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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.          )

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Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

 

Tuesday Morning Corporation

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TUESDAY MORNING CORPORATION
LOGO
6250 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240

October 5, 201619, 2018

Dear Fellow Stockholders:Stockholder:

        YouWe are cordially invitedpleased to invite you to attend the annual meeting of stockholders of Tuesday Morning Corporationour 2018 Annual Meeting on November 29, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. (central time) to be held at 8:30 a.m., Central time, on November 16, 2016 atthe Tuesday Morning Corporation's Headquarters,Corporate Office, 6250 LBJLyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240. At

        We are excited about the momentum at Tuesday Morning. In fiscal year 2018, we crossed the $1.0 billion annual meeting you will be asked to (1) elect seven directors, (2) consider an advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in these materials, (3) approve amendments to the Tuesday Morning Corporation 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including an increase in the number of authorized shares under the plan, (4) ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firmsales threshold for the fiscalfirst time in our 45 year ending June 30, 2017,history. We have made significant progress this past year. We continue to enhance our merchandise assortment and (5) transact such othersee improvements in inventory turn. We are pleased with our digital initiatives and brand campaign to drive new business as may properly come before the annual meeting or any postponements or adjournmentsand we continue to refine efficiencies in our supply chain. Your Board plays a key role in overseeing our progress and supporting our strategic initiatives.

        Attached is our Notice of the annual meeting.

        The formal notice of the annual meeting of stockholders andAnnual Meeting. We have chosen to furnish our proxy statement accompanying this letter provide detailed information concerning mattersand annual report to be considered and actedour stockholders over the internet, electronically by email for stockholders who have previously consented to electronic delivery or who have requested to receive the proxy materials by email or, upon at the meeting.

request, in printed form by mail. Our proxy statement will instruct you how to vote your shares. Your vote is important. We urge you to vote as soon as possible, whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting. You may submit your proxy vote by telephone or Internet as described in the following materials or, if you request that proxy materials be mailed to you, also by completing and signing the proxy card enclosed with those materials and returning it in the envelope provided. Voting over the Internet, by telephone or by written proxy will ensure that you are represented at the annual meeting if you do not attend in person. If you decide to attend the meeting and wish to change your proxy vote, you may do so by voting in person at the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in the proxy statement.

Thank you for your continued support of and interestinvestment in Tuesday Morning Corporation.Morning.

Sincerely,


GRAPHIC
 Sincerely,




GRAPHICGRAPHIC

Steven R. Becker
Chief Executive Officer





GRAPHIC

Terry Burman
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Steven Becker
Chief Executive Officer and President

TUESDAY MORNING CORPORATION
6250 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held November 16, 201629, 2018

Dear Stockholders:

        The 20162018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") of Tuesday Morning Corporation (the "Company") will be held at our corporate headquarters,Tuesday Morning Corporation's Headquarters, 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240, on November 16, 201629, 2018 at 8:30 a.m., Centralcentral time. For directions to the Annual Meeting, please write to our Corporate Secretary at Tuesday Morning Corporation, 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240. At the Annual Meeting, ourthe Company will ask the stockholders will be asked to consider and vote on the following matters:to:

        This Notice of Annual Meeting, the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and our Annual Report for fiscal 20162018 are being made available to our stockholders on or about October 5, 201619, 2018 on the Internet,internet, electronically by email for stockholders who have previously consented to electronic delivery or who have requested to receive the proxy materials by email or, upon request, in printed form by mail.

        Only stockholders of record at the close of business on September 22, 2016October 11, 2018 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. If you are the beneficial owner of shares of our common stock held in "street name," you will receive voting instructions from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record), which will provide you with details as to how to vote these shares. Additionally, you may vote these shares in person at the Annual Meeting if you have requested and received a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee giving you the right to vote the shares at the Annual Meeting, and you complete the legal proxy and present it to us at the Annual Meeting. Stockholders of record may vote over the Internet,internet, by telephone, by mail if you received a printed set of proxy materials or in person at the Annual Meeting.

        Under applicable rules, if you hold your shares in street name, brokers, banks or other nominees will not have discretion to vote these shares on the election of directors and the advisory vote on executive compensation. Accordingly, if your shares are held in street name and you do not submit voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee, these shares will not be counted in determining the outcome of these proposals at the Annual Meeting. We encourage you to provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee if you hold your shares in street name so that your voice is heard on these matters.

        Thank you for your continued support of and interest in Tuesday Morning Corporation.

 By Order of the Board of Directors,

 

 


GRAPHIC


 

Bridgett C. Zeterberg
Secretary


Dallas, Texas,
October 5, 2016


Dallas, Texas
October 19, 2018


YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

Your vote is important. We urge you to review the accompanying Proxy Statement carefully and to submit your proxy as soon as possible so that your shares will be represented at the meeting.


TUESDAY MORNING CORPORATION
6250 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240

PROXY STATEMENT
for the
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
to be held on
Wednesday,Thursday, November 16, 201629, 2018

        This Proxy Statement and the related proxy materials are being made availablefurnished to stockholders of Tuesday Morning Corporation, a Delaware corporation, on or about October 5, 201619, 2018, on the Internet,internet, electronically by email for stockholders who have previously consented to electronic delivery or who have requested to receive our proxy materials by email, or, upon request, in printed form by mail. The Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors" or the "Board") is soliciting your proxy for the proposals to be presenteduse at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on November 16, 2016,29, 2018, at 8:30 a.m., Centralcentral time, at our corporate headquarters located at 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240, and at any and all adjournments or postponements thereof (the "Annual Meeting"). For directions to the Annual Meeting, please write to our Corporate Secretary at Tuesday Morning Corporation, 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240. At the Annual Meeting, our stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and described in more detail in this Proxy Statement.

        The costs of soliciting proxies pursuant to this Proxy Statement will be paid by the Company. Solicitation may be made in person or by telephone, email, mail or facsimile by our directors, officers or employees. The Company has also retained Okapi Partners, a proxy solicitation firm, to assist in the solicitation of proxies for a fee of approximately $7,000, plus administrative costs and any other reasonable out-of-pocket disbursements. The Company will bear the expense of preparing and distributing this Proxy Statement and accompanying materials to our stockholders.

As used in this Proxy Statement, the terms "Tuesday Morning," "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Tuesday Morning Corporation.

Important Notice Regarding Internet Availability

        In accordance with rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), we may furnish proxy materials, including this Proxy Statement and the Company's 20162018 Annual Report to Stockholders, by providing access to these documents on the Internetinternet instead of mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to our stockholders. Based on this practice, most of our stockholders have already receivedreceive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the "Notice"), which provides instructions for accessing our proxy materials on a website referred to in the Notice and for requesting to receive printed copies of the proxy materials by mail or electronically by email.

        If you would like to receive a paper or email copy of our proxy materials for our Annual Meeting or for all future meetings, please follow the instructions for requesting such materials included in the Notice. Please note that if you previously requested or consented to delivery of our proxy materials by mail or electronically via email, you did not receive the separate Notice. Instead, we sent you a full set of our proxy materials, which includes instructions for voting on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement. We believe the delivery options that we have chosen allow us to provide our stockholders with the proxy materials they need, while lowering the cost of the delivery of such materials and reducing the environmental impact of printing and mailing paper copies.



PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY

        This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting.

Annual Meeting Information

Time and Date: 8:30 a.m., Centralcentral time, on Wednesday,Thursday, November 16, 201629, 2018

Place:

 

Tuesday Morning Corporation
6250 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240

Record Date:

 

September 22, 2016October 11, 2018

Voting:

 

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on September 22, 2016October 11, 2018 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.

How to Vote:

 

If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote over the Internet,internet, by telephone, by mail if you received a printed set of proxy materials or in person at the Annual Meeting. If you are a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock held in "street name," you may vote in accordance with the instructions you receive from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record).

Attending the Annual Meeting:

 

All stockholders as of the close of business on the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the Annual Meeting. Please note that if you hold your shares in "street name" through a broker, bank or other nominee, you will need to bring either (i) a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record) or (ii) a recent brokerage statement reflecting your stock ownership as of the record dateand a validly government issued ID, and check in at the registration desk at the Annual Meeting.

Annual Meeting Agenda and Voting Recommendations

Proposal
 Board's Voting
Recommendation
 Page 
No. 1. Election of Directors "FOR" each director nominee  10 
The Company is asking stockholders to elect seven director nominees to the Board. The Board believes that the nominees possess the necessary experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to serve as directors.      

No. 2.

 

Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

 

"FOR"

 

 

13

 
The Company is asking stockholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation for the named executive officers disclosed in these proxy materials.      

No. 3.

 

Approval of Amendments to the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan


"FOR"



14

The Company is asking stockholders to approve certain amendments to the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including an increase in the number of authorized shares under the plan.

No. 4.


Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

"FOR"

 

 

27

 
The Company and the Audit Committee are asking stockholders to ratify the engagement of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017.2019.      

Board Nominees

        The following table provides summary information about each director nominee.

Name
 Age Director
Since
 Principal Occupation Committee Memberships Age Director
Since
 Principal Occupation Committee Memberships

Terry Burman(1)

 70 2013 Retired Chief Executive Officer of Signet Jewelers Limited Nominating and Governance (Chair) 72 2013 Retired Chief Executive Officer of Signet Jewelers Limited Nominating and Governance (Chair)

Steven R. Becker

 
49
 
2012
 

Chief Executive Officer of Tuesday Morning Corporation

 

N/A

 
51
 
2012
 

Chief Executive Officer of Tuesday Morning Corporation

 

N/A

James T. Corcoran(2)

 
35
 
2017
 

Chief Executive Officer of Purple Mountain Capital Partners LLC

 

Audit, Nominating and Governance

Barry S. Gluck(2)

 
66
 
2017
 

Off-Price Retail Consultant and retired Executive Vice President of Merchandising, Marketing, and Store Planning and Allocation of Ross Stores Inc.

 

Compensation, Nominating and Governance

Frank M. Hamlin(2)

 
48
 
2014
 

Former Chief Marketing Officer of GameStop Corp.

 

Nominating and Governance, Compensation

 
50
 
2014
 

Chief Marketing Officer of GameStop Corporation

 

Audit, Compensation

William Montalto

 
69
 
2013
 

Consultant

 

N/A

Sherry M. Smith(2)

 
55
 
2014
 

Former Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Supervalu Inc.

 

Audit, Compensation (Chair)

 
57
 
2014
 

Former Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of SUPERVALU, Inc.

 

Compensation (Chair)

Jimmie L. Wade(2)

 
62
 
2014
 

Retired President of Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

 

Audit, Compensation

Richard S Willis(2)

 
56
 
2012
 

Chief Executive Officer and President of Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies

 

Audit (Chair), Nominating and Governance

 
58
 
2012
 

Chief Executive Officer and President of Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies

 

Audit (Chair), Nominating and Governance


(1)
Independent Chairman of the Board

(2)
Independent Director

        William Montalto is retiring from the Board, effective immediately prior to the Annual Meeting. The Board thanks Mr. Montalto for his years of service to the Company.

Corporate Governance Highlights




Financial HighlightsReview

        In fiscal 2016,2018, we made tangible progresscontinued to implement our strategy of improving store locations and the in-store experience for our customers, which included (i) closing less productive stores with limited foot traffic and relocating some of these stores to, or opening new stores in, better locations with footprints that are on eachaverage three to five thousand square feet larger, (ii) expanding some existing stores to a larger footprint, and (iii) improving the finishes in these relocated, new and expanded stores. We operated 726 stores in 40 states as of our strategic priorities, including real estate, merchandising, marketing, infrastructure and talent. In connection withJune 30, 2018. As part of the implementation of our real estate initiatives,strategy, we opened 15 new stores in fiscal 2018 and relocated 46 stores, expanded 7 stores, opened 16 stores and closed 3445 stores. Our revenues benefited from these efforts along with the progress we have made improving our assortment and overall customer experience. We successfully opened our new Phoenix distribution center during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and are currently ramping this facility towards its full capacity. Additionally, we solidified the senior leadership team across key functional areas.

        Some of our fiscal 20162018 business highlights include:

        During the fiscal year, we benchmarked our progress against our top priorities, which are regularly discussed at executive team meetings and are included in both job performance and compensation objectives. Many factors contributed to the positive tone of the business, including the following:


Executive Compensation Highlights

        Our executive compensation programphilosophy is designed to motivatepay for the creation of long-term growth and to hold executives accountablevalue for key annual results year-over-year. Theour stockholders. Accordingly, our program is designed to reward performance linked to shareholderthe creation of stockholder value and to support executive recruitment, engagement and engagement.retention. A significant portion of the executives' total direct compensation is based on the Company's performance and improving shareholderstockholder value. This philosophy is reflected in the design of both our short-term cash incentive program as well as theand our long-term equity incentive program. We believe that performance-based compensation and equity compensation better aligns the interests of executives and stockholders.

        Our pay for performance philosophy is evidenced by the payouts to our executives. As a result of our performance in fiscal 2018 and the strong emphasis that our executive compensation program places on performance-based compensation, the actual compensation realized by our NEOs in fiscal 2018, as well as in fiscal 2017, was significantly lower than our target levels of compensation. In fiscal 2018, our CEO and other executive officers did not receive a base pay increase or any payout under our short-term incentive programs. Also in fiscal 2018, as in fiscal 2017, the Compensation Committee chose to move from value-based dollar grants of long-term incentive equity to flat share amounts equal to the same number of shares awarded in fiscal 2017. As a result, CEO total compensation decreased by 39% from $2,100,796 in fiscal 2017 to $1,284,748 in fiscal 2018, as represented on the Summary Compensation Table. These decreased values of long-term equity awards have resulted in overall compensation levels to the NEOs that are significantly below market.

        While our financial performance in fiscal 2018 did not meet the threshold levels for payouts under our incentive compensation programs, our Board and Compensation Committee believe our executive management team is implementing and executing a strategic plan that is positioning the Company for long-term success. We believe our improved performance over the Spring Period shows the positive momentum of our strategic plan and the benefits it is providing to the Company. In 2018, our


Compensation Committee carefully considered the challenges to maintaining this positive momentum, including the risks of attrition in the executive management team due to competitive pressures in the retail industry and competitive hiring pressures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area market. The Compensation Committee also considered the negative impacts on retention of maintaining lower than market target level compensation for our executive officers and the out of the money position of most outstanding long-term equity awards held by our executive team.

        In order to maintain our positive momentum and recognizing the significant benefits of continuity, our Compensation Committee, after consultation with its independent compensation consultant, has taken several actions. First, our Compensation Committee approved retention agreements with the members of our executive team (other than our Chief Executive Officer) that will provide retention payments in exchange for each such officer's agreement to remain employed through December 31, 2019. The retention payments are tied to our fiscal year completion and critical upcoming two peak seasons with the majority of the payment occurring in 2020. Second, in connection with approving Mr. Becker's 2019 compensation, our Compensation Committee approved a one-time award to Mr. Becker, 50% of which will be paid in stock that will vest equally over four years and 50% of which will be paid in cash and will be payable only if the Company's stock price appreciates significantly. This award is intended to further focus our CEO on driving performance as measured directly by increases in our share price. These decisions demonstrate the Compensation Committee's commitment to its philosophy of providing executive compensation arrangements that will attract and retain an executive team that will create long-term value for our stockholders while making a substantial portion of pay dependent on our performance.

        Some of the compensation "best practices" we employ in furtherance of our philosophy include:

Compensation Governance—What We Do & What We Don't Do

What We Do

 

What We Don't Do

Annual "Say on Pay" vote

No formal employment agreements other than the CEO

Pay for performance culture, emphasis on performance-based compensation

 

No discretionary bonuses paid to permanent NEOs when performance results are below threshold performanceperformance.

Executive ownership guidelines

Pay for performance culture, emphasis on performance-based compensation 

No tax gross-up upon change-in-control

Executive retention/holding requirements

Meaningful executive ownership guidelines that create a line of sight between stockholders and executive officers 

No repricing of stock options and no liberal share recycling

Executive equity retention/holding requirements

No across-the-board pay increases

Manage compensation risk by using a variety of financial metrics in pay programs and capping payouts

No across-the-board pay increases

Hedging/pledging policies

 

No formal non-qualified benefits or perquisite programs

Use of independent compensation consultant

Hedging/pledging and clawback policies 

No hedging or pledging of stock

Use of independent compensation consultant

        As discussed in Proposal No. 3 below, we are also proposing changes to our equity plan to eliminate certain provisions to make the plan more consistent with investor expectations regarding governance practices.



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING
AND VOTING PROCEDURES

Record Date and Shares Entitled to VoteWho Can Vote?

        The record date for the Annual Meeting is September 22, 2016October 11, 2018 (the "Record Date"). Only holders of record of shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), at the close of business on such date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Holders of record of Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share on the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting. At the close of business on the Record Date, 45,097,81945,946,656 shares of Common Stock were issued and outstanding and the holders thereof are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

QuorumWhat Constitutes a Quorum?

        In order for any business to be conducted at the Annual Meeting, the holders of at least a majority of the shares of our Common Stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting must be represented at the Annual Meeting, either in person or by proxy. Proxies received but marked as abstentions and broker non-votes (which are described below) will be considered present at the Annual Meeting for purposes of determining a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Although it is not expected, if holders of less than a majority of the shares of our Common Stock are present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting, we may adjourn and reschedule the Annual Meeting, without notice other than announcement at the Annual Meeting, until a quorum is present or represented.

How toDo I Vote Your SharesMy Shares?

        ��If you are a stockholder of record, you cannot vote your shares of Common Stock unless you are present at the Annual Meeting or you have previously given your proxy. Written ballots will be provided to anyone who wants to vote in person at the Annual Meeting and is entitled to do so. You can vote by proxy in one of three convenient ways:

        Stockholders of record may vote their shares by telephone or over the Internetinternet 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Telephone and Internetinternet votes must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on November 15, 201628, 2018 and votes by mail must be received on or before November 15, 2016.the Annual Meeting.

        If your shares of Common Stock are held in "street name" by a broker, bank or other nominee, you should have received different voting instructions from your broker, bank or other nominee as to how to vote such shares. These instructions should indicate if Internetinternet or telephone voting is available and, if so, provide details regarding how to use those systems to vote your shares. Additionally, you may vote these shares in person at the Annual Meeting if you have requested and received a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record) giving you the right to vote these shares in person at the Annual Meeting.


What Is the Recommendation of the Board of DirectorsDirectors?

        The Board unanimously recommends that you vote (1) "FOR" the election of each of the Company'sBoard's director nominees, (2) "FOR" the approval, on an advisory basis, of the Company's


executive compensation, (3) "FOR" approval of the amendments to the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including an increase in the number of authorized shares under the plan, and (4)(3) "FOR" the ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP ("Ernst & Young") as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2017.2019.

Changing YourHow Will the Proxies Be Voted?

        Where stockholders have appropriately specified how their proxies are to be voted, they will be voted accordingly. If a properly executed proxy does not indicate any voting instructions, the shares of Common Stock represented by such proxy will be voted as follows:

        If the Company proposes to adjourn the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will vote all shares for which they have voting authority in favor of such adjournment. The Board of Directors is not presently aware of any matters other than those stated in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and described in this Proxy Statement to be presented for consideration of the Company's stockholders at the Annual Meeting.

Why Did I Receive Multiple Proxy Cards?

        Many of our stockholders hold their shares in more than one account and may receive separate proxy cards or voting instruction forms for each of those accounts. To ensure that all of your shares are represented at the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you vote every proxy card that you receive.

How May I Change My Vote or Revoke My Proxy?

        If you are a stockholder of record, you may change your vote or revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised by:

        If your shares are held in "street name" through a broker, bank or other nominee, you must contact your broker, bank or nominee to receive instructions as to how to revoke your proxy if such instructions have not already been provided to you. In any case, your last properly-received and timely voted proxy or ballot will be the vote that is counted.


Voting byHow Do I Vote My Shares Held in Street Name Holders; Treatment of Routine and Non-Routine ItemsName?

        If you are the beneficial owner of shares held in "street name" and do not submit voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee, under the applicable rules the broker, bank or other nominee that holds your shares may use its discretion in voting your shares with respect to "routine items" but not with respect to "non-routine items." On non-routine items for which you do not submit voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee, these shares will not be voted and will be treated as "broker non-votes." The proposal to ratify the selection of Ernst & Young as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 20172019 is considered a routine item and therefore may be voted upon by your broker, bank or other nominee if you do not provide voting instructions on this proposal. However, the election of directors and the advisory vote on executive compensation and the approval of amendments to the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan are considered non-routine items. Accordingly, if your shares are held in street name"street name" and you do not provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee, these shares will not be counted in determining the outcome of these proposals at the Annual Meeting. We encourage you to provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee if you hold your shares in street name"street name" so that your voice is heard on these matters.

Required VoteHow Many Votes Must Each Proposal Receive to be Adopted?

        Assuming the presence of a quorum, the following vote is required for each proposal:



Default VotingWho Is Soliciting this Proxy?

        Where stockholders have appropriately specified how their proxies are to be voted, they will be voted accordingly. If a properly executed proxy does not indicate any voting instructions, the shares of Common Stock represented by such proxy will be voted as follows:

        If the Company proposes to adjourn the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will vote all shares for which they have voting authority in favor of such adjournment.        The Board of Directors is not presently awaresoliciting this proxy. The Company will bear the cost of any matters other than those statedthe solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors. The Company's directors and certain of the Company's officers and employees in the Noticeordinary course of Annual Meetingtheir employment may solicit proxies by mail, internet, telephone, facsimile, personal contact, email or other online methods. We will reimburse their expenses in connection therewith. We also will reimburse banks, brokers, custodians, nominees or fiduciaries for reasonable expenses they incur in sending these proxy materials to you if you are a beneficial holder of Stockholdersour shares. Other proxy solicitation expenses that we will pay include those for preparing, mailing, returning and described intabulating proxies.

        The costs of soliciting proxies pursuant to this Proxy Statement towill be presented for consideration ofpaid by the Company's stockholders atCompany. Solicitation may be made in person or by telephone, email, mail or facsimile by our directors, officers or employees.

How May I Attend the Annual Meeting.

Attending the Annual MeetingMeeting?

        All stockholders as of the Record Date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the Annual Meeting. Please note that if you hold your shares in "street name" through a broker, bank or other nominee you will need to bring a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record) or a brokerage statement reflecting your stock ownership as of the Record Date and check in at the registration desk at the Annual Meeting.

Announcement ofWhen Will the Voting Results Be Announced?

        The preliminary voting results are expected to be announced at or shortly following the Annual Meeting. We will report the final voting results, or the preliminary voting results if the final voting results are unavailable, in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC within four business days after the Annual Meeting. You may obtain a copy of this Form 8-K by visiting the SEC's website atwww.sec.gov or our website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com, under "Investor Relations—Financial Info—SEC Filings."



PROPOSAL NO. 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

        At the Annual Meeting, the holders of Common Stock as of the Record Date will consider and vote upon the proposed re-electionelection of each of the seven members of our Board of Directors who are standing for re-election. Pursuant to our Bylaws, the Board has set the number of directors that shall constitute the Board at seven.directors. The Board has nominated Terry Burman, Steven R. Becker, James T. Corcoran, Barry S. Gluck, Frank M. Hamlin, William Montalto, Sherry M. Smith, Jimmie L. Wade and Richard S Willis for election as directors of the Company. The seven nomineesEach of Terry Burman, Steven R. Becker, James T. Corcoran, Barry S. Gluck, Frank M. Hamlin, Sherry M. Smith, and Richard S Willis are currently serving as our directors, and ifeach has agreed to stand for re-election to our Board. William Montalto is retiring from


the Board, effective immediately prior to the Annual Meeting, at which time the size of the Board will be reduced to seven. The Board thanks Mr. Montalto for his years of service to the Company.

        If they are elected, each of the nominees will continue to serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified at the next annual meeting of stockholders, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal. Should any nominee become unable or unwilling to accept nomination for election, which is not currently anticipated, the Board may designate a substitute nominee or reduce the number of directors accordingly. The proxy holders will vote for any substitute nominee designated by the Board. Each of the Board's nominees has indicated his or her willingness to serve the full term. The Company did not receive notice from any stockholder prior to the deadline for submitting notice of an intention to nominate any additional persons for election as directors at the Annual Meeting.

        The following is biographical information about each of the nominees to the Board of Directors, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of the nominees that led to the conclusion that each of the nominees should serve as a director of the Company, in light of the Company's business and structure:

        Terry Burman, age 70, has served72, joined the Board of Tuesday Morning as a director of Tuesday Morning sincein February 2013, and has served as Chairman of the Board of the Company since December 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Burman served as Lead Independent Director and a member of the Office of the Chairman from September 2015 to December 2015. Mr. Burman has served as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a clothing retailer since February 2018 and prior to that as Lead Independent Director since May 2017 and on the board of directors of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., since January 2014. He has been a director of Learning Care Group, a privately-held company operating over 900 learning and daycare centers in the United States, since July 2014. He has been a board member of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Board of Governors since July 2004 and served as Chairman of the Board from July 2013 to June 2015. Mr. Burman has also served as a board member of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude, since July 2004 and on the Board of Trustees of the Norman Rockwell Museum since September 2016. From March 2001 to January 2011, Mr. Burman was the Chief Executive Officer of Signet Jewelers Limited ("Signet"), a specialty jewelry retailer. Mr. Burman joined Signet in 1995 as the Chairman and CEO of Sterling Jewelers, Inc., a U.S. division of Signet. Before joining Signet, Mr. Burman held various senior executive positions of increasing responsibility with Barry's Jewelers, Inc., a specialty jewelry retailer, from 1980 to 1995, including President and Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 1995. Prior to that, Mr. Burman was a partner with Roberts Department Stores, a regional department store chain specializing in apparel. Mr. Burman has served on the board of directors of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a clothing retailer, since January 2014 and Learning Care Group, the second largest provider of early childhood care and education services in the U.S., since July 2014. Mr. Burman also served on the board of directors of Signet until January 2011. Mr. Burman served on the board of directors of YCC Holdings LLC, a retailer of candles, fragrances and other products, from October 2007 until it was acquired in October 2013, and served as chairman of the board and a director of Zale Corporation, a jewelry retailer, from May 2013 until it was acquired in May 2014. Prior to joining Signet, Mr. Burman held various senior executive positions of increasing responsibility with Barry's Jewelers, Inc., which now does business as Samuels Jewelers, from 1980 to 1995, including President and Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 1995. Prior to that, Mr. Burman was a partner with Roberts Department Stores, a regional department store chain specializing in apparel. In nominating Mr. Burman to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered his extensive executive, financial and management expertise and experience, his experience as a chief executive officer in the retail industry, his significant international management experience, and his general business and financial acumen.

        Steven R. Becker, age 49,51, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since July 2012 and was appointed its Chief Executive Officer in December 2015. Prior to becoming CEO of Tuesday Morning, Mr. Becker served as Chairman of the Board of the Company from July 2012 until September 2015 and as Executive Chairman and head of the Office of the Chairman from September 2015 until December 2015. Prior to becoming CEO of Tuesday Morning, Mr. Becker spent 20 years in the investment management industry with a focus on investing in middle market public companies. Mr. Becker has extensive public company board experience having previously served as a board member at a variety of public companies including, Hot Topic, Inc., an apparel retailer, Ruby Tuesday, a national restaurant company, Emcore, a semiconductor producer, Plato Learning, an educational


software Company, Pixelworks, a semiconductor producer, and Fuel Systems Solutions, a manufacturer of alternative energy systems, and Special Diversified Opportunities, a holding company that owns


businesses in a variety of industries, among others. Prior to becoming CEO of Tuesday Morning, Mr. Becker was the co-managing partner at Becker Drapkin Asset Management, whose predecessor, Greenway Capital, he founded in 2005. From 1997 to 2004, Mr. Becker was a partner at Special Situations Funds, a New York City-based asset manager. Prior to joining Special Situations Funds, Mr. Becker was a part of the distressed debt and leveraged equities research team at Bankers Trust Securities. Mr. Becker began his career at Manley Fuller Asset Management in New York as a small cap analyst. In nominating Mr. Becker to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered the insights Mr. Becker brings through his prior service as a director of our Company, his demonstrated leadership and experience as our Chief Executive Officer and his extensive financial experience, in both public and private companies, which provides the Board with valuable expertise in corporate finance, strategic planning, and corporate governance.

        James T. Corcoran, age 35, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since 2017. He has served as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Purple Mountain Capital Partners LLC, a private investment firm, since June 2017. Prior to founding Purple Mountain Capital Partners LLC, he served as a Principal at Highfields Capital Management, a value-oriented investment management firm in Boston, from 2010 to 2016. Mr. Corcoran worked as an investment banking analyst for Credit Suisse (USA), Inc. in its leveraged finance and restructuring group, from 2006 to 2008, in addition to working in its hedge funds investment group, from 2005 to 2006. Mr. Corcoran received his MBA from the Harvard Business School and his AB with honors in Economics and Political Science from the University of Chicago and is a CFA charter holder. Mr. Corcoran was nominated by the Board pursuant to the terms of a Cooperation Agreement entered into with certain Company stockholders to settle a contested election for directors at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders for the Company. See "Cooperation Agreement" below for additional information.

Barry S. Gluck, age 66, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since January 2017. Mr. Gluck served in various senior management positions with Ross Stores Inc. ("Ross") from 1989 to 2007, most recently as Executive Vice President of Merchandising, Marketing and Store Planning and Allocation. Prior to joining Ross, Mr. Gluck was with Today's Man as Vice President, General Merchandise Manager and Chief Merchandising Officer and with Macy's Department Stores as Vice President Divisional Merchandising Manager. Since 2012, Mr. Gluck has served as the Founder and Managing Director of Gluck Consulting LLC, a management consultant group which focuses primarily on off-price/value channels. In nominating Mr. Gluck to serve as a director of the Company, the Board considered his 30-years of off-price and value channel experience, his extensive executive, marketing and management expertise having served as a chief merchandising officer in the retail industry, and his general business and financial acumen.

Frank M. Hamlin, age 48,50, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since April 2014. From June 2014 to August 26, 2016 Mr. Hamlin served asis currently the Chief Marketing Officer of GameStop Corp.Corporation ("GameStop"), a global, multichannel video game, consumer electronics and wireless services retailer. Mr. Hamlin had previously served as Chief Marketing Officer of GameStop from June 2014 to August 2016. Mr. Hamlin served as Chief Marketing Officer of Spence Diamonds from May 2018 to August 14, 2018 and as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Tailored Brands, Inc., a leading national menswear retailer from September 2017 to May 2018. Mr. Hamlin previously served as Executive Vice President and GM, Marketing and E-Commerce of Guitar Center, Inc., a musical instruments retailer, from June 2010 until May 2014, and as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of E-Miles, LLC, an interactive marketing company, from February 2007 to June 2010. From July 2004 until February 2007, he was Director of Marketing, Central Market Division for H.E. Butt Grocery, a fresh, specialty and prepared foods retailer. Prior to that time, Mr. Hamlin held various positions with Brierley & Partners, E-Rewards, Inc., Arista Records and The Walt Disney Company. In nominating Mr. Hamlin to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors


considered the various senior executive-level positions he has held with retail service companies, as well as his extensive experience in marketing, branding strategy and customer engagement.

        William Montalto, age 69, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since June 2013. Beginning July 1, 2016, Mr. Montalto has served as a consultant to Tuesday Morning pursuant to a consulting agreement, the term of which is scheduled to end on December 31, 2016. Prior to that, from January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2016, Mr. Montalto was an employee of Tuesday Morning in an interim position as Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer to assist in the search and hiring of the Chief Information Officer and Head of Supply Chain. From August 20, 2015 through December 31, 2015, Mr. Montalto served as a consultant to Tuesday Morning. Mr. Montalto served in various positions with Sterling Jewelers, the U.S. division of Signet, a specialty jewelry retailer, from 1986 to 2012. Mr. Montalto served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Jewelers from 2006 until his retirement in June 2012, and he previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the division from 2002 until 2006 and in various other capacities with the division prior to 2002. Prior to joining Sterling, Mr. Montalto served as a retail management consultant for Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) from 1980 to 1986, where he led significant systems planning and development consulting engagements for a variety of major retailers. In nominating Mr. Montalto to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered his operational expertise and extensive knowledge in all aspects of retailing including information technology, real estate and marketing.

Sherry M. Smith, age 55,57, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since April 2014. Ms. Smith served in various positions with SupervaluSUPERVALU, Inc., a grocery retailer and food distributor, from 1987 to 2013. Ms. Smith served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Supervalu Inc. from December 2010 until August 2013, and she previously served as Senior Vice President, Finance from 2006 until 2010, Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer from 2002 until 2005, and in various other capacities with SupervaluSUPERVALU, Inc. prior to 2002. Prior to joining SupervaluSUPERVALU, Inc., Ms. Smith held various positions with McGladrey LLP, a public accounting firm. Ms. Smith has served on the board of directors of Deere & Company, a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural, turf, construction and forestry equipment, since December 2011, and currently serves as a member of the audit committee


and finance committee. Ms. Smith has also served on the board of directors of Realogy Holdings Corporation since December 2014, and currently serves on its audit committee. Ms. Smith has served on the board of directors of Piper Jaffrey Corp since January 2016, and currently serves on its compensation committee and governanceaudit committee. Since January 2015, Ms. Smith has served on the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC), a group that advises the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on strategic issues, project priorities and other matters. In nominating Ms. Smith to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered her leadership qualities developed from her experience while serving as a senior executive and as Chief Financial Officer of SupervaluSUPERVALU, Inc., the breadth of her experiences in auditing, finance, accounting, compensation, strategic planning, and other areas of oversight, and her subject matter knowledge in the areas of finance and accounting and other board experience.

        Jimmie L. Wade, age 62, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since July 2014. Mr. Wade served on the board of directors and Finance Committee of Advance Auto Parts, Inc., an auto parts distributor ("Advance"), from September 2011 through May 2016 and also provided strategic leadership to the company during that period. Mr. Wade joined Advance in February 1994 and served as President from October 1999 through May 2005 and from January 2009 until December 2011. He also held several other key senior executive roles with Advance at various times including Executive Vice President, from May 2005 to December 2008, and Chief Financial Officer from March 2000 to August 2003. Before joining Advance, Mr. Wade worked for S.H. Heironimus, Inc., a regional department store, as Vice President, Finance and Operations. Earlier in his career, Mr. Wade held positions with American Motor Inns, Inc. and KPMG LLP. Mr. Wade also serves on the board of directors, audit committee, and nominating and governance committee of Lumber Liquidators, Inc., a specialty retailer of hardwood flooring. In nominating Mr. Wade to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered his extensive experience as a senior executive and director of leading publicly-traded specialty retailers, and his subject matter knowledge in the areas of finance and accounting.

Richard S Willis, age 56,58, has served as a director of Tuesday Morning since July 2012. Since January 2016, Mr. Willis has served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies, an innovative retail pharmacy that combines traditional pharmacy services with natural health and beauty products and expert practitioners. From September 2011 through December 2015, Mr. Willis served as the President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director of Speed Commerce, Inc. (formerly Navarre Corporation), one of the nation's largest omni channel, pure play, end-to-end e-commerce solution providers. Mr. Willis previously served as the Executive Chairman of Charlotte Russe, a mall-based specialty retailer of fashionable, value-priced apparel and accessories, from January 2011 to September 2011. From 2009 to 2011, Mr. Willis served as President of Shoes for Crews, a seller of slip resistant footwear. From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Willis was President and Chief Executive Officer of Baker & Taylor Corporation, a global distributor of books, DVDs and music. Previously, Mr. Willis served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Troll Communications and President and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Sports. Mr. Willis served four terms as Chairman of the Board of Regents at Baylor University where he still serves as a Regent.University. In nominating Mr. Willis to serve as a director of the Company, the Board of Directors considered his considerable executive leadership experience across multiple industries, including distribution businesses that serve retailers and their suppliers, and his significant expertise in operating businesses and directing transformative plans, including executive level experiences of more than 20 years in retail and manufacturing industries.

        The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote "FOR" the election of each of the Board's nominees.



PROPOSAL NO. 2
ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

        As required by Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), the Company is asking stockholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation for the named executive officers ("NEOs") disclosed in these materials. This proposal, commonly referred to


as a "say on pay" proposal, gives stockholders the opportunity to express their views on the compensation of the named executive officers. ThisNEOs.

        The vote on this resolution is not intended to address any specific itemelement of compensation, but rathercompensation. Rather, the overallvote relates to the compensation of our NEOs, as described in this Proxy Statement in accordance with the named executive officers andcompensation disclosure rules of the Company'sSEC. The vote is advisory, which means that the vote is not binding on the Company, our Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Company currently submits the compensation program.of NEOs to an advisory vote of stockholders on an annual basis.

        As described in more detail below under the heading "Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis," our executive compensation program is designed to motivate our executives to create a successful company. We believe that our compensation program, with its balance of short-term incentives (including performance-based cash bonus awards) and long-term incentives (including equity awards that vest over certain time periods and performance-based equity awards), rewards sustained performance that is aligned with long-term stockholder interests. Please read the "Compensation Discussion and Analysis," compensation tables and narrative discussion sections of this Proxy Statement below for additional details about our executive compensation program, including information about the fiscal 20162018 compensation of our named executive officers.NEOs.

        We believe a significant amount of total compensation should be in the form of short-term and long-term incentive awards to align compensation with our financial and operational performance goals as well as individual performance goals. We continually evaluate the individual elements of our executive compensation program in light of market conditions and governance requirements and make changes where appropriate for our business. We believe that the core of our executive compensation program provides opportunities to reward high levels of individual and Company performance and will help drive the creation of sustainable stockholder value.

        In deciding how to vote on this proposal, you are encouraged to consider the Company's executive compensation philosophy and objectives and the elements of the Company's executive compensation program as contained in the "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" section below. The Compensation Committee, which is responsible for determining the compensation of our executive officers, is comprised solely of non-employee directors who satisfy the independence requirements under NASDAQ rules and will continue to emphasize responsible compensation arrangements that attract, retain, and motivate high caliber executives to achieve the Company's business strategies and objectives.

        The vote on this resolution is not intended to address any specific element of compensation. Rather, the vote relates to the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this Proxy Statement in accordance with the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. The vote is advisory, which means that the vote is not binding on the Company, our Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Company currently submits the compensation of named executive officers to an advisory vote of stockholders on an annual basis.

Accordingly, we ask our stockholders to vote on the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

        "RESOLVED, that the Company's stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation paid to the Company's named executive officers,NEOs, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion."

        The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote "FOR" the approval of the compensation of the Company's named executive officers,NEOs, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement.



PROPOSAL NO. 3
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE
COMPANY'S 2014 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

        On September 22, 2016, our Board of Directors adopted amendments to the Tuesday Morning Corporation 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "2014 Plan"), subject to stockholder approval at the Annual Meeting, to increase the number of shares of our common stock available for issuance under the 2014 Plan and to make additional amendments to the 2014 Plan as described below. We believe that operation of the 2014 Plan is important in attracting and retaining the services of key employees, key contractors, and outside directors in a competitive labor market, which is essential to our long-term growth and success. It is the judgment of our Board of Directors that the amendments to the 2014 Plan are in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

        The 2014 Plan was approved by our stockholders at our 2014 annual meeting of stockholders and became effective on September 16, 2014. The 2014 Plan replaced the Tuesday Morning Corporation 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "2008 Plan"). Under the 2014 Plan, as initially approved, the maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2014 Plan is 3,600,000 shares plus any awards under the 2008 Plan (i) that were outstanding on September 16, 2014 and, on or after September 16, 2014, are forfeited, expire or are canceled, and (ii) any shares subject to such awards that, on or after September 16, 2014, are used to satisfy the exercise price or tax withholding obligations with respect to such awards (collectively, (i) and (ii) are referred to collectively, as the "2008 Plan Awards", and each individually as a "2008 Plan Award"). In addition, if an award under the 2014 Plan is cancelled, forfeited, or expires, in whole or in part, or if shares subject to such an award are used to satisfy the exercise price or tax withholding obligations with respect to such award, the shares subject to such forfeited, expired, or cancelled award or the shares used to satisfy such exercise price or tax withholding obligations may again be awarded under the 2014 Plan. As of September 22, 2016, there were 1,456,921 shares remaining available for issuance under the 2014 Plan and 4,906,291 shares subject to outstanding awards under the 2008 Plan and the 2014 Plan. If stockholders do not approve the amendments to the 2014 Plan, the amendments will not be given effect, and the 2014 Plan will continue as in effect prior to amendment.

        In addition to requesting stockholder approval of the amendments to the 2014 Plan (including the additional shares being reserved for issuance), we also are requesting that our stockholders reapprove the material terms of the performance goals contained in the 2014 Plan in order to allow certain awards to be potentially eligible for exemption from the $1.0 million deduction limit imposed by Section 162(m) of the tax code, as discussed under "Description of the Amended 2014 Plan—Performance Awards" and "—Performance Goals" below. For purposes of Section 162(m), the material terms of the performance goals for awards granted under the 2014 Plan include: (i) the employees eligible to receive compensation; (ii) the description of the business measures on which the performance goals may be based; and (iii) the maximum amount, or the formula used to calculate the maximum amount, of compensation that can be paid to an employee under the arrangement. Each of these aspects is discussed in this Proposal No. 3, and stockholder approval of this Proposal No. 3 constitutes reapproval of each of these aspects for purposes of the Section 162(m) stockholder approval requirements.


Summary of Key Amendments

        If approved, the amendments would make the following changes to the 2014 Plan, as described in more detail under "Description of the Amended 2014 Plan" below:

Increase in Authorized Shares

The amendments would increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2014 Plan by 2,500,000 shares.

Remove Liberal Share Recycling Provision for 2014 Plan Awards

The amendments would provide that shares surrendered in payment of the exercise price of an award granted pursuant to the 2014 Plan or shares withheld for payment of applicable employment taxes and/or withholding obligations resulting from the vesting or exercise of an award granted pursuant to the 2014 Plan would be counted against the maximum number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2014 Plan.

Reduce the Number of Shares Exempt from Minimum Vesting

The amendments would reduce the number of shares of our common stock that may be delivered pursuant to awards under the 2014 Plan that are exempt from minimum vesting requirements from 10% to 5% and require that the vesting of any stock option award may not occur sooner than one year following the date of grant, or if earlier, the participant's death, total and permanent disability, retirement or, in the two-year period following a change in control, if the participant is terminated without cause or a participant terminates his or her service for good reason.

Eliminate Board Discretion to Accelerate Vesting of Awards Upon a Change in Control

The amendments would eliminate the Board's discretion to accelerate the vesting of outstanding and unvested awards upon a change of control and require a "double-trigger" for vesting whereby such awards would only accelerate in full if a participant is terminated without cause or a participant terminates his or her service for good reason on or within two years after a change in control. In connection with the cash-out of awards in a change of control where the acquirer or surviving or resulting corporation does not agree to assume such awards, the Board may cancel unvested portions of such awards for no consideration unless otherwise determined by the Board.

Include a Robust Clawback Policy

The amendments would allow the Company to recoup all or any portion of any shares or cash paid to a participant in connection with an award, in the event of a restatement of the Company's financial statements as set forth in the Company's clawback policy, if any, approved by the Board from time to time.

Additional Changes

The amendments would also include several non-material changes to the 2014 Plan to be consistent with investor expectations regarding governance practices.


        The Board believes that these changes, in addition to the existing provisions in the 2014 Plan, will better serve the interests of our stockholders, support effective governance and further demonstrate reasonable use of the shares.

Background and Determination of Share Amounts

        The following factors, among others, were taken into account by our Board of Directors in approving the increase in the number of shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan as proposed in the amendments to the 2014 Plan: our historical burn rate under our stockholder-approved equity plans; the number of shares remaining available under the 2014 Plan for future awards; the number of outstanding unvested and unexercised equity awards; potential dilution resulting from the proposed increase in shares available under the amended 2014 Plan; and the potential shareholder value transfer resulting from the proposed increase.

        In setting the number of proposed additional shares issuable under the 2014 Plan under the proposed amendments, our Board of Directors also considered the following annual share usage under our equity compensation program for fiscal 2014-2016 as follows:

 
 Fiscal 2016 Fiscal 2015 Fiscal 2014 Average 

Options Granted

  2,500,000  375,000  1,221,000  1,365,333 

Restricted Stock Granted—Full Value Awards at 1.5:1*

  1,303,500  453,000  451,500  736,000 

Total Shares Granted

  3,803,500  828,000  1,672,500  2,101,333 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding

  43,705,371  43,506,054  42,728,583  43,313,336 

Burn Rate—Annual Usage**

  8.70% 1.90% 3.91% 4.84%

*
The number of shares subject to restricted stock awards in the table equals the actual number of shares subject to such awards multiplied by 1.5.

**
Represents Total Shares Granted divided by Weighted Average Common Stock Outstanding.

        The historical amounts shown above are not necessarily indicative of the shares that might be awarded in fiscal 2017 and beyond, including under the 2014 Plan.

        If we continue making equity awards consistent with our practices over the past three years as set forth above, we estimate that the shares available for future awards, including the increase of 2,500,000 additional shares available for issuance if the amendments to the 2014 Plan are approved, will be sufficient for awards for at least four years. While we believe this estimate is reasonable, there are a number of factors that could impact our future equity share usage. Among the factors that will impact our actual share usage are changes in market grant values, changes in the number of recipients, changes in our stock price, payout levels of performance-based awards, changes in the structure of our long-term equity incentive program and forfeitures of outstanding awards.

        As of September 22, 2016, we had approximately 5,147,305 shares of common stock subject to outstanding equity awards. The 5,147,305 shares are comprised of 1,224,427 shares subject to full value awards (1,026,463 restricted shares plus 197,964 shares subject to performance awards) plus 3,922,878 shares subject to outstanding stock options (2,835,092 stock options plus 1,087,786 performance options). The 5,147,305 shares comprise 11.41% of the Company's weighted average common shares outstanding. The increase of 2,500,000 additional shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan as proposed by the amendments, together with the 1,456,921 remaining shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan, would increase the fully diluted overhang percentage by an additional 8.77% to approximately 20.18%.


        Additional information in respect of price, term and overhang by equity grant award type currently outstanding, as of September 22, 2016, is included in the following table:

 
 Options Restricted
Shares

Weighted Average Exercise Price/Grant Date Fair Value*

 $7.55 $7.71

Weighted Average Remaining Recognition Period

 2.65 years 2.96 years

Overhang of Currently Outstanding Awards

 8.70% 2.71%

*
Represents the weighted average grant date exercise price for options and weighted average grant date fair value for restricted shares.

        In its determination to recommend that the Board approve the amendments to the 2014 Plan, the Compensation Committee reviewed the analysis prepared by Korn Ferry Hay Group, an independent compensation consultant, which included the foregoing burn rate, dilution and overhang metrics, as well as peer group market practices and trends, and the cost of the amended 2014 Plan.

Description of the Amended 2014 Plan

        The following is a brief description of the 2014 Plan, as proposed to be amended. A composite copy of the 2014 Plan, as proposed to be amended as described herein, is attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement, and the following description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the amended 2014 Plan. All references to the 2014 Plan in the following description refer to the 2014 Plan, as proposed to be amended.

        Purpose.    The purpose of the 2014 Plan is to enable the Company to remain competitive and innovative in our ability to attract and retain the services of key employees, key contractors, and outside directors. The 2014 Plan provides for the granting of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent rights, and other awards which may be granted singly, in combination, or in tandem, and which may be paid in cash, shares of common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of common stock. The 2014 Plan is expected to provide flexibility to our compensation methods in order to adapt the compensation of employees, contractors, and outside directors to a changing business environment, after giving due consideration to competitive conditions and the impact of federal tax laws.

        Effective Date and Expiration.    The 2014 Plan became effective on September 16, 2014 and will terminate on September 15, 2024. No award may be made under the 2014 Plan after its expiration date, but awards made prior thereto may extend beyond that date.

        Share Authorization.    Subject to certain adjustments, the maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be delivered pursuant to awards under the 2014 Plan is the sum of (i) 6,100,000 shares plus (ii) any 2008 Awards (as described above). One hundred percent (100%) of the shares authorized for issuance under the 2014 Plan may be delivered pursuant to incentive stock options. Subject to certain adjustments, the maximum number of the shares of common stock with respect to which stock options or stock appreciation rights may be granted to any officer of the Company subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or a "covered employee" as defined in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code during any calendar year is 1,000,000 shares. In addition, to the extent Section 162(m) of the Code applies to awards granted under the 2014 Plan and we intend to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code, no participant may receive in any calendar year performance-based awards with an aggregate value of more than $5,000,000 (based on the fair market value of shares of the common stock at the time of the grant of the performance-based award). The 2014 Plan also provides that no more than 5% of the shares of common stock that may be issued pursuant to an award of stock options or a Full Value Award (as defined below) under the 2014 Plan may be


designated as "Exempt Shares" (as defined in the 2014 Plan). The Committee has greater flexibility to accelerate the vesting for shares designated as Exempt Shares.

        Shares to be issued may be made available from authorized but unissued shares of common stock, shares held by the Company in its treasury, or shares purchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise. During the term of the 2014 Plan, we will at all times reserve and keep enough shares available to satisfy the requirements of the 2014 Plan. If an award under the 2014 Plan or a 2008 Plan Award is cancelled, forfeited, or expires, in whole or in part, the shares subject to such forfeited, expired, or cancelled award may again be awarded under the 2014 Plan. Awards that may be satisfied either by the issuance of common stock or by cash or other consideration shall be counted against the maximum number of shares that may be issued under the 2014 Plan only during the period that the award is outstanding or to the extent the award is ultimately satisfied by the issuance of shares. An award will not reduce the number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the 2014 Plan if the settlement of the award will not require the issuance of shares, as, for example, a stock appreciation right that can be satisfied only by the payment of cash. Under the proposed amendments, shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to an award granted under the 2014 Plan that are withheld upon exercise or vesting of such award for purposes of paying the exercise price or tax withholdings with respect to an award granted under the 2014 Plan shall be treated as delivered to the participant and shall be counted against the maximum number of shares that may be issued under the 2014 Plan. Only shares forfeited back to the Company or shares cancelled on account of termination, expiration, or lapse of an award shall again be available for grant of incentive stock options under the 2014 Plan, but shall not increase the maximum number of shares described above as the maximum number of shares that may be delivered pursuant to incentive stock options.

        Administration.    The 2014 Plan may be administered by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee") consisting of two or more members. At any time if there is no Committee to administer the 2014 Plan, any reference to the Committee is a reference to our Board of Directors. The Committee will determine the persons to whom awards are to be made, determine the type, size, and terms of awards, interpret the 2014 Plan and award agreements granted thereunder, establish and revise rules and regulations relating to the 2014 Plan and make any other determinations that it believes necessary for the administration of the 2014 Plan. To assure the viability of awards granted to participants employed in foreign countries, the Committee may provide for such special terms as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy, or custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of, the 2014 Plan as the Committee determines is necessary or appropriate for such purposes. Any such amendment, restatement or alternative versions that the Committee approves for purposes of using the 2014 Plan in a foreign country will not affect the terms of the 2014 Plan for any other country. The Committee may delegate certain duties to one or more officers of the Company as provided in the 2014 Plan.

        Eligibility.    Employees (including any employee who is also a director or an officer), contractors, and outside directors of the Company whose judgment, initiative, and efforts contributed to or may be expected to contribute to the successful performance of the Company are eligible to participate in the 2014 Plan. As of September 22, 2016, there were approximately 137 employees, seven directors, and no contractors who would be eligible for awards under the 2014 Plan.

        Stock Options.    The Committee may grant either incentive stock options ("ISOs") qualifying under Section 422 of the Code or nonqualified stock options, provided that only employees of the Company and its subsidiaries (excluding subsidiaries that are not corporations) are eligible to receive ISOs. Stock options may not be granted with an option price less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date the stock option is granted. If an ISO is granted to an employee who owns or is deemed to own more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the


Company (or any parent or subsidiary), the option price shall be at least 110% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant. The Committee will determine the terms of each stock option at the time of grant, including without limitation, the methods by or forms in which shares will be delivered to participants. The maximum term of each option, the times at which each option will be exercisable, and provisions requiring forfeiture of unexercised options at or following termination of employment or service generally are fixed by the Committee, except that the Committee may not grant stock options with a term exceeding ten years.

        Recipients of stock options may pay the option price (i) in cash, check, bank draft, or money order payable to the order of the Company; (ii) by delivering to us shares of common stock (including restricted stock) already owned by the participant having a fair market value equal to the aggregate option price and that the participant has not acquired from us within six months prior to the exercise date; (iii) by delivering to us or our designated agent an executed irrevocable option exercise form together with irrevocable instructions from the participant to a broker or dealer, reasonably acceptable to us, to sell certain of the shares purchased upon the exercise of the option or to pledge such shares to the broker as collateral for a loan from the broker and to deliver to us the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay the purchase price; and (iv) by any other form of valid consideration that is acceptable to the Committee in its sole discretion.

        Stock Appreciation Rights.    The Committee is authorized to grant stock appreciation rights ("SARs") as a stand-alone award, or freestanding SARs, or in conjunction with options granted under the 2014 Plan, or tandem SARs. SARs entitle a participant to receive an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of exercise over the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant. The grant price of a SAR cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. The Committee will determine the terms of each SAR at the time of the grant, including without limitation, the methods by or forms in which shares will be delivered to participants. The maximum term of each SAR, the times at which each SAR will be exercisable, and provisions requiring forfeiture of unexercised SARs at or following termination of employment or service generally are fixed by the Committee, except that no freestanding SAR may have a term exceeding ten years and no tandem SAR may have a term exceeding the term of the option granted in conjunction with the tandem SAR.

        Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units.    The Committee is authorized to grant restricted stock awards and restricted stock units. Restricted stock awards consist of shares of common stock that may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered, or otherwise disposed of, and that may be forfeited in the event of certain terminations of employment or service prior to the end of a restricted period as specified by the Committee. Restricted stock units are the right to receive shares of common stock at a future date in accordance with the terms of such grant upon the attainment of certain conditions specified by the Committee, which include substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on their sale or other transfer by the participant. The Committee determines the eligible participants to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units will be made, the number of shares or units to be granted, the price to be paid, if any, the time or times within which the shares covered by such grants will be subject to forfeiture, the time or times at which the restrictions will terminate, and all other terms and conditions of the grants. Restrictions or conditions could include, but are not limited to, the attainment of performance goals (as described below), continuous service with us, the passage of time, or other restrictions and conditions. The value of the restricted stock units may be paid in shares, cash, or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee.

        Dividend Equivalent Rights.    The Committee is authorized to grant a dividend equivalent right to any participant either as a component of another award or as a separate award, conferring on participants the right to receive cash or shares of common stock equal in value to dividends paid on a


specific number of shares or other periodic payments. The terms and conditions of the dividend equivalent right shall be specified by the grant. Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a dividend equivalent right may be paid currently or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares. Any such reinvestment shall be at the fair market value at the time thereof. A dividend equivalent right may be settled in cash, shares, or a combination thereof.

        Performance Awards.    The Committee may grant performance awards payable in cash, shares of common stock, a combination thereof, or other consideration at the end of a specified performance period. Payment will be contingent upon achieving pre-established performance goals (as described below) by the end of the performance period. The Committee will determine the length of the performance period, the maximum payment value of an award, and the minimum performance goals required before payment will be made, so long as such provisions are not inconsistent with the terms of the 2014 Plan, and to the extent an award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, are in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and any applicable regulations or guidance. To the extent we determine that Section 162(m) of the Code shall apply to a performance award granted under the 2014 Plan, it is our intent that performance awards constitute "performance-based compensation" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. Further, if complying with Section 162(m) of the Code, no participant may receive awards in any calendar year which have an aggregate value of more than $5,000,000, and if such awards involve the issuance of common stock, the aggregate value shall be based on the fair market value of such shares on the date of grant of such awards. In certain circumstances, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the amount payable with respect to certain performance awards will be reduced from the amount of any potential awards. However, the Committee may not, in any event, increase the amount of compensation payable to an individual upon the attainment of a performance goal intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code. With respect to a performance award that is not intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, if the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that the established performance measures or objectives are no longer suitable because of a change in our business, operations, corporate structure, or for other reasons that the Committee deems satisfactory, the Committee may modify the performance measures or objectives and/or the performance period.

        Performance Goals.    Awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, and performance awards under the 2014 Plan may be made subject to the attainment of performance goals relating to one or more business criteria which, where applicable, shall be within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and consist of one or more, or any combination of, the following criteria ("Performance Criteria"): comparable store sales; cash flow; cost; revenues; revenue ratios (per employee or per customer); sales; ratio of debt to debt plus equity; net borrowing, credit quality or debt ratings; profit before tax; cash return on capitalization; economic profit; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; gross margin; earnings per share (whether on a pre-tax, after-tax, operational or other basis); earnings per share growth; operating income; net income; operating earnings; capital expenditures; expenses or expense levels; economic value added; ratio of operating earnings to capital spending or any other operating ratios; return on capital compared to cost of capital; return on invested capital; cash flow from operations; net cash flow before financing activities; cost reductions; cost ratios (per employee or per customer); free cash flow; net profit; net sales; net asset value per share; the accomplishment of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, public offerings or similar extraordinary business transactions; sales growth; price of the Company's Common Stock; return on assets, equity or stockholders' equity; market share; inventory levels, inventory turn or shrinkage; inventory charge; total return to stockholders; project completion time and budget goals; customer growth; total market value; dividend payout; or dividend growth. Any Performance Criteria may be used to measure our performance as a whole or any business unit of the Company and may be measured relative to a peer Company or index. Any Performance Criteria may include or exclude (i) extraordinary, unusual, and/or non-recurring items of gain or loss; (ii) gains or losses on the


disposition of a business; (iii) changes in tax or accounting regulations or laws; (iv) the effect of a merger or acquisition, as identified in our quarterly, periodic, and annual earnings releases; or (v) other similar occurrences. In all other respects, Performance Criteria shall be calculated in accordance with our financial statements, under generally accepted accounting principles, or under a methodology established by the Committee prior to the issuance of an award. However, to the extent Section 162(m) of the Code is applicable, the Committee may not in any event increase the amount of compensation payable to an individual upon the attainment of a Performance Goal.

        Other Awards.    The Committee may grant other forms of awards payable in cash or shares if the Committee determines that such other form of award is consistent with the purpose and restrictions of the 2014 Plan. The terms and conditions of such other form of award shall be specified by the grant. Such other awards may be granted for no cash consideration, for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law, or for such other consideration as may be specified by the grant.

        Repricing of Stock Options or SARs Not Permitted.    The Committee may not "reprice" any stock option or SAR. For purposes of the 2014 Plan, "reprice" means any of the following or any other action that has the same effect as any of the following: (i) amending a stock option or SAR award to reduce its exercise price or base price; (ii) canceling a stock option or SAR at a time when its exercise price or base price exceeds the fair market value of a share of common stock in exchange for cash or a stock option, SAR, award of restricted stock, or other equity award; or (iii) taking any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles, provided that nothing shall prevent the Committee from (x) making adjustments to awards upon changes in capitalization; (y) exchanging or cancelling awards upon a merger, consolidation, or recapitalization; or (z) substituting awards for awards granted by other entities, to the extent permitted by the 2014 Plan.

        Vesting, Forfeiture, Assignment.    The Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that an award will be immediately vested in whole or in part, or that all or any portion may not be vested until a date, or dates, subsequent to its date of grant, or until the occurrence of one or more specified events, subject in any case to the terms of the 2014 Plan. Under the proposed amendments, stock options may not vest earlier than one year after the date of grant. "Full Value Awards" (i.e., restricted stock or restricted stock units) that constitute performance awards must vest no earlier than one year after the date of grant, and Full Value Awards that constitute "Tenure Awards" (as defined in the 2014 Plan) must vest no earlier than over the three-year period commencing on the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the vesting or waive any applicable restriction period for stock options and Full Value Awards, provided that the shares of common stock subject to such awards shall be "Exempt Shares" (as defined in the 2014 Plan), unless such acceleration or waiver occurs by reason of the participant's death, disability or retirement, or upon the participant's termination of service by the Company without cause or by the participant for good reason on or within two years after the occurrence of a change in control. The number of Exempt Shares is limited to 5% of the number of shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan.

        The Committee may impose on any award at the time of grant or thereafter, such additional terms and conditions as the Committee determines, including, without limitation, terms requiring forfeiture of awards in the event of a participant's termination of service. The Committee will specify the circumstances on which performance awards may be forfeited in the event of a termination of service by a participant prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of awards. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, restricted stock will be forfeited upon a participant's termination of service during the applicable restriction period.

        Awards granted under the 2014 Plan generally are not assignable or transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, except that the Committee may, in its discretion and pursuant to the terms of an award agreement, permit certain transfers of an award (other than an incentive stock option) to (i) the spouse, former spouse, or lineal descendants of the participant ("Family


Members"); (ii) a trust or trusts for the exclusive benefit of such Family Members; (iii) a partnership in which the only partners are (1) such Family Members and/or (2) entities which are controlled by Family Members; (iv) an entity exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or any successor provision; or (v) a split interest trust or pooled income fund described in Section 2522(c)(2) of the Code or any successor provision, provided that (x) there shall be no consideration for any such transfer, (y) the applicable award agreement pursuant to which such award is granted must be approved by the Committee and must expressly provide for such transferability, and (z) subsequent transfers of transferred awards shall be prohibited except those by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

        Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization.    In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, common stock, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, rights offering, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, split-off, combination, subdivision, repurchase, or exchange of shares of common stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase shares of common stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the fair value of an award, then the Committee shall adjust any or all of the following so that the fair value of the award immediately after the transaction or event is equal to the fair value of the award immediately prior to the transaction or event: (i) the number of shares and type of common stock (or the securities or property) which thereafter may be made the subject of awards; (ii) the number of shares and type of common stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding awards; (iii) the number of shares and type of common stock (or other securities or property) specified as the annual per-participant limitation under the 2014 Plan; (iv) the option price of each outstanding award; (v) the amount, if any, we pay for forfeited shares in accordance with the terms of the 2014 Plan; and (vi) the number of or exercise price of shares then subject to outstanding SARs previously granted and unexercised under the 2014 Plan to the end that the same proportion of our issued and outstanding shares common stock in each instance shall remain subject to exercise at the same aggregate exercise price; provided however, that the number of shares of common stock (or other securities or property) subject to any award shall always be a whole number. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment shall be made or authorized to the extent that such adjustment would cause the 2014 Plan or any stock option to violate Section 422 of the Code or Section 409A of the Code. All such adjustments must be made in accordance with the rules of any securities exchange, stock market, or stock quotation system to which we are subject.

        Amendment or Discontinuance of the 2014 Plan.    The Board of Directors may at any time and from time to time, without the consent of the participants, alter, amend, revise, suspend, or discontinue the 2014 Plan in whole or in part, except, that no amendment for which stockholder approval is required either (i) by any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the common stock is listed or traded, or (ii) in order for the 2014 Plan and incentives awarded under the 2014 Plan to continue to comply with Sections 162(m), 421, and 422 of the Code, including any successors to such Sections, or other applicable law, shall be effective unless such amendment is approved by the requisite vote of our stockholders entitled to vote thereon. Any amendments made shall, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee, be applicable to any outstanding awards theretofore granted under the 2014 Plan, notwithstanding any contrary provisions contained in any award agreement. In the event of any such amendment to the 2014 Plan, the holder of any award outstanding under the 2014 Plan shall, upon request of the Committee and as a condition to the exercisability thereof, execute a conforming amendment in the form prescribed by the Committee to any award agreement relating thereto. Notwithstanding anything contained in the 2014 Plan to the contrary, unless required by law, no action regarding amendment or discontinuance of the 2014 Plan shall adversely affect any rights of participants or obligations of the Company to participants with respect to any awards granted under the 2014 Plan without the consent of the affected participant.


        Recoupment for Restatements.    The Company may recoup all or any portion of any shares or cash paid to a participant in connection with an award, in the event of a restatement of the Company's financial statements as set forth in the Company's clawback policy, if any, approved by the Board from time to time.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

        The following is a brief summary of certain federal income tax consequences relating to the transactions described under the 2014 Plan as set forth below. This summary does not purport to address all aspects of federal income taxation and does not describe state, local, or foreign tax consequences. This discussion is based upon provisions of the Code and the treasury regulations issued thereunder, and judicial and administrative interpretations under the Code and treasury regulations, all as in effect as of the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change (possibly on a retroactive basis) or different interpretation. All references to the 2014 Plan in the following summary refer to the 2014 Plan, as amended.

        Law Affecting Deferred Compensation.    In 2004, Section 409A was added to the Code to regulate all types of deferred compensation. If the requirements of Section 409A of the Code are not satisfied, deferred compensation and earnings thereon will be subject to tax as it vests, plus an interest charge at the underpayment rate plus 1% and a 20% penalty tax. Certain performance awards, stock options, SARs, restricted stock units, and certain types of restricted stock are subject to Section 409A of the Code.

        Incentive Stock Options.    A participant will not recognize income at the time an ISO is granted. When a participant exercises an ISO, a participant also generally will not be required to recognize income (either as ordinary income or capital gain). However, to the extent that the fair market value (determined as of the date of grant) of the shares with respect to which the participant's ISOs are exercisable for the first time during any year exceeds $100,000, the ISOs for the shares over $100,000 will be treated as nonqualified stock options, and not ISOs, for federal tax purposes, and the participant will recognize income as if the ISOs were nonqualified stock options. In addition to the foregoing, if the fair market value of the shares received upon exercise of an ISO exceeds the exercise price, then the excess may be deemed a tax preference adjustment for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax calculation. The federal alternative minimum tax may produce significant tax repercussions depending upon the participant's particular tax status.

        The tax treatment of any shares acquired by exercise of an ISO will depend upon whether the participant disposes of his or her shares prior to two years after the date the ISO was granted or one year after the shares were transferred to the participant (referred to as the "Holding Period"). If a participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of an ISO after the expiration of the Holding Period, any amount received in excess of the participant's tax basis for such shares will be treated as short-term or long-term capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant's tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares.

        If the participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of an ISO prior to the expiration of the Holding Period, the disposition will be considered a "disqualifying disposition." If the amount received for the shares is greater than the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date, then the difference between the ISO's exercise price and the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise will be treated as ordinary income for the tax year in which the "disqualifying disposition" occurs. The participant's basis in the shares will be increased by an amount equal to the amount treated as ordinary income due to such "disqualifying disposition." In addition, the amount received in such "disqualifying disposition" over the participant's increased basis in the shares will be treated as capital gain. However, if the price received for shares acquired by exercise of an ISO is less than the


fair market value of the shares on the exercise date and the disposition is a transaction in which the participant sustains a loss which otherwise would be recognizable under the Code, then the amount of ordinary income that the participant will recognize is the excess, if any, of the amount realized on the "disqualifying disposition" over the basis of the shares.

        Nonqualified Stock Options.    A participant generally will not recognize income at the time a nonqualified stock option is granted. When a participant exercises a nonqualified stock option, the difference between the option price and any higher market value of the shares of common stock on the date of exercise will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the participant. The participant's tax basis for the shares acquired under a nonqualified stock option will be equal to the option price paid for such shares, plus any amounts included in the participant's income as compensation. When a participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of a nonqualified stock option, any amount received in excess of the participant's tax basis for such shares will be treated as short-term or long-term capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant's tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares.

        Special Rule if Option Price is Paid for in Shares.    If a participant pays the option price of a nonqualified stock option with previously-owned shares of our common stock and the transaction is not a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO, the shares received equal to the number of shares surrendered are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange. The participant's tax basis and holding period for these shares received will be equal to the participant's tax basis and holding period for the shares surrendered. The shares received in excess of the number of shares surrendered will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the participant to the extent of such shares' fair market value. The participant's tax basis in such shares will be equal to their fair market value on the date of exercise, and the participant's holding period for such shares will begin on the date of exercise.

        If the use of previously acquired shares to pay the exercise price of a nonqualified stock option constitutes a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO, the participant will have ordinary income as a result of the disqualifying disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares surrendered, determined at the time such shares were originally acquired on exercise of the ISO, over the aggregate option price paid for such shares. As discussed above, a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO occurs when the participant disposes of such shares before the end of the Holding Period. The other tax results from paying the exercise price with previously-owned shares are as described above, except that the participant's tax basis in the shares that are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange will be increased by the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant as a result of the disqualifying disposition.

        Restricted Stock Awards.    A participant who receives a grant of restricted stock awards generally will recognize as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares granted as restricted stock awards at such time as the shares are no longer subject to forfeiture or restrictions, over the amount paid, if any, by the participant for such shares. However, a participant who receives restricted stock awards may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days of the date of transfer of the shares to recognize ordinary income on the date of transfer of the shares equal to the excess of the fair market value of such shares (determined without regard to the restrictions on such shares) over the purchase price, if any, of such shares. If a participant does not make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code, then the participant will recognize as ordinary income any dividends received with respect to such shares. At the time of the sale of such shares, any gain or loss realized by the participant will be treated as either short-term or long-term capital gain (or loss) depending on the holding period. For purposes of determining any gain or loss realized, the participant's tax basis will be


the amount previously taxable as ordinary income, plus the purchase price paid by the participant, if any, for such shares.

        Stock Appreciation Rights.    Generally, a participant who receives a stand-alone SAR will not recognize taxable income at the time the stand-alone SAR is granted, provided that the SAR is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code. If an employee receives the appreciation inherent in the SARs in cash, the cash will be taxed as ordinary income to the recipient at the time it is received. If a recipient receives the appreciation inherent in the SARs in stock, the spread between the then current market value and the grant price, if any, will be taxed as ordinary income to the employee at the time it is received. In general, there will be no federal income tax deduction allowed to us upon the grant or termination of SARs. However, upon the exercise of a SAR, we will be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income the recipient is required to recognize as a result of the exercise.

        Other Awards.    In the case of an award of restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent rights, or other stock or cash awards, the recipient will generally recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to any cash received and the fair market value of any shares received on the date of payment or delivery, provided that the award is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code. In that taxable year, we will receive a federal income tax deduction in an amount equal to the ordinary income that the participant has recognized.

        Federal Tax Withholding.    Any ordinary income realized by a participant upon the exercise of an award under the 2014 Plan is subject to withholding of federal, state, and local income tax and to withholding of the participant's share of tax under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. To satisfy federal income tax withholding requirements, we will have the right to require that, as a condition to the registration of the shares in the participant's name or, if requested by the participant in writing in accordance with the terms of the 2014 Plan, to the delivery of any certificate for shares of common stock, the participant remit to us an amount sufficient to satisfy the withholding requirements. Such payment may be made (i) by the delivery of cash to the Company in an amount that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares under (iii) below) the required tax withholding obligations of the company; (ii) if the Company, in its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the actual delivery by the participant to the company of shares of common stock that the participant has not acquired from the Company within six months prior to the date of exercise, which shares so delivered have an aggregate fair market value that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares under (iii) below) the required tax withholding obligations of the Company; (iii) if the Company, in its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the Company's withholding of a number of shares to be delivered upon the exercise of a stock option, which shares so withheld have an aggregate fair market value that equals (but does not exceed) the required tax withholding obligations of the Company; or (iv) any combination of (i), (ii), or (iii). Withholding does not represent an increase in the participant's total income tax obligation, since it is fully credited toward his or her tax liability for the year. Additionally, withholding does not affect the participant's tax basis in the shares. Compensation income realized and tax withheld will be reflected on Forms W-2 supplied by us to employees by January 31 of the succeeding year. Deferred compensation that is subject to Section 409A of the Code will be subject to certain federal income tax withholding and reporting requirements.

        Tax Consequences to the Company.    To the extent that a participant recognizes ordinary income in the circumstances described above, we will be entitled to a corresponding deduction provided that, among other things, the income meets the test of reasonableness, is an ordinary and necessary business expense, is not an "excess parachute payment" within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and is not disallowed by the $1,000,000 limitation on certain executive compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.


        Million Dollar Deduction Limit and Other Tax Matters.    We may not deduct compensation of more than $1,000,000 that is paid to an individual who, on the last day of the taxable year, is either our principal executive officer or an individual who is among the three highest compensated officers for the taxable year (other than the principal executive officer or the principal financial officer). The limitation on deductions does not apply to certain types of compensation, including qualified performance-based compensation, and only applies to compensation paid by a publicly-traded corporation (and not compensation paid by non-corporate entities). To the extent that we determine that Section 162(m) of the Code will apply to any awards granted pursuant to the 2014 Plan, we intend that such awards will be constructed so as to constitute qualified performance-based compensation and, as such, will be exempt from the $1,000,000 limitation on deductible compensation. Because of the uncertainties associated with the application and interpretation of Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder, there can be no assurance that compensation intended to satisfy the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m) will in fact be deductible.

        If an individual's rights under the 2014 Plan are accelerated as a result of a change in control and the individual is a "disqualified individual" under Section 280G of the Code, the value of any such accelerated rights received by such individual may be included in determining whether or not such individual has received an "excess parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Code, which could result in (i) the imposition of a 20% federal excise tax (in addition to federal income tax) payable by the individual on the value of such accelerated rights; and (ii) the loss by us of a compensation deduction.

Other Information

        The market value of our common stock is $5.95 per share based on the closing price of our common stock on September 22, 2016.

        The following persons and groups have received grants of stock options to purchase the following number of shares under the 2014 Plan since its inception through September 22, 2016: (a) the Named Executive Officers, Steven R. Becker—options to purchase 1,631,679 shares, Stacie Shirley—options to purchase 102,203 shares, Melissa Phillips—options to purchase 298,236 shares, Phillip D. Hixon—options to purchase 167,725 shares, Kelley J. Munsch—options to purchase 48,395 shares, R. Michael Rouleau—options to purchase 312,311 shares, Jeffrey N. Boyer—options to purchase 52,299 shares; (b) all current executive officers as a group (four persons)—options to purchase 2,199,843 shares; (c) all current directors who are not executive officers as a group (six persons)—options to purchase no shares; and (d) all employees, including all current officers who are not executive officers, as a group—options to purchase 2,048,158 shares. The amounts shown include shares subject to options that may have been forfeited in whole or in part.

New Plan Benefits

        The Committee has not made any grants of awards under the 2014 Plan that are conditioned upon stockholder approval of the proposed amendments to the 2014 Plan. We cannot currently determine the benefits or number of shares subject to awards that may be granted in the future to eligible participants under the 2014 Plan, as amended, because the grant of awards and terms of such awards are to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote "FOR" approval of the amendments to the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan.



PROPOSAL NO. 4
RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

        On September 21, 2016,26, 2018, the Audit Committee selected Ernst & Young as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017.2019. Although SEC regulations and the NASDAQ listing requirements require the Company's independent registered public accounting firm to be engaged, retained and supervised by the Audit Committee, the selection is being submitted for ratification at the Annual Meeting with a view towards soliciting the opinion of the Company's stockholders, which the Audit Committee will take into consideration in future deliberations. If the selection of Ernst & Young as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm is not ratified at the Annual Meeting, the Audit Committee may consider the


engagement of another independent registered public accounting firm, but will not be obligated to do so. The Audit Committee may terminate the engagement of Ernst & Young as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm without the approval of the Company's stockholders if the Audit Committee deems termination to be necessary or appropriate. The Company expects that representatives of Ernst & Young will be present at the Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions and will have an opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

        The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote "FOR" the ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017.


2019.


CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Director Nomination

        The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for providing oversight as to the identification, selection and qualification of candidates to serve as directors of the Company and will recommend to the Board candidates for election or re-election as directors (or to fill any vacancies on the Board). The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Terry Burman, as Chair, Frank M. Hamlin and Richard S Willis.Willis, Barry S. Gluck and James T. Corcoran. Each of the members of the Nominating and Governance Committee is an independent director under applicable NASDAQ rules. The Nominating and Governance Committee Charter is available on the Company's website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com under "Investor Relations—Corporate Governance—Corporate Governance Documents." The Nominating and Governance Committee Charter is also available in print to any stockholder who requests a copy from the Secretary of the Company at 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240.

        In identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the Nominating and Governance Committee will take into account the following attributes and qualifications: (1) relevant knowledge and mix of background and experience; (2) personal and professional ethics, integrity and professionalism; (3) accomplishments in their respective fields; (4) the skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the Board, the Company and its stockholders; and (5) whether the candidate has any of the following qualities: financial expertise, general knowledge of the retail industry, and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or other senior management experience. In addition, although the Nominating and Governance Committee does not have a formal diversity policy in place for the director nomination process, diversity is an important factor in the Nominating and Governance Committee's consideration and assessment of a candidate, with diversity being broadly construed to mean a variety of opinions, perspectives, experiences and backgrounds, including gender, race and ethnicity differences, as well as other differentiating characteristics, all in the context of the requirements of the Board at that point in time. In addition, no person may be considered as a candidate for nomination as a director of the Company if (i) during the last ten years, that person, or any of his or her affiliates, has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors), or is currently under investigation for same or (ii) during the last ten years, that person, or any of his or her affiliates, was a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as a result of which that person, or any of his or her affiliates, was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws on finding any violation with respect to such laws, or is currently under investigation for same. In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee will recommend to the Board candidates for re-election as directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee may conduct all necessary and appropriate inquiries into the backgrounds and qualifications of potential candidates. There are no specific or minimum qualities a candidate must have to be recommended as a director nominee by the Nominating and Governance Committee.


        The process for evaluating candidates is the same regardless of the source of the recommendation. The Nominating and Governance Committee will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion or disability in selecting nominees. In addition to those candidates identified through its own internal processes, the Nominating and Governance Committee will evaluate a candidate proposed by any single stockholder (or group of stockholders) that beneficially owns our Common Stock provided that the information regarding the potential candidate or candidates has been timely given to the Company. In order to be considered by the Nominating and Governance Committee for evaluation for an upcoming annual meeting of stockholders, a notice from a stockholder regarding a potential candidate must be sent to the Company's Secretary at the Company's headquarters by the date specified in the "Stockholders' Proposals" section of the previous year's proxy statement for notice of the intention to nominate directors at the meeting. The notice should set forth


(a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes as a potential candidate for director, (i) the name, age, business address and residence address of such person, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of such person, (iii) the class and number of shares of the Company that are beneficially owned by such person, and (iv) any other information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (including without limitation such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice, (i) the name and address of the stockholder of record, as they appear on the Company's books, of the beneficial owners, if any, and, if such stockholder or beneficial owner is an entity, the persons controlling such entity, proposing such nomination, (ii) the class and number of shares of the Company which are held of record and beneficially by such stockholder and control persons and a description of certain agreements, arrangements or understandings among the stockholder, beneficial owners or control persons (and a representation to notify the Company of any such agreements, arrangements or understandings in effect as of the record date of the meeting), (iii) a representation that the stockholder is entitled to vote at the meeting and intends to appear at the meeting in person or by proxy, and (iv) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner or control person, if any, will engage in a solicitation with respect to the nomination and, if so, certain information concerning the solicitation. All candidates (whether identified internally or by a stockholder) who, after evaluation and recommendation by the Nominating and Governance Committee, are then nominated by the Board will be included as the Board's recommended slate of director nominees in the Company's proxy statement.

        In addition to submitting potential candidates for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee, any stockholder of the Company may nominate one or more individuals for election as a director of the Company at an annual meeting of stockholders if the stockholder sends a notice to the Company's Secretary at the Company's headquarters, in the form specified in the Bylaws, by the date specified in the "Stockholders' Proposals" section of the previous year's proxy statement for nomination of directors. The procedures described in the prior paragraph are meant to establish an additional means by which certain stockholders can have access to the Company's process for identifying and evaluating Board candidates and is not meant to replace or limit stockholders' general nomination rights in any way.

        Each of the nominees for director was elected to serve as a director at the last annual meeting of stockholders. Mr. Corcoran was nominated to the Board at the last annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to the terms of a Cooperation Agreement described below.

Cooperation Agreement

        Pursuant to the terms of a Cooperation Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2017 (the "Cooperation Agreement"), among the Company, Jeereddi II, LP, Purple Mountain Capital Partners LLC and certain of their affiliates, the Company agreed to nominate James T. Corcoran for


election to the Board at the 2017 Annual Meeting. Under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement, Mr. Corcoran will offer his resignation to the Board if at any time the Jeereddi/PMCP Group no longer beneficially owns at least 533,344 shares of the Company's common stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments, the "Minimum Ownership Threshold"). In addition, so long as the Jeereddi/PMCP Group meets the Minimum Ownership Threshold, the Jeereddi/PMCP Group will be entitled to certain replacement rights during the Standstill Period (as defined below) in the event Mr. Corcoran is unable to serve as a director.

        Also under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement, Jeereddi II agreed to irrevocably withdraw its notice of nomination of candidates for election at the 2017 Annual Meeting. In addition, each member of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group agreed that it will not, directly or indirectly, (i) nominate or recommend for nomination any person for election at the 2018 Annual Meeting, (ii) submit proposals for consideration or otherwise bring any business before the 2018 Annual Meeting, or (iii) engage in certain activities related to "withhold" or similar campaigns with respect to the 2018 Annual Meeting.

        The Cooperation Agreement also provides that at the 2018 Annual Meeting, each member of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group will cause all shares of the Company's common stock beneficially owned by them to be present and voted (i) in favor of all of the directors nominated for election by the Board, (ii) in favor of the appointment of the Company's independent registered accounting firm for the years ended June 30, 2019, respectively, and (iii) in accordance with the Board's recommendation with respect to the Company's "say-on-pay" proposal, provided, however, that to the extent that the recommendation of both Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co., LLC ("Glass Lewis") differs from the Board's recommendation with respect to any matter other than nominees for election as directors to the Board, the Jeereddi/PMCP Group shall have the right to vote in accordance with the recommendation of ISS and Glass Lewis with respect to such matters.

        Further, under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement, each member of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group agreed to certain normal and customary standstill provisions during a standstill period, which is defined as the period beginning on the date of the Cooperation Agreement and through the later of (x) the date that is the first day to submit stockholder nominations for the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to the Company's Bylaws (the "2019 Advance Notice Date") and (y) the date that Mr. Corcoran no longer serves on the Board; provided, however, that if Mr. Corcoran resigns for any reason prior to the 2019 Advance Notice Date, the Standstill Period shall continue until the 2019 Advance Notice Date (the "Standstill Period").

        Among other things, the standstill provisions provide that, during the Standstill Period, each member of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group will not, among other things, solicit proxies or consents regarding any matter to come before any annual or special meeting of stockholders, or enter into a voting agreement or any group with stockholders other than affiliates of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group and current group members. In addition, each member of the Jeereddi/PMCP Group will not seek to make, or encourage any third party in making, any offer or proposal with respect to any tender offer, merger, acquisition, amalgamation, recapitalization, restructuring, disposition, spin-off, asset sale, joint venture or other business combination involving the Company and will not seek, or encourage any person, to submit nominees in furtherance of a contested solicitation for the election or removal of directors.

        Each of the parties also agreed to certain mutual non-disparagement obligations, and the Company agreed to reimburse the Jeereddi/PMCP Group for its reasonable, documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses, including legal expenses, occurred in connection with the matters related to the negotiation and execution of the Cooperation Agreement, up to a maximum of $25,000.

Director Independence

        NASDAQ listing standards require our Board of Directors to be comprised of at least a majority of independent directors. For a director to be considered independent, the Board must determine that


the director does not have any direct or indirect material relationship with the Company which would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out of his or her responsibilities as a director. Based on the independence standards prescribed by NASDAQ, our Board has affirmatively determined that fivesix of the seveneight current directors are independent. Mr. Becker is not independent due to his relationship with the Company as Chief Executive Officer. The Board determined that Mr. Montalto is not independent due to the services that he has provided sinceto the Company between August 2015 and is providing, to the CompanyOctober 2016 in various capacities. In determining that Mr. Burman is independent, our Board considered his prior service as a member and Vice Chairman of the Office of the Chairman as described below, and determined that such service would not interfere with his independence because he received no compensation for such service, served only in an advisory role and did not perform any management or executive functions. As prescribed by NASDAQ rules, the independent directors have regularly scheduled meetings without management present.


Independent Chairman of the Board

        TheWith the exception of a three-month period in 2015 following the retirement of the Company's chief executive officer, the Company has had different individuals serving as its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board from 2000 until September 2015 and, effectivesince 2000. Since December 2015, reestablished the separation of these roles. In connection with the retirement of the Company's Chief Executive Officer in September 2015, the Board appointed Mr. Becker, the then-serving Chairman of the Board, to serve as Executive Chairman of the Company, in which role Mr. Becker continued his duties as Chairman of the Board and also served as the interim principal executive officer of the Company. In September 2015, the Board also created a new Office of the Chairman to provide oversight to the Company's strategic initiatives until the Board hired a new Chief Executive Officer. The Office of Chairman was led by Mr. Becker, as Executive Chairman, and included Mr. Burman as Vice Chairman, Melissa Phillips, in her capacity as the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer, and Phillip Hixon, in his capacity as the Company's Executive Vice President, Store Operations. At the same time, the Board also appointed Mr. Burman to serve as Lead Independent Director. The Board determined that this leadership structure was appropriate and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders at that time because it provided strong executive leadership through the Executive Chairman together with independent leadership of the independent directors through the Lead Independent Director.

        In December 2015, the Board appointed Mr. Becker as the Company's new Chief Executive Officer and eliminated the office of Executive Chairman and dissolved the Office of Chairman. The Board also appointed Mr. Burmanhas served as independent Chairman of the Board and eliminated the position of Lead Independent Director.Board. The separation of the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer is designed to allow our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Becker, to focus on the day-to-day management of the Company's business and to allow our independent Chairman of the Board, Mr. Burman, to focus on the continued development of a high-performing Board, including (1) ensuring the Board remains focused on the Company's long-term strategic plans, (2) developing Board agendas, (3) working with Company management to ensure the Board has timely and adequate information, (4) coordinating Board committee activities, (5) supporting the Chief Executive Officer and (6) ensuring effective stakeholder communications. The Board recognizes the time, effort and energy that the Chief Executive Officer is required to devote to his position in the current business environment, as well as the commitment required to serve as our Chairman, particularly as the Board's oversight responsibilities continue to grow. The Board believes, due to the continued leadership and experience provided by these two individuals, that having separate positions is the appropriate leadership structure for the Company at this time and demonstrates our commitment to good corporate governance.

Board of Directors' Role in Risk Oversight

        OurIn the normal course of business, our Company like others, faces a variety of enterprise risks, including credit risk,operational risks, cyber security risks and liquidity risk and operational risk. In fulfilling its risk oversight role, the Board focuses on the adequacy of the Company's risk management process and overall risk management system. The Board believes an effective risk management system will (1) adequately identify the material risks that the Company faces in a timely manner, (2) implement appropriate risk management strategies that are responsive to the Company's risk profile and specific material risk exposures, (3) integrate consideration of risk and risk management into business decision-making throughout the Company and (4) include policies and procedures that adequately transmit necessary information with respect to material risks to senior executives and, as appropriate, to the Board or relevant committee.

        The Board of Directors oversees the Company's strategic direction and its policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, as well as major risk exposures and the process used to manage those exposures. Accordingly, the Board of Directors periodically reviews the risks associated with the various departments within the Company, in addition to its other duties. The Board of Directors receives information from Board committees, management and advisors regarding the Company's risk


management process and system, the nature of the material risks the Company faces and the adequacy of the Company's policies and procedures designed to respond to and mitigate these risks.


Communication with the Board of Directors

        Stockholders may communicate with one or more members of the Board in writing by regular mail. The following address may be used by stockholders who wish to send such communications:

        Such communication should be clearly marked "Stockholder-Board Communication." The communication must indicate whether it is meant to be distributed to the entire Board, a specific committee of the Board or to specific members of the Board, and must state the number of shares beneficially owned by the stockholder making the communication. The Secretary has the authority to disregard any inappropriate communications. If deemed an appropriate communication, the Secretary will submit such stockholder's correspondence to the Chairman of the Board (on behalf of the Board) or to any specific committee, director or directors to whom the correspondence is directed.

Code of Business Conduct

        We have adopted a "Code of Business Conduct" that establishes the business conduct to be followed by all of our officers, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions (the "Senior Financial Officers"), and all of our employees and members of our Board and embodies the Company's principles and practices relating to the ethical conduct of the Company's business and its long-standing commitment to honesty, fair dealing and full compliance with all laws affecting the Company's business. This policy is reviewed by the Board annually. Amendments to and waivers from the Code of Conduct with respect to the Senior Financial Officers will be posted on our website within four business days after approval by the Board. Any waiver from the Code of Conduct with respect to our Senior Financial Officers requires approval by the Board. There were no waivers from the Code of Conduct with respect to the Senior Financial Officers during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.2018. The Code of Conduct is available on the Company's website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com under "Investor Relations—Corporate Governance—Corporate Governance Documents".



MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

Board of Directors

        Each director is expected to devote sufficient time, energy and attention to ensure diligent performance of his or her duties and to attend all Board, committee and stockholder's meetings. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016,2018, the Board of Directors held 14seven meetings. Each of our directors attended more than 75% or more of the Board and committee meetings held during the fiscal year (or portion of the fiscal year during which he or she served as a director or committee member). Directors are encouraged to attend the Company's annual meeting of stockholders. All of the directors then serving on the Board attended the Company's 20152017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders meeting held on December 9, 2015.November 15, 2017.


Committees of the Board

        The Board has three standing committees to facilitate and assist the Board in the execution of its responsibilities. The committees are the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee.

Audit Committee

        The Audit Committee has three members and met eight times duringFor the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016. The2018, the Audit Committee is comprised solelyhad three members and met eight times. Such members were Richard S Willis, as Chair, Frank M. Hamlin and James T. Corcoran, all of which were non-employee directors and all of whom the Board has determined are independent pursuant to the applicable NASDAQ rules and satisfy the SEC requirements relating to the independence of audit committee members. The Board hasalso determined that all the members of the Audit Committee havehad the ability to read and understand fundamental financial statements.

        The Audit Committee is currently comprised of Richard S Willis, as Chair, Sherry M. Smith and Jimmie L. Wade. TheFor the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Board of Directors has determined that Messrs.Mr. Willis and Wade and Ms. Smith each qualifyqualified as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by applicable SEC rules and has designated eachhim as the Company's audit committee financial expert. The Board has adopted a charter for the Audit Committee, which is available on the Company's website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com under "Investor Relations—Corporate Governance—Corporate Governance Documents." The Audit Committee Charter is also available in print to any stockholder who requests a copy from the Secretary of the Company at 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240.

        The Audit Committee's responsibilities, which are discussed in detail in its charter include, among other things, the duty and responsibility to:



        The Audit Committee has authority under its charter to retain any independent counsel, experts or advisors (accounting, financial, legal or otherwise) that the Audit Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate to assist in the fulfillment of its responsibilities. At each meeting, the Audit Committee meets in executive session in which only independent directors are present. The Audit Committee also meets independently with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm.


Compensation Committee

        The Compensation Committee has three members and met sixteen12 times during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.2018. The Compensation Committee is comprised solely of non-employee directors, all of whom the Board has determined are independent pursuant to applicable NASDAQ rules.

        TheFor the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Compensation Committee is currentlywas comprised of Sherry M. Smith, as Chair, Frank M. Hamlin and Barry S. Gluck. On October 4, 2017, Jimmie L. Wade.Wade, a director and member of the Compensation Committee, provided the Company with notice of his intention to retire and not to seek reelection as a director at the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. After the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Board appointed Barry S. Gluck to serve on the Compensation Committee. The Board adopted a charter for the Compensation Committee, which is available on the Company's website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com under "Investor Relations—Corporate Governance—Corporate Governance Documents." The Compensation Committee Charter is also available in print to any stockholder who requests a copy from the Secretary of the Company at 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240.

        The Compensation Committee's responsibilities, which are discussed in detail in its charter include, among other things, the duty and responsibility to:

        The Compensation Committee also oversees the Company's stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors and certain executive officers.

        Compensation Committee meetings have been regularly attended by the Chief Executive Officer. At each meeting, the Compensation Committee meets in an executive session in which only independent directors are present. None of the executive officers are present during voting or deliberations on his or her compensation.

        The Compensation Committee has authority under its charter to retain, approve fees for and terminate advisors, consultants and legal counsel as it deems necessary to assist in the fulfillment of its responsibilities. See "Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis—How Compensation Decisions Are Made—The Role of the Executive Compensation Consultant "Consultant" below for more information regarding the role of the compensation consultant utilized by the Compensation


Committee. Prior to engaging any such advisor, consultant or legal counsel, the Compensation Committee conducts an independence assessment of such advisor pursuant to NASDAQ rules and federal securities laws and regulations, but the Compensation Committee retains discretion to engage any such advisor, without regard to its independence, after considering the findings in such assessment. The Compensation Committee also reviews and discusses with the appropriate officers of the Company any disclosures required under federal securities laws and regulations regarding conflicts of interest with respect to such advisors.


Nominating and Governance Committee

        The Nominating and Governance Committee has threefour members and met four times during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.2018. The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised solely of non-employee directors, all of whom the Board has determined are independent pursuant to applicable NASDAQ rules.

        The Nominating and Governance Committee is currently comprised of Terry Burman, as Chair, Frank M. Hamlin and Richard S Willis.Willis, Barry S. Gluck and James T. Corcoran. The Board adopted a charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee, which is available on the Company's website atwww.tuesdaymorning.com under "Investor Relations—Corporate Governance—Corporate Governance Documents." The Nominating and Governance Committee Charter is also available in print to any stockholder who requests a copy from the Secretary of the Company at 6250 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75240.

        The Nominating and Governance Committee's responsibilities, which are discussed in detail in its charter include, among other things, the duty and responsibility to:

        The Nominating and Governance Committee has authority under its charter to retain, approve fees for and terminate advisors, consultants and legal counsel as it deems necessary to assist in the fulfillment of its responsibilities.



EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

        The following sets forth certain information about our executive officers, other than Mr. Becker, our Chief Executive Officer, whose biographical information is included above under "Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors."

Melissa Phillips

        Ms. Phillips, age 40, has served as the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer since April 2015 and served as a member of the Office of Chairman from September 2015 until the dissolution of that office in December 2015. From April 2014 until April 2015, Ms. Phillips served as the Company's Executive Vice President, General Merchandise Manager. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Phillips served as the General Manager of Home Decorators Collection, a division of The Home Depot, Inc., from August 2009 until April 2014. From April 2007 until May 2009, Ms. Phillips held various executive positions with Smith & Hawken, a retailer of garden lifestyle products, including Senior Vice President, Business to Business and Senior Vice President, Merchandising. Prior to joining Smith & Hawken, Ms. Phillips served in various roles with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. from August 1998 until April 2007, including Divisional Merchandise Manager, Outdoor Living and Senior Buyer, Home Textiles.

Stacie R. Shirley

        Ms. Shirley, age 47, has served as the Company's Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since January 2016. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Shirley served as an executive officer of Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC, a luxury fashion retailer, serving as Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer from September 2010 until December 2015 and Vice President, Finance and Treasurer from December 2001 until September 2010. In her most recent position with Neiman Marcus Group, Ms. Shirley's areas of responsibility included finance, capital markets and treasury operations, capital planning and forecasting, credit operations, investor relations, risk management and internal audit. Prior to joining Neiman Marcus Group, Ms. Shirley served in various capacities at CompUSA Inc. from 1993 to 2001, including serving as Vice President, Finance and Treasurer from 1999 to 2001. Ms. Shirley began her career as an accountant with Ernst & Young in 1990 and is a certified public accountant.

Phillip D. Hixon

        Mr. Hixon, age 62, has served as the Company's Executive Vice President, Store Operations since September 2015 and served as a member of the Office of Chairman from September 2015 until the dissolution of that office in December 2015. From June 2014 to September 2015, Mr. Hixon served as the Company's Senior Vice President, Store Operations, and from September 2013 to June 2014, Mr. Hixon served as the Company's Vice President, Store Planning. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Hixon served as Vice President of Business Development of Merchco Services, Inc., a provider of retail store development and support services, from June 2012 until August 2013. From 2011 until 2012 and 2005 until 2006, Mr. Hixon owned and served as principal of Diversified Resources LLC, where he developed and implemented programs for clients in the areas of strategic planning, effective business practices, process enhancement and organizational effectiveness. From 2009 until 2011, Mr. Hixon served in the Department of Strategy and Innovation of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., a specialty retailer of pet supplies. From 2006 until 2009, Mr. Hixon held various executive positions with Duckwall-Alco Stores Inc., a retail chain, including Senior Vice President, Store Operations, Real Estate, Store Development and Senior Vice President, Merchandising. Mr. Hixon served as Vice President, Store Development for Michaels Stores, Inc., a national arts and crafts specialty retailer, from 1987 until 2005.


Kelly J. Munsch

        Ms. Munsch, age 48, has served as the Company's Vice President and Controller since November 2014. From July 2015 to January 2016, Ms. Munsch served as Interim Principal Financial Officer and Interim Chief Accounting Officer. Prior to November 2014 she had served as the Company's Assistant Controller since joining the Company in October 2013. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Munsch served as Chief Financial Officer of Panini America, Inc., a privately-held collectibles company, from April 2011 until September 2013, in which position she oversaw, among other functions, the company's accounting, treasury, tax, financial planning and analysis, compliance and internal control, and risk management functions. From November 2009 until June 2010, Ms. Munsch served as Director—Merchandise Cost Accounting and Analysis of 99 Cents Only Stores, Inc., a then publicly-held deep-discount retailer, in which position she was responsible for all aspects of the company's inventory accounting, including SOX compliance. Prior to joining 99 Cents Only Stores, Inc., she served in various accounting and finance positions at other retail companies, including Michaels Stores, Inc., Things Remembered, Inc., and Pearle Vision. Ms. Munsch is a certified public accountant and received her MBA from Southern Methodist University in 1996 and her BBA—Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990.



EXECUTIVE COMPENSATIONCompensation

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

        This Compensation and Discussion and Analysis describesprovides a summary of our compensation policies, principlesprincipals and practices andpractices. More specifically, it presents a review and analysis of executivefiscal 2018 earned compensation earned in fiscal 2016 by our named executive officers (NEOs).NEOs. This discussion and analysis also containsdoes include statements regarding our performance targetsCompany and goals. Theseindividual targets and goals which are disclosed in the limited context of our compensation programs and shouldare not be understoodintended to be statements of management's expectations orprovide estimates of results or to provide other guidance.

Letter from Compensation Committee

Dear Fellow Stockholders:

        As members of the Compensation Committee, we have established and oversee an executive compensation program directly linked to performance and the creation of long-term value for our stockholders. The program is designed to reward performance linked to stockholder value and support executive recruitment, engagement and retention.

        Our pay-for-performance philosophy is evidenced by the payouts to our executives. As a result of our performance in fiscal 2018 and the strong emphasis that our executive compensation program places on performance-based compensation, the actual compensation realized by our NEOs in fiscal 2018, as well as in fiscal 2017, was significantly lower than our target levels of compensation. In particular:

        While our financial performance in fiscal 2018 did not meet the threshold levels for payouts under our incentive compensation programs, our Board and Compensation Committee believe our executive management team is implementing and executing a strategic plan that is positioning the Company for long-term success. In fiscal 2018, we continued to implement our strategy of improving store locations and the in-store experience for our customers, which included (i) closing less productive stores with limited foot traffic and relocating some of these stores to, or opening new stores in, better locations with footprints that are on average three to five thousand square feet larger, (ii) expanding some existing stores to a larger footprint, and (iii) improving the finishes in these relocated, new and expanded stores.

        We specifically caution investors notbelieve our improved performance over the Spring selling season shows the positive momentum of our strategic plan and the benefits it is providing to applythe Company. In 2018, our Compensation Committee carefully considered the challenges to maintaining this positive momentum, including the risks of attrition in the executive management team due to competitive pressures in the retail industry and competitive hiring pressures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area market, as well as the negative impacts on retention of continuing actual realized compensation being lower than target level


compensation for our executive officers and the significantly under water position of most outstanding long-term equity awards held by our executive team.

        In order to maintain our positive momentum and recognizing the significant benefits of continuity, our Compensation Committee, after consultation with its independent compensation consultant, has taken several actions. First, our Compensation Committee approved retention agreements with the members of our executive team (other than our Chief Executive Officer) that will provide additional payments in exchange for each such officer's agreement to remain employed through December 31, 2019, taking us through two critical peak seasons. Second, in connection with approving Mr. Becker's 2019 compensation, our Compensation Committee approved a one-time award to Mr. Becker, 50% of which will be paid in stock that will vest equally over four years and 50% of which will be paid in cash and will be payable only if the Company experiences substantial stock price appreciation. These decisions demonstrate the Compensation Committee's commitment to it philosophy of providing executive compensation arrangements that will attract and retain an executive team that will create long-term value for our stockholders while making a substantial portion of pay dependent on our performance.

        We held 12 Compensation Committee meetings during fiscal 2018, and the average Director attendance at these statementsmeetings of our current Compensation Committee member was 100%. We are engaged and take our responsibilities seriously in establishing and overseeing the executive compensation program.

        We thank you for your continued support.

Compensation Committee Report

        The Compensation Committee of the Company has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K with management and, based on such review and discussions, the Compensation Committee has recommended to other contexts.the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Proxy Statement.

THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
Sherry M. Smith, Chair
Frank M. Hamlin
Barry S. Gluck

Fiscal 20162018 Financial and Business HighlightsPerformance Review

        In fiscal 2016, we made tangibleWhile certain areas of the retail industry continue to be challenged by external market pressures, Tuesday Morning continues to make both financial and operational progress on eachits key initiatives. We achieved a number of our strategic priorities, including real estate, merchandising, marketing, infrastructure and talent. In connection with our real estate initiatives, we relocated 46 stores, expanded 7 stores, opened 16 stores and closed 34 stores. Our revenues benefited from these efforts along with the progress we have made improving our assortment and overall customer experience. We successfully opened our new Phoenix distribution centermilestones during the fourth quarter ofpast fiscal 2016year and are currently ramping this facility towards its full capacity. Additionally, we solidified the senior leadership team across key functional areas.had positive inflections in our performance metrics. Some of our financial and business highlights for the fiscal year include:

In a very competitive and challenging retail environment, we have been able to attract and retain a strong leadership team that has continued to be focused on making positive progress against our priorities:

Fiscal 2018 Priority
Summary of Objective

Financial Results

Achieve total sales projection

SG&A

Operate within the budget

Real Estate

Continue to drive performance in new and relocated stores while placing increased emphasis on legacy stores

Supply Chain

Continue to capitalize on efficiencies in distribution centers

Merchandising

Increase inventory turn; provide freshness in merchandise and brands

Marketing

Execute digital campaign; shift from print to digital

Our Compensation Philosophy

        The connection between pay and performance continues to be a primary focus of our compensation philosophy. Our executive compensation program is directly linked to performance and the creation of long-term value for our stockholders. The program is designed to motivate long-term growth,reward performance linked to hold executives accountable for key annual results year-over-yearthe creation of stockholder value and to support executive recruitment, engagement, and engagement. This philosophy includes the following:


What We Do & What We Don't Do

        The table below highlights certain of

Compensation Governance—What We Do & What We Don't Do




What We Do



What We Don't Do

Annual "Say on Pay" vote

No formal employment agreements other than the CEO

Pay for performance culture, emphasis on performance-based compensation

 

No discretionary bonuses paid to permanent NEOs when performance results are below threshold performance

Executive ownership guidelines

Pay for performance culture, with an emphasis on performance-based compensation 

No tax gross-up upon change-in-control

Executive retention/holding requirements

Meaningful executive ownership guidelines that create a line of sight between stockholders and executive officers 

No repricingre-pricing of stock options and no liberal share recycling

Executive equity retention/holding requirements

No across-the-board pay increases

Manage compensation risk by using a variety of financial metrics in pay programs and capping payouts

No across-the-board pay increases

Hedging/pledging policies

 

No formal non-qualified benefits or perquisite programs

Use of independent compensation consultant

Restrict hedging and pledging activities and employ clawback policies 

No hedging or pledging of stock

Use of independent compensation consultant reporting directly to the Compensation Committee

        As discussed in Proposal No. 3 above, we are also proposing changes to our equity plan to eliminate certain provisions to make the plan more consistent with investor expectations regarding governance practices.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Our Named Executive Officers (NEOs)

        ForOur NEOs remained consistent from fiscal 2016, our2017 to fiscal 2018. Our NEOs included the following persons, reflecting the changes in our leadership team during the fiscal year:were:

Named Executive Officer
 Position

Steven R. Becker

 Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Phillips

President and Chief Operating OfficerPresident

Stacie R. Shirley

 Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

Phillip D. Hixon

 Executive Vice President, Store Operations

Kelly J. MunschTrent E. Taylor

 Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President, Supply Chain and Controller (served as Interim Principal Financial Officer and Interim Chief Accounting Officer from July 2015 through January 2016)Inventory Management

R. Michael RouleauBelinda J. Byrd-Rohleder

 Former Chief Executive Officer (retired September 28, 2015)

Jeffrey N. Boyer

Former ExecutiveSenior Vice President Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Financial Officer (resigned July 22, 2015)and General Merchandising Manager

        The following sets forth certain information about our executive officers, other than Mr. Becker, our Chief Executive Officer, whose biographical information is included above under "Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors."

Stacie R. Shirley

Ms. MunschShirley, age 49 has served as the Company's Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since January 2016. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Shirley served as an executive officer on an interim basis from July 2015 through January 2016, has continued since that timeof Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC, a luxury fashion retailer, serving as ourSenior Vice President, Finance and ControllerTreasurer from September 2010 until December 2015 and generally participatesVice President, Finance and Treasurer from December 2001 until September 2010. In her most recent position with Neiman Marcus Group, Ms. Shirley's areas of responsibility included finance, capital markets and treasury operations, capital planning and forecasting, credit operations, investor relations, risk management and internal audit. Prior to joining Neiman Marcus Group, Ms. Shirley served in different compensation arrangements than the personsvarious capacities at CompUSA Inc. from 1993 to 2001, including serving as NEOsVice President, Finance and Treasurer from 1999 to 2001. Ms. Shirley began her career as an accountant with Ernst & Young in 1990 and is a permanent capacity.certified public accountant.

Phillip D. Hixon

        Mr. Hixon, age 64, has served as the Company's Executive Vice President, Store Operations since September 2015 and served as a member of the Office of Chairman from September 2015 until the dissolution of that office in December 2015. From June 2014 to September 2015, Mr. Hixon served as the Company's Senior Vice President, Store Operations, and from September 2013 to June 2014, Mr. Hixon served as the Company's Vice President, Store Planning. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Hixon served as Vice President of Business Development of Merchco Services, Inc., a provider of retail store development and support services, from June 2012 until August 2013. From 2011 until 2012 and 2005 until 2006, Mr. Hixon owned and served as principal of Diversified Resources LLC, where he developed and implemented programs for clients in the areas of strategic planning, effective business practices, process enhancement and organizational effectiveness. From 2009 until 2011, Mr. Hixon served in the Department of Strategy and Innovation of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., a specialty retailer of pet supplies. From 2006 until 2009, Mr. Hixon held various executive positions with Duckwall-Alco Stores Inc., a retail chain, including Senior Vice President, Store Operations, Real Estate, Store Development and Senior Vice President, Merchandising. Mr. Hixon served as Vice President, Store Development for Michaels Stores, Inc., a national arts and crafts specialty retailer, from 1987 until 2005.


Trent E. Taylor

        Mr. Taylor, age 61, has served as the Company's Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President, Supply Chain and Inventory Management since March 2018. From June 2017 to February 2018, he served as the Company's Senior Vice President, Chief Information and Inventory Management Officer, from January 2017 to June 2017 as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Supply Chain Officer, and from April 2016 to January 2017 as the Company's Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Taylor served as an executive officer of hhgregg, a retailer of consumer electronics and home appliances as Chief Information Officer from September 2011 until March 2016. From November 1992 until 2009, Mr. Taylor served in various roles for the Walgreen Company including Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of e-commerce.

Belinda J. Byrd-Rohleder

        Ms. Byrd-Rohleder, age 55, has served as the Company's Senior Vice President, General Merchandising Manager since January 2017 and served as Vice President, Division Merchandising Manager from June 2015 until January 2017. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Byrd-Rohleder served as the Senior Vice President of Arden Companies from August 2012 until May 2014. From February 2010 until January 2012, Ms. Byrd-Rohleder served as the Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for Home and Hardlines at Shopko, a regional mass merchant. Prior to joining Shopko, Ms. Byrd-Rohleder was the Senior Vice President at HSN for Home and Apparel/Accessories from August 2006 to July 2008. Prior to joining HSN, Ms. Byrd-Rohleder held the role of VP/GMM of Soft Home for Sears Holdings (both Kmart and Sears companies) from May 2004 to August 2006. Prior to Sears Holdings, Ms. Byrd-Rohleder served in various roles with Kmart Corporation from 1994 to 2004, including Divisional Vice President of Soft Home and Senior Buyer of numerous home businesses, including Home Textiles, Housewares and Furniture.

How Compensation Decisions Areare Made

        The Compensation Committee, which is comprised solely of independent directors, has responsibility for overseeingoversees the development and administration of our executive compensation


programs. Annually, theThe Compensation Committee reviewsconsiders financial and strategic achievements against business goals and plans in its annual review of total executive compensation programs and practices relative to our performance and market trends and practices.practices, as well as to the Company's performance.

        The Compensation Committee establishes the design of all executive remunerationpay programs, including those for our Chief Executive Officer, or CEO.Officer. The Compensation Committee reviews and approves individual executive annual pay targets, sets financial and business metrics for performanceperformance-based plans and approves final payout levels for executive officers within the Compensation Committee's scope.officers.

        The Compensation Committee has an independent executive compensation consultant that reports directly to the Committee. The Committee has the authority to retain, terminate, compensate and oversee any compensation consultant or other advisors to assist the committee in the discharge of its responsibilities. Since December 2013, the Compensation Committee has engaged Hay Group, Inc., now known as

        The Korn Ferry Hay Group ("Hay Group" or "Korn Ferry Hay Group"), as its outsidehad been providing executive compensation consultant. For 2016, Hay Groupconsulting services to the Compensation Committee of the Board since December 2013. In February 2018, following a request for proposal, the Committee engaged Willis Towers Watson to provide executive compensation consulting services. Willis Towers Watson has significant retail experience to help benchmark and position our


executive compensation programs to ensure they are competitive, performance-based, compliant and cost-effective. Since that time, Willis Towers Watson has assisted the Compensation Committee with:

        Hay Group attendsWillis Towers Watson will also be involved in the analysis of the design, structure and level of the non-employee director compensation program, when requested.

        Following a review of the independence of Willis Towers Watson, the Compensation Committee concluded that no conflict of interest exists with respect to the work of Willis Towers Watson. The Compensation Committee has a policy that states that any projects done with Willis Towers Watson outside of board and executive compensation activities must be reviewed and approved by the committee.

        As compensation consultants, Willis Towers Watson representatives attend the Compensation Committee meetings, including executive sessions. Although Hay Group worksthe compensation consultants to the Compensation Committee work with our management on various matters for which the Compensation Committee is responsible, our management does not direct or oversee the retention or activities of Hay Group.

        In December 2015, Hay GroupWillis Towers Watson. During fiscal 2018, a total of $61,168 was acquired by Korn Ferry, an organizational advisory and executive search firm. Prior to the public announcement of Korn Ferry's pending acquisition of Hay Group, our management, with the approval of our Compensation Committee, had engaged Korn Ferry for services in addition to the executive and director compensation services provided by Hay Group, primarily consisting of executive recruitment services. The aggregate amount paid to Korn Ferry Hay Group for rendering these additional services in fiscal 2016and a total of $26,622 was $298,716 and the aggregate amount paid to Hay GroupWillis Towers Watson. All of these costs have been paid to these firms as the Compensation Committee's compensation consultant in fiscal 2016 was $109,483.2018.

        Following a review of the independence of Korn Ferry Hay Group, the Compensation Committee concluded that no conflict of interest exists with respect to the work of Korn Ferry Hay Group. The Compensation Committee re-engaged Korn Ferry Hay Group as its outside consultant for executive and director compensation matters for fiscal 2016. The committee also approved a policy that any projects done with Korn Ferry Hay Group outside of board and executive compensation must be reviewed and approved by the committee.

        In reviewing and making compensation decisions, the Compensation Committee also relies on the CEO's view of the business, people strategy and the performance of the other senior executives.leaders. Certain members of our management meet periodically with Korn Ferry Hay GroupWillis Towers Watson consultants at the direction of the Compensation Committee to ensure the consultants have the information they need to advise the Compensation Committee. The compensation consultant works directly with the Compensation Committee on CEO compensation.


        We typicallygenerally review peer group information in making compensation determinations. In fiscal 2016,2018, the Compensation Committee conducted a comprehensive review of our peer group to assure


that it provides a relevant comparison to the market. The Compensation Committee considered a number of factors in determining the appropriate peer group including:

        Companies may still be considered for inclusion in the peer group even if they do not meet all of the criteria. The Compensation Committee, with advice from Korn Ferry Hay Group,Willis Towers Watson, elected to make the following changes to our peer group in fiscal 2016.2018:

Company
 Action
Shoe CarnivalAt Home Group, Inc. Add
Vitamin ShoppeCiti Trends, Inc. Add
Big LotsRemove
New York & CompanyFred's, Inc. Remove

        Our current peer group includes the following 16 companies:

Fiscal 20162018 Peer Group
At Home Group, Inc.Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc.
Big 5 Sporting GoodsShoe Carnival
Cato CorpFive Below
Fred'sGordmans Stores
Haverty FurnitureHibbett Sports
Kirkland'sLa-Z-Boy
Vitamin Shoppe Corporation Pier 1 Imports, Inc.
Citi Trends, Inc.Restoration Hardware
Five Below, Inc.Shoe Carnival, Inc.
Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. Stage Stores, Inc.
Stein MartHibbett Sports, Inc. Stein Mart, Inc.
Kirkland's, Inc.The Cato Corporation
La-Z-Boy IncorporatedVitamin Shoppe, Inc.

        At our 2015 annual stockholders' meeting, 86% of our stockholders who voted on our "Say on Pay" advisory proposal voted in favor of our executive compensation program, up from approximately 80% in the prior year.

        Although the advisory stockholder vote on executive compensation is non-binding, the Compensation Committee took the results of the stockholder vote into consideration when determining its approach to future compensation decisions.

Fiscal 20162018 Compensation Program and Payouts