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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.          )

Filed by the Registrantý


Filed by a Party other than the Registranto

Check the appropriate box:

oý

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement

o

 

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

ýo

 

Definitive Proxy Statement

o

 

Definitive Additional Materials

o

 

Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

 

VIVUS, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

ý

 

No fee required.

o

 

Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
  (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
         
  (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
         
  (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
         
  (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
         
  (5) Total fee paid:
         

o

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

o

 

Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

 

(1)

 

Amount Previously Paid:
        
 
  (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
         
  (3) Filing Party:
         
  (4) Date Filed:
         

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PRELIMINARY COPY—SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

VIVUS, INC.
351 East Evelyn900 E. Hamilton Avenue, Suite 550
Mountain View,Campbell, CA 9404195008



NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To be held on September 12, 2014October 27, 2017



TO OUR STOCKHOLDERS:

        NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of VIVUS, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (sometimes referred to herein as the Company), will be held on Friday, September 12, 2014,October 27, 2017, at 8:00 a.m., local time, at the New York Marriott East Side, 525 LexingtonWeil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, 767 Fifth Avenue, at 49th Street, New York, New York 1001710153 for the following purposes:

        The foregoing items of business are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 2014September 20, 2017 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.



 By order of the Board of Directors

 

 


GRAPHIC



Seth H. Z. Fischer
Chief Executive Officer


Campbell, California
                , 2017



Mountain View, California
August 15, 2014


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YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

        ALL STOCKHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON. HOWEVER, TO ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, YOU ARE URGED TO VOTE BY TELEPHONE, BY THE INTERNET OR BY COMPLETING, SIGNING, DATING AND RETURNING THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD IN THE ACCOMPANYING POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE. ANY STOCKHOLDER ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING MAY VOTE IN PERSON EVEN IF SUCH STOCKHOLDER HAS RETURNED A PROXY. PLEASE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT IF YOUR SHARES ARE HELD OF RECORD BY A BANK, BROKER OR OTHER NOMINEE AND YOU WISH TO VOTE AT THE MEETING, YOU MUST OBTAIN A PROXY ISSUED IN YOUR NAME FROM THAT RECORD HOLDER.



Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on September 12, 2014.October 27, 2017. The Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Proxy Statement and our 20132016 Annual Report are available electronically at www.edocumentview.com/VVUS. You are encouraged to access and review all of the important information contained in the Proxy Materials before voting.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
 Page 

GENERAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING

1

GeneralTHE ANNUAL MEETING

  1 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OUR 20142017 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

  1 

PROPOSAL NO. 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

  7 

Overview of Election of Directors

  7 

Background to the Board's Recommendation in Favor of Our Nominees

  78

Required Vote

8

Board Recommendation

8 

Biographical Information for Nominees

  8 

Required Vote

11

Board Recommendation

11

PROPOSAL NO. 2: NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTERESOLUTION ON THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

  1112 

ProposalGeneral

  1112 

Required Vote

  1213 

Board Recommendation

  13 

Non-Binding Advisory Resolution

13

PROPOSAL NO. 3: NON-BINDING ADVISORY RESOLUTION ON THE FREQUENCY OF FUTURE ADVISORY VOTES ON THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

13

General

13

Required Vote

14

Board Recommendation

14

Non-Binding Advisory Resolution

14

PROPOSAL NO. 4: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

  1314 

Proposal

13

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

13

Pre-Approval Policy and ProceduresGeneral

  14 

Required Vote

  15 

Board Recommendation

  15 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

15

Pre-Approval Policy and Procedures

16

PROPOSAL NO. 4:5: APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED 2010 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

  1516

Background of Share Request

17 

Summary of the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan

  1618 

Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

  2325 

Number of Awards Granted to Employees and Directors

  2527 

Required Vote

  2728 

Board Recommendation

  2728 

BOARDPROPOSAL NO. 6: RATIFICATION OF DIRECTORS MEETINGSTHE AMENDED AND COMMITTEESRESTATED PREFERRED STOCK RIGHTS AGREEMENT

  2729

Background

29

Description of the Amended Rights Agreement

30

Certain Considerations Related to the Amended Rights Agreement

32

Continued Risk of Ownership Change

33

Required Vote

33

Board Recommendation

33

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

34 

Board Meetings

  2734 

Board Independence

  2834 

i


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Page

Board Leadership Structure

  2834 

Risk Oversight

  2834 

Board Committees

  2935 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

  3238 

Stockholder Communications to Directors

  3339 

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

  3339 

Corporate Governance Guidelines

  3339 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

  3439 

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

  3540 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

  3641 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

  3641 

Compensation Committee Report

  4950 

2013EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLES

51

2016 Summary Compensation Table

  5051 

20132016 Grants of Plan Based AwardsBased-Awards

  5452 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

  5653 

20132016 Option Exercises and Stock Option ExercisesVested

  5854 

i


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Page

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control for each Named Executive Officer

  5855 

Director Compensation

  6560 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

  7063 

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting ComplianceSECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

  7365 

Equity Compensation Plan InformationEQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

  7366 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

  7466 

Change of Control and Severance Agreements with Executive Officers

  7466 

Indemnification Agreements

  7466 

Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Parties

  7466 

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 20152018 ANNUAL MEETING

  7567 

HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS

  7668 

OTHER MATTERS

  7768 

APPENDIX A: VIVUS, INC. 2010 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

  
A-1

APPENDIX B: AMENDED AND RESTATED PREFERRED STOCK RIGHTS AGREEMENT

B-1 

ii


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VIVUS, INC.

PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 2014
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS




INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTINGVIVUS, INC.

GeneralPROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 2017
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS




GENERAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ANNUAL MEETING

        The enclosed Proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors, or the Board, of VIVUS, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or the Company, for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the Annual Meeting, to be held on September 12, 2014,October 27, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. (local time), or at any adjournment or postponement thereof, for the purposes set forth herein and in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Annual Meeting will be held at the New York Marriott East Side, 525 LexingtonWeil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, 767 Fifth Avenue, at 49th Street, New York, New York 10017.10153.

        We are sending the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, this Proxy Statement, our 20132016 Annual Report and a form of Proxy Card or Voting Instruction Card,Form, as applicable, to all stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.Meeting on or about October 3, 2017. Our principal executive office is located at 351 East Evelyn900 E. Hamilton Avenue, Mountain View,Suite 550, Campbell, CA 94041.95008. Our telephone number is (650) 934-5200. Our website is www.vivus.com. We make our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and periodicamendments to those reports, that areproxy statements and other information filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, available, free of charge, on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND
OUR 20142017 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Q:
Why am I receiving these materials?

A:
The Board is providing these Proxy Materials to you in connection with our Annual Meeting, which will take place on September 12, 2014.October 27, 2017. As a stockholder of record or beneficial holder as of the close of business on July 31, 2014,September 20, 2017, or the Record Date, you are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and are entitled to, and requested to, vote your shares on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement.

Q:
What information is contained in these materials?

A:
The information included in this Proxy Statement relates to the proposals to be voted on at the Annual Meeting, the voting process, the compensation of our directors and our most highly paidnamed executive officers, and certain other required information. Our 2013information, including our 2016 Annual Report, which includes our audited consolidated financial statements, has also been filed with the SEC.statements.

Q:
What proposals will be voted on at the Annual Meeting?

A:
StockholdersThere will vote on fourbe six proposals presented to the stockholders for consideration at the Annual Meeting:

the election to the Board of seven director nominees (Proposal No. 1);

advisorythe approval of a non-binding advisory resolution on the Company'scompensation of our named executive compensationofficers (Proposal No. 2);

the approval of a non-binding advisory resolution on the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers (Proposal No. 3);

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Q:
How does the Board recommend I vote on these proposals?

A:
Our Board recommends that you vote your shares:

"FOR" all seven of the Board's seven director nominees named in this Proxy Statement (Proposal No. 1);

"FOR" the proposal regarding the non-binding advisory approval of the Company'scompensation of our named executive compensationofficers (Proposal No. 2);

for the frequency of "ONE YEAR" for future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers (Proposal No. 3);

"FOR" the ratification of the appointment of OUM & Co. LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 3)4);

"FOR" the approval of the amended and restated 2010 Equity Incentive Plan to increase the number of authorized shares reserved for issuance thereunder by 7,000,000 and make certain other amendments to the plan (Proposal No. 5); and

"FOR" the approvalratification of an amendmentthe Amended and Restated Preferred Stock Rights Agreement intended to protect our 2010 Equity Incentive PlanU.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards and other favorable tax attributes from limitations pursuant to increaseSection 382 of the numberInternal Revenue Code of shares reserved for issuance thereunder by 5,950,000 shares1986, as amended (Proposal No. 4)6).

Q:
Who is entitled to vote?

A:
Stockholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 2014, or the Record Date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Q:
How many shares can vote?

A:
At the Record Date, approximately            103,460,015 shares of our Common Stock, par value $0.001, were issued and outstanding and held of record by approximately 3,158            stockholders. At the Record Date, we did not have any shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.

Q:
What shares can I vote?

A:
You may vote all of the VIVUS shares owned by you as of the close of business on the record date of July 31, 2014.Record Date. Each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share held as of the Record Date on all matters presented at the Annual Meeting. Stockholders will not be entitled to cumulate their votes in the election of directors.

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Q:
What is the difference between a "beneficial holder" and a "stockholder of record"?

A:
Whether you are a "beneficial holder" or a "stockholder of record" with respect to your shares depends on how you hold your shares:

Beneficial Holders:  Most stockholders hold their shares through a broker, bank or other nominee (that is, in "street name") rather than directly in their own names. If you hold shares in street name, you are a "beneficial holder" of those shares, and the Proxy Materials will be forwarded to you by your broker, bank or other nominee. The organization holding your account is considered to be the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the Annual Meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or other agent regarding how to vote the shares in your account.

Stockholders of Record:  If you hold shares directly in your name with our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., you are considered the "stockholder of record" with respect to those shares, and the Proxy Materials have been sent directly to you by us.

Q:
Can I attend the Annual Meeting? What do I need for admission?

A:
You are entitled to attend the Annual Meeting if you were a stockholder of record or a beneficial holder as of the close of business on July 31, 2014,the Record Date, or you hold a valid legal proxy for the Annual Meeting.