Abaxis, Inc.
Charter of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors

  1. Purpose
  2. Organization and Membership Requirements
  3. Meetings
  4. Committee Authority and Responsibilities

  1. Purpose

    This Charter specifies the scope of the responsibilities of the Compensation Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Abaxis, Inc. (the "Company") and the manner in which those responsibilities shall be performed, including its structure, processes and membership requirements.

    The primary purpose of the Committee is to discharge the Board's responsibilities relating to compensation of the Company's executive officers and directors. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Committee shall review all components of executive officer and director compensation for consistency with the Committee's compensation philosophy as in effect from time to time.

    The Committee is also responsible for reviewing and discussing with management the Company's disclosures contained under the caption "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" ("CD&A") for use in any of the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K, registration statements, proxy statements or information statements and for producing an annual report on executive compensation for inclusion in the Company's proxy statement, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

    back to top

  2. Organization and Membership Requirements

    The Committee shall be comprised of at least two Directors, each of whom shall satisfy (i) the independence requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") applicable to compensation committee members, as in effect from time to time, when and as required by Nasdaq, including any exceptions permitted by these requirements, (ii) the "non-employee director" standard within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time and (iii) the "outside director" standard within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. A director shall not serve as a member of the Committee if the Chief Executive Officer or another executive officer of the Company serves on the compensation committee of another company that employs that director as an executive officer.

    The members shall be appointed by the Board and shall serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified or their earlier resignation or removal. Any member of the Committee may be replaced by the Board. Unless a chairman is elected by the Board, the members of the Committee may designate a chairman by the majority vote of the full Committee membership. The Committee may from time to time delegate duties or responsibilities to subcommittees or to one member of the Committee.

    The Committee shall have the authority to obtain advice or assistance from consultants, legal counsel, accounting or other advisors as appropriate, to perform its duties hereunder and to determine the terms, costs and fees for such engagements. Without limitation, the Committee shall have the sole authority to retain or terminate any consulting firm used to evaluate director, CEO or executive compensation, and to determine and approve the terms of engagement and the fees and costs for such engagements. The fees and costs of any consultant or advisor engaged by the Committee to assist it in performing any duties hereunder shall be borne by the Company.

    back to top

  3. Meetings

    The Committee shall meet as often as it deems appropriate, but not less frequently than once each year to review the compensation of the executive officers and directors of the Company, and otherwise perform its duties under this charter.

    A majority of the members shall represent a quorum of the Committee, and, if a quorum is present, any action approved by at least a majority of the members present shall represent the valid action of the Committee. Any actions taken by the Committee during any period in which one or more members fail for any reason to meet the membership requirements set forth above shall be nonetheless duly authorized actions of the Committee for all corporate purposes.

    The Committee shall maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board. The Committee will also record its summaries of recommendations to the Board in written form whenever requested by the board, which will be incorporated as part of the minutes of the Board meeting at which those recommendations are presented.

    back to top

  4. Committee Authority and Responsibilities

    To fulfill its responsibilities and duties, the Committee shall be charged with the following functions and processes with the understanding, however, that the Committee may supplement or (except as otherwise required by applicable law or the requirements of Nasdaq) deviate from these activities as appropriate under the circumstances:

    1. Recommend to the Board for determination on all compensation for the Chief Executive Officer, including incentive-based and equity-based compensation. The Chief Executive Officer may not be present during such voting or deliberations.
    2. Review and recommend to the Board for determination and approval annual performance objectives and goals relevant to compensation for the Chief Executive Officer and evaluate the performance of the Chief Executive Officer in light of these goals and objectives.
    3. Consider, in determining the long-term incentive component of compensation for the Chief Executive Officer, the Company's performance and relative shareholder return, the value of similar incentive awards to chief executive officers at comparable companies, and the awards given to the Company's Chief Executive Officer in past years.
    4. Develop or review and recommend to the Board for determination and approval the incentive-based or equity-based compensation plans in which the Company's executive officers and employees participate, and review and recommend to the Board for determination and approval performance objectives and goals, salaries, and incentive and equity awards for other executive officers.
    5. Approve all employment, severance, or change-in-control agreements, special or supplemental benefits, or provisions including the same, applicable to executive officers.
    6. Review and advise the Board concerning both regional and industry-wide compensation practices and trends in order to assess the adequacy and competitiveness of the Company's compensation programs for the CEO, other executive officers and directors relative to comparable companies in the Company's industry and geography.
    7. Review and propose to the Board from time to time changes in director compensation.
    8. The Committee shall review and discuss with management the Company's disclosures contained under the caption "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" for use in any of the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K, registration statements, proxy statements or information statements and make recommendations to the Board that the CD&A be approved for inclusion in the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K, registration statements, proxy statements or information statements.
    9. Prepare an annual report on executive compensation for inclusion in the Company's proxy statement for the annual meeting of stockholders, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
    10. Perform such other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company's Bylaws and governing law, as the Committee or the Board deems necessary or appropriate.
    11. Make regular reports to the Board of Directors regarding the foregoing.
    12. Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter as appropriate and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.

    back to top