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Riot Platforms Inc

For the period ended Jun 12, 2024. Filed Apr 29, 2024.

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About this filing

What shareholders are asked to vote on at a company's meeting. It is where to find what directors and top executives are paid, and who owns the most shares.

Jun 12, 2024 · Filed Apr 29, 2024

RIOT$16.71+13.2%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026
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Contents

PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE ALIGNMENT

The following table provides an unranked list of the most important financial performance measures used by our Compensation Committee to link the compensation actually paid to our Chief Executive Officer and other NEOs in 2023, calculated in accordance with SEC regulations, to Company performance. The role of these performance measures on our NEOs’ compensation is discussed in the CD&A above.

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Total Shareholder Return

Net Income

Adjusted EBITDA (Company Selected Measure)

The following charts reflect the CAP over the three-year period ended December 31, 2023 and aligns trends in Riot’s TSR, net income, and Adjusted EBITDA results over the same period.

Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return

Due to the relative nascence of our industry, prior to 2023 we did not compare our performance against a self-constructed peer group or used a Published Industry Index. We established a Peer Group as of 2023. As such, we previously utilized the Russell 2000 Index. Below the graph shows a comparison of the Company’s TSR and the Russell 2000 Index assuming a $100 investment in the Company and in the Russell 2000 Index for the period starting December 31, 2019, that was held

through the end of each year listed in the first table set forth above, as it compares to CAP. Historical stock performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock performance.

The following graph shows a comparison of the Company’s TSR and that of the members of our Peer Group with available publicly traded market data as of, and subsequent to, December 31, 2018, that consists of: Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA), Hut 8 Corp. (HUT), CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSK), HIVE Digital Technologies, Ltd. (HIVE), Bit Digital, Inc. (BTBT), TeraWulf Inc. (WULF), and Mawson Infrastructure Group, Inc. (MIGI), as it compares to CAP.

Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income

As shown in the chart below, the year-over-year changes in our CAP from 2020 to 2021, from 2021 to 2022, and from 2022 to 2023 generally tracked along the same trendline as our Net Income over the same period, increasing from 2020 to 2021, decreasing from 2021 to 2022, and then increasing again from 2022 to 2023. This is largely due to our overall compensation mix, a substantial portion of which is equity-based and heavily impacted by our stock price. Year-over-year changes in PEO CAP over the same period is more pronounced due to the impact of equity-based compensation, which makes up a larger portion of the total target direct compensation paid to our PEOs than they do for our other NEOs and

we issued a substantial initial service-based equity award to Mr. Les upon his appointment as CEO (PEO) as of February 8, 2021, and on September 27, 2022, half of which remain unvested, in addition to the performance-based equity awards granted to all NEOs upon our adoption of a performance-incentive equity compensation program under our 2019 Equity Plan as of August 12, 2021, the fair value of which was recorded in 2021 and performance-based equity awards granted to all NEOs under our LTIP as of July 13, 2023, the fair value of which was recorded for 2023, but vest over three years.

Compensation Actually Paid vs. Adjusted EBITDA

As shown in the chart below, the year-over-year changes in our CAP from 2020 to 2021, from 2021 to 2022, and from 2022 to 2023 generally tracked along the same trendline as our Adjusted EBITDA over the same period, increasing from 2020 to 2021, decreasing from 2021 to 2022, and increasing from 2022 to 2023. The 2022 decrease in Adjusted EBITDA was largely due to impairment charges to certain intangible assets, including the Bitcoin we held following the decline in the market value of Bitcoin during that period, which the Company adjusted for in 2022. The changes in CAP are primarily due to our overall pay mix, a large portion of which is equity-based and heavily impacted by stock price, as discussed above. The 2023 increase in Adjusted EBITDA was largely due to a substantially smaller Net Income (loss) recorded to our books and increased Bitcoin Mining and power credits as disclosed in our 2023 Annual Report.

PROPOSAL NO. 4

APPROVAL TO AMEND THE COMPANY’S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

Background

On April 15, 2024, our Board unanimously approved that, subject to stockholder approval, the Company’s current Articles of Incorporation, as amended to date, be amended in the form attached hereto as Appendix C. The proposed amendment is to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance thereunder from 340,000,000 shares to 680,000,000 shares. The additional shares of common stock authorized for issuance by this Proposal would be a part of the existing class of common stock and, if issued, would have the same rights and privileges as the common stock presently issued and outstanding. The amendment to the current Articles of Incorporation would not change the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock. The text of the proposed amendment is set forth on Appendix C. We encourage you to read Appendix C in its entirety.

In determining the size of the share increase under the Articles of Incorporation, our Board worked with management and independent advisors to evaluate a number of factors, including our corporate strategy, the potential need to raise additional capital to fund future expansions of our business including potential business transactions, our compensation philosophy of broad-based employee eligibility for equity incentive awards, our recent and projected share usage, and the total potential dilution. The Board believes that amending the Articles of Incorporation to authorize an additional 340,000,000 shares of common stock is appropriate and in the best interests of stockholders and the Company given the capital-intensive nature of our business operations, future business expansion projects, the highly competitive environment in which we compete for talent, the recent volatility in the capital markets and its impact on our stock price and our projected share usage. However, estimating our future share needs is challenging, particularly under current market conditions, as our estimates are based on our current internal modeling and depend on a number of factors that are difficult to predict or are beyond our control, including market conditions, competition for talent, our future financial and operating performance, our hiring needs, the amount of forfeitures of outstanding awards and the future price of our common stock.

Why We Propose the Amended Articles of Incorporation

Our Board has determined that it would be in the Company’s best interests to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock to provide our Company with the flexibility to pursue all corporate opportunities involving our stock, which may include, among other business purposes, strategic acquisitions, public or private offerings of our equity securities and financing opportunities for future expansions of our business. Additionally, we operate in a highly competitive talent market and our success depends in part on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified and skilled employees, particularly management, which is of particular concern in the relatively small Bitcoin mining and data center development communities. If the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation is not approved by our stockholders, the lack of unissued and unreserved authorized shares of common stock to provide future financing and equity incentive opportunities could adversely impact our ability to achieve these strategic corporate goals and to retain employees. In short, if our stockholders do not approve this proposal, we may not be able to access the capital markets, complete strategic acquisitions, attract, retain and motivate employees and pursue other business opportunities integral to our growth and success. Each additional authorized share of common stock would have the same rights and privileges as each share of our currently authorized common stock.

As of our Record Date, 288,784,946 shares of common stock, no par value, were outstanding, leaving 51,215,054 shares of common stock, no par value, available for issuance.

At present, excluding our at-the-market offering disclosed on Form 8-K dated February 26, 2024 (SEC File Number 001-33675) and Prospectus dated March 31, 2022 (SEC File Number 333-259212), and that we are continually evaluating potential business opportunities, our Board has no immediate plans, arrangements, or understandings to issue the additional shares of common stock. However, the Company desires to have the shares available to provide additional future flexibility to use our common stock for business or financial purposes in the future as well as to have sufficient shares to provide appropriate equity incentives to attract and retain top talent. The issuance of additional shares of common stock in the

future will have the effect of diluting earnings per share, voting power and common shareholdings of stockholders. It could also have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of our Company. The shares will be available for issuance by our Board for corporate purposes, including but not limited to, acquisitions, financings, and equity compensation plans. Our management believes the increase in the authorized number of shares of common stock is in the best interests of our Company and our stockholders and recommends that the stockholders approve the increase in the authorized number of shares of common stock.

If we fail to obtain stockholder approval of this proposal at the Annual Meeting, we intend to continue to seek to obtain stockholder approval at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders and/or special meetings of stockholders until such approval has been obtained and we will incur the costs associated therewith.

If approved, the amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation will become effective after the Annual Meeting upon the filing of a certificate of amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada. The Company currently plans to file the certificate of amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving approval of this Proposal No. 4 by its stockholders.

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the Record Date will be required to approve this Proposal No. 4. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a vote against this proposal.

BOARD VOTING RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PROPOSAL NO. 4

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE COMPANY’S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION SET FORTH IN THIS PROPOSAL 4.

PROPOSAL NO. 5

APPROVAL OF THE SIXTH AMENDMENT TO THE 2019 EQUITY PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES RESERVED FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER BY 15,000,000 SHARES

We are seeking stockholder approval of the sixth amendment (the “Sixth Amendment”) to the 2019 Equity Plan to increase the number of shares of our common stock, no par value per share, reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan by 15,000,000 additional shares. If our stockholders approve the Sixth Amendment, it will become effective on the date of such stockholder approval. If our stockholders do not approve the Sixth Amendment, we will only grant awards under the 2019 Equity Plan until the shares available for issuance thereunder are exhausted.

On the recommendation of our Compensation Committee, which administers the 2019 Equity Plan and oversees our compensation strategy, policies and procedures, our Board unanimously approved the Sixth Amendment on April 15, 2024, subject to its approval by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting. The Sixth Amendment is intended to supplement the 2019 Equity Plan by increasing the number of shares available for issuance thereunder to our directors, officers, employees, personnel, service providers; and any other eligible participants under the 2019 Equity Plan. A summary of the Sixth Amendment appears below under the heading “Summary Description of the Sixth Amendment” and a copy of the Sixth Amendment is attached as Appendix D to this Proxy Statement. We encourage you to read Appendix D in its entirety.

Our stockholders have previously approved the reservation of shares for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan (at annual general meetings of our stockholders) as follows: (a) in 2019, the 2019 Equity Plan under which 3,600,000 shares were reserved for issuance; (b) 3,500,000 additional shares in 2020 pursuant to the first amendment thereto; (c) 4,400,000 additional shares in 2021 pursuant to the second amendment thereto; (d) 10,000,000 additional shares in 2022 pursuant to the third amendment thereto under which 10,000,000 shares were reserved for issuance; (e) 4,000,000 additional shares in 2023 pursuant to the fourth amendment thereto; and (f) 13,000,000 additional shares in 2023 pursuant to the fifth amendment thereto. Through such amendments (including the fifth amendment), there have been a cumulative of 38,500,000 shares reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan (excluding the 210,103 shares issuable in settlement of restricted stock under the Company’s former 2017 equity compensation plan, which became available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan upon its adoption), and to date, there have been 38,102,834 shares issued (including 27,847,838 unvested restricted stock awards and units) under the 2019 Equity Plan.

We believe the reservation of an additional 15,000,000 shares pursuant to the Sixth Amendment, if approved by our stockholders, will provide us with a sufficient number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan to continue to provide a range of equity incentive tools and sufficient flexibility to permit us to make effective use of the share-based awards our stockholders authorize for incentive purposes.

The Board believes that the Sixth Amendment is in the best interests of our stockholders and Riot and recommends that our stockholders vote to approve the Sixth Amendment.

Current Plan Information

As of April 23, 2024, there were 288,784,946 shares outstanding. The 2019 Equity Plan is the only plan with shares available for grant. The Company’s previous stock plan, the 2017 Equity Plan, was replaced by the 2019 Equity Plan. Information regarding the shares continuing to be governed by the 2017 Equity Plan and the 2019 Equity Plan, in aggregate, is as follows:

​ · ​ · ​ · ​ · ​
​​Basic
​ · ​ · Shares · Dilution
New Shares if Stockholders Approve Sixth Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan15,000,0005%
Shares Currently Available for Issuance397,1660.14%
Shares Outstanding27,847,8389.64%
Total43,245,00414.97%
(1)Outstanding awards is comprised of 10,712,037 service-based RSAs, 15,742,162 performance-based RSAs, 147,213 service-based RSUs, and 1,246,426 performance-based RSUs. There are no outstanding unexercised options or SARs.

Rationale for Amending the 2019 Equity Plan as Proposed

We are asking stockholders to approve the Sixth Amendment to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan by 15,000,000 additional shares to ensure we can continue to provide equity grants across our organization to employees and non-employee directors once the current share reserve is exhausted under the 2019 Equity Plan for the reasons stated below. The cryptocurrency industry in which we compete is a vibrant sector with an active and mobile talent pool and equity compensation is an integral part of employee compensation. We believe that a comprehensive equity incentive compensation program serves as a necessary and significant tool to attract and retain employees at all levels and non-employee directors in our highly competitive industry. Given the nascency of the Bitcoin Mining industry, we must compete with well-established industries to attract and retain talent integral to our growth and success. We believe that equity awards not only bring the best talent but align those individuals’ career goals with stockholders’ interests for long-term stockholder growth. Further, we believe equity awards, including performance equity awards, provide a strong incentive to our non-employee independent directors, officers, employees, personnel, and any other eligible plan participants throughout almost the entire organization to contribute materially to the growth of the Company by better aligning their interests with those of our stockholders.

The 2019 Equity Plan is our sole active plan for providing future equity incentives to our non-employee independent directors, officers, employees, personnel, and any other eligible plan participants. Following the adoption of the 2019 Equity Plan, as amended, we made regular equity awards to our non-employee independent directors, officers, employees, personnel, and any other eligible plan participants pursuant to the 2019 Equity Plan. In 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 we have been engaged in a significant period of growth as an organization, including our 2021 acquisitions of our wholly owned subsidiaries, Whinstone US, Inc., and its more substantial employee base as well as our acquisition of Ferrie Franzmann Industries, LLC (d/b/a ESS Metron) a power distribution and management systems manufacturing, design and engineering firm. Additionally, as previously disclosed, during 2022 we initiated a large-scale development to expand our Bitcoin mining and data center hosting capabilities by beginning development of a 265-acre site in Navarro County, Texas, our Corsicana Facility. As of December 31, 2023, Riot, and its subsidiaries, reached over 500 employees. In connection with our growth, and in support of our exponentially increased employee base, we made equity awards to our employees, officers, and independent directors, including those of Riot’s subsidiaries under the 2019 Equity Plan, further drawing down the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan.

In July of 2023, the Compensation Committee adopted the new LTIP under the 2019 Equity Plan, as disclosed on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 19, 2023. Under the LTIP, eligible employees of Riot and its consolidated subsidiaries are granted an award that is comprised of half service-based award of restricted shares, and half performance-based award of restricted shares, which together forms the LTIP award. Each service-based LTIP Award is eligible to vest, if at all, in three approximately equal tranches over three years, subject to each participants’ continued employment through each vesting date. Each performance-based LTIP Award is eligible to vest, if at all, based on TSR during the three-year performance period. Under the LTIP, TSR is calculated based on the percentage change in market price across the Performance Period, and the difference between the percentage change of a share of the Company’s Common Stock and the percentage change of the market price of an interest in the Russell 3000 Index (INDEXRUSSELL: RUA). The TSR determines the percentage of the performance-based LTIP Award that becomes eligible to vest, up to a maximum of 200% of the initial performance-based LTIP Award. Vesting of the performance-based LTIP Award will occur at the end of the three-year performance period, based on the Compensation Committee’s certification, and contingent upon the employee’s continued service through the end of the award term.

Without increasing the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan, once the current reserve of shares is exhausted, we will not be able to continue to offer competitive levels of equity compensation to attract and retain qualified personnel to continue supporting our growth. As a result, the Company may need to make significant changes to its compensation practices that would limit its flexibility to provide competitive compensation. Changes may include increased use of cash which, in addition to impacting its ability to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified personnel for positions of substantial responsibility with the Company, may negatively impact the business by reducing the cash available to reinvest into the business.

The Compensation Committee, in consultation with the Company’s outside compensation advisors and based on an analysis of the Company’s historic equity compensation share usage, its anticipated future equity compensation needs, and

its assumptions regarding market conditions and compensation, recommended an additional 15,000,000 shares be made available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan. These projections are subject to change pursuant to the discretion of the Compensation Committee, as administrator of the 2019 Equity Plan, who may determine, based on future events and market conditions, to alter the Company’s equity compensation strategy or projections.

The 2019 Equity Plan Continues to Exhibit Many Best Practices

·No “Evergreen” provision. The plan does NOT provide for automatic annual increases to the shares available. Increases must be approved by stockholders.
·No repricing or cash buyouts of underwater awards without stockholder approval. The 2019 Equity Plan expressly prohibits the repricing and exchanging of underwater awards for cash or other awards without prior stockholder approval.
·No liberal share recycling. Any shares that are withheld by the Company or tendered (by either actual delivery or attestation) by a Participant to satisfy tax withholding obligations, to pay the Exercise Price of an Award, or any shares that were subject to a Stock Appreciation Right (“SAR”) granted under the 2019 Equity Plan that were not issued upon the exercise of such SAR associated with an award granted under the 2019 Equity Plan will not be added back to the share reserve and will not become available for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.
·No liberal change in control definition. The plan does not contain a “liberal” change in control definition.
·No dividends or dividend equivalents on unvested awards. Awards cannot receive dividends or dividend equivalents until they vest.
·No discounted stock options or SARs. All stock options and SARs granted must have an Exercise Price of at least 100% fair market value on the date of grant.

Summary Description of the Sixth Amendment

The sole aspect of the 2019 Equity Plan to be amended by the proposed Sixth Amendment is to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan by 15,000,000 shares. No other provisions of the 2019 Equity Plan are modified, amended, revised, or otherwise changed by this proposed Sixth Amendment. The specific terms of the 2019 Equity Plan, such as who is eligible to receive awards under the 2019 Equity Plan, the terms of awards, such as vesting periods, the exercise price of any options, and any expiration of these awards, as well as the tax consequences of the awards which may be made under the 2019 Equity Plan, are set forth in the 2019 Equity Plan, as approved by the Company’s stockholders on October 23, 2019 and filed with the SEC on December 5, 2019 as Exhibit 4.5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-8 (SEC File Number 333-235355).

All employees and non-employee directors of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries are eligible to participate under the 2019 Equity Plan. All Riot employees, including our current Chief Executive Officer, Executive Chairman, and three (3) non-employee directors, as well as independent contractors and service providers performing services for the Company, are eligible to participate in the 2019 Equity Plan. Any number of the Company’s current employees and future employees, including future named executive officers, as well as future non-employee directors, will be eligible to participate in the 2019 Equity Plan.

The number of shares that will ultimately be issued from the shares reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan, as amended by the proposed Sixth Amendment is subject to the discretion of the Compensation Committee and, therefore, cannot be determined with certainty at this time. However, the Company anticipates that the Compensation Committee will continue in future years to make annual cash and equity awards as described above.

This summary does not purport to be a complete description of all the terms of the Sixth Amendment and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Sixth Amendment, which is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix D. Further, this summary does not purport to be a complete description of the 2019 Equity Plan and is qualified

entirely by reference to the full text of the 2019 Equity Plan, as filed with the SEC on December 5, 2019, as Exhibit 4.5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-8 (SEC File Number 333-235355). To the extent there is a conflict between this summary and the actual terms of the 2019 Equity Plan, as amended, the actual terms of the 2019 Equity Plan, as amended, will govern.

Summary Description of the 2019 Equity Plan

The following is a summary of the key features of the 2019 Equity Plan. The summary is not a complete description of all the terms of the 2019 Equity Plan and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the 2019 Equity Plan, which is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix E. To the extent there is a conflict between this summary and the actual terms of the 2019 Equity Plan, the terms of the 2019 Equity Plan will govern. Awards to be made under the 2019 Equity Plan will be entirely at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and are therefore not currently determinable.

Plan Benefit Table

Benefits under the 2019 Equity Plan are discretionary and are to be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Consequently, it is not possible to determine the future benefits that will be received by Participants in the 2019 Equity Plan.

Administration

The Compensation Committee will have the exclusive authority to administer the 2019 Equity Plan with respect to awards made to our executive officers and other eligible employees. The Compensation Committee may delegate all or any portion of its authority to one or more of its members or, as to awards to Participants who are not subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to one or more officers of the Company or other nonemployee directors. If the Compensation Committee does not exist or cannot function for any reason, the Board may take any action under the Plan that would otherwise be the responsibility of the Compensation Committee. Awards granted to non-employee directors are subject to approval of the Board.

Share Counting Rules

The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan will be reduced by one (1.00) share for every one (1.00) share granted in respect of an award.

Any shares related to an award granted under the 2019 Equity Plan or 2017 Equity Plan that terminates by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of such shares, are settled in cash in lieu of such shares, or are exchanged with the Compensation Committee’s permission, prior to the issuance of such shares, for awards not involving shares will be added back to the share reserve and will be available again for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.

Any shares that are withheld by the Company or tendered (by either actual delivery or attestation) by a Participant to satisfy tax withholding obligations associated with an award granted under the 2019 Equity Plan will not be added back to the share reserve and will not become available for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.

Any shares that are withheld by the Company or tendered (by either actual delivery or attestation) by a Participant to pay the Exercise Price (as defined below) of a stock option will not be added back to the share reserve and will not become available for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.

Any shares that were subject to a SAR granted under the 2019 Equity Plan that were not issued upon the exercise of such SAR will not be added back to the share reserve and will not become available for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.

Any shares that were purchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds from the exercise of a stock option will not be added back to the share reserve and will not become available for future grants under the 2019 Equity Plan.

Awards

Under the 2019 Equity Plan, Participants may be granted awards in the form of stock options, SARs, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance share units, performance units, cash awards, performance-based cash awards, and other stock-based awards, or any combination thereof.

The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine which eligible individuals are to receive awards, the type of awards to be granted, and the time or times when those awards are to be granted. In addition, the Administrator will have complete discretion to set the terms and conditions of each granted award (including but not limited to, the number of shares subject to or cash value of each award, performance and service conditions, performance period, payout amounts at various levels of achieved performance, Exercise Price (as defined below) or other consideration required to be paid for shares subject to the award, and the maximum term for which stock options or SARs are to remain outstanding. In addition, the Administrator, as it deems advisable, may impose restrictions on shares acquired pursuant to the exercise or settlement of an award.

Each award will be evidenced by a written or electronic agreement or statement (“Award Agreement”) that specifies the award’s terms and conditions as determined by the Compensation Committee.

A detailed description of each type of award follows.

Stock Options

Under the 2019 Equity Plan, the Administrator may grant awards in the form of an option to purchase shares (“Stock Options”) that are intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code (referred to as “Incentive Stock Options”) and other Stock Options that do not meet such requirements (referred to as “Non-Qualified Stock Options”). The applicable Award Agreement will specify whether a stock option is an Incentive Stock Option or Non-Qualified Stock Option. A Stock Option will grant the holder the right to purchase a specific number of shares of common stock at a fixed price (“Exercise Price”) over a period not to exceed ten (10) years from the date of the grant.

An Option’s Exercise Price per share may not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date the Option is granted.

No grant of an Incentive Stock Option may be made more than ten (10) years after the adoption of the 2019 Equity Plan by the Board.

Stock Appreciation Rights

Under the 2019 Equity Plan, the Administrator may grant awards in the form of a stock appreciation right or SAR. A stock appreciation right is a right to receive a payment, in cash and/or Common Stock, equal to the number of shares of Common Stock being exercised multiplied by the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the SAR is exercised, over (ii) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the SAR was granted as specified in the applicable Award Agreement (the “Base Price”). The maximum term of a SAR shall be ten (10) years from the date the SAR is granted.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

Under the 2019 Equity Plan, the Administrator may grant awards denominated in shares of common stock RSAs or stock units RSUs subject to a period in which such shares or units are subject to forfeiture based on discontinued service, the failure to achieve performance criteria and/or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Administrator. Each RSU corresponds in value to a single share of common stock. According to the standard compensation practices of the Company, upon vesting, RSUs may be paid in cash, shares of common stock or a combination of the two as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Vested grants of RSAs will be settled in shares of common stock by the Administrator after vesting according to the standard compensation practices of the Company. Any

delay in the settlement of vested RSAs or RSUs will be intended to qualify as a short-term deferral under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code; however, the Company undertakes no responsibility for ensuring this is the case.

The Administrator may impose such conditions or restrictions on RSAs or RSUs, as it deems advisable. Holders of RSAs will have the same voting rights and dividend rights as holders of shares of common stock unless such rights are expressly limited by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement. No RSU will confer any voting rights.

The Administrator will determine and set forth in each applicable Award Agreement the extent to which a holder of RSUs has the right to receive dividend equivalents on each unit and the conditions under which such dividend equivalents will be paid to the holder. No dividends or dividend equivalents will be paid on RSAs or RSUs unless the applicable vesting conditions are satisfied.

Performance Share Units

Under the 2019 Equity Plan, the Administrator may grant an award denominated in shares of common stock or cash PSUs that are earned based on the achievement of one or more performance goals over a specified performance period. The number of PSUs earned over a performance period may vary based on the level of achieved performance.

Each PSU will have a value that corresponds to the fair market value of a share of common stock at the time of the grant of a PSU award. PSUs may be payable in the form of cash, shares or a combination of the two as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

The Administrator will determine and set forth in each applicable Award Agreement the extent to which a holder of PSUs has the right to receive dividend equivalents on each unit and the conditions under which such dividend equivalents will be paid to the holder. No dividend equivalents will be paid on PSUs unless the applicable performance goals are satisfied.

Performance-Based Compensation and Performance Measures

The Administrator may grant awards that are intended to provide compensation solely on account of the attainment of one or more pre-established, objective performance goals. The vesting, level of payout, or value of performance-based awards will be determined by the attainment of one or more performance goals based on one or more performance measures selected by the Administrator. The specific performance goals for Performance-Based awards shall be, on an absolute or relative basis, established based on such business criteria as selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion (“Business Criteria”), including the following:

·earnings per share;
·cash flow (which means cash and cash equivalents derived from either (i) net cash flow from operations or (ii) net cash flow from operations, financing and investing activities);
·total stockholder return;
·price per share of Common Stock;
·gross revenue;
·revenue growth;
·operating income (before or after taxes);
·net earnings (before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization);
·return on equity;
·capital employed, or on assets or on net investment;
·cost containment or reduction;
·cash cost per ounce of production;
·operating margin;
·debt reduction;
·resource amounts;
·production or production growth;
·resource replacement or resource growth;
·successful completion of financings; or
·any combination of the foregoing.

Performance targets may be adjusted to mitigate the unbudgeted impact of material, unusual or nonrecurring gains and losses, accounting changes or other extraordinary events not foreseen at the time the targets were set unless the Administrator provides otherwise at the time of establishing the targets.

Cash Awards

The Administrator may, from time to time, subject to the provisions of the 2019 Equity Plan and such other terms and conditions as it may determine, grant cash bonuses (including without limitation, discretionary awards, awards based on objective or subjective performance criteria or awards subject to other vesting criteria). Under the 2019 Equity Plan, cash awards may be awarded in such amount and at such times during the term of the 2019 Equity Plan as the Administrator shall determine.

Prohibition on Repricing/Cash-Out of Stock Options and SARs

The Administrator may not implement any of the following repricing or cash-out programs without obtaining stockholder approval: (i) a reduction in the Exercise Price or Grant Price of any previously granted Stock Option or SAR; (ii) a cancellation of any previously granted Stock Option or SAR in exchange for another Stock Option or SAR with a lower Exercise Price or Grant Price, respectively; or (iii) a cancellation of any previously granted Stock Option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award if the Exercise Price of the Stock Option or the Grant Price of the SAR exceeds the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of such cancellation, in each case other than in connection with a Change in Control (as defined below) or the capitalization adjustment provisions in the 2019 Equity Plan.

Change in Control and Vesting Acceleration

The following paragraphs describe how awards under the 2019 Equity Plan would be affected in the event of a Change in Control (as defined below), except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other agreement between a Participant and the Company.

Definition of Change in Control. Generally, a Change in Control will be deemed to occur upon: (i) a direct or indirect acquisition by an individual, entity or group (“Person”) of Beneficial Ownership of shares of our common stock which, together with other direct or indirect acquisitions or beneficial ownership by such Person, results in aggregate Beneficial Ownership by such Person of fifty percent (50%) or more of either: (a) the then outstanding shares, or (b) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company (both subject to certain exceptions); (ii) certain changes in the composition of our Board of Directors; or (iii) the consummation of certain corporate transactions including, but not limited to, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the sale of all

or substantially all the assets of the Company, the merger or consolidation of the Company, or statutory share exchange involving capital stock of the Company.

Vesting Acceleration. Generally, the occurrence of a Change in Control will result in the immediate vesting of then outstanding awards and the settlement of such awards shortly thereafter pursuant to the following:

·All outstanding Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights will become fully vested and immediately exercisable upon a Change in Control. All awards, other than Stock Options and SARs, that are not vested and as to which vesting depends solely upon the satisfaction of a service obligation by the holder shall become fully vested upon a Change in Control and will be paid in the form specified in the applicable Award Agreement within thirty (30) days following the effective date of the Change in Control.
·All awards, other than Stock Options and SARs, that are not vested and as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions will immediately vest and all performance conditions will be deemed satisfied as if target performance was achieved and will be paid in the form specified in the applicable Award Agreement within thirty (30) days following the effective date of a Change in Control.
·Provided, however, that should a qualifying Replacement Award (as that term is defined under Section 7.4 of the 2019 Equity Plan), be awarded to the affected Participant following a Change in Control, the terms of such Replacement Award shall control, and the foregoing acceleration provisions shall not apply.

Changes in Capitalization

If an equity restructuring causes the per-share value of our common stock to change, such as by reason of a stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering, recapitalization or otherwise, equitable adjustments will be made to the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Equity Plan and to the terms of outstanding awards in a manner designed to preclude any dilution or enlargement of the 2019 Equity Plan and any outstanding awards pursuant to Section 7.1 of the Equity Plan.

Fair Market Value

For any award made pursuant to the 2019 Equity Plan, the fair market value per share of our common stock as of any date will be deemed to be equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market on such date, or determined pursuant to such other method as may be selected by the Administrator.

Stockholder Rights

No Participant will have any stockholder rights with respect to the shares subject to a Stock Option or SAR until such Participant has exercised the Stock Option or SAR and paid the Exercise Price for the purchased shares (in the case of Stock Options), and any related withholding taxes. A Participant will not have any stockholder rights with respect to the shares of common stock subject to a RSU, PSU, Performance Unit or other Stock-Based award until that award vests and shares of common stock are actually issued under such awards. Subject to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant will have full stockholder rights with respect to any shares of common stock issued to the Participant under the 2019 Equity Plan, which the Participant holds of record.

Transferability

Awards are not transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction. However, the Administrator may, in its discretion, determine that any or all awards may be transferable, without compensation by the transferor, to and exercisable by such transferees, and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Administrator may deem appropriate; provided, however, no award may be transferred for value without stockholder approval.

Withholding

The Administrator may provide holders of awards with the right to have the Company withhold cash or a portion of the shares otherwise issuable to such individuals in satisfaction of any applicable withholding taxes to which they become subject in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of their awards. The Administrator may also allow such individuals to deliver cash or previously acquired shares of our common stock in payment of such withholding tax liability. Alternatively, in any case where a tax is required to be withheld in connection with the delivery of shares under the 2019 Equity Plan, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, grant (either at the time of the award or thereafter) to the Participant the right to elect, pursuant to such rules and subject to such conditions as the Administrator may establish, to have the Company reduce the number of shares to be delivered by (or otherwise reacquire) the appropriate number of shares, valued in a consistent manner at their Fair Market Value or at the sales price in accordance with authorized procedures for cashless exercises, necessary to satisfy the minimum (or, to the extent permitted by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, the maximum) applicable withholding obligation on exercise, vesting or payment.

Deferrals and Settlements

Payment of awards may be in the form of cash, shares, other awards, or combinations thereof as the Administrator shall determine, and with such restrictions as it may impose. The Administrator may also require or permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the settlement of awards in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under the 2019 Equity Plan. The Administrator may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest or other earnings on the deferral amounts, or the payment or crediting of dividend equivalents where the deferred amounts are denominated in shares. All mandatory or elective deferrals of the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the settlement of cash awards shall be structured in a manner that is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Clawback and Forfeitures for Cause

The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable treatment of an award. Upon a Participant’s termination of service for cause, the Participant will forfeit, as of the date immediately preceding such termination of service, outstanding and unexercised Options and SARs, and outstanding and not yet settled RSAs, RSUs, PSUs, Performance Units, and Other Stock-Based Awards granted to the Participant.

Amendment and Termination

The Board may, at any time, amend, suspend or terminate the 2019 Equity Plan in whole or in part. No amendment of the 2019 Equity Plan may result in the “repricing” of any outstanding Stock Options or SARs without stockholder approval. To the extent necessary under any applicable law, regulation or exchange requirement, no amendment will be effective unless approved by the stockholders of the Company. No termination, amendment or suspension of the 2019 Equity Plan may adversely affect in any material way any award previously granted under the 2019 Equity Plan without the written consent of the award recipient subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions permit the Board or Administrator to amend outstanding awards to adjust for the occurrence of certain unusual or nonrecurring events and to conform to legal requirements without the written consent of the Award recipient.

Summary Description of the First Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the first amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 3,500,000 shares.

Summary Description of the Second Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the second amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 4,400,000 shares.

Summary Description of the Third Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the third amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 10,000,000 shares.

Summary Description of the Fourth Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the fourth amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 4,000,000 shares.

Summary Description of the Fifth Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the fifth amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 13,000,000 shares.

Summary Description of the Sixth Amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan

The sole purpose of the sixth amendment to the 2019 Equity Plan was to increase the number of shares available for issuance thereunder by 15,000,000 shares.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on this Proposal No. 5 will be required to approve the Sixth Amendment (i.e., the number of “FOR” votes must exceed the number of “AGAINST” votes for this proposal to be approved).

Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for the adoption of equity incentive plans. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Broker non-votes and abstentions will not be counted as votes cast “FOR” or “AGAINST” the approval of the Sixth Amendment and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

BOARD VOTING RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PROPOSAL NO. 5

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTEFOR THE APPROVAL OF THE SIXTH AMENDMENT TO THE 2019 EQUITY PLAN AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE BY SELECTING “AGAINST” OR “ABSTAIN” ON THE PROXY.

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