Nlight, Inc 10-Q for FY2026 Q1
Nlight, Inc. (LASR)
10-Q
2026-05-08
For: 2026-03-31
View Original
Added on
May 08, 2026
About this 10-Q
Nlight, Inc filed this 10-Q on May 8, 2026, covering the quarter ended March 31, 2026 (FY2026 Q1).
Headline figures
Quarter ended March 31, 2026, as reported in this filing, compared with the same period a year earlier where the filing states it.
- Revenue
- $80.18M
- up 55.2% from $51.67M a year earlier
- Net income
- $645K
- compared with a net loss of $8.09M a year earlier
- Diluted EPS
- $0.01
- compared with -$0.16 a year earlier
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
________________________________________________________
FORM 10-Q
________________________________________________________
(Mark One)
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2026
or
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 001-38462
________________________________________________________
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
________________________________________________________
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | |||||||||||||
(Address of principal executive office, including zip code)
(360 ) 566-4460
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
__________________________________________
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol | Name of Exchange on which Registered | ||||||
$0.0001 per share | ||||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| ☒ | Accelerated Filer | ☐ | Non-Accelerated Filer | ☐ | Smaller Reporting Company | ||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Growth Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of May 6, 2026, the Registrant had 56,408,709 shares of common stock outstanding.
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |||||
| Page | |||||
Part II. Other Information | |||||
PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
nLIGHT, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
| As of | |||||||||||
| March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Marketable securities | |||||||||||
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $ | |||||||||||
| Inventory | |||||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | |||||||||||
| Total current assets | |||||||||||
| Restricted cash | |||||||||||
| Lease right-of-use assets | |||||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | |||||||||||
| Goodwill | |||||||||||
| Other assets, net | |||||||||||
| Total assets | |||||||||||
| Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable | |||||||||||
| Accrued liabilities | |||||||||||
| Deferred revenues | |||||||||||
| Current portion of lease liabilities | |||||||||||
| Line of credit | |||||||||||
| Total current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Non-current income taxes payable | |||||||||||
| Long-term lease liabilities | |||||||||||
| Other long-term liabilities | |||||||||||
| Total liabilities | |||||||||||
| Stockholders' equity: | |||||||||||
Common stock - $ | |||||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | |||||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Total stockholders’ equity | |||||||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | |||||||||||
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
1
nLIGHT, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Development | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenue | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Development | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total cost of revenue | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales, general, and administrative | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loss from operations | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) per share, basic | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) per share, diluted | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares used in per share calculations: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted | |||||||||||||||||||||||
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
2
nLIGHT, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustments | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
3
nLIGHT, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common stock | Additional paid-in capital | Accumulated other comprehensive loss | Accumulated deficit | Total stockholders' equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2025 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from follow-on offering, net of underwriting discount and offering costs | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common stock pursuant to exercise of stock options | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common stock pursuant to vesting of restricted stock awards and units, net of stock withheld for tax | — | ( | — | — | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities | — | — | — | ( | — | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cumulative translation adjustment, net of tax | — | — | ( | — | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, March 31, 2026 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common stock | Additional paid-in capital | Accumulated other comprehensive loss | Accumulated deficit | Total stockholders' equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2024 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | — | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common stock pursuant to exercise of stock options | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common stock pursuant to vesting of restricted stock awards and units, net of stock withheld for tax | — | ( | — | — | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities | — | — | — | ( | — | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cumulative translation adjustment, net of tax | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, March 31, 2025 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
4
nLIGHT, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Income (loss) | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use assets | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Provision for losses on (recoveries of) accounts receivable | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deferred income taxes | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued interest earned on marketable securities | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash restructuring charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inventory | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other assets, net | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accounts payable | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued and other long-term liabilities | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deferred revenues | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lease liabilities | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-current income taxes payable | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases of property, plant and equipment | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchase of marketable securities | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from maturities and sales of marketable securities | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from public offerings, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from line of credit | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from stock option exercises | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tax payments related to stock award issuances | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of period | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of period | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Supplemental disclosures: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash paid for interest, net | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating cash outflows from operating leases | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued purchases of property, equipment and patents | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Restricted cash | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
5
nLIGHT, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and New Accounting Pronouncements
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of nLIGHT, Inc. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The unaudited financial information reflects, in the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the interim periods presented. The results reported for the interim period presented are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our critical accounting policies have not materially changed during the three months ended March 31, 2026, from those disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
New Accounting Pronouncements
ASU 2024-03
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03 related to the disaggregation of certain income statement expenses. The amendments in this update require public entities to disclose incremental information related to purchases of inventory, team member compensation and depreciation, which will provide investors the ability to better understand entity expenses and make their own judgments about entity performance. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026. We plan to adopt this pronouncement and make the necessary updates to our disclosures for the year ending December 31, 2027, and, aside from these disclosure changes, we do not expect the amendments to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
ASU 2025-10
In December 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025‑10 related to government grants received by business entities. The amendments in this update establish recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure guidance for government grants and require such grants to be recognized only when it is probable that the entity will comply with the related conditions and that the grant will be received. The amendments in this update are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2028. We are evaluating the amendments and expect to adopt the guidance when it becomes effective. We do not expect the amendments to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
ASU 2025-11
Note 2 - Revenue
We recognize revenue upon transferring control of products and services and the amounts recognized reflect the consideration we expect to be entitled to receive in exchange for these products and services. We consider customer purchase orders, which in some cases are governed by master sales agreements, to be the contracts with a customer. As part of our consideration of the contract, we evaluate certain factors, including the customer's ability to pay (or credit risk). For each contract, we consider the promise to transfer products, each of which is distinct, as the identified performance obligations.
We allocate the transaction price to each distinct product based on its relative standalone selling price. Master sales agreements or purchase orders from customers could include a single product or multiple products. Regardless, the
6
contracted price with the customer is agreed to at the individual product level outlined in the customer contract or purchase order. We do not bundle prices; however, we do negotiate with customers on pricing for the same products based on a variety of factors (e.g., level of contractual volume). We have concluded that the prices negotiated with each individual customer are representative of the stand-alone selling price of the product.
We often receive orders with multiple delivery dates that may extend across several reporting periods. We allocate the transaction price of the contract to each delivery based on the product standalone selling price and invoice for each scheduled delivery upon shipment or delivery and recognize revenues for such delivery at that point, when transfer of control has occurred. As scheduled delivery dates are generally within one year, under the optional exemption provided by ASC 606-10-50-14a, revenues allocated to future shipments of partially completed contracts are not disclosed as performance obligations for point in time revenue. Further, we recognize, over time, revenue as per ASC 606-10-55-18 (invoice practical expedient) for our cost plus contracts and, accordingly, elect not to disclose information related to those performance obligations under ASC 606-10-50-14b. As of March 31, 2026, we had
$1.4 million of performance obligations relating to firm fixed price contracts that did not qualify for the aforementioned disclosure exemptions. We expect to recognize 96 % of these performance obligations by the end of 2026 and the remainder by the end of 2027.
We have elected, per ASC 606-10-25-18B (shipping and handling practical expedient), to recognize shipping and handling services performed after control transfer as fulfillment costs.
Rights of return generally are not included in customer contracts. Accordingly, product revenue is recognized upon transfer of control at shipment or delivery, as applicable. Rights of return are evaluated as they occur.
Revenues recognized at a point in time consist of sales of semiconductor lasers, fiber amplifiers, fiber lasers and other related products. Revenues recognized over time generally consist of development arrangements that are structured based on our costs incurred. For long-term contracts, we estimate the total expected costs to complete the contract and recognize revenue based on the percentage of costs incurred at period end. Typically, revenue is recognized over time using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward satisfying our performance obligations. Incurred costs represent work performed, which corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control to the customer. Contract costs include labor, materials, subcontractors costs, other direct costs, and indirect costs applicable on government and commercial contracts.
Contract estimates are based on various assumptions to project the outcome of future events that may span several
years. These assumptions include labor productivity and availability, the complexity of the work to be performed, the cost and availability of materials, the performance of subcontractors, and the availability and timing of funding from the customer. Billing under these arrangements generally occurs within one month of the costs being incurred or as milestones are reached.
The following tables represent a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers for the periods presented (in thousands):
Sales by End Market
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aerospace and Defense | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microfabrication | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7
Sales by Geography
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| North America | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Asia Pacific | |||||||||||||||||||||||
EMEA(1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(1) EMEA consists of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Sales by Timing of Revenue
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Point in time | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Over time | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Our contract assets and liabilities were as follows (in thousands):
| Balance Sheet Classification | As of | ||||||||||||||||
| March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| Contract assets | Prepaid expenses and other current assets | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
| Contract liabilities | Deferred revenues and other long-term liabilities | ||||||||||||||||
Contract assets generally consist of revenue recognized on an over-time basis where revenue recognition has been met, but the amounts are billed and collected in a subsequent period. In our services contracts, amounts are billed as work progresses in accordance with agreed-upon contractual terms, either at periodic intervals, which is generally monthly, or upon the achievement of contractual milestones. Generally, billing occurs subsequent to revenue recognition, resulting in contract assets recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. However, we sometimes receive advances or deposits from our customers before revenue is recognized, resulting in contract liabilities recorded in deferred revenues on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Contract liabilities are not a significant financing component as they are generally utilized to pay for contract costs within a one-year period or are used to ensure the customer meets contractual requirements. These assets and liabilities are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period. For our product revenue, we generally receive cash payments subsequent to satisfying the performance obligation via delivery of the product, resulting in billed accounts receivable. For our contracts, there are no significant gaps between the receipt of payment and the transfer of the associated goods and services to the customer for material amounts of consideration.
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, we recognized revenue of $1.7 million that was included in the deferred revenues balance at the beginning of the period as the performance obligations under the associated agreements were satisfied.
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Note 3 - Concentrations of Credit and Other Risks
The following customers accounted for 10% or more of our revenues for the periods presented:
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Government* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
*Excludes sales to customers who sell our products and services exclusively to the U.S. Government
Note 4 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of certain of our financial instruments, including cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are shown at cost which approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value of our term and revolving loans approximates the carrying value due to the variable market rate used to calculate interest payments.
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The standard describes a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value which are the following:
•Level 1 Inputs: Observable inputs, such as quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.
•Level 2 Inputs: Observable inputs, other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
•Level 3 Inputs: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
Our financial instruments that are carried at fair value consist of Level 1 assets which include highly liquid investments and bank drafts classified as cash equivalents and marketable securities.
Our fair value hierarchy for our financial instruments was as follows (in thousands):
| March 31, 2026 | ||||||||||||||
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | |||||||||||
| Cash Equivalents: | ||||||||||||||
| Money market securities | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| Commercial paper | ||||||||||||||
| Marketable Securities: | ||||||||||||||
| U.S. treasuries | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
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| December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||||||
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | |||||||||||
| Cash Equivalents: | ||||||||||||||
| Money market securities | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| Commercial paper | ||||||||||||||
| Marketable Securities: | ||||||||||||||
| U.S. treasuries | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
Cash Equivalents
The fair value of cash equivalents is determined based on quoted market prices for similar or identical securities.
Marketable Securities
Marketable securities consist primarily of highly liquid investments with original maturities of greater than 90 days when purchased. We classify our marketable securities as available-for-sale, as they represent investments that are available to be sold for current operations, and value them utilizing a market approach that uses observable inputs without applying significant judgment.
Note 5 - Inventory
Inventory consisted of the following (in thousands):
| As of | |||||||||||
| March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||
| Raw materials | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Work in process and semi-finished goods | |||||||||||
| Finished goods | |||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||
Note 6 - Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):
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| Useful life | As of | ||||||||||||||||
| (years) | March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
| Automobiles | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||
| Computer hardware and software | |||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturing and lab equipment | |||||||||||||||||
| Office equipment and furniture | |||||||||||||||||
| Leasehold and building improvements | |||||||||||||||||
| Buildings | |||||||||||||||||
| Land | N/A | ||||||||||||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||
Note 7 - Goodwill
Goodwill
The carrying amount of goodwill by segment was as follows (in thousands):
| Laser Products | Advanced Development | Totals | |||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2025 | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
| Currency exchange rate adjustment | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||
| Balance, March 31, 2026 | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
Note 8 - Line of Credit
We have a $40.0 million revolving line of credit (LOC) with Banc of California dated September 24, 2018, which is secured by our assets and matures on September 24, 2027. The LOC agreement contains restrictive and financial covenants and bears an unused credit fee of 0.25 % on an annualized basis. The interest rate of 5.75 % on the LOC at March 31, 2026 is based on the Prime Rate, minus a margin based on our liquidity levels.
As of March 31, 2026, $20.0 million was outstanding on the LOC and we were in compliance with all covenants.
Interest expense on the LOC was $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026.The remaining $20.0 million unused portion of the LOC is available for borrowing
Note 9 - Accrued Liabilities
Accrued liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):
| As of | |||||||||||||||||
| March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| Accrued payroll and benefits | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||
| Product warranty, current | |||||||||||||||||
| Other accrued expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||
Note 10 - Product Warranties
We provide warranties on certain products and record a liability for the estimated future costs associated with warranty claims at the time revenue is recognized. The warranty liability is based on historical experience, any specifically identified failures, and our estimate of future costs. The current portion of our product warranty liability is included in the accrued liabilities and the long-term portion is included in Other long-term liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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Product warranty liability activity was as follows for the periods presented (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product warranty liability, beginning | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Warranty charges incurred, net | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Provision for warranty charges, net of adjustments | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product warranty liability, ending | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: current portion of product warranty liability | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-current portion of product warranty liability | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
Note 11 - Stockholders' Equity and Stock-Based Compensation
Public Offering
In February 2026, we completed an underwritten public offering in which we issued and sold 4.6 million shares of our common stock, resulting in gross proceeds of $201.3 million. The aggregate number of shares of common stock offered in the offering included 0.6 million shares of common stock sold pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares. Net proceeds after the underwriting discount and offering costs were $191.3 million.
Restricted Stock Units
Restricted stock unit (RSU) activity under our equity incentive plan was as follows:
| Number of Restricted Stock Units (Thousands) | Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2025 | $ | ||||||||||||||||
| Granted | |||||||||||||||||
| Vested | ( | ||||||||||||||||
| Forfeited | ( | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance, March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||
The total fair value of RSUs vested during the three months ended March 31, 2026, was $7.7 million. RSUs vest over time subject to the employee's continuing service.
Market-Based Performance Restricted Stock Units
Performance restricted stock units (PRSUs) were granted in 2025, 2024, and 2023 and will vest upon meeting certain performance criteria. No PRSUs were granted, forfeited, or vested during the three months ended March 31, 2026.
As of March 31, 2026, there were approximately 3.6 million PRSU awards outstanding.
Stock Options
The following table summarizes our stock option activity during the three months ended March 31, 2026:
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| Number of Options (Thousands) | Weighted-Average Exercise Price | Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years) | Aggregate Intrinsic Value (Thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding, December 31, 2025 | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Options exercised | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding, March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Options exercisable at March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Options vested as of March 31, 2026, and expected to vest after March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Total intrinsic value of options exercised for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, was $6.3 million and $1.3 million, respectively. We received proceeds of $0.2 million and $0.1 million from the exercise of options for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation
Total stock-based compensation expense was included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenues | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales, general and administrative | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrecognized Compensation Costs
As of March 31, 2026, total unrecognized stock-based compensation was $72.2 million, which will be recognized over an average expected recognition period of 2.2 years.
Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
See Note 13.
Legal Matters
From time to time, we may be subject to various legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business. As of March 31, 2026 we believe these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements.
Note 13 - Leases
We lease real estate space under non-cancelable operating lease agreements for commercial and industrial space. Facilities-related operating leases have remaining terms of 0.4 to 9.2 years, and some leases include options to extend up to 10 years. Other leases for automobiles, manufacturing and office and computer equipment have remaining lease terms of 0.2 to 4.8 years. These leases are primarily operating leases; financing leases are not material. We did not include any renewal options in our lease terms for calculating the lease liabilities as we are not reasonably certain we will exercise the options at this time. The weighted-average remaining lease term for the lease obligations was 6 years as of March 31, 2026, and the weighted-average discount rate was 5.1 %.
The components of lease expense related to operating leases were as follows (in thousands):
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| Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lease expense: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating lease expense | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short-term lease expense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Variable and other lease expense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Future minimum payments under our non-cancelable lease obligations were as follows as of March 31, 2026 (in thousands):
| 2026 | $ | ||||
| 2027 | |||||
| 2028 | |||||
| 2029 | |||||
| 2030 | |||||
| Thereafter | |||||
| Total minimum lease payments | |||||
| Less: interest | ( | ||||
| Present value of net minimum lease payments | |||||
| Less: current portion of lease liabilities | ( | ||||
| Total long-term lease liabilities | $ | ||||
Note 14 - Restructuring
Restructuring charges in the first quarter of 2026 consist of lease exit and termination costs related to excess manufacturing space as follows (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total restructuring charges | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||
Restructuring accruals and payments were as follows (in thousands):
| Accrued restructuring charges at December 31, 2024 | $ | |||||||
| Restructuring charges | ||||||||
| Cash payments | ( | |||||||
| Non-cash settlements | ( | |||||||
| Accrual at December 31, 2025 | ||||||||
| Restructuring charges | ||||||||
| Cash payments | ( | |||||||
| Accrual at March 31, 2026 | $ | |||||||
Note 15 - Segment Information
We operate in two reportable segments consisting of the Laser Products segment and the Advanced Development segment. We organize our business segments based on the nature of products and services offered.
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Laser Products
This segment includes the design, development, production and integration of high-power semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers and related components, modules and subsystems that are typically integrated into laser systems or manufacturing tools built by us or our customers for use in a range of commercial and defense applications. This segment also includes fiber amplifiers and beam combination and control systems for use in high-energy laser (HEL) systems in directed energy applications, and laser sensing products used in a wide range of defense applications.
Advanced Development
This segment focuses on technology integration as well as research, design, and prototyping of next-generation laser technologies for the defense industry, including the development of custom high-power fiber lasers and advanced beam combining technologies.
Segment Financial Data
Our Chief Executive Officer serves as the chief operating decision maker (CODM) and is responsible for reviewing segment performance and making decisions regarding resource allocation. Our CODM uses revenue, gross profit, and gross margin to evaluate each segment's performance by comparing the metrics to historical results and previously forecasted financial information. Segment gross profit is the primary measure of segment profit or loss, and cost of revenue is the only significant expense category, and therefore we have no other segment items. In addition, our CODM does not evaluate operating segments using asset or liability information. The following table summarizes the operating results by reportable segment for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Laser Products | Advanced Development | Total | Laser Products | Advanced Development | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment gross profit | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment gross margin | % | % | % | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other cost of revenue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | ( | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | $ | $ | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other cost of revenue consists of stock-based compensation expense, which is not used in evaluating the results of, or in the allocation of resources to, our reportable segments.
There have been no material changes to the geographic locations of our long-lived assets, net, based on the location of the assets, as disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Note 16 - Net Income (Loss) per Share
Basic income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period.
Diluted income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period and potentially dilutive shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Potentially dilutive shares whose effect would have been anti-dilutive are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per common share.
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The following table reconciles the shares used in calculating basic net income (loss) per share and diluted net income (loss) per share (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average shares used in computing basic net income (loss) per share | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Add potentially dilutive securities | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restricted stock units | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common stock options | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average shares used in computed diluted net income (loss) per share | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The following potentially dilutive securities were not included in the calculation of diluted shares as the effect would have been anti‑dilutive (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restricted stock units | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common stock options | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "ability," "anticipate," "attempt," "believe," "can be," "continue," "could," "depend," "enable," "estimate," "expect," "extend," "grow," "if," "intend," "likely," "may," "objective," "ongoing," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "propose," "rely," "should," "target," "will," "would" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.
These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the future, about which we cannot be certain. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about: our business model and strategic plans; our expectations regarding manufacturing; our future financial performance; demand for our semiconductor and fiber laser solutions; our ability to develop innovative products; our expectations regarding product volumes and the introduction of new products; our technology and new product research and development activities; the impact of new import and export controls; the impact of changes in regulations and customs, tariffs and trade barriers, or the perception that any of them could occur; the impact of inflation; the impact of seasonality; the effect on our business of litigation to which we are or may become a party; and the sufficiency of our existing liquidity sources to meet our cash needs.
You should refer to the "Risk Factors" section of this report for a discussion of other important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this report will prove to be accurate. In addition, statements that "we believe" and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this report, which although we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted a thorough inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Overview
nLIGHT, Inc. is a leading provider of high‑power lasers for mission-critical directed energy, optical sensing, and advanced manufacturing applications. We design, develop, manufacture, integrate and sell a range of high-power semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers and related components, modules and subsystems that are typically integrated into laser systems or manufacturing tools built by us or our customers. We also make high energy pulsed fiber lasers, fiber amplifiers, and beam combination and control systems for use in high-energy laser systems for directed energy and laser sensing systems for use in a wide range of commercial and defense applications. Our long history of commercial technology development and vertical integration enables us to develop products that leverage the same underlying technology across a variety of applications and markets, thereby enabling us to leverage the development of shared technologies in unique combinations to offer innovative and reliable products to customers in each of our end markets. We sell our products into three primary end markets: Aerospace and Defense, Industrial, and Microfabrication.
We operate in two reportable segments consisting of the Laser Products segment and the Advanced Development segment.
Revenues increased to $80.2 million in the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to $51.7 million in the same period in 2025 due primarily to an increase in both product and development revenue from the Aerospace and
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Defense end market. We generated net income of $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to a net loss of $8.1 million for the same period in 2025.
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Factors Affecting Our Performance
Demand for our Products and Solutions
Our revenue depends largely on market conditions, competitive pressure, and achievement of design wins. We consider a design win to occur when a customer notifies us that it has selected one of our products to be incorporated into a product or system under development by such customer. In the Aerospace and Defense market, our business also depends in large part on continued investment in laser technology by the U.S. government and its allies, and our ability to continue to successfully develop leading technology in this area and commercialize that technology in the future.
Demand for our products also fluctuates based on market cycles, continuously evolving industry supply chains, trade and tariff terms, as well as evolving competitive dynamics in each of our end-markets. Erosion of ASPs of established products is typical in our industry, and the ASPs of our products generally decrease as our products mature. We may also negotiate discounted selling prices from time to time with certain customers that purchase higher volumes, or to penetrate new markets or applications.
Technology and New Product Development
We invest heavily in the development of our semiconductor, fiber laser, directed energy, and laser-sensing technologies to provide solutions to our current and future customers. We anticipate that we will continue to invest in research and development to achieve our technology and product roadmap. Our product development is targeted to specific sectors of the market where we believe the performance of our products provides a significant benefit to our customers. We believe our close coordination with our customers regarding their future product requirements enhances the efficiency of our research and development expenditures.
Manufacturing Costs and Gross Margins
Product gross profit, in absolute dollars and gross margin, may fluctuate from period to period based on product sales mix, sales volumes, changes in ASPs, production volumes, the corresponding absorption of manufacturing overhead expenses, the cost of purchased materials, production costs and manufacturing yields. Product sales mix can affect gross profits due to variations in profitability related to product configurations and cost profiles, customer volume pricing, availability of competitive products in various markets, and new product introductions, among other factors. Even though certain of our products are built offshore by contract manufacturers, capacity utilization affects gross margin because of the fixed cost associated with our U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities. Change in sales and production volumes impact absorption of fixed costs, manufacturing efficiencies and production costs.
Our Development gross profit varies with the type and terms of contracts, contract volume, project mix, changes in the estimated cost of projects at completion, and successful execution on projects during the period. Most of our Development contracts have historically been structured as cost plus fixed fee due to the technical complexity of the research and development services, but we also perform work under fixed price contracts where gross margin can change from period to period based on the estimated cost of the project at completion.
Seasonality
Our quarterly revenues can fluctuate with general economic trends, the timing of capital expenditures by our customers, holidays, and general economic trends. In addition, as is typical in our industry, we tend to recognize a larger percentage of our quarterly revenues in the last month of the quarter, which may impact our working capital trends.
Global Economic Conditions
A portion of our sales are generated from products manufactured outside the United States and we sell our products globally. Changing trade dynamics, including changes in tariffs and export regulations, could disrupt our supply chain, disrupt customer sales, and increase input costs. We continue to monitor macroeconomic trends, global inflationary pressures, and uncertainties related to international trade policy, including tariff actions and regulatory shifts. For instance, in February 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling invalidating certain tariffs previously imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In March 2026, the U.S. Court of International Trade Court issued an additional ruling stating that importers that have paid tariffs under IEEPA are
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due refunds. We are currently evaluating the impact of this decision on our business, as the ultimate timing and amount of any potential refunds is uncertain and subject to further legal and regulatory developments.
Changes in global economic conditions and tariffs on goods to and from the U.S. did not have a material impact on our financial results in the three months ended March 31, 2026. However, changes in global economic conditions and uncertainty related to tariffs could increase our operational complexity, and have a negative impact on revenue and profitability in the future.
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our operating results as a percentage of revenues for the periods indicated (which may not add up due to rounding):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | 72.6 | % | 69.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Development | 27.4 | 30.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenue | 100.0 | 100.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | 40.9 | 45.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Development | 26.0 | 27.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total cost of revenue | 66.9 | 73.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 33.1 | 26.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development | 14.8 | 22.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales, general, and administrative | 18.8 | 23.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring | 0.4 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 34.0 | 45.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Loss from operations | (0.9) | (18.6) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | 1.9 | 3.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (0.4) | (0.1) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net | 0.3 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 0.9 | (15.4) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 0.1 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | 0.8 | % | (15.7) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Revenues by End Market
Our revenues by end market were as follows for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | % of Revenue | 2025 | % of Revenue | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aerospace and Defense | $ | 55,127 | 68.8 | % | $ | 32,706 | 63.3 | % | $ | 22,421 | 68.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Microfabrication | 13,029 | 16.2 | 10,106 | 19.6 | 2,923 | 28.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 12,025 | 15.0 | 8,856 | 17.1 | 3,169 | 35.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | 80,181 | 100.0 | % | $ | 51,668 | 100.0 | % | $ | 28,513 | 55.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
The increase in revenue from the Aerospace and Defense market for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven by increased unit sales of directed energy laser products across all regions and progress on existing development contracts. The increase in revenue from the Microfabrication market for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was primarily attributable to increased unit sales of semiconductor lasers in all regions. The increase in revenue from the Industrial markets for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was the result of increased unit sales of additive fiber lasers in North America, partially offset by decreased unit sales of other industrial laser products.
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Revenues by Segment
Our revenues by segment were as follows for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | % of Revenue | 2025 | % of Revenue | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Laser Products | $ | 58,202 | 72.6 | % | $ | 35,678 | 69.1 | % | $ | 22,524 | 63.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Advanced Development | 21,979 | 27.4 | 15,990 | 30.9 | 5,989 | 37.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | 80,181 | 100.0 | % | $ | 51,668 | 100.0 | % | $ | 28,513 | 55.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
The increase in Laser Products revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was the result of increased units sales across all end markets. The increase in Advanced Development revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven by progress on existing research and development contracts. All Advanced Development revenue is included in the Aerospace and Defense market.
Revenues by Geographic Region
Our revenues by geographic region were as follows for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | % of Revenue | 2025 | % of Revenue | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North America | $ | 59,255 | 73.9 | % | $ | 36,085 | 69.8 | % | $ | 23,170 | 64.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Asia Pacific | 11,872 | 14.8 | 9,128 | 17.7 | 2,744 | 30.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
EMEA(1) | 9,054 | 11.3 | 6,455 | 12.5 | 2,599 | 40.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | 80,181 | 100.0 | % | $ | 51,668 | 100.0 | % | $ | 28,513 | 55.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) EMEA consists of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Geographic revenue information is based on the location to which we ship our products. The increase in North America Revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was due to increased revenue across all end markets, with revenue from the Aerospace and Defense market representing most of the increase. The increases in Asia Pacific and EMEA revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 were the result of increased revenues from the Aerospace and Defense and Microfabrication markets, partially offset by decreased revenue from the Industrial market.
Cost of Revenues and Gross Margin
Products cost of revenue consists primarily of manufacturing materials, labor, shipping and handling costs, duties, and manufacturing-related overhead. We order materials and supplies based on backlog and forecasted customer orders. We expense all warranty costs and inventory provisions as cost of revenues.
Development cost of revenue consists primarily of materials, labor, subcontracting costs, and an allocation of indirect costs including overhead and general and administrative.
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Our gross profit and gross margin were as follows for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | Development | Total | Products | Development | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | $ | 25,392 | $ | 1,121 | $ | 26,513 | $ | 11,954 | $ | 1,845 | $ | 13,799 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross margin | 43.6 | % | 5.1 | % | 33.1 | % | 33.5 | % | 11.5 | % | 26.7 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The increase in products gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven primarily by sales mix and the impact of increased production volumes on fixed manufacturing costs due to the overall increase in sales. The decrease in development gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was primarily the result of an increase in revenue from cost-plus fixed fee (CPFF) contracts relative to firm fixed price (FFP) contracts. CPFF contracts generally have a lower average gross margin than FFP contracts.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses were as follows for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):
Research and Development
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development | $ | 11,846 | $ | 11,374 | $ | 472 | 4.1 | % | |||||||||||||||
The increase in research and development expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven by an increase in stock-based compensation of $0.5 million, an increase in employee compensation due to an increase in headcount, partially offset by a decrease in project-related expenses.
Sales, General and Administrative
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales, general, and administrative | $ | 15,091 | $ | 12,035 | $ | 3,056 | 25.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
The increase in sales, general and administrative expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was primarily due to an increase in stock-based compensation of $3.9 million and an increase in employee compensation, partially offset by a higher allocation of costs from sales, general and administrative to development projects, and decrease in bad debt recoveries.
Interest Income
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 1,562 | $ | 1,688 | $ | (126) | (7.5)% | ||||||||||||||||
The decrease in interest income, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven primarily by a decrease in income earned from marketable securities, partially offset by an increase in income earned from cash equivalents.
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Interest income is primarily earned from our marketable securities (U.S. treasuries), recognized using the effective yield method, and cash equivalents (money market securities).
Interest (expense)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | $ | (300) | $ | (48) | $ | (252) | 525.0% | ||||||||||||||||
The increase in interest (expense), for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 was driven primarily by an increase in interest expense on line of credit (LOC). Interest expense on the LOC for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was immaterial due to the timing of the draw.
Other Income, net
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net | $ | 155 | $ | 14 | $ | 141 | 1,007.1% | ||||||||||||||||
Other income, net is primarily attributable to changes in net realized and unrealized foreign exchange transactions resulting from currency rate fluctuations.
Income Tax Expense
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 53 | $ | 137 | $ | (84) | (61.3) | % | |||||||||||||||
We record income tax expense for taxes in our foreign jurisdictions including Finland, Italy, Austria, China and South Korea. While our tax expense is largely dependent on the geographic mix of earnings related to our foreign operations, we also record tax expense for uncertain tax positions taken and associated penalties and interest. We consider all available evidence, both positive and negative, in assessing the extent to which a valuation allowance should be applied against our deferred tax assets. Due to the uncertainty with respect to their ultimate realizability, we continue to maintain a full valuation allowance on deferred tax assets in the United States, and a partial valuation allowance in China as of March 31, 2026. Our effective tax rate may vary from period to period based on changes in estimated taxable income or loss by jurisdiction, changes to the valuation allowance, changes to U.S. federal, state or foreign tax laws, future expansion into areas with varying country, state, and local income tax rates and deductibility of certain costs and expenses by jurisdiction.
The decrease in income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025 was driven by a decrease in income from our foreign operations. Our tax expense is dependent on the geographic mix of earnings and primarily related to our foreign operations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We had cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of $298.5 million and $99.0 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. In addition, we had marketable securities of $34.4 million and $34.9 million at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. Our total balance of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities increased by $199.0 million from December 31, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
For the three months ended March 31, 2026, our principal sources of liquidity was from our public offering and cash collected from customers. We believe our existing sources of liquidity will be sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements may vary materially from period to period and will depend on many factors, including the timing and extent of spending on research and development efforts, the expansion of sales and marketing activities, the continuing market acceptance of our products and ongoing investments to support the growth of our business. We may in the future enter into arrangements to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, services, technologies and intellectual property
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rights. From time to time, we may explore additional financing sources which could include equity, equity‑linked and debt financing arrangements.
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | $ | 9,683 | $ | (20) | |||||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (1,368) | (2,433) | |||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 191,235 | 18,765 | |||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | (38) | 56 | |||||||||||||||
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | 199,512 | $ | 16,368 | |||||||||||||
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash provided by operating activities was $9.7 million, which was the result of $0.6 million net income and non-cash expenses totaling $15.1 million related primarily to depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation, offset by cash used in net working capital of $6.0 million. The cash used in net working capital in the three months ended March 31, 2026 was driven by $8.2 million increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets, $2.5 million decrease in accrued and other long-term liabilities, $1.6 million decrease in accounts payable, and $0.6 million decrease in lease liabilities. The uses of cash were offset by a $2.7 million decrease in accounts receivable, $2.6 million increase in deferred revenues, $1.3 million decrease in inventory, and $0.2 million decrease in other assets, net.
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash used in investing activities was $1.4 million, which was driven by net capital expenditures of $2.1 million, offset by the net proceeds from maturities and sales of marketable securities of $0.7 million.
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash provided by financing activities was $191.2 million, which consisted of proceeds from our public offering, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs, of $191.3 million and proceeds from stock option exercises of $0.2 million, offset by tax payments related to stock award issuances of $0.2 million.
Credit Facilities
We have a $40.0 million revolving LOC with Banc of California dated September 24, 2018, which is secured by our assets and matures on September 24, 2027. The LOC agreement contains restrictive and financial covenants, including a minimum total cash covenant, and bears an unused credit fee of 0.25% on an annualized basis. The interest rate of 5.75% on the LOC at March 31, 2026 is based on the Prime Rate, minus a margin based on our liquidity levels.
As of March 31, 2026, $20.0 million was outstanding on the LOC and we were in compliance with all covenants. The remaining $20.0 million unused portion of the LOC is available for borrowing.
Contractual Obligations
There have been no material changes to our contractual obligations as previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
For financial market risks related to changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, reference is made to Item 7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk,” contained in Part II of our Annual
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Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. Other than with respect to the variable interest rate on our LOC due to our draw of $20.0 million on our LOC with Banc of California, our exposure to market risk has not changed materially since December 31, 2025.
We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with the borrowings under our LOC. We have a $40.0 million revolving credit facility. As of March 31, 2026, we had $20.0 million outstanding under the LOC. Borrowings under the LOC bear interest at a per annum rate, depending on certain liquidity thresholds, ranging from the Prime Rate minus 1.0% to the Prime Rate. A 10% increase or decrease in interest rates would result in approximately a $0.1 million change in our obligations under the loan facility.
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer, have evaluated our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer have concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were, in design and operation, effective.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2026 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Limitations on the Effectiveness of Internal Control
Control systems, including ours, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control systems’ objectives are being met. Further, the design of any control systems must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of all controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Control systems can also be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is based, in part, on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures. We intend to continue to monitor and upgrade our internal controls as necessary or appropriate for our business, but cannot assure you that such improvements will be sufficient to provide us with effective internal control over financial reporting.
PART II—OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
For a description of our material pending legal proceedings, see Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
For risk factors related to our business, reference is made to Item 1A, "Risk Factors," contained in Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
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ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION
Securities Trading Plans of Directors and Executive Officers
During our last fiscal quarter, no director and officer, as defined in Rule 16a-1(f), adopted
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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
(a) Exhibits
| Exhibit Number | Incorporated by Reference | Filed Herewith | ||||||||||||||||||
| Description | Form | File No. | Exhibit | Filing Date | ||||||||||||||||
| 10.1 | X | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10.2 | X | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10.2 | 8-K | 001-38462 | 10.2 | August 15, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| 31.1 | X | |||||||||||||||||||
| 31.2 | X | |||||||||||||||||||
| 32.1* | X | |||||||||||||||||||
| 101.INS | Inline XBRL Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 101.SCH | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 101.CAL | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document. | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 101.DEF | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 101.LAB | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 101.PRE | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) | X | ||||||||||||||||||
| + | Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement. | ||||
| * | The certifications furnished in Exhibit 32.1 hereto are deemed to accompany this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and will not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference. | ||||
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| NLIGHT, INC. | ||||||||
| (Registrant) | ||||||||
| May 8, 2026 | By: | /s/ SCOTT KEENEY | ||||||
| Date | Scott Keeney | |||||||
| President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | ||||||||
| May 8, 2026 | By: | /s/ JOSEPH CORSO | ||||||
| Date | Joseph Corso | |||||||
| Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | ||||||||
| May 8, 2026 | By: | /s/ JAMES NIAS | ||||||
| Date | James Nias | |||||||
| Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) | ||||||||
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NLIGHT, INC.
OUTSIDE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY
Originally adopted and approved March 27, 2018,
as most recently amended and restated April 3, 2026 (the “Restatement Date”)
nLIGHT, Inc. (the “Company”) believes that the granting of equity and cash compensation to the members of its Board of Directors (the “Board,” and members of the Board, the “Directors”) represents an effective tool to attract, retain and reward Directors who are not employees of the Company (the “Outside Directors”). This Outside Director Compensation Policy, as amended and restated (the “Policy”) is intended to formalize the Company’s policy regarding cash compensation and grants of equity to its Outside Directors. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Policy will have the meaning given such term in the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”). Each Outside Director will be solely responsible for any tax obligations incurred by such Outside Director as a result of the equity and cash payments the Outside Director receives under this Policy.
1.Cash Compensation
Annual Cash Retainer
Effective on and after April 1, 2026, each Outside Director will be paid an annual cash retainer of $60,000. There are no per-meeting attendance fees for attending Board meetings or meetings of any committee of the Board.
Lead Independent Director, Committee Membership, and Committee Chair Annual Cash Retainer
Effective on and after April 1, 2026, each Outside Director who serves as lead independent director of the Board, chairperson of a committee of the Board, or member of a committee of the Board will be eligible to earn additional annual cash retainers as follows:
Lead Independent Director $22,500
Chair of Audit Committee: $22,500
Member of Audit Committee
(excluding Committee Chair): $10,000
Chair of Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee: $11,250
Member of Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee (excluding Committee Chair): $5,000
Chair of Compensation Committee: $17,000
Member of Compensation Committee
(excluding Committee Chair) $7,500
Chair of Information and Technology
Security Committee: $17,000
Member of Information and Technology
Security Committee (excluding Committee Chair): $7,500
Payment. Each annual cash retainer under this Policy will be paid quarterly in arrears on a prorated basis to each Outside Director who has served in the relevant capacity at any point during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, and such payment shall be made on the first trading day following the end of such immediately preceding fiscal quarter (each date, a “Payment Date”). For purposes of clarification, an Outside Director who has served as an Outside Director, as lead independent director, or as a member of an applicable committee (or chairperson thereof), as applicable, during only a portion of the relevant Company fiscal quarter will receive a pro-rated payment of the quarterly payment of the applicable annual retainer(s), calculated based on the number of days such Outside Director has served in the relevant capacities. Further, for purposes of clarification, the portions of annual retainers payable for periods prior to April 1, 2026, will be based on the annual retainer amounts then in effect under the Policy. By way of example, the portion of the annual cash retainer payable for service as Chair of the Audit Committee for the first fiscal quarter of 2026 will be based on the annual cash retainer payable for such service as in place under this Policy prior to April 1, 2026, while the portions of such retainer payable for the remaining fiscal quarters of 2026 will be calculated based on the revised payment for such service in effect as of April 1, 2026.
2.Equity Compensation
Outside Directors will be entitled to receive all types of Awards (except Incentive Stock Options) under the Plan (or the applicable equity plan in place at the time of grant), including discretionary Awards not covered under this Policy. All grants of Awards to Outside Directors pursuant to Section 2 of this Policy will be automatic and nondiscretionary, except as otherwise provided herein, and will be made in accordance with the following provisions:
(a) Elections To Receive Restricted Stock Units in Lieu of Cash Retainers
(i) Retainer Award. Each Outside Director may elect to convert all of his or her cash compensation under Section 1 into an Award of Restricted Stock Units (each, a “Retainer Award”) in accordance with this Section 2 (such election, a “Retainer Award Election”). If a Retainer Award Election is in effect prior to January 1 with respect to cash compensation under Section 1 otherwise payable in any calendar year (the applicable time period for each year, the “Retainer Award Election Deadline”), then on the first trading day after such applicable Retainer Award Election Deadline, such Outside Director automatically will be granted an Award of Restricted Stock Units having a Value equal to the aggregate amount of cash compensation that such Outside Director is eligible to receive under Section 1 for the calendar year for any Retainer Award, rounded down to the nearest whole Share. The Retainer Award will vest on the last date of each fiscal year following the date of grant of the Retainer Award and subject to the Outside Director continuing to be a Service Provider through the applicable vesting date.
(ii) Election Mechanics. Each Retainer Award Election must be submitted to the Company’s Corporate Secretary in writing before the Retainer Award Election Deadline to which the Retainer Award Election relates, and subject to any other conditions specified by the Board or Compensation Committee. Once a Retainer Award Election is properly submitted, it will be in effect for the entire calendar year to which it relates and each successive calendar year unless and until, in the case of successive calendar years only, the Outside Director revokes it in accordance with Section 2(a)(iii) below. An Outside Director who fails to make a timely Retainer Award Election will not receive a Retainer Award and instead will receive the cash compensation under Section 1. For the avoidance of doubt, a Retainer Award Election that is not timely and properly submitted will not be effective. Further, and for the avoidance of doubt, any amendments to the Policy that result in changes to the aggregate amount of cash compensation that such Outside Director is eligible to receive under Section 1 for the calendar year shall be payable to the Outside Director in cash pursuant to Section 1.
(iii) Revocation Mechanics. The revocation of any Retainer Award Election must be submitted to the Company’s Corporate Secretary in writing before the Retainer Award Election Deadline to which the revocation relates, and subject to any other conditions specified by the Board or Compensation Committee. Once the revocation of the Retainer Award Election is properly submitted, it will be in effect for the entire calendar year to which it relates and will remain in effect for each successive calendar year unless and until the Outside Director makes a new Retainer Award Election in accordance with Section 2(a)(ii) above.
(b) Automatic Outside Director Awards
(i) No Discretion. No person will have any discretion to select which Outside Directors will be granted any Awards under this Section 2(b) or to determine the number of Shares to be covered by such Awards, except pursuant to Section 9 below.
(ii) Initial Awards. Subject to Section 11 of the Plan and Section 3 of this Policy, each person who first becomes an Outside Director on or following the Restatement Date automatically will be granted an award of Restricted Stock Units (an “Initial Award”) covering a number of Shares having a Value equal to $160,000 (or a lesser Value determined by the Board in its sole discretion prior to the grant date), which grant will be effective on the first trading date on or following the date on which such person first becomes an Outside Director on or following the Restatement Date, whether through election by the stockholders of the Company or appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy; provided, however, that the number of Shares covered by an Initial Award will be rounded down to the nearest whole Share. Each Initial Award will vest 1/3 of the Initial Award on each of the first three anniversaries of the date the Initial Award is granted, in each case, subject to the Outside Director continuing to be a Service Provider through the applicable vesting date. For any Outside Director elected to the Board at an Annual Meeting, such Initial Award will be granted in addition to the Annual Award that otherwise would be granted to the Outside Director under Section 2(b)(iii) for that Annual Meeting. For clarity, any Outside Director appointed to the Board between two Annual Meetings will be eligible to receive the Annual Award described in Section 2(b)(iii) for the Annual Meeting immediately following their appointment, subject to any annual compensation limits set forth in this Policy, and subject to the requirements of Section 2(b)(iii).
(iii) Annual Awards. Subject to Section 11 of the Plan and Section 3 of this Policy, effective as of the first annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders on or following the Restatement Date (the “Annual Meeting”) and for each Annual Meeting thereafter, each Outside Director will be automatically granted an Award of Restricted Stock Units (an “Annual Award”) covering a number of
Shares having a Value of $160,000, rounded down to the nearest whole Share, which grant will be effective on the first trading date on or following the date of the applicable Annual Meeting; provided that, for any Annual Award scheduled to be granted on an Annual Meeting, any Outside Director who is not continuing as a Director following the applicable Annual Meeting will not receive an Annual Award with respect to such Annual Meeting. Each Annual Award will vest on the earlier of (i) the one-year anniversary of the date the Annual Award is granted or (ii) the day prior to the date of the Annual Meeting next following the date the Annual Award is granted, in each case, subject to the Outside Director continuing to be a Service Provider through the applicable vesting date.
(iv) Value. For purposes of this Policy, “Value” means the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject thereto, or such other methodology the Board or Compensation Committee may determine prior to the grant of the full value award becoming effective, as applicable. In all other cases, the Compensation Committee may use an averaging formula for valuing an Award of Restricted Share Units to arrive at a value such as the average of the 30 trading days prior to the grant of the Award or some similar methodology.
3.Annual Compensation Limit
No Outside Director may be paid, issued or granted, in any Fiscal Year, cash compensation and equity compensation (including any Awards) with an aggregate value greater than $1,500,000 for an Outside Director’s first year of service or $1,000,000 in any subsequent year (with the value of each Award based on its Value for purposes of the limitation under this Section 3). Any cash compensation paid or Awards granted to an individual for his or her services as an Employee, or for his or her services as a Consultant (other than as an Outside Director), will not count for purposes of the limitation under this Section 3.
4.Travel Expenses
Each Outside Director’s reasonable, customary and properly documented travel expenses to attend Board or committee meetings will be reimbursed by the Company.
5.Board Education
Each Outside Director is also encouraged to participate in continuing educational programs in order to maintain the necessary level of expertise to perform his or her responsibilities. The Company shall pay a pro‐rata share of tuition and expenses associated with attending such programs. The proportion to be shared by the Company shall be based on the number of other public company boards on which the Outside Director serves with an annual limit of $2,000 to be reimbursed.
6.Additional Provisions
All provisions of the Plan and form of award agreement approved for use under the Plan not inconsistent with this Policy will apply to Awards granted to Outside Directors.
7.Adjustments
In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the
Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Policy, will adjust the number of Shares issuable pursuant to Awards granted under this Policy.
8.Section 409A
In no event will cash compensation or, to the extent taxable to the Outside Director, travel reimbursement payments, under this Policy be paid after the later of (a) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the compensation is earned or expenses are incurred, as applicable, or (b) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the end of the calendar year in which the compensation is earned or expenses are incurred, as applicable, in compliance with the “short-term deferral” exception under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the final regulations and guidance thereunder, as may be amended from time to time (together, “Section 409A”). It is the intent of this Policy that this Policy and all payments hereunder be exempt from or otherwise comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the compensation to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities or ambiguous terms herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or comply. Each payment, installment and benefit payable under this Policy is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations.
9.Revisions
The Board in its discretion may at any time change and otherwise revise the terms of the cash compensation granted under this Policy, including, without limitation, the amount of cash and timing of unearned compensation to be paid on or after the date the Board determines to make any such change or revision. The Board, in its discretion, may at any time change and otherwise revise the terms of Awards granted under this Policy, including, without limitation, the number of Shares subject thereto, for Awards of the same or different type granted on or after the date the Board determines to make any such change or revision. If, on the date of an Award grant under this Policy, an equity incentive plan other than the Plan is the primary equity incentive plan used by the Company, all references to the Plan in this Policy shall, with respect to such Award, be deemed to refer to the Company’s primary equity incentive plan in use at the time of such Award grant, including that references to Section 11 of the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the section(s) of such primary equity incentive plan relating to the per person limits on the number or value of Shares that an Outside Director may receive under such plan during the period specified therein, and references to Section 14 of the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the section(s) of such primary equity incentive plan relating to adjustments to the Shares, dissolution or liquidation or the Company, and/or merger or Change in Control (or similar transactions) of the Company. The Board in its discretion may at any time suspend or terminate the Policy.
10.Stockholder Approval
This Policy is subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Law.
NLIGHT, INC.
2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Plan are:
· to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility,
· to provide additional incentive to Employees, Directors and Consultants, and
· to promote the success of the Company’s business.
The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonstatutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units and Performance Shares.
2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions will apply:
(a) “Administrator” means the Board or any of its Committees as will be administering the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(b) “Applicable Laws” means the legal and regulatory requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards and the related issuance of Shares thereunder, including but not limited to U.S. federal and state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any non-U.S. country or jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.
(c) “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares.
(d) “Award Agreement” means the written or electronic agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan. The Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (“Person”), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, (A) the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control, and (B) if the stockholders of the Company immediately before such change in ownership continue to retain immediately after the change in ownership, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to the change in ownership, the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company or of the ultimate parent entity of the Company, such event will not be considered a Change in Control under this subsection (i). For this purpose, indirect beneficial ownership will include, without limitation, an interest resulting from ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or other business entities which own the Company, as the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary corporations or other business entities; or
(ii) A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12)-month period by Directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this subsection (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or
(iii) A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (iii), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Company’s stockholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a stockholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s stock, (2) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection (iii), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.
For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Section 409A.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.
(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.
(h) “Committee” means a committee of Directors or of other individuals satisfying Applicable Laws appointed by the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board, in accordance with Section 4 hereof.
(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.
(j) “Company” means nLIGHT, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.
(k) “Consultant” means any natural person, including an advisor, engaged by the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary to render bona fide services to such entity, provided the services (i) are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction, and (ii) do not directly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, in each case, within the meaning of Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act, and provided, further, that a Consultant will include only those persons to whom the issuance of Shares may be registered under Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(l) “Director” means a member of the Board.
(m) “Disability” means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, provided that in the case of Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, the Administrator in its discretion may determine whether a permanent and total disability exists in accordance with uniform and non-discriminatory standards adopted by the Administrator from time to time.
(n) “Employee” means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director’s fee by the Company will be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.
(o) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(p) “Exchange Program” means a program under which (i) outstanding Awards are surrendered or cancelled in exchange for awards of the same type (which may have higher or lower exercise prices and different terms), awards of a different type, and/or cash, (ii) Participants would have the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Administrator, and/or (iii) the exercise price of an outstanding Award is increased or reduced. The Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of any Exchange Program in its sole discretion.
(q) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) For purposes of any Awards granted on the Registration Date, the Fair Market Value will be the initial price to the public as set forth in the final prospectus included within the registration statement in Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock.
(ii) For purposes of any Awards granted on any other date, the Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for Common Stock as quoted on any established stock exchange or national market system (including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market) on which the Common Stock is listed on the date of determination (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable. If the determination date for the Fair Market Value occurs on a non-trading day (i.e., a weekend or holiday), the Fair Market Value will be such price on the immediately preceding trading day, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator. In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.
The determination of fair market value for purposes of tax withholding may be made in the Administrator’s discretion subject to Applicable Laws and is not required to be consistent with the determination of Fair Market Value for other purposes.
(r) “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company.
(s) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(t) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(u) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(v) “Option” means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(w) “Outside Director” means a Director who is not an Employee.
(x) “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(y) “Participant” means the holder of an outstanding Award.
(z) “Performance Share” means an Award denominated in Shares which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine pursuant to Section 10.
(aa) “Performance Unit” means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of the foregoing pursuant to Section 10.
(bb) “Period of Restriction” means the period during which the transfer of Shares of Restricted Stock are subject to restrictions and therefore, the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Such restrictions may be based on the passage of time, the achievement of target levels of performance, or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Administrator.
(cc) “Plan” means this 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.
(dd) “Registration Date” means the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, with respect to any class of the Company’s securities.
(ee) “Restricted Stock” means Shares issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock award under Section 7 of the Plan, or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.
(ff) “Restricted Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share, granted pursuant to Section 8. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.
(gg) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the Plan.
(hh) “Section 16(b)” means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
(ii) “Section 409A” means Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.
(jj) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(kk) “Service Provider” means an Employee, Director or Consultant.
(ll) “Share” means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 14 of the Plan.
(mm) “Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, that pursuant to Section 9 is designated as a Stock Appreciation Right.
(nn) “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan.
(a) Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Plan and the automatic increase set forth in Section 3(b) of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 3,431,515 Shares, plus any Shares subject to stock options or similar awards granted under the Company’s 2001 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the “Existing Plan”) that, on or after the Existing Plan terminates, expire or otherwise terminate without having been exercised in full and Shares issued pursuant to awards granted under the Existing Plan that, on or after the Existing Plan terminates, are forfeited to or repurchased by the Company, with the maximum number of Shares to be added to the Plan from the Existing Plan equal to 5,604,213 Shares. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.
(b) Automatic Share Reserve Increase. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Plan, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan will be increased on the first day of each Fiscal Year beginning with the 2019 Fiscal Year, in an amount equal to the least of (i) 3,431,515 Shares, (ii) 5% of the outstanding Shares on the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Year or (iii) such number of Shares determined by the Board.
(c) Lapsed Awards. If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, is surrendered pursuant to an Exchange Program, or, with respect to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares, is forfeited to or repurchased by the Company due to failure to vest, the unpurchased Shares (or for Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights the forfeited or repurchased Shares), which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). With respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, only Shares actually issued (i.e., the net Shares issued) pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right will cease to be available under the Plan; all remaining Shares under Stock Appreciation Rights will remain available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). Shares that have actually been issued under the Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Plan and will not become available for future distribution under the Plan; provided, however, that if Shares issued pursuant to Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units are repurchased by the Company or are forfeited to the Company, such Shares will become available for future grant under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will
become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing and, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 14, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will equal the aggregate Share number stated in Section 3(a), plus, to the extent allowable under Section 422 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, any Shares that become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Sections 3(b) and 3(c).
(d) Share Reserve. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
4. Administration of the Plan.
(a) Procedure.
(i) Multiple Administrative Bodies. Different Committees with respect to different groups of Service Providers may administer the Plan.
(ii) Rule 16b-3. To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder will be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(iii) Other Administration. Other than as provided above, the Plan will be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee, which committee will be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws.
(b) Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator will have the authority, in its discretion:
(i) to determine the Fair Market Value;
(ii) to select the Service Providers to whom Awards may be granted hereunder;
(iii) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(iv) to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;
(v) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, the exercise price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator will determine;
(vi) to institute and determine the terms and conditions of an Exchange Program;
(vii) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards granted pursuant to the Plan;
(viii) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of satisfying applicable non-U.S. laws or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable non-U.S. laws;
(ix) to modify or amend each Award (subject to Section 19 of the Plan), including but not limited to the discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of Awards and to extend the maximum term of an Option (subject to Section 6(b) of the Plan regarding Incentive Stock Options);
(x) to allow Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations in such manner as prescribed in Section 15 of the Plan;
(xi) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator;
(xii) to allow a Participant to defer the receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant under an Award; and
(xiii) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the Plan.
(c) Effect of Administrator’s Decision. The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations will be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders of Awards.
5. Eligibility. Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted to Service Providers. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.
6. Stock Options.
(a) Limitations. Each Option will be designated in the Award Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of the shares with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), such options will be treated as nonstatutory stock options. For purposes of this Section 6(a), incentive stock options will be taken into account in the order in which they were granted. The fair market value of the shares will be determined as of the time the option with respect to such shares is granted.
(b) Term of Option. The term of each Option will be stated in the Award Agreement. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the term will be ten (10) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement. Moreover, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the Incentive Stock Option will be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement.
(c) Option Exercise Price and Consideration.
(i) Exercise Price. The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option will be determined by the Administrator, subject to the following:
(1) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option
(A) granted to an Employee who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(B) granted to any Employee other than an Employee described in paragraph (A) immediately above, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(2) In the case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option, the per Share exercise price will be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options may be granted with a per Share exercise price of less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant pursuant to a transaction described in, and in a manner consistent with, Section 424(a) of the Code.
(ii) Waiting Period and Exercise Dates. At the time an Option is granted, the Administrator will fix the period within which the Option may be exercised and will determine any conditions that must be satisfied before the Option may be exercised.
(iii) Form of Consideration. The Administrator will determine the acceptable form of consideration for exercising an Option, including the method of payment. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Administrator will determine the acceptable form of consideration at the time of grant. Such consideration may consist entirely of: (1) cash; (2) check; (3) promissory note, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, (4) other Shares, provided that such Shares have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which such Option will be exercised and provided that accepting such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company, as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion; (5) consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted (or other) cashless exercise program (whether through a broker or otherwise) implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan; (6) by net exercise; (7) such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws; or (8) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.
(d) Exercise of Option.
(i) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder. Any Option granted hereunder will be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
An Option will be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) a notice of exercise (in such form as the Administrator may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Administrator and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option will be issued in the name of the Participant or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company will issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
(ii) Termination of Relationship as a Service Provider. If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, other than upon the Participant’s termination as the result of the Participant’s death or Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for three (3) months following the Participant’s termination. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified by the Administrator, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(iii) Disability of Participant. If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s termination. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not
vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(iv) Death of Participant. If a Participant dies while a Service Provider, the Option may be exercised following the Participant’s death within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of death (but in no event may the option be exercised later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement), by the Participant’s designated beneficiary, provided such beneficiary has been designated prior to Participant’s death in a form acceptable to the Administrator. If no such beneficiary has been designated by the Participant, then such Option may be exercised by the personal representative of the Participant’s estate or by the person(s) to whom the Option is transferred pursuant to the Participant’s will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following Participant’s death. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if at the time of death Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will immediately revert to the Plan. If the Option is not so exercised within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(v) Tolling Expiration. A Participant’s Award Agreement may also provide that:
(1) if the exercise of the Option following the termination of Participant’s status as a Service Provider (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would result in liability under Section 16(b), then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in the Award Agreement, or (B) the tenth (10th) day after the last date on which such exercise would result in liability under Section 16(b); or
(2) if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the Participant’s status as a Service Provider (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of Shares would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option or (B) the expiration of a period of thirty (30)-day period after the termination of the Participant’s status as a Service Provider during which the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of such registration requirements.
7. Restricted Stock.
(a) Grant of Restricted Stock. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock to Service Providers in such amounts as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.
(b) Restricted Stock Agreement. Each Award of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Period of Restriction, the number of Shares granted, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Company as escrow agent will hold Shares of Restricted Stock until the restrictions on such Shares have lapsed.
(c) Transferability. Except as provided in this Section 7 or the Award Agreement, Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction.
(d) Other Restrictions. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may impose such other restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock as it may deem advisable or appropriate.
(e) Removal of Restrictions. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 7, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant made under the Plan will be released from escrow as soon
as practicable after the last day of the Period of Restriction or at such other time as the Administrator may determine. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed.
(f) Voting Rights. During the Period of Restriction, Service Providers holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares, unless the Administrator determines otherwise.
(g) Dividends and Other Distributions. During the Period of Restriction, Service Providers holding Shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise. If any such dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, the Shares will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.
(h) Return of Restricted Stock to Company. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock for which restrictions have not lapsed will revert to the Company and again will become available for grant under the Plan.
8. Restricted Stock Units.
(a) Grant. Restricted Stock Units may be granted at any time and from time to time as determined by the Administrator. After the Administrator determines that it will grant Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, it will advise the Participant in an Award Agreement of the terms, conditions, and restrictions related to the grant, including the number of Restricted Stock Units.
(b) Vesting Criteria and Other Terms. The Administrator will set vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the number of Restricted Stock Units that will be paid out to the Participant. The Administrator may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit, or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(c) Earning Restricted Stock Units. Upon meeting the applicable vesting criteria, the Participant will be entitled to receive a payout as determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any vesting criteria that must be met to receive a payout.
(d) Form and Timing of Payment. Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may only settle earned Restricted Stock Units in cash, Shares, or a combination of both.
(e) Cancellation. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited to the Company.
9. Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a) Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, a Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion.
(b) Number of Shares. The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Stock Appreciation Rights granted to any Service Provider.
(c) Exercise Price and Other Terms. The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right will be determined by the Administrator and will be no less than
one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. Otherwise, the Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, will have complete discretion to determine the terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan.
(d) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement. Each Stock Appreciation Right grant will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the exercise price, the term of the Stock Appreciation Right, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.
(e) Expiration of Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan will expire ten (10) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement, as determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 6(d) relating to exercise also will apply to Stock Appreciation Rights.
(f) Payment of Stock Appreciation Right Amount. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
(i) The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; times
(ii) The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.
At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.
10. Performance Units and Performance Shares.
(a) Grant of Performance Units/Shares. Performance Units and Performance Shares may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time, as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. The Administrator will have complete discretion in determining the number of Performance Units and Performance Shares granted to each Participant.
(b) Value of Performance Units/Shares. Each Performance Unit will have an initial value that is established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant. Each Performance Share will have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
(c) Performance Objectives and Other Terms. The Administrator will set performance objectives or other vesting provisions (including, without limitation, continued status as a Service Provider) in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units/Shares that will be paid out to the Service Providers. The time period during which the performance objectives or other vesting provisions must be met will be called the “Performance Period.” Each Award of Performance Units/Shares will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Performance Period, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. The Administrator may set performance objectives based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(d) Earning of Performance Units/Shares. After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/Shares will be entitled to receive a payout of the number of Performance Units/Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives or other vesting provisions have been achieved. After the grant of a Performance Unit/Share, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such Performance Unit/Share.
(e) Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units/Shares. Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares will be made as soon as practicable after the expiration of the applicable Performance Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Shares in
the form of cash, in Shares (which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period) or in a combination thereof.
(f) Cancellation of Performance Units/Shares. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned or unvested Performance Units/Shares will be forfeited to the Company, and again will be available for grant under the Plan.
11. Outside Director Limitations. No Outside Director may be paid, issued or granted, in any Fiscal Year, cash compensation and equity compensation (including any Awards) with an aggregate value greater than $1,500,000 for an Outside Director's first year of service or $1,000,000 in any subsequent year. Any Awards granted to an individual for his or her services as an Employee, or for his or her services as a Consultant (other than as an Outside Director), will not count for purpose of this limitation.
12. Leaves of Absence/Transfer Between Locations. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant will not cease to be an Employee in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Parent, or any Subsidiary. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed three (3) months, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, then six (6) months following the first (1st) day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant will cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and will be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
13. Transferability of Awards. Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. If the Administrator makes an Award transferable, such Award will contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
14. Adjustments; Dissolution or Liquidation; Merger or Change in Control.
(a) Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will adjust the number and class of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan and/or the number, class, and price of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the numerical Share limits in Section 3 of the Plan.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.
(c) Change in Control. In the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity or a Change in Control, each outstanding Award will be treated as the Administrator determines subject to the restriction in the following paragraph, including, without limitation, that each Award be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. The Administrator will not be required to treat all Awards or Participants similarly in the transaction.
In the event that the successor corporation does not assume or substitute for the Award, the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is not assumed or substituted in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.
For the purposes of this subsection (c), an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit or Performance Share, for each Share subject to such Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 14(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more performance goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such performance goals without the Participant’s consent; provided, however, a modification to such performance goals only to reflect the successor corporation’s post-Change in Control corporate structure will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.
(d) Outside Director Awards. With respect to Awards granted to an Outside Director, in the event of a Change in Control, then the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights as to all of the Shares underlying such Award, including those Shares which would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met.
15. Tax.
(a) Withholding Requirements. Prior to the delivery of any Shares or cash pursuant to an Award (or exercise thereof) or such earlier time as any tax withholding obligations are due, the Company will have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy U.S. federal, state, or local taxes, non-U.S. taxes, or other taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required to be withheld with respect to such Award (or exercise thereof).
(b) Withholding Arrangements. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit a Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part by (without limitation) (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable cash or Shares having a fair market value not in excess of the maximum statutory amount required to be withheld, or (iii) delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a
fair market value not in excess of the maximum statutory amount required to be withheld. The fair market value of the Shares to be withheld or delivered will be determined as of the date that the taxes are required to be withheld.
(c) Compliance With Section 409A. Awards will be designed and operated in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. The Plan and each Award Agreement under the Plan is intended to meet the requirements of Section 409A and will be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. To the extent that an Award or payment, or the settlement or deferral thereof, is subject to Section 409A the Award will be granted, paid, settled or deferred in a manner that will meet the requirements of Section 409A, such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A. In no event will the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, as applicable) reimburse a Participant for any taxes imposed or other costs incurred as a result of Section 409A.
16. No Effect on Employment or Service. Neither the Plan nor any Award will confer upon a Participant any right with respect to continuing the Participant’s relationship as a Service Provider, nor will they interfere in any way with the Participant’s right or the right of the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company) to terminate such relationship at any time, with or without cause, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.
17. Date of Grant. The date of grant of an Award will be, for all purposes, the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator. Notice of the determination will be provided to each Participant within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
18. Term of Plan. Subject to Section 23 of the Plan, the Plan will become effective upon the later to occur of (i) its adoption by the Board or (ii) the business day immediately prior to the Registration Date. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years from the date adopted by the Board, unless terminated earlier under Section 19 of the Plan.
19. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.
(a) Amendment and Termination. The Administrator may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan.
(b) Stockholder Approval. The Company will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws.
(c) Effect of Amendment or Termination. No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of the Plan will materially impair the rights of any Participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Termination of the Plan will not affect the Administrator’s ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
20. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.
(a) Legal Compliance. Shares will not be issued pursuant to an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Laws and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.
(b) Investment Representations. As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.
21. Inability to Obtain Authority. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction or to complete or comply with the requirements of any registration or other
qualification of the Shares under any U.S. federal or state law, any non-U.S. law, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the stock exchange on which Shares of the same class are then listed, or any other governmental or regulatory body, which authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary or advisable for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance will not have been obtained.
22. Clawback. The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments, and/or benefits with respect to an Award will be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, and/or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any applicable vesting, performance or other conditions and restrictions of an Award. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary under this Plan, an Award granted under the Plan shall be subject to the Company’s clawback policy (if any) as may be established and/or amended from time to time. The Board may require a Participant to forfeit or return to and/or reimburse the Company all or a portion of the Award and/or Shares issued under the Award, any amounts paid under the Award, and any payments or proceeds paid or provided upon disposition of the Shares issued under the Award, pursuant to the terms of such Company policy or as necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.
23. Stockholder Approval. The Plan will be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
NLIGHT, INC.
2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
NOTICE OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the nLIGHT, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, which includes the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant (the “Notice of Grant”), Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant attached hereto as Exhibit A, and all appendices and exhibits attached thereto (all together, the “Award Agreement”).
Participant:
Address:
The undersigned Participant has been granted the right to receive an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, as follows:
Grant Number:
Date of Grant:
Vesting Commencement Date:
Number of Restricted Stock Units:
Vesting Schedule:
Subject to any acceleration provisions contained in the Plan or set forth below, the Restricted Stock Units will vest in accordance with the following schedule:
[Twenty-five percent (25%) of the Restricted Stock Units will vest on the one (1) year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and one sixteenth (1/16th) of the Restricted Stock Units will vest quarterly thereafter on the same day as the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each such date.]
In the event Participant ceases to be a Service Provider for any or no reason before Participant vests in the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units and Participant’s right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate.
By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of nLIGHT, Inc. (the “Company”) below, Participant and the Company agree that this Award of Restricted Stock Units is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the
Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and the Award Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below.
PARTICIPANT: | NLIGHT, INC. | |||||||
Signature | Signature | |||||||
Print Name | Print Name | |||||||
Title | ||||||||
Address: | ||||||||
EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT
(a) Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Company hereby grants to the individual (the “Participant”) named in the Notice of Grant of Restricted Stock Units of this Award Agreement (the “Notice of Grant”) under the Plan an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 19(c) of the Plan, in the
event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail.
(b) Company’s Obligation to Pay. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive a Share on the date it vests. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units will have vested in the manner set forth in Section 3 or 4, Participant will have no right to payment of any such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Unit will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only from the general assets of the Company.
(c) Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Section 4, and subject to Section 5, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Notice of Grant, subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each applicable vesting date.
(d) Payment after Vesting.
(i) General Rule. Subject to Section 8, any Restricted Stock Units that vest will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participant’s death, to his or her properly designated beneficiary or estate) in whole Shares. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), such vested Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in whole Shares as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each such case within sixty (60) days following the vesting date. In no event will Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of payment of any Restricted Stock Units payable under this Award Agreement.
(ii) Acceleration.
(1) Discretionary Acceleration. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Restricted Stock Units at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Restricted Stock Units will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator. If Participant is a U.S. taxpayer, the payment of Shares vesting pursuant to this Section 4(b) shall in all cases be paid at a time or in a manner that is exempt from, or complies with, Section 409A. The prior sentence may be superseded in a future agreement or amendment to this Award Agreement only by direct and specific reference to such sentence.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement or any other agreement (whether entered into before, on or after the Date of Grant), if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units is accelerated in connection with Participant’s termination as a Service Provider (provided that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Company), other than due to Participant’s death, and if (x) Participant is a U.S. taxpayer and a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the
time of such termination as a Service Provider and (y) the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6) month period following Participant’s termination as a Service Provider, then the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will not be made until the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Participant’s termination as a Service Provider, unless Participant dies following his or her termination as a Service Provider, in which case, the Restricted Stock Units will be paid in Shares to Participant’s estate as soon as practicable following his or her death.
(iii) Section 409A. It is the intent of this Award Agreement that it and all payments and benefits to U.S. taxpayers hereunder be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the Restricted Stock Units provided under this Award Agreement or Shares issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or so comply. Each payment payable under this Award Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). However, in no event will the Company reimburse Participant, or be otherwise responsible for, any taxes or costs that may be imposed on Participant as a result of Section 409A. For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code,
and any final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time.
(e) Forfeiture Upon Termination as a Service Provider. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, if Participant ceases to be a Service Provider for any or no reason, the then-unvested Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will thereupon be forfeited at no cost to the Company and Participant will have no further rights thereunder.
(f) Tax Consequences. Participant has reviewed with his or her own tax advisors the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Award Agreement. With respect to such matters, Participant relies solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents, written or oral. Participant understands that Participant (and not the Company) shall be responsible for Participant’s own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Award Agreement.
(g) Death of Participant. Any distribution or delivery to be made to Participant under this Award Agreement will, if Participant is then deceased, be made to Participant’s designated beneficiary, or if no beneficiary survives Participant, the administrator or executor of Participant’s estate. Any such transferee must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.
(h) Tax Obligations
(i) Responsibility for Taxes. Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) or Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (together, the Company, Employer and/or Parent or Subsidiary to which the Participant is providing services, the “Service Recipient”), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Restricted Stock Units, including, without limitation, (i) all federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or the Employer or other payment of tax-related items related to Participant’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (ii) the Participant’s and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Company’s (or Service Recipient’s) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units or sale of Shares, and (iii) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which the Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Restricted Stock Units (or settlement thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the “Tax Obligations”), is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (A) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such settlement and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (B) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(ii) Tax Withholding. When Shares are issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is a U.S. taxpayer. If Participant is a non-U.S. taxpayer, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes in his or her jurisdiction. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying
cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the minimum amount that is necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such greater amount as Participant may elect if permitted by the Administrator, if such greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences), (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participant’s wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Service Recipient, (iv) delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or (v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the minimum amount that is necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such greater amount as Participant may elect if permitted by the Administrator, if such greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences). To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations through the method described in clause (ii) above [and, until determined otherwise by the Company, the method described in clause (ii) above will be the method by which such Tax Obligations are satisfied]. Further, if Participant is subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and a date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (and/or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for tax in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of such Tax Obligations hereunder at the time any applicable Restricted Stock Units otherwise are scheduled to vest pursuant to Sections 3 or 4, Participant will permanently forfeit such Restricted Stock Units and any right to receive Shares thereunder and such Restricted Stock Units will be returned to the Company at no cost to the Company. Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to deliver the Shares if such Tax Obligations are not delivered at the time they are due.
(i) Rights as Stockholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book entry form) will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). After such issuance, recordation, and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
(j) No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW IS AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND SHALL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, WHICH TERMINATION, UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, MAY BE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
(k) Grant is Not Transferable. Except to the limited extent provided in Section 7, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby will not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.
(l) Nature of Grant. In accepting the grant, Participant acknowledges, understands, and agrees that:
(i) the grant of the Restricted Stock Units is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Restricted Stock Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Stock Units, even if Restricted Stock Units have been granted in the past;
(ii) all decisions with respect to future Restricted Stock Units or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(iii) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(iv) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(v) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units, and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
(vi) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted;
(vii) for purposes of the Restricted Stock Units, Participant’s status as a Service Provider will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later to be found invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Award Agreement (including by reference in the Notice of Grant to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, Participant’s right to vest in the Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participant’s period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of the Restricted Stock Units grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence and consistent with local law);
(viii) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Restricted Stock Units and the benefits evidenced by this Award Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Restricted Stock Units or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(ix) the following provisions apply only if Participant is providing services outside the United States:
(1) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose;
(2) Participant acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Employer or any Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participant’s local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Restricted Stock Units or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon settlement; and
(3) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Units resulting from the termination of Participant’s status as a Service Provider (for any reason whatsoever whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the
jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Restricted Stock Units to which Participant is otherwise not entitled, Participant irrevocably agrees never to institute any claim against the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary or the Service Recipient, waives his or her ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and releases the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary and the Service Recipient from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, Participant shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agrees to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim.
(m) No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding Participant’s participation in the Plan, or Participant’s acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. Participant is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding his or her participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.
(n) Data Privacy. Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participant’s personal data as described in this Award Agreement and any other Restricted Stock Unit grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer, or other Service Recipient the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Service Recipient may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participant’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Restricted Stock Units or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participant’s favor (“Data”), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to a stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration, and management of the Plan. Participant understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participant’s country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company, any stock plan service provider selected by the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing his or her participation in the Plan. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her status as a Service Provider and career with the Service Recipient will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participant’s consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Restricted Stock Units or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participant’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.
(o) Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Award Agreement will be addressed to the Company at nLIGHT, Inc. 5408 Northeast 88th Street, Building E, Vancouver, WA 98665 or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
(p) Electronic Delivery and Acceptance. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan or future Restricted Stock Units that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.
(q) No Waiver. Either party’s failure to enforce any provision or provisions of this Award Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision or provisions, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing each and every other provision of this Award Agreement. The rights granted both parties herein are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.
(r) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The rights and obligations of Participant under this Award Agreement may only be assigned with the prior written consent of the Company.
(s) Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock. If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or non-U.S. law, the tax code and related regulations or under the rulings or regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body or the clearance, consent or approval of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Shares to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, clearance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Subject to the terms of the Award Agreement and the Plan, the Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of vesting of the Restricted Stock Units as the Administrator may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.
(t) Language. If Participant has received this Award Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
(u) Interpretation. The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. Neither the Administrator nor any person acting on behalf of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement.
(v) Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.
(w) Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, and has received, read, and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
(x) Modifications to the Award Agreement. This Award Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A in connection to this Award of Restricted Stock Units.
(y) Governing Law; Venue; Severability. This Award Agreement and the Restricted Stock Units are governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Washington. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under these Restricted Stock Units or this Award Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of Washington, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Clark County, Washington, or the federal courts for the United States for the Western District of Washington and no other courts, where this Award Agreement is made and/or to be performed. In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Award Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
(z) Entire Agreement. The Plan is incorporated herein by reference. The Plan and this Award Agreement (including the appendices and exhibits referenced herein) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Participant’s interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Participant.
(aa) Country Addendum. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the appendix (if any) to this Award Agreement for Participant’s country. Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum (if any), the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Award Agreement.
NLIGHT, INC.
2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the nLIGHT, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Stock Option Agreement, which includes the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Notice of Grant”), the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant attached hereto as Exhibit A, and all appendices and exhibits attached thereto (all together, the “Option Agreement”).
NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT
Participant:
Address:
The undersigned Participant has been granted an Option to purchase Common Stock of nLIGHT, Inc. (the “Company”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, as follows:
Grant Number: | |||||
Date of Grant: | |||||
Vesting Commencement Date: | |||||
Number of Shares Granted: | |||||
Exercise Price per Share: | $ | ||||
Total Exercise Price: | $ | ||||
Type of Option: | o Incentive Stock Option | ||||
o Nonstatutory Stock Option | |||||
Term/Expiration Date: | |||||
Vesting Schedule:
Subject to accelerated vesting as set forth below or in the Plan, this Option will be exercisable, in whole or in part, in accordance with the following schedule:
[Twenty-five percent (25%) of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest on the one (1) year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and one forty-eighth (1/48th) of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the Vesting Commencement Date (and if there is no corresponding day, on the last day of the month), subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each such date.]
Termination Period:
This Option will be exercisable for three (3) months after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, unless such termination is due to Participant’s death or Disability, in which case this Option will be exercisable for twelve (12) months after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event may this Option be exercised after the Term/Expiration Date as provided above and may be subject to earlier termination as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of the Company below, Participant and the Company agree that this Option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Option Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Option Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and this Option Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and the Option Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below.
PARTICIPANT | NLIGHT, INC. | |||||||
Signature | Signature | |||||||
Print Name | Print Name | |||||||
Title | ||||||||
Address: | ||||||||
EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK OPTION GRANT
1. Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to the individual (the “Participant”) named in the Notice of Stock Option Grant of this Option Agreement (the “Notice of Grant”) an option (the “Option”) to purchase the number of Shares, as set forth in the Notice of Grant, at the exercise price per Share set forth in the Notice of Grant (the “Exercise Price”), subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Option Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 19(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.
(a) For U.S. taxpayers, the Option will be designated as either an Incentive Stock Option (“ISO”) or a Nonstatutory Stock Option (“NSO”). If designated in the Notice of Grant as an ISO, this Option is intended to qualify as an ISO under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). However, if this Option is intended to be an ISO, to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section 422(d) it will be treated as an NSO. Further, if for any reason this Option (or portion thereof) will not qualify as an ISO, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option (or portion thereof) shall be regarded as a NSO granted under the Plan. In no event will the Administrator, the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary or any of their respective employees or directors have any liability to Participant (or any other person) due to the failure of the Option to qualify for any reason as an ISO.
(b) For non-U.S. taxpayers, the Option will be designated as an NSO.
2. Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Section 3, the Option awarded by this Option Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in the Notice of Grant. Shares scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in Participant in accordance with any of the provisions of this Option Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously a Service Provider from the Date of Grant until the date such vesting occurs.
3. Administrator Discretion. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Option at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Option will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
4. Exercise of Option.
(a) Right to Exercise. This Option may be exercised only within the term set out in the Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Option Agreement.
(b) Method of Exercise. This Option is exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice (the “Exercise Notice”) in the form attached as Exhibit A or in a manner and pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may determine, which will state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the “Exercised Shares”), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise Notice will be completed by Participant and delivered to the Company. The Exercise Notice will be accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised Shares together and of any Tax Obligations (as defined in Section 6(a)). This Option will be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate Exercise Price.
5. Method of Payment. Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price will be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Participant:
(a) cash;
(b) check;
(c) consideration received by the Company under a formal cashless exercise program adopted by the Company in connection with the Plan; or
(d) if Participant is a U.S. employee, surrender of other Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Exercised Shares and that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances, or security interests, provided that accepting such Shares, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company.
6. Tax Obligations.
(a) Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) or Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (together, the Company, Employer and/or Parent or Subsidiary to which the Participant is providing services, the “Service Recipient”), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Option, including, without limitation, (i) all federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient or other payment of tax-related items related to Participant’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (ii) the Participant’s and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Company’s (or Service Recipient’s) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or exercise of the Option or sale of Shares, and (iii) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which the Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Option (or exercise thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the “Tax Obligations”), is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (A) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the
Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (B) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations
hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(b) Tax Withholding. When the Option is exercised, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is a U.S. taxpayer. If Participant is a non-U.S. taxpayer, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes in his or her jurisdiction. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the minimum amount that is necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such greater amount as Participant may elect if permitted by the Administrator, if such greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences), (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participant’s wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Service Recipient, (iv) delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or (v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the minimum amount that is necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such greater amount as Participant may elect if permitted by the Administrator, if such greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences). To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant. Further, if Participant is subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and a date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (and/or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for tax in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the Option exercise, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver the Shares if such amounts are not delivered at the time of exercise.
(c) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares. If the Option granted to Participant herein is an ISO, and if Participant sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the ISO on or before the later of (i) the date two (2) years after the Date of Grant, or (ii) the date one (1) year after the date of exercise, Participant will immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. Participant agrees that Participant may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized by Participant.
(d) Code Section 409A. Under Code Section 409A, a stock right (such as the Option) that vests after December 31, 2004 (or that vested on or prior to such date but which was materially modified after October 3, 2004) that was granted with a per share exercise price that is determined by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) to be less than the fair market value of an underlying share on the date of grant (a “discount option”) may be considered “deferred compensation.” A stock right that is a “discount option” may result in (i) income recognition by the recipient of the stock right prior to the exercise of the stock right, (ii) an additional twenty percent (20%) federal income tax, and (iii) potential penalty and interest charges. The “discount option” may also result in additional state income, penalty and interest tax to the recipient of the stock right. Participant acknowledges that the Company cannot and has not guaranteed that the IRS will agree that the per Share exercise price of this Option equals or exceeds the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant in a later examination. Participant agrees that if the IRS determines that the Option was granted with a per Share exercise price that was less than the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant, Participant shall be solely responsible for Participant’s costs related to such a determination.
7. Rights as Stockholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book entry form) will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). After such issuance, recordation, and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
8. No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF SHARES PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW IS AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS OPTION OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS OPTION AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, WHICH TERMINATION, UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, MAY BE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
9. Nature of Grant. In accepting the Option, Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:
(a) the grant of the Option is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted in the past;
(b) all decisions with respect to future option or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(c) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(d) the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(e) the Option and Shares acquired under the Plan and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
(f) the future value of the Shares underlying the Option is unknown, indeterminable, and cannot be predicted with certainty;
(g) if the underlying Shares do not increase in value, the Option will have no value;
(h) if Participant exercises the Option and acquires Shares, the value of such Shares may increase or decrease in value, even below the Exercise Price;
(i) for purposes of the Option, Participant’s engagement as a Service Provider will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Option Agreement (including by reference in the Notice of Grant to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, (i) Participant’s right to vest in the Option under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participant’s period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); and (ii) the period (if any) during which Participant may exercise the Option after such termination of Participant’s engagement as a Service Provider will commence on the date Participant ceases to actively provide services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under
employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or terms of Participant’s engagement agreement, if any; the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of his or her Option grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence and consistent with local law);
(j) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Option and the benefits evidenced by this Option Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Option or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(k) the following provisions apply only if Participant is providing services outside the United States:
(i) the Option and the Shares subject to the Option are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose;
(ii) Participant acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Service Recipient, or any Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participant’s local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Option or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon exercise; and
(iii) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Option resulting from the termination of Participant’s engagement as a Service Provider (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Option to which Participant is otherwise not entitled, Participant irrevocably agrees never to institute any claim against the Company, any Parent, any Subsidiary or the Service Recipient, waives his or her ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and releases the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary and the Service Recipient from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, Participant shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agrees to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim.
10. No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding Participant’s participation in the Plan, or Participant’s acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. Participant is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding his or her participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.
11. Data Privacy. Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participant’s personal data as described in this Option Agreement and any other Option grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer or other Service Recipient, the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Employer may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participant’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Options or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participant’s favor (“Data”), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to a stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration, and
management of the Plan. Participant understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipient’s country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participant’s country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purposes of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her engagement as a Service Provider and career with the Employer will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participant’s consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Options or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participant’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.
12. Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Option Agreement will be addressed to the Company at nLIGHT, Inc., 5408 Northeast 88th Street, Building E, Vancouver, WA 98665, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
13. Non-Transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in any manner otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of Participant only by Participant.
14. Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Option Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Option Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Option Agreement shall be binding upon Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The rights and obligations of Participant under this Option Agreement may only be assigned with the prior written consent of the Company.
15. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock. If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or non-U.S. law, the tax code and related regulations or under the rulings or regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body or the clearance, consent or approval of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the purchase by, or issuance of Shares, to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such purchase or issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, clearance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Subject to the terms of the Option Agreement and the Plan, the Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of exercise of the Option as the Administrator may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.
16. Language. If Participant has received this Option Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
17. Interpretation. The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Option Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not
any Shares subject to the Option have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. Neither the Administrator nor any person acting on behalf of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Option Agreement.
18. Electronic Delivery and Acceptance. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Option awarded under the Plan or future options that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.
19. Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Option Agreement.
20. Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Option Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Option Agreement.
21. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Option, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Option under the Plan, and has received, read, and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
22. Governing Law and Venue. This Option Agreement will be governed by the laws of Washington, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Option or this Option Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of Washington, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Clark County, Washington, or the federal courts for the United States for the Western District of Washington, and no other courts, where this Option is made and/or to be performed.
23. Country Addendum. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Option Agreement, this Option shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the appendix (if any) to this Option Agreement for Participant’s country (the “Country Addendum”). Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum (if any), the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Option Agreement.
24. Modifications to the Agreement. This Option Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Option Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Option Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Option Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Option Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Code Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A of the Code in connection with the Option.
25. No Waiver. Either party’s failure to enforce any provision or provisions of this Option Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision or provisions, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing each and every other provision of this Option Agreement. The rights granted both parties herein are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.
26. Tax Consequences. Participant has reviewed with its own tax advisors the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Option Agreement. With respect to such matters, Participant relies solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents, written or oral. Participant understands that Participant (and not the Company) shall be responsible for Participant’s own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Option Agreement.
EXHIBIT B
NLIGHT, INC.
2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
EXERCISE NOTICE
nLIGHT, Inc.
5408 Northeast 88th Street, Building E
Vancouver, WA 98665
Attention: Stock Administration
1. Exercise of Option. Effective as of today, , , the undersigned (“Purchaser”) hereby elects to purchase shares (the “Shares”) of the Common Stock of nLIGHT, Inc. (the “Company”) under and pursuant to the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the Stock Option Agreement, dated and including the Notice of Grant, the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant, and exhibits attached thereto (the “Option Agreement”). The purchase price for the Shares will be $ , as required by the Option Agreement.
2. Delivery of Payment. Purchaser herewith delivers to the Company the full purchase price of the Shares and any Tax Obligations (as defined in Section 6(a) of the Option Agreement) to be paid in connection with the exercise of the Option.
3. Representations of Purchaser. Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has received, read and understood the Plan and the Option Agreement and agrees to abide by and be bound by their terms and conditions.
4. Rights as Stockholder. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to the Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Shares so acquired will be issued to Purchaser as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
5. Tax Consultation. Purchaser understands that Purchaser may suffer adverse tax consequences as a result of Purchaser’s purchase or disposition of the Shares. Purchaser represents that Purchaser has consulted with any tax consultants Purchaser deems advisable in connection with the purchase or disposition of the Shares and that Purchaser is not relying on the Company for any tax advice.
6. Entire Agreement; Governing Law. The Plan and Option Agreement are incorporated herein by reference. This Exercise Notice, the Plan and the Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Purchaser with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Purchaser’s interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Purchaser. This Option Agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Washington.
Submitted by: | Accepted by: | |||||||
PURCHASER | NLIGHT, INC. | |||||||
Signature | Signature | |||||||
Print Name | Print Name | |||||||
Address: | ||||||||
Title | ||||||||
Date Received | ||||||||
Exhibit 31.1
NLIGHT, INC.
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a - 14(a) OR RULE 15d - 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
I, Scott Keeney, certify that:
1.I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of nLIGHT, Inc.;
2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
| Date: May 8, 2026 | ||
| /s/ SCOTT KEENEY | ||
| Scott Keeney | ||
| President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Exhibit 31.2
NLIGHT, INC.
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a - 14(a) OR RULE 15d - 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
I, Joseph Corso, certify that:
1.I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of nLIGHT, Inc.;
2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
| Date: May 8, 2026 | ||
| /s/ JOSEPH CORSO | ||
| Joseph Corso | ||
| Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | ||
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the filing of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report") by nLIGHT, Inc. (the "Company"), Scott Keeney, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Joseph Corso, as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, each hereby certifies pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of his knowledge:
1.the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
2.the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: May 8, 2026
| /s/ SCOTT KEENEY | |||||
| Scott Keeney | |||||
| President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) | |||||
| /s/ JOSEPH CORSO | |||||
| Joseph Corso | |||||
| Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | |||||
A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.
This certification accompanies the Report to which it relates, is not deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (whether made before or after the date of the Report), irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.