016 as the record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting and any adjournments of the annual meeting. The list of shareholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting may be examined by any shareholder at our offices at 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10176, during the ten day period prior to September 13, 2016.

 

  By Order of our Board of Directors
   
Dated:  July 25, 2016 Michelle Habert, Secretary

 

WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE FILL IN, SIGN AND DATE THE PROXY SUBMITTED HEREWITH AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. THE GIVING OF SUCH PROXY WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR RIGHT TO REVOKE SUCH PROXY IN PERSON SHOULD YOU LATER DECIDE TO ATTEND THE MEETING. THE ENCLOSED PROXY IS BEING SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

 

  

 

 

Inter Parfums, Inc.

 

Proxy Statement

 

Important Notice

Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials

for the Shareholder Meeting to Be Held on September 13, 2016

 

·             This proxy statement and the company’s annual report to shareholders for fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 are available at:

 

http://interparfums.investorroom.com

 

·             Accessing this website will not infringe upon your anonymity.

 

GENERAL

 

This proxy statement is furnished by the board of directors of our company, Inter Parfums, Inc., a Delaware corporation, with offices located at 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10176, in connection with the solicitation of proxies to be used at the annual meeting of our shareholders being held on September 13, 2016 and at any adjournments of the annual meeting. For purposes of this proxy statement, unless the context otherwise indicates, the terms the “company,” “us” or “our” refer to Inter Parfums, Inc.

 

This proxy statement will be mailed to shareholders beginning approximately August 2, 2016. If a proxy in the accompanying form is properly executed and returned, then the shares represented by the proxy will be voted as instructed on the proxy. Any shareholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is voted by providing written notice of revocation to the company’s Secretary or by a shareholder voting in person at the annual meeting.

 

All properly executed proxies received prior to the annual meeting will be voted at the annual meeting in accordance with the instructions marked on the proxy or as otherwise stated in the proxy. Unless instructions to the contrary are indicated, proxies will be voted

 

·FOR the election of the nine (9) directors referred to in this proxy statement

 

·FOR the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation and

 

·FOR the adoption of our 2016 Stock Option Plan.

 

In addition, the persons holding the proxies will consider and vote upon such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting or any adjournments of the annual meeting.

 

 1

 

 

A copy of the company’s annual report for fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, which contains financial statements audited by the company’s independent registered public accounting firm, is being mailed to the company’s shareholders along with this proxy statement.

 

We will bear the cost of preparing, assembling and mailing this notice of meeting, proxy statement, proxy and the enclosed annual report, as well as maintaining our internet website where you can obtain copies of this proxy statement and annual report to shareholders. In addition to solicitation of the proxies by use of the mails, some of our officers and regular employees, without extra remuneration, may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, telecopier or e-mail. We may also request brokerage houses, nominees, custodians and fiduciaries to forward soliciting material to the beneficial owners of our common stock. We will reimburse these persons for their expenses in forwarding soliciting material.

 

VOTING SECURITIES AND

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF

 

Our board of directors fixed the close of business on July 19, 2016 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting. Only holders of our common stock on the record date will be able to vote at the annual meeting.

 

As of July 8, 2016, we had 31,058,965 shares of our common stock outstanding. Each share of our common stock will entitle the holder of such share to one vote. None of the company’s shareholders have cumulative voting rights. Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to vote on all matters. We also have 1,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, $.001 par value per share, none of which are outstanding.

 

The holders of a majority of the total number of outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote must be present in person or by proxy to constitute the necessary quorum for any business to be transacted at the annual meeting. Properly executed proxies marked “abstain,” as well as proxies held in street name by brokers that are not voted on all proposals to come before the annual meeting (“broker non-votes”), will be considered “present” for purposes of determining whether a quorum has been achieved at the annual meeting.

 

The nine (9) nominees to our board of directors receiving the greatest number of votes cast at the annual meeting in person or by proxy shall be elected. Consequently, any shares of our common stock present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting, but not voted for any reason will have no impact in the election of our board of directors. With respect to the advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, and the proposal to approve the adoption of the 2016 Stock Option Plan the favorable vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock present or represented at the annual meeting is required for approval.

 

Other matters that may be submitted to our shareholders for a vote at the annual meeting, if any, will require the favorable vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock present or represented at the annual meeting for approval, unless we advise you otherwise. If any matter proposed at the annual meeting must receive a specific percentage of favorable votes for approval, then abstentions in respect of such proposal are treated as present and entitled to vote under Delaware, law and therefore such abstentions have the effect of a vote against such proposal. Broker non-votes in respect of any proposal are not counted for purposes of determining whether such proposal has received the requisite approval.

 

 2

 

 

Members of our management have been informed that Messrs. Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin, the beneficial owners of our two largest shareholders, have a verbal agreement or understanding to vote their shares in a like manner, and intend to vote in favor of all of the nominees for directors. Therefore, all of the nominees are all likely to be elected. Also, members of our management have been informed that Messrs. Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin intend to vote in favor of the other proposals, and it is likely that such proposals will be passed as recommended by our management.

 

We know of no business other than the proposals discussed above that will be presented for consideration at the annual meeting. If any other matter is properly presented, then it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote in accordance with their best judgment.

 

The following table sets forth information, as of July 8, 2016 with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock by (a) each person we know to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock, (b) our executive officers and directors and (c) all of our directors and officers as a group. Each of Messrs. Madar and Benacin own 99.99% of their respective personal holding companies. As of July 8, 2016 we had 31,058,965 shares of common stock outstanding.

 

Name and Address
of Beneficial Owner
  Amount of Beneficial Ownership1   Approximate Percent of Class 
         
Jean Madar
c/o Interparfums SA
4, Rond Point Des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris, France
   7,138,2112   22.9%
           
Philippe Benacin
c/o Interparfums SA
4, Rond Point Des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris, France
   6,950,2243   22.3%

 

 

1 All shares of common stock are directly held with sole voting power and sole power to dispose, unless otherwise stated. Options which are exercisable within 60 days are included in beneficial ownership calculations. Jean Madar, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Philippe Benacin, the Vice Chairman of the Board and President of the Company, have a verbal agreement or understanding to vote the shares each beneficially owns in a like manner.

2 Consists of 48,870 shares held directly, 7,032,341 shares held indirectly through Jean Madar Holding SAS, a personal holding company, and options to purchase 57,000 shares.

3 Consists of 47,160 shares held directly, 6,846,064 shares held indirectly through Philippe Benacin Holding SAS, a personal holding company, and options to purchase 57,000 shares.

 

 3

 

 

Name and Address
of Beneficial Owner
  Amount of Beneficial Ownership1   Approximate Percent of Class 
         
Russell Greenberg
c/o Inter Parfums, Inc.
551 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10176
   68,0004   Less than 1%
           
Philippe Santi
Interparfums SA
4, Rond Point Des Champs Elysees
75008, Paris France
   4,0005   Less than 1%
           
Francois Heilbronn
60 Avenue de Breteuil
75007 Paris, France
   31,5636   Less than 1%
           
Jean Levy
17 Rue Margueritte
75017 Paris, France
   3,0007   Less than 1%
           
Robert Bensoussan-Torres
c/o Sirius Equity LLP
52 Brook Street
W1K 5DS London
   10,0008   Less than 1%
           
Patrick Choël
140 Rue de Grenelle
75007, Paris, France
   1,0009   Less than 1%
           
Michel Dyens
Michel Dyens & Co.
17 Avenue Montaigne
75008 Paris, France
   1,00010   Less than 1%
           
Frederic Garcia-Pelayo
Interparfums SA
4, Rond Point Des Champs Elysees
75008, Paris France
   6,20011   Less than 1%
           
Henry B. (Andy) Clarke
c/o Inter Parfums, Inc.
551 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10176
   24,12512   Less than 1%

 

 

4 Consists of shares of common stock underlying options.

5 Consists of shares of common stock underlying options.

6 Consists of 29,563 shares held directly and options to purchase 2,000 shares.

7 Consists of 1,750 shares held directly and options to purchase 1,250 shares.

8 Consists of 7,500 shares held directly and options to purchase 2,500 shares.

9 Consists of shares of common stock underlying options.

10 Consists of shares of common stock underlying options.

11 Consists of shares of common stock underlying options.

12 Consists of 1,625 shares held directly and options to purchase 22,500 shares.

 

 4

 

 

Name and Address
of Beneficial Owner
  Amount of Beneficial Ownership1   Approximate Percent of Class 
         
All Directors and Officers
(As a Group 11 Persons)
   14,237,32313   45.5%

 

PROPOSAL NO. 1:

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

General

 

The members of our board of directors are each elected with a plurality of votes cast in favor of their election for a one-year term or until their successors are elected and qualify. With the exception of Philippe Benacin, the officers are elected annually by the directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors. There are no family relationships between executive officers or directors of our company.

 

Unless authority is withheld, the proxies in the accompanying form will be voted in favor of the election of the nominees named above as directors. Although all of the nominees have indicated their willingness to serve if elected, if at the time of the meeting any nominee is unable to or unwilling to serve, then the shares represented by properly executed proxies will be voted at the discretion of the person named in the proxies for another person designated by our board of directors.

 

Board of Directors

 

Our board of directors has the responsibility for establishing broad corporate policies and for the overall performance of our Company. Although certain directors are not involved in day-to-day operating details, members of the board of directors are kept informed of our business by various reports and documents made available to them. Our board of directors held 16 meetings (or executed consents in lieu thereof), including meetings of committees of the full board of directors during 2015 (including the last regular board meeting of 2015 held during January 2016), and all of the directors attended at least 75% of the meetings (or executed consents in lieu thereof) of the full board of directors and committees of which they were a member. Our board of directors presently consists of nine (9) directors.

 

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, as well as other persons performing similar functions, and we agree to provide to any person without charge, upon request, a copy of our Code of Business Conduct. Any person who requests a copy of our Code of Business Conduct should provide their name and address in writing to: Inter Parfums, Inc., 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10176, Att.: Shareholder Relations. In addition, our Code of Conduct is also maintained on our website, at www.interparfumsinc.com.

 

 

13 Consists of 14,014,873 shares held directly or indirectly, and options to purchase 222,450 shares.

 

 5

 

 

During 2015, our board of directors had the following standing committees:

 

·Audit Committee – The Audit Committee has the sole authority and is directly responsible for, the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the independent accountants employed by our company which prepare or issue audit reports for our company. During 2015, the Audit Committee consisted of Messrs. Heilbronn, Levy and Choël.

 

The Company does not have an “audit committee financial expert” within the definition of the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. First, finding qualified nominees to serve as a director of a public company without substantial financial resources has been challenging. Second, despite the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rule which states that being named as the audit committee financial expert does not impose any greater duty, obligation or liability, our company has been met with resistance from both present and former directors to being named as such, primarily due to potential additional personal liability. However, as the result of the background, education and experience of the members of the Audit Committee, our board of directors believes that such committee members are fully qualified to fulfill their obligations as members of the Audit Committee.

 

·Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee – The Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee oversees the compensation of our company’s executives and administers our company’s stock option plans. During 2015, the members of such committee consisted of Messrs. Heilbronn, Levy and Choël. The charter of the Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee is posted on our company’s website.

 

·Nominating Committee – The members of such committee consist of Messrs. Heilbronn, Levy and Choël. The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to determine and recommend qualified persons to the Board of Directors who will be put forth as management's slate of directors for vote of the Corporation's stockholders, as well as to fill vacancies in the Board of Directors. The charter of the Nominating Committee is posted on our company’s website.

 

Director Independence

 

The following are our directors who are “independent directors” within the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market:

 

Francois Heilbronn

Jean Levy

Robert Bensoussan-Torres

Patrick Choël

Michel Dyens

 

 6

 

 

We follow and comply with the independent director definitions as provided by The Nasdaq Stock Market rules in determining the independence of our directors, which are posted on our company’s website. In addition, such rules are also available on The Nasdaq Stock Market’s website. In addition, The Nasdaq Stock Market maintains more stringent rules relating to director independence for the members of our Audit Committee, and the members of our Audit Committee, Messrs. Heilbronn, Levy and Choël, are independent within the meaning of those rules.

 

Procedures for Approval of Related Person Transactions

 

Transactions between related persons, such as between an executive officer or director and our company, or any company or person controlled by such officer or director, are required to be approved by our Audit Committee of our board of directors. Our Audit Committee Charter contains such explicit authority, as required by the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market.

 

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Management

 

For more than the past ten (10) years, Jean Madar has held the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of our company. Almost since inception, Mr. Madar has been allocated the responsibility of overseeing our United States operations and the operation of Inter Parfums, Inc., as a public company. Philippe Benacin, as Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA, has been allocated the responsibility of overseeing our European operations and its operation as a public company in France. In addition, Mr. Benacin is also the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of our company. Our board of directors is comfortable with this approach, as the two largest stockholders of our company are also directly responsible for the operations of our company’s two operating segments. Accordingly, our board of directors does not have a “Lead Director,” a non-management director who controls the meetings of our board of directors.

 

Our board of directors manages risk by (i) review of period operating reports and discussions with management; (ii) approval of executive compensation incentive plans through its committee, the Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee; (iii) approval of related party transactions through its committee, the Audit Committee; and (iv) approval of material transactions not in the ordinary course of business. Since our inception, we have never been the subject of any material product liability claims, and we have had no recent material property damage claims.

 

Further, we periodically enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to hedge exposure related to receivables denominated in a foreign currency and to manage risks related to future sales expected to be denominated in a foreign currency. We enter into these exchange contracts for periods consistent with our identified exposures. The purpose of the hedging activities is to minimize the effect of foreign exchange rate movements on the receivables and cash flows of Interparfums SA, our French subsidiary, whose functional currency is the Euro. All foreign currency contracts are denominated in currencies of major industrial countries and are with large financial institutions, which are rated as strong investment grade.

 

 7

 

 

In addition, we mitigate interest rate risk by continually monitoring interest rates, and then determining whether fixed interest rates should be swapped for floating rate debt, or if floating rate debt should be swapped for fixed rate debt.

 

Business Experience

 

The following sets forth biographical information as to the business experience of each executive officer and director of our Company for at least the past five years.

 

Board of Directors

 

Jean Madar

 

Jean Madar, age 55, a Director, has been the Chairman of the Board since our company’s inception, and is a co-founder of our company with Mr. Philippe Benacin. From inception until December 1993 he was the President of our company; in January 1994, he became Director General of Interparfums SA, our company’s subsidiary; and in January 1997, he became Chief Executive Officer of our company. Mr. Madar was previously the managing director of Interparfums SA, from September 1983 until June 1985. At such subsidiary, he had the responsibility of overseeing the marketing operations of its foreign distribution, including market research analysis and actual marketing campaigns. Mr. Madar graduated from The French University for Economic and Commercial Sciences (ESSEC) in 1983. We believe that Mr. Madar’s skills in guiding, leading and determining the strategic direction of our company since its inception together with Mr. Benacin, in addition to his contacts in the fragrance and cosmetic industry, render him qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

Philippe Benacin

 

Mr. Benacin, age 57, a Director, is President of our Company and the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA, has been the Vice Chairman of the Board since September 1991, and is a co-founder of our company with Mr. Madar. He was elected the Executive Vice President in September 1991, Senior Vice President in April 1993, and President of the Company in January 1994. In addition, he has been the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA for more than the past five years. Mr. Benacin graduated from The French University for Economic and Commercial Sciences (ESSEC) in 1983. We believe that Mr. Benacin’s skills in guiding, leading and determining the strategic direction of our company since its inception together with Mr. Madar, in addition to his contacts in the fragrance and cosmetic industry, render him qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

Russell Greenberg

 

Mr. Greenberg, age 59, the Chief Financial Officer, was Vice-President, Finance when he joined the Company in June 1992; became Executive Vice President in April 1993; and was appointed to our board of directors in February 1995. He is a certified public accountant licensed in the State of New York, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. After graduating from The Ohio State University in 1980, he was employed in public accounting until he joined our company in June 1992. We believe that Mr. Greenberg’s skills in accounting and tax, as well as his knowledge of the fragrance industry and our Company’s operations, render him qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

 8

 

 

Philippe Santi

 

Philippe Santi, age 54 and a Director since December 1999, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Interparfums SA. Mr. Santi, who is a Certified Accountant and Statutory Auditor in France, has been the Chief Financial Officer of Interparfums SA since February 1995. Prior to February 1995, Mr. Santi was the Chief Financial Officer for Stryker France and an Audit Manager for Ernst and Young. We believe that Mr. Santi’s skills in accounting and tax, as well as his knowledge of the fragrance industry and our Company’s European operations, render him qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

Francois Heilbronn

 

Mr. Heilbronn, age 55, a Director since 1988, an independent director and a member of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and the Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee, is a graduate of Harvard Business School with a Master of Business Administration degree and is currently the managing partner of the consulting firm of M.M. Friedrich, Heilbronn & Fiszer. He was formerly employed by The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. from 1988 through 1992 as a manager. Mr. Heilbronn graduated from Institut d' Etudes Politiques de Paris in June 1983. From 1984 to 1986, he worked as a financial analyst for Lazard Freres & Co. In addition, during 2009, Mr. Heilbronn became an Associate Professor in Business Strategy at Sciences Po, Paris, France. As the result of his business and financial acumen, as well as his experience as managing partner of a business consulting firm in the area of mergers and acquisitions of large international companies in retail, consumer goods and consumer services throughout the world, we believe Mr. Heilbronn is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

Jean Levy

 

Jean Levy, age 83, a Director since August 1996, an independent director and a member of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and the Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee, worked for twenty-seven years at L'Oreal, and was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cosmair, the exclusive United States licensee of L'Oreal, from 1983 through June 1987. In addition, he is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Sanofi Beaute (France). For more than the past five years, Mr. Levy has been an independent advisor as well as a consultant for economic development to local governments in France. A graduate of l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, he also attended Yale Graduate School and was a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship. He was also a Professor at l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. He was formerly a director of Zannier Group and Escada Beaute Worldwide and Rallye, S.A. In addition, Mr. Levy was also a director (Chairman of the Board until October 2001) of Financière d'Or, and its subsidiary, Histoire d'Or which is in the retail jewelry business. Mr. Levy was formerly a consultant to Ernst & Young, Paris through 2004. Due to Mr. Levy having over thirty years’ experience as an executive officer, including more than ten years as President and Chief Executive Officer of well-known cosmetic companies such as Cosmair and Sanofi Beaute (France), we believe he is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

 9

 

 

Robert Bensoussan

 

Robert Bensoussan, age 57, has been a Director since March 1997, and also is an independent director. Mr. Bensoussan is the co-founder of Sirius Equity, a retail and branded luxury goods investment company. Since 2008, Sirius has invested in UK shoe and clothing retailer LK Bennett, Italian sportswear retailer and wholesaler Jeckerson Spa and feelunique.com, Europe's largest online beauty retailer. Mr. Bensoussan served previously as Executive Chairman and CEO of LK Bennett and is now Non-Executive Chairman. He has also acted as the Non-Executive Chairman of Jerkerson Spa since May 2008 and of feelunique.com since December 2012. Mr. Bensoussan is a board member of lululemon athletica inc. He is also a member of three private Boards, including Men's retailer Celio International (Belgium), Zen Cars (Belgium), an electric car rental company, and Eaglemoss Ltd. (UK) a part-works publisher. Previously Mr. Bensoussan was as director of, and had an indirect ownership interest J. Choo Limited until July 2011, and CEO (from 2001 to 2007) and a member of the Board of Jimmy Choo Ltd (from 2001 to 2011), a privately held luxury shoe wholesaler and retailer. We believe Mr. Bensoussan is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his business and financial acumen, as well as his experience in the retail and branded luxury goods market.

 

Patrick Choël

 

Mr. Choël, age 72, was appointed to the board of directors in June 2006 as an independent director, and is a member of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and the Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee. Mr. Choël is a director of our majority-owned subsidiary, Interparfums SA, a publicly held company, and Christian Dior and Guerlain, both privately held companies. He is also the manager of Université 82, a business consultant and advisor. For approximately 10 years, through March 2004, Mr. Choël worked as the President and CEO of two divisions of LVMH, first Parfums Christian Dior, a leading world-wide prestige beauty/fragrances business, and later, the LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics Division, which included such well-known brands as Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Parfums Givenchy, among others. Prior to such time, for approximately 30 years, he worked at various executive positions at Unilever, including President and CEO of Elida Fabergé France and President and CEO of Chesebrough Pond’s USA. We believe that Mr. Choël, who has previously worked as President and Chief Executive Officer of two divisions of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A., which included such well-known brands as Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Parfums Givenchy, is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

 

 10

 

 

Michel Dyens

 

Michel Dyens, age 76, is the owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Michel Dyens & Co., which he founded more than 25 years ago. With headquarters in New York and Paris, Michel Dyens & Co. is a leading independent investment banking firm focused on mergers and acquisitions. Michel Dyens & Co. has vast experience in the luxury goods, beauty, spirits and other premium branded consumer goods in which it has concluded numerous landmark deals. Michel Dyens & Co. has advised in such deals as the sale of the Grey Goose ultra-premium vodka brand to Bacardi, John Frieda Professional Hair Care and Molton Brown to the Kao Company, the Svedka vodka brand to Constellation Brands, Chambord liqueur to Brown-Forman, Harry Winston to Aber Diamond Company and Boucheron to Gucci. Michel Dyens & Co. also has a strong track record of deals in media and internet, including the deals in which AuFeminin was sold to Axel Springer and Cyréalis to M6, among others.

 

Recently, Michel Dyens & Co. represented Mr. ChinWook Lee, the founder and CEO of Dr. Jart+, for the sale of an interest in Have & Be Co. Ltd. to The Estée Lauder Companies. Michel Dyens & Co. also advised the shareholders of the largest independent hair color and hair care company in Brazil, Niely Cosmeticos in the sale of the company to L’Oréal, as well as advising the owner of the super-premium liqueur St-Germain in the sale of the brand to Bacardi, the Colomer Group (American Crew and CND/Shellac brands) in its sale to Revlon, and Sydney Frank Importing Company in the sale of the company to Jaegermeister. Other recent transactions include the sale of Essie cosmetics business to L’Oréal, the acquisition of the Swiss watchmaker Hublot by LVMH, the sale of TIGI (BedHead and Catwalk brands) to Unilever and the sale of NIOXIN Research Laboratories to Procter & Gamble.

 

Mr. Dyens is also the owner of Varenne Enterprises, a media company which he founded more than 25 years ago. From April 2004 to September 2014, Mr. Dyens was an independent director of Interparfums SA, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, which has it shares publicly traded on the Euronext Exchange. We believe Mr. Dyens is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his knowledge of our company’s luxury business, his business and financial acumen, as well as his experience in the luxury goods market.

 

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

Based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4 and 5 and any amendments to such forms furnished to us, and written representations from various reporting persons furnished to us, except as set forth below, we are not aware of any reporting person who has failed to file the reports required to be filed under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on a timely basis.

 

 11

 

 

Executive Compensation

 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

 

General

 

The executive compensation and stock option committee of our board of directors is comprised entirely of independent directors and oversees all elements of compensation (base salary, annual bonus, long-term incentives and perquisites) of our company’s executive officers and administers our company’s stock option plans, other than the non-employee directors stock option plan, which is self-executing.

 

The objectives of our compensation program are designed to strike a balance between offering sufficient compensation to either retain existing or attract new executives on the one hand, and maintaining compensation at reasonable levels on the other hand. We do not have the resources comparable to the cosmetic giants in our industry, and, accordingly, cannot afford to pay excessive executive compensation. In furtherance of these objectives, our executive compensation packages generally include a base salary, as well as annual incentives tied to individual performance and long-term incentives tied to our operating performance.

 

Mr. Madar, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, takes the initiative after discussions with Mr. Russell Greenberg, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and a Director, and recommends executive compensation levels for executives for United States operations. Mr. Benacin, the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA, takes the initiative after discussions with Philippe Santi, the Chief Financial Officer of Interparfums SA, and recommends executive compensation levels for executives in European operations. The recommendations are presented to the compensation committee for its consideration, and the compensation committee makes a final determination regarding salary adjustments and annual award amounts to executives, including Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin. Messrs. Madar and Benacin are not present during deliberations or determination of their executive compensation by the compensation committee. Further, Messrs. Madar and Benacin, in addition to being executive officers and directors, are our largest beneficial shareholders, and therefore, their interests are aligned with our shareholder base in keeping executive compensation at a reasonable level.

 

The compensation committee was pleased that the most recent shareholder advisory vote on executive compensation held at our last annual meeting of shareholders in September 2015 overwhelmingly approved the compensation policies and decisions of the compensation committee. As such vote validated the compensation policies and decisions of the compensation committee. The compensation committee has determined to continue its present compensation policies in order to determine similar future decisions.

 

Our compensation committee believes that individual executive compensation is at a level comparable with executives in other companies of similar size and stage of development that operate in the fragrance industry, and takes into account our company’s performance as well as our own strategic goals. Further, the compensation committee believes that its present policies to date, with its emphasis on rewarding performance, has served to focus the efforts of our executives, which in turn has permitted our company to weather economic and political turmoil in certain parts of the world and keep our company on track for continued profitability, which management believes will result in enhanced shareholder value.

 

 12

 

 

Elements of Compensation

 

General

 

The compensation of our executive officers is generally comprised of base salaries, including a fee paid to the holding companies of each of Messrs. Madar and Benacin, annual cash bonuses and long-term equity incentive awards. In determining specific components of compensation, the compensation committee considers individual performance, level of responsibility, skills and experience, other compensation awards or arrangements and overall company performance. The compensation committee reviews and approves all elements of compensation for all of our executive officers taking into consideration recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer of our company and the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA, as well as information regarding compensation levels at competitors in our industry.

 

Our named executive officers have all been with the company for more than the past ten (10) years, with Messrs. Madar and Benacin being founders of the company in 1985. As Messrs. Madar and Greenberg for United States operations, and Benacin and Santi for European operations, are most familiar with the individual performance, level of responsibility, skills and experience of each executive officer in their respective operating segments, the compensation committee relies upon the information provided by such executive officers in determining individual performance, level of responsibility, skills and experience of each executive officer.

 

The compensation committee views the competitive market place very broadly, which would include executive officers from both public and privately held companies in general, including fashion and beauty companies, but not limited to the “peer companies” contained in the corporate performance graph contained in our annual report. Rather than tie the compensation committee’s determination of compensation proposals to any specific peer companies, the members of our committee have used their business experience, judgment and knowledge to review the executive compensation proposals recommended to them by Mr. Madar for United States operations and Mr. Benacin for European operations. As such, compensation committee did not determine the need to “benchmark” of any material item of compensation or overall compensation.

 

The members of the compensation committee have extensive experience and business acumen and are well qualified in determining the appropriateness of executive compensation levels. Mr. Heilbronn is a managing partner of a business consulting firm in the area of mergers and acquisitions of large international companies in retail, consumer goods and consumer services throughout the world. Mr. Levy has over thirty years’ experience as an executive officer, including more than ten years as President and Chief Executive Officer of well-known cosmetic companies such as Cosmair and Sanofi Beaute (France). Mr. Choël, the final committee member, is presently a business consultant and advisor, who previously worked as President and Chief Executive Officer of two divisions of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A., which included such well-known brands as Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Parfums Givenchy. Mr. Choël has also been President and CEO of both Elida Fabergé France and Chesebrough Pond’s USA.

 

 13

 

 

Base Salary

 

Base salaries for executive officers are initially determined by evaluating the responsibilities of the position held and the experience of the individual, and by reference to the competitive market place for executive talent. Base salaries for executive officers are reviewed on an annual basis, and adjustments are determined by evaluating our operating performance, the performance of each executive officer, as well as whether the nature of the responsibilities of the executive has changed.

 

As stated above, as Messrs. Madar and Greenberg for United States operations, and Benacin and Santi for European operations, are most familiar with the individual performance, level of responsibility, skills and experience of each executive officer in their respective segments, the committee relies upon the information provided by such executive officers in determining individual performance, level of responsibility, skills and experience of each executive officer.

 

For executive officers of United States operations, the bulk of their annual compensation is in base salary including a fee paid to the holding company for Mr. Madar for services rendered outside the United States. However, for executive officers of European operations base salary comprises a smaller percentage of overall compensation. We have paid a lower percentage of overall compensation in the form of base salary to executive officers of European operations for several years, principally because European operations historically have had higher profitability than United States operations, and European operations are run differently from United States operations by the Chief Executive Officer of European operations, Mr. Benacin. As the result of this historically higher profitability, European operations have had the ability to pay higher bonus compensation in addition to base salary. As bonus compensation is and has historically been discretionary, no targets were set in order to maintain flexibility. Further, if results of operations for European operations were not satisfactory (again, no target amounts were set to maintain flexibility), then bonus compensation, as well as overall compensation could be lowered without otherwise affecting base salary. Finally, by keeping annual bonus compensation at a higher percentage of overall compensation and base salary at a lower percentage, our company benefits because the base amount for annual salary adjustments would be smaller.

 

For 2015, all of the named executive officers of Interparfums SA received modest €6,000 ($6,700) salary increases. Mr. Philippe Santi, the Chief Financial Officer of Interparfums SA, and Mr. Frederic Garcia-Pelayo, Director of the Luxury and Fashion division, had their base salaries increased to €300,000 from €294,000. This increases in base salary of 2% for 2015 was less than the base salary increases of 2.9% in 2014 and 2.6% in 2013. The Compensation Committee considered the recommendations of Mr. Benacin, results of operations for the year, as well as the services performed for European operations by Messrs. Santi and Garcia-Pelayo in authorizing these salary levels.

 

For 2015, in addition to his base salary which was increased from €414,000 to €420,000 ($466,000), a 1.4% increase, Mr. Benacin’s personal holding company received the same $250,000 as he received in 2014 for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Benacin for the benefit of the Company’s United States operations, in his capacity as President of our company. Payment is being made by the Company’s United States operations to Mr. Benacin’s holding company in accordance with the consulting agreement with Mr. Benacin’s holding company, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company.

 

 14

 

 

The compensation committee took into account the following three salient factors in authorizing payment to Mr. Benacin’s holding company— services rendered to United States operations for several years by Mr. Benacin in connection with licensing and distribution of international brands without any cash compensation from United States operations, future international services to be performed by Mr. Benacin relating to licensing and distribution of international brands for United States operations.

 

A different approach is taken for United States operations as that segment is smaller and less profitable. A more significant base salary is paid in order to attract and retain employees with the skills and talents needed to run the operation with a lesser emphasis placed on bonuses. None of the executive officers for United States operations have employment agreements, as we believe that having flexibility in structuring annual base salary is a benefit, which permits us to act quickly to meet a changing economic environment.

 

For 2015, Andy Clarke, the President of Inter Parfums USA, LLC, the largest subsidiary of the United States operations, received a modest $10,000 increase (3.1%) in base salary to $330,000, the same increase he received in 2014. Beginning in 2012 in lieu of a base salary increase, Mr. Clarke was awarded a commission on certain sales that he was instrumental in bringing to our company. For 2015, 2014 and 2013, Mr. Clarke received commissions relating to those sales of $225,341, $217,232 and $306,200, respectively. For a detailed discussion of Mr. Clarke’s commission structure for 2015, 2014 and 2013, please see “Bonus Compensation/Annual Incentives”. The Compensation Committee considered Mr. Clarke’s contribution to sales growth of our company’s United States operations as well as the integration of several new licensed brands into United States operations as the basis for increasing his base salary.

 

Russell Greenberg, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, received base salaries of $570,000, $540,000 and $510,000 in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, an increase of $30,000 in each year. In connection with these increases in salary, the Compensation Committee considered the following material factors in granting Mr. Greenberg his salary increase: his individual performance, level of responsibility, skill and experience, as well as the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer.

 

For each of 2015, 2014 and 2013, Mr. Madar’s base salary remained steady and aggregated $630,000, which includes $250,000 received by Mr. Madar’s personal holding company in each year for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Madar in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer. We have entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Madar’s holding company, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company. In determining Mr. Madar’s base salary including the consulting fee for 2015, the Committee took into account Mr. Madar’s leadership of our company in general, the increasing profitability of United States operations over the past several years, and his leadership in assisting United States operations in obtaining new licensing opportunities and his assistance in developing new products and expanding international distribution of U.S. operations.

 

 15

 

 

Bonus Compensation/Annual Incentives

 

We have paid a higher percentage of overall compensation in the form of bonus compensation to executive officers of European operations for several years, principally because European operations historically have had higher profitability than United States operations. As the result of this historically higher profitability, European operations have had the ability to pay higher bonus compensation in addition to base salary. As bonus compensation is discretionary, no targets were set in order to maintain flexibility. Further, if results of operations for European operations were not satisfactory (again, no target amounts were set to maintain flexibility), then bonus compensation, as well as overall compensation could be lowered without otherwise affecting base salary.

 

For 2015, Mr. Benacin, the chief decision maker for European operations, proposed and the compensation committee concurred in the payment of bonus compensation of €86,000 ($95,000) to Mr. Benacin (approximately 20% of base salary), and €280,000 ($311,000) to each of Messrs. Santi and Garcia- Pelayo (approximately 93% of base salary). This bonus compensation was in line with 2014 bonus compensation to Mr. Benacin of €86,000 (approximately 21% of base salary) and to Messrs. Santi and Garcia of €273,000 (approximately 93% of base salary). Individual performance, level of responsibility, skill and experience, were the salient factors considered by the Compensation Committee in awarding such bonus compensation. Bonus compensation for 2015 and 2014 was also in line with 2013 bonus compensation to Mr. Benacin of €78,000 (approximately 20% of base salary) and to Messrs. Santi and Garcia of €268,000 (approximately 96% of base salary).

 

It should be noted that Mr. Benacin had recommended to the compensation committee that he receive historically smaller bonuses in 2015, 2014 and 2013, €86,000 , €86,000 and €78,000, respectively, when compared to the €254,500 he received in 2012, to offset the $250,000 in consulting fees payable to his personal holding company as discussed above. The Compensation Committee approved the bonus compensation in tandem with the consulting agreement based upon services Mr. Benacin rendered to United States operations for several years in connection with licensing and distribution of international brands without any cash compensation from United States operations, future international services to be performed by Mr. Benacin relating to licensing and distribution of international brands for United States operations. The Compensation Committee also understands that both Mr. Benacin and the Corporation will benefit from lower tax rates by having compensation taken in this form.

 

A different approach is taken for United States operations as that segment is smaller and less profitable. A more significant base salary is paid in order to attract and retain employees with the skills and talents needed to run United States operations with a lesser emphasis placed on bonuses. Based upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, for each of 2015 through 2013, Mr. Greenberg received a discretionary cash bonus of $50,000. The Compensation Committee considered the following material factors in granting Mr. Greenberg his bonuses: his individual performance, level of responsibility, skill and experience, as well as the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer.

 

 16

 

 

Beginning in 2012, in lieu of other than token base salary increases, Mr. Clarke was awarded a commission on certain sales that he was instrumental in bringing to our company, which was based upon a percentage of Anna Sui brand sales and sales to the secondary market. The commission rate was determined based on internal estimates of sales targets for such new business. For 2013, based on actual net sales for both the Anna Sui brand and secondary market product sales Mr. Clarke received a commission of $306,000 for 2013. Due to decreased sales of the Anna Sui brand products in 2014, Mr. Clarke received a commission of only $217,000. In order to partially offset the loss of commission income and in recognition of the services performed by Mr. Clarke in the development and integration of newly licensed brands, Agent Provocateur, Shanghai Tang and Oscar de la Renta, as well as the acquisition of the new license for the Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands in December 2014, the Chief Executive Officer recommended and the compensation committee approved a $50,000 discretionary bonus for Mr. Clarke in 2014. Mr. Clarke did not receive a discretionary cash bonus in 2013. For 2015, Mr. Clarke received commissions totaling $225,000, which again was low as the result of the continuation of the depressed Chinese market where Anna Sui sales are concentrated. However, in recognition of Mr. Clarke’s services in leading development of the newly licensed Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands, Mr. Clarke received the same discretionary bonus of $50,000 to offset a portion of his loss of sales commissions.

 

Mr. Madar, the Chief Executive Officer has not received any cash bonus in the past three years.

 

As required by French law, Interparfums SA maintains its own profit sharing plan for all French employees who have completed three months of service, including executive officers of our European operations other than Mr. Benacin, the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA. Benefits are calculated based upon a percentage of taxable income of Interparfums SA and allocated to employees based upon salary. The maximum amount payable per year per employee is €28,530, or approximately $32,000.

 

Calculation of the total annual benefits contribution is made according to the following formula:

 

67% of (Interparfums SA net income, less 2.5% of shareholders equity without net income for the year) times a fraction, the numerator of which is wages, and the denominator of which is net income before tax + wages + taxes (other than income tax) + valuation allowances + amortization expenses + interest expenses.

 

Contribution to individual employees is then made pro rata based upon their individual salaries for the year.

 

 17

 

 

Long-Term Incentives

 

Stock Options. We link long-term incentives with corporate performance through the grant of stock options. All options are granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares of our common stock on the date of grant, and terminate on or shortly after severance of the executive’s relationship with us. Unless the market price of our common stock increases, corporate executives will have no tangible benefit. Thus, they are provided with the additional incentive to increase individual performance with the ultimate goal of increasing our overall performance. We believe that enhanced executive incentives which result in increased corporate performance tend to build company loyalty. As a general rule, the number of options granted is determined by several factors including individual performance, company operating results and past option grants to such executives.

 

For executive officers of United States operations and European operations, we typically grant nonqualified stock options with a term of 6 years that vest ratably over a 5-year period on a cumulative basis, so that the option will become fully exercisable at the beginning of the sixth year from the date of grant. In addition, option grants to purchase shares of our majority-owned, French subsidiary, Interparfums SA have a term of 6 years and vest 4 years after the date of grant. However, no options have been granted by Interparfums SA to any executive officers during since 2012.

 

We believe that the vesting period of these options serve a dual purpose: 1. executives will not receive any benefit if they leave prior to such portion of the option vesting; and 2. having a vesting period, matches the service period with the potential benefits of the option. Pursuant to our stock option plan, non-qualified stock options granted to executives terminate immediately upon the executive’s termination of association with our company. This termination provision coupled with a vesting period reduces benefits afforded to an executive when an executive officer leaves our employ.

 

Over the past several years, as our company has grown and the market price of our common stock has increased, Messrs. Madar and Benacin have realized substantial compensation as the result of the exercise of their options. As the two executives most responsible for continued growth and success of our company, the compensation committee believes the granting of options is an appropriate tool to tie a substantial portion of their compensation to the success of our company and is completely warranted.

 

The actual compensation realized as the result of the exercise of options in the past, as well as the future potential of such rewards, are powerful incentives for increased individual performance and ultimately increased company performance. In view of the fact that the executive officers named above contribute significantly to our profitable operations, the compensation committee believes the option grants are valid incentives for these executive officers and are fair to our shareholders. Generally we grant options to executive officers in December of each year.

 

 18

 

 

In December for each of the years 2012-2015, upon the recommendation of the company’s Chief Executive Officer, the compensation committee granted options to purchase a total of 19,000 shares of our common stock to each of Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin at the fair market value on the date of grant. Option grants to Messrs. Madar and Benacin were identical as each is the Chief Executive Officer of their respective operating segments. Also in December for each of the years 2012-2015, the compensation committee granted options to purchase 25,000 shares to Mr. Greenberg, the Chief Financial Officer, and options to purchase 7,500 shares Mr. Clarke, the President of Inter Parfums USA, at the fair market value on the date of grant. The Compensation Committee determined that the option grants for Messrs. Madar, Benacin, Greenberg and Clarke, which have remained the same for years 2012-2015, were reasonable, so based upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, it determined to keep the option grants for such executive officers at the same level for 2015.

 

Upon recommendation of both Messrs. Madar and Benacin, in December 2015, the compensation committee authorized the grants of options to purchase a total of 6,000 shares to Messrs. Santi and Garcia-Pelayo, which was the same amount as the aggregate amount granted in December 2014 and January 2015. The aggregate grants made in December 2014 and January 2015 represented an increase from the December 2013 option grants to purchase a total of 5,000 shares. The compensation committee believes that the grants in December 2014 and January 2015, and in December 2015, were proper in view of their contribution to our company’s results in 2014 and 2015.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights

 

Our 2016 Stock Option Plan authorizes us to grant stock appreciation rights, or SARs. An SAR represents a right to receive the appreciation in value, if any, of our common stock over the base value of the SAR. To date, we have not granted any SARs under the 2016 Option Plan. While the compensation committee currently does not plan to grant any SARs under our 2016 Option Plan, it may choose to do so in the future as part of a review of the executive compensation strategy. The Interparfums SA stock option plan does not have stock appreciation rights.

 

Restricted Stock

 

We have not in the past, and we do not have any future plans to grant restricted stock to our executive officers. However, while the compensation committee currently does not plan to authorize any restricted stock plans, the compensation committee may choose to do so in the future as part of a review of the executive compensation strategy.

 

Other Compensation

 

Mr. Benacin is the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA (European operations), as well as a founder of our company, and we believe we should recognize his responsibility, skills and experience, as well as the results of our company. For 2015, Mr. Benacin received an automobile allowance of €10,800, which is the same amount paid in since 2010. Also, Mr. Garcia- Pelayo, Director Export Sales of Interparfums SA, also receives an automobile allowance of €6,800 per year.

 

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No Stock Ownership Guidelines

 

We do not require any minimum level of stock ownership by any of our executive officers. As stated above, Messrs. Madar and Benacin, are our largest beneficial shareholders, which aligns their interests with our shareholder base in keeping executive compensation at a reasonable level.

 

Retirement and Pension Plans

 

We maintain a 401(k) plan for United States operations. However, we do not match any contributions to such plan, as we have determined that base compensation together with annual bonuses and stock option awards, are sufficient incentives to retain talented employees. Our European operations maintain a pension plan for its employees as required by French law.

 

Compensation Committee Report

 

We have reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis provisions to be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and the proxy statement for the upcoming annual meeting of shareholders. Based on this review and discussion, we recommend to the board of directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis referred to above be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as the proxy statement for the upcoming annual meeting of shareholders.

 

Francois Heilbronn, Jean Levy and Patrick Choël

 

The following table sets forth a summary of all compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our “named executive officers,” who are our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer, and each of the three most highly compensated executive officers of our company. This table covers all such compensation during fiscal years ended December 31, 2015, December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. For all compensation related matters disclosed in the summary compensation table, and elsewhere where applicable, all amounts paid in euro have been converted to U.S. dollars at the average rate of exchange in each year.

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SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

 

Name and Principal Position  Year  Salary ($)   Bonus ($)  

Stock
Awards ($)

   Option
Awards
($)(1)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(2)
   Change in Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
   All Other
Compensation ($)(3)
   Total ($) 
Jean Madar,  2015   630,000    -0-    -0-    112,408    -0-    -0-    -0-    742,408 
Chairman and  2014   630,000    -0-    -0-    140,220    -0-    -0-    -0-    770,220 
Chief Executive Officer  2013   630,000    -0-    -0-    178,790    -0-    -0-    -0-    808,790 
                                            
Russell Greenberg,  2015   570,000    50,000    -0-    147,905    -0-    -0-    -0-    767,905 
Chief Financial Officer and  2014   540,000    50,000    -0-    184,500    -0-    -0-    -0-    774,500 
Executive Vice President  2013   510,000    50,000    -0-    235,250    -0-    -0-    -0-    795,250 
                                            
Philippe Benacin, President Inter  2015   716,074    95,434         112,408    -0-    18,573    11,985    954,474 
Parfums, Inc., Chief Executive  2014   799,833    114,217    -0-    140,220    -0-    18,461    13,343    1,086,074 
Officer of Interparfums SA  2013   518,966    103,475    -0-    178,790    -0-    12,000    14,327    827,558 
                                            
Philippe Santi, Executive Vice  2015   332,910    310,716    -0-    42,271    17,276    18,573    -0-    721,746 
President and Chief Financial  2014   390,461    362,571    -0-    36,900    -0-    18,461    -0-    808,393 
Officer, Interparfums SA  2013   378,877    355,529    -0-    65,870    33,292    12,000    -0-    845,568 
                                            
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo,  2015   332,910    310,716    -0-    42,271    17,276    18,573    7,590    729,336 
Director Export Sales,  2014   390,461    362,571    -0-    36,900    -0-    18,461    9,031    817,424 
Interparfums SA  2013   378,877    355,529    -0-    65,870    33,292    12,000    9,021    854,589 

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1 Amounts reflected under Option Awards represent the grant date fair values in 2015, 2014 and 2013 based on the fair value of stock option awards using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The assumptions used in this model are detailed in Footnote 12 to the audited consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and filed with the SEC.

 

2 As required by French law, Interparfums SA maintains its own profit sharing plan for all French employees who have completed three months of service, including executive officers of our European operations other than Mr. Benacin, the Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA Benefits are calculated based upon a percentage of taxable income of Interparfums SA and are allocated to employees based upon salary. The maximum amount payable per year is 28,530 euro, or approximately $32,000.

 

Calculation of total annual benefits contribution is made according to the following formula:

 

67% of (Interparfums SA net income, less 2.5% of shareholders’ equity without net income for the year) times a fraction, the numerator of which is wages, and the denominator of which is net income before taxes, + wages + taxes (other than income tax) + valuation allowances + amortization expenses + interest expenses.

 

Contribution to individual employees is then made pro rata based upon their individual salaries for the year.

 

3 The following table identifies (i) perquisites and other personal benefits provided to our named executive officers in fiscal 2015, and quantifies those required by SEC rules to be quantified and (ii) all other compensation that is required by SEC rules to be separately identified and quantified.

 

Name and Principal Position  Perquisites
and other
Personal
Benefits ($)
   Personal
Automobile
Expense($)
   Lodging
Expense($)
   Total ($) 
                 
Jean Madar, Chairman
Chief Executive Officer
   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Russell Greenberg, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Philippe Benacin, President of Inter Parfums, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of Interparfums SA   -0-    11,985    -0-    11,985 
                     
Philippe Santi,
Executive Vice President and Director General Delegue, Interparfums SA
   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo,
Director Export Sales,
Interparfums SA
   -0-    7,590    -0-    7,590 

 

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Ratio of CEO’s Compensation to Global Median Compensation of All Employees (Excluding CEO Compensation)

 

We have determined that for 2015, the global median total compensation for all of our employees, but excluding the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer, was $111,883. The total compensation for our Chief Executive Officer for 2015 as set forth in the Summary Compensation above was $742,408. Therefore, for 2015, the ratio of the total compensation for our Chief Executive Officer as compared to the global median total compensation to all of our employees excluding the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer is 6.6:1.

 

Plan Based Awards

 

The following table sets certain information relating to each grant of an award made by our company to the executive officers of our company listed in the Summary Compensation Table during the past fiscal year (excluding grants made in January 2015, which were previously disclosed and included in the table for fiscal year ended December 31, 2014).

 

      Grants of Plan-Based Awards             
Name  Grant Date  Estimated Future Payouts Under
Non-Equity Incentive Plan
Awards
   Estimated Future Payouts
Under Equity Incentive Plan
Awards
   All Other
Stock
Awards:
Number of
Shares of
   All Other
Option
Awards:
Number of
Securities
   Exercise
or Base
Price of
Option
   Closing 
      Threshold
($)
   Target
($)
   Maximum
 ($)
   Threshold
 ($)
   Target
($)
   Maximum
($)
   Stock or
Units (#)
   Underlying
 Options (#)
   Awards
($/Sh)
   Price
($/Sh)
 
Jean Madar  12/31/15   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    19,000    23.605    23.82 
Russell Greenberg  12/31/15   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    25,000    23.605    23.82 
Philippe Benacin  12/31/15   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    19,000    23.605    23.82 
Philippe Santi  12/31/15   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    6,000    23.605    23.82 
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo  12/31/15   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    6,000    23.605    23.82 

 

Options

 

As discussed above, we typically grant nonqualified stock options with a term of 6 years that vest ratably of a 5-year period on a cumulative basis, so that the option will become fully exercisable at the beginning of the sixth year from the date of grant.

 

We believe that the vesting period of these options serves a dual purpose: 1. executives will not receive any benefit if they leave prior to such portion of the option vesting; and 2. having a vesting period matches the service period with the potential benefits of the option.

 

Under our company’s stock option plans, the exercise price is determined by the average of the high and low price on the date of grant, not the closing price as reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market.

 

We also note that the Summary Compensation Table does not include income realized by the named executive officers as the result of the exercise of stock options, but rather reflects the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes for options granted in accordance with ASC topic 718-20. However, value realized as the result of stock option exercises is set forth in the table entitled “Option Exercises and Stock Vested”.

 

 23

 

 

Interparfums SA Profit Sharing Plan

 

As required by French law, Inter Parfums, SA maintains its own profit sharing plan for all French employees who have completed three months of service, including executive officers of our European operations other than Mr. Benacin, the Chief Executive Officer of Inter Parfums, SA. Benefits are calculated based upon a percentage of taxable income of Interparfums SA and allocated to employees based upon salary. The maximum amount payable per year per employee is 28,530 euros, or approximately $31,660.

 

Calculation of total annual benefits contribution is made according to the following formula:

 

67% of (Interparfums SA net income, less 2.5% of shareholders equity without net income for the year) times a fraction, the numerator of which is wages, and the denominator of which is net income before tax + wages + taxes (other than income tax) + valuation allowances + amortization expenses + interest expenses.

 

Contribution to individual employees is then made pro rata based upon their individual salaries for the year.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

The following table sets forth certain information relating to outstanding equity awards of our Company held by the executive officers listed in the Summary Compensation Table as of December 31, 2015.

 

 24

 

 

OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

 

   Option Awards  
Name  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable(1)
   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
   Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned Options
(#)
   Option Exercise
Price ($)
   Option
Expiration
Date
 
                      
Jean Madar   19,000    -0-    -0-    19.025   12/30/16  
    15,200    3,800    -0-    15.59   12/29/17  
    11,400    7,600    -0-    19.325   12/30/18  
    7,600    11,400    -0-    35.75   12/30/19  
    3,800    15,200    -0-    27.795   12/30/20  
    -0-    19,000    -0-    23.605   12/30/21  
                          
Russell Greenberg   25,000    -0-    -0-    19.025   12/30/16  
    20.000    5,000    -0-    15.59   12/29/17  
    15,000    10,000    -0-    19.325   12/30/18  
    10,000    15,000    -0-    35.75   12/30/19  
    5,000    20,000    -0-    27.795   12/30/20  
    -0-    25,000    -0-    23.605   12/30/21  
                          
Philippe Benacin   19,000    -0-    -0-    19.025   12/30/16  
    15,200    3,800    -0-    15.59   12/29/17  
    11,400    7,600    -0-    19.325   12/30/18  
    7,600    11,400    -0-    35.75   12/30/19  
    3,800    15,200    -0-    27.795   12/30/20  
    -0-    19,000    -0-    23.605   12/30/21  
                          
Philippe Santi   600    0    -0-    19.025   12/30/16  
    600    1,200    -0-    15.590   12/29/17  
    600    1,200    -0-    19.325   12/30/18  
    800    1,200    -0-    22.195   1/30/19  
    2,000    3,000    -0-    35.75   12/30/19  
    1,000    4,000    -0-    27.795   12/30/20  
    -0-    1,000    -0-    25.821   1/27/2021  
    -0-    6,000    -0-    23.605   12/30/21  
                          
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo   600    0    -0-    19.025   12/30/16  
    600    1,200    -0-    15.590   12/29/17  
    600    1,200    -0-    19.325   12/30/18  
    800    1,200    -0-    22.195   1/30/19  
    2,000    3,000    -0-    35.75   12/30/19  
    1,000    4,000    -0-    27.795   12/30/20  
    -0-    1,000    -0-    25.821   1/27/2021  
    -0-    6,000    -0-    23.605   12/30/21  

 

[Footnotes from table above]

1 All options expire 6 years from the date of grant, and vest 20% each year commencing one year after the date of grant.

 

The following table sets certain information relating to outstanding equity awards granted by Interparfums SA, our majority-owned French subsidiary which has its shares traded on the NYSE Euronext, held by the executive officers of our company listed in the Summary Compensation Table as of the end of the past fiscal year.

 

 25

 

 

OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

OF INTERPARFUMS SA

 

       Option Awards          
Name  Number of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options
 (#) Exercisable
   Number of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options
 (#) Unexercisable (1)
   Option
Exercise Price
(euro)(2)
   Option Expiration
Date
 
Jean Madar   12,300    -0-    13.00   10/08/16  
                     
Russell Greenberg   2,637    -0-    13.00   10/08/16  
                     
Philippe Benacin   12,300    -0-    13.00   10/08/16  
                     
Philippe Santi   1,320    -0-    13.00   10/08/16  
                     
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo   1,320    -0-    13.00   10/08/16  

 

[Footnotes from table above]

 

 

1 All options fully vest 4 years after the date of grant.

2 As of December 31, 2015, the closing price of Interparfums SA as reported by Euronext was 22.70 euro, and the exchange rate was 1.0887 U.S. dollars to 1 euro.

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested

 

The following table sets forth certain information relating to each option exercise affected during the past fiscal year, and each vesting of stock, including restricted stock, restricted stock units and similar instruments of our company during the past fiscal year, for the executive officers of our company listed in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED
   Option Awards   Stock Awards 
Name  Number of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise (#)
   Value Realized on
Exercise
($)1
   Number of Shares
Acquired on Vesting
(#)
   Value Realized
On Vesting
($)
 
                 
Jean Madar   19,000    236,455    -0-    -0- 
                     
Russell Greenberg   5,000    113,387    -0-    -0- 
                     
Philippe Benacin   19,000    236,455    -0-    -0- 
                     
Philippe Santi   2,400    40,508    -0-    -0- 
                     
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo   2,400    40,707    -0-    -0- 

 

[Footnotes from table above]

 

 

1Total value realized on exercise of options in dollars is based upon the difference between the fair market value of the common stock on the date of exercise, and the exercise price of the option.

 

 26

 

 

The following table sets forth certain information relating to each option exercise effected during the past fiscal year, and each vesting of stock, including restricted stock, restricted stock units and similar instruments during the past fiscal year, of Interparfums SA, our majority-owned French subsidiary which has its shares traded on the Euronext, for the executive officers of our company listed in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED
   Option Awards   Stock Awards 
Name  Number of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise (#)
  

Value Realized on
Exercise
($)1

   Number of Shares
Acquired on Vesting
(#)
   Value Realized
On Vesting
($)
 
                 
Jean Madar   8,297    82,865    -0-    -0- 
                     
Philippe Benacin   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Russell Greenberg   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Philippe Santi   9,981    158,385    -0-    -0- 
                     
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo   9,981    158,385    -0-    -0- 

 

[Footnotes from table above]

 

 

1Total value realized on exercise of options in dollars is based upon the difference between the fair market value of the common stock on the date of exercise, and the exercise price of the option.

 

Pension Benefits

 

The following table sets forth certain information relating to payment of benefits in connection with retirement plans during the past fiscal year, for the executive officers of our company listed in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

PENSION BENEFITS

 

Name  Plan Name  Number of Years
Credited Service
(#)
  Present Value of
Accumulated Benefit
($)
   Payments During
Last Fiscal Year
($)
 
Jean Madar  NA  NA   -0-    -0- 
                 
Russell Greenberg  NA  NA   -0-    -0- 
                 
Philippe Benacin  Inter Parfums SA Pension Plan  NA   218,000    18,573 
                 
Philippe Santi  Inter Parfums SA Pension Plan  NA   349,000    18,573 
                 
Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo  Inter Parfums SA Pension Plan  NA   196,000    18,573 

 

Interparfums SA maintains a pension plan for all of its employees, including all executive officers. The calculation of commitments for severance benefits involves estimating the probable present value of projected benefit obligations. This projected benefit obligations is then prorated to take into account seniority of the employees of Interparfums SA on the calculation date.

 

 27

 

 

In calculating benefits, the following assumptions were applied:

 

- voluntary retirement at age 65;

- a rate of 45% for employer payroll contributions for all employees;

- a 4% average annual salary increase;

- an annual rate of turnover for all employees under 55 years of age and nil above;

- the TH 00-02 mortality table for men and the TF 00-02 mortality table for women;

- a discount rate of 2.0%.

 

The normal retirement age is 65 years, but employees, including Messrs. Benacin, Santi and Garcia-Pelayo, can collect reduced benefits if they retire at age 60.

 

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

 

We do not maintain any nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

 

Employment and Consulting Agreements

 

As part of our acquisition in 1991 of the controlling interest in Interparfums SA, now a subsidiary, we entered into an employment agreement with Philippe Benacin. The agreement provides that Mr. Benacin will be employed as Vice Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Inter Parfums Holdings and its subsidiary, Interparfums SA. The initial term expired on September 2, 1992, and has subsequently been automatically renewed for additional annual periods. The agreement provides for automatic annual renewal terms, unless either party terminates the agreement upon 120 days’ notice. For 2016, Mr. Benacin presently receives an annual salary of €420,000 (approximately $466,000, and automobile expenses of €10,800 (approximately $11,985), which are subject to increase in the discretion of the board of directors. The agreement also provides for indemnification and a covenant not to compete for one year after termination of employment.

 

In 2014, we entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Benacin’s holding company, Philippe Benacin Holding SAS, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company. The agreement also provides for indemnification for Mr. Benacin and his holding company and a covenant not to compete for one year after termination of the agreement. The agreement was for one year, with automatic one year renewals unless either party terminates on 120 days’ notice or Mr. Benacin ceases to be the President of our company. For 2015, Mr. Benacin’s personal holding company received $250,000 for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Benacin in his capacity as President. This consulting agreement has been renewed at $250,000 for 2016.

 

In 2013, we enter into a consulting agreement with Mr. Madar’s holding company, Jean Madar Holding SAS, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company. The agreement also provides for indemnification for Mr. Madar and his holding company and a covenant not to compete for one year after termination of the agreement. The agreement was for one year, with automatic one year renewals unless either party terminates on 120 days’ notice or Mr. Madar ceases to be the Chief Executive Officer of our company. For 2015, Mr. Madar’s personal holding company received $250,000 for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Madar in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer. This consulting agreement has been renewed at $250,000 for 2016.

 

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Compensation of Directors

 

The following table sets forth certain information relating to the compensation for each of our directors who is not an executive officer of our Company named in the Summary Compensation Table for the past fiscal year.

 

           DIRECTOR COMPENSATION         
Name  Fees
Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)
   Stock
Awards
($)
   Option
Awards
 ($)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
 ($)
   Change in
Pension
 Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total ($) 
Francois Heilbronn1   20,500    -0-    6,633    -0-    -0-    7,785    34,918 
Jean Levy2   16,500    -0-    6,633    -0-    -0-    14,946    38,079 
Robert Bensoussan3   12,500    -0-    6,633    -0-    -0-    -0-    19,133 
Patrick Choël4   20,500    -0-    6,633    -0-    -0-    11,584    38,717 
Michel Dyens5   14,500    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    14,500 

 

[Footnotes from table above]

 

 

1.As of the end of the last fiscal year, Mr. Heilbronn held options to purchase an aggregate of 4,500 shares of our common stock.
2.As of the end of the last fiscal year, Mr. Levy held options to purchase an aggregate of 3,750 shares of our common stock.
3.As of the end of the last fiscal year, Mr. Bensoussan-Torres held options to purchase an aggregate of 5,000 shares of our common stock.
4.As of the end of the last fiscal year, Mr. Choël held options to purchase an aggregate of 3,250 shares of our common stock.
5.As of the end of the last fiscal year, Mr. Dyens held options to purchase an aggregate of 3,000 shares of our common stock.

 

For 2015, initially all nonemployee directors received $4,000 for each board meeting at which they participated in person, and $2,000 for each meeting held by conference telephone. These fees were increased in October 2015 to $5,000 for each board meeting at which they participate in person, and $2,500 for each meeting held by conference telephone. In addition, the annual fee for each member of the audit committee is $6,000.

 

We maintain stock option plans for our nonemployee directors. The purpose of these plans is to assist us in attracting and retaining key directors who are responsible for continuing the growth and success of our company. Under such plans, options to purchase 1,000 shares are granted on each February 1st to all nonemployee directors for as long as each is a nonemployee director on such date. However, if a nonemployee director does not attend certain of the board meetings, then such option grants are reduced according to a schedule. In addition, options to purchase 2,000 shares are granted to each nonemployee director upon his initial election or appointment to our board.

 

 29

 

 

On February 1, 2016, options to purchase 1,000 shares were granted to each of our outside directors, Francois Heilbronn, Jean Levy, Robert Bensoussan-Torres, Patrick Choël and Michel Dyens, all at the exercise price of $26.398 per share under the 2016 Option Plan. All of such options were granted at the fair market value and vest ratably over a 4 year period.

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

 

The following table sets forth certain information as of the end of our last fiscal year regarding all equity compensation plans that provide for the award of equity securities or the grant of options, warrants or rights to purchase our equity securities.

 

Plan category  Number of
securities to
be issued
upon
exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights
(a)
   Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
(b)
   Number of securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans
(excluding
securities
reflected in
column (a))
(c)
 
             
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders   709,300    24.34    178,045 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders   -0-    N/A    -0- 
Total               

 

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

We have guaranteed the obligations of our majority-owned, French subsidiary, Interparfums SA under our former Burberry license and our Paul Smith license agreement. We also provide (or had provided on our behalf) certain financial, accounting and legal services for Interparfums SA, and during 2015, 2014 and 2013 fees for such services were $198,500, $138,438 and $158,750, respectively. In January 2012, Inter Parfums USA, LLC, a United States subsidiary, signed a five year license agreement with Interparfums Suisse (SARL), a Swiss subsidiary of Interparfums SA, for the right to sell amenities under the Lanvin brand name to luxury hotels, cruise lines and airlines in return for royalty payments as are customary in our industry. In 2015, 2014 and 2013, Inter Parfums USA, LLC, a United States subsidiary, paid Interparfums Singapore Pte., Ltd., a subsidiary of Interparfums SA, approximately zero, $79,000 and $114,000, respectively as reimbursement for expenses for employees and use of their offices by Inter Parfums USA, LLC, including a reasonable allocation of overhead. In 2014, this arrangement was discontinued.

 

Option Exercise with Tender of Previously Owned Shares

 

The Chief Executive Officer and the President each exercised 19,000, 32,875 and 28,500 outstanding stock options of the Company’s common stock in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The aggregate exercise prices of $0.5 million in 2015, $0.6 million in 2014 and $0.7 million in 2013 were paid by them tendering to the Company in 2015, 2014 and 2013, an aggregate of 18,764, 19,656 and 18,880 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock, previously owned by them, valued at fair market value on the dates of exercise. All shares issued pursuant to these option exercises were issued from treasury stock of the Company. In addition, the Chief Executive Officer tendered in 2015, 2014 and 2013 an additional 1,299, 3,112, and 2,573 shares, respectively, for payment of certain withholding taxes resulting from his option exercises.

 

 30

 

 

Consulting Agreements

 

In 2014, we enter into a consulting agreement with Mr. Benacin’s holding company, Philippe Benacin Holding SAS, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company. The agreement also provides for indemnification for Mr. Benacin and his holding company and a covenant not to compete for one year after termination of the agreement. The agreement was for one year, with automatic one year renewals unless either party terminates on 120 days’ notice or Mr. Benacin ceases to be the President of our company. In 2015 and 2014, Mr. Benacin’s personal holding company received $250,000 for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Benacin for the benefit of the Company’s United States operations, in his capacity as President. This consulting agreement has been renewed at $250,000 for 2016.

 

In 2013, we enter into a consulting agreement with Mr. Madar’s holding company, Jean Madar Holding SAS, which provides for review on an annual basis of the amount of compensation payable to such company. The agreement also provides for indemnification for Mr. Madar and his holding company and a covenant not to compete for one year after termination of the agreement. The agreement was for one year, with automatic one year renewals unless either party terminates on 120 days’ notice or Mr. Madar ceases to be the Chief Executive Officer of our company. In 2015, 2014 and 2013, Mr. Madar’s personal holding company received $250,000 for services rendered outside of the United States by Mr. Madar in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer. This consulting agreement has been renewed at $250,000 for 2016.

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

 

The Audit Committee has the sole authority and is directly responsible for, the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the independent accountants employed by our company which prepare or issue an audit report for our company. During 2015 and for the past several years, the Audit Committee consisted of Messrs. Heilbronn, Levy and Choël.

 

The Company does not have an “audit committee financial expert” within the definition of the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. First, finding qualified nominees to serve as a director of a public company without substantial financial resources has been challenging. Second, despite the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rule which states that being named as the audit committee financial expert does not impose any greater duty, obligation or liability, the Company has been met with resistance from both present and former directors to being named as such primarily due to potential additional personal liability.

 

 31

 

 

However, as the result of the background, education and experience of the members of the Audit Committee, our board of directors believes that such committee members are fully qualified to fulfill their obligations as members of the Audit Committee.

 

Management is responsible for our company’s internal controls and our financial reporting process. The independent registered public accounting firm we employ, WeiserMazars, LLP, is responsible for performing an independent audit of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and to issue a report thereon, as well as, issuing its report on its audit of our management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes.

 

In this context, the Audit Committee has met and held discussions with management and our independent registered public accounting firm. Management represented to the Audit Committee that our consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and the independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, WeiserMazars LLP discussed with the Audit Committee the results of its audit on management’s assessment of internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee also discussed with WeiserMazars LLP matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 16 (Communications with Audit Committees).

 

WeiserMazars LLP also provided to the Audit Committee the written disclosures required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee discussed with WeiserMazars LLP that firm’s independence.

 

Based upon the Audit Committee’s discussions with management and WeiserMazars LLP and the Audit Committee’s review of the representations of management and the report of WeiserMazars LLP to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that our board of directors include the audited consolidated financial statements and management’s report on internal control over financial reporting, together with the attestation report of WeiserMazars LLP in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Francois Heilbronn, Chairman, Jean Levy and Patrick Choël

 

Independent Accountants

 

General

 

We are not submitting the selection of auditors to a vote of our shareholders’ as shareholder approval is not required under Delaware law. A representative of WeiserMazars LLP is not expected to be present at the annual meeting.

 

 32

 

 

Fees

 

The following sets forth the fees billed to us by WeiserMazars LLP, as well as discusses the services provided for the past two fiscal years, fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

 

Audit Fees

 

During 2015, the fees billed by WeiserMazars LLP and its affiliate, Mazars S.A. for audit services and review of the financial statements contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q were $1.1 million. During 2014, the fees billed by WeiserMazars LLP and its affiliate, Mazars S.A. for audit services and review of the financial statements contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q were $0.9 million.

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

WeiserMazars LLP did not bill us for any audit-related services during 2015 or 2014.

 

Tax Fees

 

WeiserMazars LLP did not bill us for tax services during 2015 or 2014.

 

All Other Fees

 

WeiserMazars LLP did not bill us for any other services during 2015 or 2014.

 

Audit Committee Pre Approval Policies and Procedures

 

The Audit Committee has the sole authority for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of our independent accountants, who prepare or issue an audit report for us.

 

During the first quarter of 2015, the audit committee authorized the following non-audit services to be performed by WeiserMazars LLP.

 

·We authorized the engagement of WeiserMazars LLP if deemed necessary to provide tax consultation in the ordinary course of business for fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

 

·We authorized the engagement of WeiserMazars LLP if deemed necessary to provide tax consultation as may be required on a project by project basis that would not be considered in the ordinary course of business, of up to a $5,000 fee limit per project, subject to an aggregate fee limit of $25,000 for fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. If we require further tax services from WeiserMazars LLP, then the approval of the audit committee must be obtained.

 

 33

 

 

·If we require other services by WeiserMazars LLP on an expedited basis such that obtaining pre-approval of the audit committee is not practicable, then the Chairman of the Committee has authority to grant the required pre-approvals for all such services.

 

·We imposed a cap of $100,000 on the fees that WeiserMazars LLP can charge for services on an expedited basis that are approved by the Chairman without obtaining full audit committee approval.

 

·None of the non-audit services of either of the Company’s auditors had the pre-approval requirement waived in accordance with Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i)(C) of Regulation S-X.

 

In the first quarter of 2016, the audit committee authorized the same non-audit services to be performed by WeiserMazars LLP during 2015 as disclosed above.

 

PART PROPOSAL NO. 2:

ADVISORY RESOLUTION TO APPROVE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

In accordance to the proxy rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and as required by the Dodd-Frank Act, we are required to provide our shareholders with an advisory resolution to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the accompanying compensation tables and narrative disclosure. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives shareholders the opportunity to endorse or not endorse our executive compensation as described in this proxy statement. The Compensation Committee has developed an executive compensation program designed to pay for performance and to align the long-term interests of our named executive officers with the long-term interests of our shareholders. We are asking our shareholders to indicate their support for the compensation paid to our named executive officers by voting “FOR” the following resolution:

 

“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to Inter Parfums, Inc.’s named executive officers, as disclosed in accordance with the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the compensation discussion and analysis, the compensation tables and related narrative disclosure included in this proxy statement, is hereby APPROVED.”

 

As provided by the Dodd-Frank Act, this vote will not be binding on the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee and may not be construed as overruling a decision by the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee nor imply any additional fiduciary duty on the Board of Directors. Further, it will not affect any compensation paid or awarded to any executive officer. Our Board of Directors and Compensation Committee will, however, take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements. The purpose of our compensation policies and procedures is to attract and retain experienced, highly qualified executives crucial to our long-term success and enhancement of shareholder value.

 

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Our Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote “for” the approval of the vote for the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation as described in the compensation discussion and analysis and the accompanying compensation tables and narrative disclosure in this proxy statement.

 

PROPOSAL NO. 3:
PROPOSAL TO ADOPT

OUR 2016 STOCK OPTION PLAN

 

General

 

On June 28, 2016, our board of directors adopted the 2016 Stock Option Plan (the “2016 Option Plan”), which is subject to the approval of our shareholders at this 2016 Annual Meeting. A copy of the 2016 Option Plan is included as Exhibit A to this Proxy Statement.

 

The purpose of the 2016 Option Plan and the amendment is to aid us in attracting and retaining key employees, officers, directors and consultants and to secure for us the benefits of the incentive inherent in equity ownership by such persons who are responsible for our continuing growth and success. Accordingly, our board of directors unanimously recommends that shareholders approve this amendment to the 2016 Option Plan.

 

We presently have two stock option plans, one for key employees, officers, directors and consultants (the “Amended 2004 Stock Option Plan”) and one for our non-employee directors (the “Amended 2004 Nonemployee Director Plan”), and we have combined the provisions from both of the Amended 2004 Stock Option Plan and Amended 2004 Nonemployee Director Plan into the 2016 Option Plan. Our management believes that adopting the this new combined plan would be less time consuming and less costly than adopting, approving and registering two new separate stock option plans.

 

Summary of the 2016 Option Plan

 

The following is a summary of the 2016 Option Plan, which is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the 2016 Option Plan, a copy of which is annexed hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Under the 2016 Option Plan, “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, may be granted to key employees, including officers and directors who are employees, and nonqualified stock options and/or stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) may be granted to key employees, officers, directors and consultants, of the company and its present and future subsidiaries to purchase shares of our common stock. Nonemployee directors are only eligible to receive grants of nonqualified stock options

 

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Shares Subject to the 2016 Option Plan

 

The maximum number of shares as to which options may be granted under the 2016 Option Plan is 1,000,000 shares of common stock, which is subject to adjustment as described below. Upon expiration, cancellation or termination of unexercised options, the shares with respect to which such options shall have been granted will again be available for grant under the 2016 Option Plan.

 

Administration

 

The 2016 Option Plan provides that it is administered by our board of directors, or if appointed, by a stock committee of the board consisting of at least two (2) nonemployee members of our board of directors, none of whom is eligible to participate under the 2016 Option Plan, other than to receive automatic grants of non-qualified stock options without any discretion, as discussed below. A committee of our board of directors consisting of nonemployee, independent directors, Messrs. Francois Heilbronn, Jean Levy and Patrick Choël, presently administer the 2016 Option Plan.

 

Grants of Options

 

The committee has the authority under the 2016 Option Plan to determine the terms of options and/or SARs granted under the 2016 Option Plan, including, among other things, whether an option shall be an incentive or a nonqualified stock option, the individuals who shall receive them, whether an SAR shall be granted separately, in tandem with or in addition to options, the number of shares to be subject to each option and/or SAR, the date or dates each option or SAR shall become exercisable and the exercise price or base price of each option and SAR; provided, however, that the exercise price of an incentive stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the Common stock on the date of grant and not less than 110% of the fair market value in the case of an optionee who at the time of grant owns more than 10% of the total combined voting power of the company, or of any subsidiary or parent of the company.

 

The committee may grant performance based options or SARs intended to constitute performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 4(b) of the 2016 Option Plan provides that in any year, our chief executive officer or any of the four most highly compensated executive officers may not be granted performance options or SAR’s covering a total of more than 150,000 shares of our common stock, subject to adjustment in the event of a stock dividend, stock split or the like.

 

In addition the 2016 Option Plan provides that our Chief Executive Officer has the right to authorize option and SAR grants to employees and consultants who are not executive officers or directors.

 

Nonemployee directors shall not be eligible to receive a stock option or SAR grant in the discretion of the committee, but rather will receive automatic grants as discussed below. For all options to be granted to nonemployee directors, the exercise price of the shares of our common stock will have an exercise price equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant.

 

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Terms and Conditions of Options

 

The options and SARs to be granted under the 2016 Option Plan to eligible persons other than nonemployee directors will be subject to, among other things, the following terms and conditions:

 

·             Options and SARs may be granted for terms determined by the committee, provided, however, that the term of an incentive stock option may not exceed ten (10) years, and in the case of an optionee who at the time of grant owns more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of our company, or of any subsidiary or parent of our company, the term of an incentive option may not exceed five (5) years.

 

·             Options are payable in full upon exercise or, in the discretion of the committee, installments. Payment of the exercise price of an option may be made, in the discretion of the committee, in cash, in shares of common stock or any combination thereof.

 

·             Options and SARs may not be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and may be exercised during the employee’s lifetime only by him or her.

 

·             If the employment of the holder of an incentive option is terminated for any reason other than death or a permanent and total disability, then the incentive option may be exercised, to the extent exercisable by the holder at the time of termination of employment, within three (3) months thereafter, but in no event after expiration of the term of the incentive option. However, if such employment was terminated either for cause or without our consent, then such option shall terminate immediately. All nonqualified stock options or SARs granted shall terminate simultaneously with the termination of association of the holder of such nonqualified option or SAR for any reason other than the death or permanent and total disability of such holder.

 

·             Except with regard to options held by nonemployee directors, if an option holder dies while he is associated with the Company, or within three (3) months after such termination for the holder of an incentive option (unless such termination was for cause or without the consent of the Company), then the remaining unexercised portion of the option or SAR may be exercised in whole or in part by such person personal representative or beneficiaries, at any time within one (1) year after death, but not after the expiration of the term of the option or SAR. All vesting requirements lapse for such deceased option holder and the option or SAR is fully exercisable.

 

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·             Except with regard to options held by nonemployee directors, any option holder whose association with the Company has terminated by reason of a permanent disability may exercise his option or SAR, to the extent exercisable upon the effective date of such termination, at any time within one (1) year after such date, but not after the expiration of the term of the option or SAR.

 

·             For options held by nonemployee directors, in the case of the death or permanent disability while associated with the Company (or death within three (3) months after termination of association), his or her legal representative or beneficiaries may exercise the option within twelve (12) months after the date of such death or disability, but not after the expiration of the term of the option. All vesting requirements lapse for such nonemployee director and the option is fully exercisable.

 

·             The holder is required to pay to us the amount which we determine is necessary to meet our obligation to withhold federal, state and local taxes incurred by reason of the exercise of a nonqualified stock option or the disqualifying disposition of shares acquired upon the exercise of an incentive stock option.

 

Options To Be Granted To Nonemployee Directors

 

Nonemployee directors shall not be eligible to receive a stock option or SAR grant in the discretion of the committee, but rather will receive automatic grants as discussed below. In lieu of such discretionary grants, each nonemployee director will receive the following option grants:

 

·             Each individual who becomes a nonemployee director will automatically be granted an option to purchase 2,000 shares of our common stock on the date of his initial election or appointment to our board of directors.

 

·             Each nonemployee director will be granted an option to purchase 1,000 shares of our common stock commencing on the next February 1st, and each succeeding February 1st throughout the term of this 2016 Option Plan for so long as such person is a nonemployee director. However, a nonemployee directors will not be granted an option on such February 1st grant date if such nonemployee director was added to our board of directors within six (6) months prior to such February 1st grant date.

 

·             Also, if a nonemployee director did not attend one of the two in-person board meetings that are usually held the prior June-July and December-January, then the option to be granted on the following February 1 under this 2016 Option Plan would be reduced by 50%; and if such nonemployee director did not attend both of such meetings, then such nonemployee director would not receive any option grant on the following February 1.

 

·             All options to be granted under the 2016 Option Plan to nonemployee directors will vest and become exercisable to purchase shares of our common stock as follows: 25% one year after the date of grant, and then 25% on each of the second, third and fourth consecutive years from the date of grant on a cumulative basis, so that each option shall become fully vested and exercisable on the fourth year from the date of grant.

 

·             All options to be granted to nonemployee directors shall be first made under the Amended 2004 Nonemployee Director Plan until all shares of Common Stock under that plan have been exhausted. Upon no further shares of Common Stock being available for grant under the Amended 2004 Nonemployee Director Plan, options to purchase Common Stock to nonemployee directors are to be granted under this Plan. All grants under this 2016 Option Plan to nonemployee directors will be instead of any other option grants that a nonemployee director may have been entitled to under any other plan of our company.

 

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Option Contracts

 

Each option and/or SAR will be evidenced by a written contract between our company and the person receiving the grant. Such contract may provide, among other things, that (a) the holder agrees to remain in our employ or association with a subsidiary, at our election, for the later of (i) the period of time determined by the committee at or before the time of grant or (ii) the date to which he is then contractually obligated to remain associated with our company or a subsidiary, and (c) the option holder will notify us of any disqualifying disposition of shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option and pay any required withholding or other tax.

 

Adjustment in Event of Capital Changes

 

Appropriate adjustments shall be made in the number and kind of shares available under the 2016 Option Plan, in the number and kind of shares subject to each outstanding option and SAR and in the exercise prices and base prices thereof in the event of any change in our common stock by reason of any stock dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, split-up, combination or exchange of shares or the like.

 

Duration and Amendment of the 2016 Option Plan

 

Under the 2016 Option Plan, no option may be granted pursuant to the 2016 Option Plan after June 27, 2026.

 

Our board of directors may at any time terminate or amend the 2016 Option Plan; provided, however, that without the approval of our shareholders, no amendment may be made which would (a) increase the maximum number of shares available for the grant of options (except the anti-dilution adjustments described above), (b) otherwise materially increase the benefits accruing to participants under the 2016 Option Plan or (c) change the eligibility requirements for eligible persons who may receive options.

 

Federal Income Tax Treatment

 

The following is a general summary of the federal income tax consequences under current tax law of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options and SARs. It does not purport to cover all of the special rules, including special rules relating to option holders subject to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the exercise of an option with previously-acquired shares, or the state or local income or other tax consequences inherent in the ownership and exercise of stock options and the ownership and disposition of the underlying shares.

 

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An option holder will not recognize taxable income for federal income tax purposes upon the grant of an incentive stock option, a nonqualified stock option or an SAR with an exercise price at the fair market value on the date of grant, or 110% of the fair market value for certain incentive stock options.

 

In the case of an incentive stock option, no taxable income is recognized upon exercise of the option. If the optionee disposes of the shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option more than two (2) years after the date of grant and more than one (1) year after the transfer of the shares to him or her, the optionee will recognize long-term capital gain or loss and we will not be entitled to a deduction. However, if the optionee disposes of such shares within the required holding period, a portion of his or her gain will be treated as ordinary income and we will generally be entitled to deduct such amount.

 

Upon the exercise of a nonqualified stock option, the optionee recognizes ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares acquired on the date of exercise over the exercise price thereof, and we generally are entitled to a deduction for such amount of the date of exercise so long as we properly withhold income taxes thereon. If the optionee later sells shares acquired pursuant to the nonqualified stock option, he or she will recognize long-term or short-term capital gain or loss.

 

In the case of an SAR, the optionee recognizes ordinary income and we may deduct an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares of Common Stock on the exercise date over the base price thereof.

 

Net capital gains (net long term less net short term gains) can be taxed at substantially lower marginal rates, depending upon the length of time the shares are held, as compared to ordinary income.

 

In addition to the federal income tax consequences described above, an option holder may be subject to the alternative minimum tax, which is payable to the extent it exceeds the option holder’s regular tax. For this purpose, upon the exercise of an incentive stock option, the excess of the fair market value of the shares over the exercise price therefor is a tax preference item. In addition, the option holder’s basis in such shares is increased by such amount for purposes of computing the gain or loss on the disposition of the shares for alternative minimum tax purposes. If an option holder is required to pay an alternative minimum tax, then the amount of such tax which is attributable to deferral preferences (including the incentive stock option preference) is allowed as a credit against the option holder’s regular tax liability in subsequent years. To the extent the credit is not used, it is carried forward.

 

Certain Limitations on Deductibility of Executive Compensation

 

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally disallows a publicly held corporation a deduction for compensation in excess of $1 million per year paid to the chief executive officer or any of the four most highly compensated executive officers (other than the chief executive officer). Accordingly, the deduction limitation of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code applies to all grants under the 2016 Option Plan. However, an exception to the deduction limitation of Section 162(m) applies to certain performance-based compensation. We believe that options and SARs granted under the 2016 Option Plan should qualify for the performance-based compensation exception to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

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All Option Plan Grants, Benefits And Additional Information

 

The following table sets forth certain information as of the end of our last fiscal year regarding all equity compensation plans that provide for the award of equity securities or the grant of options, warrants or rights to purchase our equity securities.

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information 

 

Plan category  Number of
securities to
be issued
upon
exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights
(a)
   Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
(b)
   Number of securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans
(excluding
securities
reflected in
column (a))
(c)
 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders   709,300    24.34    178,045 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders   -0-    NA    -0- 
Total   709,300    24.34    178,045 

 

As of July 8, 2016, options to purchase 169,0900 shares of common stock are available for future grants under all of our existing stock option plans. However, no options have been granted under the 2016 Option Plan contained in this proposal number 3.

 

Vote Required and Board of Directors’ Recommendation

 

The approval of this proposal will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of votes of outstanding shares of our common stock present in person or represented by proxy at this annual meeting and entitled to vote. In determining whether approval of this proposal has received the requisite number of affirmative votes, uninstructed shares are not entitled to vote on this matter and therefore broker non-votes do not affect the outcome. Abstentions have the effect of negative votes. Affiliates of our company informed us that they will vote FOR approval of this proposal.

 

Our board of directors unanimously recommends that shareholders vote for approval of this proposal.

 

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SHAREHOLDERS’ PROPOSALS

 

Proposals of shareholders intended to be presented at the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders must be received in writing by the Secretary of our company at our principal offices in New York City, by April 4, 2017, in order to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement relating to that meeting.

 

If a shareholder intends to make a proposal at the 2017 Annual Meeting, such shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of our company, in compliance with Section 8 of Article II of our By-Laws. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at our principal executive office in New York, not less than sixty (60) days nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders i.e., between July 15, 2017, and June 15, 2017; however, that in the event that the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty (30) days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs.

 

To be in proper written form, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (a) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (b) the name and record address of such shareholder, (c) the class or series and number of shares of our capital stock which are owned-beneficially or of record by such shareholder, (d) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such shareholder and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder and any material interest of such shareholder in such business and (e) a representation that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting.

 

  By Order of our Board of Directors
   
  Michelle Habert, Secretary  
   

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Exhibit A – 2016 Stock Option Plan

 

 43

 

 

2016 STOCK OPTION PLAN

OF

INTER PARFUMS, INC.

 

1.            Purposes of The Plan. This stock option plan (the “Plan”) is designed to provide an incentive to key employees, officers, directors and consultants of Inter Parfums, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its present and future subsidiary corporations, as defined in Paragraph 17 (“Subsidiaries”), and to offer an additional inducement in obtaining the services of such individuals. The Plan provides for the grant of “incentive stock options,” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), nonqualified stock options and stock appreciation rights (“SARs”).

 

2.            Shares Subject to The Plan. The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) for which options or SARs may be granted under the Plan shall not exceed 1,000,000, and the Company hereby reserves 50,000 shares of Common Stock to be available solely for issuance to Nonemployee Directors, as hereinafter defined, upon options to be granted under 2016 Option Plan. Such shares may, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, consist either in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company. The Company shall at all times during the term of the Plan reserve and keep available such number of shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 14, any shares subject to an option or SAR which for any reason expire, are canceled or are terminated unexercised (other than those which expire, are canceled or terminated pursuant to the exercise of a tandem SAR or option) shall again become available for the granting of options or SARs under the Plan. The number of shares of Common Stock underlying that portion of an option or SAR which is exercised (regardless of the number of shares actually issued) shall not again become available for grant under the Plan.

 

3.            Administration of The Plan.

 

(a)          The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors, or if appointed, by a committee consisting of not less than two (2) members of the Board of Directors, each of whom shall be a “Nonemployee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. (The group administering the plan is referred to as the “Committee”). The failure of any of the Committee members to qualify as a Nonemployee Director shall not otherwise affect the validity of the grant of any option or SAR, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock otherwise validly issued upon exercise of any such option. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and any acts approved in writing by all members without a meeting, shall be the acts of the Committee.

 

   

 

 

(b)          Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine the individuals who shall receive options and SARS; the times when they shall receive them; whether an option shall be an incentive or a nonqualified stock option; whether an SAR shall be granted separately, in tandem with or in addition to an option; the number of shares to be subject to each option and SAR; the term of each option and SAR; the date each option and SAR shall become exercisable; whether an option or SAR shall be exercisable in whole, in part or in installments, and if in installments, the number of shares to be subject to each installment; whether the installments shall be cumulative, the date each installment shall become exercisable and the term of each installment; whether to accelerate the date of exercise of any installment; whether shares may be issued on exercise of an option as partly paid, and, if so, the dates when future installments of the exercise price shall become due and the amounts of such installments; the exercise price of each option and the base price of each SAR; the form of payment of the exercise price; the form of payment by the Company upon the optionee’s exercise of an SAR; whether to require that the optionee remain in the employ of, or in association with, the Company or its Subsidiaries for a period of time from and after the date the option or SAR is granted to him; the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to withhold taxes; whether to restrict the sale or other disposition of the shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of an option or SAR and to waive any such restriction; to subject the exercise of all or any portion of an option or SAR to the fulfillment of contingencies as specified in the Contract (as described in Paragraph 12), including without limitations, contingencies relating to financial objectives (such as, but not limited to, earnings per share, cash flow return, return on investment or growth in sales) for a specified period for the Company, a division, a product line or other category, and/or the period of continued employment of the optionee with the Company or its Subsidiaries, and to determine whether such contingencies have been met; to construe the respective Contracts and the Plan; with the consent of the optionee, to cancel or modify an option or SAR, provided such option or SAR as modified would be permitted to be granted on such date under the terms of the Plan; and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Plan. The determinations of the Committee on the matters referred to in this Paragraph 3 shall be conclusive.

 

(c)          Subject to the express provisions of the Plan and solely with respect to employees or consultants of the Company who are not executive officers or directors of the Company, the Committee hereby delegates to the Chief Executive Officer, and to act in place and on behalf of the Committee, the authority to grant nonqualified options and SARs to such employees or consultants; to determine the term of such nonqualified options and SARs; to determine whether an option or SAR shall be exercisable in whole, in part or in installments; to determine whether to require that the optionee remain in the employ of, or association with, the Company or its Subsidiaries for a period of time from and after the date the option or SAR is granted to such person; and to subject the exercise of all or any portion of an option or SAR to the fulfillment of contingencies as specified in the Contract. Any such action by the Chief Executive Officer shall be promptly reduced to writing and provided to the Committee.

 

(d)          With regard to option grants to Nonemployee Directors, the Plan shall be self-executing. However, subject to the express provisions of the Plan, with regard to Nonemployee Directors, the Committee have the power to interpret the Plan; correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan; prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; and make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

 

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4.            Eligibility.

 

(a)          The Committee may, consistent with the purposes of the Plan, grant incentive stock options to key employees (including officers and directors who are employees) and nonqualified stock options and SARs to key employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time, but not to Nonemployee Directors, who are to receive automatic grants of nonqualified stock options without discretion of the Committee, as hereinafter set forth, within ten (10) years from the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board of Directors, covering such number of shares of Common Stock as the Committee may determine; provided that, the aggregate market value (determined at the time the stock option is granted) of the shares for which any eligible person may be granted incentive stock options under the Plan or any plan of the Company, or of a Parent or a Subsidiary of the Company which are exercisable for the first time by such optionee during any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000. Any option (or portion thereof) granted in excess of such amount shall be treated as a nonqualified stock option.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if the Committee determines that at the time a person is granted an option or SAR, such person is then, or is likely to become, a Covered Person (as hereinafter defined), then the Committee may provide that this Section 4(b) is applicable to such grant.

 

(i)          Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan, no person eligible to receive a grant of an option or SAR under this Plan shall be granted options to purchase or an SAR in excess of 150,000 shares of common stock in any one fiscal year. Such 150,000 maximum number shall be appropriately adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends and the like.

 

(ii)         Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan, the exercise price for all options and the base price for all SARs to be granted under the Plan, shall not be less than the Fair Market Value (as hereinafter defined) at the time of grant.

 

(iii)        The term “Covered Person” shall mean a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m)(3) or any successor provision thereto.

 

(c)          Nonemployee Directors shall not be eligible to receive a stock option or SAR grant in the discretion of the Committee. In lieu of such discretionary grants, each Nonemployee Director shall receive the following option grants:

 

(i)          Each individual who becomes a Nonemployee Director, shall on the date of his initial election or appointment to the Board be granted an option to purchase 2,000 shares of Common Stock.

 

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(ii)         Each Nonemployee Director shall be granted an option to purchase 1,000 shares of Common Stock commencing on the next February 1st, and each succeeding February 1st throughout the term of this Plan for so long as such person is a Nonemployee Director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no option shall be granted on such February 1st grant date to any Nonemployee Director who first becomes a Nonemployee Director within six (6) months prior to such February 1st grant date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Nonemployee Director did not attend one of the two in-person board meetings that are usually held the prior June-July and December-January, then the option to be granted on the following February 1, under this Plan would be reduced by 50%; and if such Nonemployee Director did not attend both of such meetings, then such Nonemployee Director would not receive any option grant on the following February 1.

 

(iii)        If a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon proper exercise of options to be granted to Nonemployee Directors on the February 1st grant date does not exist, then the aggregate remaining number of shares shall be prorated equally among options to be granted to all Nonemployee Directors at such February 1st grant date, and options shall be granted to purchase such reduced number of shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon proper exercise of options to be granted to Nonemployee Directors on the February 1st grant date does not exist, then options shall be granted under any pre-existing Nonemployee Director plan in order to satisfy such deficiency, if, and to the extent available.

 

(iv)        All options that may be granted from time to time under the Plan to Nonemployee Directors shall vest and become exercisable to purchase shares of Common Stock as follows: 25% one year after the date of grant, and then 25% on each of the second, third and fourth consecutive years from the date of grant on a cumulative basis, so that each option shall become fully vested and exercisable on the fourth year from the date of grant.

 

(v)         It is the express intent that options to be granted to Nonemployee Directors shall be first made under the 2004 Nonemployee Director Stock Option Plan, as amended (the “2004 Nonemployee Director Plan”), until all shares of Common Stock under that plan have been exhausted. Upon no further shares of Common Stock being available for grant under the 2004 Nonemployee Director Plan, then options to purchase Common Stock to Nonemployee Directors are to be granted under this Plan.

 

(vi)        All grants under this Plan to Nonemployee Directors shall be in lieu of any other option grants that a Nonemployee Director may have been entitled to under any other plan of the Company.

 

5.            Exercise Price and Base Price.

 

(a)          The exercise price of the shares of Common Stock under each option and the base price for each SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided that, in the case of

 

(i)          Nonemployee Directors, all options granted under this Plan shall have an exercise price equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of the Common Stock as hereinafter determined (“Fair Market Value”) on the date of grant, and

 

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(ii)         an incentive stock option, the exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant, and further provided, that if, at the time an incentive stock option is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its Subsidiaries or of a Parent, then the exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value subject to the option at the time of the granting of such option.

 

(b)          The Fair Market Value on the date of grant shall be: (i) If the principal market for the Common stock is a national securities exchange, then the closing price of the Common Stock on the last trading day immediately preceding the date of grant as reported by such exchange; or (ii) if the principal market for the Common Stock is not a national securities exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee by any method consistent with United States generally accepted accounting principles. The determination of the Committee shall be conclusive in determining Fair Market Value.

 

6.            Term.

 

(a)          Except as otherwise provided in this Plan, the term of each option and SAR granted pursuant to the Plan shall be as established by the Committee, in its sole discretion. The term of each incentive stock option granted pursuant to the Plan shall be for a period not exceeding ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof; provided that, if, at the time an incentive stock option is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its Subsidiaries or of a Parent, then the term of the incentive stock option shall be for a period not exceeding five (5) years.

 

(b)          For options granted to Nonemployee Directors, the term of each option shall be five (5) years.

 

(c)          Options shall be subject to earlier termination as hereinafter provided.

 

7.            Exercise.

 

(a)          An option or SAR (or any part or installment thereof) shall be exercised by giving written notice to the Company at its principal office (at present 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10176) stating whether an incentive or nonqualified stock option or SAR is being exercised, specifying the number of shares as to which such option or SAR is being exercised, and in the case of an option, accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate exercise price therefor (or the amount due on exercise if the Contract permits installment payments) in the discretion of the Committee (i) in cash, by certified check or by wire transfer of funds through the Federal Reserve System, (ii) with previously acquired shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value, on the date of exercise, equal to the aggregate exercise price of all options being exercised, or (iii) any combination thereof. In addition, upon the exercise of a nonqualified stock option or SAR, the Company may withhold cash and/or shares of Common Stock to be issued with respect thereto having an aggregate fair market value equal to the amount which it determined is necessary to satisfy its obligation to withhold Federal, state and local income taxes or other taxes incurred by reason of such exercise. Alternatively, the Company may require the holder to pay to the Company such amount, in cash, promptly upon demand. The Company shall not be required to issue any shares pursuant to any such option or SAR until all required payments have been made. Fair market value of the shares shall be determined in accordance with Paragraph 5.

 

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(b)          A person entitled to receive Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or SAR shall not have the rights of a shareholder with respect to such shares until the date of issuance of such shares; provided that, until such shares are issued, any option holder using previously acquired shares in payment of an option exercise price shall have the rights of a shareholder with respect to such previously acquired shares.

 

(c)          In no case may a fraction of a share be purchased or issued under the Plan. Any option granted in tandem with an SAR shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the SAR is exercised, and the exercise of the related option shall cancel the SAR to the extent of such exercise.

 

8.            Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(a)          An SAR may be granted separately, in tandem with or in addition to any option, and may be granted before, simultaneously with or after the grant of an option hereunder. In addition, the holder of an option may, in lieu of making the payment required at the time of exercise under Paragraph 7, include in the written notice referred to therein an “election” to exercise the option as an SAR. In such case, the Committee shall have fifteen (15) days from the receipt of notice of the election to decide, in its sole discretion, whether or not to accept the election and notify the option holder of its decision. If the Committee consents, then such exercise shall be treated as the exercise of an SAR with a base price equal to the exercise price.

 

(b)          Upon the exercise of an SAR, the holder shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise over the base price of the SAR. Such amount shall be paid, in the discretion of the Committee, in cash, Common Stock having a Fair Market Value on the date of payment equal to such amount, or a combination thereof. For purposes of this Paragraph 8, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with Paragraph 5.

 

9.            Termination of Association with the Company (Other Than Death or Permanent Disability).

 

(a)          Any holder of an incentive option whose association with the Company (and its Subsidiaries) has terminated for any reason other than his death or permanent and total disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code (“Permanent Disability”) may exercise such option, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, at any time within three (3) months after the date of termination, but in no event after the expiration of the term of the option; provided that, if such association shall be terminated either (i) for cause, or (ii) without the consent of the Company, then said option shall terminate immediately.

 

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(b)          Except with regard to stock options granted to Nonemployee Directors, any and all nonqualified stock options or SARs granted under the Plan shall terminate simultaneously with the termination of association of the holder of such nonqualified option or SAR with the Company (and its Subsidiaries) for any reason other than the death or Permanent Disability of such holder.

 

(c)          Options and SARs granted under the Plan shall not be affected by any change in the status of an optionee so long as he continues to be associated with the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

(d)          Nothing in the Plan or in any option or SAR granted under the Plan shall confer on any individual any right to continue to be associated with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to terminate the holder’s association at any time for any reason whatsoever without liability to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(e)           If a Nonemployee Director to whom an option has been granted under the Plan shall cease to serve on the Board, otherwise than by reason of death or Permanent Disability, then such option may be exercised (to the extent that the Nonemployee Director was entitled to do so at the time of cessation of service) at any time within three (3) months after such cessation of service but not thereafter, and in no event after the date on which, except for such cessation of service, the option would otherwise expire.

 

10.          Death or Permanent Disability of An Optionee.

 

(a)          Except with regard to options held by Nonemployee Directors, if an optionee dies while he is associated with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or within three (3) months after such termination for the holder of an incentive option (unless such termination was for cause or without the consent of the Company), then the remaining unexercised portion of the option or SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (notwithstanding that the option or SAR had not yet become exercisable with respect to all or part of such shares at the date of death, i.e., all vesting requirements shall lapse) by such person’s executor, administrator or other person at the time entitled by law to the decedent’s rights under the option or SAR, at any time within one (1) year after death, but in no event after the expiration of the term of the option or SAR.

 

(b)          If a Nonemployee Director to whom an option has been granted under the Plan shall die while he is serving on the Board, or within three (3) months after cessation of service on the Board, then the remaining unexercised portion of the option may be exercised in whole or in part (notwithstanding that the option had not yet become exercisable with respect to all or part of such shares at the date of such death, i.e., all vesting requirements shall lapse) by such person’s executor, administrator or other person at the time entitled by law to the decedent’s rights, at any time within one (1) year after his death, but in no event after the date on which, except for such death, the option would otherwise expire.

 

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(c)          Except with regard to options held by Nonemployee Directors, any holder whose association with the Company or its Subsidiaries has terminated by reason of a Permanent Disability may exercise his option or SAR, to the extent exercisable upon the effective date of such termination, at any time within one (1) year after such date, but in no event after the expiration of the term of the option or SAR.

 

(d)           If a Nonemployee Director to whom an option has been granted under the Plan shall cease to serve on the Board by reason of a Permanent Disability, then the remaining unexercised portion of the option may be exercised in whole or in part by the Nonemployee Director (notwithstanding that the option had not yet become exercisable with respect to all or part of such shares at the date of such Permanent Disability i.e., all vesting requirements shall lapse) at any time within one (1) year after such Permanent Disability, but not thereafter, and in no event after the date on which, except for such Permanent Disability, the option would otherwise expire.

 

11.          Compliance With Securities Laws. The Committee may require, in its discretion, as a condition to the exercise of an option or SAR that either (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to such shares shall be effective at the time of exercise or (b) there is an exemption from registration under the Securities Act for the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon such exercise. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the Company to register shares subject to any option or SAR under the Securities Act. In addition, if at any time the Committee shall determine in its discretion that the listing or qualification of the shares subject to such option or SAR on any securities exchange or under any applicable law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of an option or SAR, or the issue of shares thereunder, then such option or SAR may not be exercised in whole or in part unless such listing, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Committee.

 

12.          Stock Option and SAR Contracts. Each option and SAR shall be evidenced by an appropriate Contract which shall be duly executed by the Company and the optionee, and shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent herewith as may be determined by the Committee, and which shall provide, among other things, (i) that the optionee agrees that he will remain in the employ of or association with the Company or its Subsidiaries, at the election of the Company, for the later of (A) the period of time determined by the Committee at or before the time of grant or (B) the date to which such optionee is then contractually obligated to remain associated with the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) that in the event of the exercise of an option or an SAR which is paid with Common stock, unless the shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise shall have been registered under an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, such shares will be acquired for investment and not with a view to distribution thereof, and that such shares may not be sold except in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, and (iii) that in the event of any disposition of the shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of an incentive stock option within two (2) years from the date of grant of the option or one (1) year from the date of transfer of such shares to him, the optionee will notify the Company thereof in writing within 30 days after such disposition, pay the Company, on demand, in cash an amount necessary to satisfy its obligation, if any, to withhold any Federal, state and local income taxes or other taxes by reason of such disqualifying disposition and provide the Company, on demand, with such information as the Company shall reasonably request to determine such obligation.

 

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13.          Adjustment of and Changes in Common Stock.

 

(a)          If the outstanding shares of the Common Stock are increased, decreased, changed into, or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or securities of the Corporation through reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or the like, then an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made in the (i) aggregate number and kind of securities available under the Plan, and (ii) number and kind of securities issuable upon the exercise of all outstanding options and SARs granted under the Plan, without change in the total price applicable to the unexercised portion of such options or SARs, but with a corresponding adjustment in the exercise price or base price for each unit of any security covered by such options or SARs.

 

(b)          Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, or upon a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Corporation with one or more corporations as a result of which the Corporation is not the surviving corporation, or upon the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, the Committee shall provide in writing in connection with such transaction for one or more of the following alternatives, separately or in combination: (i) the assumption by the successor entity of the options theretofore granted or the substitution by such entity for such options of new options or SARs covering the stock of the successor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices; or (ii) the continuance of such option agreements by such successor entity in which such options shall remain in full force and effect under the terms so provided.

 

(c)          Any adjustments under this Section 13 shall be made by the Committee, whose good faith determination as to what adjustments shall be made, and the extent thereof, shall be final, binding and conclusive.

 

14.          Amendments and Termination of The Plan. The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on June 28, 2016. No options may be granted under the Plan after June 27, 2026. The Board of Directors, without further approval of the Company’s stockholders, may at any time suspend or terminate the Plan, in whole or in part, or amend it from time to time in such respects as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, in order that incentive stock options granted hereunder meet the requirements for “incentive stock options” under the Code, or any comparable provisions thereafter enacted and conform to any change in applicable law or to regulations or rulings of administrative agencies; provided that, no amendment shall be effective without the prior or subsequent approval of a majority of the Company’s outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon which would (a) except as contemplated in Paragraph 13, increase the maximum number of shares for which options may be granted under the Plan, (b) materially increase the benefits to participants under the Plan or (c) change the eligibility requirements for individuals entitled to receive options hereunder. No termination, suspension or amendment of the Plan shall, without the consent of the holder of an existing option affected thereby, adversely affect his rights under such option.

 

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15.          Nontransferability of Options. No option or SAR granted under the Plan shall be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and options and SARs may be exercised, during the lifetime of the holder thereof, only by him or his legal representatives. Except to the extent provided above, options and SARs may not be assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and shall not subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

 

16. Substitutions and Assumptions of Options of Certain Constituent Corporations. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board of directors may, without further approval by the stockholders, substitute new options for prior options and new SARs for prior SARs of a Constituent Corporation (as defined in Paragraph 17) or assume the prior options or SARs of such Constituent Corporation.

 

17.          Certain Definitions.

 

(a)          The term “Subsidiary” shall have the same definition as “subsidiary corporation” in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

(b)          The term “Parent” shall have the same definition as “parent corporation” in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

(c)          The term “Constituent Corporation” shall mean any corporation which engages with the Company, its Parent or Subsidiary, in a transaction to which section 424(a) of the Code applies (or would apply if the option or SAR assumed or substituted were an incentive stock option), or any Parent or any Subsidiary of such corporation.

 

18.          Conditions Precedent. The Plan shall be subject to approval by the holders of a majority of shares of the Company’s capital stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon at the next meeting of its stockholders, or the written consent of the holders of a majority of shares that would have been entitled to vote thereon, and no options or SARs granted hereunder may be exercised prior to such approval, provided that the date of grant of any options granted hereunder shall be determined as if the Plan had not been subject to such approval.

 

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