UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed
by the Registrant ☒
Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check
the appropriate box:
☐ |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
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☐ |
Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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☒ |
Definitive
Proxy Statement |
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☐ |
Definitive
Additional Materials |
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☐ |
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
AYRO,
Inc.
(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
☒ |
No
fee required. |
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☐ |
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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☐ |
Fee
computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
900
E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100
Round
Rock, Texas 78664
Telephone:
(512) 994-4917
December 5, 2024
Dear
Stockholder:
You
are cordially invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AYRO, Inc. to be held at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on December
30, 2024. The annual meeting will be conducted in a virtual format only via live webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024.
We
have decided to hold this annual meeting virtually via live webcast on the internet because hosting a virtual annual meeting enables
greater stockholder attendance and participation from any location around the world, improves meeting efficiency and our ability to communicate
effectively with our stockholders, and reduces the cost and environmental impact of the annual meeting. You will be able to vote and
submit questions electronically prior to the annual meeting by visiting www.proxyvote.com, and during the annual meeting by visiting
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024. Specific instructions for accessing the meeting are provided in the enclosed Notice of Annual
Meeting of Stockholders and proxy card or voting instruction form you received. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual
annual meeting, please call the technical support number available on the virtual meeting page on the morning of the annual meeting.
Your
vote is very important. Whether or not you expect to be present at the annual meeting, please vote as promptly as possible to ensure
your representation and the presence of a quorum at the annual meeting. As an alternative to voting during the annual meeting, you may
vote online, by phone or by mail by following the instructions on the enclosed proxy card. Voting online, by phone or by written proxy
ensures your representation at the annual meeting regardless of whether you attend the virtual meeting. If your shares are held in the
name of a broker, trust, bank or other nominee, and you receive these materials through your broker or through another intermediary,
please complete and return the materials in accordance with the instructions provided to you by such broker or other intermediary or
contact your broker directly in order to obtain a proxy issued to you by your nominee holder to attend the annual meeting and vote. Failure
to do so may result in your shares not being eligible to be voted by proxy at the annual meeting. On behalf of the Board, I urge you
to submit your proxy as soon as possible, even if you currently plan to attend the meeting virtually.
If
you have any questions or need assistance with voting, please contact Joshua Silverman, our Executive Chairman, at 512-994-4917.
If
you plan to virtually attend the annual meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number on the enclosed proxy card or on the instructions
that accompany your proxy materials. The annual meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m., New York time. Online check-in will begin
at 9:45 a.m., New York time, and you should allow ample time for the online check-in procedures.
Thank
you for your support of our company. I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.
Sincerely, |
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/s/
Joshua Silverman |
|
Joshua
Silverman |
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors |
|
IMPORTANT
NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR
THE
STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 30, 2024:
Our
official Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Proxy Statement and
2023
Annual Report to Stockholders are available at:
www.proxyvote.com
900
E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100
Round
Rock, Texas 78664
Telephone:
(512) 994-4917
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held December 30, 2024
The
2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
will be held at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on December 30, 2024, virtually only via live webcast over the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024.
We will consider and act on the following items of business at the Annual Meeting:
| (1) | Election
of six directors to serve on our board of directors (the “Board”) for a term
of one year or until their successors are elected and qualified, for which the following
are nominees: Joshua Silverman, Wayne R. Walker, George Devlin, Sebastian Giordano, Zvi Joseph,
and Greg Schiffman (the “Director Election Proposal”); |
| (2) | Approval
of the Third Amendment to the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase
the total number of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(“Common Stock”), authorized for issuance under such plan by 3,000,000, to a
total of 4,229,956 shares (the “Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal”); |
| (3) | Ratification
of the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 (the “Auditor Ratification Proposal”); |
| (4) | Approval
of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to
effect, at the discretion of the Board but prior to the one-year anniversary of the date
on which the reverse stock split is approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Annual
Meeting, a reverse stock split of all of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock, at a
ratio in the range of 1-for-2 to 1-for-13, with such ratio to be determined
by the Board in its discretion and included in a public announcement (the “Reverse
Stock Split Proposal”); |
| (5) | Approval
of a proposal to adjourn the Annual Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary or appropriate,
to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient
votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of any one or more of the foregoing
proposals (the “Adjournment Proposal”); and |
| (6) | Such
other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any postponements thereof. |
Stockholders
are referred to the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders for more detailed information with respect
to the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting. After careful consideration, the Board recommends a vote “FOR”
the Director Election Proposal, “FOR” the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, “FOR” the Auditor
Ratification Proposal, “FOR” the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal.
We
have decided to hold the Annual Meeting virtually via live webcast on the internet because hosting the Annual Meeting virtually enables
greater stockholder attendance and participation from any location around the world, improves meeting efficiency and our ability to communicate
effectively with our stockholders and reduces the cost and environmental impact of the Annual Meeting. Stockholders will not be able
to attend the Annual Meeting in person; however, stockholders of record will be able to vote and submit questions electronically prior
to the Annual Meeting by visiting www.proxyvote.com, and during the Annual Meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024,
and entering the 16-digit control number included on the enclosed proxy card or on the instructions that accompany your proxy materials.
Specific instructions for accessing the Annual Meeting are provided in the enclosed Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and proxy
card or voting instruction form you received.
The
Board has fixed the close of business on November 21, 2024, as the record date for the Annual Meeting (the “Record Date”).
Only holders of record at the close of business on the Record Date of shares of our Common Stock, our Series H-6 Convertible Preferred
Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Series H-6 Preferred Stock”), and our Series H-7 Convertible Preferred Stock, par value
$0.0001 per share (“Series H-7 Preferred Stock”), are entitled to receive notice of the Annual Meeting. Only holders of record
at the close of business on the Record Date of shares of our Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock, subject to the terms of the Certificate
of Designations, Preferences and Rights of the Series H-6 Preferred Stock, and Series H-7 Preferred Stock, subject to the terms of the
Certificate of Designations of Preferences and Rights of the Series H-7 Preferred Stock, are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or
at any postponement(s) or adjournment(s) of the Annual Meeting. A complete list of registered stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting will be available for inspection at the office of the Company during regular business hours for the 10 calendar days prior to
and during the Annual Meeting. A complete list of registered stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will also be available
for viewing during the Annual Meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024. Stockholders will be also able to submit
questions during the Annual Meeting.
You
can vote virtually during the Annual Meeting by use of a proxy card if you receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, or via the
Internet or telephone as indicated on the proxy card. If you hold shares of Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock or Series H-7 Preferred
Stock as the stockholder of record on the Record Date, then you have the right to vote those shares at the Annual Meeting. If you are
a beneficial owner and hold such shares in street name, then you can vote the shares you beneficially own through the online voting platform
under a legal proxy from your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee and are not required to take any additional action to obtain a legal
proxy. Please follow the instructions at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024 in order to vote your shares during the Annual Meeting,
whether you hold your shares of record or in street name.
Whether
or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote your shares as promptly as possible by Internet, telephone or mail
so that your shares may be represented and voted at the Annual Meeting.
YOUR
VOTE AND PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPANY’S AFFAIRS ARE IMPORTANT. TO ENSURE THAT YOUR SHARES ARE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.
PLEASE VOTE IN ONE OF THESE WAYS:
● |
USE
THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER shown on your proxy card; |
● |
VISIT
THE WEBSITE noted on your proxy card to vote via the Internet; or |
● |
MARK,
SIGN, DATE AND PROMPTLY RETURN the enclosed proxy card in the postage-paid envelope. |
STOCKHOLDERS
WHO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING MAY REVOKE THEIR PROXIES AND VOTE VIRTUALLY IF THEY DESIRE.
If
your shares are held in the name of a broker, trust, bank or other nominee, and you receive these materials through your broker or through
another intermediary, please complete and return the materials in accordance with the instructions provided to you by such broker or
other intermediary or contact your broker directly in order to obtain a proxy issued to you by your nominee holder to attend the Annual
Meeting virtually and vote. Failure to do so may result in your shares not being eligible to be voted by proxy at the Annual Meeting.
By
Order of the Board of Directors, |
|
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/s/
Joshua Silverman |
|
Joshua
Silverman |
|
Executive
Chairman |
|
December 5, 2024
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
AYRO,
INC.
900
E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100
Round
Rock, Texas 78664
Telephone:
(512) 994-4917
PROXY
STATEMENT
FOR
THE
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON DECEMBER 30, 2024
Unless
the context otherwise requires, references in this proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) to “we,” “us,”
“our,” the “Company” or “AYRO” refer to AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its direct and indirect
subsidiaries. In addition, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “stockholders” are to the holders of our
voting securities, which consist of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), Series H-6 Convertible
Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Series H-6 Preferred Stock”), and Series H-7 Convertible Preferred Stock,
par value $0.0001 per share (“Series H-7 Preferred Stock”).
The
accompanying proxy is solicited by the board of directors (the “Board”) on behalf of the Company to be voted at the 2024
annual meeting of stockholders of the Company (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held virtually via live webcast on the Internet
at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024, on December 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., New York time, for the purposes set forth in the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Notice”), and at any postponement(s), adjournment(s) or recess(es)
thereof. This Proxy Statement, along with the Notice and proxy card are being mailed to our stockholders beginning on or about December 5, 2024.
If
you held shares of Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock or Series H-7 Preferred Stock at the close of business on the Record Date
(as defined below), you are invited to attend the Annual Meeting virtually at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AYRO2024 and vote on
the proposal described in this Proxy Statement.
The
executive offices of the Company are located at, and the mailing address of the Company is, 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100,
Round Rock, Texas 78664.
The
Company will pay the costs of soliciting proxies from stockholders. Our directors, officers and employees may solicit proxies on behalf
of the Company, without additional compensation, by telephone, facsimile, mail, on the Internet or in person.
ABOUT
THE ANNUAL MEETING
What
is a proxy?
A
proxy is another person that you legally designate to vote your stock. If you designate someone as your proxy in a written document,
that document is also called a “proxy” or a “proxy card.” If you are a street name holder, you must obtain a
proxy from your broker or nominee in order to vote your shares during the Annual Meeting.
What
is a proxy statement?
A
proxy statement is a document that regulations of the SEC require that we give to you when we ask you to sign a proxy card to vote your
stock at the Annual Meeting.
What
is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?
At
our Annual Meeting, stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, including the following:
| (1) | Election
of six directors to serve on our Board for a term of one year or until their successors are
elected and qualified, for which the following are nominees: Joshua Silverman, Wayne R. Walker,
George Devlin, Sebastian Giordano, Zvi Joseph, and Greg Schiffman (“Director Election
Proposal”); |
| (2) | Approval
of the Third Amendment to the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”),
to increase the total number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock authorized for
issuance under such Plan by 3,000,000, to a total of 4,229,956 shares (“Incentive Plan
Amendment Proposal”); |
| (3) | Ratification
of the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 (“Auditor Ratification Proposal”); |
| (4) | Approval
of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to
effect, at the discretion of the Board but prior to the one-year anniversary of the date
on which the reverse stock split is approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Annual
Meeting, a reverse stock split of all of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock, at a
ratio in the range of 1-for-2 to 1-for-13, with such ratio to be determined
by the Board in its discretion and included in a public announcement (“Reverse Stock
Split Proposal”); |
| (5) | Approval
of a proposal to adjourn the Annual Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary or appropriate,
to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient
votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of any one or more of the foregoing
proposals (the “Adjournment Proposal”); and |
| (6) | Such
other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any postponements thereof. |
What
is “householding” and how does it affect me?
With
respect to eligible stockholders who share a single address, we may send only one copy of our proxy materials to that address unless
we receive instructions to the contrary from any stockholder at that address. This practice, known as “householding,” is
designed to reduce our printing and postage costs. Eligible stockholders of record receiving multiple copies of our proxy materials can
request householding by contacting us in the same manner. Stockholders who own shares through a bank, broker or other nominee can request
householding by contacting the nominee.
We
hereby undertake to deliver promptly, upon written or oral request, a copy of the proxy materials to a stockholder at a shared address
to which a single copy of the document was delivered. If you are a stockholder of record, you may obtain additional copies at the same
address you share with other stockholders by contacting Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., either by calling (866) 540-7095, or by
writing to Broadridge Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717. If you are a beneficial owner and hold your
shares in a brokerage or custody account, you can request additional copies of the proxy materials at the same address you share with
other stockholders or you can request householding by notifying your broker, bank or other nominee.
What
should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials?
You
may receive more than one set of voting materials, including multiple copies of this Proxy Statement and multiple proxy cards or voting
instruction cards. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you will receive a separate voting instruction
card for each brokerage account in which you hold shares. Similarly, if you are a stockholder of record and hold shares in a brokerage
account, you will receive a proxy card for shares held in your name and a voting instruction card for shares held in “street name.”
Please follow the separate voting instructions that you received for your shares held in each of your different accounts to ensure that
all your shares are voted.
What
is the Record Date and what does it mean?
The
record date to determine the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting is the close of business on November
21, 2024 (the “Record Date”). The Record Date is established by the Board as required by Delaware law. Only holders of record
at the close of business on the Record Date of shares of Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock and Series H-7 Preferred Stock are
entitled to receive notice of the Annual Meeting. Only holders of record at the close of business on the Record Date of shares of Common
Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock, subject to the terms of the Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of the Series H-6
Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series H-6 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations”), and Series H-7 Preferred Stock, subject
to the terms of the Certificate of Designations of Preferences and Rights of the Series H-7 Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series
H-7 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations”), are entitled to vote, as a single class, at the Annual Meeting or at any postponement(s)
or adjournment(s) of the Annual Meeting.
On
the Record Date, there were 6,764,600 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on the proposals described in
this Proxy Statement.
On
the Record Date, 50 shares of Series H-6 Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, and after application of the limitation on
voting rights and the beneficial ownership limitation pursuant to the terms of the Series H-6 Preferred Stock as set forth in the
Series H-6 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations, holders of Series H-6 Preferred Stock are entitled to an aggregate of approximately
115 votes on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement.
On
the Record Date, 12,666.63 shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, and after application of the limitation
on voting rights and the beneficial ownership limitation pursuant to the terms of the Series H-7 Preferred Stock as set forth in the
Series H-7 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations, holders of Series H-7 Preferred Stock are entitled to an aggregate of approximately
1,380,349 votes on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement.
See
“What are the voting rights of the stockholders?” below.
Who
is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?
The
holders of Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred Stock and Series H-7 Preferred Stock at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting, voting together as a single class on all matters described in this Proxy Statement.
What
are the voting rights of the stockholders?
Each
holder of Common Stock is entitled to one vote per share of Common Stock on all matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting.
Each
holder of Series H-6 Preferred Stock is entitled to the number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of Common Stock into which
the Series H-6 Preferred Stock beneficially owned by such holder is convertible as of the Record Date (subject to the 9.99% beneficial
ownership limitations) on all matters presented to the stockholders, voting together with the holders of Common Stock as a single class;
however, pursuant to the terms of the Series H-6 Preferred Stock as set forth in the Series H-6 Certificate of Designations, holders
of Series H-6 Preferred Stock in no event shall be permitted to exercise a greater number of votes than such holders would have been
entitled to cast if the Series H-6 Preferred Stock had immediately been converted into shares of Common Stock at a conversion price equal
to $31.20. Accordingly, each holder of Series H-6 Preferred Stock is entitled to exercise votes for approximately 2.3 shares for each
share of Series H-6 Preferred Stock held.
Each
holder of Series H-7 Preferred Stock is entitled to the number of votes equal to the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the
Series H-7 Preferred Stock beneficially owned by such holder determined by dividing the stated value of $1,000 by $5.76 per share on
all matters presented to the stockholders, voting together with the holders of Common Stock as a single class. Accordingly, each holder
of Series H-7 Preferred Stock is entitled to exercise votes for approximately 174 shares for each share of Series H-7 Preferred Stock
held. There is no cumulative voting.
What
constitutes a quorum for the Annual Meeting?
The
holders of one-third of the voting power of the stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, present in person
or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Votes of stockholders
of record who are present at the Annual Meeting by virtual attendance or by proxy, abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for purposes
of determining whether a quorum exists.
If
a quorum is not present or represented at the Annual Meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, present in person
or by proxy, or the chairperson of the Annual Meeting (if any), may adjourn the Annual Meeting from time to time without notice or other
announcement until a quorum is present or represented.
What
is the difference between a stockholder of record and a “street name” holder?
If
your shares are registered directly in your name with Issuer Direct Corporation, our stock transfer agent, you are considered the stockholder
of record with respect to those shares. The proxy materials have been sent directly to you by us.
If
your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, the nominee is considered the record holder of those
shares. You are considered the beneficial owner of these shares, and your shares are held in “street name.” The proxy materials
have been forwarded to you by your nominee. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your nominee concerning how to vote
your shares by using the voting instructions they included in the mailing or by following their instructions for voting by telephone
or the Internet.
What
is a broker non-vote?
Broker
non-votes occur when shares are held indirectly through a broker, bank or other intermediary on behalf of a beneficial owner (referred
to as held in “street name”) and the broker submits a proxy but does not vote for a matter because the broker has not received
voting instructions from the beneficial owner and (i) the broker does not have discretionary voting authority on the matter or (ii) the
broker chooses not to vote on a matter for which it has discretionary voting authority. Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange
that govern how brokers may vote shares for which they have not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner, brokers are permitted
to exercise discretionary voting authority only on “routine” matters when voting instructions have not been timely received
from a beneficial owner. The Auditor Ratification Proposal, the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal are each considered
a “routine matter.” Therefore, if you do not provide voting instructions to your broker regarding such proposals, your broker
will be permitted to exercise discretionary voting authority to vote your shares on such proposals. In the absence of specific instructions
from you, your broker does not have discretionary authority to vote your shares with respect to the Director Election Proposal or the
Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal.
How
do I vote my shares?
If
you are a record holder, you may vote your voting securities at the Annual Meeting in person virtually or by proxy. To vote in person
virtually, you must be logged in and registered to virtually attend the Annual Meeting and cast your vote before the announcement of
the close of voting during the Annual Meeting. To vote by proxy, you must do one of the following:
| ● | By
Internet. If you are a stockholder of record, you may submit your proxy by going to www.proxyvote.com
and following the instructions provided on your proxy card. If your shares are held with
a broker, you will need to go to the website provided on your voting instruction card. Have
your proxy card or voting instruction card in hand when you access the voting website. On
the Internet voting site, you can confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded.
Internet voting for stockholders of record will be available 24 hours a day and will close
at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 29, 2024. |
| ● | By
phone. You can vote by telephone by calling the toll-free number included on your proxy
card. Telephone voting for stockholders of record will be available 24 hours a day and will
close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 29, 2024. |
| ● | By
mail. You can vote by mail by completing, signing, dating and returning your proxy card
as instructed on the card. If you sign the proxy card but do not specify how you want your
shares voted, they will be voted in accordance with the Board’s recommendations as
noted below. |
| ● | Virtually
at the meeting. You will also be able to vote your shares electronically by participating
in the virtual Annual Meeting. To participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, you will need
the control number included on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your
proxy materials. |
The
telephone and Internet voting procedures are designed to authenticate stockholders’ identities, to allow you to vote your shares
and to confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded. Please refer to your proxy card or the information forwarded by your
bank, broker or other nominee to see which options are available to you. The proxy card is fairly simple to complete, with specific instructions
right on the card. By completing and submitting it, you will direct the designated persons (known as “proxies”) to vote your
stock at the Annual Meeting in accordance with your instructions. The Board has appointed Joshua Silverman, Chairman of the Board, to
serve as the proxy for the Annual Meeting.
Your
proxy card will be valid only if you sign, date and return it before the Annual Meeting. If you complete all of the proxy card except
one or more of the voting instructions, then the designated proxies will vote your shares as to which you provide no voting instructions
in the manner described under “What if I do not specify how I want my shares voted?” below. We do not anticipate that any
other matters will come before the Annual Meeting, but if any other matters properly come before the meeting, then the designated proxies
will vote your shares in accordance with applicable law and their judgment.
If
you hold your shares in “street name,” your bank, broker or other nominee should provide to you a request for voting instructions
along with the Company’s proxy solicitation materials. By completing the voting instruction card, you may direct your nominee how
to vote your shares. If you complete the voting instruction card except for one or more of the voting instructions, then your broker
may be unable to vote your shares with respect to the proposal as to which you provide no voting instructions. See “What is a broker
non-vote?” Alternatively, if you want to vote your shares during the Annual Meeting, you must contact your nominee directly in
order to obtain a proxy issued to you by your nominee holder. Note that a broker letter that identifies you as a stockholder is not the
same as a nominee issued proxy.
Even
if you currently plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you also submit your proxy as described above so that your votes
will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting or are unable to attend.
What
if I have technical difficulties or trouble accessing the Annual Meeting?
We
will have technicians ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may have in accessing the Annual Meeting. If you encounter
any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time, please call the technical support number that will
be posted on the virtual meeting log in page.
Who
counts the votes?
All
votes will be tabulated by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), the inspector of election appointed
for the Annual Meeting. Each proposal will be tabulated separately.
What
are my choices when voting?
When
you cast your vote on:
| ● | Director
Election Proposal: You may vote for all director nominees or may withhold your vote as to
one or more director nominees. |
| ● | Incentive
Plan Amendment Proposal: You may vote for the proposal, vote against the proposal or abstain
from voting on the proposal. |
| ● | Auditor
Ratification Proposal: You may vote for the proposal, vote against the proposal or abstain
from voting on the proposal. |
| ● | Reverse
Stock Split Proposal: You may vote for the proposal, vote against the proposal or abstain
from voting on the proposal. |
| ● | Adjournment
Proposal: You may vote for the proposal, vote against the proposal or abstain from voting
on the proposal. |
What
are the Board’s recommendations on how I should vote my shares?
The
Board recommends that you vote your shares as follows:
“FOR”
the Director Election Proposal, “FOR” the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, “FOR” the Auditor Ratification Proposal,
“FOR” the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal.
What
if I do not specify how I want my shares voted?
If
you are a record holder who returns a completed proxy that does not specify how you want to vote your shares on one or more proposals,
the proxies will vote your shares for each proposal as to which you provide no voting instructions, and such shares will be voted in
the following manner:
“FOR”
the Director Election Proposal, “FOR” the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, “FOR” the Auditor Ratification Proposal,
“FOR” the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal.
If
you are a “street name” holder and do not provide voting instructions on one or more proposals, your bank, broker or other
nominee will be unable to vote those shares with respect to the Director Election Proposal or the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal but
will be able to vote those shares with respect the Auditor Ratification Proposal, the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and the Adjournment
Proposal. See “What is a broker non-vote?”
Can
I change my vote?
Yes.
If you are a record holder, you may revoke your proxy at any time by any of the following means:
| ● | attending
the Annual Meeting and voting during the Annual Meeting. Your attendance at the Annual Meeting
will not by itself revoke a proxy. You must vote your shares online during the Annual Meeting
to revoke your proxy; |
| ● | if
you submitted a proxy card, by signing a new proxy card with a date later than your previously
delivered proxy and submitting it as instructed above, or by voting by Internet on a date
later than the prior proxy; or |
| ● | giving
written notice of revocation to the Company addressed to Joshua Silverman, Executive Chairman,
at the Company’s address above, which notice must be received before noon, New York
time on December 29, 2024. |
If
you are a street name holder, your bank, broker or other nominee should provide instructions explaining how you may change or revoke
your voting instructions.
What
vote is required to approve each proposal?
Assuming
the presence of a quorum, with respect to the Director Election Proposal, directors are elected by a plurality of the voting power of
the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the Director Election Proposal.
Assuming
the presence of a quorum, approval of the Incentive Plan Amendment and the Auditor Ratification Proposal will require the affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled
to vote on such proposals, voting affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes). We are not required to obtain
the approval of our stockholders to select our independent registered public accounting firm. However, if our stockholders do not ratify
the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, our
Audit Committee of our Board will reconsider its appointment.
Assuming
the presence of a quorum, approval of the Reverse Stock Split Proposal will require the affirmative vote of the holders of majority of
the votes cast by stockholders at the Annual Meeting entitled to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.
Assuming
the presence of a quorum, approval of the Adjournment Proposal will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the
stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the Adjournment Proposal, voting
affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes).
How
are abstentions and broker non-votes treated?
Abstentions
or votes withheld are included in the determination of the number of shares present at the Annual Meeting for determining a quorum at
the meeting. Votes withheld will have no effect with respect to the Director Election Proposal and votes abstained will have no effect
with respect to the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, Auditor Ratification Proposal, Reverse Stock Split Proposal or Adjournment Proposal.
Broker
non-votes are included in the determination of the number of shares present at the Annual Meeting for determining a quorum at the meeting.
Brokers who have not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner do not have discretionary authority to vote on the Director
Election Proposal or on the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal. Therefore, if you hold your shares in street name and you do not instruct
your bank, broker or other nominee how to vote on the Director Election Proposal and Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, no votes will
be cast on these proposals on your behalf. Broker non-votes will not be considered in the vote totals with respect to the Director Election
Proposal, the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal, the Auditor Ratification Proposal, the Reverse Stock Split Proposal or the Adjournment
Proposal and will have no effect on the vote regarding such proposals.
Do
I have any dissenters’ or appraisal rights with respect to any of the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting?
No.
None of our stockholders have any dissenters’ or appraisal rights with respect to the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.
What
are the solicitation expenses and who pays the cost of this proxy solicitation?
Our
Board is asking for your proxy and we will pay all of the costs associated with asking for stockholder proxies. We will reimburse brokerage
houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding solicitation material
to the beneficial owners of Common Stock and collecting voting instructions. We may use officers and employees of the Company to ask
for proxies, as described below. In addition, we have retained Campaign Management, LLC (“Campaign Management”) to assist
in the solicitation of proxies for a fee of $12,000 plus customary expenses.
Is
this Proxy Statement the only way that proxies are being solicited?
No.
In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mail, officers and employees of the Company, as well as Campaign Management,
the proxy solicitation firm hired by the Company, may solicit the return of proxies, either by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or through
personal contact. These officers and employees will not receive additional compensation for their efforts but will be reimbursed for
out-of-pocket expenses. The fees of Campaign Management as well as the reimbursement of expenses of Campaign Management will be borne
by us. Brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries, in connection with shares of the Common Stock registered
in their names, will be requested to forward solicitation material to the beneficial owners of shares of Common Stock.
Are
there any other matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting?
Management
does not intend to present any business at the Annual Meeting for a vote other than the matters set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting
of Stockholders and has no information that others will do so. If other matters requiring a vote of the stockholders properly come before
the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy card to vote the shares represented by the proxies
held by them in accordance with applicable law and their judgment on such matters.
Where
can I find voting results?
The
Company expects to publish the voting results in a current report on Form 8-K, which it expects to file with the SEC within four business
days following the Annual Meeting (the “Form 8-K”). If final results are unavailable when we file the Form 8-K, then we will
file an amendment to the Form 8-K to disclose the final voting results within four business days after the final voting results are known.
Who
can help answer my questions?
The
information provided above in this “Question and Answer” format is for your convenience only and is merely a summary of the
information contained in this Proxy Statement. We urge you to carefully read this entire Proxy Statement, including the documents we
refer to in this Proxy Statement. If you have any questions, need additional material, or need assistance in voting your shares, please
feel free to contact the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies, Campaign Management. Banks, brokers and stockholders may
call Campaign Management at 1-844-394-4517 (toll-free within North America) or 1-212-632-8422 (call collect outside North America).
DIRECTOR ELECTION PROPOSAL
The
Board currently consists of six members. Our Board accepted the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and
voted to nominate Joshua Silverman, Sebastian Giordano, Greg Schiffman, Zvi Joseph, George Devlin and Wayne R. Walker for election at
the Annual Meeting for a term of one year to serve until the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, or until their respective
successors have been elected and qualified. Directors are elected by a plurality of the voting power of the shares present in person
or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors (meaning that the six director nominees who
receive the highest number of shares voted “for” their election are elected). Should any of the director nominees become
unable or unwilling to accept nomination or election, the proxy holders may vote the proxies for the election, in his stead, of any other
person the Board may nominate or designate. Each of the director nominees has expressed his intention to serve the entire term for which
election is sought.
Directors
and Nominees
The
following table sets forth the name, age and positions as of the Record Date of the directors currently serving on our Board, each of
whom is also a director nominee:
Name |
|
Age |
|
Director
Since |
|
Position
with the Company |
Joshua
Silverman |
|
54 |
|
August
2016 |
|
Chairman
of the Board |
Sebastian
Giordano |
|
67 |
|
February
2013 |
|
Director |
Greg
Schiffman |
|
67 |
|
February
2018 |
|
Director |
Zvi
Joseph |
|
58 |
|
January
2018 |
|
Director |
George
Devlin |
|
71 |
|
May
2020 |
|
Director |
Wayne
R. Walker |
|
65 |
|
December
2020 |
|
Director |
The
following sets forth biographical information and the qualifications and skills for each director nominee:
Joshua
Silverman. Mr. Silverman has been our director since May 28, 2020, and currently serves as our Executive Chairman and Principal
Executive Officer. Prior to his appointment to such positions on December 13, 2023, Mr. Silverman served as Chairman of the Board. Prior
to the Merger, Mr. Silverman had served as a member of the DropCar Board of Directors since the 2018 Merger (as defined below). Mr. Silverman
currently serves as the managing member of Parkfield Funding LLC. Mr. Silverman was the co-founder of, and was previously a principal
and managing partner of, Iroquois Capital Management, LLC (“Iroquois”), an investment advisory firm. From its inception in
2003 until July 2016, Mr. Silverman served as co-chief investment officer of Iroquois. While at Iroquois, he designed and executed complex
transactions, structuring and negotiating investments in both public and private companies, and was often called upon by such companies
to solve inefficiencies relating to corporate structure, cash flow, and management. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Silverman served as co-chief
investment officer of Vertical Ventures, LLC, a merchant bank. Prior to forming Iroquois, Mr. Silverman was a director of Joele Frank,
a boutique consulting firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Mr. Silverman served as assistant press secretary to
the President of the United States. Mr. Silverman currently serves as a director of MYMD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYMD), Pharmacyte,
Inc. (NASDAQ: PMCB), Synaptogenix, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPX) and Petros Pharmaceutical, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTPI), all of which are public companies.
He previously served as a director of National Holdings Corporation from July 2014 through August 2016 and as a director of Marker Therapeutics,
Inc. from August 2016 until October 2018. Mr. Silverman received his B.A. from Lehigh University in 1992. Mr. Silverman’s qualifications
to sit on the Board include his experience as an investment banker, management consultant and director of numerous public companies.
Sebastian
Giordano. Mr. Giordano served as a member of the DropCar Board of Directors since the completion of the business combination
with DropCar, Inc. (“Private DropCar”) and DC Acquisition Corporation, pursuant to which Private DropCar became a wholly
owned subsidiary of WPCS International Incorporated (“WPCS”), which then changed its name to DropCar on January 30, 2018
(the “2018 Merger”), and, prior to that time, served as a director of WPCS since February 2013, and has continued to serve
as a director of the Company following the Merger. Mr. Giordano served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of WPCS from August 2013
until April 25, 2016, when the interim label was removed from his title. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of WPCS since such
time through the closing of the 2018 Merger. Mr. Giordano has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Transportation and Logistics
Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK: TLSS) since January 2022. Since 2002, Mr. Giordano has been Chief Executive Officer of Ascentaur, LLC, a business
consulting firm providing comprehensive strategic, financial and business development services to start-up, turnaround and emerging growth
companies. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Giordano was Chief Executive Officer of Drive One, Inc., a safety training and education business.
From 1992 to 1998, Mr. Giordano was Chief Financial Officer of Sterling Vision, Inc., a retail optical chain. Mr. Giordano received B.B.A.
and MBA degrees from Iona College. Mr. Giordano’s qualifications to sit on the Board include his broad management experience, including
having served as Chief Executive Officer of WPCS
Greg
Schiffman. Mr. Schiffman served as a member of the DropCar Board of Directors since the closing of the 2018 Merger, and has continued
to serve as a director of the Company following the Merger. Mr. Schiffman serves as a senior advisor to Absci Corporation. Mr. Schiffman
previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Absci Corporation from April 2020 until his retirement in August 2023. He previously
served as the Chief Financial Officer of Vineti, Inc. from October 2017 through April 2018. He also previously served as the Chief Financial
Officer of each of Iovance Biotherapeutics (formerly Lion Biotechnologies), from October 2016 through June 2017, Stem Cells, Inc., from
January 2014 through September 2016, Dendreon Corporation, from December 2006 through December 2013, and Affymetrix Corporation, from
August 2001 through November 2006. In November 2014, Dendreon Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. He currently serves
on the boards of directors of Nanomix Corporation (OTCQB: NNMX) and BioEclipse Therapeutics, Inc. Mr. Schiffman holds a B.S. in Accounting
from DePaul University and an MM (MBA) from Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Mr. Schiffman’s qualifications
to sit on the Board include his financial background, business experience and education.
Zvi
Joseph. Mr. Joseph served as a member of the DropCar Board of Directors since the closing of the 2018 Merger, and has continued
to serve as a director of the Company following the Merger. He has served as Deputy General Counsel of Amdocs Limited, a publicly traded
corporation that provides software and services to communications and media companies, since October 2005. He received his A.A.S. in
Business Administration from Rockland Community College, his B.A. in Literature from New York University and his J.D. from Fordham University
School of Law. He also holds a Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia University School of Business and a Corporate Director
Certificate, Corporate Governance, from Harvard Business School. Mr. Joseph is NACD Directorship Certified®. Mr. Joseph’s qualifications
to sit on the Board include his legal experience and education.
George
Devlin. Mr. Devlin has, since 2007, managed his own consulting business, Venture Connections (G&L Devlin Limited), primarily
focused on helping early-stage companies with fundraising, commercialization and strategic planning. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Devlin worked
in operations at Texas Pacific Group (TPG - Private Equity), where he supported deal partners on due diligence and transformation activities
involved in deals. From 2002 to 2005, Mr. Devlin served as Chief Executive Officer of Vivecon, a Stanford University start-up in Supply
Chain Risk Management solutions. From 2001 to 2002, he served as Chief Operations Officer of Converge, Inc. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Devlin
worked at Compaq Computer Corporation, eventually holding the post of Senior Vice President of Global Operations based in Houston, Texas.
He is a native of Scotland and graduated with a Business Studies diploma and a postgraduate diploma in Human Resources from Glasgow Polytechnic,
now called Caledonian University. Mr. Devlin’s qualifications to sit on the Board include his international experience and expertise,
ranging from a successful career as an executive in a major global corporation (supply chain and operations) to becoming an entrepreneur
and helping many early-stage start-up technology companies globally.
Wayne
R. Walker. Mr. Walker has over 35 years of experience in corporate governance, turnaround management, corporate restructuring
and bankruptcy matters. In 1998, Mr. Walker founded Walker Nell Partners, Inc., an international business consulting firm, and has served
as its president from its founding to the present. Before founding Walker Nell Partners, Inc., Mr. Walker worked for 15 years at the
DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware in the Securities and Bankruptcy group, where he worked in the Corporate Secretary’s office
and served as Senior Counsel. From 2018 to the present, Mr. Walker has served as a director of Wrap Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WRAP),
an innovator of modern policing solutions, where he also serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and of the Compensation
Committee. From 2018 to the present, Mr. Walker has served as a director of Pitcairn Company and as the Chair of its Compensation Committee.
From 2013 to 2014, Mr. Walker served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of BridgeStreet Worldwide, Inc., a global provider of extended
corporate housing. From 2016 to 2018, Mr. Walker served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Last Call Operating Companies, an owner
of various national restaurants. From 2013 to 2020, Mr. Walker served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of National Philanthropic
Trust, a public charity. From 2018 to 2020, Mr. Walker served as Vice President of the Board of Education of the City of Philadelphia.
From 2020 to the present, Mr. Walker has served as a director of Petros Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTPI), which focuses on men’s
health, where he also serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr. Walker has also served on the board of directors
for the following companies and foundations: Seaborne Airlines, Inc., Green Flash Brewery, Inc., and Eagleville Hospital and Foundation.
Mr. Walker has a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Catholic University (Washington, DC) and a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University (New
Orleans). He is an attorney licensed by the State Bar of Georgia. He is a member of the State Bar Association of Georgia, American Bar
Association, American Bankruptcy Institute and Turnaround Management Association. Mr. Walker’s qualifications to sit on the Board
include his business experience and his extensive board experience.
The
Board regards all of the individuals above as competent professionals with many years of experience in the business community. The Board
believes that the overall experience and knowledge of the members of Board will contribute to the overall success of our business.
There
is no arrangement or understanding between any of the directors identified above and any other person pursuant to which he was selected
as a director or director nominee. None of the directors or director nominees identified above is, or has been, a participant in any
transaction involving the Company, and is not a participant in any proposed transaction with the Company, in each case, required to be
disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, other than as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions”
herein.
Unless
otherwise directed in the proxy, it is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote the shares represented by such proxy “FOR”
the election of each of the director nominees. All of the six director nominees are presently directors of the Company.
Vote
Required
Directors
are elected by a plurality of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to
vote on the election of directors. “WITHHOLD” votes and broker non-votes will have no effect on the results for the Director
Election Proposal. Proxies cannot be voted for a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named or for persons other than
the named nominees.
THE
BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES, AND
PROXIES
SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF EACH DIRECTOR
NOMINEE
UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
AYRO,
with the oversight of the Board and its committees, operates within a comprehensive plan of corporate governance for the purpose of defining
independence, assigning responsibilities, setting high standards of professional and personal conduct and assuring compliance with such
responsibilities and standards. We regularly monitor developments in the area of corporate governance.
Corporate
Code of Conduct and Ethics and Whistleblower Policy
We
have adopted a Corporate Code of Conduct and Ethics and Whistleblower Policy (the “Code of Conduct”) that applies to all
of our associates, as well as each of our directors and certain persons performing services for us. The Code of Conduct addresses, among
other things, competition and fair dealing, conflicts of interest, protection and proper use of Company assets, government relations,
compliance with laws, rules and regulations and the process for reporting violations of the Code of Conduct, employee misconduct, improper
conflicts of interest or other violations. Our Code of Conduct is available on our website at https://ayro.com/ in the “Governance”
section found under the “Investors” tab. We intend to disclose any amendments to, or waivers from, our Code of Conduct at
the same web address provided above.
Board
Composition
Our
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), and our Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended
(“Bylaws”), provide that our Board will consist of such number of directors as determined from time to time by resolution
adopted by our Board. Any vacancies or newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors may
be filled by a majority of the directors then in office. As of December 5, 2024, the Board consists of Joshua Silverman, Wayne
R. Walker, George Devlin, Sebastian Giordano, Zvi Joseph, and Greg Schiffman.
Board
Diversity
We
have no formal policy regarding Board diversity. The Company values diversity on a Company-wide basis and seeks to achieve a mix of directors
that represent a diversity of background and experience, including with respect to age, gender, race, ethnicity, and occupation. Although
the Board does not establish specific goals with respect to diversity, the Board’s overall diversity is a significant consideration
in the director nomination process.
In
accordance with Rule 5605(f) of the NASDAQ Listing Rules (the “NASDAQ Rules”), the following chart sets forth certain self-identified
personal demographic characteristics of our directors as of December 5, 2024
Board
Diversity Matrix |
|
Total
Number of Directors | |
6 | |
| |
Female | | |
Male | | |
Non-Binary | | |
Did
Not Disclose Gender | |
Part
I: Gender Identity | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Directors | |
| — | | |
| 6 | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Part
II: Demographic Background | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
African
American or Black | |
| — | | |
| 1 | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Alaskan
Native or Native American | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Asian | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Hispanic
or Latinx | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Native
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
White | |
| — | | |
| 4 | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Two
or More Races or Ethnicities | |
| — | | |
| 1 | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
LGBTQ+ | |
| — | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Did
Not Disclose Demographic Background | |
| — | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Director
Independence
We
are currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and therefore rely on the definition of independence set forth in the Nasdaq Listing
Rules (“Nasdaq Rules”). Under the Nasdaq Rules, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if,
in the opinion of our Board, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment
in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director and director
nominee concerning his background, employment, and affiliations, including family relationships, we have determined that our current
directors Messrs. Giordano, Schiffman, Joseph, Devlin and Walker have no material relationship with us that would interfere with the
exercise of independent judgment and are “independent directors” as that term is defined in the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
Board
Committees, Meetings and Attendance
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Board held three meetings. We expect our directors to attend Board meetings, meetings of
any committees and subcommittees on which they serve, and each annual meeting of stockholders, either in person or by teleconference.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, each director attended, either in person or telephonically, at least 75% of the aggregate
Board meetings and meetings of committees on which he served during his tenure as a director or committee member, and none of our directors
attended the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of stockholders. The Board has adopted a policy under which each member of the Board
is encouraged to attend each annual meeting of our stockholders.
The
Board delegates various responsibilities and authority to different Board committees. Committees regularly report on their activities
and actions to the full Board. Currently, the Board has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation and Human Resources Committee
and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Committee assignments are re-evaluated annually. Each of these committees operates
under a charter that has been approved by our Board. The current charter of each of these committees is available on our website at https://ayro.com/
in the “Governance” section under “Investors.”
As
of December 5, 2024, the following table sets forth the membership of each of the Board committees listed above.
Name |
|
Audit
Committee |
|
Compensation
and Human Resources Committee |
|
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee |
Sebastian
Giordano |
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
Greg
Schiffman |
|
Chairman |
|
Member |
|
Chairman |
Zvi
Joseph |
|
Member |
|
Chairman |
|
Member |
George
Devlin |
|
|
|
Member |
|
|
Audit
Committee
Our
Audit Committee is responsible for, among other matters:
● |
approving
and retaining the independent auditors to conduct the annual audit of our financial statements; |
● |
reviewing
the proposed scope and results of the audit; |
● |
reviewing
and pre-approving audit and non-audit fees and services; |
● |
reviewing
accounting and financial controls with the independent auditors and our financial and accounting staff; |
● |
reviewing
and approving transactions between us and our directors, officers and affiliates; |
● |
recognizing
and preventing prohibited non-audit services; |
● |
establishing
procedures for complaints received by us regarding accounting matters; |
● |
overseeing
internal audit functions, if any; and |
● |
preparing
the report of the audit committee that the rules of the SEC require to be included in our annual meeting proxy statement. |
Our
Audit Committee is composed of Greg Schiffman (chairman), Zvi Joseph and Sebastian Giordano. Our Board has determined that Messrs. Schiffman,
Joseph and Giordano are independent in accordance with Nasdaq Rules and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Our Board has also reviewed
the education, experience and other qualifications of each member of the Audit Committee. Based upon that review, our Board has determined
that Greg Schiffman qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined by the rules of the SEC and has the requisite
financial sophistication under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Audit
Committee held 4 meetings.
Compensation
and Human Resources Committee
Our
Compensation and Human Resources Committee is responsible for, among other matters:
● |
reviewing
and approving the compensation arrangements for management, including the compensation for our chief executive officer; |
● |
appointing,
compensating and overseeing the work of any compensation consultant, legal counsel or other advisor retained by the Compensation
and Human Resources Committee; |
● |
establishing
and reviewing general compensation policies with the objective to attract and retain superior talent, to reward individual performance
and to achieve our financial goals; |
● |
administering
our incentive compensation plans; |
● |
preparing
the report of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee if such report is required by the SEC to be included in our annual meeting
proxy statement or Annual Report on Form 10-K; |
● |
reviewing
and approving any employment agreements and any severance arrangements or plans; |
● |
reviewing
and approving employment benefit plans; |
● |
reviewing
director compensation for Board and committee services; |
● |
reviewing
the Company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives; and |
● |
reviewing
the effectiveness of the Company’s human resources and human capital management policies, practices, strategies and goals. |
Our
Compensation and Human Resources Committee is composed of Greg Schiffman, Zvi Joseph (chairman) and George Devlin. Our Board has determined
that Messrs. Schiffman, Joseph and Devlin are independent in accordance with NASDAQ Rules. The Compensation and Human Resources Committee
has the authority to delegate to subcommittees of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee any of the responsibilities of the full
committee. The Compensation and Human Resources Committee may invite such members of management to its meetings as it deems appropriate.
However, no officer may be present during Compensation and Human Resources Committee deliberations or voting at which his or her compensation
is discussed or determined. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Compensation and Human Resources Committee held 2 meetings.
In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company did not retain the services of any compensation consultants.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
Our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for, among other matters:
● |
evaluating
the current composition, organization and governance of the Board and its committees, and making recommendations for changes thereto; |
● |
reviewing
each director and nominee annually; |
● |
determining
desired Board member skills and attributes and conducting searches for prospective members accordingly; |
● |
evaluating
nominees, and making recommendations to the Board concerning the appointment of directors to Board committees, the selection of Board
committee chairs, proposal of the slate of directors for election to the Board, and the termination of membership of individual directors
in accordance with the Board’s governance principles; |
● |
overseeing
the process of succession planning for the chief executive officer and, as warranted, other senior officers of the Company; |
● |
developing,
adopting and overseeing the implementation of a code of business conduct and ethics; and |
● |
administering
the annual Board performance evaluation process. |
Our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is composed of Greg Schiffman (chairman) and Zvi Joseph.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held one meeting.
Director
Nominations
Our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers all qualified candidates identified by members of the Board, by senior management
and by stockholders. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee follows the same process and uses the same criteria for evaluating
candidates proposed by stockholders, members of the Board and members of senior management. We did not pay fees to any third party to
assist in the process of identifying or evaluating director candidates during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Our
Bylaws contain provisions that address the process by which a stockholder may nominate an individual to stand for election to the Board
at our Annual Meeting. To recommend a nominee for election to the Board, a stockholder must submit his or her recommendation to our Secretary
at our corporate offices at 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100, Round Rock, Texas 78664. Such nomination must satisfy the notice,
information and consent requirements set forth in our Bylaws and must be received by us prior to the date set forth under “Submission
of Future Stockholder Proposals” below. A stockholder’s recommendation must be accompanied by the information with respect
to stockholder nominees as specified in our Bylaws, including among other things, the name, age, address and occupation of the recommended
person, the proposing stockholder’s name and address, the ownership interests of the proposing stockholder and any beneficial owner
on whose behalf the nomination is being made (including the number of shares beneficially owned, any hedging, derivative, short or other
economic interests and any rights to vote any shares) and any material monetary or other relationships between the recommended person
and the proposing stockholder and/or the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is being made.
In
evaluating director nominees, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the following factors:
● |
the
appropriate size and diversity of our Board; |
● |
our
needs with respect to the particular knowledge, skills and experience of nominees, including experience in corporate finance, technology,
business, administration and sales, in light of the prevailing business conditions and the knowledge, skills and experience already
possessed by other members of the Board; |
● |
experience
with accounting rules and practices, and whether such a person qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” pursuant
to SEC rules; and |
● |
balancing
continuity of our Board with periodic injection of fresh perspectives provided by new Board members. |
Our
Board believes that each director should have a basic understanding of our principal operational and financial objectives and plans and
strategies, our results of operations and financial condition and our relative standing in relation to our competitors.
In
identifying director nominees, the Board will first evaluate the current members of the Board willing to continue in service. Current
members of the Board with skills and experience that are relevant to our business and who are willing to continue in service will be
considered for re-nomination.
If
any member of the Board does not wish to continue in service or if the Board decides not to re-nominate a member for re-election, the
Board will identify another nominee with the desired skills and experience described above. The Board takes into consideration the overall
composition and diversity of the Board and areas of expertise that director nominees may be able to offer, including business experience,
knowledge, abilities and customer relationships. Generally, the Board will strive to assemble a Board that brings to us a variety of
perspectives and skills derived from business and professional experience as it may deem are in our and our stockholders’ best
interests. In doing so, the Board will also consider candidates with appropriate non-business backgrounds.
Board
Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
The
positions of Chairman of the Board and principal executive officer (“PEO”) are filled by the same individual. Mr. Silverman
currently serves as our Chairman of the Board and our PEO. The Board acknowledges that there are different leadership structures that
could allow it to effectively oversee the management of the risks relating to the Company’s operations and believes its current
leadership structure enables it to effectively provide oversight with respect to such risks. However, our Board believes the current
structure provides an efficient and effective leadership model for the Company and that combining the Chairman of the Board and PEO roles
fosters clear accountability, effective decision-making and alignment on corporate strategy. Moreover, the Board believes that its governance
practices provide adequate safeguards against any potential risks that might be associated with having a combined Chairman and PEO.
| ● | five
of the six current directors of the Company (five of the six director nominees) are independent
directors; |
| ● | All
of the members of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee are independent directors; and |
| ● | The
Board and its committees remain in close contact with, and receive reports on, various aspects
of the Company’s management and enterprise risk directly from, the Company’s
senior management and independent auditors. |
Our
Audit Committee is primarily responsible for overseeing the Company’s risk management processes on behalf of the full Board. The
Audit Committee receives reports from management concerning the Company’s assessment of risks. In addition, the Audit Committee
reports regularly to the full Board, which also considers the Company’s risk profile. The Audit Committee and the full Board focus
on the most significant risks facing the Company and the Company’s general risk management strategy. In addition, as part of its
oversight of our Company’s executive compensation program, the Compensation and Human Resources Committee considers the impact
of such program, and the incentives created by the compensation awards that it administers, on our Company’s risk profile. In addition,
the Compensation and Human Resources Committee reviews all of our compensation policies and procedures, including the incentives that
they create and factors that may reduce the likelihood of excessive risk taking, to determine whether they present a significant risk
to our Company. The Compensation and Human Resources Committee has determined that, for all employees, our compensation programs do not
encourage excessive risk and instead encourage behaviors that support sustainable value creation.
Communications
with Directors
The
Board welcomes communication from our stockholders. Stockholders and other interested parties who wish to communicate with a member or
members of our Board or a committee thereof may do so by addressing correspondence to the Board member, members or committee, c/o Secretary,
AYRO, Inc., 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100, Round Rock, Texas 78664. Our Secretary will review and forward correspondence to
the appropriate person or persons.
All
communications received as set forth in the preceding paragraph will be opened by our Secretary for the sole purpose of determining whether
the contents represent a message to our directors. Any contents that are not in the nature of advertising, promotions of a product or
service or patently offensive material will be forwarded promptly to the addressee(s). In the case of communications to the Board or
any group or committee of directors, our Secretary will make sufficient copies of the contents to send to each director who is a member
of the group or committee to whom the communication is addressed. If the amount of correspondence received through the foregoing process
becomes excessive, our Board may consider approving a process for review, organization and screening of the correspondence by our Secretary
or another appropriate person.
Family
Relationships
There
are no family relationships among any of our directors and executive officers.
Involvement
in Certain Legal Proceedings
None
of our directors, director nominees or executive officers has been involved in any of the following events during the past ten years:
| ● | any
bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general partner
or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that
time; |
| ● | any
conviction in a criminal proceeding or being subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding
traffic violations and other minor offences); |
| ● | being
subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated,
of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending
or otherwise limiting his or her involvement in any type of business, securities or banking
activities; or |
| ● | being
found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the SEC or the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities
law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated. |
There
have been no material legal proceedings that would require disclosure under the federal securities laws that are material to an evaluation
of the ability or integrity of our directors, director nominees or executive officers, or in which any director, director nominee, officer,
nominee or principal stockholder, or any affiliate thereof, is a party adverse to us or has a material interest adverse to us.
Insider
Trading Policy; Prohibition on Hedges and Pledges
We
have an insider trading policy that prohibits our directors, executive officers, employees, independent contractors, consultants and
their respective family members from the purchasing or selling our securities while being aware of material, non-public information about
the Company as well as disclosing such information to others who may trade in securities of the Company. Our insider trading policy also
prohibits our directors, executive officers, employees and their respective family members from engaging in hedging activities or other
short-term or speculative transactions in the Company’s securities such as short sales, options trading, holding the Company’s
securities in a margin account or pledging the Company’s securities as collateral for a loan, without the advance approval of our
Chief Financial Officer.
Delinquent
Section 16(a) Reports
Section
16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), requires our officers and directors and persons
who beneficially own more than 10% of our ordinary shares to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of such ordinary shares
with the SEC. These persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. As a matter
of practice, our legal team assists our officers and directors in preparing initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership
and files those reports on their behalf. Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms we have received, we believe that all
required Section 16(a) reports were timely filed during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, except for the following: Joshua Silverman,
Wayne Walker, Zvi Joseph, George Devlin, Sebastian Giordano, and Gregory Schiffman each made a late Form 4 filing on February 3, 2023,
each with respect to an award of restricted shares of the Company’s common stock and a broker-assisted sale of common stock.
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
The
following table sets forth summary information concerning the total compensation earned by the non-employee directors during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2023, for services to the Company.
Name | |
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | | |
Stock Awards
($) (1) | | |
All
other compensation | | |
Total
($) | |
Greg
Schiffman | |
| 57,504 | | |
| 84,500 | | |
| - | | |
| 142,004 | |
Sebastian
Giordano | |
| 45,000 | | |
| 84,500 | | |
| - | | |
| 129,500 | |
Zvi
Joseph | |
| 56,496 | | |
| 84,500 | | |
| - | | |
| 140,996 | |
George
Devlin | |
| 45,000 | | |
| 84,500 | | |
| - | | |
| 129,500 | |
Wayne
R. Walker | |
| 45,000 | | |
| 84,500 | | |
| - | | |
| 129,500 | |
(1) |
Amounts
reflect the full grant-date fair value of stock awards granted during the relevant fiscal year computed in accordance with ASC Topic
718, rather than the amounts paid to or realized by the named individual. We provided information regarding the assumptions used
to calculate the value of all stock awards and option awards made to our executive officers in Note 10 to the audited consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
On
January 24, 2023, the Board approved annual director compensation for the director compensation cycle beginning on February 1, 2023.
The Board approved the following annual cash retainer fees for the members of the Board: (A) to each non-employee director, an annual
cash retainer fee of $47,250; (B) to the Chairman of the Board, an additional annual cash retainer fee of $84,000; and (C) to the chair
of each Board committee, additional cash compensation as follows: (x) $12,500 to the Audit Committee Chair, (y) $11,500 to the Compensation
and Human Resources Committee Chair, and (z) $8,000 to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair. Notwithstanding such
approval by the Board, the amounts paid to each non-employee director during the year ended December 31, 2023, are set forth in the table
above. Additionally, on February 1, 2023, pursuant to the Plan, the Company issued an aggregate of 95,087 shares of restricted stock
to its non-employee directors at a value of $6.00 per share, as shown in the following table:
Director | |
Awarded
Shares | | |
Vesting
Schedule | |
George
Devlin | |
| 14,08 | | |
| See
(1) below | |
Sebastian
Giordano | |
| 14,08 | | |
| See
(1) below | |
Zvi
Joseph | |
| 14,08 | | |
| See
(1) below | |
Greg
Schiffman | |
| 14,08 | | |
| See
(1) below | |
Wayne
Walker | |
| 14,08 | | |
| See
(1) below | |
(1) |
Vests
in four equal installments on each quarterly anniversary of the date of the grant, provided that the director has continuously provided
services to the Company through that date. |
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our voting securities as of the Record Date by:
| ● | each
person known by us to beneficially own more than 5.0% of our Common Stock, Series H-6 Preferred
Stock or Series H-7 Preferred Stock; |
| ● | each
of our directors and nominees; |
| ● | each
of our Named Executive Officers; and |
| ● | all
of our directors and executive officers as a group. |
The
percentages of voting securities beneficially owned are reported on the basis of regulations of the SEC governing the determination of
beneficial ownership of securities. Under the rules of the SEC, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if that person
has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of the security, or investment power, which includes
the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of the security. Shares of Common Stock beneficially owned and the respective percentages
of beneficial ownership of Common Stock assumes the exercise of all options, warrants and other securities convertible into Common Stock
beneficially owned by such person or entity currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the Record Date subject to any applicable
beneficial ownership blockers. Except as indicated in the footnotes to this table, to our knowledge and subject to community property
laws where applicable, each beneficial owner named in the table below has sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares
beneficially owned and each person’s address is c/o AYRO, Inc., 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100, Round Rock, Texas 78664.
Name | |
Number
of Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned (1) | | |
Percentage
of Class | | |
Number
of Shares of Series H-6 Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned (2) | | |
Percentage
of Class | | |
Number
of Shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned (3) | | |
Percentage
of Class | | |
Total
Voting Power | |
5%
Beneficial Owner | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Alpha
Capital Anstalt (4) | |
| 750,787 | | |
| 9.99 | % | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| 1,250 | | |
| 9.87 | % | |
| 2.66 | % |
The
Hewlett Fund LP (5) | |
| 750,787 | | |
| 9.99 | % | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| 833.31 | | |
| 6.58 | % | |
| 1.78 | % |
Mainfield
Enterprises, Inc. (6) | |
| 355,282 | | |
| 4.99 | % | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| 1,041.69 | | |
| 8.22 | % | |
| 2.22 | % |
Richard
Abbe/ Iroquois Capital Management L.L.C. (7) | |
| 749,425 | | |
| 9.99 | % | |
| 50 | | |
| 100 | % | |
| 9,333.32 | | |
| 73.68 | % | |
| 9.99 | % |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Named
Executive Officers and Directors | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
George
Devlin (8) | |
| 27,016 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Sebastian
Giordano (9) | |
| 28,280 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Wayne
R. Walker (10) | |
| 21,925 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Zvi
Joseph (11) | |
| 25,120 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Joshua
Silverman (12) | |
| 49,437 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Greg
Schiffman (13) | |
| 27,532 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
David
E. Hollingsworth | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
Thomas
M. Wittenschlaeger (14) | |
| 6,250 | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| * | |
All
current executive officers and Directors as a group (8 persons) | |
| 185,560 | | |
| 2.71 | % | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| - | | |
| * | | |
| 1.11 | % |
*
represents ownership of less than 1%.
| (1) | Percentage
of Common Stock ownership is based on 6,764,600 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding
as of the Record Date. |
| (2) | Percentage
of Series H-6 Preferred Stock ownership is based on 50 shares of Series H-6 Preferred Stock
issued and outstanding as of the Record Date. |
| (3) | Percentage
of Series H-7 Preferred Stock ownership is based on 12,666.63 shares of Series H-7
Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of Record Date. |
| (4) | Based
on certain information made available to the Company. The address of Alpha Capital Anstalt
is Altenbach 8, FL-9490 Vaduz, Furstentums, Liechtenstein. Includes (i) 1,250 shares
of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, convertible into up to 625,000 shares of Common Stock
within 60 days of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker), and
(ii) warrants to purchase up to 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable within 60 days
of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker). |
| (5) | Based
on certain information made available to the Company. The address of The Hewlett Fund LP
is 100 Merrick Road, Suite 400W, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. The Hewlett Fund LP is the beneficial
owner of 833.31 shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, convertible into up to 416,655
shares of Common Stock within 60 days of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial
ownership blocker), and warrants to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable
within 60 days of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker). |
| (6) | Based
on certain information made available to the Company. The address of Mainfield Enterprises
Inc. is Ariel House, 74 Charlotte Street, London W1T4QJ, United Kingdom. Mainfield Enterprises
Inc. is the beneficial owner of 1,041.69 shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, convertible
into up to 520,845 shares of Common Stock within 60 days of the Record Date (subject
to a 4.99% beneficial ownership blocker), and warrants to purchase up to 1,250,000 shares
of Common Stock exercisable within 60 days of the Record Date (subject to a 4.99% beneficial
ownership blocker). |
| (7) | Based
on a Schedule 13G/A jointly filed on November 14, 2024, by Richard Abbe (“Mr.
Abbe”), Kimberly Page (“Ms. Page”) and Iroquois Capital Management L.L.C.
and on certain information made available to the Company. Shares beneficially owned by Iroquois
Capital Investment Group LLC (“ICIG”) include (i) 8,621 shares of Common
Stock, (ii) warrants exercisable within 60 days of the Record Date to purchase up to 1,403,045
shares of Common Stock (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker), (iii) 17 shares
of Series H-6 Preferred Stock, convertible into up to 213 shares of Common Stock within 60
days of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker), and (iv) 6,000
shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, convertible within 60 days of the Record Date into
up to 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker).
Shares beneficially owned by Iroquois Master Fund Ltd. (“IMF”) include (i) 3,652
shares of Common Stock, (ii) warrants exercisable within 60 days of the Record Date to
purchase up to 2,665,016 shares of Common Stock (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership
blocker), (iii) 33 shares of Series H-6 Preferred Stock, convertible into up to 413 shares
of Common Stock within 60 days of the Record Date (subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership
blocker), and (iv) 3,333.32 shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, convertible within
60 days of the Record Date into up to 1,666,660 shares of Common Stock (subject to
a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker). Mr. Abbe exercises sole voting and dispositive power
over the shares held by ICIG and shares voting and dispositive power over the shares held
by IMF with Ms. Page. As such, Mr. Abbe may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of all shares
of Common Stock held by and underlying the warrants and shares of preferred stock (each subject
to certain beneficial ownership blockers) held by ICIG and IMF and Ms. Page may be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of all shares of Common Stock held by and underlying the warrants
and shares of preferred stock (each subject to certain beneficial ownership blockers) held
by IMF. |
| (8) | Mr.
Devlin’s total includes 12,933 shares of Common Stock and 14,083 shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (9) | Mr.
Giordano’s total includes 14,197 shares of Common Stock and 14,083 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (10) | Mr.
Walker’s total includes 7,842 shares of Common Stock and 14,083 shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (11) | Mr.
Joseph’s total includes 11,037 shares of Common Stock and 14,083 shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (12) | Mr.
Silverman’s total includes 24,770 shares of Common Stock and 24,667 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (13) | Mr.
Schiffman’s total includes 13,449 shares of Common Stock and 14,083 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the settlement of vested restricted stock units. |
| (14) | Mr.
Wittenschlaeger’s total includes 6,250 shares of Common Stock. |
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
SEC
rules require us to disclose any transaction since January 1, 2022, or currently proposed transaction in which we are a party and in
which any related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest involving an amount that exceeds the lesser of $120,000
or one percent (1%) of the average of the Company’s total assets as of the end of last two completed fiscal years. A related person
is any executive officer, director, nominee for director, or holder of 5% or more of the Company’s Common Stock, or an immediate
family member of any of those persons.
August
2023 Private Placement
On
August 7, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain existing investors (the “Investors”),
pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell to the Investors (i) an aggregate of 22,000 shares of Series H-7 Preferred Stock, initially
convertible into up to an aggregate of 2,750,000 shares of Common Stock at an initial conversion price of $8.00 per share, subject to
adjustment, and (ii) warrants initially exercisable for up to an aggregate of 2,750,000 shares of Common Stock at an initial exercise
price of $8.00 per share, subject to adjustment (collectively, the “Private Placement”). Following the 2023 Reverse Stock
Split (as defined herein), the conversion price for the Series H-7 Preferred Stock was reduced to $2.00 per share pursuant to the terms
of the Series H-7 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations and the exercise price for the warrants was reduced to $2.00 per share
pursuant to the terms of the warrants. The Private Placement closed on August 10, 2023. The aggregate gross proceeds from the Private
Placement were approximately $22 million. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company received investments of (i) $14.0 million
from affiliates of Mr. Abbe and Iroquois Capital Management L.L.C., (ii) $3.0 million from Alpha Capital Anstalt and (iii) $2.0 million
from The Hewlett Fund LP, each of whom is the beneficial owner of 5.0% or more of our Common Stock.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Executive
Officers
The
following table sets forth the names, ages and positions of our executive officers as of the Record Date:
Name |
|
Age |
|
Position
with the Company |
Joshua
Silverman |
|
54 |
|
Executive
Chairman, Principal Executive Officer |
Joseph
Ramelli |
|
56 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer |
Gilbert
Villarreal |
|
59 |
|
President
of AYRO Operating Company, Inc. |
Mr.
Silverman’s biography is incorporated by reference from page 9 of this Proxy Statement.
Joseph
Ramelli. Mr. Ramelli was appointed Chef Financial Officer in August 2024. Mr. Ramelli has nearly 30 years of experience in the
Biotechnology, Biopharmaceutical and Financial Services industries. He is a seasoned investor and consultant who specializes in business
strategic planning and development, capital raising, talent acquisition, and corporate governance. Mr. Ramelli is currently an investor
and strategic advisor with Ramelli Asset Management. Since 2023, Mr. Ramelli has also served as the Vice President of Business Development
at Origin Agritech Ltd. Previously, Mr. Ramelli served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from 2020 to 2021 and was a founding member
of ValenzaBio, a privately held biopharmaceutical company, where he established and grew all the finance functions of the company. He
also served as Chief Executive Officer of Marina Biotech from 2016 to 2018 where he helped close a business development deal to keep
the company afloat and negotiated and closed merger to navigate the company out of bankruptcy and forge a successful path forward. Mr.
Ramelli also has over 15 years of experience in varied roles at investment firms. Mr. Ramelli graduated from the University of California,
Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Business Economics.
Gilbert
Villarreal. Mr. Ramelli was appointed to the position of President of the Company’s subsidiary, AYRO Operating Company,
Inc., effective as August 21, 2024, and previously served as a former consultant to the Company. Mr. Villarreal has over 32 years of
wide manufacturing experience that spreads from Aerospace, Automotive, and Marine industries. As an industrialist with a diverse portfolio,
Mr. Villarreal has successfully restructured companies in both the automotive and marine yacht building industries. Mr. Villarreal is
the co-founder and chief executive officer of VLF Automotive LLC. Mr. Villarreal is also the founder of GLV Ventures, a leader in the
design and production of a variety of vehicles including electric vehicles. The Company is known for its advanced manufacturing in a
timely, cost-effective manner. Founded by Mr. Villarreal, GLV Ventures has operated in the space for 25 years. GLV and its affiliate,
EVESSA, are Tier 1 consulting and manufacturing companies that have produced electric vehicles and non-electric vehicles for several
of the leading OEMs and Fortune 100 companies. Mr. Villarreal is a former United States Marine and holds a B.A. in Business Administration.
After serving active duty in the Marine Air Wing as an Aircraft Aviation Specialist on numerous Naval aircraft, Mr. Villarreal continued
his career in aerospace with the Boeing Aircraft Company on the 767 and 747 aircraft production lines in Everett, Washington. After 10
years in Aerospace manufacturing, Mr. Villarreal transitioned into the automotive and marine industries with UTA “United Technologies
Automotive” with The Becker Group, and as the chief executive officer with Acord Incorporated, a leader in automotive interior
trim systems and chief executive officer of Concorde Marine, a luxury yacht manufacturer in Washington State.
There
is no arrangement or understanding between any of our officers identified above and any other person pursuant to which he was selected
as an officer. None of the officers identified above is, or has been, a participant in any transaction involving the Company, and is
not a participant in any proposed transaction with the Company, in each case, required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation
S-K, other than as described in Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions herein.
Compensation
Philosophy and Process
The
responsibility for establishing, administering and interpreting our policies governing the compensation and benefits for our executive
officers and making compensation decisions with respect to such executive officers lies with our Compensation and Human Resources Committee.
In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company did not retain the services of any compensation consultants.
The
goals of our executive compensation program are to attract, motivate and retain individuals with the skills and qualities necessary to
support and develop our business within the framework of our size and available resources. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023,
we designed our executive compensation program to achieve the following objectives:
● |
attract
and retain executives experienced in developing and delivering products such as our own; |
● |
motivate
and reward executives whose experience and skills are critical to our success; |
● |
reward
performance; and |
● |
align
the interests of our executive officers and other key employees with those of our stockholders by motivating our executive officers
and other key employees to increase stockholder value. |
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth all compensation earned, in all capacities, during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 by (i)
all individuals who served as our PEO during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, (ii) if applicable, our two most highly compensated
executive officers, other than individuals who served as our PEO, who were serving as executive officers, as determined in accordance
with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, as of December 31, 2023, with compensation during the fiscal year ended December
31, 2023 of $100,000 or more, and (iii) up to two additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been provided pursuant to clause
(ii) but for the fact that such individuals were not serving as executive officers on December 31, 2023 (the individuals falling within
categories (i), (ii) and (iii), the “Named Executive Officers”).
Name
and Principal Position | |
Year | |
Salary
($) | | |
Bonus
($) | | |
Stock
Awards ($) (1) | | |
Option
Awards ($) (1) | | |
All
other compensation ($) | | |
Total
($) | |
Joshua
Silverman (2) | |
2023 | |
| 132,996 | | |
| - | | |
| 148,000 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 280,996 | |
Executive
Chairman and Principal Executive Officer; Former Interim Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer | |
2022 | |
| 132,996 | | |
| - | | |
| 148,000 | | |
| - | | |
| 10,230 | | |
| 291,226 | |
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Thomas
M. Wittenschlaeger (3) | |
2023 | |
| 268,333 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 268,333 | |
Former
Chief Executive Officer | |
2022 | |
| 263,700 | | |
| 132,500 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 396,200 | |
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
David
E. Hollingsworth (4) | |
2023 | |
| 231,667 | | |
| 71,000 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 302,667 | |
Former
Chief Financial Officer and Former Interim President of AYRO Operating | |
2022 | |
| 209,675 | | |
| 87,100 | | |
| 2,760 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 299,535 | |
(1) |
The
dollar amounts in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The assumptions
underlying the determination of fair value of the awards are set forth in Note 3 of the financial statements included in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024. |
(2) |
Mr.
Silverman was appointed as an officer of the Company effective as of December 13, 2023. Prior to such date, Mr. Silverman served
as Chairman of the Board. |
|
|
|
On
February 1, 2023, in connection with Mr. Silverman’s service as a non-employee director and Chairman of the Board, and pursuant
to the Plan, the Company issued to Mr. Silverman 24,667 shares of restricted stock. Such shares vested in four equal installments
on each quarterly anniversary of the date of the grant, subject to the provision that Mr. Silverman had continuously provided services
to the Company through that date. |
|
|
|
On
March 1, 2024, in connection with Mr. Silverman’s appointment to the position of Interim Principal Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer and Mr. Silverman’s service as the Company’s Executive Chairman and Principal Executive Officer, the
Board increased Mr. Silverman’s annual cash compensation to $280,000, effective as of December 1, 2023. Since the appointment
of Mr. Ramelli to the position of Chief Financial Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, effective
as of August 21, 2024, Mr. Silverman no longer serves the position of Interim Principal Financial Officer or Principal Accounting
Officer. |
|
|
(3) |
Mr.
Wittenschlaeger resigned effective as of December 13, 2023. |
|
|
(4) |
Mr.
Hollingsworth was appointed as an officer of the Company effective as of January 14, 2022. Mr. Hollingsworth separated from his position
with the Company effective as of March 1, 2024. |
|
|
|
In
connection with Mr. Hollingsworth’s appointment as Interim President of AYRO Operating, effective as of December 13, 2023,
Mr. Hollingsworth’s base salary was increased to $270,000 per annum, and Mr. Hollingsworth was paid a one-time cash bonus of
$25,000. |
Narrative
Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
The
material terms of the employment agreements and the independent contractor agreements with the Named Executive Officers of the Company
are summarized below.
Terms
of Employment of Joshua Silverman
On
December 14, 2023, the Board appointed Mr. Silverman to the position of Executive Chairman and Principal Executive Officer, effective
as of December 13, 2023. Mr. Silverman was not provided any additional compensation at such time for his service as Executive Chairman
and Principal Executive Officer. On March 1, 2024, in connection with the separation of Mr. Hollingsworth from his position with the
Company, the Board appointed Mr. Silverman to the position of Interim Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer. In
consideration of such appointment and Mr. Silverman’s service as the Company’s Executive Chairman and Principal Executive
Officer, the Board increased Mr. Silverman’s annual cash compensation to $280,000, effective as of December 1, 2023. Since the
appointment of Mr. Ramelli to the position of Chief Financial Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer,
effective as of August 21, 2024, Mr. Silverman no longer serves the position of Interim Principal Financial Officer or Principal Accounting
Officer.
Executive
Employment Agreement with Thomas M. Wittenschlaeger
On
September 23, 2021, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement (the “Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement”)
with Mr. Wittenschlaeger setting forth the terms and conditions of Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment as the Company’s Chief
Executive Officer, effective September 23, 2021. Pursuant to the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement, Mr. Wittenschlaeger served as
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company for a two-year initial term commencing on September 23, 2021, which term may be renewed for
up to three successive one-year terms, unless earlier terminated by either party in accordance with the terms of the Wittenschlaeger
Employment Agreement. Subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders, Mr. Wittenschlaeger also served as a member of the
Board.
The
Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement provided that Mr. Wittenschlaeger was entitled to receive an annual base salary of two hundred-eighty
thousand dollars ($280,000), payable in equal installments semi-monthly pursuant to the Company’s normal payroll practices. For
the 2021 fiscal year, Mr. Wittenschlaeger was eligible to receive a partial bonus as determined by the Board, based upon the achievement
of short-term target objectives and performance criteria as agreed upon by Mr. Wittenschlaeger and the Board, with such partial bonus
payable no later than March 15, 2022. Mr. Wittenschlaeger was also eligible to receive, for subsequent fiscal years during the term of
his employment, periodic bonuses up to 50% of his annual base salary upon achievement of target objectives and performance criteria,
payable on or before March 15 of the fiscal year following the fiscal year to which the bonus relates. For the fiscal year ended December
31, 2022, Mr. Wittenschlaeger was awarded a bonus of $132,500. Targets and performance criteria were to be established by the Board after
consultation with Mr. Wittenschlaeger, but the evaluation of Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s performance was to be at the Board’s sole
discretion. The Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement also entitled Mr. Wittenschlaeger to receive customary benefits and reimbursement
for ordinary business expenses and relocation expenses of $15,000.
In
connection with Wittenschlaeger’s appointment and as an inducement to enter into the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement, the
Company granted Mr. Wittenschlaeger 56,250 shares of the Company’s restricted common stock, pursuant to a restricted stock award
agreement entered into by the Company with Mr. Wittenschlaeger on September 23, 2021, which shares would vest in tranches of 11,250 shares
upon the achievement of certain stock price, market capitalization and business milestones.
The
Company was entitled to terminate Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment due to death or disability, for cause (as defined in the Wittenschlaeger
Employment Agreement) at any time after providing written notice to Mr. Wittenschlaeger, and without cause at any time upon thirty days’
written notice. Mr. Wittenschlaeger was entitled to terminate his employment without good reason (as defined in the Wittenschlaeger Employment
Agreement) at any time upon thirty days’ written notice or with good reason, which requires delivery of a notice of termination
within ninety days after Mr. Wittenschlaeger first learns of the existence of the circumstances giving rise to good reason, and failure
of the Company to cure the circumstances giving rise to the good reason within thirty days following delivery of such notice.
If
Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment were terminated by the Company for cause or if Mr. Wittenschlaeger resigns, Mr. Wittenschlaeger
would be entitled to receive, within thirty days of such termination, any accrued but unpaid base salary and expenses required to be
reimbursed pursuant to the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement. If Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment were terminated due to his
death or disability, Mr. Wittenschlaeger or his estate would receive the accrued obligation Mr. Wittenschlaeger would have received upon
termination by the Company for cause or by Mr. Wittenschlaeger by resignation, and any earned, but unpaid, bonus for services rendered
during the year preceding the date of termination.
If
Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment were terminated by the Company without cause (as defined in the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement)
or upon non-renewal or by Mr. Wittenschlaeger for good reason, Mr. Wittenschlaeger would be entitled to receive the accrued obligation
Mr. Wittenschlaeger would have received upon termination by the Company for cause or by Mr. Wittenschlaeger by resignation, and any earned,
but unpaid, bonus for services rendered during the year preceding the date of termination. In addition, subject to compliance with the
restrictive covenants set forth in the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement and the execution of a release of claims in favor of the
Company, the Company would be required to pay the following severance payments and benefits: (i) an amount equal to twelve months’
base salary, payable in equal monthly installments over a twelve-month severance period; (ii) an amount equal to the greater of (x) the
most recent annual bonus earned by Mr. Wittenschlaeger, (y) the average of the immediately preceding two year’s annual bonuses
earned by Mr. Wittenschlaeger, or (z) if Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s termination of employment occurred during the first calendar year
of the initial employment term before any annual bonus for a full twelve-month period of service has been paid, then the target bonus
Mr. Wittenschlaeger would be eligible for under the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement; provided that, other than the first year of
the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement, no bonus amount would be payable if the bonuses for the year of termination are subject to
achievement of performance goals and such performance goals had not been achieved by the Company for such year; and (iii) an amount intended
to assist Mr. Wittenschlaeger with his post-termination health coverage, provided, however, that he would be under no obligation to use
such amounts to pay for continuation of coverage under the Company’s group health plan pursuant to COBRA.
If
Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment were terminated by the Company without cause or by Mr. Wittenschlaeger for good reason or upon
non-renewal within 12 months following a change in control (as defined in the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement), Mr. Wittenschlaeger
would be entitled to receive the severance payments and benefits he would receive in the event that the Company were to terminate Mr.
Wittenschlaeger’s employment without cause or upon non-renewal or by Mr. Wittenschlaeger for good reason set forth above. In addition,
certain performance milestones for his equity award would be waived, and certain unvested restricted shares would immediately vest and
no longer be subject to any holding period.
The
Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement also contained customary provisions relating to, among other things, confidentiality, non-competition,
non-solicitation, non-disparagement, and assignment of inventions requirements.
General
Release and Severance Agreement
On
December 11, 2023, Mr. Wittenschlaeger tendered his resignation from his roles as an officer, employee and director of the Company, effective
as of December 13, 2023 (the “Wittenschlaeger Effective Date”). In connection with Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s resignation,
the Company and Mr. Wittenschlaeger entered into a General Release and Severance Agreement, dated December 13, 2023 (the “Wittenschlaeger
Separation Agreement”). Pursuant to the Wittenschlaeger Separation Agreement, Mr. Wittenschlaeger was entitled to (1) severance
pay in the amount of 12 months of his base salary of $280,000, less all lawful and authorized withholdings and deductions, to be paid
in 12 equal monthly installments, (2) a bonus payment in the amount of $114,800, less all lawful and authorized withholdings and deductions,
and (3) reimbursement for continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”)
for a period of up to 12 months following the Wittenschlaeger Effective Date, provided that Mr. Wittenschlaeger has not obtained subsequent
employment with comparable or better medical, vision and dental coverage.
In
exchange for the consideration provided to Mr. Wittenschlaeger in the Wittenschlaeger Separation Agreement, Mr. Wittenschlaeger and the
Company agreed to mutually waive and release any claims in connection with Mr. Wittenschlaeger’s employment, separation and resignation
from the Company. In connection with the execution of the Wittenschlaeger Separation Agreement, the Wittenschlaeger Employment Agreement
was terminated; provided, however, that certain surviving customary confidentiality provisions and restrictive covenants remain in full
force and effect. The Wittenschlaeger Separation Agreement also provided for certain customary covenants regarding confidentiality and
non-disparagement.
Executive
Employment Agreement with David E. Hollingsworth
In
connection with Mr. Hollingsworth’s appointment as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, on August 23, 2022, the Company
entered into an executive employment agreement (the “Hollingsworth Employment Agreement”) with Mr. Hollingsworth setting
forth the terms and conditions of Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment, effective August 23, 2022. The Hollingsworth Employment Agreement
provided that Mr. Hollingsworth would serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company for a two-year initial term commencing on August
23, 2022, which term may be renewed for up to two successive one-year terms, unless earlier terminated by either party in accordance
with the terms of the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement.
The
Hollingsworth Employment Agreement provided that Mr. Hollingsworth was entitled to receive an annual base salary of two hundred-thirty
thousand dollars ($230,000), payable in equal installments semi-monthly pursuant to the Company’s normal payroll practices. For
each fiscal year during the term of his employment, Mr. Hollingsworth was eligible to receive periodic bonuses of up to 40% of his annual
base salary upon achievement of target objectives and performance criteria, payable on or before March 15 of the fiscal year following
the fiscal year to which the bonus relates. Targets and performance criteria were to be established by the Board after consultation with
Mr. Hollingsworth and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, but the evaluation of Mr. Hollingsworth’s performance would
be at the Board’s sole discretion. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, Mr. Hollingsworth was awarded a bonus of $87,100.
The Hollingsworth Employment Agreement also entitled Mr. Hollingsworth to receive customary benefits and reimbursement for ordinary business
expenses.
In
connection with Mr. Hollingsworth’s appointment and as an inducement to enter into the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement, the
Company granted Mr. Hollingsworth 12,500 shares of the Company’s restricted common stock at a value of $0.24 per share, which shares
would vest in tranches of 3,125 shares upon the achievement of certain stock price, market capitalization and business milestones.
The
Company was entitled to terminate Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment due to death or disability, for cause (as defined in the Hollingsworth
Employment Agreement) at any time after providing written notice to Mr. Hollingsworth, and without cause at any time upon thirty days’
written notice. Mr. Hollingsworth was entitled to terminate his employment without good reason (as defined in the Hollingsworth Employment
Agreement) at any time upon thirty days’ written notice or with good reason, which required delivery of a notice of termination
within ninety days after Mr. Hollingsworth first learned of the existence of the circumstances giving rise to good reason, and failure
of the Company to cure the circumstances giving rise to the good reason within thirty days following delivery of such notice.
If
Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment were terminated by the Company for cause, as a result of Mr. Hollingsworth’s resignation or
as a result of the expiration of the term of the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement, Mr. Hollingsworth would be entitled to receive,
within thirty days of such termination, any accrued but unpaid base salary and expenses required to be reimbursed pursuant to the Hollingsworth
Employment Agreement. If Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment were terminated due to his death or disability, Mr. Hollingsworth or his
estate would be entitled to receive the accrued obligations Mr. Hollingsworth would have received upon termination by the Company for
cause or by Mr. Hollingsworth by resignation, and any earned, but unpaid, bonus for services rendered during the year preceding the date
of termination.
If
Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment were terminated by the Company without cause (as defined in the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement)
or by Mr. Hollingsworth for good reason, Mr. Hollingsworth would be entitled to receive the accrued obligations he would have received
upon termination by the Company for cause or by Mr. Hollingsworth by resignation, and any earned, but unpaid, bonus for services rendered
during the year preceding the date of termination. In addition, subject to compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in the
Hollingsworth Employment Agreement and the execution of a release of claims in favor of the Company, the Company would be required to
pay the following severance payments and benefits: (i) an amount equal to twelve months’ base salary, payable in equal monthly
installments over a twelve-month severance period; (ii) an amount equal to the greater of (x) the most recent annual bonus earned by
Mr. Hollingsworth, (y) the average of the immediately preceding two year’s annual bonuses earned by Mr. Hollingsworth, or (z) if
Mr. Hollingsworth’s termination of employment occurred during the first calendar year of the initial employment term before any
annual bonus for a full twelve-month period of service has been paid, then the target bonus Mr. Hollingsworth would be eligible for under
the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement; provided that no bonus amount would be payable if the bonuses for the year of termination are
subject to achievement of performance goals and such performance goals were not achieved by the Company for such year; and (iii) an amount
intended to assist Mr. Hollingsworth with his post-termination health coverage, provided, however, that he was under no obligation to
use such amounts to pay for continuation of coverage under the Company’s group health plan pursuant to COBRA.
The
Hollingsworth Employment Agreement also contained customary provisions relating to, among other things, confidentiality, non-competition,
non-solicitation, non-disparagement, and assignment of inventions requirements.
Appointment
as Interim President of AYRO Operating
On
December 14, 2023, the Board of appointed Mr. Hollingsworth as Interim President of AYRO Operating, effective as December 13, 2023. In
connection with Mr. Hollingsworth’s appointment, his base salary was increased to $270,000 per annum, and Mr. Hollingsworth was
paid a one-time cash bonus of $25,000.
General
Release and Severance Agreement
On
March 1, 2024, of the Company and Mr. Hollingsworth mutually agreed on the separation of Mr. Hollingsworth from his position with the
Company, effective as of March 1, 2024, pursuant to a General Release and Severance Agreement (the “Hollingsworth Separation Agreement”).
Pursuant to the Hollingsworth Separation Agreement, Mr. Hollingsworth was entitled to severance pay in the amount of $225,000, less all
lawful and authorized withholdings and deductions, to be paid in 12 equal monthly installments.
In
exchange for the consideration provided to Mr. Hollingsworth in the Hollingsworth Separation Agreement, Mr. Hollingsworth agreed to waive
and release any claims in connection with Mr. Hollingsworth’s employment, separation and resignation from the Company. In connection
with the execution of the Hollingsworth Separation Agreement, the Hollingsworth Employment Agreement was terminated; provided, however,
that certain surviving customary confidentiality provisions and restrictive covenants remain in full force and effect. The Hollingsworth
Separation Agreement also provided for certain customary covenants regarding confidentiality and non-disparagement.
Appointment
of Gilbert Villarreal
On
August 21, 2024, Gilbert Villarreal was appointed to the position of President of the Company’s subsidiary, Ayro Operating Company,
Inc. (“Operating Subsidiary”), effective as August 21, 2024. In connection with Mr. Villarreal’s appointment, Mr. Villarreal
is entitled to compensation of $30,000 per month, which may be increased to $50,000 per month if Mr. Villarreal is requested to work
on the reengineering of the Company’s product, the Vanish.
There
is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Villarreal and any other person pursuant to which he was appointed as President. There
is no family relationship between Mr. Villarreal and any director or executive officer of the Company or Operating Subsidiary. There
are no transactions between Mr. Villarreal and the Company or Operating Subsidiary that would be required to be reported under Item 404(a)
of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act.
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The
following table includes certain information with respect to all unexercised stock options and unvested shares of restricted stock outstanding
owned by the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2023.
Named
Executive Officer or Director | |
Number
of securities underlying unexercised options
(#) exercisable | | |
Number
of securities underlying unexercised options
(#) unexercisable | | |
Option exercise price($) | | |
Option expiration date | | |
Number of shares
or units
of stock
that have
not yet
vested (#) | | |
Market value
of shares
or units
of stock
that have
not vested($)(3) | |
Joshua
Silverman Executive Chairman, Principal Executive Officer | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 6,167 | | |
$ | 10,854 | |
Thomas
M. Wittenschlaeger Former Chief Executive Officer | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 56,250 | (1) | |
$ | 99,000 | |
David
E. Hollingsworth Former Chief Financial Officer and Former Interim President of AYRO Operating | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 12,500 | (2) | |
$ | 22,000 | |
(1) |
These
shares vest in five tranches upon the achievement of certain stock price, market capitalization and business milestones. |
|
|
(2) |
These
shares vest in four tranches upon the achievement of certain stock price, market capitalization and business milestones. |
|
|
(3) |
Calculated
based on the closing price of our common stock on December 29, 2023, which was $1.76. |
Retirement
Benefits
We
do not currently have plans providing for the payment of retirement benefits to our officers or directors, other than as described under
“Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table” above.
Change
in Control Agreements
We
do not currently have any change-of-control or severance agreements with any of our executive officers or directors, other than as described
under “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table” above. In the event of the termination of employment of the Named
Executive Officers, any and all unexercised stock options shall expire and no longer be exercisable after a specified time following
the date of the termination, other than as described under “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table” above.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
following table provides certain information as of December 31, 2023, with respect to our equity compensation plans under which our equity
securities are authorized for issuance:
| |
Equity
Compensation Plan Information | |
| |
(a) Number
of Securities to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants
and Rights | | |
(b) Weighted-Average
Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights (1) | | |
(c) Number of
Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance under Equity Compensation
Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in Column (a)) | |
Plan
Category: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders: AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (Options and Restricted Stock)(2) | |
| 406,860 | | |
$ | 87.67 | | |
| 823,097 | |
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders: 2017 LTIP (Options) (3) | |
| 12,101 | | |
$ | 95.51 | | |
| - | |
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders: 2014 DropCar (Options) (4) | |
| 7,680 | | |
$ | 375.60 | | |
| - | |
Other
equity compensation plans not approved by security holders | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | |
Total | |
| 426,641 | | |
| | | |
| 823,097 | |
(1) |
The
weighted-average exercise price set forth in this column is calculated excluding outstanding restricted stock awards since recipients
of such awards are not required to pay an exercise price to receive shares subject to these awards. |
|
|
(2) |
Represents
27,718 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options and 379,142 outstanding shares of restricted stock under the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan,
as amended. |
|
|
(3) |
Represents
shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options under the AYRO, Inc. 2017 Long Term Incentive Plan adopted by AYRO Operating
prior to the Merger (as amended, “2017 LTIP,” or “AYRO Operating Equity Plan”). |
|
|
(4) |
Represents
shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options under the DropCar Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, “2014
DropCar”). |
AYRO,
Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan
On
May 28, 2020, the Company’s stockholders approved the AYRO, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan for future grants of incentive stock
options, nonqualified stock, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance and other awards.
The
Company has reserved a total of 1,229,956 shares of its common stock pursuant to the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as
amended, including shares of restricted stock that have been previously issued. The Company has 885,284 stock options, restricted
stock and warrants remaining under this plan as of December 31, 2023.
For
a description of the Plan, see “Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal.”
AYRO
Operating Equity Plan
Pursuant
to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated December 19, 2019 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, previously
known as DropCar, Inc. (“DropCar”), ABC Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company
(“Merger Sub”), and AYRO Operating Company, a Delaware corporation previously known as AYRO, Inc. (“AYRO Operating”),
Merger Sub was merged with and into AYRO Operating, with each issued and outstanding share of AYRO Operating’s common stock, including
shares underlying AYRO Operating’s outstanding equity awards and warrants, being converted into the right to receive 1.3634 shares
(the “Exchange Ratio”) of the Company’s Common Stock, and with AYRO Operating continuing after the merger as the surviving
entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, effective as of the
effective time of the Merger, we assumed the AYRO Operating Equity Plan, assuming all of AYRO Operating’s rights and obligations
with respect to the options issued thereunder. Immediately thereafter, we terminated the AYRO Operating Equity Plan.
Effective
as of 6:05 pm Eastern Time on May 26, 2020, we filed an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
to effect a reverse stock split of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock, at a ratio of one share for ten shares. Immediately
following the reverse stock split, we issued a stock dividend of one share of the Company’s common stock for each outstanding share
of common stock to all holders of record immediately following the effective time of the reverse stock split. The net result of the reverse
stock split and the stock dividend was a 1-for-5 reverse stock split (the “2020 Reverse Split”).
The
AYRO Operating Equity Plan, effective as of January 1, 2017, allowed for the granting of a variety of equity-based awards to provide
AYRO Operating with flexibility in attracting and retaining key employees, consultants, and nonemployee directors and to provide such
persons with additional incentive opportunities designed to enhance AYRO Operating’s profitable growth. Consequently, the AYRO
Operating Equity Plan primarily provided for the granting of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, restricted stock awards,
restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, other stock-based awards, or a combination of the foregoing.
Authorized
Shares. At inception, a total of 125,000 shares of AYRO Operating common stock (without giving effect to the Exchange Ratio or the
2020 Reverse Stock Split or 2023 Reverse Stock Split (as defined herein)) that occurred immediately after the effective time of the Merger,
were authorized for issuance under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan. The AYRO Operating Equity Plan was amended from time to time to increase
the maximum number of shares authorized for issuance under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan. A total of 6,410,000 shares of common stock
were authorized under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan, without giving effect to the Exchange Ratio or the 2020 Reverse Stock Split that
occurred immediately after the effective time of the Merger or the 2023 Reverse Stock Split (as defined herein).
Plan
Administration. As permitted by the terms of the AYRO Operating Equity Plan, the AYRO Operating board of directors delegated administration
of the AYRO Operating Equity Plan to the compensation committee of AYRO Operating’s board of directors (the “AYRO Operating
Committee”). As used herein with respect to the AYRO Operating Equity Plan, the term “AYRO Operating Committee” refers
to any committee AYRO Operating’s board of directors may have appointed to administer the AYRO Operating Equity Plan as well as
to the board of directors itself. Subject to the provisions of the AYRO Operating Equity Plan, the AYRO Operating Committee had the power
to construe and interpret the AYRO Operating Equity Plan and awards granted under it and to determine the persons to whom and the dates
on which awards would have been granted, the number of shares of common stock to be subject to each award, the time or times during the
term of each award within which all or a portion of such award may have been exercised, the exercise price, the type of consideration
to have been paid, and the other terms and provisions of each award, which need not have been identical. All decisions, determinations
and interpretations by the AYRO Operating Committee regarding the AYRO Operating Equity Plan and any awards granted under it were final,
binding and conclusive on all participants or other persons claiming rights under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan or any award.
Options.
Options granted under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan may (i) either have been “incentive stock options” within the meaning
of Section 422 of the Code, or “nonqualified stock options,” and (ii) became exercisable in cumulative increments (“vest”)
as determined by the AYRO Operating Committee. Such increments may have been based on continued service to AYRO Operating over a certain
period of time, the occurrence of certain performance milestones, or other criteria as determined by the Committee. Options granted under
the AYRO Operating Equity Plan may have been subject to different vesting terms. The AYRO Operating Committee generally had the power
to accelerate the time during which an option may have vested or have been exercised. Options may not have had an exercise price per
share of less than 100% (110% in the case of a participant who owned more than 10% of the combined voting power of AYRO Operating or
an affiliate (a “10% Stockholder”)) of the fair market value of a share of AYRO Operating common stock on the date of grant
or a term longer than ten years (five years in the case of a 10% Stockholder). To the extent provided by the terms of an option, a participant
may have satisfied any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise of such option by a cash payment upon
exercise, by authorizing AYRO Operating to withhold a portion of the stock otherwise issuable to the participant upon exercise, or by
such other method as may be set forth in the option agreement or authorized by the AYRO Operating Committee. The treatment of options
under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan upon a participant’s termination of employment with or service to AYRO Operating were set
forth in the applicable award agreement, which typically provided that the options will terminate three months after a termination of
employment or service. Incentive stock options are not transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, provided
that a participant may designate a beneficiary who may exercise an option following the participant’s death. Non-qualified stock
options are transferable to certain permitted transferees (as provided in the AYRO Operating Equity Plan) to the extent included in the
option award agreement.
Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Subject to certain limitations, the AYRO Operating Committee was authorized to grant awards
of restricted stock and restricted stock units, which were rights to receive shares of AYRO Operating common stock or cash, as determined
by the AYRO Operating Committee and as set forth in the applicable award agreement, upon the settlement of the restricted stock units
at the end of a specified time period. The AYRO Operating Committee may have imposed any restrictions or conditions upon the vesting
of restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards, or that delay the settlement of a restricted stock unit award after it vests, that
the AYRO Operating Committee deemed appropriate and in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations
and other authoritative guidance issued thereunder. Dividend equivalents may have been credited in respect of shares covered by a restricted
stock or a restricted stock unit award, as determined by the AYRO Operating Committee. At the discretion of the AYRO Operating Committee,
such dividend equivalents may have been converted into additional shares covered by restricted stock or restricted stock units, as applicable.
If a restricted stock or restricted stock unit award recipient’s employment or service relationship with AYRO Operating terminated,
any unvested portion of the restricted stock or restricted stock unit award would be forfeited, unless the participant’s award
agreement provided otherwise. Restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards are generally not transferable except (i) by will or
by the laws of descent and distribution or (ii) to certain permitted transferee, to the extent provided in the award agreement.
Other
Awards. Other awards permitted under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan included stock appreciation rights, bonus stock, dividend equivalents,
and other stock-based awards that were denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to or otherwise based on or
related to AYRO Operating common stock.
Certain
Adjustments; Change in Control. In connection with any reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, reclassification, stock
dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, or other
change in AYRO Operating’s capital structure, the AYRO Operating Committee would have appropriately adjusted the type(s), class(es)
and number of shares of common stock subject to the AYRO Operating Equity Plan (and the other share limits contained therein), and any
outstanding awards would also be appropriately adjusted as to the type(s), class(es), number of shares and exercise price per share of
common stock subject to such awards.
In
the event of a “Change in Control” (as defined in the AYRO Operating Equity Plan), the AYRO Operating Committee would have
approved, without the consent or approval of any participant, one or more of the following alternatives with respect to outstanding awards
under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan: (i) accelerate the time at which outstanding awards may be exercised, whether in full or in part,
or for a limited period of time on or before a specified date after which date all unexercised awards and all rights of holders thereunder
shall terminate; (ii) require the surrender of some or all of a participant’s outstanding awards, upon which such awards shall
be cancelled and the participant shall receive an amount in cash equal to the positive difference, if any, between the underlying stock’s
then current fair market value over the award’s exercise or purchase price, as applicable; or (iii) make such adjustments to outstanding
awards as the AYRO Operating Committee deemed appropriate to reflect such Change in Control. Any determination of the AYRO Operating
Committee with regard to any outstanding awards under the AYRO Operating Equity Plan in connection with a Change in Control would be
final, binding and conclusive.
Amendment,
Termination. AYRO Operating’s board of directors may have amended, altered, suspended, discontinued, or terminated the AYRO
Operating Equity Plan, provided that no such amendment would have adversely affected the rights of any participant without the participant’s
consent
PAY
VERSUS PERFORMANCE
Pay
Versus Performance Disclosure
The
following section has been prepared in accordance with Pay Versus Performance rules adopted by the SEC pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall
Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Under these rules, the SEC has developed a definition of pay, referred to as Compensation
Actually Paid (“CAP”). We are required to calculate CAP for our Named Executive Officers and then compare it with certain
Company performance measures. Stockholders should refer to our compensation philosophy discussion in this Proxy Statement for a complete
description of how executive compensation relates to Company performance measures. The Company did not consider this SEC-required Pay
Versus Performance analysis and disclosure below in making its pay decisions for any of the years shown.
Pay
Versus Performance Table
The
following table shows the total compensation for our Named Executive Officers as set forth in the Summary Compensation Table
(“SCT”), the CAP to our Named Executive Officers, our total stockholder return (“TSR”), and our net loss for
fiscal years 2021, 2022 and 2023. We are a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act,
and have elected to provide in this Proxy Statement certain scaled disclosures permitted under the Exchange Act for smaller
reporting companies.
SEC
rules require certain adjustments be made to the SCT totals to determine CAP as reported in the Pay Versus Performance table. CAP does
not necessarily represent cash and/or equity value transferred to the applicable Named Executive Officer without restriction, but rather
is a valuation calculated under applicable SEC rules. The methodology for calculating CAP as required by Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K
takes into account, among others, changes in share price and its impact on the fair value of equity awards.
PAY VERSUS PERFORMANCE
Year
(a) | |
Summary
Compensation Table Total for PEO - R. Keller ($) (1) (b1) | | |
Summary
Compensation Table Total for PEO - T. Wittenschlaeger ($) (2) (b2) | | |
Summary
Compensation Table Total for PEO - J. Silverman ($) (3) (b3) | | |
Compensation
Actually Paid to PEO - R. Keller ($) (3) (c1) | | |
Compensation
Actually Paid to PEO - T. Wittenschlaeger ($) (3) (c2) | | |
Compensation
Actually Paid to PEO - J. Silverman ($) (3) (c3) | | |
Average
Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers ($) (4) (d) | | |
Average
Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO Named Executive Officers ($) (5) (e) | | |
Value
of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On: Total Stockholder Return ($) (6) (f) | | |
Net
Loss ($) (7) (g) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
2023 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 268,333 | | |
$ | 280,996 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (329,611 | ) | |
$ | 201,052 | | |
$ | 302,667 | | |
$ | 324,667 | | |
$ | 3.62 | | |
$ | 34,160,455 | |
2022 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 396,200 | | |
$ | 291,226 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 92,900 | | |
$ | 291,226 | | |
$ | 263,734 | | |
$ | 261,349 | | |
$ | 6.29 | | |
$ | 22,935,353 | |
2021 | |
$ | 956,931 | | |
$ | 1,188,198 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 1,172,855 | | |
$ | 1,106,106 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 238,253 | | |
$ | 291,370 | | |
$ | 26.48 | | |
$ | 33,079,414 | |
(1)
The amount listed in Column (b1) indicates all compensation received by Rod Keller in 2021. Mr. Keller was not a PEO of the Company in 2022.
(2)
The amount listed in Column (b2) indicates all compensation received by Thomas Wittenschlaeger in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Mr. Wittenschlaeger
joined the Company as PEO upon the departure of Rod Keller in 2021. Mr. Wittenschlaeger was not a PEO of the Company in 2023.
(3)
The amount listed in Column (b3) indicates all compensation received by Joshua Silverman in 2022 and 2023. Mr. Silverman joined the Company
as PEO upon the departure of Thomas Wittenschlaeger in 2023.
(4)
The amounts disclosed in Columns (c1), (c2) and (c3) reflect the adjustments listed in the tables below to the total amount reported
in the SCT for the PEOs. Equity values are calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.
(5) For the year ended December 31, 2023, our non-PEO
Named Executive Officer (“Non-PEO Named Executive Officers”) as shown in Column (d), was David Hollingsworth. For the year
ended December 31, 2022, our Non-PEO Named Executive Officers were Curt Smith, Richard Perley and David Hollingsworth. For the year ended
December 31, 2021, Curt Smith and Richard Perley were our Non-PEO Named Executive Officers.
(6) The amounts disclosed in Column (e) reflect the
adjustments listed in the table below to the total amount reported in the SCT for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers. Equity values are
calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.
(7) The Company’s cumulative TSR, as indicated
in Column (f), assumes $100 was invested in the Company for the period starting January 1, 2021, through the end of each listed year.
The Company did not pay dividends during this period.
(8) Column (g) reflects “Net Loss” in
the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations included in the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for each of the
years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021.
The
table below summarizes the adjustments to the total amount reported in the SCT for the PEOs in calculating CAP:
Year | |
Less:
Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Awards (a) | | |
Plus:
Year-End Fair Value of Unvested Awards Granted During the Year (b) | | |
Plus:
Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Unvested Awards (c) | | |
Plus:
Vesting Date Fair Value of Current Year Awards Vesting During the Year (d) | | |
Plus:
Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Awards Vesting During the Year (e) | | |
Total
Adjustments | |
Rod
Keller |
2023 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | |
2022 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | |
2021 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 143,949 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 71,975 | | |
$ | 215,924 | |
Thomas
Wittenschlaeger |
2023 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (689,400 | ) | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 91,456 | | |
$ | (597,944 | |
2022 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (345,600 | ) | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 42,300 | | |
$ | (303,300 | |
2021 | |
$ | (1,117,092 | ) | |
$ | 1,035,000 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (82,092 | |
Joshua
Silverman
|
2023 | |
$ | (148,000 | ) | |
$ | 7,192 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 60,864 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (79,944 | ) |
2022 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | |
2021 | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | |
(a)
Subtract the grant date fair values of the equity awards reported in the “Option Awards” column of the Summary Compensation
Table for the covered fiscal year.
(b)
Add the fair values as of the end of the covered fiscal year of all equity awards granted during the fiscal year that are outstanding
and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year.
(c)
Add the change in fair value as of the end of the covered fiscal year of any equity awards granted in any prior fiscal year that are
outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year.
(d)
Add, for awards that are granted and vest in the same fiscal year, the fair value as of the vesting date.
(e)
Add the change in fair value as of the vesting date of any awards granted in any prior fiscal year for which all applicable vesting conditions
were satisfied at the end of or during the covered fiscal year.
The table below summarizes the adjustments to the
total amount reported in the SCT for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers in calculating CAP:
Non-PEO
NEOs
Year |
|
|
Less:
Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Awards (a) | | |
Plus:
Year-End Fair Value of Unvested Awards Granted During the Year (b) | | |
Plus:
Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Unvested Awards (c) | | |
Plus:
Vesting Date Fair Value of Current Year Awards Vesting During the Year (d) | | |
Plus:
Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Awards Vesting During the Year (e) | | |
Total
Adjustments | |
|
|
|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
2023 |
(1) |
|
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 22,000 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 22,000 | |
2022 |
(2) |
|
$ | (2,760 | ) | |
$ | 375 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | (2,385 | ) |
2021 |
(3) |
|
$ | - | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 70,823 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 35,411 | | |
$ | 53,117 | |
(1)
Our Non-PEO Named Executive Officer for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, was David Hollingsworth.
(2)
Our Non-PEO Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, were David Hollingsworth, Curt Smith and Richard
Perley.
(3)
Our Non-PEO Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, were Curt Smith and Richard Perley.
(a)
Subtract the grant date fair values of the equity awards reported in the “Option Awards” column of the Summary Compensation
Table for the covered fiscal year.
(b)
Add the fair values as of the end of the covered fiscal year of all equity awards granted during the fiscal year that are outstanding
and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year.
(c)
Add the change in fair value as of the end of the covered fiscal year of any equity awards granted in any prior fiscal year that are
outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year.
(d)
Add, for awards that are granted and vest in the same fiscal year, the fair value as of the vesting date.
(e)
Add the change in fair value as of the vesting date of any awards granted in any prior fiscal year for which all applicable vesting conditions
were satisfied at the end of or during the covered fiscal year.
Analysis
of the Information Presented in the Pay Versus Performance Table
We
generally seek to incentivize long-term performance, and therefore do not specifically align our performance measures with “compensation
actually paid” (as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K) for a particular year. In accordance with Item 402(v)
of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following descriptions of the relationships between information presented in the Pay Versus Performance
table.
Compensation
Actually Paid and Net (Loss) Income
The
following graph shows the relationship of “compensation actually paid” to our PEOs and Non-PEO Named Executive Officers in
2023, 2022 and 2021 to the Company’s net loss.
Compensation
Actually Paid and Cumulative TSR
The
following graph shows the relationship of “compensation actually paid” to our PEOs and Non-PEO Named Executive Officers in
2023, 2022 and 2021 to the cumulative TSR of the Company assuming an initial investment of $100.
INCENTIVE PLAN AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
The
Board is seeking the approval of our stockholders of a third amendment to the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, which
was adopted by the Board on November 25, 2024, subject to stockholder approval (the “Incentive Plan Amendment”). The
Plan was originally approved by the Board on April 21, 2020, and by our stockholders on May 28, 2020. Under the Plan as originally adopted,
we initially reserved 2,289,650 shares (without giving effect to the 2023 Reverse Stock Split (as defined below)) of our Common Stock
for issuance as awards under the Plan. The Plan was amended by the First Amendment to the Plan (the “First Amendment”) to
increase the total number of shares of our Common Stock for issuance under the Plan to 4,089,650 shares (without giving effect to the
2023 Reverse Stock Split), which was adopted by the Board on November 6, 2020, and by our stockholders on December 17, 2020. The Plan
was also amended by the Second Amendment to the Plan (the “Second Amendment”) to increase the total number of shares of our
Common Stock for issuance under the Plan to 9,839,650 shares (without giving effect to the 2023 Reverse Stock Split) which was adopted
by the Board on August 18, 2023, and by our stockholders on September 14, 2023. Subsequently, on September 15, 2023, the Company subsequently
effected a 1-for-8 reverse stock split of its Common Stock, after which the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance pursuant
to awards under the Plan was adjusted to 1,229,956 (the “2023 Reverse Stock Split”).
As
of the Record Date, there were 914,769 shares remaining available for future issuance as awards under the Plan. The Incentive Plan Amendment
would further increase the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to awards under the Plan by an additional
3,000,000 shares, to a total of 4,229,956 shares of our Common Stock.
Background
and Purpose of the Proposal
We
believe that operation of the Plan is a necessary and powerful tool in enabling us to attract and retain the best available personnel
for positions of substantial responsibility; to provide additional incentive to key employees, key contractors, and non-employee directors;
and to promote the success of our business. The Plan is expected to provide flexibility to our compensation methods in order to adapt
the compensation of such employees, contractors, and directors to a changing business environment, after giving due consideration to
competitive conditions and the impact of federal tax laws. We have strived to use our Plan resources effectively and to maintain an appropriate
balance between stockholder interests and the ability to recruit and retain valuable employees. However, we believe there is an insufficient
number of shares remaining under our Plan to meet our current and projected needs. Accordingly, it is the judgment of the Board that
the Incentive Plan Amendment is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders. We believe that the Incentive Plan Amendment,
which increases the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to awards under the Plan, reflects best practices
in our industry and is appropriate to permit the grant of equity awards at expected levels for the future.
A
copy of the Incentive Plan Amendment, the First Amendment, the Second Amendment and the Plan are included as Annex A, Annex
B, Annex C and Annex D, respectively, to this Proxy Statement. Described below is a summary of certain key provisions
of the Plan, which is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, as amended.
Summary
of the Proposed Incentive Plan Amendment
The
Board adopted the Incentive Plan Amendment on November 25, 2024, subject to stockholder approval, to increase the number of shares
of our Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to awards under the Plan by an additional 3,000,000 shares, to a total of 4,229,956
shares of our Common Stock.
Description
of the Plan
Purpose.
The purpose of the Plan is to enable us to remain competitive and innovative in our ability to attract and retain the services of key
employees, key contractors, and non-employee directors of the Company or any of our subsidiaries. The Plan provides for the granting
of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance
awards, dividend equivalent rights, and other awards, which may be granted singly, in combination, or in tandem, and which may be paid
in cash or shares of our Common Stock. The Plan is expected to provide flexibility to our compensation methods in order to adapt the
compensation of our key employees, key contractors, and non-employee directors to a changing business environment, after giving due consideration
to competitive conditions and the impact of applicable tax laws.
Effective
Date and Expiration. The Plan was approved by the Board on April 21, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), subject to the Plan’s
approval by our stockholders, the First Amendment was approved by the Board on November 6, 2020, and the Second Amendment was approved
by the Board on August 18, 2023. The Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, unless sooner terminated by
the Board. No award may be made under the Plan after its termination date, but awards made prior to the termination date may extend beyond
that date in accordance with their terms.
Share
Authorization. Subject to certain adjustments, the number of shares of our Common Stock that are reserved for issuance pursuant to
awards under the Plan is currently 1,229,956 shares, 100% of which may be delivered as incentive stock options. If the Incentive Plan
Amendment is approved, the total number of shares that may be issued pursuant to awards will be increased by 3,000,000 shares for a total
of 4,229,956 shares, 100% of which may be delivered as incentive stock options.
Shares
to be issued may be made available from authorized but unissued shares of our Common Stock, shares held by us in our treasury, or shares
purchased by us on the open market or otherwise. During the term of the Plan, we will at all times reserve and keep enough shares available
to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. If an award under the Plan is cancelled, forfeited, or expires, in whole or in part, the shares
subject to such forfeited, expired, or cancelled award may again be awarded under the Plan. In the event that previously acquired shares
are delivered to us in full or partial payment of the option price upon the exercise of a stock option or other award granted under the
Plan, the number of shares available for future awards under the Plan shall be reduced only by the net number of shares issued upon the
exercise of the stock option or settlement of an award. Awards that may be satisfied either by the issuance of Common Stock or by cash
or other consideration shall be counted against the maximum number of shares that may be issued under the Plan only during the period
that the award is outstanding or to the extent the award is ultimately satisfied by the issuance of shares. An award will not reduce
the number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the Plan if the settlement of the award will not require the issuance of shares,
as, for example, a stock appreciation right that can be satisfied only by the payment of cash. Only shares forfeited back to us; shares
cancelled on account of termination, expiration, or lapse of an award; shares surrendered in payment of the option price of an option;
or shares withheld for payment of applicable employment taxes and/or withholding obligations resulting from the exercise of a stock option
shall again be available for grant as incentive stock options under the Plan, but shall not increase the maximum number of shares described
above as the maximum number of shares that may be delivered pursuant to incentive stock options.
Administration.
The Plan shall be administered by the Board or such committee of the board as it designated by it to administer the Plan (the “Committee”).
At any time there is no Committee to administer the Plan, any reference to the Committee is a reference to the Board. The Committee will
determine the persons to whom awards are to be made; determine the type, size, and terms of awards; interpret the Plan; establish and
revise rules and regulations relating to the Plan; establish performance goals for awards and certify the extent of their achievement;
and make any other determinations that it believes are necessary for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may delegate certain
of its duties to one or more of our officers as provided in the Plan.
Eligibility.
Employees (including any employee who is also a director or an officer), contractors, and non-employee directors of the Company or any
of our subsidiaries, whose judgment, initiative, and efforts contributed to or may be expected to contribute to our successful performance,
are eligible to participate in the Plan. As of the Record Date, we had 1 employee, no contractors and 5 non-employee
directors who would be eligible for awards under the Plan.
Stock
Options. The Committee may grant either incentive stock options (“ISOs”) qualifying under Section 422 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or nonqualified stock options, provided that only employees of the Company
and our subsidiaries (excluding subsidiaries that are not corporations) are eligible to receive ISOs. Stock options may not be granted
with an option price less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the stock option is granted. If an
ISO is granted to an employee who owns or is deemed to own more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of our stock (or
of any parent or subsidiary), the option price shall be at least 110% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date
of grant. The Committee will determine the terms of each stock option at the time of grant, including, without limitation, the methods
by or forms in which shares will be delivered to participants or registered in their names. The maximum term of each option, the times
at which each option will be exercisable, and provisions requiring forfeiture of unexercised options at or following termination of employment
or service generally are fixed by the Committee, except that the Committee may not grant stock options with a term exceeding 10 years
or, in the case of an ISO granted to an employee who owns or is deemed to own more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes
of our stock (or of any parent or subsidiary), a term exceeding five years.
Recipients
of stock options may pay the option price (i) in cash, check, bank draft, or money order payable to the order of the Company; (ii) by
delivering to us shares of Common Stock (included restricted stock) already owned by the participant having a fair market value equal
to the aggregate option price and that the participant has not acquired from us within six months prior to the exercise date; (iii) by
delivering to us or our designated agent an executed irrevocable option exercise form, together with irrevocable instructions from the
participant to a broker or dealer, reasonably acceptable to us, to sell certain of the shares purchased upon the exercise of the option
or to pledge such shares to the broker as collateral for a loan from the broker and to deliver to us the amount of sale or loan proceeds
necessary to pay the purchase price; (iv) by requesting us to withhold the number of shares otherwise deliverable upon exercise of the
stock option by the number of shares having an aggregate fair market value equal to the aggregate option price at the time of exercise
(i.e., a cashless net exercise); and (v) by any other form of valid consideration that is acceptable to the Committee in its sole
discretion.
Stock
Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) as a stand-alone award (or
freestanding SARs) or in conjunction with options granted under the Plan (or tandem SARs). SARs entitle a participant to receive an amount
equal to the excess of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the fair market value of a share
of our Common Stock on the date of grant. The grant price of a SAR cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of our
Common Stock on the date of grant. The Committee will determine the terms of each SAR award at the time of the grant, including, without
limitation, the methods by or forms in which shares will be delivered to participants or registered in their names. The maximum term
of each SAR award, the times at which each SAR award will be exercisable, and provisions requiring forfeiture of unexercised SARs at
or following termination of employment or service generally are fixed by the Committee, except that no freestanding SAR may have a term
exceeding 10 years and no tandem SAR may have a term exceeding the term of the option granted in conjunction with the tandem SAR. Distributions
to the recipient may be made in Common Stock, cash, or a combination of both as determined by the Committee.
Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to grant restricted stock and restricted stock units. Restricted stock
consists of shares of our Common Stock that may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered, or otherwise disposed
of, and that may be forfeited in the event of certain terminations of employment or service, prior to the end of the restricted period
as specified by the Committee. Restricted stock units are the right to receive shares of Common Stock at a future date in accordance
with the terms of such grant upon the attainment of certain conditions specified by the Committee, which include a substantial risk of
forfeiture and restrictions on their sale or other transfer by the participant. The Committee determines the eligible participants to
whom, and the time or times at which, grants of restricted stock or restricted stock units will be made; the number of shares or units
to be granted; the price to be paid, if any; the time or times within which the shares covered by such grants will be subject to forfeiture;
the time or times at which the restrictions will terminate; and all other terms and conditions of the grants. Restrictions or conditions
could include, but are not limited to, the attainment of performance goals (as described below), continuous service with us, the passage
of time, or other restrictions or conditions. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or the applicable award agreement, a participant
shall have, with respect to shares of restricted stock, all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding the class of Common
Stock that is the subject of the restricted stock, including, if applicable, the right to vote the Common Stock and the right to receive
any dividends thereon.
Dividend
Equivalent Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant a dividend equivalent right to any participant, either as a component of
another award or as a separate award, conferring upon the participant the right to receive credits based on the cash dividends that would
have been paid on the shares of Common Stock specified in the award as if such shares were held by the participant. The terms and conditions
of the dividend equivalent right shall be specified in the grant. Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a dividend equivalent
right may be paid currently or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares. Any such reinvestment shall be at the fair market
value at the time thereof. A dividend equivalent right may be settled in cash, shares, or a combination thereof.
Performance
Awards. The Committee may grant performance awards payable at the end of a specified performance period in cash, shares of Common
Stock, units, or other rights based upon, payable in, or otherwise related to our Common Stock. Payment will be contingent upon achieving
pre-established performance goals (as described below) by the end of the applicable performance period. The Committee will determine
the length of the performance period, the maximum payment value of an award, and the minimum performance goals required before payment
will be made, so long as such provisions are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, and to the extent an award is subject to Section
409A of the Code, are in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and any applicable regulations or guidance.
In certain circumstances, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the amount payable with respect to certain performance
awards will be reduced from the maximum amount of any potential awards. If the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that the
established performance measures or objectives are no longer suitable because of a change in our business, operations, corporate structure,
or for other reasons that the Committee deems satisfactory, the Committee may modify the performance measures or objectives and/or the
performance period.
Performance
Goals. Awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards, and other awards under the Plan may be made subject
to the attainment of performance goals relating to one or more business criteria which shall consist of one or more or any combination
of the following criteria (“Performance Criteria”): cash flow; cost; revenues; sales; ratio of debt to debt plus equity;
net borrowing, credit quality, or debt ratings; profit before tax; economic profit; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; gross margin; earnings per share (whether on a pre-tax, after-tax, operational, or other
basis); operating earnings; capital expenditures; expenses or expense levels; economic value added; ratio of operating earnings to capital
spending or any other operating ratios; free cash flow; net profit; net sales; net asset value per share; the accomplishment of mergers,
acquisitions, dispositions, public offerings, or similar extraordinary business transactions; sales growth; price of the shares; return
on assets, equity, or stockholders’ equity; market share; inventory levels, inventory turn or shrinkage; or total return to stockholders.
Any Performance Criteria may be used to measure our performance as a whole or of any of our business units and may be measured relative
to a peer group or index. Any Performance Criteria may include or exclude (i) events that are of an unusual nature or indicate infrequency
of occurrence, (ii) gains or losses on the disposition of a business; (iii) changes in tax or accounting regulations or laws; (iv) the
effect of a merger or acquisition, as identified in our quarterly and annual earnings releases; or (v) other similar occurrences. In
all other respects, Performance Criteria shall be calculated in accordance with our financial statements, under generally accepted accounting
principles, or under a methodology established by the Committee prior to the issuance of an award, which is consistently applied and
identified in the Company’s audited financial statements, including in footnotes, or the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section
of the Company’s annual report.
Other
Awards. The Committee may grant other forms of awards, based upon, payable in, or that otherwise relate to, in whole or in part,
shares of our Common Stock, if the Committee determines that such other form of award is consistent with the purpose and restrictions
of the Plan. The terms and conditions of such other form of award shall be specified in the grant. Such other awards may be granted for
no cash consideration, for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law, or for such other consideration as may be
specified in the grant.
Vesting,
Forfeiture and Recoupment, Assignment. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that an award will be immediately vested,
in whole or in part, or that all or any portion may not be vested until a date, or dates, subsequent to its date of grant, or until the
occurrence of one or more specified events, subject in any case to the terms of the Plan. If the Committee imposes conditions upon vesting,
then, subsequent to the date of grant, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the date on which all or any portion of
the award may be vested.
The
Committee may impose on any award at the time of grant or thereafter, such additional terms and conditions as the Committee determines,
including terms requiring forfeiture of awards in the event of a participant’s termination of service. The Committee will specify
the circumstances on which performance awards may be forfeited in the event of a termination of service by a participant prior to the
end of a performance period or settlement of such awards. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, restricted stock will be forfeited
upon a participant’s termination of service during the applicable restriction period. In addition, we may recoup all or any portion
of any shares or cash paid to a participant in connection with any award in the event of a restatement of the Company’s financial
statements as set forth in the Company’s clawback policy, if any, as such policy may be approved or modified by the Board from
time to time.
Awards
granted under the Plan generally are not assignable or transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, except
that the Committee may, in its discretion and pursuant to the terms of an award agreement, permit transfers of nonqualified stock options
or SARs to (i) the spouse (or former spouse), children, or grandchildren of the participant (“Immediate Family Members”);
(ii) a trust or trusts for the exclusive benefit of such Immediate Family Members; (iii) a partnership in which the only partners are
(a) such Immediate Family Members and/or (b) entities which are controlled by the participant and/or his or her Immediate Family Members;
(iv) an entity exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or any successor provision; or (v) a split interest
trust or pooled income fund described in Section 2522(c)(2) of the Code or any successor provision, provided that (x) there shall be
no consideration for any such transfer, (y) the applicable award agreement pursuant to which such nonqualified stock options or SARs
are granted must be approved by the Committee and must expressly provide for such transferability, and (z) subsequent transfers of transferred
nonqualified stock options or SARs shall be prohibited except those by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
Adjustments
Upon Changes in Capitalization. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of our
Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, rights offering, reorganization,
merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, split-off, combination, subdivision, repurchase, or exchange of shares of Common Stock or
other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company,
or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the fair value of an award, then the Committee shall adjust any or all of the
following so that the fair value of the award immediately after the transaction or event is equal to the fair value of the award immediately
prior to the transaction or event: (i) the number of shares and type of Common Stock (or the securities or property) which thereafter
may be made the subject of awards; (ii) the number of shares and type of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding
awards; (iii) the number of shares and type of Common Stock (or other securities or property) specified as the annual per-participant
limitation under the Plan; (iv) the option price of each outstanding stock option; (v) the amount, if any, we pay for forfeited shares
in accordance with the terms of the Plan; and (vi) the number of or exercise price of shares then subject to outstanding SARs previously
granted and unexercised under the Plan, to the end that the same proportion of our issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock in each
instance shall remain subject to exercise at the same aggregate exercise price; provided, however, that the number of shares of Common
Stock (or other securities or property) subject to any award shall always be a whole number. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment
shall be made or authorized to the extent that such adjustment would cause the Plan or any stock option to violate Section 422 or Section
409A of the Code. All such adjustments must be made in accordance with the rules of any securities exchange, stock market, or stock quotation
system to which we are subject.
Amendment
or Discontinuance of the Plan. The Board may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of participants, alter, amend,
revise, suspend, or discontinue the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that (i) no amendment that requires stockholder approval
in order for the Plan and any awards under the Plan to continue to comply with Sections 421 and 422 of the Code (including any successors
to such sections or other applicable law) or any applicable requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system
on which our stock is listed or traded, shall be effective unless such amendment is approved by the requisite vote of our stockholders
entitled to vote on the amendment; and (ii) unless required by law, no action by the Board regarding amendment or discontinuance of the
Plan may adversely affect any rights of any participants or obligations of the Company to any participants with respect to any outstanding
awards under the Plan without the consent of the affected participant.
Federal
Income Tax Consequences
The
following is a brief summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the transactions described under the Plan as
set forth below. This summary does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation and does not describe any potential
state, local, or foreign tax consequences. This discussion is based upon provisions of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder,
and judicial and administrative interpretations under the Code and Treasury Regulations, all as in effect as of the date hereof, and
all of which are subject to change (possibly on a retroactive basis) or different interpretation.
Law
Affecting Deferred Compensation. In 2004, Section 409A was added to the Code to regulate all types of deferred compensation. If the
requirements of Section 409A of the Code are not satisfied, deferred compensation and earnings thereon will be subject to tax as it vests,
plus an interest charge at the then current underpayment rate plus 1% and a 20% penalty tax. Certain performance awards, stock options,
SARs, restricted stock units, and certain types of restricted stock are subject to Section 409A of the Code.
Incentive
Stock Options. A participant will not recognize income at the time an ISO is granted. When a participant exercises an ISO, a participant
also generally will not be required to recognize income (either as ordinary income or capital gain). However, to the extent that the
fair market value (determined as of the date of grant) of the shares with respect to which the participant’s ISOs are exercisable
for the first time during any year exceeds $100,000, the ISOs for the shares over $100,000 will be treated as nonqualified stock options,
and not ISOs, for federal tax purposes, and the participant will recognize income as if the ISOs were nonqualified stock options (as
described in more detail below). In addition to the foregoing, if the fair market value of the shares received upon exercise of an ISO
exceeds the option price, then the excess may be deemed a tax preference adjustment for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax
calculation. The federal alternative minimum tax may produce significant tax repercussions depending upon the participant’s particular
tax status.
The
tax treatment of any shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO will depend upon whether the participant disposes of his or her shares prior
to the later of: (i) two years after the date the ISO was granted or (ii) one year after the shares were transferred to the participant
(referred to as, the “Holding Period”). If a participant disposes of shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO after the expiration
of the Holding Period, any amount received in excess of the participant’s tax basis for such shares will be treated as a short-term
or long-term capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant’s
tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as a short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant
has held the shares. If the participant disposes of shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO prior to the expiration of the Holding Period,
the disposition will be considered a “disqualifying disposition.” If the amount received for the shares is greater than the
fair market value of the shares on the exercise date, then the difference between the ISO’s option price and the fair market value
of the shares at the time of exercise will be treated as ordinary income for the tax year in which the disqualifying disposition occurs.
The participant’s basis in the shares will be increased by an amount equal to the amount treated as ordinary income due to such
disqualifying disposition. In addition, the amount received in such disqualifying disposition over the participant’s increased
basis in the shares will be treated as capital gain. However, if the price received for shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO is less
than the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date and the disposition is a transaction in which the participant sustains
a loss which otherwise would be recognizable under the Code, then the amount of ordinary income that the participant will recognize is
the excess, if any, of the amount realized on the disqualifying disposition over the basis of the shares.
Nonqualified
Stock Options. A participant generally will not recognize income at the time a nonqualified stock option is granted. When a participant
exercises a nonqualified stock option, the difference between the option price and any higher market value of the shares of Common Stock
on the date of exercise will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the participant. The participant’s tax basis
for the shares acquired under a nonqualified stock option will be equal to the option price paid for such shares, plus any amounts included
in the participant’s income as compensation. When a participant disposes of shares acquired upon exercise of a nonqualified stock
option, any amount received in excess of the participant’s tax basis for such shares will be treated as short-term or long-term
capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant’s
tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as a short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant
has held the shares.
Special
Rule if Option Price is Paid for in Shares. If a participant pays the option price of a nonqualified stock option with previously-owned
shares of our Common Stock and the transaction is not a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO, the shares
received equal to the number of shares surrendered are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange. The participant’s
tax basis and holding period for these shares received will be equal to the participant’s tax basis and holding period for the
shares surrendered. The shares received in excess of the number of shares surrendered will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary
income to the participant to the extent of their fair market value. The participant’s tax basis in these shares will be equal to
their fair market value on the date of exercise, and the participant’s holding period for such shares will begin on the date of
exercise.
If
the use of previously acquired shares to pay the option price of a nonqualified stock option constitutes a disqualifying disposition
of shares previously acquired under an ISO, the participant will have ordinary income as a result of the disqualifying disposition in
an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares surrendered, determined at the time such shares were originally
acquired on exercise of the ISO, over the aggregate option price paid for such shares. As discussed above, a disqualifying disposition
of shares previously acquired under an ISO occurs when the participant disposes of such shares before the end of the Holding Period.
The other tax results from paying the option price with previously-owned shares are as described above, except that the participant’s
tax basis in the shares that are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange will be increased by the amount of ordinary income
recognized by the participant as a result of the disqualifying disposition.
Restricted
Stock. A participant who receives restricted stock generally will recognize as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market
value of the shares granted as restricted stock at such time as the shares are no longer subject to forfeiture or restrictions, over
the amount paid, if any, by the participant for such shares. However, a participant who receives restricted stock may make an election
under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days of the date of transfer of the restricted shares to recognize ordinary income on the date
of transfer of the restricted shares equal to the excess of the fair market value of such shares (determined without regard to the restrictions
on such shares) over the purchase price, if any, paid for such shares. If a participant does not make an election under Section 83(b)
of the Code, then the participant will recognize as ordinary income any dividends received with respect to such shares. At the time of
sale of such shares, any gain or loss realized by the participant will be treated as either short-term or long-term capital gain (or
loss) depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. For purposes of determining any gain or loss realized, the participant’s
tax basis will be the amount previously taxable as ordinary income, plus the purchase price paid by the participant, if any, for such
shares.
Stock
Appreciation Rights. Generally, a participant who receives a stand-alone SAR will not recognize taxable income at the time the stand-alone
SAR is granted, provided that the SAR is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code. If an employee receives the appreciation
inherent in the SARs in cash, the cash will be taxed as ordinary income to the recipient at the time it is received. If a recipient receives
the appreciation inherent in the SARs in stock, the spread between the then current market value and the grant price, if any, will be
taxed as ordinary income to the employee at the time it is received.
Other
Awards. In the case of an award of restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent rights, or other stock or cash
awards, the recipient will generally recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to any cash received and the fair market value of any
shares received on the date of payment or delivery, provided that the award is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code.
Federal
Tax Withholding. Any ordinary income realized by a participant upon the granting, vesting, exercise or conversion of an award under
the Plan, as applicable, is subject to withholding of U.S. federal, state, and local income tax and to withholding of the participant’s
share of tax under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. To satisfy our federal income tax withholding
requirements, we will have the right to require, as a condition to delivery of any certificate for shares of Common Stock or the registration
of the shares in the participant’s name, that the participant remit to us an amount sufficient to satisfy the withholding requirements.
Alternatively, we may withhold a portion of the shares (valued at fair market value) that otherwise would be issued to the participant
to satisfy all or part of the withholding tax obligations or may, if we consent, accept delivery of shares (that the participant has
not acquired from us within six months prior to the date of exercise) with an aggregate fair market value that equals or exceeds the
required tax withholding payment. Withholding does not represent an increase in the participant’s total income tax obligation,
since it is fully credited toward his or her tax liability for the year. Additionally, withholding does not affect the participant’s
tax basis in the shares. Compensation income realized and tax withheld will be reflected on Forms W-2 supplied by the Company to employees
no later than January 31 of the succeeding year. Deferred compensation that is subject to Section 409A of the Code will be subject to
certain federal income tax withholding and reporting requirements.
Tax
Consequences to Us. To the extent that a participant recognizes ordinary income in the circumstances described above, we will be
entitled to a corresponding deduction provided that, among other things, the income meets the test of reasonableness, is an ordinary
and necessary business expense, is not an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and
is not disallowed by the $1,000,000 limitation on certain executive compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.
Million
Dollar Deduction Limit and Other Tax Matters. We may not deduct compensation of more than $1,000,000 that is paid to “covered
employees” (as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code), which include (i) an individual (or, in certain circumstances, his or her
beneficiaries) who, at any time during the taxable year, is either our principal executive officer or principal financial officer; (ii)
an individual who is among our three highest compensated officers for the taxable year (other than an individual who was either our principal
executive officer or principal financial officer at any time during that taxable year); or (iii) anyone who was a covered employee for
purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code for any tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2017. This limitation on deductions (x) only
applies to compensation paid by a publicly-traded corporation (and not compensation paid by non-corporate entities) and (z) may not apply
to certain types of compensation, such as qualified performance-based compensation that is payable pursuant to a written, binding contract
that was in effect as of November 2, 2017, so long as the contract is not materially modified after that date.
If
an individual’s rights under the Plan are accelerated as a result of a change in control and the individual is a “disqualified
individual” under Section 280G of the Code, the value of any such accelerated rights received by such individual may be included
in determining whether or not such individual has received an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code,
which could result in (i) the imposition of a 20% federal excise tax (in addition to federal income and employment taxes) payable by
the individual on the value of such accelerated rights, and (ii) the loss by us of a compensation deduction.
Effect
of the Reverse Stock Split on the Plan Amendment
If
the Incentive Plan Amendment is approved by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting, the Incentive Plan Amendment will become effective
immediately upon approval. If the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is approved at the Annual Meeting, and the Reverse Stock Proposal is effected
at a subsequent time, the number of shares reserved under the Plan will be proportionately reduced pursuant to Article 11 of the Plan
at the effective time of the Reverse Stock Split.
Interest
of Certain Persons
All
members of the Board and all of our executive officers are eligible for awards under the Plan and, thus, have a personal interest in
the approval of the Plan.
Plan
Amendment Benefits
With
respect to the increased number of shares reserved under the Plan pursuant to the Incentive Plan Amendment, we cannot currently determine
the benefits or number of shares subject to awards that may be granted in the future to eligible participants under the Plan because
the grant of awards and terms of such awards are to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.
The
market value of our Common Stock on the Record Date was $0.75 per share, based on the closing price of our Common Stock on the
Record Date.
Vote
Required and Board’s Recommendation
The
approval of the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast by the
stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal,
voting affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes). “ABSTAIN” votes will have no effect on the
results for the Incentive Plan Amendment Proposal. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held
by the firms in street name on this proposal. As a result, broker non-votes will have no effect on the results for the Incentive Plan
Amendment Proposal.
THE
BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE INCENTIVE PLAN AMENDMENT PROPOSAL, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED
IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE MATTERS
Audit
Committee Report
The
Audit Committee assists the Board in its general oversight of the Company’s financial reporting processes. The Audit Committee
Charter describes in greater detail the full responsibilities of the Audit Committee. During each fiscal year, the Audit Committee reviews
the Company’s financial statements, management reports, internal control over financial reporting and audit matters. In connection
with these reviews, the Audit Committee meets with management and independent public accountants at least once each quarter. The Audit
Committee schedules its meetings with a view to ensuring that it devotes appropriate attention to all of its tasks. These meetings include,
whenever appropriate, executive sessions in which the Audit Committee meets separately with the independent public accountants, financial
management personnel and legal counsel.
As
part of its review of audit matters, the Audit Committee supervises the relationship between the Company and its independent registered
public accountants, including: having direct responsibility for their appointment, compensation and retention; reviewing the scope of
their audit services; approving audit and non-audit services; and confirming the independence of the independent public accountants.
Together with senior members of the Company’s financial management team, the Audit Committee reviewed the overall audit scope and
plans of the independent public accountants, the results of external audit examinations, and evaluations by management of the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting and the quality of the Company’s financial reporting.
In
addition, the Audit Committee reviewed key initiatives and programs aimed at designing and maintaining an effective internal and disclosure
control structure. As part of this process, the Audit Committee continued to monitor the scope and adequacy of the steps taken to maintain
the effectiveness of internal procedures and controls.
In
performing all of these functions, the Audit Committee acts in an oversight capacity. The Audit Committee reviews and discusses the quarterly
and annual consolidated financial statements with management, and the Company’s independent public accountants prior to their issuance.
In its oversight role, the Audit Committee relies on the work and assurances of the Company’s management, which is responsible
for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, preparing the financial statements and other reports
and maintaining policies relating to legal and regulatory compliance, ethics and conflicts of interest. Marcum LLP was responsible for
performing an independent audit of the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and expressing an
opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and related footnotes for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and the independent auditor’s reports on those financial statements, with management and
with our independent auditors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, Marcum LLP.
The
Audit Committee has reviewed with the independent public accountants the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the SEC, including a discussion with management and the independent public accountants
of the quality (and not merely the acceptability) of the Company’s accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant estimates
and judgments and the disclosures in the Company’s financial statements. In addition, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed
with Marcum LLP matters related to its independence, including a review of audit and non-audit fees and the written disclosures in the
letters from Marcum LLP to the Audit Committee required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding
the independent public accountants’ communication with the Audit Committee concerning independence. The Audit Committee concluded
that Marcum LLP is independent from the Company and its management.
Taking
all these reviews and discussions into account, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be
included in AYRO’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as amended, that was filed with the
SEC.
|
AUDIT
COMMITTEE |
|
|
|
Greg
Schiffman (Chairman) |
|
Sebastian
Giordano |
|
Zvi
Joseph |
The
Report of the Audit Committee set forth in this Proxy Statement shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be
“filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C under the Exchange Act or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the
Exchange Act. In addition, it shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any statement that incorporates this Proxy Statement by
reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the Company specifically
incorporates this information by reference.
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures
Under
the Audit Committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures, the Audit Committee is required to pre-approve the audit and non-audit
services performed by our independent registered public accounting firms. On an annual basis, the Audit Committee pre-approves a list
of services that may be provided by the independent registered public accounting firms without obtaining specific pre-approval from the
Audit Committee.
The
Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to the Audit Committee chairman and any pre-approved actions by the Audit Committee
chairman as designee are reported to the Audit Committee for approval at its next scheduled meeting.
From
2019 until September 21, 2022, our independent accountant was Friedman LLP, which merged with Marcum LLP effective September 1, 2022.
All of the services rendered by Marcum LLP in the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, and by Friedman LLP in the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2022, were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
AUDITOR RATIFICATION PROPOSAL
The
Audit Committee has appointed Marcum LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2024, subject to stockholder ratification. The Board proposes that the stockholders ratify, in a non-binding vote, this appointment.
The
Audit Committee has reviewed the independence of Marcum LLP as auditor. The Audit Committee has concluded that Marcum LLP is independent
and that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to retain Marcum LLP as independent auditor for 2024.
A
representative of Marcum LLP will not be present at the Annual Meeting.
Friedman
LLP served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm from 2019 until September 21, 2022. As previously disclosed
in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 21, 2022, based on information provided by Friedman
LLP, effective September 1, 2022, Friedman LLP combined with Marcum LLP and continued to operate as an independent registered public
accounting firm as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marcum LLP. Friedman LLP continued to serve as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm through September 21, 2022. On September 21, 2022, the Audit Committee of the Board approved the dismissal of
Friedman LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and the engagement of Marcum LLP as the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, effective as of such date. Since September
21, 2022, the services previously provided by Friedman LLP have been provided by Marcum LLP.
The
reports of Friedman LLP on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for each of the two fiscal years ended December 31,
2021 and 2020 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit
scope, or accounting principles.
During
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the subsequent interim period through September 21, 2022, (i) there were no disagreements,
as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, with Friedman LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial
statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Friedman LLP, would
have caused Friedman LLP to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its reports on the Company’s
consolidated financial statements for such period, and (ii) there were no “reportable events,” as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v)
of Regulation S-K, except that the Company identified a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting related to
segregation of duties, which was described in Item 4 of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June
30, 2022, March 31, 2022, September 30, 2021, June 30, 2021, and March 31, 2021, and Item 9A of the Company’s Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020. The Audit Committee discussed the subject matter of the reportable events
with Friedman LLP, and notwithstanding these material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, the Company has concluded
that, based on its knowledge, the consolidated financial statements, and other financial information included in its Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2022, March 31, 2022, September 30, 2021, June 30, 2021, and March 31, 2021 and its Annual
Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020 present fairly, in all material respects, the Company’s financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States.
During
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020 and the subsequent interim period through September 21, 2022, neither the Company
nor anyone on its behalf consulted with Marcum LLP regarding either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction,
either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither
a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that Marcum LLP concluded was an important factor considered by the Company
in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of
a “disagreement” or a “reportable event,” as such terms are defined in Regulation S-K Item 304(a)(1)(iv) and
(v), respectively.
Fees
to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The
following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered (i) by Friedman LLP for the review of our quarterly financial
statements for the first and second quarters of 2022, and (ii) by Marcum LLP for the audit of our annual financial statements for the
years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and the review of our quarterly financial statements for the first, second and third
quarters of 2023 and the third quarter of 2022, and fees billed for other services rendered by Friedman LLP and Marcum LLP during those
periods. The percentage of services set forth above in the category audit related fees that were approved by the Audit Committee pursuant
to Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i)(C) (relating to the approval of a de minimis amount of non-audit services after the fact but before completion
of the audit) was 100%.
| |
2023 | | |
2022 | |
Audit
Fees:(1) | |
$ | 497,766 | | |
$ | 283,723 | |
Audit-Related
Fees:(2) | |
| - | | |
| - | |
Tax
Fees:(3) | |
| - | | |
| - | |
All
Other Fees:(4) | |
| - | | |
| - | |
Total | |
$ | 497,766 | | |
$ | 283,723 | |
(1) |
Audit
Fees include fees for services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, the review of financial statements included
in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, assistance with and review of documents filed with the SEC and consents and other services
normally provided in connection with regulatory filings. In 2023, $497,766 was billed by Marcum LLP for audit fees. In 2022, $283,723
was billed for audit fees, of which $214,852 was billed by Friedman LLP and $68,871 was billed by Marcum LLP. |
|
|
(2) |
Audit-Related
Fees principally include fees incurred for due diligence in connection with potential transactions and accounting consultations. |
|
|
(3) |
Tax
Fees would include fees for services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. |
|
|
(4) |
All
Other Fees would include fees that do not constitute Audit Fees, Audit-Related Fees, or Tax Fees. |
Approval
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Services and Fees
The
Board requests that stockholders ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to conduct
the audit of our financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. In the event that the stockholders fail to ratify
the selection, the Board will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Board, in its discretion,
may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the fiscal year if the Board
determines that such a change could be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Vote
Required
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting
and entitled to vote on this proposal, voting affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes), is required to
adopt the proposal to ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2024. “ABSTAIN” votes will have no effect on the outcome of the Auditor Ratification Proposal. Because the ratification
of the independent registered public accounting firm is considered a routine matter, your bank, broker, trustee or other nominee, as
the case may be, may vote your shares without your instruction with respect to the ratification of the independent registered public
accounting firm unless you instruct your them otherwise. If a bank, broker, trustee or other nominee does not exercise this authority,
such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.
THE
BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF MARCUM LLP, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD
WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.
REVERSE STOCK SPLIT PROPOSAL
Background
and Proposed Amendment
Our
Charter currently authorizes the Company to issue a total of 220,000,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of 200,000,000 shares of
Common Stock and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”).
On
November 25, 2024, subject to stockholder approval, the Board approved an amendment to our Charter to, at the discretion of the
Board, effect the Reverse Stock Split of the Common Stock at a ratio of 1-for-2 to 1-for-13, including shares held by the
Company as treasury shares, with the exact ratio within such range to be determined by the Board at its discretion. The primary goal
of the Reverse Stock Split is to increase the per share market price of our Common Stock to meet the minimum per share bid price requirements
for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. We believe that a range of Reverse Stock Split ratios provides us with the most flexibility
to achieve the desired results of the Reverse Stock Split. The Reverse Stock Split is not intended as, and will not have the effect of,
a “going private transaction” covered by Rule 13e-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Reverse Stock Split is not intended
to modify the rights of existing stockholders in any material respect.
If
the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is approved by our stockholders and the Reverse Stock Split is effected, up to every 13 shares
of our outstanding Common Stock would be combined and reclassified into one share of Common Stock. The actual timing for implementation
of the Reverse Stock Split would be determined by the Board based upon its evaluation as to when such action would be most advantageous
to the Company and its stockholders. Notwithstanding approval of the Reverse Stock Split Proposal by our stockholders, the Board will
have the sole authority to elect whether or not and when to amend our Charter to effect the Reverse Stock Split. If the Reverse Stock
Split Proposal is approved by our stockholders, the Board will make a determination as to whether effecting the Reverse Stock Split is
in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders in light of, among other things, the Company’s ability to increase the
trading price of our Common Stock to meet the minimum stock price standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market without effecting the Reverse
Stock Split, the per share price of the Common Stock immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split and the expected stability of the per
share price of the Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split. If the Board determines that it is in the best interests of the Company
and its stockholders to effect the Reverse Stock Split, it will hold a Board meeting to determine the ratio of the Reverse Stock Split.
For additional information concerning the factors the Board will consider in deciding whether to effect the Reverse Stock Split, see
“— Determination of the Reverse Stock Split Ratio” and “— Board Discretion to Effect
the Reverse Stock Split.”
The
text of the proposed amendment to the Company’s Charter to effect the Reverse Stock Split is included as Annex E to this
proxy statement (the “Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment”). If the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is approved by the Company’s
stockholders, the Company will have the authority to file the Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware, which will become effective upon its filing; provided, however, that the Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment is
subject to revision to include such changes as may be required by the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and as
the Board deems necessary and advisable. The Board has determined that the amendment is advisable and in the best interests of the Company
and its stockholders and has submitted the amendment for consideration by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting.
Reasons
for the Reverse Stock Split
We
are submitting this proposal to our stockholders for approval in order to increase the trading price of our Common Stock to meet the
minimum per share bid price requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. We believe increasing the trading price of
our Common Stock may also assist in our capital-raising efforts by making our Common Stock more attractive to a broader range of investors.
Accordingly, we believe that the Reverse Stock Split is in our stockholders’ best interests.
As
previously reported, on July 18, 2024, we received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that, based
upon the closing bid price of our Common Stock for the 30 consecutive business day period between June 3, 2024, to July 17, 2024, we
did not meet the Minimum Bid Price Requirement of $1.00 per share pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). The letter also indicated
that the Company would be provided with a Compliance Period of 180 calendar days, or until January 14, 2025, in which to regain compliance
pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A).
If
our Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq, the Board believes that the trading market for our Common Stock could become significantly
less liquid, which could reduce the trading price of our Common Stock and increase the transaction costs of trading in shares of our
Common Stock.
We
believe that the Reverse Stock Split is our best option to meet the criteria to satisfy the minimum per share bid price requirement for
continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. A decrease in the number of outstanding shares of our Common Stock resulting from the
Reverse Stock Split should, absent other factors, assist in ensuring that the per share market price of our Common Stock remains above
the requisite price for continued listing. However, we cannot provide any assurance that our minimum bid price would remain over the
minimum bid price requirement of The Nasdaq Capital Market following the Reverse Stock Split.
In
addition, as noted above, we believe that the Reverse Stock Split and the resulting increase in the per share price of our Common Stock
could encourage increased investor interest in our Common Stock and promote greater liquidity for our stockholders. A greater price per
share of our Common Stock could allow a broader range of institutions to invest in our Common Stock (namely, funds that are prohibited
or discouraged from buying stocks with a price below a certain threshold), potentially increasing marketability, trading volume and liquidity
of our Common Stock. Many institutional investors view stocks trading at low prices as unduly speculative in nature and, as a result,
avoid investing in such stocks. We believe that the Reverse Stock Split will provide the Board flexibility to make our Common Stock a
more attractive investment for these institutional investors, which we believe will enhance the liquidity for the holders of our Common
Stock and may facilitate future sales of our Common Stock. The Reverse Stock Split could also increase interest in our Common Stock for
analysts and brokers who may otherwise have policies that discourage or prohibit them from following or recommending companies with low
stock prices. Additionally, because brokers’ commissions on transactions in low-priced stocks generally represent a higher percentage
of the stock price than commissions on higher-priced stocks, the current average price per share of our Common Stock can result in individual
stockholders paying transaction costs representing a higher percentage of their total share value than would be the case if the share
price were substantially higher.
The
Board intends to effect the Reverse Stock Split only if it believes that a decrease in the number of shares outstanding is in the best
interests of the Company and our stockholders and is likely to improve the trading price of our Common Stock and improve the likelihood
that we will be allowed to maintain our listing on Nasdaq. Accordingly, our Board approved the Reverse Stock Split as being in the best
interests of the Company.
Risks
Associated with the Reverse Stock Split
The
Reverse Stock Split May Not Increase the Price of our Common Stock Over the Long-Term.
As
noted above, the principal purpose of the Reverse Stock Split is to increase the trading price of our Common Stock to meet the minimum
stock price standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market. However, the effect of the Reverse Stock Split on the market price of our Common
Stock cannot be predicted with any certainty, and we cannot assure you that the Reverse Stock Split will accomplish this objective for
any meaningful period of time, or at all. While we expect that the reduction in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock will
proportionally increase the market price of our Common Stock, we cannot assure you that the Reverse Stock split will increase the market
price of our Common Stock by a multiple of the Reverse Stock Split ratio, or result in any permanent or sustained increase in the market
price of our Common Stock. The market price of our Common Stock may be affected by other factors which may be unrelated to the number
of shares outstanding, including the Company’s business and financial performance, general market conditions, and prospects for
future success.
The
Reverse Stock Split May Decrease the Liquidity of our Common Stock.
The
Board believes that the Reverse Stock Split may result in an increase in the market price of our Common Stock, which could lead to increased
interest in our Common Stock and possibly promote greater liquidity for our stockholders. However, the Reverse Stock Split will also
reduce the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, which may lead to reduced trading and a smaller number of market makers
for our Common Stock, particularly if the price per share of our Common Stock does not increase as a result of the Reverse Stock Split.
The
Reverse Stock Split May Result in some Stockholders Owning “Odd Lots” That May Be More Difficult to Sell or Require Greater
Transaction Costs per Share to Sell.
If
the Reverse Stock Split is implemented, it will increase the number of stockholders who own “odd lots” of less than 100 shares
of Common Stock. A purchase or sale of less than 100 shares of Common Stock (an “odd lot” transaction) may result in incrementally
higher trading costs through certain brokers, particularly “full service” brokers. Therefore, those stockholders who own
fewer than 100 shares of Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split may be required to pay higher transaction costs if they sell
their Common Stock.
The
Reverse Stock Split May Lead to a Decrease in our Overall Market Capitalization.
The
Reverse Stock Split may be viewed negatively by the market and, consequently, could lead to a decrease in our overall market capitalization.
If the per share market price of our Common Stock does not increase in proportion to the Reverse Stock Split ratio, then the value of
our Company, as measured by our market capitalization, will be reduced. Additionally, any reduction in our market capitalization may
be magnified as a result of the smaller number of total shares of Common Stock outstanding following the Reverse Stock Split.
Consequences
of Not Approving this Proposal
If
the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is not approved by our stockholders, our Board will not have the authority to effect the Reverse Stock
Split Charter Amendment to, among other things, facilitate the continued listing of our Common Stock on Nasdaq by increasing the per
share trading price of our Common Stock to help ensure a share price high enough to satisfy the $1.00 per share minimum bid price requirement.
Any inability of our Board to effect the Reverse Stock Split could expose us to delisting from Nasdaq.
Determination
of the Reverse Stock Split Ratio
The
Board believes that stockholder approval of a range of potential Reverse Stock Split ratios is in the best interests of our Company and
stockholders because it is not possible to predict market conditions at the time the Reverse Stock Split would be implemented. We believe
that a range of Reverse Stock Split ratios provides us with the most flexibility to achieve the desired results of the Reverse Stock
Split. The Reverse Stock Split ratio to be selected by our Board will be not more than 1-for-13.
The
selection of the specific Reverse Stock Split ratio will be based on several factors, including, among other things:
● |
our
ability to maintain the listing of our Common Stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market; |
|
|
● |
the
per share price of our Common Stock immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split; |
|
|
● |
the
expected stability of the per share price of our Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split; |
|
|
● |
the
likelihood that the Reverse Stock Split will result in increased marketability and liquidity of our Common Stock; |
|
|
● |
prevailing
market conditions; |
|
|
● |
general
economic conditions in our industry; and |
|
|
● |
our
market capitalization before and after the Reverse Stock Split. |
We
believe that granting our Board the authority to set the ratio for the Reverse Stock Split is essential because it allows us to take
these factors into consideration and to react to changing market conditions. If the Board chooses to implement the Reverse Stock Split,
the Company will make a public announcement regarding the determination of the Reverse Stock Split ratio.
Board
Discretion to Effect the Reverse Stock Split
If
the Reverse Stock Split proposal is approved by our stockholders, the Board will have the discretion to implement the Reverse Stock Split
or to not effect the Reverse Stock Split at all. The Board currently intends to effect the Reverse Stock Split. If the trading price
of our Common Stock increases without effecting the Reverse Stock Split, the Reverse Stock Split may not be necessary. Following the
Reverse Stock Split, if implemented, there can be no assurance that the market price of our Common Stock will rise in proportion to the
reduction in the number of outstanding shares resulting from the Reverse Stock Split or that the market price of the post-split Common
Stock can be maintained above $1.00. There also can be no assurance that our Common Stock will not be delisted from Nasdaq for other
reasons.
If
our stockholders approve the Reverse Stock Split proposal at the Annual Meeting, the Reverse Stock Split will be effected, if at all,
only upon a determination by the Board that the Reverse Stock Split is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders at that
time. No further action on the part of the stockholders will be required to either effect or abandon the Reverse Stock Split. If our
Board does not implement the Reverse Stock Split prior to the one-year anniversary of the date on which the reverse stock split is approved
by the Company’s stockholders at the Annual Meeting, the authority granted in this proposal to implement the Reverse Stock Split
will terminate and the Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment will be abandoned.
The
market price of our Common Stock is dependent upon our performance and other factors, some of which are unrelated to the number of shares
outstanding. If the Reverse Stock Split is effected and the market price of our Common Stock declines, the percentage decline as an absolute
number and as a percentage of our overall market capitalization may be greater than would occur in the absence of the Reverse Stock Split.
Furthermore, the reduced number of shares that will be outstanding after the Reverse Stock Split could significantly reduce the trading
volume and otherwise adversely affect the liquidity of our Common Stock.
We
have not proposed the Reverse Stock Split in response to any effort of which we are aware to accumulate our shares of Common Stock or
obtain control of the Company, nor is it a plan by management to recommend a series of similar actions to our Board or our stockholders.
Notwithstanding the decrease in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split, our Board does not
intend for this transaction to be the first step in a “going private transaction” within the meaning of Rule 13e-3 of the
Exchange Act.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Issued and Outstanding Shares
If
the Reverse Stock Split is effected, it will reduce the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, including shares
held by the Company as treasury shares, by a Reverse Stock Split ratio of 1-for-2 to 1-for-13. Accordingly, each holder
of our Common Stock will own fewer shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. However, the Reverse Stock Split will
affect all holders of our Common Stock uniformly and will not affect any stockholder’s percentage ownership interest in the Company,
except to the extent that the Reverse Stock Split would result in an adjustment to a stockholder’s ownership of Common Stock due
to the treatment of fractional shares in the Reverse Stock Split. Therefore, voting rights and other rights and preferences of the holders
of Common Stock will not be affected by the Reverse Stock Split (other than as a result of the treatment of fractional shares). Common
stock issued pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split will remain fully paid and nonassessable, and the par value per share of Common Stock
will remain $0.0001.
As
of the Record Date, the Company had 6,764,600 shares of Common Stock outstanding. For purposes of illustration, if the Reverse Stock
Split is effected at a ratio of 1-for-2 or 1-for-13, the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock after
the Reverse Stock Split would be approximately 3,382,300 shares and 520,353 shares, respectively.
We
are currently authorized to issue a maximum of 200,000,000 shares of our Common Stock and 20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. Although
the number of authorized shares of our Common Stock will not change as a result of the Reverse Stock Split, the number of shares of our
Common Stock issued and outstanding will be reduced in proportion to the ratio selected by the Board. Thus, the Reverse Stock Split will
effectively increase the number of authorized and unissued shares of our Common Stock available for future issuance by the amount of
the reduction effected by the Reverse Stock Split.
Following
the Reverse Stock Split, the Board will have the authority, subject to applicable securities laws, to issue all authorized and unissued
shares without further stockholder approval, upon such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Outstanding Equity Awards and Plans
If
the Reverse Stock Split is effected, the terms of equity awards granted under the Plans and, including (i) the number of shares and type
of Common Stock (or the securities or property) which thereafter may be made the subject of awards; (ii) the number of shares and type
of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding awards; (iii) the number of shares and type of Common Stock
(or other securities or property) specified as the annual per-participant limitation under the Plans; (iv) the option price of each outstanding
stock option; (v) the amount, if any, paid for forfeited shares in accordance with the terms of the Plans; and (vi) the number of or
exercise price of shares then subject to outstanding stock appreciation rights previously granted and unexercised under the Plans, will
be proportionally adjusted to the end that the same proportion of our issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock in each instance
shall remain subject to exercise at the same aggregate exercise price; subject to adjustments for any fractional shares as described
herein and provided, however, that the number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to any award shall
always be a whole number. In addition, the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be the subject of future grants under the
Plans, as well as any plan limits on the size of such grants will be adjusted and proportionately decreased as a result of the Reverse
Stock Split.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Outstanding Warrants and Preferred Stock
The
Certificate of Designations of the Company’s Series H-7 Convertible Preferred Stock and the warrants issued concurrently with the
Series H-7 Preferred Stock (the “Warrants”) contain provisions that require the reduction of the conversion price and exercise
price of the Series H-7 Preferred Stock and the Warrants, respectively, as then in effect, on the sixteenth (16th) trading day immediately
following a reverse stock split if the “Event Market Price” is less than the conversion price or exercise price then in effect.
The term “Event Market Price” is used in the Certificate of Designations and the Warrant to refer to, with respect to a reverse
stock split, the quotient determined by dividing (x) the sum of the VWAP (as defined in the Certificate of Designations and the Warrant,
respectively) of the Common Stock for each of the five (5) lowest trading days during the twenty (20) consecutive trading day period
ending and including the trading day immediately preceding the sixteenth (16th) trading day after such reverse stock split, divided by
(y) five (5). The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants will be increased in proportion to any such
reduction, such that the aggregate exercise price of the Warrants will remain the same following the reduction. As of the date of this
Proxy Statement, and without giving effect to the Reverse Stock Split, the conversion price of the Series H-7 Preferred Stock is $2.00,
and the exercise price of the Warrants is $2.00 per share.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Voting Rights
Proportionate
voting rights and other rights of our stockholders would not be affected by the Reverse Stock Split (other than as a result of the treatment
of fractional shares). For example, a holder of 1% of the voting power of the outstanding Common Stock immediately prior to the effective
time of the Reverse Stock Split would continue to hold 1% of the voting power of the outstanding Common Stock after the Reverse Stock
Split.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Regulatory Matters
The
Company is subject to the periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act. The Reverse Stock Split will not affect the
Company’s obligation to publicly file financial and other information with the SEC.
Effects
of the Reverse Stock Split on Authorized Share Capital
The
total number of shares of capital stock that we are authorized to issue will not be affected by the Reverse Stock Split and will remain
at 220,000,000 shares, consisting of 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock.
Treatment
of Fractional Shares in the Reverse Stock Split
The
Company does not intend to issue fractional shares in the event that a stockholder owns a number of shares of Common Stock that is not
evenly divisible by the Reverse Stock Split ratio. If the Reverse Stock Split is effected, each fractional share of Common Stock will
be:
● |
rounded
up to the nearest whole share of Common Stock, if such shares of Common Stock are held directly; or |
|
|
● |
rounded
down to the nearest whole share of Common Stock, if such shares are subject to an award granted under the Plans, in order to comply
with the requirements of Sections 409A and 424 of the Code. |
Effective
Time of the Reverse Stock Split
If
the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is approved by our stockholders, the Reverse Stock Split would become effective, if at all, when the
Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment is accepted and recorded by the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. However,
notwithstanding approval of the Reverse Stock Split Proposal by our stockholders, the Board will have the sole authority to elect whether
or not and when to amend our Charter to effect the Reverse Stock Split.
Exchange
of Share Certificates
If
the Reverse Stock Split is effected, each certificate representing pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock will be deemed for
all corporate purposes to evidence ownership of post-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock at the effective time of the Reverse Stock Split.
As soon as practicable after the effective time of the Reverse Stock Split, our transfer agent, Issuer Direct Corporation, will mail
a letter of transmittal to the Company’s stockholders containing instructions on how a stockholder should surrender its, his or
her certificate(s) representing pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock to our transfer agent in exchange for certificate(s) representing
post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock. No certificate(s) representing post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock will
be issued to a stockholder until such stockholder has surrendered all certificate(s) representing pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common
Stock, together with a properly completed and executed letter of transmittal, to our transfer agent. No stockholder will be required
to pay a transfer or other fee to exchange its, his or her certificate(s) representing pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock
for certificate(s) representing post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock registered in the same name.
Stockholders
who hold uncertificated shares of Common Stock electronically in “book-entry” form will have their holdings electronically
adjusted by our transfer agent (and, for beneficial owners, by their brokers or banks that hold in “street name” for their
benefit, as the case may be) to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split. If any certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing
pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock to be exchanged contain a restrictive legend or notation, as applicable, the certificate(s)
or book-entry statement(s) representing post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock will contain the same restrictive legend or notation.
Any
stockholder whose share certificate(s) representing pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock has been lost, stolen or destroyed
will only be issued post-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock after complying with the requirements that the Company and our transfer agent
customarily apply in connection with lost, stolen or destroyed certificates.
STOCKHOLDERS
SHOULD NOT DESTROY STOCK CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING PRE-REVERSE STOCK SPLIT SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AND SHOULD NOT SUBMIT ANY STOCK CERTIFICATES
REPRESENTING PRE-REVERSE STOCK SPLIT SHARES OF COMMON STOCK UNTIL THEY ARE REQUESTED TO DO SO.
Anti-Takeover
Effects
We
have not proposed the Reverse Stock Split, with its corresponding increase in the authorized and unissued number of shares of Common
Stock, with the intention of using the additional shares for anti-takeover purposes, although we could theoretically use the additional
shares to make more difficult or to discourage an attempt to acquire control of the Company.
We
do not believe that our officers or directors have interests in this proposal that are different from or greater than those of any other
of our stockholders.
Appraisal
Rights
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, our stockholders are not entitled to appraisal or dissenter’s rights with respect to the
Reverse Stock Split, and we will not independently provide our stockholders with any such rights.
Regulatory
Approvals
The
Reverse Stock Split will not be consummated, if at all, until after approval of the Company’s stockholders is obtained. The Company
is not obligated to obtain any governmental approvals or comply with any state or federal regulations prior to consummating the Reverse
Stock Split other than the filing of the Reverse Stock Split Charter Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
Accounting
Treatment of the Reverse Stock Split
If
the Reverse Stock Split is effected, the par value per share of our Common Stock will remain unchanged at $0.0001. Accordingly, on the
effective date of the Reverse Stock Split, the stated capital on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets attributable to our
Common Stock will be reduced in proportion to the size of the Reverse Stock Split ratio, and the additional paid-in capital account will
be increased by the amount by which the stated capital is reduced. Our stockholders’ equity, in the aggregate, will remain unchanged.
Per share net income or loss will be increased because there will be fewer shares of Common Stock outstanding. The Common Stock held
in treasury will be reduced in proportion to the Reverse Stock Split ratio. The Company does not anticipate that any other accounting
consequences, including changes to the amount of stock-based compensation expense to be recognized in any period, will arise as a result
of the Reverse Stock Split.
Certain
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reverse Stock Split
The
following is a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split. This discussion is included
for general information purposes only and does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income tax law that may be relevant
to stockholders in light of their particular circumstances. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the “Code”) and current Treasury Regulations, administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change,
possibly on a retroactive basis, and any such change could affect the continuing validity of this discussion.
All
stockholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split. This discussion
does not address the tax consequences to stockholders that are subject to special tax rules, such as banks, insurance companies, regulated
investment companies, personal holding companies, foreign entities, partnerships, nonresident alien individuals, broker-dealers and tax-exempt
entities, persons holding shares as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated investment, U.S. holders (as
defined below) subject to the alternative minimum tax or the unearned income Medicare tax and U.S. holders whose functional currency
is not the U.S. dollar. This summary also assumes that the pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock were, and the post-Reverse
Stock Split shares of Common Stock will be, held as a “capital asset,” as defined in Section 1221 of the Code.
As
used herein, the term “U.S. holder” means a holder that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
● |
a
citizen or resident of the United States; |
|
|
● |
a
corporation or other entity taxed as a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof
or the District of Columbia; |
|
|
● |
an
estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
|
|
● |
a
trust (A) if a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “U.S.
persons” (as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has a valid
election in effect to be treated as a U.S. person. |
In
general, no gain or loss should be recognized by a stockholder upon the exchange of pre-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock for post-Reverse
Stock Split Common Stock. The aggregate tax basis of the post-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock should be the same as the aggregate tax
basis of the pre-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock exchanged in the Reverse Stock Split. A stockholder’s holding period in the post-Reverse
Stock Split Common Stock should include the period during which the stockholder held the pre-Reverse Stock Split Common Stock exchanged
in the Reverse Stock Split.
As
noted above, we will not issue fractional shares of Common Stock in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. In certain circumstances,
stockholders who would be entitled to receive fractional shares of Common Stock because they hold a number of shares not evenly divisible
by the Reverse Stock Split ratio will automatically be entitled to receive an additional fraction of a share of Common Stock to round
up to the next whole post-Reverse Stock Split share of Common Stock. The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the receipt of such
an additional fraction of a share of Common Stock is not clear.
The
tax treatment of a stockholder may vary depending upon the particular facts and circumstances of such stockholder. Each stockholder is
urged to consult with such stockholder’s own tax advisor with respect to the tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split.
Vote
Required and Board’s Recommendation
The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal
is required to approve the Reverse Stock Split Proposal. “ABSTAIN” votes will have no effect on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.
Because the Reverse Stock Split Proposal is considered a routine matter, your bank, broker, trustee or other nominee, as the case may
be, may vote your shares without your instruction with respect to the Reverse Stock Split Proposal unless you instruct them otherwise.
If a bank, broker, trustee or other nominee does not exercise this authority, such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results
for the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.
THE
BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT PROPOSAL, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN
FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.
THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL
Background
of and Rationale for the Adjournment Proposal
The
Board believes that if the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
and voting in favor of any one or more of the proposals presented at the Annual Meeting is insufficient to approve such proposals, it
is in the best interests of the stockholders to enable the Board to continue to seek to obtain a sufficient number of additional votes
to approve such proposals.
In
the Adjournment Proposal, we are asking stockholders to authorize the holder of any proxy solicited by the Board to vote in favor of
adjourning or postponing the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. If our stockholders approve this proposal, we
could adjourn or postpone the Annual Meeting, and any adjourned session of the Annual Meeting, to use the additional time to solicit
additional proxies in favor of any one or more of the proposals presented at the Annual Meeting.
Additionally,
approval of the Adjournment Proposal could mean that, in the event we receive proxies indicating that we will not obtain approval for
one or more of the proposals presented at the Annual Meeting, we could adjourn or postpone the Annual Meeting without a vote on such
proposals and use the additional time to solicit the holders of those shares to change their vote in favor of the such proposals.
Required
Vote
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting
and entitled to vote, voting affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) is required to approve the Adjournment
Proposal. “ABSTAIN” votes will have no effect on the outcome of the Adjournment Proposal. Because the Adjournment Proposal
is considered a routine matter, your bank, broker, trustee or other nominee, as the case may be, may vote your shares without your instruction
with respect to the Adjournment Proposal unless you instruct your them otherwise. If a bank, broker, trustee or other nominee does not
exercise this authority, such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results for the Adjournment Proposal.
THE
BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR
THEREOF UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.
OTHER
BUSINESS
The
Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Annual Meeting. If, however, any other business should properly come before
the Annual Meeting, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote the proxy in accordance with applicable law and as they may
deem appropriate in their discretion, unless directed by the proxy to do otherwise.
SUBMISSION
OF FUTURE STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 14a-8”), a stockholder who intends to present a proposal at our 2025 annual meeting
of stockholders and who wishes the proposal to be included in the proxy statement for the 2025 annual meeting must submit the proposal
to us in writing to the attention of the Secretary at AYRO, Inc., 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard, Suite 100, Round Rock, Texas 78664.
The proposal must be received not less than 120 calendar days before the date this proxy statement is released to stockholders in connection
with the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, or August 7, 2025. However, pursuant to Rule 14a-8, if the date of the 2025 annual
meeting has been changed by more than 30 days from the date of the 2024 annual meeting, or is held on a date that is before November
30, 2025 or after January 29, 2026, then a stockholder proposal submitted for inclusion in our proxy statement for the 2025 annual meeting
must be received by us a reasonable time before we begin to print and mail our proxy statement for the 2025 annual meeting.
To
be considered for presentation at the 2025 annual meeting, outside of the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, although not
included in the proxy statement, stockholders must follow the submission criteria set forth in our Bylaws and applicable law concerning
stockholder proposals. To be timely in connection with the 2025 annual meeting, a stockholder proposal concerning director nominations
or other business must be received by our Secretary at our principal executive offices not later than the 45th day nor earlier than the
75th day before the one-year anniversary of the date on which the Company first mailed its proxy materials or a notice of availability
of proxy materials (whichever is earlier) for the 2024 annual meeting (i.e., the date that is between September 21, 2025 and October 21,
2025); provided, however, that in the event that the 2025 annual meeting is called for a date that is 30 days prior to the date that
is one year from the date of the 2024 annual meeting date or a date which is 60 days after the date of the 2024 annual meeting date (i.e.,
the date that is between November 30, 2025 and February 28, 2026), notice must be received by our Secretary at our principal executive
offices not earlier than 120 days prior to the date of the 2025 annual meeting and not later than the later of (A) the tenth day following
the date of the public announcement of the date of the 2025 annual meeting or (B) the date which is 90 days prior to the date of the
2025 annual meeting.
In
addition to satisfying the requirements under our Bylaws, to comply with the universal proxy rules, stockholders who intend to solicit
proxies in support of director nominees other than director nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by
Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than October 31, 2025 (i.e., the date that is 60 days prior to the anniversary date of this
Annual Meeting of stockholders).
A
copy of AYRO, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as amended, is available without charge
(except for exhibits, which are available upon payment of a reasonable fee) upon written request to AYRO, Inc., 900 E. Old Settlers Boulevard,
Suite 100, Round Rock, Texas 78664.
ANNEX
A
THIRD
AMENDMENT TO
AYRO,
INC. LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
This
THIRD AMENDMENT TO AYRO, INC. LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN (this “Amendment”),
effective as of _________, 2024, is made and entered into by AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
Terms used in this Amendment with initial capital letters that are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such
terms in the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended by the First Amendment effective December 17, 2020, and by the Second Amendment
effective September 14, 2023 (collectively, the “Plan”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Article 9 of the Plan provides that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”)
may amend the Plan at any time and from time to time;
WHEREAS,
the Board desires to amend the Plan to increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan, as
set forth in Article 5 of the Plan, by an additional 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock; and
WHEREAS,
the Board intends to submit this Amendment to the Company’s stockholders for their approval.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 9 of the Plan, the Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:
1. |
Section
5.1 of the Plan is hereby amended by deleting said section in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following new Section
5.1: |
5.1
Number Available for Awards.
Subject to adjustment as provided in Articles 11 and 12, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be delivered pursuant
to Awards granted under the Plan is four million two hundred twenty-nine thousand nine hundred fifty-six (4,229,956) shares, of which
one hundred percent (100%) may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options. Shares to be issued may be made available from authorized
but unissued Common Stock, Common Stock held by the Company in its treasury, or Common Stock purchased by the Company on the open market
or otherwise. During the term of the Plan, the Company will at all times reserve and keep available the number of shares of Common Stock
that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
2. |
Except
as expressly amended by this Amendment, the Plan shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof. |
[Signature
page follows.]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date first written
above.
|
AYRO,
INC. |
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|
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By:
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|
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Name:
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Joshua
Silverman |
|
Title:
|
Executive
Chairman |
ANNEX
B
First
AMENDMENT TO
AYRO,
INC. 2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
This
FIRST AMENDMENT TO AYRO, INC. 2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN (this “Amendment”), effective as of December
17, 2020, is made and entered into by AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Terms used
in this Amendment with initial capital letters that are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such
terms in the AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Article 9 of the Plan provides that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) may amend the
Plan at any time and from time to time;
WHEREAS,
the Board desires to amend the Plan to increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan,
as set forth in Article 5 of the Plan, by an additional 1,800,000 shares of Common Stock; and
WHEREAS,
the Board intends to submit this Amendment to the Company’s stockholders for their approval.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 9 of the Plan, the Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:
1.
Section 5.1 of the Plan is hereby amended by deleting said section in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following
new Section 5.1:
5.1
Number Available for Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Articles 11 and 12, the maximum number of shares of Common
Stock that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan is four million eighty-nine thousand six hundred fifty (4,089,650)
shares, of which one hundred percent (100%) may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options. Shares to be issued may be made
available from authorized but unissued Common Stock, Common Stock held by the Company in its treasury, or Common Stock purchased
by the Company on the open market or otherwise. During the term of the Plan, the Company will at all times reserve and keep available
the number of shares of Common Stock that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
2.
Except as expressly amended by this Amendment, the Plan shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions
thereof.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
|
AYRO, INC. |
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/
Rodney C. Keller, Jr. |
|
Name: |
Rodney
C. Keller, Jr. |
|
Title: |
December
17, 2020 |
Signature Page
to
First Amendment to
AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan
ANNEX
C
SECOND
AMENDMENT TO
AYRO,
INC. 2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
This
SECOND AMENDMENT TO AYRO, INC. 2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN (this “Amendment”), effective as of September
14, 2023, is made and entered into by AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Terms used in this
Amendment with initial capital letters that are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the AYRO,
Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended by the First Amendment effective December 17, 2020 (collectively, the “Plan”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Article 9 of the Plan provides that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) may amend the Plan
at any time and from time to time;
WHEREAS,
the Board desires to amend the Plan to increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan, as
set forth in Article 5 of the Plan, by an additional 5,750,000 shares of Common Stock; and
WHEREAS,
the Board intends to submit this Amendment to the Company’s stockholders for their approval.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 9 of the Plan, the Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:
1.
Section 5.1 of the Plan is hereby amended by deleting said section in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following new
Section 5.1:
5.1
Number Available for Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Articles 11 and 12, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock
that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan is Nine Million Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine Thousand Six Hundred Fifty
(9,839,650) shares, of which one hundred percent (100%) may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options. Shares to be issued may
be made available from authorized but unissued Common Stock, Common Stock held by the Company in its treasury, or Common Stock purchased
by the Company on the open market or otherwise. During the term of the Plan, the Company will at all times reserve and keep available
the number of shares of Common Stock that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
2.
Except as expressly amended by this Amendment, the Plan shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
|
AYRO,
INC. |
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|
|
|
By: |
/s/
Thomas M. Wittenschlaeger |
|
Name: |
Thomas
M. Wittenschlaeger |
|
Title: |
Chief
Executive Officer |
Signature Page to
Second Amendment to
AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan
ANNEX
D
AYRO
INC.
LONG-TERM
INCENTIVE PLAN
The
AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) was adopted by the Board of Directors of AYRO, Inc.
a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), effective as of April 21, 2020 (the “Effective Date”),
subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders.
Article
1.
PURPOSE
The
purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain the services of key Employees, key Contractors, and Outside Directors of the Company
and its Subsidiaries and to provide such persons with a proprietary interest in the Company through the granting of Incentive
Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Awards,
Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Awards, whether granted singly, or in combination, or in tandem, that will:
(a)
increase the interest of such persons in the Company’s welfare;
(b)
furnish an incentive to such persons to continue their services for the Company or its Subsidiaries; and
(c)
provide a means through which the Company may attract able persons as Employees, Contractors, and Outside Directors.
With
respect to Reporting Participants, the Plan and all transactions under the Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions
of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to
so comply, such provision or action shall be deemed null and void ab initio, to the extent permitted by law and deemed
advisable by the Committee.
Article
2.
DEFINITIONS
For
the purpose of the Plan, unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
2.1
“Applicable Law” means all legal requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans
and the issuance and distribution of shares of Common Stock, if any, under applicable corporate laws, applicable securities laws,
the rules of any exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which the Company’s securities are listed or quoted, the
rules of any foreign jurisdiction applicable to Incentives granted to residents therein, and any other applicable law, rule or
restriction.
2.2
“Authorized Officer” is defined in Section 3.2(b) hereof.
2.3
“Award” means the grant of any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Restricted Stock,
SAR, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Award, Dividend Equivalent Right or Other Award, whether granted singly or in combination
or in tandem (each individually referred to herein as an “Incentive”).
2.4
“Award Agreement” means a written agreement between a Participant and the Company which sets out the
terms of the grant of an Award.
2.5
“Award Period” means the period set forth in the Award Agreement during which one or more Incentives
granted under an Award may be exercised.
2.6
“Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
2.7
“Change in Control”
(a)
any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities
beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates) representing fifty percent
(50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities, excluding any Person who becomes
such a Beneficial Owner in connection with a transaction described in clause (a) of paragraph (c) below;
(b)
the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who,
on the effective date of this Plan, constitute the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption
of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation,
relating to the election of directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by
the Company’s stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3rds) of the directors
then still in office who either were directors on the effective date of this Plan or whose appointment, election or nomination
for election was previously so approved or recommended;
(c)
there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company with any other
corporation, other than (i) a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately
prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting
securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the securities
of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (ii)
a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person
is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including the securities Beneficially
Owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates other than in connection with the acquisition
by the Company or its Affiliates of a business) representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities; or
(d)
the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or there is consummated an
agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale
or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least fifty percent (50%)
of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same
proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale.
For
purposes hereof:
“Affiliate”
shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
“Beneficial
Owner” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.
“Person”
shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof,
except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities
pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company
in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.7, if an Award issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code,
then an event shall not constitute a Change in Control for purposes of such Award under the Plan unless such event also constitutes
a change in the Company’s ownership, its effective control or the ownership of a substantial portion of its assets within
the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
2.8
“Claim” means any claim, liability or obligation of any nature, arising out of or relating to this Plan
or an alleged breach of this Plan or an Award Agreement.
2.9
“Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.10
“Committee” means the committee appointed or designated by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance
with Article 3 of the Plan.
2.11
“Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, which the Company is currently authorized
to issue or may in the future be authorized to issue, or any securities into which or for which the common stock of the Company
may be converted or exchanged, as the case may be, pursuant to the terms of this Plan.
2.12
“Company” means AYRO, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor entity.
2.13
“Contractor” means any natural person, who is not an Employee, rendering bona fide services to
the Company or a Subsidiary, with compensation, pursuant to a written independent contractor agreement between such person and
the Company or a Subsidiary, provided that such services are not rendered in connection with the offer or sale of securities in
a capital raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.
2.14
“Corporation” means any entity that (a) is defined as a corporation under Section 7701 of the Code and
(b) is the Company or is in an unbroken chain of corporations (other than the Company) beginning with the Company, if each of
the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing a majority of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain. For purposes of clause (b) hereof, an entity
shall be treated as a “corporation” if it satisfies the definition of a corporation under Section 7701 of the Code.
2.15
“Date of Grant” means the effective date on which an Award is made to a Participant as set forth in
the applicable Award Agreement; provided, however, that solely for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, the Date of Grant of an Award shall be the date of stockholder approval of the Plan if such
date is later than the effective date of such Award as set forth in the Award Agreement.
2.16
“Dividend Equivalent Right” means the right of the holder thereof to receive credits based on the cash
dividends that would have been paid on the shares of Common Stock specified in the Award if such shares were held by the Participant
to whom the Award is made.
2.17
“Employee” means a common law employee (as defined in accordance with the Regulations and Revenue Rulings
then applicable under Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company; provided, however,
in the case of individuals whose employment status, by virtue of their employer or residence, is not determined under Section
3401(c) of the Code, “Employee” shall mean an individual treated as an employee for local payroll tax or employment
purposes by the applicable employer under Applicable Law for the relevant period.
2.18
“Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.19
“Exercise Date” is defined in Section 8.3(b) hereof.
2.20
“Exercise Notice” is defined in Section 8.3(b) hereof.
2.21
“Fair Market Value” means, as of a particular date, (a) if the shares of Common Stock are listed on
any established national securities exchange, the closing sales price per share of Common Stock on the consolidated transaction
reporting system for the principal securities exchange for the Common Stock on that date, or, if there shall have been no such
sale so reported on that date, on the last preceding date on which such a sale was so reported; (b) if the shares of Common Stock
are not so listed, but are quoted on an automated quotation system, the closing sales price per share of Common Stock reported
on the automated quotation system on that date, or, if there shall have been no such sale so reported on that date, on the last
preceding date on which such a sale was so reported; (c) if the Common Stock is not so listed or quoted, the mean between the
closing bid and asked price on that date, or, if there are no quotations available for such date, on the last preceding date on
which such quotations shall be available, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealer, Inc.’s OTC Bulletin
Board or the Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (previously known as the National Quotation Bureau, Inc.); or (d) if none of the above is
applicable, such amount as may be determined by the Committee (acting on the advice of an Independent Third Party, should the
Committee elect in its sole discretion to utilize an Independent Third Party for this purpose), in good faith, to be the fair
market value per share of Common Stock. The determination of Fair Market Value shall, where applicable, be in compliance with
Section 409A of the Code.
2.22
“Immediate Family Members” is defined in Section 15.7 hereof.
2.23
“Incentive” is defined in Section 2.3 hereof.
2.24
“Incentive Stock Option” means an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code,
granted pursuant to this Plan.
2.25
“Independent Third Party” means an individual or entity independent of the Company having experience
in providing investment banking or similar appraisal or valuation services and with expertise generally in the valuation of securities
or other property for purposes of this Plan. The Committee may utilize one or more Independent Third Parties.
2.26
“Nonqualified Stock Option” means a nonqualified stock option, granted pursuant to this Plan, which
is not an Incentive Stock Option.
2.27
“Option Price” means the price which must be paid by a Participant upon exercise of a Stock Option to
purchase a share of Common Stock.
2.28
“Other Award” means an Award issued pursuant to Section 6.9 hereof.
2.29
“Outside Director” means a director of the Company who is not an Employee or a Contractor.
2.30
“Participant” means an Employee, Contractor or an Outside Director to whom an Award is granted under
this Plan.
2.31
“Performance Award” means an Award hereunder of cash, shares of Common Stock, units or rights based
upon, payable in, or otherwise related to, Common Stock pursuant to Section 6.7 hereof.
2.32
“Performance Goal” means any of the Performance Criteria set forth in Section 6.10 hereof.
2.33
“Plan” means this AYRO, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.
2.34
“Reporting Participant” means a Participant who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section
16 of the Exchange Act.
2.35
“Restricted Stock” means shares of Common Stock issued or transferred to a Participant pursuant to Section
6.4 of this Plan which are subject to restrictions or limitations set forth in this Plan and in the related Award Agreement.
2.36
“Restricted Stock Units” means units awarded to Participants pursuant to Section 6.6 hereof,
which are convertible into Common Stock at such time as such units are no longer subject to restrictions as established by the
Committee.
2.37
“Restriction Period” is defined in Section 6.4(b)(i) hereof.
2.38
“SAR” or “Stock Appreciation Right” means the right to receive an amount,
in cash and/or Common Stock, equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock as of
the date the SAR is exercised (or, as provided in the Award Agreement, converted) over the SAR Price for such shares.
2.39
“SAR Price” means the exercise price or conversion price of each share of Common Stock covered by a
SAR, determined on the Date of Grant of the SAR.
2.40
“Spread” is defined in Section 12.4(b) hereof.
2.41
“Stock Option” means a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.
2.42
“Subsidiary” means (a) any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company,
if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing a majority of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain, (b) any limited partnership, if the
Company or any corporation described in item (a) above owns a majority of the general partnership interest and a majority of the
limited partnership interests entitled to vote on the removal and replacement of the general partner, and (c) any partnership
or limited liability company, if the partners or members thereof are composed only of the Company, any corporation listed in item
(a) above or any limited partnership listed in item (b) above. “Subsidiaries” means more than one of
any such corporations, limited partnerships, partnerships or limited liability companies.
2.43
“Termination of Service” occurs when a Participant who is (a) an Employee of the Company or any Subsidiary
ceases to serve as an Employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for any reason; (b) an Outside Director of the Company or
a Subsidiary ceases to serve as a director of the Company and its Subsidiaries for any reason; or (c) a Contractor of the Company
or a Subsidiary ceases to serve as a Contractor of the Company and its Subsidiaries for any reason. Except as may be necessary
or desirable to comply with applicable federal or state law, a “Termination of Service” shall not be deemed to have
occurred when a Participant who is an Employee becomes an Outside Director or Contractor or vice versa. If, however, a Participant
who is an Employee and who has an Incentive Stock Option ceases to be an Employee but does not suffer a Termination of Service,
and if that Participant does not exercise the Incentive Stock Option within the time required under Section 422 of the Code upon
ceasing to be an Employee, the Incentive Stock Option shall thereafter become a Nonqualified Stock Option. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this Section 2.43, in the event an Award issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the
Code, then, in lieu of the foregoing definition and to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of
the Code, the definition of “Termination of Service” for purposes of such Award shall be the definition of “separation
from service” provided for under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder.
2.44
“Total and Permanent Disability” means a Participant is qualified for long-term disability benefits
under the Company’s or Subsidiary’s disability plan or insurance policy; or, if no such plan or policy is then in
existence or if the Participant is not eligible to participate in such plan or policy, that the Participant, because of a physical
or mental condition resulting from bodily injury, disease, or mental disorder, is unable to perform his or her duties of employment
for a period of six (6) continuous months, as determined in good faith by the Committee, based upon medical reports or other evidence
satisfactory to the Committee; provided that, with respect to any Incentive Stock Option, Total and Permanent Disability
shall have the meaning given it under the rules governing Incentive Stock Options under the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this Section 2.44, in the event an Award issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, then,
in lieu of the foregoing definition and to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the
definition of “Total and Permanent Disability” for purposes of such Award shall be the definition of “disability”
provided for under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder.
Article
3.
ADMINISTRATION
3.1
General Administration; Establishment of Committee. Subject to the terms of this Article 3, the Plan shall be administered
by the Board or such committee of the Board as is designated by the Board to administer the Plan (the “Committee”).
The Committee shall consist of not fewer than two persons. Any member of the Committee may be removed at any time, with or without
cause, by resolution of the Board. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Committee may be filled by appointment by the
Board. At any time there is no Committee to administer the Plan, any references in this Plan to the Committee shall be deemed
to refer to the Board.
Membership
on the Committee shall be limited to those members of the Board who are “non-employee directors” as defined in Rule
16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Committee shall select one of its members to act as its Chairman. A majority of
the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the act of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which
a quorum is present shall be the act of the Committee.
3.2
Designation of Participants and Awards.
(a)
The Committee or the Board shall determine and designate from time to time the eligible persons to whom Awards will be granted
and shall set forth in each related Award Agreement, where applicable, the Award Period, the Date of Grant, and such other terms,
provisions, limitations, and performance requirements, as are approved by the Committee, but not inconsistent with the Plan. The
Committee shall determine whether an Award shall include one type of Incentive or two or more Incentives granted in combination
or two or more Incentives granted in tandem (that is, a joint grant where exercise of one Incentive results in cancellation of
all or a portion of the other Incentive). Although the members of the Committee shall be eligible to receive Awards, all decisions
with respect to any Award, and the terms and conditions thereof, to be granted under the Plan to any member of the Committee shall
be made solely and exclusively by the other members of the Committee, or if such member is the only member of the Committee, by
the Board.
(b)
Notwithstanding Section 3.2(a), to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board may, in its discretion and by a resolution
adopted by the Board, authorize one or more officers of the Company (an “Authorized Officer”) to (i)
designate one or more Employees as eligible persons to whom Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options or SARs will be
granted under the Plan, and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock that will be subject to such Nonqualified Stock
Options, Incentive Stock Options or SARs; provided, however, that the resolution of the Board granting such authority
shall (x) specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be made subject to the Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive
Stock Options or SARs, (y) set forth the price or prices (or a formula by which such price or prices may be determined) to be
paid for the purchase of the Common Stock subject to such Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options or SARs, and (z)
not authorize an officer to designate himself as a recipient of any Award.
3.3
Authority of the Committee. The Committee, in its discretion, shall (a) interpret the Plan and Award Agreements, (b) prescribe,
amend, and rescind any rules and regulations, as necessary or appropriate for the administration of the Plan, (c) establish performance
goals for an Award and certify the extent of their achievement, and (d) make such other determinations or certifications and take
such other action as it deems necessary or advisable in the administration of the Plan. Any interpretation, determination, or
other action made or taken by the Committee shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all interested parties. The Committee’s
discretion set forth herein shall not be limited by any provision of the Plan, including any provision which by its terms is applicable
notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary.
The
Committee may delegate to officers of the Company, pursuant to a written delegation, the authority to perform specified functions
under the Plan. Any actions taken by any officers of the Company pursuant to such written delegation of authority shall be deemed
to have been taken by the Committee.
With
respect to restrictions in the Plan that are based on the requirements of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, Section
422 of the Code, the rules of any exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which the Company’s securities are listed
or quoted, or any other Applicable Law, to the extent that any such restrictions are no longer required by Applicable Law, the
Committee shall have the sole discretion and authority to grant Awards that are not subject to such mandated restrictions and/or
to waive any such mandated restrictions with respect to outstanding Awards.
Article
4.
ELIGIBILITY
Any
Employee (including an Employee who is also a director or an officer), Contractor or Outside Director of the Company whose judgment,
initiative, and efforts contributed or may be expected to contribute to the successful performance of the Company is eligible
to participate in the Plan; provided that only Employees of a Corporation shall be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options.
The Committee, upon its own action, may grant, but shall not be required to grant, an Award to any Employee, Contractor or Outside
Director. Awards may be granted by the Committee at any time and from time to time to new Participants, or to then Participants,
or to a greater or lesser number of Participants, and may include or exclude previous Participants, as the Committee shall determine.
Except as required by this Plan, Awards need not contain similar provisions. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan
(including without limitation determinations of which Employees, Contractors or Outside Directors, if any, are to receive Awards,
the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the agreements evidencing same) need not
be uniform and may be made by it selectively among Participants who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan.
Article
5.
SHARES
SUBJECT TO PLAN
5.1
Number Available for Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Articles 11 and 12, the maximum number of shares
of Common Stock that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan is 11,448,253 shares, of which one hundred percent
(100%) may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options. Shares to be issued may be made available from authorized but unissued
Common Stock, Common Stock held by the Company in its treasury, or Common Stock purchased by the Company on the open market or
otherwise. During the term of this Plan, the Company will at all times reserve and keep available the number of shares of Common
Stock that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Plan.
5.2
Reuse of Shares. To the extent that any Award under this Plan shall be forfeited, shall expire or be canceled, in whole
or in part, then the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Award or stock option so forfeited, expired or canceled may
again be awarded pursuant to the provisions of this Plan. In the event that previously acquired shares of Common Stock are delivered
to the Company in full or partial payment of the exercise price for the exercise of a Stock Option granted under this Plan, the
number of shares of Common Stock available for future Awards under this Plan shall be reduced only by the net number of shares
of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of the Stock Option. Awards that may be satisfied either by the issuance of shares of
Common Stock or by cash or other consideration shall be counted against the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may
be issued under this Plan only during the period that the Award is outstanding or to the extent the Award is ultimately satisfied
by the issuance of shares of Common Stock. Awards will not reduce the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant
to this Plan if the settlement of the Award will not require the issuance of shares of Common Stock, as, for example, a SAR that
can be satisfied only by the payment of cash. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, only shares forfeited
back to the Company, shares canceled on account of termination, expiration or lapse of an Award, shares surrendered in payment
of the exercise price of a Stock Option or shares withheld for payment of applicable employment taxes and/or withholding obligations
resulting from the exercise of an option shall again be available for grant of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan, but shall
not increase the maximum number of shares described in Section 5.1 above as the maximum number of shares of Common Stock
that may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options.
Article
6.
GRANT
OF AWARDS
6.1
In General.
(a)
The grant of an Award shall be authorized by the Committee and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement setting forth the Incentive
or Incentives being granted, the total number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Incentive(s), the Option Price (if applicable),
the Award Period, the Date of Grant, and such other terms, provisions, limitations, and performance objectives, as are approved
by the Committee, but (i) not inconsistent with the Plan, and (ii) to the extent an Award issued under the Plan is subject to
Section 409A of the Code, in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other
guidance issued thereunder. The Company shall execute an Award Agreement with a Participant after the Committee approves the issuance
of an Award. Any Award granted pursuant to this Plan must be granted within ten (10) years of the date of adoption of this Plan
by the Board. The Plan shall be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for approval; however, the Committee may grant Awards
under the Plan prior to the time of stockholder approval. Any such Award granted prior to such stockholder approval shall be made
subject to such stockholder approval. The grant of an Award to a Participant shall not be deemed either to entitle the Participant
to, or to disqualify the Participant from, receipt of any other Award under the Plan.
(b)
If the Committee establishes a purchase price for an Award, the Participant must accept such Award within a period of thirty (30)
days (or such shorter period as the Committee may specify) after the Date of Grant by executing the applicable Award Agreement
and paying such purchase price.
(c)
Any Award under this Plan that is settled in whole or in part in cash on a deferred basis may provide for interest equivalents
to be credited with respect to such cash payment. Interest equivalents may be compounded and shall be paid upon such terms and
conditions as may be specified by the grant.
6.2
Option Price. The Option Price for any share of Common Stock which may be purchased under a Nonqualified Stock Option for
any share of Common Stock must be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the share on the Date of Grant. The Option
Price for any share of Common Stock which may be purchased under an Incentive Stock Option must be at least equal to the Fair
Market Value of the share on the Date of Grant; if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to an Employee who owns or is deemed to
own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power
of all classes of stock of the Company (or any parent or Subsidiary), the Option Price shall be at least one hundred ten percent
(110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant.
6.3
Maximum ISO Grants. The Committee may not grant Incentive Stock Options under the Plan to any Employee which would permit
the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined on the Date of Grant) of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options
(under this and any other plan of the Company and its Subsidiaries) are exercisable for the first time by such Employee during
any calendar year to exceed $100,000. To the extent any Stock Option granted under this Plan which is designated as an Incentive
Stock Option exceeds this limit or otherwise fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, such Stock Option (or any such portion
thereof) shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option. In such case, the Committee shall designate which stock will be treated as Incentive
Stock Option stock by causing the issuance of a separate stock certificate and identifying such stock as Incentive Stock Option
stock on the Company’s stock transfer records.
6.4
Restricted Stock. If Restricted Stock is granted to or received by a Participant under an Award (including a Stock Option),
the Committee shall set forth in the related Award Agreement: (a) the number of shares of Common Stock awarded, (b) the price,
if any, to be paid by the Participant for such Restricted Stock and the method of payment of the price, (c) the time or times
within which such Award may be subject to forfeiture, (d) specified Performance Goals of the Company, a Subsidiary, any division
thereof or any group of Employees of the Company, or other criteria, which the Committee determines must be met in order to remove
any restrictions (including vesting) on such Award, and (e) all other terms, limitations, restrictions, and conditions of the
Restricted Stock, which shall be consistent with this Plan, to the extent applicable and, to the extent Restricted Stock granted
under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code
and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder. The provisions of Restricted Stock need not be the same with respect
to each Participant.
(a)
Legend on Shares. The Company shall electronically register the Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant in the name of
such Participant, which shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such
Restricted Stock, substantially as provided in Section 15.9 of the Plan. No stock certificate or certificates shall be
issued with respect to such shares of Common Stock, unless, following the expiration of the Restriction Period (as defined in
Section 6.4(b)(i)) without forfeiture in respect of such shares of Common Stock, the Participant requests delivery of the
certificate or certificates by submitting a written request to the Committee (or such party designated by the Company) requesting
delivery of the certificates. The Company shall deliver the certificates requested by the Participant to the Participant as soon
as administratively practicable following the Company’s receipt of such request.
(b)
Restrictions and Conditions. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be subject to the following restrictions and conditions:
(i)
Subject to the other provisions of this Plan and the terms of the particular Award Agreements, during such period as may be determined
by the Committee commencing on the Date of Grant or the date of exercise of an Award (the “Restriction Period”),
the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge or assign shares of Restricted Stock. Except for these limitations,
the Committee may in its sole discretion, remove any or all of the restrictions on such Restricted Stock whenever it may determine
that, by reason of changes in Applicable Laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date of the Award, such action
is appropriate.
(ii)
Except as provided in sub-paragraph (a) above or in the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant shall have, with respect to
his or her Restricted Stock, all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote the shares, and the
right to receive any dividends thereon. Certificates for shares of Common Stock free of restriction under this Plan shall be delivered
to the Participant promptly after, and only after, the Restriction Period shall expire without forfeiture in respect of such shares
of Common Stock or after any other restrictions imposed on such shares of Common Stock by the applicable Award Agreement or other
agreement have expired. Certificates for the shares of Common Stock forfeited under the provisions of the Plan and the applicable
Award Agreement shall be promptly returned to the Company by the forfeiting Participant. Each Award Agreement shall require that
each Participant, in connection with the issuance of a certificate for Restricted Stock, shall endorse such certificate in blank
or execute a stock power in form satisfactory to the Company in blank and deliver such certificate and executed stock power to
the Company.
(iii)
The Restriction Period of Restricted Stock shall commence on the Date of Grant or the date of exercise of an Award, as specified
in the Award Agreement, and, subject to Article 12 of the Plan, unless otherwise established by the Committee in the Award
Agreement setting forth the terms of the Restricted Stock, shall expire upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Award
Agreement; such conditions may provide for vesting based on length of continuous service or such Performance Goals, as may be
determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(iv)
Except as otherwise provided in the particular Award Agreement, upon Termination of Service for any reason during the Restriction
Period, the nonvested shares of Restricted Stock shall be forfeited by the Participant. In the event a Participant has paid any
consideration to the Company for such forfeited Restricted Stock, the Committee shall specify in the Award Agreement that either
(1) the Company shall be obligated to, or (2) the Company may, in its sole discretion, elect to, pay to the Participant, as soon
as practicable after the event causing forfeiture, in cash, an amount equal to the lesser of the total consideration paid by the
Participant for such forfeited shares or the Fair Market Value of such forfeited shares as of the date of Termination of Service,
as the Committee, in its sole discretion shall select. Upon any forfeiture, all rights of a Participant with respect to the forfeited
shares of the Restricted Stock shall cease and terminate, without any further obligation on the part of the Company.
6.5
SARs. The Committee may grant SARs to any Participant, either as a separate Award or in connection with a Stock Option.
SARs shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall impose, provided that such terms and conditions are
(a) not inconsistent with the Plan, and (b) to the extent a SAR issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code,
in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder.
The grant of the SAR may provide that the holder may be paid for the value of the SAR either in cash or in shares of Common Stock,
or a combination thereof. In the event of the exercise of a SAR payable in shares of Common Stock, the holder of the SAR shall
receive that number of whole shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the
value obtained by multiplying (a) the difference between the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise
over the SAR Price as set forth in such SAR (or other value specified in the agreement granting the SAR), by (b) the number of
shares of Common Stock as to which the SAR is exercised, with a cash settlement to be made for any fractional shares of Common
Stock. The SAR Price for any share of Common Stock subject to a SAR may be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the
share on the Date of Grant. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may place a ceiling on the amount payable upon exercise of
a SAR, but any such limitation shall be specified at the time that the SAR is granted.
6.6
Restricted Stock Units. Restricted Stock Units may be awarded or sold to any Participant under such terms and conditions
as shall be established by the Committee, provided, however, that such terms and conditions are (a) not inconsistent with the
Plan, and (b) to the extent a Restricted Stock Unit issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, in compliance
with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder. Restricted
Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee determines, including, without limitation, (a) a prohibition
against sale, assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation or other encumbrance for a specified period; or (b) a requirement that
the holder forfeit (or in the case of shares of Common Stock or units sold to the Participant, resell to the Company at cost)
such shares or units in the event of Termination of Service during the period of restriction.
6.7
Performance Awards.
(a)
The Committee may grant Performance Awards to one or more Participants. The terms and conditions of Performance Awards shall be
specified at the time of the grant and may include provisions establishing the performance period, the Performance Goals to be
achieved during a performance period, and the maximum or minimum settlement values, provided that such terms and conditions are
(i) not inconsistent with the Plan and (ii) to the extent a Performance Award issued under the Plan is subject to Section 409A
of the Code, in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance
issued thereunder. If the Performance Award is to be in shares of Common Stock, the Performance Awards may provide for the issuance
of the shares of Common Stock at the time of the grant of the Performance Award or at the time of the certification by the Committee
that the Performance Goals for the performance period have been met; provided, however, if shares of Common Stock
are issued at the time of the grant of the Performance Award and if, at the end of the performance period, the Performance Goals
are not certified by the Committee to have been fully satisfied, then, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan to the
contrary, the Common Stock shall be forfeited in accordance with the terms of the grant to the extent the Committee determines
that the Performance Goals were not met. The forfeiture of shares of Common Stock issued at the time of the grant of the Performance
Award due to failure to achieve the established Performance Goals shall be separate from and in addition to any other restrictions
provided for in this Plan that may be applicable to such shares of Common Stock. Each Performance Award granted to one or more
Participants shall have its own terms and conditions.
If
the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that the established performance measures or objectives are no longer suitable
because of a change in the Company’s business, operations, corporate structure, or for other reasons that the Committee
deemed satisfactory, the Committee may modify the performance measures or objectives and/or the performance period.
(b)
Performance Awards may be valued by reference to the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock or according to any formula
or method deemed appropriate by the Committee, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, achievement of Performance
Goals or other specific financial, production, sales or cost performance objectives that the Committee believes to be relevant
to the Company’s business and/or remaining in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary for a specified period of time.
Performance Awards may be paid in cash, shares of Common Stock, or other consideration, or any combination thereof. If payable
in shares of Common Stock, the consideration for the issuance of such shares may be the achievement of the performance objective
established at the time of the grant of the Performance Award. Performance Awards may be payable in a single payment or in installments
and may be payable at a specified date or dates or upon attaining the performance objective. The extent to which any applicable
performance objective has been achieved shall be conclusively determined by the Committee.
6.8
Dividend Equivalent Rights. The Committee may grant a Dividend Equivalent Right to any Participant, either as a component
of another Award or as a separate Award. The terms and conditions of the Dividend Equivalent Right shall be specified by the grant.
Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a Dividend Equivalent Right may be paid currently or may be deemed to be reinvested
in additional shares of Common Stock (which may thereafter accrue additional dividend equivalents). Any such reinvestment shall
be at the Fair Market Value at the time thereof. Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash or shares of Common Stock,
or a combination thereof, in a single payment or in installments. A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another
Award may provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall be settled upon exercise, settlement, or payment of, or lapse of restrictions
on, such other Award, and that such Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award may also contain terms and
conditions different from such other Award.
6.9
Other Awards. The Committee may grant to any Participant other forms of Awards, based upon, payable in, or otherwise related
to, in whole or in part, shares of Common Stock, if the Committee determines that such other form of Award is consistent with
the purpose and restrictions of this Plan. The terms and conditions of such other form of Award shall be specified by the grant.
Such Other Awards may be granted for no cash consideration, for such minimum consideration as may be required by Applicable Law,
or for such other consideration as may be specified by the grant.
6.10
Performance Goals. Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Award and Other Awards (whether relating
to cash or shares of Common Stock) under the Plan may be made subject to the attainment of Performance Goals relating to one or
more business criteria which may consist of one or more or any combination of the following criteria: cash flow; cost; revenues;
sales; ratio of debt to debt plus equity; net borrowing, credit quality or debt ratings; profit before tax; economic profit; earnings
before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; gross margin; earnings per share (whether
on a pre-tax, after-tax, operational or other basis); operating earnings; capital expenditures; expenses or expense levels; economic
value added; ratio of operating earnings to capital spending or any other operating ratios; free cash flow; net profit; net sales;
net asset value per share; the accomplishment of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, public offerings or similar extraordinary
business transactions; sales growth; price of the Company’s Common Stock; return on assets, equity or stockholders’
equity; market share; inventory levels, inventory turn or shrinkage; or total return to stockholders (“Performance
Criteria”). Any Performance Criteria may be used to measure the performance of the Company as a whole or any business
unit of the Company and may be measured relative to a peer group or index. Any Performance Criteria may include or exclude (a)
events that are of an unusual nature or indicate infrequency of occurrence, (b) gains or losses on the disposition of a business,
(c) changes in tax or accounting regulations or laws, (d) the effect of a merger or acquisition, as identified in the Company’s
quarterly and annual earnings releases, or (e) other similar occurrences. In all other respects, Performance Criteria shall be
calculated in accordance with the Company’s financial statements, under generally accepted accounting principles, or under
a methodology established by the Committee prior to the issuance of an Award which is consistently applied and identified in the
audited financial statements, including footnotes, or the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of the Company’s
annual report.
6.11
Tandem Awards. The Committee may grant two or more Incentives in one Award in the form of a “tandem Award,”
so that the right of the Participant to exercise one Incentive shall be canceled if, and to the extent, the other Incentive is
exercised. For example, if a Stock Option and a SAR are issued in a tandem Award, and the Participant exercises the SAR with respect
to one hundred (100) shares of Common Stock, the right of the Participant to exercise the related Stock Option shall be canceled
to the extent of one hundred (100) shares of Common Stock.
6.12
Recoupment for Restatements. Notwithstanding any other language in this Plan to the contrary, the Company may recoup all
or any portion of any shares or cash paid to a Participant in connection with an Award, in the event of a restatement of the Company’s
financial statements as set forth in the Company’s clawback policy, if any, approved by the Company’s Board from time
to time.
Article
7.
AWARD
PERIOD; VESTING
7.1
Award Period. Subject to the other provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, in its discretion, provide that an Incentive
may not be exercised in whole or in part for any period or periods of time or beyond any date specified in the Award Agreement.
Except as provided in the Award Agreement, an Incentive may be exercised in whole or in part at any time during its term. The
Award Period for an Incentive shall be reduced or terminated upon Termination of Service. No Incentive granted under the Plan
may be exercised at any time after the end of its Award Period. No portion of any Incentive may be exercised after the expiration
of ten (10) years from its Date of Grant. However, if an Employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules
of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company
(or any parent or Subsidiary) and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Employee, the term of such Incentive Stock Option
(to the extent required by the Code at the time of grant) shall be no more than five (5) years from the Date of Grant.
7.2
Vesting. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that an Incentive will be immediately vested in whole or
in part, or that all or any portion may not be vested until a date, or dates, subsequent to its Date of Grant, or until the occurrence
of one or more specified events, subject in any case to the terms of the Plan. If the Committee imposes conditions upon vesting,
then, subsequent to the Date of Grant, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the date on which all or any portion
of the Incentive may be vested.
Article
8.
EXERCISE
OR CONVERSION OF INCENTIVE
8.1
In General. A vested Incentive may be exercised or converted, during its Award Period, subject to limitations and restrictions
set forth in the Award Agreement.
8.2
Securities Law and Exchange Restrictions. In no event may an Incentive be exercised or shares of Common Stock issued pursuant
to an Award if a necessary listing or quotation of the shares of Common Stock on a stock exchange or inter-dealer quotation system
or any registration under state or federal securities laws required under the circumstances has not been accomplished.
8.3
Exercise of Stock Option.
(a)
In General. If a Stock Option is exercisable prior to the time it is vested, the Common Stock obtained on the exercise
of the Stock Option shall be Restricted Stock which is subject to the applicable provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement.
If the Committee imposes conditions upon exercise, then subsequent to the Date of Grant, the Committee may, in its sole discretion,
accelerate the date on which all or any portion of the Stock Option may be exercised. No Stock Option may be exercised for a fractional
share of Common Stock. The granting of a Stock Option shall impose no obligation upon the Participant to exercise that Stock Option.
(b)
Notice and Payment. Subject to such administrative regulations as the Committee may from time to time adopt, a Stock Option
may be exercised by the delivery of written notice to the Committee setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock with respect
to which the Stock Option is to be exercised (the “Exercise Notice”) and the date of exercise thereof
(the “Exercise Date”) with respect to any Stock Option shall be the date that the Participant has delivered
both the Exercise Notice and consideration to the Company with a value equal to the total Option Price of the shares to be purchased
(plus any employment tax withholding or other tax payment due with respect to such Award), payable as provided in the Award Agreement,
which may provide for payment in any one or more of the following ways: (i) cash or check, bank draft, or money order payable
to the order of the Company, (ii) Common Stock (including Restricted Stock) owned by the Participant on the Exercise Date, valued
at its Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date, and which the Participant has not acquired from the Company within six (6) months
prior to the Exercise Date, (iii) by delivery (including by FAX or electronic transmission) to the Company or its designated agent
of an executed irrevocable option exercise form (or, to the extent permitted by the Company, exercise instructions, which may
be communicated in writing, telephonically, or electronically) together with irrevocable instructions from the Participant to
a broker or dealer, reasonably acceptable to the Company, to sell certain of the shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise
of the Stock Option or to pledge such shares as collateral for a loan and promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or
loan proceeds necessary to pay such purchase price, (iv) by requesting the Company to withhold the number of shares otherwise
deliverable upon exercise of the Stock Option by the number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal
to the aggregate Option Price at the time of exercise (i.e., a cashless net exercise), and/or (v) in any other form of
valid consideration that is acceptable to the Committee in its sole discretion. In the event that shares of Restricted Stock are
tendered as consideration for the exercise of a Stock Option, a number of shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of the
Stock Option equal to the number of shares of Restricted Stock used as consideration therefor shall be subject to the same restrictions
and provisions as the Restricted Stock so tendered. If the Participant fails to deliver the consideration described in this Section
8.3(b) within three (3) business days of the date of the Exercise Notice, then the Exercise Notice shall be null and void
and the Company will have no obligation to deliver any shares of Common Stock to the Participant in connection with such Exercise
Notice.
(c)
Issuance of Certificate. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.4 hereof (with respect to shares of Restricted
Stock) or in the applicable Award Agreement, upon payment of all amounts due from the Participant, the Company shall cause the
Common Stock then being purchased to be registered in the Participant’s name (or the person exercising the Participant’s
Stock Option in the event of his or her death), but shall not issue certificates for the Common Stock unless the Participant or
such other person requests delivery of the certificates for the Common Stock, in writing in accordance with the procedures established
by the Committee. The Company shall deliver certificates to the Participant (or the person exercising the Participant’s
Stock Option in the event of his or her death) as soon as administratively practicable following the Company’s receipt of
a written request from the Participant or such other person for delivery of the certificates. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if
the Participant has exercised an Incentive Stock Option, the Company may at its option retain physical possession of the certificate
evidencing the shares acquired upon exercise until the expiration of the holding periods described in Section 422(a)(1) of the
Code. Any obligation of the Company to deliver shares of Common Stock shall, however, be subject to the condition that, if at
any time the Committee shall determine in its discretion that the listing, registration, or qualification of the Stock Option
or the Common Stock upon any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system or under any state or federal law, or the consent
or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary as a condition of, or in connection with, the Stock Option or the
issuance or purchase of shares of Common Stock thereunder, the Stock Option may not be exercised in whole or in part unless such
listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not reasonably
acceptable to the Committee.
(d)
Failure to Pay. Except as may otherwise be provided in an Award Agreement, if the Participant fails to pay for any of the
Common Stock specified in such notice or fails to accept delivery thereof, that portion of the Participant’s Stock Option
and right to purchase such Common Stock may be forfeited by the Participant.
8.4
SARs. Subject to the conditions of this Section 8.4 and such administrative regulations as the Committee may from
time to time adopt, a SAR may be exercised by the delivery (including by FAX) of written notice to the Committee setting forth
the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised and the date of exercise thereof (the “Exercise
Date”) which shall be at least three (3) days after giving such notice unless an earlier time shall have been mutually
agreed upon. Subject to the terms of the Award Agreement and only if permissible under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations
or other guidance issued thereunder (or, if not so permissible, at such time as permitted by Section 409A of the Code and the
regulations or other guidance issued thereunder), the Participant shall receive from the Company in exchange therefor in the discretion
of the Committee, and subject to the terms of the Award Agreement:
(a)
cash in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Fair Market Value (as of the Exercise Date, or if provided in the Award
Agreement, conversion, of the SAR) per share of Common Stock over the SAR Price per share specified in such SAR, multiplied by
the total number of shares of Common Stock of the SAR being surrendered;
(b)
that number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the Exercise Date, or if provided in the Award
Agreement, conversion, of the SAR) equal to the amount of cash otherwise payable to the Participant, with a cash settlement to
be made for any fractional share interests; or
(c)
the Company may settle such obligation in part with shares of Common Stock and in part with cash.
The
distribution of any cash or Common Stock pursuant to the foregoing sentence shall be made at such time as set forth in the Award
Agreement.
8.5
Disqualifying Disposition of Incentive Stock Option. If shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of an Incentive Stock
Option are disposed of by a Participant prior to the expiration of either two (2) years from the Date of Grant of such Stock Option
or one (1) year from the transfer of shares of Common Stock to the Participant pursuant to the exercise of such Stock Option,
or in any other disqualifying disposition within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, such Participant shall notify the Company
in writing of the date and terms of such disposition. A disqualifying disposition by a Participant shall not affect the status
of any other Stock Option granted under the Plan as an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
Article
9.
AMENDMENT
OR DISCONTINUANCE
Subject
to the limitations set forth in this Article 9, the Board may at any time and from time to time, without the consent of
the Participants, alter, amend, revise, suspend, or discontinue the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that no amendment
for which stockholder approval is required either (a) by any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the
Common Stock is listed or traded or (b) in order for the Plan and Incentives awarded under the Plan to continue to comply with
Sections 421 and 422 of the Code, including any successors to such Sections, or other Applicable Law, shall be effective unless
such amendment shall be approved by the requisite vote of the stockholders of the Company entitled to vote thereon. Any such amendment
shall, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee, be applicable to any outstanding Incentives theretofore granted
under the Plan, notwithstanding any contrary provisions contained in any Award Agreement. In the event of any such amendment to
the Plan, the holder of any Incentive outstanding under the Plan shall, upon request of the Committee and as a condition to the
exercisability thereof, execute a conforming amendment in the form prescribed by the Committee to any Award Agreement relating
thereto. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Plan to the contrary, unless required by law, no action contemplated or permitted
by this Article 9 shall adversely affect any rights of Participants or obligations of the Company to Participants with
respect to any Incentive theretofore granted under the Plan without the consent of the affected Participant.
Article
10.
TERM
The
Plan shall be effective from the date that this Plan is adopted by the Board. Unless sooner terminated by action of the Board,
the Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but Incentives granted before that date will continue
to be effective in accordance with their terms and conditions.
Article
11.
CAPITAL
ADJUSTMENTS
In
the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property),
recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, rights offering, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off,
split-off, combination, subdivision, repurchase, or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants
or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects
the fair value of an Award, then the Committee shall adjust any or all of the following so that the fair value of the Award immediately
after the transaction or event is equal to the fair value of the Award immediately prior to the transaction or event (a) the number
of shares and type of Common Stock (or the securities or property) which thereafter may be made the subject of Awards, (b) the
number of shares and type of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (c) the number of shares
and type of Common Stock (or other securities or property) specified as the annual per-participant limitation under Section
5.1 of the Plan, (d) the Option Price of each outstanding Award, (e) the amount, if any, the Company pays for forfeited shares
of Common Stock in accordance with Section 6.4, and (f) the number of or SAR Price of shares of Common Stock then subject
to outstanding SARs previously granted and unexercised under the Plan, to the end that the same proportion of the Company’s
issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock in each instance shall remain subject to exercise at the same aggregate SAR Price;
provided, however, that the number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to any Award shall always
be a whole number. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment shall be made or authorized to the extent that such adjustment
would cause the Plan or any Stock Option to violate Section 422 of the Code or Section 409A of the Code. Such adjustments shall
be made in accordance with the rules of any securities exchange, stock market, or stock quotation system to which the Company
is subject.
Upon
the occurrence of any such adjustment, the Company shall provide notice to each affected Participant of its computation of such
adjustment which shall be conclusive and shall be binding upon each such Participant.
Article
12.
RECAPITALIZATION,
MERGER AND CONSOLIDATION
12.1
No Effect on Company’s Authority. The existence of this Plan and Incentives granted hereunder shall not affect in
any way the right or power of the Company or its stockholders to make or authorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations,
reorganizations, or other changes in the Company’s capital structure and its business, or any Change in Control, or any
merger or consolidation of the Company, or any issuance of bonds, debentures, preferred or preference stocks ranking prior to
or otherwise affecting the Common Stock or the rights thereof (or any rights, options, or warrants to purchase same), or the dissolution
or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act
or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.
12.2
Conversion of Incentives Where Company Survives. Subject to any required action by the stockholders and except as otherwise
provided by Section 12.4 hereof or as may be required to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other
guidance issued thereunder, if the Company shall be the surviving or resulting corporation in any merger, consolidation or share
exchange, any Incentive granted hereunder shall pertain to and apply to the securities or rights (including cash, property, or
assets) to which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Incentive would have been entitled.
12.3
Exchange or Cancellation of Incentives Where Company Does Not Survive. Except as otherwise provided by Section 12.4
hereof or as may be required to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder,
in the event of any merger, consolidation or share exchange pursuant to which the Company is not the surviving or resulting corporation,
there shall be substituted for each share of Common Stock subject to the unexercised portions of outstanding Incentives, that
number of shares of each class of stock or other securities or that amount of cash, property, or assets of the surviving, resulting
or consolidated company which were distributed or distributable to the stockholders of the Company in respect to each share of
Common Stock held by them, such outstanding Incentives to be thereafter exercisable for such stock, securities, cash, or property
in accordance with their terms.
12.4
Cancellation of Incentives. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 12.2 and 12.3 hereof, and except as may be
required to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or other guidance issued thereunder, all Incentives granted
hereunder may be canceled by the Company, in its sole discretion, as of the effective date of any Change in Control, merger, consolidation
or share exchange, or any issuance of bonds, debentures, preferred or preference stocks ranking prior to or otherwise affecting
the Common Stock or the rights thereof (or any rights, options, or warrants to purchase same), or of any proposed sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or of any dissolution or liquidation of the Company, by either:
(a)
giving notice to each holder thereof or his personal representative of its intention to cancel those Incentives for which the
issuance of shares of Common Stock involved payment by the Participant for such shares, and permitting the purchase during the
thirty (30) day period next preceding such effective date of any or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to such outstanding
Incentives, including in the Board’s discretion some or all of the shares as to which such Incentives would not otherwise
be vested and exercisable; or
(b)
in the case of Incentives that are either (i) settled only in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) at the election of the Participant,
settled in shares of Common Stock, paying the holder thereof an amount equal to a reasonable estimate of the difference between
the net amount per share payable in such transaction or as a result of such transaction, and the price per share of such Incentive
to be paid by the Participant (hereinafter the “Spread”), multiplied by the number of shares subject
to the Incentive. In cases where the shares constitute, or would after exercise, constitute Restricted Stock, the Company, in
its discretion, may include some or all of those shares in the calculation of the amount payable hereunder. In estimating the
Spread, appropriate adjustments to give effect to the existence of the Incentives shall be made, such as deeming the Incentives
to have been exercised, with the Company receiving the exercise price payable thereunder, and treating the shares receivable upon
exercise of the Incentives as being outstanding in determining the net amount per share. In cases where the proposed transaction
consists of the acquisition of assets of the Company, the net amount per share shall be calculated on the basis of the net amount
receivable with respect to shares of Common Stock upon a distribution and liquidation by the Company after giving effect to expenses
and charges, including but not limited to taxes, payable by the Company before such liquidation could be completed.
An
Award that by its terms would be fully vested or exercisable upon a Change in Control will be considered vested or exercisable
for purposes of Section 12.4(a) hereof.
Article
13.
LIQUIDATION
OR DISSOLUTION
Subject
to Section 12.4 hereof, in case the Company shall, at any time while any Incentive under this Plan shall be in force and
remain unexpired, (a) sell all or substantially all of its property, or (b) dissolve, liquidate, or wind up its affairs, then
each Participant shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of each share of Common Stock of the Company which such Participant would
have been entitled to receive under the Incentive, the same kind and amount of any securities or assets as may be issuable, distributable,
or payable upon any such sale, dissolution, liquidation, or winding up with respect to each share of Common Stock of the Company.
If the Company shall, at any time prior to the expiration of any Incentive, make any partial distribution of its assets, in the
nature of a partial liquidation, whether payable in cash or in kind (but excluding the distribution of a cash dividend payable
out of earned surplus and designated as such) and an adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate to prevent the
dilution of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such
manner as it may deem equitable, make such adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Article 11 hereof.
Article
14.
INCENTIVES
IN SUBSTITUTION FOR
INCENTIVES GRANTED BY OTHER ENTITIES
Incentives
may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for similar instruments held by employees, independent contractors
or directors of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company who become or are about to become Employees, Contractors
or Outside Directors of the Company or any Subsidiary as a result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation with
the Company, the acquisition by the Company of equity of the employing entity, or any other similar transaction pursuant to which
the Company becomes the successor employer. The terms and conditions of the substitute Incentives so granted may vary from the
terms and conditions set forth in this Plan to such extent as the Committee at the time of grant may deem appropriate to conform,
in whole or in part, to the provisions of the incentives in substitution for which they are granted.
Article
15.
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
15.1
Investment Intent. The Company may require that there be presented to and filed with it by any Participant under the Plan,
such evidence as it may deem necessary to establish that the Incentives granted or the shares of Common Stock to be purchased
or transferred are being acquired for investment and not with a view to their distribution.
15.2
No Right to Continued Employment. Neither the Plan nor any Incentive granted under the Plan shall confer upon any Participant
any right with respect to continuance of employment by the Company or any Subsidiary.
15.3
Indemnification of Board and Committee. No member of the Board or the Committee, nor any officer or Employee of the Company
acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken
or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board and the Committee, each officer of the Company, and
each Employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified
and protected by the Company in respect of any such action, determination, or interpretation to the fullest extent provided by
law. Except to the extent required by any unwaiveable requirement under applicable law, no member of the Board or the Committee
(and no Subsidiary of the Company) shall have any duties or liabilities, including without limitation any fiduciary duties, to
any Participant (or any Person claiming by and through any Participant) as a result of this Plan, any Award Agreement or any Claim
arising hereunder and, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, each Participant (as consideration for receiving
and accepting an Award Agreement) irrevocably waives and releases any right or opportunity such Participant might have to assert
(or participate or cooperate in) any Claim against any member of the Board or the Committee and any Subsidiary of the Company
arising out of this Plan.
15.4
Effect of the Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan nor any action of the Board or the Committee shall be deemed to give
any person any right to be granted an Award or any other rights except as may be evidenced by an Award Agreement, or any amendment
thereto, duly authorized by the Committee and executed on behalf of the Company, and then only to the extent and upon the terms
and conditions expressly set forth therein.
15.5
Compliance with Other Laws and Regulations. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall
not be required to sell or issue shares of Common Stock under any Incentive if the issuance thereof would constitute a violation
by the Participant or the Company of any provisions of any law or regulation of any governmental authority or any national securities
exchange or inter-dealer quotation system or other forum in which shares of Common Stock are quoted or traded (including without
limitation Section 16 of the Exchange Act); and, as a condition of any sale or issuance of shares of Common Stock under an Incentive,
the Committee may require such agreements or undertakings, if any, as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to assure
compliance with any such law or regulation. The Plan, the grant and exercise of Incentives hereunder, and the obligation of the
Company to sell and deliver shares of Common Stock, shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations
and to such approvals by any government or regulatory agency as may be required.
15.6
Tax Requirements. The Company or, if applicable, any Subsidiary (for purposes of this Section 15.6, the term “Company”
shall be deemed to include any applicable Subsidiary), shall have the right to deduct from all amounts paid in cash or other form
in connection with the Plan, any federal, state, local, or other taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with an Award
granted under this Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, also require the Participant receiving shares of Common Stock
issued under the Plan to pay the Company the amount of any taxes that the Company is required to withhold in connection with the
Participant’s income arising with respect to the Award. Such payments shall be required to be made when requested by the
Company and may be required to be made prior to the delivery of any certificate representing shares of Common Stock. Such payment
may be made by (a) the delivery of cash to the Company in an amount that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional
shares under (c) below) the required tax withholding obligations of the Company; (b) if the Company, in its sole discretion, so
consents in writing, the actual delivery by the exercising Participant to the Company of shares of Common Stock that the Participant
has not acquired from the Company within six (6) months prior to the date of exercise, which shares so delivered have an aggregate
Fair Market Value that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares under (c) below) the required tax withholding
payment; (c) if the Company, in its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the Company’s withholding of a number of shares
to be delivered upon the exercise of the Stock Option, which shares so withheld have an aggregate fair market value that equals
(but does not exceed) the required tax withholding payment; or (d) any combination of (a), (b), or (c). The Company may, in its
sole discretion, withhold any such taxes from any other cash remuneration otherwise paid by the Company to the Participant. The
Committee may in the Award Agreement impose any additional tax requirements or provisions that the Committee deems necessary or
desirable.
15.7
Assignability. Incentive Stock Options may not be transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise conveyed or
encumbered other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of the Participant
only by the Participant or the Participant’s legally authorized representative, and each Award Agreement in respect of an
Incentive Stock Option shall so provide. The designation by a Participant of a beneficiary will not constitute a transfer of the
Stock Option. The Committee may waive or modify any limitation contained in the preceding sentences of this Section 15.7
that is not required for compliance with Section 422 of the Code.
Except
as otherwise provided herein, Awards may not be transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise conveyed or encumbered
other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its discretion,
authorize all or a portion of a Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR to be granted to a Participant on terms which permit transfer
by such Participant to (a) the spouse (or former spouse), children or grandchildren of the Participant (“Immediate
Family Members”), (b) a trust or trusts for the exclusive benefit of such Immediate Family Members, (c) a partnership
in which the only partners are (1) such Immediate Family Members and/or (2) entities which are controlled by the Participant and/or
Immediate Family Members, (d) an entity exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or any successor
provision, or (e) a split interest trust or pooled income fund described in Section 2522(c)(2) of the Code or any successor provision,
provided that (x) there shall be no consideration for any such transfer, (y) the Award Agreement pursuant to which such
Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR is granted must be approved by the Committee and must expressly provide for transferability in
a manner consistent with this Section, and (z) subsequent transfers of transferred Nonqualified Stock Options or SARs shall be
prohibited except those by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
Following
any transfer, any such Nonqualified Stock Option and SAR shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were
applicable immediately prior to transfer, provided that for purposes of Articles 8, 9, 11, 13 and 15 hereof the term “Participant”
shall be deemed to include the transferee. The events of Termination of Service shall continue to be applied with respect to the
original Participant, following which the Nonqualified Stock Options and SARs shall be exercisable or convertible by the transferee
only to the extent and for the periods specified in the Award Agreement. The Committee and the Company shall have no obligation
to inform any transferee of a Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR of any expiration, termination, lapse or acceleration of such Stock
Option or SAR. The Company shall have no obligation to register with any federal or state securities commission or agency any
Common Stock issuable or issued under a Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR that has been transferred by a Participant under this
Section 15.7.
15.8
Use of Proceeds. Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Incentives granted under this Plan shall
constitute general funds of the Company.
15.9
Legend. Each certificate representing shares of Restricted Stock issued to a Participant shall bear the following legend,
or a similar legend deemed by the Company to constitute an appropriate notice of the provisions hereof (any such certificate not
having such legend shall be surrendered upon demand by the Company and so endorsed):
On
the face of the certificate:
“Transfer
of this stock is restricted in accordance with conditions printed on the reverse of this certificate.”
On
the reverse:
“The
shares of stock evidenced by this certificate are subject to and transferable only in accordance with that certain AYRO, Inc.
Long-Term Incentive Plan, a copy of which is on file at the principal office of the Company in Round Rock, Texas. No transfer
or pledge of the shares evidenced hereby may be made except in accordance with and subject to the provisions of said Plan. By
acceptance of this certificate, any holder, transferee or pledgee hereof agrees to be bound by all of the provisions of said Plan.”
The
following legend shall be inserted on a certificate evidencing Common Stock issued under the Plan if the shares were not issued
in a transaction registered under the applicable federal and state securities laws:
“Shares
of stock represented by this certificate have been acquired by the holder for investment and not for resale, transfer or distribution,
have been issued pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of applicable state and federal securities laws, and
may not be offered for sale, sold or transferred other than pursuant to effective registration under such laws, or in transactions
otherwise in compliance with such laws, and upon evidence satisfactory to the Company of compliance with such laws, as to which
the Company may rely upon an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company.”
15.10
Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
(excluding any conflict of laws, rule or principle of Delaware law that might refer the governance, construction, or interpretation
of this Plan to the laws of another state). A Participant’s sole remedy for any Claim shall be against the Company, and
no Participant shall have any claim or right of any nature against any Subsidiary of the Company or any stockholder or existing
or former director, officer or Employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company. The individuals and entities described
above in this Section 15.10 (other than the Company) shall be third-party beneficiaries of this Plan for purposes of enforcing
the terms of this Section 15.10.
A
copy of this Plan shall be kept on file in the principal office of the Company in Round Rock, Texas.
***************
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed as of May 28, 2020, by its Chief Executive Officer pursuant
to prior action taken by the Board.
|
AYRO,
INC. |
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By: |
/s/
Rodney Keller |
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Name: |
Rodney
Keller |
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Title: |
Chief
Executive Officer |
ANNEX
E
CERTIFICATE
OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
AYRO, INC.
AYRO,
Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, does hereby certify that:
|
1. |
The
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as amended, the “Certificate of Incorporation”)
was filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on May 28, 2020. |
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2. |
Resolutions
were duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation setting forth this proposed Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation
and declaring said amendment to be advisable and calling for the consideration and approval thereof at a meeting of the stockholders
of the Corporation. |
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3. |
Resolutions
were duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation
set forth below, providing that, effective as of [●], New York time, on [●], each [●] (#) issued and outstanding shares
of the Corporation’s Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, shall be converted into [●] (#) share of the Corporation’s
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, as constituted following such date. |
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4. |
The
Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by revising Article FOURTH to include a new paragraph F as follows: |
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“F.
Reverse Split. Effective as of [●] on [●], 2024 (the “RSS Effective Time”) each share of the Corporation’s
common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “RSS Old Common Stock”), either issued or outstanding or held by the Corporation
as treasury stock, immediately prior to the RSS Effective Time, will be automatically reclassified and combined (without any further
act) into a smaller number of shares such that each [●] shares of RSS Old Common Stock issued and outstanding or held by the
Company as treasury stock immediately prior to the RSS Effective Time is reclassified into [●] share of Common Stock, $0.0001
par value per share, of the Corporation (the “RSS New Common Stock”), without increasing or decreasing the amount of
stated capital or paid-in surplus of the Corporation (the “2025 Reverse Stock Split”). The Board of Directors shall make
provision for the issuance of that number of fractions of R SS New Common Stock such that any fractional share of a holder otherwise
resulting from the 2025 Reverse Stock Split shall be rounded up to the next whole number of shares of RSS New Common Stock. Any stock
certificate that, immediately prior to the RSS Effective Time, represented shares of the RSS Old Common Stock will, from and after
the RSS Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same for exchange, represent the number of shares
of the RSS New Common Stock into which such shares of RSS Old Common Stock shall have been reclassified plus the fraction, if any,
of a share of RSS New Common Stock issued as aforesaid.” |
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5. |
Pursuant
to the resolution of the Board of Directors, a meeting of the stockholders of the Company was duly called and held upon notice in
accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at which meeting the necessary number of shares
as required by statute were voted in favor of the foregoing amendment. |
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6. |
The
foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware. |
[Signature
page follows.]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, AYRO, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be duly executed by the undersigned duly
authorized officer as of this [●] day of [●], [●].
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AYRO,
INC. |
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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AYRO (NASDAQ:AYRO)
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