SCHEDULE
14A
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Filed
by
the Registrant x
Filed
by
a Party other than the Registrant o
Check
the
appropriate box:
x Preliminary
Proxy Statement
o Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
o Definitive
Proxy Statement
o Definitive
Additional Materials
o Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
(Name
of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name
of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
x No
fee
required.
o Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
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(1) |
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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(2) |
Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction
applies:
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(3) |
Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant
to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing
fee is
calculated and state how it was
determined):
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(4) |
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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o |
Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
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o |
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
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(1)
Amount
Previously Paid: |
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(2)
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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Measurement
Specialties, Inc.
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
VA 23666
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
Measurement
Specialties, Inc. (the “Company”) will hold its Annual Meeting of Shareholders
at The Benjamin Hotel, 125
East
50th Street, 2nd Floor, Morrison Room, New York, NY 10022
on
Thursday, September 14, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
time. The Benjamin Hotel requires business attire to attend the meeting. We
are
holding the meeting for the following purposes:
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1.
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To
elect two members of the Board of Directors, whose terms are described
in
the proxy statement.
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2.
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To
approve the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of the
Company which shall (i) effect an increase in the total number of
authorized shares of common stock from 20,000,000 to 40,000,000,
(ii)
effect an increase in the total number of authorized shares of blank
check
preferred stock from 978,244 to 10,000,000, (iii) eliminate the classes
of
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share,
Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share, and Series
C
Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $1.75 per share, (iv) include
provisions relating to the indemnification of directors, officers
and
employees of the Company, and (v) effect certain other non-substantive
changes.
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3.
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To
approve the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option
Plan.
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4.
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To
approve the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase
Plan.
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5.
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To
ratify the selection of KPMG LLP as our independent auditors for
the
fiscal year ending March 31, 2007.
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6.
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To
transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
and
any postponement or adjournment
thereof.
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Holders
of record of common stock of the Company at the close of business on July 24,
2006 are entitled to vote at the meeting.
In
addition to the proxy statement and proxy card, a copy of Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, which is not
part
of the proxy soliciting material, is enclosed.
It
is
important that your shares be represented and voted at the meeting. You can
vote
your shares by completing and returning a proxy card. Most shareholders can
also
vote over the Internet or by telephone. If Internet and telephone voting are
available to you, you can find voting instructions on the enclosed proxy card.
You can revoke a proxy at any time prior to its exercise at the meeting by
following the instructions in the enclosed proxy statement.
By
Order
of the Board of Directors,
JOHN
P.
HOPKINS
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
July
28,
2006
PROXY
STATEMENT
We
are
providing these proxy materials in connection with the solicitation by the
Board
of Directors of Measurement Specialties, Inc. of proxies to be voted at our
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on September 14, 2006, and at any
meeting following postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting.
You
are
cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting, which will begin at 2:00 p.m.
Eastern time. The meeting will be held at the The Benjamin Hotel, 125
East
50th Street, 2nd Floor, Morrison Room, New York, NY 10022. Shareholders
will be admitted beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
We
are
first mailing this proxy statement and proxy card (including voting
instructions) on or about July 28, 2006, to persons who were shareholders at
the
close of business on July 24, 2006, the record date for the meeting.
Our
fiscal year begins on April 1 and ends on March 31. References in this proxy
statement to the year 2006 or fiscal 2006 refer to the 12-month period from
April 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006. References in this proxy statement to
the
year 2007 or fiscal 2007 refer to the 12-month period from April 1, 2006 through
March 31, 2007.
PROXIES
AND VOTING PROCEDURES
Who
Can Vote?
You
are
entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting all shares of the Company’s common stock
that you held as of the close of business on the record date. Each share of
common stock is entitled to one vote with respect to each matter properly
brought before the meeting.
On
July
7, 2006, there were 14,115,384 shares of common stock outstanding.
In
accordance with New Jersey law, a list of shareholders entitled to vote at
the
meeting will be available at the meeting.
Who
Is the Record Holder?
You
may
own common stock either (1) directly in your name, in which case you are the
record holder of such shares, or (2) indirectly through a broker, bank or other
nominee, in which case such nominee is the record holder.
If
your
shares are registered directly in your name, we are sending these proxy
materials directly to you. If the record holder of your shares is a nominee,
you
will receive proxy materials from such record holder.
How
Do I Vote?
If
you are the record holder:
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· |
By
Telephone. You can vote your shares by telephone, by calling the
toll-free
telephone number on your proxy card. Telephone voting is available
24
hours a day. If you vote by telephone, you do not need to return
your
proxy card. Your vote by telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern
time, September 13, 2006.
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· |
By
Internet. You can also vote on the Internet. The website address
for
Internet voting is on your proxy card, and voting is also available
24
hours a day. If you vote by Internet, you do not need to return your
proxy
card. Your vote by Internet must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern
time,
September 13, 2006. Please be aware that if you vote over the Internet,
you may incur costs such as telephone and Internet access charges
for
which you will be responsible.
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· |
By
Mail. If you choose to vote by mail, mark your proxy, date and sign
it,
and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided. Your vote by
mail
must be received by the close of voting at the Annual Meeting on
September
14, 2005.
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· |
By
Attending the Annual Meeting. If you attend the Annual Meeting, you
can
vote your shares in person.
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If
your stock is held by brokers, banks or other nominees:
If
your
common stock is held by a broker, bank or other nominee, you will receive
instructions from such nominee that you must follow in order to have your shares
voted.
If
you
plan to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, you will need to contact
the broker, bank or other nominee to obtain evidence of your ownership of common
stock on July 24, 2006.
If
you
hold your shares through a broker, your shares may be voted even if you do
not
vote or attend the Annual Meeting. Under the rules of The NASDAQ Global Market,
member brokers who do not receive instructions from beneficial owners will
be
allowed to vote on the election of Directors, the approval of the Third Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the approval of the Measurement
Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan, the approval of the Measurement
Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the ratification of
auditors.
The
method by which you vote will in no way limit your right to vote at the meeting
if you later decide to attend in person.
How
Many Votes Are Required?
A
quorum
is required to transact business at the Annual Meeting. We will have a quorum
and be able to conduct the business of the Annual Meeting if the holders of
a
majority of the shares entitled to vote are present at the meeting, either
in
person or by proxy.
If
a
quorum is present, a plurality of votes cast is required to elect Directors.
Thus, a Director may be elected even if the Director receives less than a
majority of the shares represented at the meeting. Proxies cannot be voted
for a
greater number of nominees than are named in this Proxy Statement. To approve
the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares is required. To approve the
Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan, the Measurement
Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and to ratify the selection
of independent auditors, an affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast
is
required.
How
Are Votes Counted?
All
shares that have been properly voted, and not revoked, will be voted at the
Annual Meeting in accordance with the instructions given. If you sign and return
your proxy card, but do not specify how you wish your shares to be voted, your
shares represented by that proxy will be voted as recommended by the Board
of
Directors: “for” the nominees for Director, “for” the approval of the Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, “for” the
approval of the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan, “for” the
approval of the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase
Plan
and “for” the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent
auditors for fiscal 2007.
Proxies
marked as abstaining, and any proxies returned by brokers as “non-votes” on
behalf of shares held in street name because beneficial owners' discretion
has
been withheld as to one or more matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting,
will be treated as present for purposes of determining whether a quorum is
present at the Annual Meeting. However, any shares not voted as a result of
a
marked abstention or a broker non-vote will not be counted as votes for or
against a particular matter. Accordingly, marked abstentions and broker
non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of a vote.
How
Can I Revoke My Proxy or Change My Vote?
You
can
revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised by timely delivery of
a
properly executed, later-dated proxy (including an Internet or telephone vote)
or by voting in person at the meeting.
Who
Will Pay the Expenses of Proxy Distribution?
The
Company will pay the expenses of the preparation of the proxy materials and
the
solicitation of proxies. Proxies may be solicited on behalf of the Company
by
Directors, officers or employees of the company, who will receive no additional
compensation for soliciting, in person or by telephone, e-mail or facsimile
or
other electronic means. In accordance with the regulations of the Securities
and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and The NASDAQ Global Market, we will reimburse
brokerage firms and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their
expenses incurred in sending proxies and proxy materials to beneficial owners
of
Measurement Specialties stock.
ITEM
1 — ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
The
Board
of Directors is divided into three classes. One class is elected each year
for a
term of three years.
Two
Directors will be elected at this Annual Meeting to serve for a three-year
term
expiring at our Annual Meeting in 2009. The Board has nominated R. Barry Uber
and Satish Rishi to serve for the term expiring in 2009. You can find
information about Messrs. Uber and Rishi below.
The
persons named in the proxy card will vote such proxy “for” the election of
Messrs. Uber and Rishi unless you indicate that your vote should be withheld.
If
elected, each of Messrs. Uber and Rishi will continue in office until his
successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until the earliest of his
death, resignation, retirement or removal. Each of Messrs. Uber and Rishi has
indicated to the company that he will serve if elected. We do not anticipate
that either Mr. Uber or Mr. Rishi will be unable to stand for election, but,
if
that happens, your proxy will be voted in favor of another person nominated
by
the Board.
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of Messrs. Uber and Rishi as
Directors.
NOMINEES
FOR TERM EXPIRING IN 2009
R.
Barry Uber has
been
a Director since October 2003. Mr. Uber was President and Chief Operating
Officer of American Commercial Barge Line from July 2001 to July 2003. He also
served as President and Chief Executive Officer of North American Van Lines.
Prior to joining North American Van Lines, Mr. Uber served for 30 years at
Ingersoll-Rand Co. Inc. where he held increasingly responsible executive
positions, last serving as Corporate Vice President and President of the
Construction Machinery Equipment Group. Mr. Uber received a B.B.A. in business
administration from Penn State University where he was awarded as Alumni Fellow
Award in 1996. He serves as a Director of NES Rentals Holding, Inc. Age
61.
Satish
Rishi
has been
a Director since September 2005. Since April 2006, Mr. Rishi has served as
Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Rambus, Inc.
From
2001 to April 2006 he served at Toppan Photomasks, Inc. (formerly DuPont
Photomasks, Inc.) where he last held the positions of Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer. During his career, Mr. Rishi has held senior
financial management positions at semiconductor and electronics manufacturers.
He served as Vice President and Assistant Treasurer at Dell Inc. from 1999-2001,
and prior to his service at Dell, Mr. Rishi spent 13 years at Intel Corp.,
where
he held financial management positions of increasing responsibility, both in
the
United States and overseas. His last position at Intel was Assistant
Treasurer.
Mr.
Rishi also serves on the Board of Directors of the March of Dimes, Austin
Chapter. Mr. Rishi received a B.S. with honors in Mechanical Engineering from
Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi University, and an M.B.A. with a
concentration in Finance from the Walter J. Hass School of Business, University
of California, Berkeley. Age 46.
DIRECTOR
FOR TERM EXPIRING IN 2008
Morton
L. Topfer
has been
a Director since January 2002 and was appointed Chairman of the Board effective
January 31, 2003. Mr. Topfer is Managing Director of Castletop Capital,
L.P., an investment firm. He previously served at Dell Computer Corporation
as
Counselor to the Chief Executive Officer, from December 1999 to February 2002,
and Vice Chairman, from June 1994 to December 1999. Mr. Topfer was a member
of
the Board of Directors of Dell from December 1999 to July 2004. Prior to joining
Dell, Mr. Topfer served for 23 years at Motorola, Inc. where he held
several executive positions, last serving as Corporate Executive Vice President
and President of the Land Mobile Products Sector. Mr. Topfer was conferred
the Darjah Johan Negeri Penang State Award in July 1996 by the Governor of
Penang for contributions to the development of the electronics industry in
Malaysia. Mr. Topfer also serves as a director for Staktek Technologies and
Advanced Micro Devices. Age 69.
DIRECTORS
FOR TERM EXPIRING IN 2007
John
D. Arnold
has been
a Director since June 1995. Mr. Arnold has been in private law practice since
1988, primarily representing technology companies with relationships with Asian
investors and/or manufacturers. Prior to 1988, Mr. Arnold was employed with
the
law firms of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, California and
Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Arnold received a B.A. in
business administration from the University of Wisconsin and a J.D. from
Stanford Law School. Age 51.
Frank
D. Guidone has
served as Chief Executive Officer since June 2002 and has been a Director since
December 2002. Mr. Guidone was a Managing Director/Principal of Corporate
Revitalization Partners, a Dallas-based turnaround/crisis management consultancy
firm, from 2000 to 2006. Mr. Guidone has been a partner at Four Corners Capital
Partners, a boutique private investment firm of which Mr. Guidone is a
co-founder, since 1999. Prior to forming Four Corners, Mr. Guidone spent 13
years in management consulting with Andersen Consulting and George Group, Inc.
Mr. Guidone has worked with numerous solvent and insolvent companies, focusing
on operational and financial restructurings. Mr. Guidone received a B.S. in
mechanical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Age
41.
ITEM
2 - APPROVAL OF THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION
The
Board
of Directors has adopted, subject to shareholder approval, the Third Amended
and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, in the form attached
as
Exhibit
A
hereto
(the “Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”). The Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation will (i) effect an increase
in
the total number of authorized shares of common stock from 20,000,000 to
40,000,000, (ii) effect an increase in the total number of authorized shares
of
“blank check” preferred stock from 978,244 to 10,000,000, (iii) eliminate the
classes of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share,
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share, and Series
C
Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $1.75 per share, (iv) include provisions
relating to the indemnification of directors and officers of the Company, and
(v) effect certain other non-substantive changes. In accordance with the New
Jersey Business Corporation Act (the “BCA”), the proposed Third Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation is subject to shareholder approval. In
the
event that shareholder approval of the proposed Third Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation is obtained, the Company expects to file the Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the New Jersey Secretary
of State on or about the close of business on the date of the Annual
Meeting.
Purpose
and Effect of Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Shares of Common
Stock
Background
The
Company’s Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect,
provides that the Company’s authorized capital stock consists of 21,200,000
shares of capital stock, of which 20,000,000 shares, no par value, are be
designated as common stock. On July 24, 2006, the Company’s Board of Directors
approved the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to, among
other things, increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from
20,000,000 shares to 40,000,000 shares.
As
of
July 7, 2006, out of the 20,000,000 shares of common stock currently authorized
for issuance under the Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a total
of
14,115,384 shares were issued and outstanding and an aggregate of 1,499,347
shares were reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Company’s stock options
issued and outstanding under the 1995 Measurement Specialties, Inc. Stock Option
Plan, the 1998 Measurement Specialties, Inc. Stock Option Plan and the 2003
Measurement Specialties, Inc. Stock Option Plan. In addition, the Company has
reserved (i) 1,000,000 shares of common stock to be available for issuance
pursuant to the exercise of stock options to be granted under the Measurement
Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan, which is subject to shareholder
approval and the details of which are summarized in “Item 3 - Approval of the
Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan” below, and (ii) 250,000
shares of common stock to be available for issuance pursuant to employee stock
purchases made under the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan, which is subject to shareholder approval and the details of
which
are summarized in “Item 4 - Approval of the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006
Employee Stock Purchase Plan” below. As a consequence, only 3,135,269 shares
remain available for issuance by the Company in furtherance of its business
purposes. The Board believes that an increase in the number of shares of common
stock authorized for issuance is appropriate and necessary to provide the
Company with the flexibility to issue stock in connection with various types
of
transactions that it may deem to be in the best interests of the Company and
its
shareholders in the future, as more fully set forth below under “Reasons for and
Effects of Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Shares of Common
Stock.”
Reasons
for and Effects of Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Shares of Common
Stock
In
recognition of the fact that the Company has a limited number of shares of
common stock currently available for issuance, the Board of Directors has
approved, and voted to recommend that the shareholders approve, the Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, pursuant to which the number
of shares of common stock that the Company would be authorized to issue would
be
increased from 20,000,000 shares to 40,000,000 shares.
The
Board
of Directors believes that an increase in authorized common stock would provide
the Company with increased flexibility to issue and/or sell common stock from
time to time, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, and without further
authorization by the shareholders, for one or more of the following business
purposes: (i) in public or private offerings as a means of obtaining additional
capital for the Company’s business; (ii) as part or all of the consideration
required to be paid for the acquisition of ongoing businesses or other assets;
(iii) to satisfy any current or future financial obligations of the Company;
(iv) in connection with the exercise of options, warrants or rights, or the
conversion of convertible securities that may be issued by the Company; or
(v)
pursuant to any benefit, option or stock ownership plan or employment
agreement.
The
proposed increase in the number of authorized shares of common stock will not
change the number of shares of common stock outstanding or the rights of the
holders of such stock; however, any issuance of additional shares of common
stock could reduce the current shareholders’ proportionate interests in the
Company, depending on the number of shares issued and the purpose, terms and
conditions of the issuance. Moreover, the issuance of additional shares of
common stock could discourage attempts to acquire control of the Company by
tender offer or other means. In such a case, shareholders might be deprived
of
benefits that could result from such an attempt, such as realization of a
premium over the market price of their shares in a tender offer or the temporary
increase in market price that could result from such an attempt. Also, the
issuance of common stock to persons supportive of the Board of Directors could
make it more difficult to remove incumbent management and directors from office.
Although the Board of Directors intends to issue common stock only when it
considers such issuance to be in the best interest of the Company, the issuance
of additional shares of common stock may have, among others, a dilutive effect
on earnings per share of common stock and on the equity and voting rights of
holders of shares of common stock. The Board of Directors believes, however,
that the benefits of providing the flexibility to issue shares of common stock
without delay for any business purpose outweigh any such possible
disadvantages.
Ownership
of shares of common stock entitles each shareholder to one vote per share of
common stock. Holders of shares of common stock do not have preemptive rights
to
subscribe to additional securities that may be issued by the Company, which
means that current shareholders do not have a prior right to purchase any new
issue of capital stock of the Company in order to maintain their proportionate
ownership. Shareholders wishing to maintain their interest, however, may be
able
to do so through normal market purchases.
Purpose
and Effect of Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Shares of
Blank Check Preferred
Stock
Background
Pursuant
to the laws of the State of New Jersey and the Company’s Second Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect, the Board of Directors
has
the authority, without further action by shareholders, to issue up to 978,244
authorized shares that have not been previously classified and (i) to divide
such shares into classes and into series within any class or classes, (ii)
to
determine the designation and the number of shares of any class or series,
and
(iii) to make all other divisions and determinations related thereto. Such
type
of shares are commonly known as “blank check” preferred stock. Currently, no
authorized shares of “blank check” preferred stock are issued or outstanding.
The
Board
of Directors is now requesting that the shareholders approve an increase in
the
number of shares of “blank check” preferred stock which the Company can issue
from 978,244 to 10,000,000.
Reasons
for and Effects of Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Shares of Blank
Check Preferred Stock
The
Company has no present intention to issue any of the currently authorized or
newly authorized shares of “blank check” preferred stock. Nonetheless, the Board
of Directors believes that increasing the number of authorized but unissued
shares of “blank check” preferred stock will provide the Board or Directors with
further flexibility to raise capital and to protect the Company against
unsolicited takeover attempts. However, when designating and issuing the “blank
check” preferred stock, the Board of Directors may issue shares with voting,
conversion or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and
other rights of the holders of common stock. Further, this type of “blank check”
preferred stock makes it possible for the Company to issue preferred stock
quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in the Company's
control or make removal of the Company's management more difficult.
Additionally, if the Company issues the preferred stock, the market price of
common stock may decrease, and voting and other rights may decrease.
The
provision in the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
relating to the “blank check” preferred stock shall read as follows:
“Section
2. Preferred
Stock.
The
Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to provide for
the
issuance of any or all shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more classes
or
series, and to fix for each such class or series such voting powers, full or
limited, or no voting powers, and such distinctive designations, preferences
and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and
expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
providing for the issuance of such class or series and as may be permitted
by
the BCA. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to change the
designation or number of shares, or the relative rights, preferences and
limitations of the shares, of any theretofore established class or series no
shares of which have been issued. No holder of Preferred Stock shall have any
preemptive, subscription, redemption, conversion or sinking fund rights with
respect to the Preferred Stock, or to any obligations convertible (directly
or
indirectly) into any class or series of stock of the Corporation whether now
or
hereafter authorized, except as otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors.”
Purpose
and Effect of Eliminating the Classes of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock,
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and Series C Convertible Preferred
Stock
Background
The
Company’s Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect,
designates and authorizes for issuance three series of Convertible Preferred
Stock as follows: (i)
100,000 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per
share, (ii) 100,000 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value
$5.00 per share, and (iii) 21,756 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred
Stock, par value $1.75 per share. Currently, no shares of Series A Convertible
Preferred Stock, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock or Series C Convertible
Preferred stock are outstanding.
Reasons
for and Effects of Eliminating the Classes of Series A Convertible Preferred
Stock, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and Series C Convertible Preferred
Stock
The
Company has no present intention to issue any of the currently authorized shares
of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
or
Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. Accordingly, the Third Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation, if approved by the shareholders, will,
among other things, eliminate all references therein to the classes of Series
A
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and Series
C
Convertible Preferred Stock, but will authorize the issuance of 10,000,000
shares of “blank check” preferred stock, no par value. As is currently the case,
the Board of Directors has and will have full authority to establish a
particular series of Preferred Stock and cause the issuance of such series
without further approval by the Company's shareholders in one or more classes
or
series, and to fix for each such class or series such voting powers, full or
limited, or no voting powers, and such distinctive designations, preferences
and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and
expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
providing for the issuance of such class or series and as may be permitted
by
the BCA.
Provisions
Relating to the Exculpation and Indemnification of Directors and Officers of
the
Company
The
Company’s Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect,
provides that to the fullest extent permitted by the BCA, the Company’s
directors and officers will not be held personally liable to the Company or
its
shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty. In addition,
the
Company’s Bylaws provide that the Company’s directors and officers shall be
indemnified against liability to the fullest extent permitted by the
BCA.
The
Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, if approved by the
shareholders, will, among other things, integrate and clarify the exculpation
and indemnification provisions that are currently contained in both the Second
Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Company. The
exculpation provisions of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation will provide, to the fullest extent permitted by the BCA, that
the
Company's directors and officers shall not be personally liable to the Company
or its shareholders for damages for breach of their fiduciary duty. The effect
of such exculpation provisions is to eliminate the Company's rights and its
shareholders’ rights (through shareholders’ derivative suits on behalf of the
Company) to recover damages against a director or officer for breach of any
duty, other than the breach of a duty based upon an act or omission (a) in
breach of such person’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders, (b)
not in good faith or involving a knowing violation of law, or (c) resulting
in
receipt by such person of a improper personal benefit. The indemnification
provisions of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation will
provide, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the BCA, that the Company’s
directors, officers and trustees of employee benefit plans will be indemnified
and held harmless by the Company from and against any and all liabilities and
expenses incurred or suffered in connection with any legal proceeding, inquiry
or investigation in which they are involved by reason of having such position
with the Company. The indemnification provisions of the Third Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation will also require the Company to advance
to such indemnified persons certain expenses incurred in connection with their
involvement in such legal proceedings, inquiries or investigations.
The
frequency of claims and litigation pursued against directors and officers has
greatly expanded the risks that the directors and officers of corporations
face
in carrying out their respective duties. The amount of time and money required
to respond to such claims and defend such litigation can be substantial and
can
be distracting to the directors and officers. In addition, the current corporate
governance environment and the new requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, SEC and The NASDAQ Global Market have increased scrutiny of the actions
of
directors and have created at least the perception of increased liability for
directors.
It
is the
Company’s desire to reduce such risks to its directors and officers and to limit
situations in which monetary damages can be received against directors so that
the Company may continue to attract and retain qualified directors and officers
who otherwise might be unwilling to serve because of the risks involved.
Directors and officers will choose to join or remain with companies with the
most favorable corporate environment. The Company believes that, by providing
for indemnification and advancement of expenses to directors and officers of
the
Company and by limiting the personal liability of directors of the Company,
the
proposed charter amendments will enable the Company to create a more favorable
corporate environment and compete more effectively with other public companies
in attracting and retaining new directors and officers. However, the
shareholders should be aware that such provisions inure to the benefit of the
directors of the Company, and that the interest of the Board of Directors in
recommending such provisions may therefore be in conflict with the interests
of
the shareholders.
The
Board
of Directors and the Company’s management are not aware of any pending or
threatened action, suit or proceeding involving any of its directors or officers
for which indemnification from the Company may be sought.
Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933
(the
“Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling
the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company
has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and
is, therefore, unenforceable.
Provisions
Relating to the Classified Board of Directors
Pursuant
to provisions of Company’s Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as
currently in effect, the Board of Directors is divided into three classes and,
at each annual meeting of shareholders, one class of directors will be elected
for a term of three years.
The
Board
of Directors has adopted, subject to shareholder approval, the Third Amended
and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation which, among other things, (i) restates
the provisions establishing a classified Board of Directors contained in the
Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect, and (ii)
provides that in the event that the holders of any class or series of Preferred
Stock of the Company are entitled, voting separately as a class or series,
to
elect any directors of the Company, then the number of directors that may be
elected by such holders shall be in addition to the number fixed by the Board
of
Directors and, except as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of such
class
or series, the term of the directors elected by such holders shall expire at
the
annual meeting of shareholders next succeeding their election without regard
to
the classification of the remaining directors. If the Third Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation is approved by shareholders of the Company, the
Board will continue to be divided into three classes and, at each annual meeting
of shareholders, only one class of directors will be elected. The classes will,
to the maximum extent feasible, have an approximately equal number of members.
Pursuant
to the BCA, directors on a classified Board may only be removed by shareholders
if there is “cause” for such removal. The overall effect of a classified Board
is to prevent a person or entity from immediately acquiring control of the
Company through an increase in the number of directors and the election of
such
person or of such person’s or entity’s nominees to fill such newly created
vacancies. Since a hostile party would be unable to acquire control of the
Board
at a single annual meeting, a classified Board may have the effect of
encouraging such a party to negotiate with the Board rather than pursue
unilateral action. Classified Board provisions are typically referred to as
anti-takeover provisions. The principal purpose of any anti-takeover provision
is to protect the interests of a corporation and its shareholders in the event
of a sudden takeover attempt. Such provisions are intended to require a hostile
purchaser to deal fairly with shareholders and to give a corporation’s board of
directors a better opportunity to analyze prospective business combinations
and
tender offers, evaluate alternatives, and make careful recommendations to
shareholders. However, such provisions could have the effect of making more
difficult, or discouraging, a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or assumption
of control and change of incumbent management, even when a majority of
shareholders considers such a course to be in its best interests. The Board
believes that the positive aspects of having a classified Board outweigh the
limitations imposed by the anti-takeover provisions.
Non-substantive
changes
The
Third
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation also contains certain
modifications of the Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently
in effect, which are non-substantive in nature and were made solely for
clarification purposes as the Board of Directors deemed appropriate.
Shareholders
are urged to read the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
attached as Exhibit
A
hereto
in its entirety.
For
the
reasons set forth above, the Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the
approval of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation.
ITEM
3 - APPROVAL OF MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.
2006
STOCK OPTION PLAN
DESCRIPTION
OF THE 2006 PLAN AND VOTE REQUIRED
On
March
29, 2006, the Board of Directors adopted the Measurement Specialties, Inc.
2006
Stock Option Plan (the “2006 Plan”) and directed that the 2006 Plan be submitted
to the shareholders for approval at the 2006 Annual Meeting. The affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of the shares of our common
stock voting in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting is required to approve
the 2006 Plan. We will continue to make awards under the 1998 Measurement
Specialties, Inc. Stock Option Plan (the “1998 Plan”) and the 2003 Measurement
Specialties, Inc. Stock Option Plan (the “2003 Plan”) at the discretion of the
Board to the extent that shares remain available under these plans. As of July
7, 2006, 11,240 shares and 83,793 shares were available for issuance upon the
exercise of options under the 1998 plan and 2003 Plan, respectively. The purpose
of the 2006 Plan is to enable us to attract, retain, motivate and provide
additional incentive to our Directors, officers, employees consultants and
advisors, whose contributions are essential to our growth and success by
enabling them to participate in the our long-term growth through ownership
of
our stock. If the 2006 Plan is approved by the shareholders at the Annual
Meeting, the Company contemplates filing a Registration Statement of Form S-8
with the SEC to register sales of shares under the 2006 Plan.
SUMMARY
OF THE 2006 PLAN
The
following summary of the 2006 Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference
to
the text of the 2006 Plan, which is attached as Exhibit
B
hereto.
The 2006 Plan will be administered by our Board of Directors. Our Board of
Directors may delegate the administration of the 2006 Plan to our Compensation
Committee; however, only members of our Compensation Committee who are
“non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), may grant options to our
officers and Directors who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
Further, the 2006 Plan may be administered only by members of our Compensation
Committee who are “outside directors” under Section 162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for the purpose of granting
options to our officers or Directors where such compensation is intended to
qualify as “performance based compensation” within the meaning of Section
162(m)(4)(C) of the Code. For purposes of the following discussion, the term
“Administrator” means the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee as
provided above. The Administrator has the authority, subject to the terms of
the
2006 Plan, to determine the individuals to whom options will be granted, the
times at which options will be granted and the terms and conditions of the
options.
The
material provisions of the 2006 Plan are as follows:
ELIGIBILITY.
Options may be granted to our key employees, consultants, advisors and
Directors. Options intended to qualify as incentive stock options (“ISOs”) may
be granted only to key employees while actually employed by us. Non-employee
Directors, consultants and advisors are not entitled to receive ISOs under
the
2006 Plan.
OPTION
PRICE. The option price for ISOs generally will be 100% of the fair market
value
of Measurement Specialties common stock on the date the option is granted;
however, if the participant in the 2006 Plan owns more than 10% of the combined
voting power of Measurement Specialties and any subsidiary or parent
corporation, the option price will be not less than 110% of the fair market
value of Measurement Specialties common stock on the date of grant. The fair
market value of Measurement Specialties common stock first becoming subject
to
exercise as an incentive stock option by an optionee who is an employee during
any given calendar year may not exceed $100,000. The option price for
non-qualified stock options (as defined below) will be determined by the
Administrator and may be less than, equal to or greater than the fair market
value of Measurement Specialties common stock on the date of grant. Fair market
value for purposes of the 2006 Plan is the closing market price of Measurement
Specialties common stock as reported on the stock exchange determined by the
Board to be the primary market for the common stock on the date of grant
(currently, the NASDAQ Global Market). If Measurement Specialties common stock
is not listed or traded on any exchange, the Administrator will determine fair
market value.
DURATION
OF OPTIONS. Each stock option will terminate on the date fixed by the
Administrator, which will not be more than ten years after the date of grant.
If
the participant in the 2006 Plan owns more than 10% of the combined voting
power
of Measurement Specialties and any subsidiary or parent corporation and an
incentive stock option is granted to such participant, the option will terminate
on the date fixed by the Administrator, which will not be more than five years
after the date of grant.
VESTING.
Options become exercisable when they have vested. The Administrator will specify
the relevant vesting provisions at the time of the grant.
EXERCISE
FOLLOWING TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE. The exercise period for options
granted under the 2006 Plan may not exceed 10 years from the date of grant.
Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator:
|
·
|
if
an optionee’s employment is terminated because of retirement, the optionee
may exercise the option during a period ending on the earlier of
the
expiration date of the option or the expiration of three months following
the optionee's termination;
|
|
·
|
if
an optionee’s employment is terminated because of disability, the optionee
may exercise the option during a period ending on the earlier of
the
expiration date of the option or the expiration of twelve months
following
the optionee's termination;
|
|
·
|
if
an optionee’s employment is terminated because of death, the optionee's
legal representative may exercise the option during a period ending
on the
earlier of the expiration date of the option or the expiration of
twelve
months following the optionee's termination;
|
|
·
|
if
an optionee’s employment is terminated for cause (as defined in the 2006
Plan), all options immediately terminate; and
|
|
·
|
if
an optionee’s employment is terminated for any reason other than those
stated above, the optionee may exercise the option during a period
ending
on the earlier of the expiration date of the option or the expiration
of
three months following the optionee’s termination.
|
PAYMENT.
The Administrator will determine whether exercise of options will be settled
in
whole or in part in cash, common stock or other securities of Measurement
Specialties or other property.
SHARES
THAT MAY BE ISSUED UNDER THE 2006 PLAN. A maximum of 1,000,000 shares of
Measurement Specialties common stock (which number may be adjusted as described
below) are available for issuance pursuant to the exercise of stock options
granted under the 2006 Plan. If any stock option terminates or is canceled
for
any reason without having been exercised in full, the shares of stock not issued
will then become available for additional grants of options. The shares
available under the 2006 Plan represent approximately 7.1% of Measurement
Specialties common stock issued and outstanding on July 7, 2006. The number
of
shares available under the 2006 Plan is subject to adjustment in the event
of
any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, spin-off or other similar
action.
ESTIMATE
OF BENEFITS. The number of stock options that would be awarded to Measurement
Specialties' Chief Executive Officer and the other four most highly compensated
executive officers of Measurement Specialties pursuant to the 2006 Plan is
not
currently determinable. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, an aggregate
of
354,000 stock options were awarded to Measurement Specialties' Chief Executive
Officer and the four other most highly compensated executive officers as a
group
under the 1998 Plan and the 2003 Plan, as the case may be. In March 2006,
options to purchase 300,000 shares of Common Stock were granted to Measurement
Specialties’ Chief Executive Officer pursuant to the 2006 Plan. Such grant to
the Chief Executive Officer is subject to approval of the 2006 Plan by the
shareholders of the Company and if the shareholders do not approve the 2006
Plan
such grant will be automatically rescinded. Additionally in the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2006, 462,580 options were granted to 72 other employees,
including all current officers who are not executive officers, and 25,000
options were granted to Directors who are not executive officers under the
1998
Plan and the 2003 Plan, as the case may be.
FEDERAL
INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE 2006 PLAN INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. Some of the
options granted under the 2006 Plan may constitute “Incentive Stock Options”
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. Under present Federal tax laws,
there will be no Federal income tax consequences to either Measurement
Specialties or an optionee upon the grant of an ISO, nor will an optionee's
exercise of an ISO result in Federal income tax consequences to Measurement
Specialties. Although an optionee will not realize ordinary income upon his
exercise of an ISO, the excess of the fair market value of the common stock
acquired at the time of exercise over the option price may constitute an
adjustment in computing alternative minimum taxable income under Section 56
of
the Code and, thus, may result in the imposition of the “alternative minimum
tax” pursuant to Section 55 of the Code on the optionee. If an optionee does not
dispose of common stock acquired through an ISO within one year of the ISO's
date of exercise or two years from the date of grant of the ISO, whichever
is
later (each, a "disqualifying disposition"), any gain realized upon a subsequent
disposition of common stock will constitute long-term capital gain to the
optionee. If an optionee disposes of the common stock in a disqualifying
disposition, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market
value of the common stock on the date of exercise over the option price or
(ii)
the actual gain realized upon a subsequent disposition will constitute ordinary
income to the optionee in the year of the disposition. Any additional gain
upon
such disposition will be taxed as short-term capital gain. Measurement
Specialties will receive a deduction in an amount equal to the amount
constituting ordinary income to an optionee.
NON-QUALIFIED
STOCK OPTIONS. Certain stock options which do not constitute ISOs
(“Non-qualified stock options”) may be granted under the 2006 Plan. Under
present Federal income tax regulations, there will be no Federal income tax
consequences to either Measurement Specialties or the optionee upon the grant
of
a non-qualified stock option. However, the optionee will realize ordinary income
upon the exercise of a non-qualified stock option in an amount equal to the
excess of fair market value of the common stock acquired upon the exercise
of
such option over the option price, and Measurement Specialties will receive
a
corresponding deduction. The gain, if any, realized upon a subsequent
disposition of such common stock will constitute short- or long-term capital
gain, depending on the optionee's holding period. The Federal income tax
consequences described in this section are based on U.S. laws and regulations
in
effect on July 28, 2006, and there is no assurance that the laws and regulations
will not change in the future and affect the tax consequences of the matters
discussed in this section. Tax consequences in other countries may vary.
TERMINATION
OF AND AMENDMENTS TO THE 2006 PLAN. The Board of Directors may amend the 2006
Plan from time to time, except that no amendment will be made without
shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with applicable
law. No options may be granted under the 2006 Plan after March 28, 2016.
Shareholders
are urged to read the 2006 Plan attached as Exhibit
B
hereto
in its entirety.
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR the approval of the Measurement Specialties,
Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan.
ITEM
4 –
APPROVAL
OF
MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.
2006
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
DESCRIPTION
OF THE MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC. 2006 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN AND
VOTE
REQUIRED
The
Board
of Directors adopted the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the “2006 Purchase Plan”) in the form attached as Exhibit
C
hereto
and directed that the 2006 Purchase Plan be submitted to the shareholders for
approval at the 2006 Annual Meeting. The affirmative vote of a majority of
the
votes cast by holders of the shares of our common stock voting in person or
by
proxy at the Annual Meeting is required to approve the 2006 Purchase Plan.
If
the 2006 Purchase Plan is approved by shareholders at the Annual Meeting, the
Company anticipates filing a Registration Statement on Form S-8 with the SEC
to
register sales of shares under the 2006 Purchase Plan.
SUMMARY
OF THE 2006 PURCHASE PLAN
The
purpose of the 2006 Purchase Plan is to provide employees of the Company and
certain of its subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase shares of common
stock of the Company through accumulated payroll deductions. As of July 7,
2006,
approximately 700 employees would be eligible to participate in the 2006
Purchase Plan. It is the intention of the Company to have the 2006 Purchase
Plan
qualify as an “Employee Stock Purchase Plan” under Section 423 of the
Code.
The
material provisions of the 2006 Purchase Plan are as follows:
ADMINISTRATION.
The 2006 Purchase Plan may be administered by the Board or a committee, person
or entity designated by the Board (referred to herein as the “Administrator”).
The Administrator has full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe,
interpret and apply the terms of the 2006 Purchase Plan, to determine
eligibility and to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the 2006 Purchase
Plan. Up to 250,000 shares are purchasable under the 2006 Purchase
Plan.
ELIGIBILTY.
Each employee of the Company or certain designated subsidiaries who has attained
the age of eighteen (18) years and who has completed at least three (3) months
of service by the end of a twelve (12) month period of employment and is
considered a full time employee by the Company or a designated subsidiary is
eligible to participate in the 2006 Purchase Plan; except that no employee
will
be granted an option under the 2006 Purchase Plan to the extent that (i)
immediately after the grant, such employee would own 5% or more of the total
combined voting power or value of all classes of the Company’s capital stock or
any subsidiary including ownership through unexercised or unvested stock
options, or (ii) his or her rights to purchase stock under all of the
then-existing employee stock purchase plans of the Company accrues at a rate
which exceeds $25,000 of the fair market value of such stock (determined at
the
time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is
outstanding at any time.
OFFERING
PERIOD. Until determined otherwise by the Administrator, offering periods will
be for periods of approximately 6 months during which an option granted pursuant
to the 2006 Purchase Plan may be exercised, commencing on the first trading
day
on or after March 31 and September 30 of each year and terminating approximately
6 months thereafter. To participate in the 2006 Purchase Plan, an eligible
employee must authorize payroll deductions pursuant to the 2006 Purchase Plan.
Such payroll deductions may not exceed 15% of a participant’s compensation
during the offering period. Payroll deductions for a participant shall commence
on the first payday following the offering date and shall end on the last payday
in the offering period, unless sooner terminated by the
participant.
PURCHASE
PRICE. Shares of our common stock may be purchased under the 2006 Purchase
Plan
at a purchase price of 95% of the fair market value of the common stock on
the
exercise date. If the common stock is listed on any established stock exchange
or a national market system, including without limitation the NASDAQ Global
Market, the fair market value of our common stock on any relevant date will
be
the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were
reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the date of determination,
as
reported in The
Wall Street Journal,
or such
other sources the Administrator deems reasonable.
PAYMENT
OF PURCHASE PRICE; PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. The number of shares of the Company’s
common stock a participant may purchase in each offering period during an
offering period is determined by dividing the total amount of payroll deductions
withheld from the participant’s compensation during that offering period by the
purchase price of the shares of common stock on the exercise date. During the
offering period, a participant may discontinue his or her participation in
the
2006 Purchase Plan, and may decrease or increase the rate of payroll deductions
in an offering period within limits set by the Administrator in its sole
discretion. All payroll deductions made for a participant are credited to the
participant’s account under the 2006 Purchase Plan and are withheld in whole
percentages only. A participant may not make additional payments into such
account.
WITHDRAWAL.
A participant may withdraw all, but not less than all, the payroll deductions
credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her option
under the 2006 Purchase Plan until five trading days prior to the end of an
offering period by giving written notice to the Company. All of the
participant's payroll deductions credited to his or her account will be paid
to
such participant as soon as administratively feasible. If a participant
withdraws during an offering period, payroll deductions will not resume at
the
beginning of the succeeding offering period unless the participant re-enrolls
during an enrollment period.
TERMINATION
OF EMPLOYMENT. Termination of a participant’s employment for any reason,
including retirement, death, or failure to remain eligible to participate in
the
2006 Purchase Plan, immediately terminates his or her participation in the
2006
Purchase Plan. In such event, the payroll deductions credited to the
participant's account during the offering period but not yet used to purchase
shares under the 2006 Purchase Plan will be returned without interest to him
or
her or, in the case of his or her death, to the designated beneficiary.
ADJUSTMENTS
UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION, MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION.
CHANGES
IN CAPITALIZATION.
Subject
to any required action by shareholders of the Company, the maximum number of
shares reserved under the 2006 Purchase Plan, the maximum number of shares
that
may be purchased during any purchase period, the number of shares that may
be
added annually to the amount of shares reserved under the 2006 Purchase Plan,
as
well as the price per share and number of shares of common stock covered by
each
option under the 2006 Purchase Plan which has not yet been exercised will be
proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued
shares of common stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock
dividend, combination or reclassification of the Company’s common stock, or any
other change in the number of shares of common stock effected without receipt
of
consideration by the Company.
MERGER
OR
CONSOLIDATION.
In the
event of any merger or consolidation involving the Company, participants shall
be entitled to receive, at the end of the relevant offering period, the
securities or property a holder of the relevant number of shares of common
stock
entitled to at the time of such merger or consolidation.
AMENDMENT
AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. The
Administrator may at any time terminate or amend the 2006 Purchase Plan
including the term of any offering period then outstanding. Generally, no such
termination can adversely affect options previously granted.
CERTAIN
FEDERAL INCOME TAX INFORMATION. The
following brief summary of the effect of federal income taxation upon the
participant and the Company with respect to the shares purchased under the
2006
Purchase Plan does not purport to be complete, and does not discuss the tax
consequences of a participant’s death or the income tax laws of any state or
foreign country in which the participant may reside.
The
2006
Purchase Plan, and the right of participants to make purchases thereunder,
is
intended to qualify under the provisions of Section 423 of the Code. Under
these
provisions, no income will be taxable to a participant until the shares
purchased under the 2006 Purchase Plan are sold or otherwise disposed of. Upon
sale or other disposition of the shares, the participant will generally be
subject to tax in an amount that depends upon the holding period. If the shares
are sold or otherwise disposed of more than two years from the first day of
the
applicable offering period and one year from the applicable date of purchase,
the participant will recognize ordinary income measured as the lesser of (a)
the
excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such sale or
disposition over the purchase price, or (b) an amount equal to 5% of the fair
market value of the shares as of the first day of the applicable offering
period. Any additional gain will be treated as long-term capital gain. If the
shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of these holding
periods, the participant will recognize ordinary income generally measured
as
the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the shares are
purchased over the purchase price for such shares. Any additional gain or loss
on such sale or disposition will be long-term or short-term capital gain or
loss, depending on how long the shares have been held from the date of purchase.
The Company generally is not entitled to a deduction for amounts taxed as
ordinary income or capital gain to a participant except to the extent of
ordinary income recognized by participants upon a sale or disposition of shares
prior to the expiration of the holding periods described above.
Shareholders
are urged to read the 2006 Purchase Plan attached as Exhibit
C
hereto
in its entirety.
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR the approval of the Measurement Specialties,
Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
ITEM
5 –
RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Appointment
of Auditors for Fiscal 2007
The
Audit
Committee has appointed KPMG LLP as our independent auditors for fiscal 2007.
We
are not required to have the shareholders ratify the selection of KPMG LLP
as
our independent auditors. We are doing so because we believe it is a matter
of
good corporate practice. If the shareholders do not ratify the selection, the
Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain KPMG LLP but may retain
such independent auditors. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit
Committee, in its discretion, may change the appointment at any time during
the
year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of
Measurement Specialties and its shareholders. Representatives of KPMG LLP are
expected to be present at the Annual Meeting with an opportunity to make a
statement if they desire to do so and to be available to respond to appropriate
questions.
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of KPMG
LLP as our independent auditors for fiscal 2007.
Changes
in Our Independent Auditors
On
July
13, 2005, the Company notified Grant Thornton LLP of its decision to dismiss
Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent auditors.
Concurrently,
the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors approved the engagement of KPMG
LLP as the Company's independent auditors, effective upon completion of KPMG
LLP's customary client acceptance procedures, notification to Grant Thornton
LLP
of dismissal, and execution of an engagement letter. KPMG LLP served as the
Company's independent auditors beginning with fiscal year 2006.
During
the period beginning April 1, 2003 through July 13, 2005 (the date KPMG LLP
was
appointed), neither the Company nor anyone acting on the Company’s behalf
consulted with KPMG LLP regarding (1) the application of accounting principles
to a specified transaction or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered
on the Company's financial statements or (2) any of the matters or events set
forth in Item 304(a)(2)(ii) of Regulation S-K.
The
reports of Grant Thornton LLP on the Company’s financial statements for the past
two fiscal years 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 period from April 1, 2003 through July 13, 2005, there
were no disagreements with Grant Thornton LLP on any matters of accounting
principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope
and
procedures which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Grant Thornton LLP,
would have caused Grant Thornton LLP to make reference to the matter in its
report.
Representatives
of Grant Thornton LLP, the principal accountant for the fiscal year
2005, are not expected to be present at the Annual Meeting.
Fees
Paid to Our Independent Auditors During Fiscal 2006 and Fiscal 2005
Audit
Fees
Measurement
Specialties was billed the aggregate amount of $1,100,133 for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2006 for professional services rendered by KPMG LLP for its
audit of our financial statements for fiscal 2006, review of the financial
statements included in our Forms 10-Q during fiscal 2006 and Sarbanes-Oxley
related reviews.
Measurement
Specialties was billed the aggregate amount of $847,999 during the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2006 for professional services rendered by Grant Thornton LLP
for its audit of our financial statements for fiscal 2005, and Sarbanes-Oxley
related reviews and procedures with regard to restatement of prior year
financial statements for discontinued operations with the sale of the consumer
business. Measurement Specialties was billed the aggregate amount of $1,127,723
during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 for professional services rendered
by Grant Thornton LLP for its audit of our financial statements for fiscal
2005,
review of the financial statements included in our Forms 10-Q during fiscal
2005
and Sarbanes-Oxley related reviews.
Audit-Related
Fees
In
fiscal
2006, Measurement Specialties did not pay any fees for
audit-related services rendered by KPMG LLP.
In
fiscal
2006 and 2005, Measurement Specialties did not pay any fees for audit-related
services rendered by Grant Thornton LLP.
Tax
Fees
KPMG
LLP
did not bill any fees in fiscal 2006 for tax compliance services.
Grant
Thornton LLP billed $253,134 and $214,321 for fiscal 2006 and 2005,
respectively, for tax compliance services.
All
Other Fees
During
fiscal 2006, Measurement Specialties did not pay KPMG LLP any fees other than
those described above.
During
fiscal 2006 and 2005, Grant Thornton LLP billed approximately $14,862 and
$117,037, respectively, in fees and disbursements for the services other than
those described above. These services related primarily to acquisitions and
litigation.
Pre-Approval
of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services
The
Audit
Committee pre-approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided
by
our independent auditors. These services may include audit services,
audit-related services, tax services and other services. The Audit Committee
has
adopted a policy for the pre-approval of services provided by the independent
auditors. Under the policy, pre-approval is generally provided for up to one
year and any pre-approval is detailed as to the particular service or category
of services and is subject to a specific budget. In addition, the Audit
Committee may pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. For
each
proposed service, the independent auditor is required to provide detailed
back-up documentation at the time of approval. All audit and permissible
non-audit services provided by KPMG LLP and Grant Thornton LLP to Measurement
Specialties for fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2005, respectively, were pre-approved
by
the Audit Committee.
GOVERNANCE
OF THE COMPANY
Pursuant
to the New Jersey Business Corporation Act and the company’s by-laws,
Measurement Specialties’ business, property and affairs are managed by or under
the direction of the Board of Directors. Members of the Board are kept informed
of the company’s business through discussions with the Chief Executive Officer
and other officers, by reviewing materials provided to them and by participating
in meetings of the Board and its committees. We currently have five members
on
our Board. The Board has determined that three of its members, John D. Arnold,
R. Barry Uber and Satish Rishi, are “independent,” as defined in the listing
standards of The NASDAQ Global Market (“NASDAQ”).
During
fiscal 2006, the Board held 4 meetings and the committees held a total of 5
meetings. Each incumbent Director attended more than 75% of the total number
of
meetings of the Board of Directors and the Board committees of which he was
a
member during the period he served as a Director in fiscal 2006. Our policy,
which commenced with our 2004 Annual Meeting, is to require all Directors to
attend annual meetings of shareholders, absent extenuating circumstances. All
of
our Directors then serving attended the Measurement Specialties 2005 Annual
Meeting.
COMMITTEES
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
During
fiscal 2006, the Board of Directors had standing audit, compensation and
nominating committees. The Audit Committee consisted of John D. Arnold
(Chairman), R. Barry Uber, The Honorable Dan J. Samuel (until his resignation
from the Board of Directors in September 2005) and Satish Rishi (upon his
appointment in September 2005 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation
of
The Honorable Dan J. Samuel). All of the Audit Committee members are
independent, as independence for audit committee members is defined in the
NASDAQ listing standards. The Board has determined that all Audit Committee
members have the financial sophistication and experience required by NASDAQ
listing standards. The Company has determined that current Director and nominee
Satish Rishi qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in
Item 401(h) of the Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-K. For
additional information regarding the experience and background of Mr. Rishi,
see
“Item 1 - Election of Directors” above.
During
fiscal 2006, the Audit Committee met 3 times. The functions of the Audit
Committee are described in its report, which is included in this proxy
statement.
During
fiscal 2006, the Compensation Committee consisted of The Honorable Dan J. Samuel
(Chairman) (until his resignation from the Board of Directors in September
2005), Satish Rishi (upon his appointment in September 2005 to fill the vacancy
created by the resignation of The Honorable Dan J. Samuel), John D. Arnold,
and
R. Barry Uber. During fiscal 2006, the Compensation Committee met 2 times.
The
functions of the Compensation Committee are described in its report, which
is
included in this proxy statement.
During
fiscal 2006, the Nominating Committee, consisted of R. Barry Uber (Chairman),
John D. Arnold, The Honorable Dan J. Samuel (until his resignation from the
Board of Directors in September 2005) and Satish Rishi (upon his appointment
in
September 2005 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of The Honorable
Dan J. Samuel). All of the Nominating Committee members are independent, as
independence for nominating committee members is defined in the NASDAQ listing
standards. The Nominating Committee was formed to evaluate and recommend to
the
Board the persons to be nominated for election as directors at any meeting
of
shareholders, and the persons to be elected by the Board to fill any vacancy
on
the Board.
During
fiscal 2006, the Nominating Committee did not meet. Prior to the formation
of
the Nominating Committee, the full Board, a majority of the members of which
are
“independent,” as defined in the NASDAQ listing standards, performed the
functions now assigned to the Nominating Committee. The Board has adopted a
written charter setting forth the functions of the Nominating Committee and
providing direction as to nominating policies and procedures. This charter
is
available to shareholders on our website, www.meas-spec.com.
The
Nominating Committee carefully considers all director candidates recommended
by
our shareholders, and the Nominating Committee does not and will not evaluate
such candidate recommendations any differently from the way it evaluates other
candidates. In its evaluation of each proposed candidate, the Nominating
Committee considers many factors including, without limitation, the individual’s
experience, character, demonstrations of judgment and ability, and financial
and
other special expertise. The Nominating Committee is also authorized to obtain
the assistance of an independent third party to complete the process of finding,
evaluating and selecting suitable candidates for director. Any shareholder
who
wishes to recommend an individual as a nominee for election to the Board should
submit such recommendation in writing to the attention of Frank D. Guidone
(who
will forward the recommendation to the Nominating Committee) through Company’s
website (http://www.meas-spec.com) or by mail to the Company (1000 Lucas Way,
Hampton, VA 23666, Attn: Chairman of Nominating Committee) , together with
information regarding the experience, education and general background of the
individual and a statement as to why the shareholder believes such individual
to
be an appropriate candidate for Director of Measurement Specialties. Such
recommendation should be provided to Measurement Specialties no later than
80
days prior to the anniversary of the date of the notice accompanying these
proxy
materials.
The
Board
has determined that each of Messrs. Arnold, Uber and Rishi is “independent,” as
defined in the NASDAQ listing standards. Consequently, each of the Audit
Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating Committee consists solely
of
independent Directors.
COMMUNICATIONS
WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The
Company encourages shareholder communications with the Board of Directors but
does not have a formal process. All such communications should be sent to Frank
D. Guidone through Company’s website (http://www.meas-spec.com/myMEAS/investors/ceo_comment.asp)
or by
mail to the Company (1000 Lucas Way, Hampton, VA 23666). Mr. Guidone will
circulate them to the other members of the Board. If the communication is
directed to a particular Director, Mr. Guidone will forward the communication
to
that Director. The Board does not screen shareholder
communications.
COMPENSATION
OF DIRECTORS
Directors
who are our employees do not receive additional compensation for serving on
our
Board of Directors or on committees of the Board. Mr. Guidone, as Chief
Executive Officer, is the only member of the Board of Directors who is also
an
employee. For fiscal 2006, all of our outside Directors (Mr. Topfer, Mr. Uber,
Mr. Arnold, Mr. Samuel (until his resignation in September 2005), and Mr. Rishi
(upon his appointment in September 2005)), that is Directors who are not
employees or full-time consultants of Measurement Specialties, each received
a
cash retainer of $35,000. Three of our outside Directors, Mr. Topfer, Mr. Arnold
and Mr. Uber, received options to purchase 5,000 shares. One of our outside
Directors, Mr. Rishi, received an option to purchase 10,000 shares.
Outside
Directors do not receive retirement or other fringe benefits and do not receive
additional compensation related to attendance at committee
meetings.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
The
members of the Compensation Committee in fiscal 2006 were The Honorable Dan
J.
Samuel (until his resignation from the Board of Directors in September 2005),
Satish Rishi (upon his appointment in September 2005 to fill the vacancy created
by the resignation of The Honorable Dan J. Samuel), John D. Arnold, and R.
Barry
Uber. None of the members has ever been an officer or employee of Measurement
Specialties or any of its subsidiaries, and no “compensation committee
interlocks” existed during fiscal 2006.
CODE
OF ETHICS
The
Company has adopted a Code of Ethics in accordance with SEC regulations,
applicable to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, senior financial officers
and the Board of Directors. The Code of Ethics is available to shareholders
on
our website, www.meas-spec.com.
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The
Audit
Committee is appointed by the Board to assist the Board in
monitoring:
|
·
|
the
integrity of the financial statements of Measurement
Specialties,
|
|
·
|
the
independent auditor’s qualifications and
independence,
|
|
·
|
the
performance of Measurement Specialties’ independent auditors,
and
|
|
·
|
the
compliance by Measurement Specialties with legal and regulatory
requirements.
|
We
meet
with management periodically to consider the adequacy of Measurement
Specialties’ internal controls and the objectivity of its financial reporting.
We discuss these matters with Measurement Specialties’ independent auditors and
with appropriate company financial personnel.
We
regularly meet privately with the independent auditors who have unrestricted
access to the committee.
We
select, evaluate and, where appropriate, replace the independent auditor, and
review periodically their performance, fees and independence from
management.
Each
of
the Directors who serves on the committee is “independent” for purposes of the
NASDAQ listing standards. That is, the Board of Directors has determined that
none of Mr. Arnold, Mr. Rishi or Mr. Uber has a relationship with Measurement
Specialties that may interfere with his independence from Measurement
Specialties and its management.
The
Board
has adopted a written charter setting out the audit related functions the
committee is to perform. The Board amended and restated the charter effective
January 2003 to reflect changes in law and applicable SEC and stock exchange
regulations and reviews the charter on an ongoing basis to assure that the
functions and duties of the Audit Committee will continue to conform to such
applicable regulations as they may be amended or modified in the future. The
charter is available to shareholders on our website, www.meas-spec.com.
Management
has primary responsibility for the company’s financial statements and the
overall reporting process, including the company’s system of internal controls.
The independent auditors audit the annual financial statements prepared by
management, express an opinion as to whether those financial statements fairly
present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the
company in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States and discuss with us any issues they believe should be raised
with
us. We monitor these processes, relying without independent verification on
the
information provided to us and on the representations made by management and
the
independent auditors.
This
year, we reviewed Measurement Specialties’ audited financial statements as of
and for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2005, respectively,
and met with both management and KPMG LLP and Grant Thornton LLP, Measurement
Specialties’ independent auditors for fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2005, respectively,
to discuss those financial statements. Management has represented to us that
the
financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States.
We
have
received from and discussed with KPMG LLP the written disclosure and the letter
required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence
Discussions with Audit Committees). These items relate to that firm’s
independence from the Company. We also discussed with KPMG LLP any matters
required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61
(Communication with Audit Committees).
Based
on
these reviews and discussions, we recommended to the Board that the company’s
audited financial statements be included in Measurement Specialties’ Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006.
John
D.
Arnold (Chairman)
Satish
Rishi
R.
Barry
Uber
REPORT
OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
ON
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The
Compensation Committee's policies are intended to attract and retain talented
executives, motivate attainment of strategic objectives, and align executives'
interests with those of shareholders. Pursuant to the Committee's
recommendations, the Board approves officers' base salaries, salary increases,
bonuses, stock option grants and, where applicable, employment contracts and
severance payments. A significant amount of an officer's yearly compensation
is
based upon the Company's performance for the fiscal year and over time.
The
Committee seeks to offer competitive compensation packages that are consistent
with market and industry practices, based on input from the Chief Executive
Officer with reference to a periodic survey of similar-sized companies in
similar industries. The fiscal 2006 average base compensation for the company's
officers is intended to be competitive with salaries paid to similarly situated
executives. The fiscal 2006 average base salaries of the Company's officers,
excluding the Chief Executive Officer, did not increase over fiscal 2005 base
salaries.
Annual
bonus maximums are intended to be competitive with those available to similarly
situated executives and provide for a significant performance incentive. The
Chief Executive Officer recommends awards to the Compensation Committee with
reference to the level of achievement of corporate and individual objectives.
Corporate objectives are measured by sales increases, net income, and other
goals determined annually. Individual objectives are intended to be objectives
that are under the respective officers' direct control. The Board retains the
right to make discretionary adjustments it deems appropriate.
Officers'
eligibility for stock option grants, and the frequency and size of such grants,
are intended to be competitive with observed market practices for similarly
situated executives and encourage increased shareholder value. The Company's
stock option plans comply with applicable laws and regulations, permitting
the
company to deduct for federal income tax purposes the cost of any compensation
arising thereunder relating to Internal Revenue Code section 162(m). At present,
the Company has no other compensation programs or policies that could give
rise
to compensation to an officer in excess of $1 million a year.
The
Company has no formal executive severance pay policy. Severance pay and
non-monetary severance benefits are determined as appropriate with reference
to
observed market practice, length of service and reason for
termination.
The
Committee's policies for compensating the Chief Executive Officer are intended
to provide significant annual and long-term performance incentives. The
Committee seeks to provide the Chief Executive Officer with compensation which
is intended to be competitive with compensation paid to similarly situated
chief
executives.
The
Company entered into an Employment Agreement with Frank Guidone, the current
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of March 31, 2006 (the
“Employment Agreement”). From June 2002 through March 2006, Mr. Guidone had been
serving as Chief Executive Officer through consulting arrangements with
consulting firms of which Mr. Guidone was a principal. The Employment Agreement
is for an initial term of two years with automatic renewal for successive
one-year terms unless either party gives timely notice of non-renewal. Under
the
terms of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Guidone will continue to serve as the
Chief Executive Officer of the Company at an annual base salary of $450,000.
In
addition, Mr. Guidone received a guaranteed bonus in the amount of $50,000
in
connection with the execution of the Employment Agreement. Mr. Guidone is also
eligible to receive an annual bonus pursuant to the Company’s Bonus Plan,
payable in accordance with the terms thereof, based upon annual performance
criteria and goals established by the Committee. Further, pursuant to the terms
of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Guidone received an option to purchase 300,000
shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price per share equal to the
fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on March 30, 2006
(the “Option”). The Option was granted pursuant to the Company’s 2006 Stock
Option Plan (the “Option Plan”) and is subject to the terms, conditions and
provisions thereof and of the agreement evidencing the Option. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Option Plan is subject to approval by the stockholders of
the
Company, and in the event that such approval is not obtained, the Option will
be
automatically rescinded by the Company. The Committee has approved the terms
of
the Employment
Agreement,
the Option and the Option Plan.
The
Board
neither rejected, nor did it materially modify, any action or recommendation
of
the Committee.
|
|
Satish
Rishi, Chairman
John
D. Arnold, Member
R.
Barry Uber, Member
|
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
Our
executive officers are as follows:
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Frank
Guidone
|
|
41
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Director
|
John
P. Hopkins
|
|
45
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
|
J.
Victor Chatigny
|
|
55
|
|
Vice
President, Product Management of the Sensor Products
Division
|
Glen
MacGibbon
|
|
44
|
|
Vice
President, Global Sales and Marketing of the Sensor Products
Division
|
Jean-Francois
Allier
|
|
52
|
|
Vice
President and General Manager of Europe for the Sensor Products
Division
|
Steven
Smith
|
|
57
|
|
Vice
President/General Manager - Asia
|
Officers
are not appointed for fixed terms. Biographical information for our current
officers who are not also continuing Directors follows:
John
P. Hopkins
was
appointed Chief Financial Officer in July 2002. Prior to joining Measurement
Specialties, he was Vice President, Finance from April 2001, and was Vice
President and Controller from January 1999 to March 2001, with Cambrex
Corporation, a provider of scientific products and services to the life sciences
industry. From 1988 to 1998, he held various senior financial positions with
ARCO Chemical Company, a manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals and
chemical intermediates. Mr. Hopkins is a Certified Public Accountant and was
an
Audit Manager for Coopers & Lybrand prior to joining ARCO Chemical. Mr.
Hopkins holds a B.S. in Accounting from West Chester University, and an M.B.A.
from Villanova University.
J.
Victor Chatigny
has
been
Vice President and General Manager of our Sensors Division since his appointment
in June 2002. Mr. Chatigny joined Measurement Specialties through our 1998
acquisition of PiezoSensors from AMP Incorporated, where he served as Director
of Sales, Marketing and Research and Development since 1993. Mr. Chatigny also
served in US Army Corps of Engineers where he was Captain, 11th
Engineering Battalion and Commander of the Atomic Demolition Munition
Detachment. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in industrial engineering and
management from Clarkson University, and a M.B.A. (finance) from The American
University.
Glen
MacGibbon
has been
Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing of our Sensor Products Division
since March 1, 2005, prior to that, he was Director of Global Sales &
Marketing since joining the company in 1998.
Mr. MacGibbon joined Measurement Specialties through our 1998
acquisition of PiezoSensors from AMP Incorporated, where he held
various sales management roles since 1989. Previously he was
working in both regional sales and technical support roles for the
Riston Division of Dupont Electronics. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical
Engineering from Bucknell University, and
an M.B.A. from Illinois Benedictine College.
Jean-François
Allier
has been
Vice President and General Manager of Europe for the Sensor Products Division
since March 2005. He joined Measurement Specialties in December 2004, through
the acquisition of Humirel SA. Mr. Allier began his career as a financial
analyst for a French regional Bank where he remained until 1978. He later held
various positions throughout Europe with Motorola Semiconductors. His experience
at Motorola includes engineering, product marketing, research and development,
and business management. In 1998, he founded Humirel SA and remained as
President and CEO until its acquisition in December 2004 by the Company. Mr.
Allier holds an M.S. in Engineering from Ecole des Mines and a D.E.A. in
Material Science.
Steven
Smith
has
served as Vice President/General Manager - Asia since January 2006. Prior to
Measurement Specialties, Mr. Smith spent 5 years as Vice President/General
Manager of a wholly owned subsidiary of Compass Aerospace, Inc.; 5 years in
management consulting in the product development and private equity/due
diligence practice areas of George Group, Inc.; and 19 years combined with
the
aerospace electronics firms of Rockwell International and Electrospace Systems.
Mr. Smith has held operational, engineering, marketing, financial and general
management positions in his varied work experience. Mr. Smith received a B.A.
in
Economics (with minor studies in engineering) from the University of Southern
California and a MBA (Finance) from the University of Louisville.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Summary
Compensation.
The
following table contains summary information concerning the annual compensation
for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 for our chief executive
officer and certain other executive officers whose salary and bonus exceeded
$100,000 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006:
|
|
Annual
Compensation
|
|
Long-Term
Compensation
|
|
Name
& Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
|
|
Bonus
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Options
|
|
All
Other Compensation
|
|
Frank
D. Guidone
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
Director (1)
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
P. Hopkins
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
236,040
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
7,327
|
(2)
|
Chief
Financial Officer and
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
225,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
11,040
|
(2)
|
Secretary
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
225,000
|
|
|
57,043
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
20,905
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.
Victor Chatigny
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
204,000
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
$
|
6,430
|
(3)
|
Vice
President, Product Management of the
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
195,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
9,000
|
(3)
|
Sensor
Products Division
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
180,000
|
|
|
53,193
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
16,892
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glen
MacGibbon
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
153,078
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
4,000
|
|
$
|
23,699
|
(4)
|
Vice
President, Global Sales and Marketing
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
135,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
14,222
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
137,000
|
|
|
43,936
|
|
|
40,000
|
|
|
12,919
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jean-François
Allier
|
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
121,900
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
$
|
3,413
|
(6)
|
Vice
President and General Manager of Europe (5)
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
42,907
|
|
|
10,552
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
976
|
(6)
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
(1)
The
long-term retention of Mr. Guidone as the company’s Chief Executive Officer was
approved in April 2003, and became effective as of April 1, 2003 pursuant to
a
consulting agreement (the “Consulting
Agreement”)
between the company and Four Corners Capital Partners, L.P. (“Four Corners,” a
consulting firm of which Mr. Guidone is a Principal, and an affiliate of
Corporate Revitalization Partners “CRP”), under which Four Corners agreed to
provide the services of Mr. Guidone to the Company. In accordance with the
terms
of the Consulting Agreement, Four Corners received an annual fee of $400,000
and
was eligible for a performance-based bonus. Four Corners received aggregated
fees of $400,000, $400,000 and $333,333 for fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004,
respectively, and a bonus of $165,768 for fiscal year 2004. Four Corners also
received a warrant to purchase up to 600,000 shares of the Company’s common
stock (the “Four
Corners Warrant”).
During fiscal 2004, all performance milestones triggering accelerated vesting
under the warrant were achieved, and in March 2004, Four Corners exercised
the
warrant in a cashless exercise and received a net of 500,785 shares. The
exercise price of the Four Corners Warrant was $3.16/share, the fair market
value of the Company’s common stock at the time the Board determined to offer
Mr. Guidone a permanent position as Chief Executive Officer. The Company entered
into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Guidone effective March 31, 2006. For
additional information regarding the Employment Agreement with Mr. Guidone
see
“Report of the Compensation Committee on Executive Compensation” above.
(2)
For
the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 includes company
match under the 401(k) plan of $7,327.
For the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 includes automobile allowance of
$11,040.
(3)
For
the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 includes company
match under the 401(k) plan of $6,430.
For the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 includes automobile allowance of
$9,000.
(4)
For
the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, includes company
match under the 401(k) plan of $4,829 and sales commissions of $18,870.
For
the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, includes auto allowance of $7,000 and
sales
commissions of $7,222.
(5)
Mr.
Allier was appointed Vice
President and General Manager of Europe in
March
2005.
(6)
For
the fiscal years ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 includes automobile allowance
of
$3,413 and $976, respectively.
Option
Grants in Last Fiscal Year to Named Executive Officers.
The
following table sets forth information related to the grant of stock options
by
us during the year ended March 31, 2006 to executive officers named in the
Summary Compensation Table.
|
|
Individual
Grants
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Options Granted
|
|
Percent
of Total Options Granted to Employees in Fiscal
Year
|
|
Exercise
or Base Price ($/Share)
|
|
Expiration
Date
|
|
Potential
Realizable Value at Assumed Annual Rates of Stock Price Appreciation
for
Option Term ($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5%
|
|
10%
|
|
Frank
D. Guidone
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
|
36
|
%
|
$
|
25.52
|
|
|
3/30/2016
|
|
$
|
3,682,343
|
|
$
|
8,907,780
|
|
John
P. Hopkins
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
J.
Victor Chatigny
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Glen
MacGibbon
|
|
|
4,000
|
|
|
*
|
|
$
|
24.14
|
|
|
11/09/2015
|
|
$
|
46,442
|
|
$
|
112,310
|
|
Jean-François
Allier
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
6
|
%
|
$
|
24.14
|
|
|
11/09/2015
|
|
$
|
580,536
|
|
$
|
1,403,875
|
|
*
less
than 1%
Aggregated
Option Exercises and Fiscal Year-End Option Values.
The
following table contains information concerning the aggregated option exercises
during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006
and
the value of unexercised options held as of March 31, 2006
by
the executive officers named in the summary compensation table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Unexercised Options at March 31,
2006
|
|
Value
of Unexercised In-the-Money Options at March 31, 2006
(1)
|
|
Name
|
|
Shares
Acquired on Exercise
|
|
Value
Realized
|
|
Exercisable
|
|
Unexercisable
|
|
Exercisable
|
|
Unexercisable
|
|
Frank
D. Guidone
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
189,000
|
|
John
P. Hopkins
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
$
|
1,132,000
|
|
|
35,000
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
836,500
|
|
|
358,500
|
|
J.
Victor Chatigny
|
|
|
7,800
|
|
$
|
141,960
|
|
|
83,650
|
|
|
11,250
|
|
|
2,045,959
|
|
|
275,738
|
|
Glen
MacGibbon
|
|
|
9,120
|
|
$
|
190,882
|
|
|
31,250
|
|
|
37,750
|
|
|
647,538
|
|
|
480,053
|
|
Jean-François
Allier
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
100,500
|
|
|
(1)
|
Value
of in-the-money options is based on the excess of the closing price
of our
common stock on The NASDAQ Global Market on March 31, 2006 ($26.15)
over
the exercise price of the options, multiplied by the number shares
underlying the options.
|
EXECUTIVE
AGREEMENTS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
(a) Transactions
with management and others.
The
Company entered into an Employment Agreement with Frank Guidone, the current
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of March 31, 2006 (the
“Employment Agreement”). From June 2002 through March 2006, Mr. Guidone had been
serving as Chief Executive Officer through consulting arrangements with
consulting firms of which Mr. Guidone was a principal. The Employment Agreement
is for an initial term of two years with automatic renewal for successive
one-year terms unless either party gives timely notice of non renewal. Under
the
terms of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Guidone will continue to serve as the
Chief Executive Officer of the Company at an annual base salary of $450,000.
In
addition, Mr. Guidone received a guaranteed bonus in the amount of $50,000
in
connection with the execution of the Employment Agreement. Mr. Guidone is also
eligible to receive an annual bonus pursuant to the Company’s Bonus Plan,
payable in accordance with the terms thereof, based upon annual performance
criteria and goals established by the Compensation Committee. Further, pursuant
to the terms of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Guidone received an option to
purchase 300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price per
share equal to the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on
March 30, 2006 (the “Option”). The Option was granted pursuant to the Company’s
2006 Stock Option Plan (the “Option Plan”) and is subject to the terms,
conditions and provisions thereof and of the agreement evidencing the Option.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Option Plan is subject to approval by the
stockholders of the Company, and in the event that such approval is not
obtained, the Option will be automatically rescinded by the Company. The
Compensation Committee has approved the terms of the Employment Agreement,
the
Option and the Option Plan.
On
December 22, 2004, we consummated the acquisition of all of the issued and
outstanding stock of Humirel SA. Jean Francois Allier, the current Vice
President and General Manager of Europe, and certain members of his family,
as
selling shareholders of Humirel SA, are entitled to their proportionate share
(approximately 34.75%) of certain amounts to be paid relating to the deferred
acquisition payment and earn-out targets. An aggregate deferred payment of
approximately $1,900,000 was made on or about December 22, 2006.
PERFORMANCE
GRAPH
The
Performance Line Graph below presents the total return to our shareholders
for
the period March 31, 2001 to March 31, 2006. Our common stock is compared to
the, the Russell 2000 index and one peer group. We have opted to drop S&P
SmallCap 600 Index. The peer group is comprised of publicly held companies
with
a standard industrial classification (“SIC”) appropriate for the company’s
primary business segment, Sensor Products. This peer group (SIC 3823), as of
March 31, 2006, consisted of the companies listed in the table below. We believe
that the use of SIC 3823 is an accurate representation of the company’s
respective benchmark. The historical performance represented in the graph below
is no guarantee of future results.
SIC
3823 - Industrial Instruments for Measurement, Display, and Control
of
Process Variables; and Related Products
|
Ametek
Inc
|
|
Measurement
Specialties, Inc
|
|
Qualmark
Corp.
|
Badger
Meter Inc
|
|
Mesa
Laboratories Inc
|
|
Roper
Industries Income
|
Century
Controls International Inc
|
|
Metretek
Technologies Inc
|
|
Rudolph
Technologies Inc
|
Cognex
Corp.
|
|
Mfic
Corp.
|
|
Somerset
International Group Inc
|
Electronic
& Gas Technology Inc
|
|
Micro
Imagining Technology Inc
|
|
Sono
TEK Corp.
|
Electro-Sensors
Inc
|
|
Microwave
Filter Company Inc
|
|
Sutron
Corp.
|
Emerson
Electric Company
|
|
MKS
Instrument Inc
|
|
Therma-Wave
Inc
|
Environmental
Tectonics Corp.
|
|
MTS
Systems Corp.
|
|
Transcat
Inc
|
Esco
Technologies Inc
|
|
New
Century Equity Holdings Corp.
|
|
|
Faro
Technologies Inc
|
|
OI
Corp.
|
|
|
K-Tron
International Inc
|
|
Pro-Dex
Inc
|
|
|
Law
Enforcement Associates
|
|
Publicard
Inc
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative
Total Return
|
|
|
|
3/01
|
|
3/02
|
|
3/03
|
|
3/04
|
|
3/05
|
|
3/06
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
|
|
|
100.00
|
|
|
36.18
|
|
|
14.84
|
|
|
100.88
|
|
|
119.73
|
|
|
136.13
|
|
RUSSELL
2000
|
|
|
100.00
|
|
|
113.98
|
|
|
83.25
|
|
|
136.39
|
|
|
143.77
|
|
|
180.93
|
|
SIC
CODE 3823
|
|
|
100.00
|
|
|
101.65
|
|
|
77.40
|
|
|
111.04
|
|
|
124.79
|
|
|
163.86
|
|
BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP OF MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES COMMON STOCK
The
following table shows information regarding the beneficial ownership of our
common shares as of July 7, 2006 for:
|
·
|
each
executive officer named in the summary compensation
table;
|
|
·
|
all
directors and executive officers as a group;
and
|
|
·
|
each
person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of
our
outstanding shares of common stock.
|
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)
|
|
Amount
and Nature of Beneficial Ownership (2)
|
|
Percent
(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors
and Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Morton
L. Topfer (3)
|
|
|
749,257
|
|
|
5.31
|
%
|
J.
Victor Chatigny (4)
|
|
|
132,073
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
John
P. Hopkins (5)
|
|
|
91,945
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
Frank
D. Guidone
|
|
|
79,879
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
John
D. Arnold (6)
|
|
|
78,200
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
Glenn
MacGibbon (7)
|
|
|
61,363
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
R.
Barry Uber (8)
|
|
|
20,300
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
Jean-François
Allier
|
|
|
17,500
|
|
|
*
|
%
|
Satish
Rishi
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Steven
Smith
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
directors and officers as a group (10 persons) (9)
|
|
|
1,230,517
|
|
|
8.72
|
%
|
*
less
than 1%
(1)
|
Unless
otherwise indicated, the address of each person is c/o Measurement
Specialties, Inc.,
1000 Lucas Way, Hampton, VA 23666.
|
(2)
|
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations
of
the Securities and Exchange Commission. In computing the number of
shares
beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that
person, shares of common stock subject to options and warrants held
by
that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within
60 days
of the date hereof are deemed outstanding. Such shares, however,
are not
deemed outstanding for the purposes of computing the percentage ownership
of any other person. Except as indicated in the footnotes to this
table
and pursuant to applicable community property laws, each stockholder
named
in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to
the
shares set forth opposite such stockholder’s name. The percentage of
beneficial ownership is based on 14,115,384 shares of common stock
outstanding as of July 7, 2006.
|
(3)
|
Includes
shares of our common stock held by Castletop Capital, L.P., a private
investment company of which Mr. Topfer is a Managing Director. Mr.
Topfer
has shared voting and shared investment power with respect to the
shares
and warrants held by Castletop
Capital.
|
(4)
|
Includes
options to purchase 53,650 shares.
|
(5) |
Includes
options to purchase 15,000 shares.
|
(6) |
Includes
options to purchase 21,000 shares.
|
(7)
|
Includes
options to purchase 41,250 shares.
|
(8)
|
Includes
options to purchase 20,300 shares.
|
(9)
|
Includes
options to purchase an aggregate of 151,200
shares.
|
OTHER
MATTERS
The
Board
of Directors is not aware of any matters other than those set forth in this
proxy statement that will be presented for action at the Annual Meeting.
However, if any other matter should properly come before the meeting, the
persons authorized by the accompanying proxy will vote and act with respect
thereto, in what according to their judgment, is in the interests of Measurement
Specialties and its shareholders.
SECTION
16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers, and the
persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of our common stock, to
file
reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Copies of all filed reports are required to be furnished to us.
Based solely on the reports received by us and on the representations of the
reporting persons, we believe that these persons have complied with all
applicable filing requirements during fiscal 2006, except R. Barry Uber (three
late Form 4 filings), Satish Rishi (one late Form 3 filing and one late Form
4
filing), John Arnold (one late Form 4 filing), John P. Hopkins (one late Form
4
filing), Glen MacGibbon (one late Form 4 filing) and Jean-François Allier (two
late Form 4 filings) .
ANNUAL
REPORT ON FORM 10-K
In
addition to the proxy statement and proxy card, a copy of Measurement
Specialties’ annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2006, which is not part of the proxy soliciting material, is enclosed. The
annual report on Form 10-K is being furnished to you without the exhibits
thereto. Upon your request, the company will provide you with a copy of the
exhibits. You may under some circumstances be responsible for the company’s
reasonable expenses in furnishing such exhibits.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS FOR THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING
Shareholders
who wish to present proposals to be included in the Corporation’s proxy
materials for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must submit such proposals
to our Secretary at Measurement Specialties, Inc., 1000 Lucas Way, Hampton,
VA
23666 by April 1, 2007. For any proposal that is not submitted for inclusion
in
next year’s proxy materials, but is instead sought to be presented directly at
the 2007 Annual Meeting, SEC rules permit us to exercise discretionary voting
authority to the extent conferred by proxy if we: (1) receive notice of the
proposal before June 15, 2007 and advise shareholders in the 2007 proxy
statement of the nature of the proposal and how management intends to vote
on
such matter or (2) do not receive notice of the proposal before June 15, 2007.
Notices of intention to present proposals at the 2007 Annual Meeting should
be
submitted to our Secretary at Measurement Specialties, Inc., 1000 Lucas Way,
Hampton, VA 23666.
July
28,
2006
EXHIBIT
A
THIRD
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the
State of New Jersey (the "Corporation"),
hereby amends, restates and integrates its Certificate of Incorporation to
read
in full as herein set forth.
ARTICLE
ONE
The
name
of the Corporation is MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.
ARTICLE
TWO
The
address of the Corporation's registered office in the State of New Jersey is
830
Bear Tavern Road, West Trenton, New Jersey 08628, and the name of its registered
agent therein and in charge thereof upon whom process against the Corporation
may be served is Corporation Service Company. The Corporation may also have
offices at such other places, both within and without the State of New Jersey
as
the board of directors of the Corporation (the "Board
of Directors")
may
from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE
THREE
The
purposes for which the Corporation is organized are to engage in any activity
within the purposes for which corporations now or at any time hereafter may
be
organized under the New Jersey Business Corporation Act (the “BCA”) and under
all amendments and supplements thereto, or any act enacted to take the place
thereof.
ARTICLE
FOUR
Section
1. Authorized
Shares.
The
total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation has authority
to
issue is 50,000,000 shares, consisting of:
|
(a) |
10,000,000
shares of Preferred Stock, no par value per share ("Preferred
Stock");
and
|
|
(b) |
40,000,000
shares of Common Stock, no par value per share ("Common
Stock").
|
The
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock shall have the rights, preferences and
limitations set forth below.
Section
2. Preferred
Stock.
The
Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to provide for
the
issuance of any or all shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more classes
or
series, and to fix for each such class or series such voting powers, full or
limited, or no voting powers, and such distinctive designations, preferences
and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and
expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
providing for the issuance of such class or series and as may be permitted
by
the BCA. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to change the
designation or number of shares, or the relative rights, preferences and
limitations of the shares, of any theretofore established class or series no
shares of which have been issued. No holder of Preferred Stock shall have any
preemptive, subscription, redemption, conversion or sinking fund rights with
respect to the Preferred Stock, or to any obligations convertible (directly
or
indirectly) into any class or series of stock of the Corporation whether now
or
hereafter authorized, except as otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors.
Section
3. Common
Stock.
(b) Conversion
Rights.
The
Common Stock shall not be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of
any
other class or classes or of any other series of the same class of the
Corporation's capital stock.
(c) Preemptive
Rights.
No
holder of Common Stock shall have any preemptive, subscription, redemption,
conversion or sinking fund rights with respect to the Common Stock, or to any
obligations convertible (directly or indirectly) into stock of the Corporation
whether now or hereafter authorized.
(d) Voting
Rights.
Except
as otherwise provided by the BCA or this Certificate of Incorporation, and
subject to the rights of holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock,
all
of the voting power of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be vested
in
the holders of the Common Stock, and each holder of Common Stock shall have
one
vote for each share held by such holder on all matters voted upon by the
shareholders of the Corporation.
ARTICLE
FIVE
The
number of directors constituting the Corporation's current Board of Directors
is
five (5). The names and business office addresses of the persons currently
serving as said directors are set forth below:
Name
|
|
Address
|
|
|
|
Frank
D. Guidone
|
|
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
Virginia
|
|
|
|
Morton
L. Topfer
|
|
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
Virginia
|
|
|
|
R.
Barry Uber
|
|
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
Virginia
|
|
|
|
John
D. Arnold
|
|
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
Virginia
|
|
|
|
Satish
Rishi
|
|
1000
Lucas Way
Hampton,
Virginia
|
ARTICLE
SIX
Section
1. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall consist of not fewer than
five (5) and not more than nine (9) persons. Subject to any rights of the
holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation to elect
additional directors under specified circumstances, the actual number of
directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board
of
Directors.
Section
2. The election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the By-Laws
of
the Corporation so provide. The directors shall be classified, with respect
to
the time for which they severally hold office, into three classes, as nearly
equal in number as possible, as determined by the Board of Directors, with
the
members of each class to hold office until their successors are elected and
qualified. At each annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation, the
successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall
be
elected to the office for a three-year term expiring at the annual meeting
of
shareholders held in the third year after their election and until their
respective successors shall have been elected and qualified.
Section
3. Any directorship not filled at the annual meeting, vacancies occurring on
the
Board of Directors for any reason and newly created directorship resulting
from
an increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled only by vote
of
a majority of the remaining members of the Board of Directors, even though
less
than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board
of
Directors. A person so elected by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy
shall
hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting of shareholders of the
Corporation and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and
qualified, unless otherwise required by law. If the number of directors is
changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so
as
to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible,
and any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold
office until the next succeeding annual meeting of shareholders and until his
or
her successor shall have been elected and qualified, provided that such
successor shall be placed in the class in which the new directorship was created
or from which the vacancy occurred. No decrease in the number of directors
constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent
director.
Section
4. In the event that the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock
of
the Corporation shall be entitled, voting separately as a class or series,
to
elect any directors of the Corporation, then the number of directors that may
be
elected by such holders shall be in addition to the number fixed by the Board
of
Directors and, except as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of such
class
or series, the terms of the directors elected by such holders shall expire
at
the annual meeting of shareholders next succeeding their election without regard
to the classification of the remaining directors.
ARTICLE
SEVEN
Meetings
of shareholders may be held within or without the State of New Jersey, as the
By-Laws of the Corporation may provide or as may be fixed by the Board of
Directors pursuant to the authority granted in the By-Laws of the Corporation.
ARTICLE
EIGHT
In
furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board
of Directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend or repeal the By-Laws
of the Corporation.
ARTICLE
NINE
Section
1. Limitation
of Liability; Indemnification.
(a) For
purposes of this ARTICLE NINE, the following definitions shall
apply:
(1) “Expenses”
shall
mean all reasonable costs, disbursements, fees of attorneys, accountants and
other professionals, expert fees, investigative fees and all other similar
expenses.
(2) “Indemnitee”
shall
mean a director, officer, or trustee of the Corporation, or of any employee
benefit plan adopted or sponsored by the Corporation, or director, officer,
trustee or other fiduciary, member, partner of, or persons in a similar capacity
with any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise
which such person is serving at the request of the Corporation. Any person
serving simultaneously as a director or officer of the Corporation and as a
director, officer, employee, trustee or other fiduciary, member, partner of,
or
in a similar capacity with (i) any enterprise in which the Corporation owns
at
least 20% of the equity interests of such enterprise or (ii) any employee
benefit plan adopted or sponsored by such an enterprise, shall be conclusively
presumed to be serving in such capacity at the request of the
Corporation.
(3) “Liabilities”
shall
mean all Expenses and any and all amounts paid or incurred in satisfaction
of
settlements, judgments, fines, and penalties (including, without limitation,
any
excise taxes imposed in connection with service as a fiduciary of an employee
benefit plan).
(4) “Proceeding”
shall
mean any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or arbitration action
(or other form of alternative dispute resolution), suit, or proceeding,
including, without limitation, any proceeding by or in the right of the
Corporation, or any appeal therein, or any inquiry or investigation which could
lead to such action, suit, or proceeding.
(b) To
the
fullest extent permitted by the BCA as the same exists or may hereafter be
amended, no officer or director of the Corporation shall be liable to the
Corporation or its shareholders for damages for breach of any duty, except
that
nothing contained herein shall relieve an officer or a director from liability
for breach of a duty based upon an act or omission (a) in breach of such
person's duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders, (b) not in
good
faith or involving a knowing violation of law, or (c) resulting in receipt
by
such person of an improper personal benefit. Any amendment or modification
of
the foregoing provision or the applicable provisions of the BCA shall not
adversely affect any right or protection of an officer or a director of the
Corporation existing at the time of such amendment or modification, and such
right or protection shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be an
officer or a director and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executor
and
administrators of such a person.
(c) Each
person who was or is made a party, or is threatened to be made a party to,
or is
otherwise involved (including as a witness) in any pending, threatened, or
completed (by judgment, settlement or otherwise) Proceeding by reason of his
or
her being or having been an Indemnitee shall be indemnified and held harmless
by
the Corporation to the fullest extent not prohibited by the BCA, as the same
exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment,
only
to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader
indemnification rights than said Act permitted prior to such amendment), from
and against any and all Liabilities incurred or suffered in connection with
any
such Proceeding, and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who
has
ceased to be an Indemnitee and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs,
executors, administrators, and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing and except
as set forth in Section 2 of this ARTICLE NINE, the Corporation shall indemnify
any person seeking indemnification in connection with a Proceeding (or part
thereof) initiated by such person only if such Proceeding (or part thereof)
was
specifically authorized by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation.
(d) The
right
to indemnification conferred in this ARTICLE NINE(1) shall be a contract right
(and any subsequent repeal of, or amendment to, this ARTICLE NINE shall not
affect the right to indemnification based upon any act or omission while this
ARTICLE NINE is in effect), (2) is intended to be retroactive to events
occurring prior to the adoption of this ARTICLE NINE to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, and (3) shall include the right to be paid by
the
Corporation the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance
of the final disposition of such Proceeding as authorized by the Board of
Directors; provided that
if the
BCA or the Board of Directors so requires, the payment of such expenses in
advance of the final disposition of a Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt
by the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to
repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this ARTICLE NINE or
otherwise.
Section
2. Right
of Claimant to Bring Suit.
If a
claim under Section 1 of this ARTICLE NINE is not paid in full by the
Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written request has been received
by
the Corporation, the claimant may, at any time thereafter, apply to a court
for
an award of indemnification by the Corporation for the unpaid amount of the
claim, and, if successful on the merits or otherwise in connection with any
such
Proceeding, or in the defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, the
claimant shall be entitled also to be paid by the Corporation any and all
expenses incurred or suffered in connection with such Proceeding. It shall
be a
defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim
for
the advancement of expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding where
the
required undertaking, if any, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the
claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under
the BCA for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed,
but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither
the
failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, its independent
legal counsel, or its shareholders) to have made a determination prior to the
commencement of such Proceeding that indemnification of the claimant is proper
in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of
conduct set forth in the BCA, nor an actual determination by the Corporation
(including its Board of Directors, its independent legal counsel, or its
shareholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct,
nor the termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or
conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall be a
defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met
the
applicable standard of conduct.
Section
3. Non-Exclusivity
of Rights.
The
right to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted
pursuant to this ARTICLE NINE shall not exclude or be exclusive of any other
rights to which any person (including agents) may be entitled under this
Certificate of Incorporation, the By-Laws of the Corporation, agreement, vote
of
shareholders, statute or otherwise; provided that
no
indemnification shall be made to or on behalf of such person if a judgment
or
other final adjudication adverse to such person establishes that such person's
acts or omissions (a) were in breach of his duty of loyalty to the Corporation
or its shareholders, (b) were not in good faith or involved a knowing violation
of law, or (c) resulted in such person's receipt of an improper personal
benefit.
Section
4. Insurance.
The
Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Indemnitee
against any Liabilities incurred or asserted against him in any Proceeding
by
reason of such person's being or having been such an Indemnitee, whether or
not
the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such
expenses and Liabilities under the provisions of this ARTICLE NINE or
otherwise.
Section
5. Reliance.
Persons
who after the date of the adoption of this provision become or remain
Indemnitees or who, while an Indemnitee, become or remain a director, officer,
employee or agent of a subsidiary, shall be conclusively presumed to have relied
on the rights to indemnity, advance of expenses and other rights contained
in
this ARTICLE NINE in entering into or continuing such service. The rights to
indemnification and to the advance of expenses conferred in this ARTICLE NINE
shall apply to claims made against an Indemnitee arising out of acts or
omissions which occurred or occur both prior and subsequent to the adoption
hereof.
Section
6. Merger
or Consolidation.
For
purposes of this ARTICLE NINE, references to the "Corporation" shall include,
in
addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including
any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which,
if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority
to
indemnify its directors, officers and employees or agents, so that any person
who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation
as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position
under
this ARTICLE NINE with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as
he
or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate
existence had continued.
ARTICLE
TEN
The
books
of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the
statutes) outside of the State of New Jersey at such place or places as may
be
designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the By-Laws of
the
Corporation. The Board of Directors shall have power from time to time to
determine to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions
and regulation the accounts and books of the Corporation, or any of them, shall
be open to the inspection of shareholders; and no shareholder shall have any
right to inspect any account or book or document of the Corporation, except
as
conferred by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
ARTICLE
ELEVEN
The
Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision
contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter
prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon shareholders herein are
granted subject to this reservation.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC. has made this Certificate under
the signature of its Chief Executive Officer this ____ day of September,
2006.
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MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC. |
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By: |
Frank
D.
Guidone |
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Title:
Chief Executive Officer |
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EXHIBIT
B
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
2006
STOCK OPTION PLAN
Section
1. Purpose
The
purpose of the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Option Plan
(the “Plan”) is to enable Measurement Specialties, Inc. (the “Company”) to
attract, retain, motivate and provide additional incentive to certain directors,
officers, employees, consultants and advisors, whose contributions are essential
to the growth and success of the Company, by enabling them to participate in
the
long-term growth of the Company through stock ownership.
Section
2. Definitions
As
used
in the Plan:
"Code"
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Board"
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
"Cause"
means the termination of a Participant's employment, consulting or advisory
relationship with the Company or the termination of a Participant's membership
on the Board because of the occurrence of any of the following events, as
determined by the Board:
(i) the
Participant materially breaches or fails to perform any of his obligations
as an
employee or director of the Company;
(ii) the
Participant conducts his duties with respect to the Company in a manner that
is
improper or negligent; or
(iii) the
Participant fails to perform his obligations faithfully as provided in any
employment agreement executed between the Company and the Participant or is
otherwise terminated for “cause” as “cause” may be defined in such agreement,
engages in habitual drunkenness, drug abuse, or commits a felony, fraud or
willful misconduct which has resulted, or is likely to result, in material
damage to the Company, or as the Board in its sole discretion may
determine.
"Committee"
means the Compensation Committee of the Board (or any successor committee of
the
Board) or such other committee that is responsible for making recommendations
to
the Board (or for exercising authority delegated to it by the Board pursuant
to
Section 3 of the Plan, if any) with respect to the grant and terms of Options
under the Plan; provided, however, that (i) with respect to Options to any
employees who are officers of the Company or members of the Board for purposes
of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, Committee means all of the members of the
Compensation Committee who are "non-employee directors" within the meaning
of
Rule 16b-3 adopted under the Exchange Act, or any successor rule, (ii) with
respect to Options to any employees who are officers of the Company or members
of the Board for purposes of Section 16 and who are intended to satisfy the
requirements for "performance based compensation" within the meaning of
Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder,
and any successors thereto, Committee means all of the members of the
Compensation Committee who are "outside directors" within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code, and (iii) with respect to all Options, the
Committee shall be comprised of "independent" directors to the extent required
by the listing requirements or rules of any stock exchange or quotation system
on which the Common Stock may be listed or quoted.
"Company"
means Measurement Specialties, Inc., a New Jersey corporation, and any present
or future parent or subsidiary corporations (as defined in Section 424 of the
Code) or any successor to such corporations.
"Common
Stock" or "Stock" means the common stock, no par value per share, of the
Company.
"Disability"
means permanent and total disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the
Code
or, in the case of any employee with a written employment agreement,
“Disability” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term, if so defined in such
written employment agreement.
"Exchange
Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Fair
Market Value", with respect to Common Stock, shall be determined as
follows:
(i) If
the
Common Stock is at the time listed on any stock exchange or quotation system,
the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per share of Common
Stock on the date in question on the stock exchange or determined by the Board
to be the primary market for the Common Stock, as such price is officially
reported on such exchange or system. If there is no closing selling price for
the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall
be
the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation
exists.
(ii) If
the
Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq National Market System, then
the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per share of Common
Stock on the date in question as such price is quoted on the Nasdaq national
market System or successor system. If there is no closing selling price for
the
Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the
closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation
exists.
(iii) If
the
Common Stock is not listed or traded on any stock exchange or Nasdaq System
or
the OTCBB, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Board in good faith
and in the manner established by the Board from time to time using a reasonable
valuation method.
"Incentive
Stock Option" means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock awarded to
a
Participant under the Plan which is designated as such or is otherwise intended
to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor
provision.
"Non-Employee
Director" means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the
Company.
"Non-Qualified
Stock Option" means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted to
a
Participant under the Plan which is designated as such or is otherwise not
intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.
"Option"
means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
"Participant"
means an eligible person selected by the Board to receive an Option under the
Plan.
"Plan"
means the Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Option
Plan.
"Retirement"
means termination of employment in accordance with the retirement provisions
of
any retirement plan maintained by the Company.
Section
3. Administration
(a) The
Plan
shall be administered by the Board. Among other things, the Board shall have
authority, subject to the terms of the Plan including, without limitation,
the
provisions governing participation in the Plan, to grant Options, to determine
the individuals to whom and the time or times at which Options may be granted
and to determine the terms and conditions of any Option granted hereunder.
Subject to paragraph (d) of this Section 3, the Board may solicit the
recommendations of the Committee with respect to any of the foregoing, but
shall
not be bound to follow any such recommendations.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of this Plan, the Board shall have authority to adopt, alter
and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the
operation of the Plan as it shall from time to time consider advisable, to
interpret the provisions of the Plan and any Option and to decide all disputes
arising in connection with the Plan. The Board's decision and interpretations
shall be final and binding. Any action of the Board with respect to the
administration of the Plan shall be taken pursuant to a majority vote or by
the
unanimous written consent of its members.
(c) The
Board
may employ such legal counsel, consultants and agents as it may deem desirable
for the administration of the Plan and may rely upon any opinion received from
any such counsel or consultant and any computation received from any such
consultant or agent. The Board shall keep minutes of its actions under the
Plan.
(d) The
Board
shall have the authority to delegate all or any portion of the authority granted
to it (consistent with applicable law) under this Section 3 or elsewhere under
the Plan to the Committee. If such authority is so delegated by Board, the
Committee shall have such rights and authority to make determinations and
administer the Plan as are specified in the delegation of authority. To the
extent that the Board delegates its authority as provided by this
Section 3(d), all references in the Plan to the Board's authority to grant
Options and make determinations with respect thereto shall be deemed to include
the Committee.
Section
4. Eligibility
All
employees, consultants and advisors of the Company who are from time to time
responsible for the management, growth and protection of the business of the
Company, and all directors of the Company, shall be eligible to participate
in
the Plan. The Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time
by
the Board, in its sole discretion, from among those eligible, and the Board
shall determine in its sole discretion the numbers of shares to be covered
by
the Option or Options granted to each Participant. Options intended to qualify
as Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to key employees while actually
employed by the Company. Non-Employee Directors, consultants and advisors shall
not be entitled to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.
Section
5. Shares of Stock Available for Options
(a) Options
may be granted under the Plan for up to 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock. If
any
Option in respect of shares of Common Stock expires or is terminated before
exercise or is forfeited for any reason, without a payment in the form of Common
Stock being granted to the Participant, the shares of Common Stock subject
to
such Option, to the extent of such expiration, termination or forfeiture, shall
again be available for grant under the Plan. Shares of Common Stock issued
under
the Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized and unissued shares,
shares purchased in the open market or otherwise, treasury shares, or any
combination thereof, as the Board may from time to time determine.
(b) In
the
event that the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that any stock
dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, creation of a class of equity securities,
recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, merger, consolidation,
stock
split, spin-off, combination, exchange of shares, warrants or rights offering
to
purchase Common Stock at a price substantially below Fair Market Value, or
other
similar transaction affects the Common Stock such that an adjustment is required
in order to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be granted
under the Plan to Participants, the Board shall have the right to adjust
equitably any or all of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock in respect
of
which Options may be granted under the Plan to Participants, (ii) the number
and
kind of shares subject to outstanding Options held by Participants, and (iii)
the exercise price with respect to any Options held by Participants, and if
considered appropriate, the Board may make provision for a cash payment with
respect to any outstanding Options held by a Participant, provided that the
number of shares subject to any Option shall always be a whole
number.
Section
6. Incentive Stock Options
(a) Subject
to Federal statutes then applicable and the provisions of the Plan, the Board
may grant Incentive Stock Options and determine the number of shares to be
covered by each such Option, the option price therefor, the term of such Option,
the vesting schedule of such Option, and the other conditions and limitations
applicable to the exercise of the Option. The terms and conditions of Incentive
Stock Options shall be subject to and shall comply with Section 422 of the
Code,
or any successor provision, and any regulations thereunder. Anything in the
Plan
to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of the Plan relating to Incentive
Stock
Options shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion
or
authority granted to the Board under the Plan be so exercised, so as to
disqualify, without the consent of the Participant, any Incentive Stock Option
granted under the Plan pursuant to Section 422 of the Code. The foregoing
notwithstanding, any Option that fails to be an ISO shall remain outstanding
according to its terms and shall be treated by the Company as a Non-Qualified
Stock Option.
(b) The
option price per share of Common Stock purchasable under an Incentive Stock
Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock
on the date of grant. If the Participant owns or is deemed to own (by reason
of
the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than
10%
of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any
subsidiary or parent corporation of the Company and an Incentive Stock Option
is
granted to such Participant, the option price shall be not less than 110% of
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant.
(c) No
Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after
the
date such option is granted. If a Participant owns or is deemed to own (by
reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10%
of
the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any
subsidiary or parent corporation of the Company and an Incentive Stock Option
is
granted to such Participant, such Option shall not be exercisable after the
expiration of five (5) years from the date of grant.
(d) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at the time of grant, in the event a
Participant's employment terminates by reason of Retirement or Disability,
any
Incentive Stock Option granted to such Participant which is then outstanding
may
be exercised at any time prior to the expiration of the term of such Incentive
Stock Option or within three (3) months in the case of Retirement and twelve
(12) months in case of Disability (or such shorter period as the Board shall
determine at the time of grant) following the Participant's termination of
employment, whichever period is shorter.
(e) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at the time of grant, in the event a
Participant's employment is terminated by reason of death, any Incentive Stock
Option granted to such Participant which is then outstanding may be exercised
by
the Participant's legal representative at any time prior to the expiration
date
of the term of the Incentive Stock Option or within twelve (12) months (or
such
shorter period as the Board shall determine at the time of grant) following
the
Participant's termination of employment, whichever period is
shorter.
(f) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at or after the time of grant, in the event
a
Participant's employment shall terminate for Cause, any Incentive Stock Option
granted to such Participant which is then outstanding shall be canceled and
shall terminate.
(g) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at or after the time of grant, in the event
that a Participant's employment shall terminate for any reason other than death,
Disability, Retirement or Cause, any Incentive Stock Option granted to such
Participant which is then outstanding may be exercised as set forth in the
terms
of the grant determined by the Board. In the absence of a specific term, any
Incentive Stock Option outstanding upon such termination of employment may
be
exercised at any time prior to the expiration of the term of such option or
within three months following Participant's termination of employment, whichever
period is shorter.
(h) The
aggregate Fair Market Value of Common Shares first becoming subject to exercise
as an Incentive Stock Option by a Participant who is an employee during any
given calendar year shall not exceed the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000.00). Such aggregate Fair market Value shall be determined as of the
date such Option is granted.
Section
7. Non-Qualified Stock Options
(a) Subject
to the provisions of the Plan, the Board may grant Non-Qualified Stock Options
and determine the number of shares to be covered by each such Option, the option
price therefor, the term of such Option, the vesting schedule and the other
conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Non-Qualified
Stock
Options.
(b) The
option price per share of Common Stock purchasable under a Non-Qualified Stock
Option shall be the price determined by the Board, which may be less than,
equal
to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of
grant.
(c) No
Non-Qualified Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after
the date such option is granted.
(d) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at the time of grant, in the event a
Participant's employment or engagement by the Company or membership on the
Board
terminates by reason of Retirement or Disability, any Non-Qualified Stock Option
granted to such Participant which is then outstanding may be exercised at any
time prior to the expiration of the term of such Non-Qualified Stock Option
or
within three (3) months in the case of Retirement and twelve (12) months in
case
of Disability following the Participant's termination of employment, engagement,
or service, whichever period is shorter.
(e) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at the time of grant, in the event a
Participant's employment or engagement by the Company or membership on the
Board
is terminated by reason of death, any Non-Qualified Stock Option granted to
such
Participant which is then outstanding may be exercised by the Participant's
legal representative at any time prior to the expiration date of the term of
the
Non-Qualified Stock Option or within twelve (12) months following the
Participant's termination of employment, whichever period is
shorter.
(f) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at or after the time of grant, in the event
a
Participant's employment or engagement by the Company or membership on the
Board
shall terminate for Cause, any Non-Qualified Stock Option granted to such
Participant which is then outstanding shall be canceled and shall
terminate.
(g) Unless
otherwise determined by the Board at or after the time of grant, in the event
a
Participant's employment or engagement by the Company or membership on the
Board
shall terminate for any reason other than death, Disability, Retirement or
Cause, any Non-Qualified Stock Option granted to such Participant which is
then
outstanding may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration of the term
of
such Option or within three (3) months following Participant's termination,
whichever period is shorter.
Section
8. General Provisions Applicable to Options
(a) Each
Option under the Plan shall be evidenced by a writing (the “Option Agreement”)
delivered to the Participant specifying the terms and conditions thereof and
containing such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions
of the Plan as the Board considers necessary or advisable to achieve the
purposes of the Plan or comply with applicable tax and regulatory laws and
accounting principles. For purposes of Plan interpretation the terms and
conditions contained in any Option Agreement shall be deemed to have been
determined by the Board at the time of grant.
(b) Each
Option may be granted alone, in addition to or in relation to any other Option.
The terms of each Option need not be identical, and the Board need not treat
Participants uniformly. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan or a particular
Option, any determination with respect to an Option may be made by the Board
at
the time of grant or at any time thereafter.
(c) The
Board
shall determine whether Options are settled in whole or in part in cash, Common
Stock, other securities of the Company, or other property, and may, in its
discretion, permit “cashless exercises” and “net exercises” pursuant to such
procedures as may be established by the Board.
(d) No
shares
shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full
of the option price therefor is received by the Company. Such payment may be
made in whole or in part in cash or by certified or bank check or, to the extent
permitted by the Board at or after the grant of the Option, (i) by means of
a
net exercise pursuant to procedures established by the Board, or (ii) by
delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant valued at their
Fair
Market Value on the date of delivery, or (iii) such other lawful consideration
as the Board may in its sole discretion determine.
(e) No
Option
shall be transferable by the Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws
of descent and distribution, and all Options shall be exercisable during the
Participant's lifetime only by the Participant or the Participant's duly
appointed guardian or personal representative.
(f) The
Board
may at any time accelerate the exercisability of all or any portion of any
Option.
(g) The
Participant shall pay to the Company, or make provision satisfactory to the
Board for payment of, any taxes required by law to be withheld in respect of
Options under the Plan no later than the date of the event creating the tax
liability. In the Board's sole discretion, a Participant may elect to have
such
tax obligations paid, in whole or in part, in shares of Common Stock, including
shares retained from the Option creating the tax obligation. For withholding
tax
purposes, the value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the Fair Market
Value
on the date the withholding obligation is incurred. The Company may, to the
extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of
any
kind otherwise due to the Participant.
(h) For
purposes of the Plan, the following events shall not be deemed a termination
of
employment of a Participant:
(i) a
transfer to the employment of the Company from a subsidiary or from the Company
to a subsidiary, or from one subsidiary to another;
(ii) an
approved leave of absence for military service or sickness, or for any other
purpose approved by the Company, if the Participant's right to reemployment
is
guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant
to
which the leave of absence was granted or if the Board otherwise so provides
in
writing; or
(iii) unless
provided otherwise by the Board, a transfer to the employment of an entity
in
connection with the purchase by such entity of substantially all of the assets
of a business conducted by the Company or any subsidiary.
Subject
to clause (iii) of this paragraph (h), employees of a subsidiary of the Company
shall be deemed to have terminated their employment on the date on which such
subsidiary ceases to be a subsidiary of the Company.
(i) The
Board
may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Option held by a Participant,
including substituting therefor another Option of the same or a different type,
changing the date of exercise or realization, and converting an Incentive Stock
Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option, provided that the Participant's consent
to each action shall be required unless the Board determines that the action,
taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely
affect the Participant.
Section
9. Miscellaneous
(a) No
person
shall have any claim or right to be granted an Option, and the grant of an
Option shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued
employment. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss
a
Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan, except as expressly
provided in the applicable Option Agreement.
(b) Nothing
contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company from adopting other or
additional compensation arrangements for its employees.
(c) Subject
to the provisions of the applicable Option, no Participant shall have any rights
as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed
under the Plan until he or she becomes the holder thereof.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary expressed in this Plan, any provisions hereof that
vary
from or conflict with any applicable Federal or State securities laws (including
any regulations promulgated thereunder) shall be deemed to be modified to
conform to and comply with such laws.
(e) No
member
of the Board shall be liable for any action or determination taken or granted
in
good faith with respect to this Plan nor shall any member of the Board be liable
for any agreement issued pursuant to this Plan or any grants under it. Each
member of the Board shall be indemnified by the Company against any losses
incurred in such administration of the Plan, unless his action constitutes
willful misconduct.
(f) The
Plan
shall be effective as of March 1, 2006.
(g) The
Board
may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time,
provided that no amendment shall be granted without shareholder approval if
such
approval is necessary to comply with any applicable tax laws or other regulatory
requirement.
(h) Options
may not be granted under the Plan after February 29, 2016, but then-outstanding
Options may exercised in accordance with their terms after such
date.
(i) To
the
extent that State laws shall not have been preempted by any laws of the United
States, the Plan shall be construed, regulated, interpreted and administered
according to the other laws of the State of New Jersey.
(j) Options
may be granted to employees of the Company who are foreign nationals or employed
outside the United States, or both, on such terms and conditions different
from
those specified in the Plan as may, in the judgment of the Board, be necessary
or desirable in order to recognize differences in local law or tax policy.
The
Board may also impose conditions on the exercise or vesting of Options in order
to minimize the Company's obligation with respect to tax equalization for
employees on assignments outside their home country.
EXHIBIT
C
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
2006
EMPLOYEE
STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
Section
1 - Purpose
The
Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is adopted
and
established by Measurement Specialties, Inc., a New Jersey corporation,
effective as of October, 1, 2006, for the general benefit of the Employees
of
the Company and of certain of its Subsidiaries. The purpose of the Plan is
to
facilitate the purchase of Shares by Eligible Employees.
Section
2 - Definitions
a.
|
“Act”
shall mean the Securities Act of
1933.
|
b.
|
“Administrator”
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company, a designated committee
thereof, or the person(s) or entity delegated the responsibility
of
administering the Plan.
|
c.
|
“Board”
shall mean the Board of Directors of the
Company.
|
d.
|
“Closing
Value”
shall mean, as of a particular date, the value of a Share determined
by
the closing sales price for such Share (or the closing bid, if no
sales
were reported) as quoted on The NASDAQ Global Market for the last
market
trading day prior to the date of determination, as reported in
The
Wall Street Journal
or
such other source as the Administrator deems
reliable.
|
e.
|
“Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and currently
in
effect, or any successor body of federal tax
law.
|
f.
|
“Company”
shall mean Measurement Specialties, Inc., including any successor
thereto.
|
g.
|
“Compensation”
shall mean the amount paid to a Participant by the Employer for wages,
salaries, and other amounts received in the course of employment
with the
Employer to the extent that the amounts are includible in gross income
(including, but not limited to commissions paid to salespersons,
compensation for services on the basis of a percentage of profits,
incentive payments, overtime, and shift differential). Compensation
does
not include bonuses, stock options, reimbursements or other expense
allowances, fringe benefits (cash and non-cash), moving expenses,
deferred
compensation or welfare benefits (whether or not includible in gross
income). For all purposes under the Plan, Compensation shall include
any
amount contributed by the Employer on behalf of a Participant pursuant
to
a salary reduction agreement which is not includible in the gross
income
of the Participant under Code Sections 125, 401(k), 402(e)(3), 402(h)
or
132(f)(4).
|
h.
|
“Designated
Subsidiaries”
shall mean all Subsidiaries whose Employees have been designated
by the
Administrator, in its sole discretion, as eligible to participate
in the
Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all wholly-owned U.S. Subsidiaries
shall be Designated Subsidiaries. The Administrator may remove any
Subsidiary from the list of Designated Subsidiaries at any time,
in its
sole discretion.
|
i.
|
“Discount”
means five percent (5%) of the Closing Value unless and until modified
in
writing by the Administrator.
|
j.
|
“Eligible
Employee”
means any Employee who has attained the age of 18 years, completed
at
least three (3) months of service by the end of a 12 month period with the
Employer and is considered a full-time Employee (as designated by
the
Company or Subsidiary that employs the
Employee).
|
k.
|
“Employee”
means any person who performs services as a common law employee of
an
Employer. An Employee does not include individuals providing services
to
an Employer in the capacity of an independent contractor.
|
l.
|
“Employer”
means, individually and collectively, the Company and the Designated
Subsidiaries.
|
m.
|
“Enrollment
Period”
shall mean the period immediately preceding the Offering Period that
is
designated by the Administrator in its discretion as the period during
which an Eligible Employee may elect to participate in the
Plan.
|
n.
|
“ESPP
Broker”
shall mean the bank, brokerage firm, financial institution, or other
entity or person(s) engaged, retained or appointed to provide brokerage
service to the Employer and the Participants under the
Plan.
|
o.
|
“Offering
Period”
shall mean the period during which Participants in the Plan authorize
payroll deductions to fund the purchase of Shares on their behalf
under
the Plan pursuant to the options granted to them hereunder.
|
p.
|
“Participant”
means any Eligible Employee who has elected to participate in the
Plan for
an Offering Period by authorizing payroll deductions and entering
into a
written or digital (including online/internet) subscription agreement
during the Enrollment Period for such Offering
Period.
|
q.
|
“Plan”
shall mean this Measurement Specialties, Inc. 2006 Employee Stock
Purchase
Plan.
|
r.
|
“Plan
Account”
shall mean the individual account established by the ESPP Broker
for each
Participant for purposes of holding each Participant’s Shares purchased
under the Plan.
|
s.
|
“Purchase
Price”
shall mean, for each Share purchased in accordance with Section 4
hereof,
the Closing Value of a Share on the last Trading Day of the Offering
Period (which for Plan purposes shall be deemed to be the date each
such
option to purchase such Shares was exercised) less the
Discount.
|
t.
|
“Recordkeeper”
shall mean the entity responsible for (1) providing and accepting
subscription agreements (in written, telephonic, electronic/digital
or
other form) and (2) determining the number of Shares to be purchased
for
each Participant at the end of the Offering
Period.
|
u.
|
“Shares”
means the common shares of the
Company.
|
v.
|
“Subsidiary”
shall mean a corporation, domestic or foreign, of which not less
than
fifty percent (50%) of the voting shares are held by the Company
or a
Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation now exists or is hereafter
organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary (or as otherwise
may
be defined in Code Section 424).
|
w.
|
“Trading
Day”
shall mean a day on which The NASDAQ Global Market is opened for
trading.
|
x.
|
“Transfer
Agent”
shall mean the bank, brokerage firm, financial institution, or other
entity or person(s) engaged, retained or appointed to transfer Shares
on
behalf of the Company to the ESPP Broker for further distribution
to the
Accounts of the Participants under the Plan in satisfaction of the
purchase obligation at the end of the Offering
Period.
|
Section
3 - Eligible Employees
a. In
General.
Participation in the Plan is voluntary. All Eligible Employees of an Employer
are eligible to participate in the Plan. All Eligible Employees granted options
to purchase Shares hereunder shall have the same rights and privileges as every
other such Eligible Employee, and only Eligible Employees of an Employer
satisfying the applicable requirements of the Plan will be entitled to be
granted options hereunder.
b. Limitations
on Rights.
An
Employee who otherwise is an Eligible Employee shall not be entitled to purchase
Shares under the Plan (1) if such purchase would cause such Eligible Employee
to
own Shares (including any Shares which would be owned if such Eligible Employee
purchased all of the Shares made available for purchase by such Eligible
Employee under all options or rights then held by such Eligible Employee,
whether or not then exercisable) representing five percent (5%) or more of
the
total combined voting power or value of each class of stock of the Company
or
any Subsidiary; or (2) to the extent that such purchase would cause such
Eligible Employee to have options or rights to purchase more than $25,000 of
Shares under the Plan (and under all other employee stock purchase plans of
the
Company and its Subsidiary corporations which qualify for treatment under
Section 423 of the Code) for any calendar year in which such rights are
outstanding (based on the Closing Value of such Shares, determined as of the
last day of an Offering Period). For purposes of clause (1) of this paragraph
b., the attribution rules set forth in Section 424(d) of the Code and related
regulations shall apply.
Section
4 - Enrollment and Offering Periods
a. Enrolling
in the Plan.
To
participate in the Plan, an Eligible Employee must enroll in the Plan.
Enrollment for a given Offering Period will take place during the Enrollment
Period for such Offering Period. The Administrator shall designate the initial
Enrollment Period and each subsequent Enrollment Period and the Offering Period
to which each Enrollment Period relates. Participation in the Plan with respect
to any one or more of the Offering Periods shall neither limit nor require
participation in the Plan for any other Offering Period.
b. The
Offering Period.
Any
Employee who is an Eligible Employee and who desires to be granted options
to
purchase Shares hereunder must file (in writing, by telephone,
electronically/digitally or otherwise, as designated by the Administrator)
with
the Recordkeeper an authorization for payroll deduction and a subscription
agreement during an Enrollment Period. Such authorization shall be effective
for
the Offering Period immediately following such Enrollment Period. The duration
of an Offering Period shall be determined by the Administrator prior to the
Enrollment Period; provided, however, that if the Administrator terminates
the
Plan during an Offering Period, pursuant to its authority in Section 16 of
the
Plan, such Offering Period shall be deemed to end on the date the Plan is
terminated. The termination of the Plan and the Offering Period shall end the
Participant's rights to contribute amounts to the Plan or continue participation
in the Offering Period. The date of termination of the Plan shall be deemed
to
be the final day of the Offering Period for purposes of determining the Purchase
Price under the Offering Period and all amounts contributed during the Offering
Period will be used as of such termination date to purchase Shares in accordance
with the general provisions of Section 9.
On
the
first day of each Offering Period each Participant shall be granted an option
to
purchase Shares under the Plan. Each option granted hereunder shall expire
at
the end of the Offering Period for which it was granted.
The
initial Offering Period will be from October 1, 2006 through March 31, 2007
and
thereafter Offering Periods will be of six (6) months’ duration, beginning April
1, 2007 and continuing each six months thereafter.
c. Changing
Enrollment.
The
offering of Shares pursuant to options granted under the Plan shall occur only
during an Offering Period and shall be made only to Participants. Once an
Eligible Employee is enrolled in the Plan, the Recordkeeper will inform the
Employer and the ESPP Broker of such fact. Once enrolled, a Participant shall
continue to participate in the Plan for each succeeding Offering Period until
he
or she terminates his or her participation by revoking his or her payroll
deduction authorization or ceasing to be an Eligible Employee. Once a
Participant has elected to participate under the Plan, that Participant’s
payroll deduction authorization shall apply to all subsequent Offering periods
unless and until the Participant ceases to be an Eligible Employee, or modifies
or terminates said authorization. If a Participant desires to change his or
her
rate of contribution, he or she may do so effective for the next Offering Period
by filing with the Recordkeeper a new authorization for payroll deduction and
a
subscription agreement during the Enrollment Period immediately preceding such
Offering Period.
Section
5 - Term of Plan
This
Plan
shall be in effect from October 1, 2006, until it is terminated by action of
the
Board.
Section
6 - Number of Shares to Be Made Available
The
total
number of Shares made available for purchase by Participants granted options
which are exercised under Section 9 hereof is 250,000, which may be authorized
but unissued Shares, treasury Shares, or Shares purchased by the Plan in the
open market. The provisions of Section 9 b. shall control in the event the
number of Shares covered by options which are exercised for any Offering Period
exceeds the number of Shares available for sale under the Plan. If all of the
Shares authorized for sale under the Plan have been sold, the Plan shall either
be continued through additional authorizations of Shares made by the Board
(such
authorizations must, however, comply with Section 16 hereof), or shall be
terminated in accordance with Section 16 hereof.
Section
7 - Use of Funds
All
payroll deductions received or held by an Employer under the Plan may be used
by
the Employer for any corporate purpose, and the Employer shall not be obligated
to segregate such payroll deductions. Any amounts held by an Employer or other
party holding amounts in connection with or as a result of payroll withholding
made pursuant to the Plan and pending the purchase of Shares hereunder shall
be
considered a non-interest-bearing, unsecured indebtedness extended to the
Employer or other party by the Participants. Initially all administrative
expenses of the Plan shall be paid by the Employer.
Section
8 - Amount of Contribution; Method of Payment
a. Payroll
Withholding.
Except
as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Purchase Price will be payable
by
each Participant by means of payroll withholding. The withholding shall be
in
increments of one percent (1%) from one percent (1%) to fifteen percent (15%).
The total withholding permitted to be made by any Participant for a calendar
year shall be limited to $25,000 less $25,000 multiplied by the Discount. The
actual percentage of Compensation to be deducted shall be specified by a
Participant in his or her authorization for payroll withholding. Participants
may not deposit any separate cash payments into their Plan
Accounts.
b. Application
of Withholding Rules.
Payroll
withholding will commence with the first payroll period ending during the
Offering Period and will continue with each paycheck throughout the entire
Offering Period, except for pay periods for which such Participant receives
no
compensation (e.g., uncompensated personal leave, leave of absence). Payroll
withholding shall be retained by the Employer or other party responsible for
making such payment to the Participant, until applied to the purchase of Shares
as described in Section 9 and the satisfaction of any related federal, state
or
local withholding obligations (including any employment tax obligations), or
until returned to such Participant in connection with a withdrawal from the
Plan
or a revocation of authorization described in Section 12.
At
the
time the Shares are purchased, or at the time some or all of the Shares issued
under the Plan are disposed of, Participants must make adequate provision for
the Employer’s federal, state, local or other tax withholding obligations
(including employment taxes), if any, which arise upon the purchase or
disposition of the Shares. At any time, the Employer may, but shall not be
obligated to, withhold from each Participant’s Compensation the amount necessary
for the Employer to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any
withholding required to make available to the Employer any tax deductions or
benefits attributable to the sale or early disposition of Shares by the
Participant. Each Participant, as a condition of participating under the Plan,
agrees to bear responsibility for all federal, state, and local income taxes
required to be withheld from his or her Compensation as well as the
Participant’s portion of FICA (both the OASDI and Medicare components) with
respect to any Compensation arising on account of the purchase or disposition
of
Shares. The Employer may increase income and/or employment tax withholding
on a
Participant’s Compensation after the purchase or disposition of Shares in order
to comply with federal, state and local tax laws, and each Participant agrees
to
sign any and all appropriate documents to facilitate such
withholding.
Section
9 - Purchasing, Transferring Shares
a. Maintenance
of Plan Account.
On or
prior to the exercise of a Participant’s initial option to purchase Shares under
the Plan, the Participant shall establish with the ESPP Broker a limited purpose
brokerage Account in the name of such Participant. At the close of each Offering
Period, the aggregate amount deducted during such Offering Period by the
Employer from a Participant’s Compensation (and credited to an account
maintained by the Employer or other party for bookkeeping purposes) will be
communicated by the Employer to the Recordkeeper for purposes of determining
the
full Shares to be purchased by each Participant. The Recordkeeper will notify
the Transfer Agent of the number of full Shares to be credited to each
Participant’s Account (unless the Participant has given notice to the
Recordkeeper of his or her withdrawal or revocation of authorization, at least
five (5) business days prior to the end of the Offering Period). As of the
last
day of each Offering Period, or as soon thereafter as is administratively
feasible, each Participant’s option to purchase Shares will be exercised
automatically for him or her at the direction of the Recordkeeper with respect
to those amounts reported to the Transfer Agent by the Recordkeeper as
creditable to that Participant’s Plan Account. On the date of exercise, the
amount then credited to the Participant’s Plan Account for the purpose of
purchasing Shares hereunder will be divided by the Purchase Price and there
shall be transferred to the Participant’s Plan Account by the Transfer Agent the
number of full Shares which results. No fractional Shares will be transferred
to
a Participant’s Plan Account. As a result, any amount credited to a
Participant’s Plan Account for an Offering Period which cannot be used to
purchase full Shares will be retained by the Employer and, to the extent
permissible, used for purposes of determining the number of full Shares to
be
transferred to a Participant’s Plan Account in the next Offering
Period.
b. Insufficient
Number of Available Shares.
In the
event the number of Shares covered by options which are exercised for any
Offering Period exceeds the number of Shares available for sale under the Plan,
the number of Shares actually available for sale hereunder shall be limited
to
the remaining number of Shares authorized for sale under the Plan and shall
be
allocated by the Recordkeeper among the Participants in proportion to each
Participant’s Compensation during the Offering Period over the total
Compensation of all Participants during the Offering Period. Any excess amounts
withheld and credited to Participants’ Accounts then shall be returned to
Participants as soon as is administratively feasible.
c. Handling
Excess Shares.
In the
event that the number of Shares which would be credited to any Participant’s
Plan Account in any Offering Period exceeds the limit specified in Section
3 b.
hereof, such Participant’s Account shall be credited with the maximum number of
Shares permissible, and the remaining amounts will be rolled forward to the
next
Offering Period until exhausted or refunded to the Participant.
Section
10 - Sale of Shares
Subject
to the provisions the Company’s Insider Trading Policy setting forth periods
when employees can sell Company stock, a Participant may at any time, and
without withdrawing from the Plan, by giving notice to the ESPP Broker, direct
the ESPP Broker to sell all or part of the Shares held on behalf of the
Participant.
Section
11 - Voting of Shares
A
Participant shall have no interest or voting right in the Shares covered by
his
or her option until such option has been exercised. Shares held for a
Participant (or Eligible Employee with a Plan Account) in his or her Plan
Account will be voted in accordance with the Participant’s (or Eligible
Employee’s) express written directions. In the absence of any such directions,
such Shares will not be voted.
Section
12 - Withdrawals from the Plan
a. Voluntary
Withdrawals and Revocations.
(1) Withdrawals.
A
Participant may, until five (5) Trading Days prior to the end of the Offering
Period, by giving notice to the Recordkeeper, voluntarily withdraw from the
Plan
and revoke his or her authorization for payroll deduction for the Offering
Period in which such revocation is made and withdraw the amount credited to
such
Participant’s Plan Account which has not previously been used to purchase
Shares.
(2) Refund
of Amounts Not Used to Purchase Shares.
In
connection with any withdrawal or revocation under this Section 12(a), the
amount credited to a Participant’s Plan Account that has not previously been
used to purchase Shares will be refunded to the Participant in cash as soon
as
administratively feasible
b. Re-enrollment.
An
Eligible Employee who voluntarily withdraws under Section 12(a) must re-enroll
in the Plan in order to begin making payroll deductions under the Plan. The
Eligible Employee will be entitled to re-enroll in the Plan during the
Enrollment Period for the Offering Period that begins on or after the date
of
withdrawal.
Section
13 - Separation from Employment
Separation
from employment for any reason, including death, disability, termination or
retirement shall be treated as a withdrawal from the Plan, as described in
Section 12. If a Participant separates from employment with an Employer for
any
reason prior to the end of an Offering Period, any payroll deductions during
the
Offering Period along with any residual balance in the Participant’s account
will automatically be paid to the Participant in cash.
Section
14 - Assignment
Neither
payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account nor any rights with
regard to options or Shares held under the Plan may be assigned, alienated,
transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way by a Participant
other
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any such assignment,
alienation, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be without effect,
except that the Administrator may treat such act as an election to withdraw
from
the Plan as described in Section 12. A Participant’s right to purchase Shares
under this Plan may be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the
Participant. A Participant's Plan Account shall be payable in accordance with
the Participant’s completed Beneficiary Designation Form on file with the
Recordkeeper, or absent a Beneficiary Designation Form, to the Participant's
estate upon his or her death.
Section
15 - Adjustment of and Changes in Shares
If
at any
time after the effective date of the Plan the Company shall subdivide or
reclassify the Shares which have been or may be optioned under the Plan, or
shall declare thereon any stock split or dividend payable in Shares, then the
number and class of Shares which may thereafter be optioned (in the aggregate
and to any Participant) shall be adjusted accordingly and in the case of each
option outstanding at the time of any such action, the number and class of
Shares which may thereafter be purchased pursuant to such option and the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to such extent as may be determined by the
Company or the Board, following consultation with the Company’s independent
certified public accountants and legal counsel, as necessary to preserve the
rights of the holder(s) of such option(s).
Section
16 - Amendment or Termination of the Plan
The
Board
shall have the right, at any time, to amend, modify or terminate the Plan
without notice; provided, however, that no Participant’s existing options shall
be adversely affected by any such amendment, modification or termination, except
to comply with applicable law, stock exchange rules or accounting rules.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall have the right to terminate
the
Plan with respect to all future payroll deductions and related purchases at
any
time. Such termination of the Plan shall also terminate any current Offering
Period in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
Designations
of participating corporations may be made by the Administrator from time to
time
from among a group of corporations consisting of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (including corporations that become Subsidiaries or a parent after
the adoption and approval of the Plan).
Section
17 - Administration
a. Administration.
The
Plan shall be administered by the Administrator. The Administrator shall be
responsible for the administration of all matters under the Plan which have
not
been delegated to the Recordkeeper, the Transfer Agent or the ESPP Broker.
The
Administrator shall have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe,
interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility and to
adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan. Any rule or regulation
adopted by the Administrator shall remain in full force and effect unless and
until altered, amended or repealed by the Administrator.
b. Specific
Responsibilities.
The
Administrator’s responsibilities shall include, but shall not be limited
to:
(1) interpreting
the Plan (including issues relating to the definition and application of
“Compensation”);
(2) identifying
and compiling a list of persons who are Eligible Employees for an Offering
Period; and
(3) identifying
those Eligible Employees not entitled to be granted options or other rights
for
an Offering Period on account of the limitations described in Section 3 b.
hereof.
The
Administrator may from time to time adopt rules and regulations for carrying
out
the terms of the Plan. Interpretation or construction of any provision of the
Plan by the Administrator shall be final and conclusive on all persons, absent
specific and contrary action taken by the Board. Any interpretation or
construction of any provision of the Plan by the Board shall be final and
conclusive.
Section
18 - Securities Law Restrictions
Notwithstanding
any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Shares may be purchased under
the
Plan until a registration statement has been filed and becomes effective with
respect to the issuance of the Shares covered by the Plan under the Act. Prior
to the effectiveness of such registration statement, Shares subject to purchase
under the Plan may be offered to Eligible Employees only pursuant to an
exemption from the registration requirements of the Act.
Section
19 - No Independent Employee’s Rights
Nothing
in the Plan shall be construed to be a contract of employment between an
Employer and any Employee, or any group or category of Employees (whether for
a
definite or specific duration or otherwise), or to prevent an Employer from
terminating any Employee’s employment at any time, without notice or recompense.
No Employee shall have any rights as a shareholder until the option to purchase
Shares, granted to him or her hereunder, has been exercised.
Section
20 - Applicable Law
The
Plan
shall be construed, administered and governed in all respects under the laws
of
the State of New Jersey to the extent such laws are not preempted or controlled
by federal law.
Section
21 - Merger or Consolidation
If
the
Company shall at any time merge into or consolidate with another corporation
or
business entity, each Participant will thereafter be entitled to receive at
the
end of the Offering Period (during which such merger or consolidation occurs)
the securities or property which a holder of Shares was entitled to upon and
at
the time of such merger or consolidation. The Board shall determine the kind
and
amount of such securities or property that each Participant shall be entitled
to
receive. A sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company shall
be deemed a merger or consolidation for the foregoing purposes.
PROXY
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
Annual
Meeting of Shareholders -Thursday, September 14, 2006
THIS
PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR USE AT THE 2006
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2006
The
shares of common stock of Measurement Specialties, Inc. you are entitled to
vote
at the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be voted as you
specify.
By
signing this proxy, you revoke all prior proxies and appoint Frank D. Guidone,
John P. Hopkins, or other designee, and each of them, with full power of
substitution, to vote all shares you are entitled to vote on the matters shown
on the reverse side, as directed in this proxy and, in
their discretion, on any other matters which may come before the Annual Meeting
and all postponements and adjournments.
This
proxy, when properly executed, will be voted as directed, or if no direction
is
given, will be voted FOR the election of R. Barry Uber and Satish Rishi as
directors, FOR the approval of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company, FOR the approval of the Measurement Specialties,
Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan, FOR the approval of the Measurement Specialties,
Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and FOR the ratification of the selection
of KPMG LLP as our independent auditors for fiscal 2007.
(Continued
and to be signed on the reverse side)
ANNUAL
MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF
MEASUREMENT
SPECIALTIES, INC.
Thursday,
September 14, 2006
PROXY
VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
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MAIL -
Date, sign and mail your proxy card in the envelope provided
as soon as
possible.
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OR -
TELEPHONE
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Call toll-free 1-800-690-6903
from any touch-tone telephone and follow the instructions. Have
your
control number and proxy card available when you call.
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OR -
INTERNET -
Access "www.proxyvote.com" and follow the on-screen instructions.
Have
your control number available when you access the web
page.
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COMPANY
NUMBER
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ACCOUNT
NUMBER
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NUMBER
OF SHARES
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CONTROL
NUMBER
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↓
Please detach and mail in the envelope provided if you are not
voting via
telephone or the
Internet.↓
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THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE ELECTION OF TWO
DIRECTORS,
AND "FOR" PROPOSALS 2 through 5.
PLEASE
SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. PLEASE
MARK YOUR
VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE ý
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FOR
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WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY
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FOR
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AGAINST
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ABSTAIN
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1.
To
elect the following persons to the Board of Directors of the
company for
the term described in the proxy statement:
R.
Barry Uber
Satish
Rishi
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o o
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o o
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2.
To
approve the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of the
Company.
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o
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o
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o
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FOR
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AGAINST
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ABSTAIN
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FOR
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AGAINST
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ABSTAIN
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3.
To
approve the 2006 Measurement Specialties, Inc. Stock Option
Plan.
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o
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o
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o
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4.
To approve the 2006 Measurement Specialties, Inc. Employee Stock
Purchase
Plan.
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o
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o
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o
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FOR
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AGAINST
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ABSTAIN
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5.
To ratify the selection by the company of KPMG LLP, independent
public
accountants, to audit the financial statements of the company
for the
fiscal year ending March 31, 2007.
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o
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o
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o
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To
change the address on your account, please check the box at the
right and
indicate your new address in the address space above. Please
note that
changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted
via
this method.
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o
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Signature
of Shareholder__________________________
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Date:_______
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Signature
of Shareholder_______________________
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Date:_______
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Note:
This
proxy must be signed exactly as the name appears hereon. When shares are
held
jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor, administrator,
attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer
is
a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer,
giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in
partnership name by authorized person.