UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2 of this chapter):
☐ 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.
| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
On May 21, 2025, at the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”), the shareholders of Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (the “Company”), upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, approved (i) an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Flexible Stock Plan (the “Flexible Stock Plan”) and (ii) an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Phantom Stock Plan for Directors (the “Phantom Plan” and together with the Flexible Stock Plan, the “Equity Plans”). Among other things, the amendments increase the number of shares authorized for issuance as follows:
| Plan |
Share increase | Total shares available | ||||||
| Flexible Stock Plan |
1,200,000 | 17,660,077 | ||||||
| Phantom Plan |
50,000 | 205,000 | ||||||
The amendment and restatement of the Equity Plans will not affect any award previously made to the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer or any other named executive officer of the Company under the Equity Plans, nor under any other compensatory plan, contract or arrangement covering any such person.
The Equity Plans, as proposed to be amended and restated, are described in greater detail in proposals three and four on pages 3 through 19 in the Company’s Proxy Statement, dated April 10, 2025, for the Annual Meeting (“Proxy Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on that date. The descriptions of the amended and restated Equity Plans contained herein and in the Proxy Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Flexible Stock Plan (as amended and restated) and the Phantom Plan (as amended and restated), copies of which are filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, hereto.
| Item 5.07 | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. |
The Company held the Annual Meeting on May 21, 2025. The number of shares of common stock of the Company represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, was 60,669,679 shares, or approximately 92% of the outstanding voting shares of the Company.
At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders were asked to vote on the election of eleven directors and the four other proposals described below, and the votes were cast as follows:
1. Election of the following directors for terms expiring in 2026 or until their respective successors are elected and qualified:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||||||||||||
| Pina Albo |
57,333,482 | 486,733 | 30,968 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Michele Bang |
57,764,916 | 56,577 | 29,690 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Tony Cheng |
57,801,196 | 17,703 | 32,284 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| John J. Gauthier |
57,352,980 | 466,346 | 31,857 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Patricia L. Guinn |
57,790,438 | 29,782 | 30,963 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Hazel M. McNeilage |
57,249,434 | 572,351 | 29,398 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Stephen O’Hearn |
57,731,140 | 89,771 | 30,272 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Alison Rand |
57,803,426 | 16,392 | 31,365 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Shundrawn Thomas |
56,726,160 | 1,094,471 | 30,552 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Khanh T. Tran |
57,801,918 | 17,266 | 31,999 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
| Steven C. Van Wyk |
57,045,585 | 775,537 | 30,061 | 2,818,496 | ||||||||||||
2. Advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers:
| For |
Against |
Withheld |
Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 54,569,621 | 3,235,999 | 45,563 | 2,818,496 |
3. To approve the Amended & Restated Flexible Stock Plan:
| For |
Against |
Withheld |
Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 54,336,835 | 3,472,781 | 41,567 | 2,818,496 |
4. To approve the Amended & Restated Phantom Stock Plan for Directors:
| For |
Against |
Withheld |
Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 57,549,106 | 271,540 | 30,537 | 2,818,496 |
5. To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025:
| For |
Against |
Withheld |
Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 57,837,848 | 2,788,578 | 43,253 | 0 |
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits. The following documents are filed as exhibits to this report: |
| 10.1 | Amended and Restated Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated Flexible Stock Plan, effective May 21, 2025. | |
| 10.2 | Amended and Restated Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated Phantom Stock Plan for Directors, effective May 21, 2025. | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL) to the exhibit index | |
SIGNATURE
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 hereunto duly authorized.
| REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED | ||||||
| Date: May 21, 2025 | By: | /s/ Axel André | ||||
| Axel André | ||||||
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||||||
Exhibit 10.1
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
FLEXIBLE STOCK PLAN
As Amended and Restated Effective May 21, 2025
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
FLEXIBLE STOCK PLAN
ARTICLE I
NAME AND PURPOSE
1.1 Name. The name of this Plan is the Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated Flexible Stock Plan.
1.2 Purpose. The Company has established this Plan to attract, retain, motivate and reward Employees and other individuals, to encourage ownership of the Companys Common Stock by Employees and other individuals, and to promote and further the best interests of the Company by granting equity and/or cash awards. The Plan is hereby amended and restated as provided herein.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION
2.1 General Definitions. The following words and phrases, when used in the Plan, unless otherwise specifically defined or unless the context clearly otherwise requires, shall have the following respective meanings:
| (a) | Affiliate. Any Subsidiary of the Company and any limited liability company, partnership, corporation, joint venture, or any other entity in which the Company or any such Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, owns a controlling equity interest. The term controlling equity interest means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person, through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. |
| (b) | Agreement. A written (or electronic) contract entered into between the Company or an Affiliate and a Participant or, in the discretion of the Committee, a written (or electronic) certificate issued by the Company or an Affiliate to a Participant, in either case, containing or incorporating the terms and conditions of a Benefit in such form (not inconsistent with this Plan) as the Committee approves from time to time, together with all Modifications (as defined in Section 6.2 below) approved by the Committee in accordance with Section 6.2. |
| (c) | Applicable Law. Any applicable law, rule, regulation and requirement, including Missouri law, U.S. federal, state or local law, any rule or regulation of the New York Stock Exchange, or any applicable law, rule or regulation of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted under the Plan or Participants reside or provide services. |
| (d) | Award. Any Cash Award or Equity Award, as applicable. |
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| (e) | Benefit. Any benefit granted to a Participant under the Plan. |
| (f) | Board. The Board of Directors of the Company. |
| (g) | Cash Award. A Benefit granted under Article XVIII of this Plan that is payable in the form of cash. |
| (h) | Change of Control. The occurrence of one of the following: |
| (1) | any person or entity, including a group as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, other than the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary thereof or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner of the Companys securities having 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company that may be cast for the election of directors of the Company (other than as a result of an issuance of securities by the Company in the ordinary course of business); |
| (2) | the consummation of any merger, consolidation, sale of assets or similar business combination transaction, or any combination of the foregoing transactions, other than any such transaction where the Companys voting stock outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitutes, or is converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company or any acquiring or surviving parent entity, as applicable, entitled to vote generally in the election of the directors of the Company or such acquiring or surviving parent entity immediately after such transaction; or |
| (3) | during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board cease to be composed of individuals who are Continuing Directors (as defined below). |
For purposes of this definition, Continuing Directors means, with respect to any period, any individuals (A) who were members of the Board on the first day of such period, (B) whose election or nomination to the Board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (A) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of the Board, or (C) whose election or nomination to the Board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (A) and (B) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body.
| (i) | Code. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time, or any successor statute. Any reference to the Code includes the regulations promulgated pursuant to the Code. |
| (j) | Company. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated, a Missouri corporation, or any successor to all or substantially all of its business by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise. |
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| (k) | Committee. The Committee described in Section 5.1. |
| (l) | Common Stock. Any class of the Companys common stock or any securities issued in respect thereof by the Company or any successor to the Company as a result of an event described in Section 3.3 or ARTICLE IX hereof. |
| (m) | Effective Date. The date that the Plan, as amended and restated herein, is approved by the shareholders of the Company. |
| (n) | Employee. Any person employed as either a regular full-time employee or part-time employee by the Employer. |
| (o) | Employer. The Company and all Affiliates. |
| (p) | Equity Award. Any Options, SARs, Restricted Stocks. RSU, Stock-Based Awards, Performance Shares or other equity-based award granted under this Plan. |
| (q) | Exchange Act. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
| (r) | Fair Market Value. The closing price of a Share on the New York Stock Exchange on a given date, or, in the absence of sales on a given date, the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on the last day on which a sale occurred prior to such date. If the Shares are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Fair Market Value shall be what the Committee determines in good faith to be 100% of the fair market value of a Share on that date. In the case of an ISO, if such determination of Fair Market Value is not consistent with the then current regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with said regulations. The determination of Fair Market Value shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.3 and ARTICLE IX hereof. |
| (s) | Fiscal Year. The taxable year of the Company which is the calendar year. |
| (t) | ISO. An Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of the Code, or any successor to such section. |
| (u) | NQSO. A Non-Qualified Stock Option, which is an Option that does not qualify as an ISO. |
| (v) | Option. An option to purchase Shares granted under the Plan. |
| (w) | Other Stock Based Award. An award under ARTICLE XIX that is valued in whole or in part by reference to, or is otherwise based on, Common Stock. |
| (x) | Parent. Any corporation that is a parent corporation, as that term is defined in Section 424(e) of the Code, or any successor provision. |
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| (y) | Participant. An individual who is granted a Benefit under the Plan. Benefits may be granted to Employees, consultants and independent contractors of the Company or any Affiliate, in the sole discretion of the Committee. |
| (z) | Performance Criteria. The criteria, or any combination of criteria, that the Committee in its discretion selects for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Participant for any performance period. Such criteria may include, without limitation, any of the criteria set forth on Annex A attached hereto, any other measure of Company performance, any individual performance criteria, and any other measure of performance selected by the Committee in its discretion. |
| (aa) | Performance Goals. The targeted level of performance or other goals established in writing by the Committee in its discretion for any performance period based upon any one or more of the Performance Criteria, which may be expressed, without limitation, in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business unit or an individual and may be stated, without limitation, in terms of absolute levels or relative to another company or companies or to an index or indices, or as a goal relative to performance in prior periods. At the time of the grant of a Performance Share, or at any time thereafter, the Committee may provide for the manner in which performance will be measured against the Performance Goals (or may adjust the Performance Goals) to reflect the impact of specified corporate transactions, accounting or tax law changes, other unusual or nonrecurring events, and such other matters that the Committee determines is consistent with the intent thereof. |
| (bb) | Performance Share. An Equity Award made to a Participant under ARTICLE XVII. |
| (cc) | Plan. The Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and restated herein, and all further amendments and supplements to it. |
| (dd) | Restricted Stock. Shares issued under ARTICLE XV of the Plan. |
| (ee) | RSU. A restricted stock unit, which is an Equity Award made to a Participant under ARTICLE XVI representing the Participants right to receive a Share or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share for each restricted stock unit held on the scheduled vesting date or other specified payment date. |
| (ff) | Rule 16b-3. Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, as amended, or any successor rule in effect from time to time. |
| (gg) | SEC. The Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| (hh) | Share. A share of Common Stock. |
| (ii) | SAR. A stock appreciation right, which is the right to receive an amount equal to the appreciation, if any, in the Fair Market Value of a Share from the date of the grant of the right to the date of its exercise as provided in Article XIV. |
| (jj) | Subsidiary. With respect to any entity (the Applicable Entity), any entity of which 50% or more of its voting power or its equity securities or equity interests are owned directly or indirectly by the Applicable Entity. |
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2.2 Other Definitions. In addition to the above definitions, certain words and phrases used in the Plan and any Agreement may be defined in other portions of the Plan or in such Agreement.
2.3 Conflicts in Plan. In the case of any conflict in the terms of the Plan relating to a Benefit, the provisions in the ARTICLE of the Plan which specifically provides for such Benefit shall control those in a different ARTICLE.
ARTICLE III
COMMON STOCK
3.1 Number of Shares. Subject to Section 3.3, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or sold under the Plan, or for which Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares or Other Stock Based Awards may be granted under the Plan, shall be equal to the sum of (A) 1,200,000 Shares newly authorized as of the Effective Date plus (B) the 16,460,077 Shares that have been authorized for issuance under the Plan prior to the Effective Date to the extent such Shares remain outstanding and available or become outstanding and available again hereunder (such sum, the Share Reserve). For clarity, the Share Reserve is a limit on the number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to this Plan. Such Shares may be authorized but unissued Shares (subject to payment of any required par value), Shares held in the treasury, or both.
3.2 Reusage. If an Option or SAR expires or is terminated, surrendered or cancelled without having been fully exercised, if Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares or Other Stock Based Awards are forfeited, or if any other grant results in any Shares not being issued, the Shares covered by such Option or SAR, grant of Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares or Other Stock Based Awards, as the case may be, shall again be available for use under the Plan. In addition, Shares tendered or withheld in payment of the exercise price for an Option or SAR or in satisfaction of withholding taxes for any Benefit shall be available again for use under the Plan.
3.3 Adjustments. If there is any change in the Common Stock of the Company by reason of any extraordinary dividend, stock dividend, spin-off, split-up, spin-out, recapitalization, warrant or rights issuance or combination, exchange or reclassification of shares, merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale of substantially all assets or, in the Committees sole discretion, other similar or relevant event, in any such case as determined by the Committee to affect the Shares (any such event, a Recapitalization Event), then the number, kind and class of Shares available for grants of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares and Other Stock Based Awards and the number, kind and class of shares subject to outstanding Options and SARs (including the exercise price thereof), and grants of Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares and Other Stock Based Awards, in each case that remain outstanding at such time, shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee. The adjustment provisions of this Section 3.3 shall apply to individual limitations under the Plan (e.g., limitations on the number of shares covered by any type of Benefit in any calendar year).
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3.4 Exclusions from Share Limitation. The following will not be applied to reduce the Share Reserve: (a) dividends or dividend equivalents paid in cash in connection with outstanding Benefits, (b) Benefits which by their terms may be settled only in cash, (c) any Shares subject to a Benefit under the Plan which Benefit is forfeited, cancelled, terminated, expires or lapses for any reason, and (d) Shares and any Benefits that are granted through the settlement, assumption, or substitution of outstanding awards previously granted, or through obligations to grant future awards, as the result of a merger, consolidation, or acquisition of the employing company with or by the Company, in any such case pursuant to this clause (d) to the extent permitted by Section 303A.08 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (or any successor provision thereof) (any such Shares and Benefits, Acquisition Substitute Awards).
ARTICLE IV
ELIGIBILITY
4.1 Determined By Committee. The Participants and the Benefits they receive under the Plan shall be determined solely by the Committee. In making its determinations, the Committee shall consider past, present and expected future contributions of Participants and potential Participants to the Employer, including, without limitation, the performance of, or the refraining from the performance of, services.
ARTICLE V
ADMINISTRATION
5.1 Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Human Capital and Compensation Committee of the Board, its successor or such other committee as the Board may designate (the Committee). The members of the Committee shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, which may from time to time appoint members in substitution for members previously appointed and fill vacancies, however caused, in the Committee. The Committee may select one of its members as its Chair and shall hold its meetings at such times and places as it may determine. A majority of the Committees members shall constitute a quorum. All determinations of the Committee shall be made by a majority of its members. Any decision or determination reduced to writing and signed by all of the members shall be fully as effective as if it had been taken at a meeting duly called and held.
5.2 Authority. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee shall have discretionary authority to:
| (a) | determine the individuals to whom Benefits are granted, the type and amounts of Benefits to be granted and the time of all such grants; |
| (b) | determine the terms, conditions, provisions and restrictions that may apply to each Benefit granted, which determinations of the terms, conditions, provisions and restrictions need not be uniform among all Participants; |
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| (c) | interpret and construe the Plan and all Agreements; |
| (d) | prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; |
| (e) | determine the content and form of all Agreements; |
| (f) | determine all questions relating to Benefits under the Plan; |
| (g) | make all determinations as to the right to Benefits under the Plan, including the authority to review and approve or deny Participant claims for benefits; |
| (h) | maintain accounts, records and ledgers relating to Benefits; |
| (i) | maintain records concerning its decisions and proceedings; |
| (j) | employ agents, attorneys, accountants or other persons for such purposes as the Committee considers necessary or desirable; |
| (k) | take, at any time, any action permitted by Section 9.1 irrespective of whether any Change of Control has occurred or is imminent; |
| (l) | do and perform all acts which it may deem necessary or appropriate for the administration of the Plan and carry out the purposes of the Plan; and |
| (m) | correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan or in any Benefit in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable. |
All determinations of the Committee in the administration of this Plan, as described herein, shall be final, binding and conclusive, including, without limitation, as to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3.3.
5.3 Delegation. Except as required for compliance with Rule 16b-3 with respect to grants of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares, Other Stock Based Awards, or other Benefits to individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or as otherwise required for compliance with Rule 16b-3 or other Applicable Law, the Committee may delegate all or any part of its authority under the Plan to any Employee, Employees or committee and may authorize further delegation by such committees to senior managers of the Company, in each case to the extent permitted by Applicable Law; provided that, determinations regarding the timing, pricing, amount and terms of any Benefit to a reporting person for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be made only by the Committee; and provided further that, no such delegation may be made that would cause Benefits or other transactions under this Plan to cease to be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Any such delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.
5.4 Board Authority. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, any authority granted to the Committee may also be exercised by the Board or another committee of the Board. To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent the Board has delegated any authority under this Plan to another committee of the Board, such authority shall not be exercised by the Committee unless expressly permitted by the Board in connection with such delegation.
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ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT
6.1 Amendment of Plan. Except as hereinafter provided, the Board shall have the sole right and power to amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time and from time to time; provided, however, that no such amendment shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is deemed necessary or desirable by the Board to comply with any Applicable Law.
6.2 Amendment of Agreements. Except with respect to Option/SAR Repricings (as defined in Section 8.3 below) as provided in Section 8.3 below, the Committee may at any time alter, amend, or waive any Agreements or may suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate any Awards, prospectively or retrospectively, under this Plan (any such actions as referenced in this sentence, a Modification), provided that no such Modification may be made without the consent of any Participant if such Modification is deemed by the Committee to be materially adverse to the Participant except any such Modification required as a matter of Appliable Law, in which event, as provided in Section 2.1(b), the term Agreement shall mean the Agreement after giving effect to such Modification. In addition, no amendment, suspension or termination of this Plan pursuant to Section 6.1 may materially and adversely affect any right acquired by any Participant (or a Participants legal representative) or any successor or permitted transferee, without the consent of such Participant, as determined by the Committee under a Benefit granted before the date of such amendment, suspension or termination, unless otherwise provided in an Agreement or required as a matter of Applicable Law. It is conclusively presumed that any adjustment for changes in connection with a Recapitalization Event does not adversely affect any right of a Participant or other person under a Benefit.
ARTICLE VII
TERM AND TERMINATION
7.1 Term. The original effective date of the Plan was January 1, 1997 and the Plan as amended and restated herein shall be effective as of the Effective Date, and, subject to the terms of the Plan, including those requiring approval by the shareholders of the Company and those limiting the period over which ISOs or any other Benefits may be granted, shall continue in full force and effect until terminated.
7.2 Termination. The Plan will terminate automatically on May 21, 2035. Subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, the Plan may be terminated at any time by the Board. Upon any termination of the Plan, Awards granted prior to such termination will remain in effect in accordance with the terms of the Plan with respect to outstanding Benefits until no Benefits remain outstanding.
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ARTICLE VIII
EXERCISE PRICE OF OPTIONS AND SARS
8.1 Committees Right. The Committee may modify the terms of an outstanding Option or SAR in accordance with Section 6.2; provided, however, that Option/SAR Repricings are prohibited without shareholder approval as provided in Section 8.3 of the Plan.
8.2 Special Modification Upon a Corporate Transaction. Upon a corporate transaction (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.424-1(a)(3)), the Committee may provide for the assumption or substitution of outstanding Options or SARs, provided that the requirements of Treas. Reg. § 1.424- 1(a) are satisfied with respect to ISOs, and the requirements of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A- 1(b)(v)(D) are satisfied with respect to NQSOs.
8.3 No Discounted Options or SARs; No Repricing. Options and SARs may not be granted with an exercise price lower than the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares on the grant date (except to the extent that any Options and SARS are granted as Acquisition Substitute Awards pursuant to clause (d) of Section 3.4 or are assumed or substituted in connection with a corporate transaction as described in Section 8.2). Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, except in connection with any Recapitalization Event, the exercise price of an Option or SAR shall not be reduced after grant, including by reason of cancellation, cash buyout, exchange of an underwater Option or SAR, no such Option or SAR with an exercise price that exceeds Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be canceled, purchased or exchanged for a cash payment, and no other action shall be taken with respect to Options or SARs that would be treated as a repricing under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (any such action referenced in this sentence, an Option/SAR Repricing), without shareholder approval.
ARTICLE IX
CHANGE OF CONTROL
9.1 Right of Committee. In order to maintain a Participants rights upon a Change of Control, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may, in any Agreement evidencing a Benefit, or at any time prior to, or simultaneously with or after a Change of Control, provide such protection or take other actions as it may deem necessary. Without, in any way, limiting the generality of the foregoing provisions or requiring any specific protection, the Committee may:
| (a) | provide for the acceleration of any time periods relating to the exercise or realization of such Benefit so that such Benefit may be exercised or realized in full on or before a date fixed by the Committee; |
| (b) | provide for the purchase or cancellation of such Benefit for an amount of cash or other property equal to the amount which could have been attained upon the exercise or realization of such Benefit had such Benefit been currently exercisable or payable; |
| (c) | make such adjustment to the Benefits then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such transaction or change; and/or |
| (d) | cause the Benefits then outstanding to be assumed, or new Benefits substituted therefor, by the surviving corporation or entity in such change. |
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ARTICLE X
AGREEMENTS AND CERTAIN BENEFITS
10.1 Grant Evidenced by Agreement. The grant of any Benefit under the Plan may be evidenced by an Agreement which shall describe the specific Benefit granted and the terms and conditions of the Benefit. The granting of any Benefit may be subject to, and conditioned upon, the recipients execution of any Agreement to the extent required by the Committee. All capitalized terms used in an Agreement shall have the same meaning as in the Plan, except as otherwise provided in the Agreement. An Agreement shall be subject to all of the terms of the Plan.
10.2 Provisions of Agreement. Each Agreement shall contain such provisions that the Committee shall determine to be necessary, desirable and appropriate for the Benefit granted which may include, but not be limited to, the following with respect to any Benefit: description of the type of Benefit; the Benefits duration; its transferability; if an Option, the exercise price, the exercise period and the person or persons who may exercise the Option; the effect upon such Benefit of the Participants death or termination of employment; the Benefits conditions; when, if, and how any Benefit may be forfeited, converted into another Benefit, modified, exchanged for another Benefit, or replaced; and the restrictions on any Shares purchased or granted under the Plan.
10.3 Non-Transferability. Except as otherwise expressly provided in an Agreement, no Benefit or Award may be transferred, assigned, pledged, attached, sold or encumbered by any Participant other than transfers by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during his lifetime only by him, his guardian or his legal representative. For the avoidance of doubt, no Benefit or Award may be transferred to a third-party institution for value.
10.4 Minimum Vesting. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except with respect to an aggregate of up to 5% of the Shares available pursuant to Article III of the Plan for Benefits granted on or following the Effective Date, no Benefit will become exercisable or vest unless such Benefit has been outstanding for a minimum period of one year from its date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the vesting of a Benefit may be accelerated in the Committees sole discretion in the case of the Participants death, disability or retirement or upon a Change of Control.
ARTICLE XI
TANDEM AWARDS
11.1 Tandem Awards. Awards may be granted by the Committee in tandem. However, no Benefit may be granted in tandem with an ISO except SARs.
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ARTICLE XII
PAYMENT, DIVIDENDS, DEFERRAL AND WITHHOLDING
12.1 Payment. Upon the exercise of an Option or in the case of any other Benefit that requires a payment to the Company, the amount due the Company is to be paid:
| (a) | in cash; |
| (b) | by the tender to the Company of Shares owned by the Participant and registered in his name having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount due to the Company; |
| (c) | in other property, rights and credits; |
| (d) | by any cashless exercise procedures conducted in accordance with Applicable Law; |
| (e) | by net exercise; or |
| (f) | by any combination of the payment methods specified in (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) above. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any method of payment other than cash may be used only with the consent of the Committee or if and to the extent so provided in an Agreement. The proceeds of the sale of Common Stock purchased pursuant to an Option and any payment to the Company for any other Benefits shall be added to the general funds of the Company or to the Shares held in treasury, as the case may be, and used for the corporate purposes of the Company as the Board shall determine.
12.2 Dividend Equivalents. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 12.2, grants of Benefits in Shares or Share equivalents may include dividend equivalent payments or dividend credit rights to the extent provided in any Agreement or as otherwise provided by the Committee. The payment of dividend equivalents or dividend credits attributable to a Benefit subject to vesting conditions (whether time-based, performance-based or otherwise) is not permitted during the period in which the Benefit is unvested. Dividend equivalents and dividend credits may be accumulated during the vesting period of the underlying Benefit, but in any event shall be paid out only to the extent the Benefit has vested. Additionally, Participants holding Options or SARs shall not be granted dividend equivalents or dividend credits for any period prior to the exercise of such Option or SAR.
12.3 Deferral. The right to receive any Benefit under the Plan may, at the request of the Participant, be deferred for such period and upon such terms as the Agreement may provide or the Committee shall determine, which may include crediting of interest on deferrals of cash and crediting of dividends on deferrals denominated in Shares; provided, that any such deferrals shall be subject to compliance with Section 409A of the Code and Section 20.16.
12.4 Withholding. The Company may withhold from any Award, from any payment due under any Award, or from any compensation or other amount owing to any Participant any amount necessary to satisfy federal, state and local income tax withholding or other tax-related requirements with respect to such Award. Such withholding may be in cash or in Shares or as otherwise provided in any Agreement.
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ARTICLE XIII
OPTIONS
13.1 Types of Options. It is intended that both ISOs and NQSOs may be granted by the Committee under the Plan, with terms not in excess of ten years. In no event may Options known as reload options or other automatic grants to Participants be granted under the Plan.
13.2 Shares for ISOs. The number of Shares for which ISOs may be granted to any Participant on or after the Effective Date shall not exceed 150,000 Shares in any calendar year.
13.3 Grant of ISOs and Option Price. Each ISO must be granted to an Employee and granted no later than the tenth anniversary of the date on which the Board approved the Plan, as amended and restated. The purchase price for Shares under any ISO shall be no less than the Fair Market Value of the Shares at the time the Option is granted.
13.4 Other Requirements for ISOs. The terms of each Option which is intended to qualify as an ISO shall meet all requirements of Section 422 of the Code; provided, that if any Option that was intended to qualify as an ISO fails to so qualify for any reason, such Option shall be treated as a NQSO.
13.5 NQSOs. The terms of each NQSO shall provide that such Option will not be treated as an ISO. The purchase price for Shares under any NQSO shall be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the Shares at the time the Option is granted.
13.6 Determination by Committee. Except as otherwise provided in Section 13.2 through Section 13.5, the terms of all Options shall be determined by the Committee subject to and in accordance with the terms of this Plan.
13.7 Limitation on Shares Covered by Options. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Options may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000 Shares. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Shares covered by an Option that is cancelled shall count against the maximum number of Shares.
ARTICLE XIV
SARS
14.1 Grant and Payment. The Committee may grant SARs. Upon electing to receive payment of a SAR, a Participant shall receive payment in cash, in Common Stock or in any combination of cash and Common Stock, as the Agreement may provide or the Committee may determine.
14.2 Grant of Tandem Award. The Committee may grant SARs in tandem with an Option, in which case: the exercise of the Option shall cause a correlative reduction in SARs standing to a Participants credit which were granted in tandem with the Option; and the payment of SARs shall cause a correlative reduction of the Shares under such Option.
14.3 ISO Tandem Award. When SARs are granted in tandem with an ISO, the SARs shall have such terms and conditions as shall be required for the ISO to qualify as an ISO.
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14.4 Payment of Award. SARs shall be paid, to the extent payment is elected by the Participant (and is otherwise due and payable), as provided in the Agreement.
14.5 Limitation on SARs. The maximum number of SARs which may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000 SARs. For purposes of the preceding sentence, any SARs that are cancelled shall count against the maximum number of SARs.
ARTICLE XV
RESTRICTED STOCK
15.1 Description. The Committee may grant Benefits in Shares available under ARTICLE III of the Plan as Restricted Stock. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be issued and delivered at the time of the grant but shall be subject to forfeiture until provided otherwise in the applicable Agreement or the Plan. Each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock (or, if such Shares are in book-entry form, such book-entry balances and confirmation and account statements with respect thereto) shall bear a legend and/or other restrictive language referring to the Plan and the risk of forfeiture of the Shares and stating that such Shares are nontransferable until all restrictions have been satisfied and the legend has been removed. The recipient shall be entitled to full voting and dividend rights with respect to all shares of Restricted Stock from the date of grant; provided, however, that dividend payment amounts may be accumulated during the vesting period and paid out only to the extent the Restricted Stock has vested.
15.2 Non-Transferability. Shares of Restricted Stock shall not be transferable until after the removal of the legend and/or other restrictive language with respect to such Shares as provided in Section 15.1 above.
15.3 Limitation on Restricted Stock. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Restricted Stock may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000 Shares.
ARTICLE XVI
RSUs
16.1 Description. An RSU represents the right to receive Shares or cash, or any combination of Shares and cash, equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share for each RSU following the scheduled vesting date or other specified payment date as provided for in the applicable Agreement. A Participant receiving RSUs will have no rights of a shareholder as to such RSU until such time as Shares are issued to the Participant.
16.2 Grant. The Committee may grant an award of RSUs. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which RSUs may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000 Shares.
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ARTICLE XVII
PERFORMANCE SHARES
17.1 Description. Performance Shares are the right of an individual to whom a grant of such Shares is made to receive Shares or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such Shares at a future date in accordance with the terms of such grant based on the attainment of Performance Goals.
17.2 Grant. The Committee may grant an award of Performance Shares. The number of Performance Shares and the terms and conditions of the grant shall be set forth in the applicable Agreement. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Performance Shares may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000 Shares.
ARTICLE XVIII
CASH AWARDS
18.1 Grant. The Committee may grant Cash Awards at such times and (subject to Section 18.2) in such amounts as it deems appropriate.
18.2 Limitation on Amount. The maximum amount of all Cash Awards that may be granted to any Participant under this Plan in any calendar year shall not exceed $2,000,000.
18.3 Restrictions. Cash Awards may be subject or not subject to conditions (such as an investment requirement), restricted or nonrestricted, vested or subject to forfeiture and may be payable currently or in the future or both.
ARTICLE XIX
OTHER STOCK BASED AWARDS
19.1 Other Stock Based Awards. The Committee shall have the right to grant Other Stock Based Awards which may include, without limitation, the grant of Shares based on certain conditions, the payment of cash based on the performance of the Common Stock, and the grant of securities convertible into Shares.
19.2 Limitation on Other Stock Based Awards. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which any Other Stock Based Award may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year is 200,000 Shares in the aggregate.
ARTICLE XX
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
20.1 Italicized References. The italicized references contained in the Plan are included only for convenience, and they shall not be construed as a part of the Plan or in any respect affecting or modifying its provisions.
20.2 Number and Gender. The masculine and neuter, wherever used in the Plan, shall refer to either the masculine, neuter or feminine; and, unless the context otherwise requires, the singular shall include the plural and the plural the singular.
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20.3 Governing Law/Venue. This Plan shall be construed and administered in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri, without giving regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof. Any legal action against the Company, an Affiliate, the Board, or the Committee arising out of this Plan or any Award or Agreement hereunder may only be brought in the Circuit Court in St. Louis County and/or the United States District Court in St. Louis, Missouri.
20.4 Purchase for Investment. The Committee may require each person purchasing Shares pursuant to an Option or other award under the Plan to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the Shares for investment and without a view to distribution or resale. The certificates for such Shares (or, if such Shares are in book-entry form, such book-entry balances and confirmation and account statements with respect thereto) may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. All certificates for Shares (or, if such Shares are in book-entry form, such book-entry balances and confirmation and account statements with respect thereto) delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under all Applicable Laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends or other language to be put on any such certificates (or, if such Shares are in book-entry form, such book-entry balances and confirmation and account statements with respect thereto) to make appropriate references to such restrictions.
20.5 No Employment Contract. The adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any Employee any right to continued employment nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Employer to terminate the employment of any of its Employees at any time.
20.6 No Effect on Other Benefits. Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under a Benefit shall not be deemed a part of a Participants regular, recurring compensation for any purpose and shall not be included in, nor have any effect on, the determination of benefits under any other employee benefit plan, contract or similar arrangement provided by the Company or an Affiliate, unless in any such case expressly so provided by such other plan, contract or arrangement or the Committee expressly determines that a Benefit or portion of a Benefit should be included to reflect competitive compensation practices or to recognize that a Benefit has been made in lieu of a portion of competitive cash compensation. The receipt by a Participant of one type of grant shall not entitle the Participant to receipt of any other type of grant.
20.7 Clawback. Any Award or Benefit under this Plan is subject to the terms and conditions contained in (i) the Companys Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy, (ii) the Companys NYSE Executive Recoupment Policy, (iii) any amendment and/or restatement of either such policy and (iv) any other recoupment or clawback policy that may be adopted by the Company in the future (collectively, the Policies), any or all of which may permit the Company to recoup all or a portion of any such Awards or Benefits upon the occurrence of certain events.
20.8 Rights as Shareholders. A Participant shall have no right as a shareholder with respect to any Shares covered by a Benefit until the date the Participant becomes the holder of record of such Shares.
20.9 Date of Grant. The date and time of approval by the Committee of the granting of a Benefit shall be considered the date and time at which such Benefit is made or granted, or such later effective date as determined by the Committee in accordance with Applicable Law, notwithstanding the date of any Agreement with respect to such Benefit; provided, however, that the Committee may grant Benefits other than ISOs to Employees or to persons who are about to become Employees, to be effective and deemed to be granted on the occurrence of certain specified contingencies, provided that if the Benefit is granted to a non-Employee who is about to become an Employee, such specified contingencies shall include, without limitation, that such person becomes an Employee.
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20.10 Beneficiary Upon Participants Death. To the extent that the transfer of a Participants Benefit at death is permitted by this Plan or under an Agreement, (a) a Participants Benefit shall be transferable to the beneficiary, if any, designated on forms prescribed by and filed with the Committee and (b) upon the death of the Participant, such beneficiary shall succeed to the rights of the Participant to the extent permitted by law and this Plan. If no such designation of a beneficiary has been made, the Participants legal representative shall succeed to the Benefits, which shall be transferable by will or pursuant to laws of descent and distribution to the extent permitted by this Plan or under an Agreement.
20.11 Unfunded Plan. This Plan shall be unfunded and the Company shall not be required to segregate any assets that may at any time be represented by Benefits under this Plan. Neither the Company, its Affiliates, the Committee, nor the Board shall be deemed to be a trustee of any amounts to be paid under this Plan nor shall anything contained in this Plan or any action taken pursuant to its provisions create or be construed to create a fiduciary relationship between the Company and/or its Affiliates and a Participant or successor. To the extent any person acquires a right to receive a Benefit under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.
20.12 Severability. If any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
20.13 Deferrals and Settlements. Subject to Section 20.16, the Committee may require or permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of Shares or the settlement of Benefits in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under this Plan. The Committee may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest on the deferral amounts.
20.14 Limits of Liability. Under the Plan: (a) any liability of the Company to any Participant with respect to a Benefit shall be based solely upon contractual obligations created by this Plan and the Agreement; (b) except as may be required by law, neither the Company nor any member or former member of the Board or the Committee, nor any other person participating (including participation pursuant to a delegation of authority under Section 5.3 hereof) in any determination of any question under this Plan, or in the interpretation, administration or application of this Plan, shall have any liability to any party for any action taken, or not taken, in good faith under this Plan; and (c) to the full extent permitted by law and the organizational documents of the Company, each member and former member of the Committee and each person to whom the Committee delegates or has delegated authority under this Plan shall be entitled to indemnification by the Company against any loss, liability, judgment, damage, cost and reasonable expense incurred by such member, former member or other person by reason of any action taken, failure to act or determination made in good faith under or with respect to this Plan.
20.15 Employees Employed in Foreign Jurisdictions; Sub-Plans. In order to enable participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States, or both, to receive Benefits under the Plan, the Committee may adopt such amendments, administrative policies, sub-plans and the like (collectively, Sub-plans) as are necessary or advisable, in the opinion of the Committee, to effectuate the purposes of the Plan and achieve favorable tax treatment or facilitate compliance under the laws of the applicable foreign jurisdiction without otherwise violating the terms of the Plan. Therefore, to the extent the Committee determines that the restrictions imposed by this Plan preclude the achievement of material purposes of the Benefits in jurisdictions outside of the United States, the Committee has the authority and discretion to adopt Sub-Plans to modify those restrictions as the Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate to conform to applicable requirements or practices of jurisdictions outside of the United States. The Committee
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may from time to time establish Sub-Plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying blue sky, securities, tax or other laws of various jurisdictions in which the Company intends to grant Awards. Any Sub-Plans shall contain such limitations and other terms and conditions as the Committee determines are necessary or desirable. All Sub-Plans shall be deemed a part of the Plan, but each Sub-Plan shall apply only to the Participants in the jurisdiction for which the Sub-Plan was designed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Sub-Plans will include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of the Plan unless the Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval of the shareholders of the Company under Applicable Law.
20.16 Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, it is intended that the provisions of the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption thereunder, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the requirements for avoiding additional taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations that the payments and benefits provided under the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by a Participant (or a Participants legal representative or beneficiary) in connection with the Plan (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code). Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a specified employee within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, any payment that is made under the Plan on account of Employees separation from service and that does not qualify as a short-term deferral within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations (or any other exemption therefrom) shall be made on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A that is more than six (6) months following the date of the Participants separation from service to the extent required to avoid any adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. With respect to any payment that is considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to termination of employment, retirement or substantially similar phrases shall mean separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made under the Plan is designated as a separate payment.
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Appendix A
The Performance Criteria may include, without limitation, the following criteria:
| | operating earnings or income; operating earnings per share; adjusted operating income per share; net income; total or net revenues; adjusted operating revenue, gross or net premiums; shareholder return and/or value; relative total shareholder return; retained earnings; book value or book value per share; book value per share excluding all other comprehensive income; gross or net margin; profit returns and margins; operating or net cash flow; financial return ratios; return on equity; average adjusted return on equity; return on assets; return on invested capital; earnings per share growth; change in embedded value and embedded value of new business; |
| | budget achievement; expenses; expense control; market capitalization; stock price; market share; working capital; cash available to Company from a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries; dividends; ratings; business trends; balance sheet optimization and economic value added; |
| | product development; client development; leadership; investor relations; project progress; project completion; quality; technology initiatives; data privacy and cybersecurity; customer satisfaction; sustainability; talent and culture; and corporate governance; or |
| | any other measure of Company performance, any individual performance criteria, and any other measure of performance selected by the Committee in its discretion. |
Exhibit 10.2
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
PHANTOM STOCK PLAN FOR DIRECTORS
As Amended and Restated Effective May 21, 2025
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
PHANTOM STOCK PLAN FOR DIRECTORS
ARTICLE I
NAME AND PURPOSE
1.1 Name. The name of this Plan is the Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated Phantom Stock Plan for Directors.
1.2 Purpose. The Company has established this Plan to encourage the highest level of director performance by members of the Board of Directors of the Company, by providing certain outside directors with deferred compensation based on the Companys success and progress. The Plan is hereby amended and restated as provided herein.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION
2.1 General Definitions. The following words and phrases, when used in the Plan, unless otherwise specifically defined or unless the context clearly otherwise requires, shall have the following respective meanings:
| (a) | Account. Account shall have the meaning given such term in ARTICLE VI. |
| (b) | Affiliate. Any Subsidiary of the Company and any limited liability company, partnership, corporation, joint venture, or any other entity in which the Company or any such Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, owns a controlling equity interest. The term controlling equity interest means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person, through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. |
| (c) | Board. The Board of Directors of the Company. |
| (d) | Code. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time, or any successor statute. Any reference to the Code includes the regulations promulgated pursuant to the Code. |
| (e) | Common Stock. Any class of the Companys common stock or any securities issued in respect thereof by the Company or any successor to the Company as a result of an event described in ARTICLE X and Section 11.10 hereof. |
| (f) | Company. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated, a Missouri corporation, or any successor to all or substantially all of its business by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise. |
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| (g) | Deferral Period. Deferral Period shall have the meaning given such term in Section 5.3. |
| (h) | Director. A duly elected and acting member of the Board who receives Directors Fees from the Company for his or her services as a member of the Board and who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates. |
| (i) | Directors Fees. Any and all of the following, whether payable in cash or Common Stock: |
| (i) | Annual retainer fees for services as a Director (including retainers paid to Board and Committee chairs); |
| (ii) | Board and Committee meeting attendance fees; and |
| (iii) | Any other form of compensation (including cash, equity grants or performance units) paid to a Director for service as a member of the Board, a Committee or a Board sub-group. |
| (j) | Disability. A physical or mental condition which, in the opinion of a qualified doctor of medicine chosen by the Company, permanently prevents a Director from carrying out his or her duties as a member of the Board. |
| (k) | Dividend Equivalents. A dollar amount equal to the cash dividend that a Participant would have been entitled to receive if the Participant were the owner, on the record date for a dividend paid on Common Stock, of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Performance Units then credited to and accumulated under the Account of the Participant. |
| (l) | Effective Date. The date that the Plan, as amended and restated herein, is approved by the shareholders of the Company. |
| (m) | Fair Market Value. The closing price of a share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on a given date, or in the absence of market transactions on such date, the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the last day on which a sale occurred prior to such date. If the shares are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Fair Market Value shall be what the Board determines in good faith to be 100% of the fair market value of a share on that date. The determination of Fair Market Value shall be subject to adjustment as provided in ARTICLE X. |
| (n) | Participant. A Director who has satisfied the eligibility requirements of Section 4 and who has Performance Units credited to his or her Account. |
| (o) | Performance Unit. A bookkeeping entry made at the time of grant representing a Participants right to receive one share of Common Stock (or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock) pursuant to the terms of this Plan. |
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| (p) | Plan. Plan shall have the meaning given such term in ARTICLE I. |
| (q) | Plan Year. The calendar year. |
| (r) | Retirement. Retirement of a Participant as a Director. |
| (s) | Subsidiary. With respect to any entity (the Applicable Entity), any entity of which 50% or more of its voting power or its equity securities or equity interests are owned directly or indirectly by the Applicable Entity. |
2.2 Other Definitions. In addition to the above definitions, certain words and phrases used in the Plan may be defined in other portions of the Plan.
ARTICLE III
ADMINISTRATION
3.1 Board. The Board shall administer the Plan. Questions involving eligibility, benefits or the interpretation or operation of the Plan shall be referred to the Board. All determinations of the Board, in its sole discretion, shall be conclusive. The Board may obtain such advice or assistance as it deems appropriate from persons not serving on the Board.
3.2 Expenses. All costs and expenses incurred in the operation and administration of this Plan will be borne by the Company.
3.3 Reusage. If a Performance Unit expires or is terminated, surrendered or cancelled, or if a grant of a Performance Unit otherwise results in shares of Common Stock not being issued pursuant to this Plan (including to the extent that cash is paid in settlement of any Performance Units in lieu of shares of Common Stock), the shares of Common Stock covered by such Performance Unit shall again be available for use under the Plan. In addition, shares of Common Stock tendered or withheld in satisfaction of withholding taxes for any Performance Units shall be available again for use under the Plan.
ARTICLE IV
ELIGIBILITY
4.1 Participants. Each Director who is a Participant on May 23, 2017 shall continue to be a Participant as of such date. Each individual who becomes a Director on or after May 23, 2017 shall be eligible to participate as of the beginning of the next Plan Year.
ARTICLE V
PERFORMANCE UNITS
5.1 Number of Performance Units. The total number of Performance Units that may be granted under this Plan shall not exceed the sum of (a) 50,000 Performance Units newly authorized as of the Effective Date (i.e., the number of additional Performance Units being requested at the Companys 2025 annual meeting of shareholders) plus (b) the 155,000 Performance Units that have been authorized under the Plan prior to the Effective Date to the extent such Performance Units remain outstanding and available or become outstanding and available again hereunder.
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5.2 Election to Receive and Defer Performance Units. With respect to each Plan Year, a Participant shall be eligible to receive a grant of Performance Units in lieu of all or any portion of his or her Directors Fees by making and filing with the Board a written election by the date specified by the Company, which shall be no later than the December 31 prior to the first day of the Plan Year in which such Directors Fees would otherwise be earned, or such other date specified by the Company as may be permissible under Section 409A of the Code.
5.3 Deferral Period. A Participant who elects to receive a grant of Performance Units in lieu of his or her Directors Fees for any Plan Year under Section 5.2 shall also be eligible at such time to elect to defer payment of such Performance Units (i) for a period of five (5) or seven (7) years from the last day of the calendar year in which a Performance Unit is granted or (ii) to Retirement (Deferral Period). The Participant shall designate to receive payment of such Performance Units in a single payment or up to five substantially equal annual installment payments. With respect to each grant of Performance Units, a Participant may elect a different Deferral Period and manner of payment hereunder. A Participant who does not affirmatively elect a Deferral Period shall be deemed to have elected a Deferral Period until Retirement with distribution to be made in a single payment.
5.4 Irrevocability. Any election (or deemed election) under ARTICLE V with respect to a Performance Unit shall become irrevocable as of the December 31 prior to the first day of the calendar year in which such Performance Unit is granted.
5.5 Changes. Subject to Section 11.12, a Participant may change the Deferral Period and/or the form of payment for Performance Units which relate to a particular year by making a re-deferral election and/or an election to have such Performance Units paid in a different form in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.5. Any election under this Section 5.5 must comply with all of the following requirements: (i) no prior election to change the Deferral Period or form of payment may have been made with respect to the same years deferrals, (ii) the election is made at least one year prior to the date the distribution would otherwise have begun, (iii) the first payment with respect to which such election is made shall be deferred for a period of not less than five years from the date such payment would otherwise have been made, and (iv) any election related to a payment that was otherwise to be made at a specified time may not be made less than twelve months prior to the date of the first scheduled payment. For purposes of applying the provisions of this Section 5.5, each installment payment shall be considered a single payment for purposes of applying these subsequent deferral election rules.
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ARTICLE VI
ACCOUNTS
6.1 Performance Unit Accounts. Performance Units shall be credited to a Performance Unit Account (the Account) established and maintained for a Participant. The Performance Units shall be allocated to a Participants Account annually on the same day the annual equity grant is made to Directors, unless the Board approves a different allocation date. The number of Performance Units shall equal the number of shares (including, if so provided by the Board, fractional shares) of Common Stock that the amount of the deferred Directors Fees would have purchased at Fair Market Value on the allocation date. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, fractional Performance Units will not be allocated, and standard rounding will be applied to determine the number of full Performance Units. The Account of a Participant shall be the record of Performance Units granted to him or her under the Plan, is solely for accounting and record keeping purposes and shall not require a segregation of any Company assets or setting aside for or registering in the name of a Participant any Common Stock. In addition, the existence of such record and the Account shall not be deemed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and a Participant or his or her beneficiary. Each allocation of Performance Units under the Plan to a Participant and the number and value of such Performance Units as of the date of allocation shall be communicated annually to the Participant.
ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTIONS AND PAYMENTS
7.1 Restrictions. The Participant shall have no rights and privileges of a shareholder as to the Performance Units credited to his or her Account. Accordingly, the Participant shall have no right to receive dividends actually paid or distributed at the time declared (other than Dividend Equivalents granted under Section 7.5) and no right to vote on account of any allocation of Performance Units to his or her Account. In addition, no interest in the Performance Units or any Account may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of at any time.
7.2 Payment of Performance Units. Except as otherwise provided under this ARTICLE VII, payment in respect of a Participants Performance Units shall occur (or commence in the case of annual installments) on the date immediately following the last day of the applicable Deferral Period. Such payment shall be made in a single lump sum, unless the Participant shall have made a valid election to receive payment in annual installments. The Board shall have the sole discretion to determine whether any payment shall be made in cash or in shares of Common Stock.
| (a) | Lump Sum Payments. If a distribution to a Participant shall be made in a single lump sum, the amount of the distribution shall equal (i) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the last day of the Deferral Period multiplied by the number of Performance Units credited to his or her account on such date, or (ii) one share of Common Stock in lieu of cash for each Performance Unit credited to his or her account on the last day of the Deferral Period. |
| (b) | Annual Installments. If distributions to a Participant shall be made in annual installments, the amount of each installment shall equal (i) the product of (A) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the last day of the Deferral Period, with respect to any installment due as of the end of the Deferral Period, or as of the applicable annual anniversary thereof, with respect to subsequent annual installments, multiplied by (B) the number of Performance Units being distributed in such installment, or (ii) one share of Common Stock in lieu of cash for each Performance Unit being distributed in that installment. |
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7.3 End of Directorship. If a Participant ceases to be a Director prior to the end of the Deferral Period, distribution of all Performance Units allocated to such Participants Account shall be made or commence at the time and in the form of payment elected or deemed to have been elected by the Participant pursuant to the terms of ARTICLE V. Payment shall be made to the Participant, the Participants legal representative, or the Participants beneficiary, in each case, as applicable.
7.4 Tax. Subject to Section 11.12, for purposes of compliance with Section 409A of the Code, payments in respect of a Participants Performance Units shall be deemed to be made upon the fixed date or payment event specified under Section 7.2(b) if the payment is made (a) thirty (30) days prior to the specified fixed payment date or event; (b) a later date within the same calendar year as the specified fixed payment date or event; or (c) if later, by the 15th day of the third calendar month following the specified fixed payment date or event. However, in no event shall a Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to designate the taxable year of the payment.
7.5 Dividend Equivalents. Grants of Performance Units may include, at the sole discretion of the Board, Dividend Equivalents on each Performance Unit credited to and accumulated under the Participants Account. The payment of Dividend Equivalents attributable to any unvested Performance Units is not permitted during any period in which the Performance Units are unvested. Dividend Equivalents will be deemed to be reinvested in additional Performance Units on the date a dividend is paid to shareholders on the Common Stock, and the additional Performance Units will be accumulated and credited to a Participants Account on or around the date each dividend is paid by the Company. The number of Performance Units acquired with the Dividend Equivalents shall equal the number of full shares of Common Stock that the amount of the Dividend Equivalents would have purchased at Fair Market Value on the dividend payment date, and standard rounding will be applied to determine the number of full Performance Units; provided that Dividend Equivalents may result in the grant of fractional Performance Units if the Company has permitted fractional Performance Units pursuant to Section 6.1. All Dividend Equivalents credited as Performance Units to a Participants Account under this Section 7.5 shall be paid at the same time, and in the same form, as elected by the Participant under ARTICLE V with respect to the underlying Performance Units in the Participants Account.
ARTICLE VIII
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND LISTING
8.1 Regulatory Compliance. If the Board decides to deliver Common Stock in lieu of cash under ARTICLE VII, the issuance or delivery of any Common Stock may be postponed by the Company for such period as may be required to comply with any applicable requirements under the federal securities laws, any applicable listing requirements of any national securities exchange and requirements under any other law or regulation applicable to the issuance or delivery of such shares, and the Company shall not be obligated to issue, purchase or deliver any Common Stock if the issuance, purchase or delivery of such shares shall constitute a violation of any provision of any law or of any regulation of any governmental authority or any national securities exchange. If the Company is unable to deliver Common Stock after a reasonable period of time, the Board shall direct the delivery of cash under ARTICLE VII to satisfy the distribution of Performance Units.
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8.2 Other Agreements. As a condition to receipt of Common Stock, the Participant shall execute such agreements and other documents as the Company may reasonably request for applicable legal purposes.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT, TERM AND TERMINATION
9.1 Amendment. Except as hereinafter provided, the Board shall have the sole right and power to amend the Plan at any time and from time to time. No termination, suspension or modification of this Plan may materially and adversely (taking into account Section 409A of the Code) affect any right acquired by any Participant (or a Participants legal representative or beneficiary) under a Performance Unit granted before the date of termination, suspension or modification, without the prior written consent of such Participant, legal representative or beneficiary or unless required as a matter of law.
9.2 Limitation. The Board may not amend the Plan without approval of the shareholders of the Company if such shareholder approval is deemed necessary or desirable by the Board to comply with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or applicable law.
9.3 Term. The original effective date of the Plan was January 1, 1997 and the Plan as amended and restated herein shall commence as of the Effective Date and, subject to the terms of the Plan, including those requiring approval by the shareholders of the Company, shall continue in full force and effect until terminated.
9.4 Termination. The Plan will terminate automatically on May 21, 2035. In addition, the Board may at any time terminate the Plan, except that, unless otherwise required by law, the rights of a Participant with respect to Performance Units granted prior to such termination may not be impaired without the consent of such Participant.
ARTICLE X
ADJUSTMENTS
10.1 Adjustment. In the event of any change in the Common Stock of the Company by reason of any extraordinary dividend, stock dividend, spin-off, split-up, spin-out, recapitalization, warrant or rights issuance or combination, exchange or reclassification of shares, merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale of substantially all assets or, in the Boards sole discretion, other similar or relevant event, the Board shall proportionately adjust, in an equitable manner, the total number of Performance Units which may be granted under the Plan under ARTICLE V, the number of Performance Units held by a Participant under the Plan, and, if appropriate to reflect such event and preserve the value of such Performance Units, the number, kind and class of shares underlying the Performance Units.
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ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 Italicized References. The italicized references contained in the Plan are included only for convenience, and they shall not be construed as a part of the Plan or in any respect affecting or modifying its provisions.
11.2 Number and Gender. The masculine and neuter, wherever used in the Plan, shall refer to either the masculine, neuter or feminine; and, unless the context otherwise requires, the singular shall include the plural and the plural the singular.
11.3 Governing Law/Venue. This Plan shall be construed and administered in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri, without giving regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof. Any legal action against the Plan, the Company, an Affiliate, or the Board may only be brought in the Circuit Court in St. Louis County and/or the United States District Court in St. Louis, Missouri.
11.4 No Director Reelection. Nothing in the Plan shall be deemed to create any obligation on the part of the Board to nominate any Director for reelection by the Companys shareholders.
11.5 Limitations. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the Companys shareholders for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power or authority of the Board to adopt such other additional incentive or other compensation arrangements as the Board may deem necessary or desirable.
11.6 Deductions. The Company shall have the right to deduct and withhold from any amounts otherwise payable to a Participant (or the legal representative or beneficiary thereof) pursuant to the Plan, or from any other remuneration payable to the Participant, or to otherwise require payment by the Participant (or the legal representative or beneficiary thereof) of, any taxes required by law to be withheld in respect of any payments pursuant to this Plan.
11.7 Designation of Beneficiary. Each Participant may designate one or more beneficiaries to receive all payments due to such Participant hereunder upon his or her death. Such beneficiary designation may be revoked or amended by such Participant, from time to time, by appropriate notice in writing delivered to the General Counsel of the Company. In the absence of any beneficiary designation or in the event that the designated beneficiaries shall not be living at the time of death of the Participant, the Account value on the date of death of the Participant shall be payable and delivered to the estate of such deceased Participant.
11.8 Common Stock. The shares of any Common Stock delivered under the Plan may be either authorized but unissued shares (subject to payment of any required par value) or treasury shares, as determined from time to time by the Board. In either case, the shares shall be fully registered and transferable without restriction.
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11.9 Assignment. No rights, interests or benefits under this Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or hypothecated in any way. Such rights, interests or benefits shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge or hypothecation, or other disposition of such rights, interests or benefits contrary to the preceding provisions, or the levy of any attachment or similar process thereupon, shall be null and void and without effect.
11.10 Successors and Assigns. This Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company, whether by way of merger, consolidation, operation of law, assignment, purchase or other acquisition of substantially all of the assets or business of the Company and any such successor or assign shall absolutely and unconditionally assume all of the Companys obligations hereunder.
11.11 No Equitable Rights. The payments to a Participant or his or her beneficiary hereunder shall be made from assets which shall continue, for all purposes, to be part of the general, unrestricted assets of the Company. No person shall have any interest in any such assets by virtue of the provisions of the Plan. The Companys obligation hereunder shall be an unfunded and unsecured promise to pay money in the future. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the provisions hereof, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company. No such person shall have nor acquire any legal or equitable right, interest or claim in or to any property or assets of the Company.
11.12 Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, it is intended that the provisions of the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption thereunder, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the requirements for avoiding additional taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations that the payments and benefits provided under the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by a Participant (or a Participants legal representative or beneficiary) in connection with the Plan (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code). Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a specified employee within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, any payment that is made under the Plan on account of Employees separation from service and that does not qualify as a short-term deferral within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations (or any other exemption therefrom) shall be made on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A that is more than six (6) months following the date of the Participants separation from service to the extent required to avoid any adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. With respect to any payment that is considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to termination of employment, retirement or substantially similar phrases shall mean separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made under the Plan is designated as a separate payment.
11.13 Severability. In the event any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
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