Stock options and SARs

Merrill Lynch is the exclusive global broker you’ll use when exercising your stock options or stock appreciation rights (SARs).

Outstanding grants

If you received stock options or SARs that are still outstanding, you will have limited periods of time to exercise vested stock options and SARs after you leave HPE. In general, vested stock options and SARs may be exercised within three months after your termination of employment, or by the original expiration date if earlier. Because it takes up to 72 hours to set up your Merrill Lynch brokerage account before you can exercise your grants, you should review and understand what’s required before your last day of work at HPE. The treatment of your stock options and SARs upon termination (including any post-termination exercise period) will depend on the following factors:

  • Reason for your termination;
  • Timing of your termination;
  • Terms and conditions of the grant (as noted in your grant agreement or notice); and
  • The plan that governs your grant.

Important! Expiration of equity grants

It’s your responsibility to monitor the expiration date(s) of your equity grants. The effect of your termination of employment is detailed in your grant agreement. If you can’t access your grant agreement or you have questions regarding the last day to exercise your stock options or SARs, you should contact Merrill Lynch before your last day of employment. Learn more about the expiration of equity grants.

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How leaving HPE affects stock options and SARs

Guidelines concerning outstanding grants may vary depending on where you were employed when you received them and the reason for and timing of your termination. For more information, see Outstanding stock options and SARs.

Note: If you have a grant outstanding under an assumed plan, please contact Merrill Lynch with any questions that you may have regarding your equity grant(s).

If an outstanding grant was made while you were located outside the U.S., there may be different treatment due to local laws. Please review your grant agreement, which may contain country-specific rules, or contact Merrill Lynch with any questions you may have.


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Take action

  • The effect of your termination of employment is detailed in your grant agreement. If you did not keep a copy of your grant agreement or you have questions regarding the last day to exercise your stock options or SARs, you should contact Merrill Lynch before your last day of employment.
  • Verify eligibility for retirement treatment under your grants by reviewing your grant agreements and the applicable stock plan. For U.S. team members, effective January 1, 2016, to qualify for retirement treatment of equity grants under the HPE stock plan, you must be at least age 55 with at least 70 age-plus-qualifying service points when you leave HPE.
  • View your grants on the .
  • Review Managing Your Equity (Stock) Awards and Long-Term Incentives—Treatment upon Termination.
  • Determine which grants you have outstanding and how much time is available for exercise (including the impact of your termination and whether you are subject to insider trading window restrictions [network login required], which will limit the dates you can exercise stock options or SARs). Send an email to Insider Trading Compliance (ITC) at InsiderTrading.Compliance @hpe.com if you do not have access to the internal ITC site or if you have additional questions.
  • Decide whether and how to exercise outstanding grants.
  • For more information and exercise procedures, see Exercising stock options and SARs.
  • If you have questions or need updates, contact Merrill Lynch.