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

SCHEDULE 14A

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

Filed by the Registrantý

Filed by a Party other than the Registranto

Check the appropriate box:

o

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement

o

 

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

ý

 

Definitive Proxy Statement

o

 

Definitive Additional Materials

o

 

Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

 

HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

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

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

ý

 

No fee required.

o

 

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

o

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

o

 

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

 

 

(1)

 

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

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LOGOGRAPHIC

2021

HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC.

Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
and Proxy Statement

GRAPHIC

2021 ANNUAL MEETING






GRAPHIC


March 2, 2021
12:00 p.m., Central time


GRAPHIC


Online at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021

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GRAPHIC


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GRAPHIC

1437 SOUTH BOULDER AVENUE
TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74119

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

To our Stockholders,

This past year was one of the most challenging in H&Ps 100-year history. The COVID-19 induced destruction of oil demand is well documented, and in terms of drilling activity, our rig count hit a low in August 2020. In the face of these challenges, our strong financial position and robust organization enabled us to remain focused on long-term strategies.

We continue to develop new commercial models, coupled with innovative drilling and digital technologies that we believe will help transform the customer experience and shape the future of this business. These efforts are progressing despite the difficult environment we currently face and will form the foundation from which H&P will build as the market recovers.

The U.S. industry rig count has started to recover from its lows in August 2020 with H&P leading the way, significantly outpacing peers and almost doubling our rig count from its lowest activity levels in 2020. We have recouped five to six points of market share to a level very close to where we were pre-pandemic. We believe that the quality of our field leadership, rig crews, FlexRig fleet and digital technology solutions, will continue to advance this trend.

The uniqueness of our automated solutions is backed by a patented, economic-driven approach where the software not only makes optimal cost/benefit decisions, but also directs the rig to execute those decisions without the need of human intervention. This improves reliability, enhances value and reduces risk for our customers. H&P will continue to invest in new and diversified technologies for the long-term sustainability of the company.

While our FlexRig and digital technology solution are differentiating, our most formidable competitive advantage is our people. Our employees have always been dedicated to helping our business through the ups and downs of this industry and we know that this experience combined with our rig fleet and technology solutions, is the key to our long-term success. Continuing to invest in our workforce, communities and other stakeholders will generate enduring value for our shareholders.

The company's celebration of its centennial year was both truncated and overshadowed by the challenges in 2020, but in many ways, it was a befitting display of the resilience that has defined H&P these past 100 years. I appreciate the perseverance and grit our people exhibited to meet the many difficulties we encountered in 2020.

GRAPHIC



Sincerely,



/s/ John W. Lindsay



John W. Lindsay
President and Chief Executive Officer

January 19, 2021


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GRAPHIC

1437 South Boulder Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119



NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS


NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

GRAPHIC WHEN

GRAPHIC WHERE

GRAPHIC RECORD DATE

Tuesday, March 2, 2021
12:00 p.m., Central time

Online at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021

You may vote if you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on January 5, 2021

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") of Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (the "Company"), will be held at Boulder Towers, H&P Conference Center, Eleventh Floor, 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 12:00 noon, Tulsa time, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, for the following purposes:

Proposal
 Board's Voting
Recommendation

  See
     page


1

 

To elect as Directors of the Company the 11 nominees named in the attached proxy statement to serve until the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2022

 

 

 

GRAPHIC FOR

 

 

 

9
  

Delaney M. Bellinger

 

John W. Lindsay

 

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

              each    
  

Kevin G. Cramton

 

José R. Mas

 

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

              nominee    
  

Randy A. Foutch

 

Thomas A. Petrie

 

John D. Zeglis

        
  

Hans Helmerich

 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

          
2 To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's independent auditors for our fiscal year ending September 30, 2021   GRAPHIC
FOR
   34
3 To cast an advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company's executives disclosed in the attached proxy statement   GRAPHIC
FOR
   69
  To consider and transact any other business which properly may come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof    

In accordance with the Company's Amended and Restated By-laws (the "By-laws"), the close of business on January 5, 2018,2021, has been fixed as the record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting. The stock transfer books will not close.

Due to the public health impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we have made the decision that the Annual Meeting will be virtual only. The health and well-being of our employees, stockholders, and partners are of the utmost importance to us. The Annual Meeting will be conducted via live webcast. You will be able to participate in the Annual Meeting online and submit questions during the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021. You will also be able to vote your shares electronically (other than shares held through our employee benefit plans, which must be voted prior to the Annual Meeting). The proxy statement provides information on how to join the Annual Meeting online and about the business we plan to conduct.

The Company is pleased to take advantage of the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") that allow issuers to furnish proxy materials to their stockholders on the Internet. The Company believes these rules allow it to provide you with the information you need while lowering the costs of delivery and reducing the environmental


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NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

impact of the Annual Meeting. The Company is mailing to most of its stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, rather than a paper copy of the proxy statement, proxy, and 20172020 Annual Report to Stockholders. The notice contains instructions on how to access the proxy materials, vote, and obtain, if you so desire, a paper copy of the proxy materials.

Your vote is important! Whether or not you expect to be present atattend the Annual Meeting online, please vote as promptly as possible so that we may be assured of a quorum to transact business. You may vote by using the Internet or telephone, or by completing, signing, dating and returning the proxy mailed to those who receive paper copies of thisthe proxy statement.statement, or by attending the Annual Meeting online at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021 using your 16-digit control number and casting your shares electronically on March 2, 2021. If you attend the Annual Meeting online, you may revoke your proxy and vote in person.electronically during the Annual Meeting.

  LOGO

By Order of the Board of Directors,

GRAPHIC/s/ William H. Gault

Jonathan M. Cinocca
William H. Gault

Corporate Secretary


Tulsa, Oklahoma
January 23, 2018


Tulsa, Oklahoma
January 19, 2021

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy MaterialsIMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
for the Stockholder Meeting to be held on March 6, 2018
FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON MARCH 2, 2021

ThisThe proxy statement and our 20172020 Annual Report to Stockholders are available atwww.proxyvote.com.


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PROXY STATEMENT

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GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  www.proxyvote.com|.i


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LOGOGRAPHIC

1437 South Boulder Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

PROXY STATEMENT



PROXY STATEMENT


General InformationTable of Contents

GENERAL INFORMATION

As a stockholder of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., you are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on March 6, 20182, 2021 (the "Annual Meeting") and vote on the items of business described in this proxy statement. The proxy is being solicited by and on behalf of the Board of Directors (the "Board of

Directors" or the "Board") of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., and will be voted at the Annual Meeting. Throughout this proxy statement, Helmerich & Payne, Inc. is referred to as the "Company," "we," "our""our," or "us."

Important Notice of Electronic Availability of Materials

Important Notice of Electronic Availability of Materials

As permitted by the rules of the SEC,Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), we are making our 20172020 Annual Report to Stockholders and this proxy statement available to stockholders electronically via the Internet at the following website:www.proxyvote.com.www.proxyvote.com. Most stockholders will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials unless they request them. Instead, a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials ("Notice"), which was mailed to most of our stockholders, explains how you may access and review the proxy materials and how you may submit

your proxy on the Internet. If you received the Notice, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy materials unless you request it by following the instructions for requesting such materials contained in the Notice. Stockholders who requested paper copies of proxy materials or previously elected to receive proxy materials electronically did not receive the Notice and are receiving the proxy materials in the format requested. The Notice and the proxy materials are first being made available to our stockholders on or about January 23, 2018.19, 2021.

Annual Meeting Information

Annual Meeting Information

Our Annual Meeting will be held at Boulder Towers, H&P Conference Center, Eleventh Floor, 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 12:00 noon, Tulsa time, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, unless adjourned or postponed. Directions to the meeting can be obtained by calling our Investor Relations department at 918-742-5531.at:

Attendance

 

GRAPHIC WHEN

GRAPHIC WHERE

GRAPHIC RECORD DATE

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 12:00 p.m., Central time

Online at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021

You may vote if you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on January 5, 2021

Attendance

If your shares are registered directly in your name with the Company's transfer agent, you are considered a "stockholder of record".record." If your shares are held in a brokerage account, by a trustee or by another nominee, you are considered a "beneficial owner" of those shares. Only stockholders of record or beneficial owners of the Company's common sharesstock may attend the meeting in person. If you are a stockholder of record, you may be asked to present proof of identification, such as a driver's license. Beneficial owners must also present evidence of share ownership, such as a recent brokerage account or bank statement. online.

All attendees must comply with our standing rules, which will be distributed upon entrance to the Annual Meeting. posted at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021. Even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting online, we recommend that you also vote by proxy as described in this proxy statement so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting.Meeting online.

GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |1


ItemsTable of Business at Annual MeetingContents

GENERAL INFORMATION

Items of Business at Annual Meeting

The Items of business scheduled to be voted on at the Annual Meeting are:

Proposal
Board's Voting
Recommendation

Proposal
1 The election of Directors;the 11 nominees named in this proxy statement as Directors of the CompanyGRAPHIC FOR

 

 

Proposal 2 —

Delaney M. Bellinger


 

John W. Lindsay

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

           each

Kevin G. Cramton

José R. Mas

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

           nominee

Randy A. Foutch

Thomas A. Petrie

John D. Zeglis

Hans Helmerich

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

2The ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent auditors for our fiscal 2018; andyear ending September 30, 2021GRAPHIC FOR



Proposal 3 —


3The advisory vote on executive compensation.compensationGRAPHIC FOR

We will also consider any other business that properly comes before the Annual Meeting.

Board Recommendation on Voting

GRAPHIC

Board Recommendation on Voting

Our Board of Directors recommends that you vote your shares FOR the 11 Director nominees identified under Proposal 1, and FOR Proposals 2 and 3.

Virtual Meeting Information

Attending the Annual Meeting

You may vote at the Annual Meeting if you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on January 5, 2021. The Annual Meeting will be conducted via live webcast. You will be able to participate in the Annual Meeting online and submit questions during the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021. You also will be able to vote your shares FORelectronically at the ten Director nominees identified under Proposal 1,Annual Meeting (other than shares held through our employee benefit plans, which must be voted prior to the Annual Meeting).

To participate in the Annual Meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number included on your Notice, on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.

The Annual Meeting webcast will begin promptly at 12:00 p.m., Central time. We encourage you to access the meeting prior to the start time. Online

check-in will begin at 11:45 a.m., Central time, and FOR Proposals 2you should allow ample time for the check-in procedures.

Reasons for Virtual Meeting

Due to the public health impact of the ongoing coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, the Annual Meeting will be virtual only. The health and 3.well-being of our employees, stockholders, and partners are of the utmost importance to us.

Voting InformationTechnical Difficulties During the Annual Meeting

We will have technicians ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may have accessing the virtual meeting. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during the check in or meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021.

2|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


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GENERAL INFORMATION

Accessing the Annual Meeting Website

All stockholders can visit the Annual Meeting website at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021.

On our Annual Meeting website, you can vote your proxy, submit questions, listen to a live audio

webcast of the Annual Meeting on March 2, 2021, access copies of this proxy statement and 2020 Annual Report to Stockholders and other information about the Company, and elect to view future proxy statements and annual reports online instead of receiving paper copies in the mail.

Voting Information

Record dateDate and quorum.Quorum

The holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting must be present in persononline or by proxy for the transaction of business. This is called a quorum."quorum." Abstentions and broker non-votes (discussed(as defined below) will be counted as present for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at the meeting. At the close of business on January 5, 2018,2021, there were 108,845,327109,291,244 issued and outstanding shares of our common stock, the holders of which are entitled to one vote per share on all matters. We have no other class of securities entitled to vote at the meeting. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on January 5, 2018,2021, will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Submitting Voting Instructions for Shares Held in Your Name (i.e., You are a Stockholder of Record)

        Submitting voting instructions for shares held in your name (i.e., you are a stockholder of record).You may vote your shares of common stock by telephone or over the Internet, which saves the Company money, or by completing, signing, dating and returning a proxy.proxy or by attending the Annual Meeting online at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021 using your 16-digit control number and voting your shares electronically on March 2, 2021. A properly submitted proxy will be voted in accordance with your instructions unless you subsequently revoke your instructions. If you submit a signed proxy without indicating your vote, the person voting the proxy will vote your shares according to the Board of Director'sBoard's recommendation with respect to Proposals 1, 2, and 3 (FOR(i.e., FOR the ten11 Director nominees identified in this proxy statement, and FOR Proposals 2 and 3).

Submitting voting instructionsVoting Instructions for shares heldShares Held in street nameStreet Name (i.e., youYou are the beneficial ownerBeneficial Owner of your shares).Your Shares)

If you are a beneficial owner of shares, you must follow the instructions you receive from your broker or other organization holding your shares in street name.on your behalf. If you want to vote in person,online during the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from your broker and bring ituse your 16-digit control number to attend the Annual Meeting. If you do not submit voting instructions to the

organization that holds your shares on your behalf, that organization may still be permitted to vote your shares. In general, underUnder applicable New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") rules, the organization that holds your shares may generally vote on routine matters. Proposal 2, the approval andratification of the appointment of the Company's independent auditor,auditors, is a routine matter. However, absent specific instructions from beneficial owners, brokers may not vote for non-routine matters. Proposal 1, the election of directors,Directors and Proposal 3, the advisory vote on executive compensation, are non-routine matters. Therefore, there may beSuch shares that are considered present at the Annual Meeting, but not voted by the broker non-votes with respect to Proposals 1 and 3.3, are referred to herein as "broker non-votes."

Revoking your proxy.Your Proxy

Any stockholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time by submission of a later dated proxy or subsequent Internet or telephonic proxy. Stockholders who attend the Annual Meeting online may revoke any proxy previously granted and vote in person by written ballot.electronically during the Annual Meeting.

Voting Requirements.Requirements

The election of Directors will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the shares of common stock voting in persononline or by proxy at the Annual Meeting. A majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted FOR a Director must exceed the


number of shares voted AGAINST that Director. AbstentionsAs a result, abstentions and broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of the election of Directors. Any Director who receives a greater number of votes AGAINST his or her election than votes FOR such election shallwill tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors in accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider the resignation and recommend to the Board of Directors whether to accept or reject the resignation. The Board of Directors will consider all factors it deems relevant, make a determination, and publicly disclose its decision within 120 days following the date of the Annual Meeting.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

With regard to Proposals 2 and 3, the affirmative vote of a majority of shares of common stock present in persononline or by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for approval. As a result, abstentions will have the same effect as a vote AGAINST Proposals 2 and 3. A share that is a broker non-vote is not considered a share entitled to vote on the particular matter. Therefore, even though broker non-votes are counted in determining a quorum, with respect to Proposal 3, broker non-votes are excluded from the denominator in determining whether affirmative votes represented a majority of those present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. With respect to Proposals 2Meeting and 3, abstentions will havenot affect the effectoutcome of a negative vote.Proposal 3.

Each outstanding share of our common stock will be entitled to one vote on each matter considered at the meeting. With regard to Proposal 1, the election of Directors, stockholders may vote FOR or AGAINST a Director nominee or abstain from voting on a Director nominee. The proxies executed and returned (or delivered via telephone, or over the Internet)Internet, or virtually during the Annual Meeting) can be voted only for the named nominees. With regard to Proposal 2, ratification of the appointment of the Company's independent auditors, and Proposal 3, the advisory vote on executive compensation, a stockholder may vote FOR or AGAINST the matter or abstain from voting on the matter.

Vote Tabulation and Results

Vote Tabulation and Results

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. ("Broadridge") will tabulate all votes which are received prior to the date of the Annual Meeting. We have appointed two employee inspectors to receive Broadridge's tabulation,A representative of Broadridge will serve as inspector of election to tabulate all other votes and to certify the voting

results. We intend to publish the final results of each Proposal in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC within four business days of the Annual Meeting.

Solicitation of Proxies

Solicitation of Proxies

The cost of this solicitation will be paid by us. In addition, arrangements may be made with brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries to send proxies and proxy materialmaterials to their principals. Solicitation of proxies may be made

by mail, telephone, personal interviews, or by other means by our officers and employees who will not receive additional compensation for solicitation activities.

Other Matters

Other Matters

As of this date, management of the Company knows of no business which will come before the Annual Meeting other than that set forth in the notice of the

meeting. If any other matter properly comes before the meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote on it in accordance with their best judgment.


4Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table sets forth those persons or groups who, to our knowledge, beneficially own more than 5%the names and ages of our common stock,executive officers, together with the numberpositions and offices held by such executive officers with the Company. Except as noted below, all positions and offices held are with the Company. Officers are

elected to serve until the meeting of shares beneficially owned by each,the Board of Directors following the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the percentage of outstanding stock so owned, as of December 8, 2017. At the close of business on December 8, 2017, there were 108,844,165 issueduntil their successors have been duly elected and outstanding shares of our common stock.qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal.

Title of Class

NameLOGO
LOGO  NEO



JOHN W. LINDSAY

60

President and Address of
Beneficial OwnerChief Executive Officer

Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
since March 2014

Percent of
Class
Director

Common Stock

since September 2012

 

BlackRock, Inc.
55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10055Prior Positions

11,556,764  (1)10.6%

President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2012 to March 2014

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2010 to September 2012

Executive Vice President, U.S. and International Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. from 2006 to September 2012

Vice President of U.S. Land Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. from 1997 to 2006

     

LOGO
LOGO  NEO



MARK W. SMITH

50

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

since December 2019

Prior Positions

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from June 2018 to December 2019

Chief Financial Officer Designate from May 2018 to June 2018

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Atwood Oceanics, Inc., an offshore drilling company, from June 2015 to October 2017

Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. from May 2014 to June 2015

Vice President, Corporate Services of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. from 2011 to May 2014

     
Common Stock

LOGO
LOGO  NEO



CARA M. HAIR

44

Senior Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer

since December 2020

 The Vanguard Group, Inc.
100 Vanguard Blvd.
Malvern, PA 19355
10,862,671  (2)10.0%

Prior Positions

Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer from August 2017 to December 2020

Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer from March 2015 to August 2017

Deputy General Counsel from June 2014 to March 2015

Senior Attorney from January 2013 to June 2014

Attorney from 2006 to January 2013

     

LOGO
LOGO  NEO



JOHN R. BELL

50

Senior Vice President, International and Offshore Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Holdings

since December 2020

Prior Positions

Vice President, International and Offshore Operations of Helmerich and Payne International Holdings, from August 2017 to December 2020

Vice President, Corporate Services from January 2015 to August 2017

Vice President of Human Resources from March 2012 to January 2015

Director of Human Resources from 2002 to March 2012

     
Common Stock

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

LOGO
LOGO  NEO



MICHAEL P. LENNOX

40

Senior Vice President, U.S. Land Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co.

since December 2020

 State Farm Mutual Automobile
Insurance Company
One State Farm Plaza Bloomington, Illinois 61710
8,309,575  (3)7.6%

Prior Positions

Vice President, U.S. Land Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. from August 2017 to December 2020

District Manager of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. from 2012 to August 2017

     

LOGO


TODD W. BENSON

46

Chief Innovation Officer, Helmerich & Payne Technologies

since December 2020

Prior Positions

President of Helmerich & Payne Technologies, from October 2018 to December 2020

President of Motive Drilling Technologies, Inc., a Helmerich & Payne subsidiary company, from June 2017 to October 2018

President and Chief Executive Officer of Motive Drilling Technologies, Inc., a drilling technology company, from February 2016 to June 2017

Vice President of Hunt Advanced Drilling Technologies, a drilling technology company, from 2013 to February 2016

     
Common Stock

LOGO


Raymond John ("Trey") Adams III

35

Senior Vice President of Digital Operations, Sales, & Marketing

since December 2020

 Capital World Investors
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
7,920,550  (4)7.3%

Prior Positions

Vice President of Digital Operations, Sales, & Marketing of Helmerich & Payne Technologies from September 2020 to December 2020

Vice President of Helmerich & Payne Technologies, LLC, a drilling technologies subsidiary of the Company, from July 2018 to September 2020

Integration Manager of Motive Drilling Technologies, Inc. and Magnetic Variation Services, from June 2017 to June 2018

District Manager of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. from 2015 to June 2017

     
Common StockState Street Corporation
State Street Financial Center
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
5,928,002  (5)5.4%

6|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


(1)
This information is based on BlackRock, Inc.'s Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on January 12, 2017. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, BlackRock, Inc. has sole voting power over 10,592,882 shares and sole dispositive power over 11,556,764 shares.

(2)
This information is based on The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on December 11, 2017. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, The Vanguard Group, Inc. has sole dispositive power over 10,690,777 shares, shared dispositive power over 171,894 shares, sole voting power over 149,911 shares, and shared voting power over 24,701 shares.

(3)
This information is based on State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company's Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on January 23, 2017. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has sole voting and dispositive power over 8,257,200 shares and shared voting and dispositive power over 52,375 shares.

(4)
This information is based on Capital World Investors' Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, Capital World Investors has sole voting power and dispositive power over 7,920,550 shares.

(5)
This information is based on State Street Corporation's Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 7, 2017. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, State Street Corporation has shared voting and dispositive power over 5,928,002 shares.

Security OwnershipTable of ManagementContents

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Sustainability

        The following table sets forthAt Helmerich & Payne, we marked our 100 year anniversary in 2020 as we continue to execute on strategies that lead to our success in the total number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by eachindustry and the long-term sustainability of the present DirectorsCompany. We are committed to operating in a clean, safe and nominees,environmentally responsible manner, and we strive to minimize any potentially negative environmental

impacts by reducing pollution and waste and conserving natural resources.

Our focus on technology, people, community, resourcefulness, and innovation all promote our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and all other executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table, and all Directors and executive officers asability to be a group, and the percentsustainable company. Some of the outstanding common stock so owned by each as of December 8, 2017.actions we take to improve our sustainability are described below:

ENVIRONMENTSOCIALGOVERNANCE
Drilling Solutions

Our sustainability strategy, rooted in our core value of "do the right thing" helps many of our customers operate in regions that have stringent safety and environmental laws and regulations. Our expertise helps our customers meet, and often exceed, these standards as well as their own standards including by:

o

applying industry-accepted environmental best practices;

o

using data to better understand our impacts in a variety of areas such as emissions and safety;

o

converting many of our rigs to allow substitution of natural gas as a fuel source (approximately 19% of our domestic land rigs have been converted to date);

o

upgrading our drilling rig fleet to utilize AC/VFD power and control systems that are more energy efficient and have significantly lower noise levels as compared to silicon-controlled rectifier rigs and mechanical drilling rigs; and

o

using a variety of recycling and other initiatives in our facilities and operations to minimize waste.

Technologies

Technological advancements are driving our business forward, and as a leader in utilizing data to drive design and performance, H&P continues to make investments to remain at the forefront of the industry's digital evolution. Our technology helps promote sustainable efforts by:

o

reducing the physical footprints of rigs which helps to minimize the impact on local communities, both directly—via the reduction of acres affected, and indirectly—by reducing the number of employees required, including the impacts on local infrastructure (including reduced traffic);

o

helping to increase the accuracy of drilling, allowing more reserves and production per well, which ultimately reduces the need for more wells; and

o

improving technology which helps enable longer laterals, higher repeatability, and increased production performance per well.

Safety

Since our Actively Controlling and Removing Exposures ("Actively C.A.R.E.") program was launched in 2016, employees have submitted nearly 30,000 instances of safety conscious behavior for recognition for which we have awarded over $5 million.

According to our internal statistics, derived from self-reporting by employees, since launching our Driving Safety campaign in 2017, the rate of seatbelt usage among our employees has nearly doubled.

During 2020, multiple technology solutions were implemented to assist in controlling or removing exposures in rig operations.

100% of our Rig Managers and Drillers have received Safety Leadership training.

Culture, Training, and Development

We create in-house and values-aligned technical, procedural, and leadership training for field and corporate team members.

Our certified instructional designers and facilitators use best practices from the Association of Training & Development to ensure that even our technical training modules speak to and align with The H&P Way.

In 2020 our team of internal facilitators conducted an average of four organizational health sessions per week with teams across the organization.

During 2020, we underwent a cultural and strategy approach transformation that outfitted all leaders with new knowledge, skills, and shared language to adopt a "Team of Teams" approach to work, while equipping them with the transparency and alignment of Objectives & Key Results style strategy communication cadences.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I)

Despite the challenges faced from the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our efforts in making our workplace more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. With the help of our newly formed DE&I Workgroup, consisting of employees from different backgrounds, cultures and locations, we added an Organizational Development manager to further refine and execute our DE&I strategy.

In 2020, we provided Unconscious Bias training for our Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team and other key leaders.

We expect corporate, professional, and personal responsibility from all of our employees and compliance with high ethical standards to achieve operational excellence. In addition to the corporate governance oversight provided by the Board and its committees, management observes and enforces our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics described on our website at www.helmerichpayne.com.

Governance Structures

In the event that the Chairman of the Board is not an independent director then the independent directors will annually elect an independent director to serve as lead director.

We do not maintain a classified Board.

We permit shareholder proxy access for director nominations as described in "Additional Information—Stockholder Proposal and Nominations."

Risk Management

Our Board and its committees seek to monitor the various types of risk facing the Company and to understand how the company is addressing risk as described in "Additional Information Concerning the Board of Directors—Our Risk Management Program and the Board's Role in Risk Oversight."

Our Board consists of individuals with diversity of perspectives and experiences intended to promote comprehensive consideration of issues facing the Company.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Directors and Named Executive Officers
Title of ClassAmount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership (1)
Percent of
Class (2)

Hans HelmerichENVIRONMENT

 Common StockSOCIALGOVERNANCE
  3,013,469    (3)2.8%
Community

John W. Lindsay Helmerich & Payne and our people have a history in making a difference in the communities where we live and work. These efforts continued in 2020 although in-person activity was reduced due to the pandemic. Here are a few examples of the organizations and causes we support:

Common Stock674,763    (4)

United Way

We raise money for the United Way through employee donations, matching donations from the Company, volunteer events, and fundraisers. Additionally, in 2020, H&P donated to COVID-19 relief funds across the United States.

The H&P Way Fund

Our employees contribute to support coworkers affected by personal emergencies, medical emergencies, home disasters, and natural catastrophes. All employee donations are matched by the Company dollar-for-dollar.

  

John R. Bell

Common Stock147,155    (5)

Juan Pablo Tardio

Common Stock106,952    (6)

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

Common Stock81,363    (7)

John D. Zeglis

Common Stock78,485    (8)

Robert L. Stauder

Common Stock68,217    (9)

Paula Marshall

Common Stock60,799  (10)

Randy A. Foutch

Common Stock54,247  (11)

Thomas A. Petrie

Common Stock46,908  (12)

Cara M. Hair

Common Stock42,405  (13)

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

Common Stock40,822  (14)

Kevin G. Cramton

Common Stock2,823  (15)

José R. Mas

Common Stock2,823  (15)

All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group

Common Stock4,530,569  (16)4.1%

(1)
Unless otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly byOur sustainability commitment is reflected in our Sustainability disclosures, which can be accessed electronically under the named person, and he or she has sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares. Shares owned include restricted shares over which"Sustainability" section of our website at www.helmerichpayne.com/sustainability. Please note that the named person has voting butinformation presented on our website is not investment power. Stock options held by the named person include options exercisable within 60 dayspart of December our proxy solicitation materials.

8 2017.

(2)
Percentage calculation not included if beneficial ownership is less than one percent|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


Table of class.

(3)
Includes options to purchase 422,803 shares; 2,267 restricted shares; 21,328 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan; 27,470 shares owned by Mr. Helmerich's wife, with respect to which he has disclaimed all beneficial ownership; 1,549,515 shares held by Mr. Helmerich as Trustee for various family trusts for which he possesses voting and investment power; 67,350 shares held by The Helmerich Trust, an Oklahoma charitable trust, for which Mr. Helmerich is a Trustee for which he possesses voting and investment power; and 40,000 shares owned by the Ivy League, Inc., of which he is an officer and director and possesses voting and investment power.

(4)
Includes options to purchase 482,648 shares; 67,259 restricted shares; and 9,164 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

(5)
Includes options to purchase 94,996 shares; 15,680 restricted shares; and 1,784 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

(6)
Includes options to purchase 78,572 shares; 9,086 restricted shares; and 1,114 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

(7)
Includes options to purchase 45,719 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

(8)
Includes options to purchase 45,719 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

Contents
(9)
Includes options to purchase 43,381 shares and 21,016 restricted shares.

(10)
Includes options to purchase 45,719 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

(11)
Includes options to purchase 41,597 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

(12)
Includes options to purchase 35,574 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

(13)
Includes options to purchase 24,756 shares and 13,215 restricted shares.

(14)
Includes options to purchase 32,788 shares and 1,511 restricted shares.

(15)
Reflects 2,823 restricted shares.

(16)
Includes options to purchase 1,467,527 shares; 157,935 restricted shares; and 33,390 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

At the Annual Meeting, ten11 Directors are to be elected for terms of one year each. Messrs. Cramton and Mas, who were appointed to the Board of Directors on March 1, 2017 and will stand for election at the Annual Meeting, were identified by a third-party search firm engaged by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to assist in identifying potential Directors. All other incumbent Directors are standing for re-election. All nominees have agreed to be named in this proxy statement and have indicated a readiness to continue to serve if elected. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors(referred to in this section as the "NCG Committee") has determined that each of the nominees qualifies for election under its criteria for evaluation of directors and has recommended that each of the candidates be nominated for election. If any nominee becomes unable to serve beforeprior to the Annual Meeting, shares represented by proxy may be voted for a substitute designated by the Board of Directors, unless a contrary instruction is noted on the proxy. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will become unavailable. As detailed under "Corporate Governance —

"Additional Information Concerning the Board of Directors—Director Independence" below, the Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that each of the nominees, other than Messrs. Helmerich and Lindsay, qualifies as "independent" as that term is defined under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE")NYSE and the SEC, as well as our Corporate Governance Guidelines.

Directors are required by our By-laws to be less than age 72 when elected or appointed. The Board may waive the age limit for directors whose continued service is deemed uniquely important to the Company. The Board has waived the age limits for Thomas A. Petrie and John D. Zeglis because of the valuable perspective that their service brings to the Board.

Director Identification, Evaluation, and Nomination

GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES

We believe that the continuing service of qualified incumbents promotes stability and continuity in the boardroom, contributing to the Board's ability to work as a collective body, while giving us the benefit of familiarity and insight into our affairs that our Directors have accumulated during their tenure. Accordingly, the process for identifying nominees reflects our practice of re-nominating incumbent Directors who continue to satisfy the NCG Committee's criteria for membership on the Board and the eligibility requirements of our By-laws, whom the NCG Committee believes continue to make important contributions to the Board, and who consent to continue their service on the Board.

In general, and as more fully outlined in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, in considering candidates for election at an Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the NCG Committee will:

If the NCG Committee determines that (i) an incumbent Director consenting to re-nomination continues to be qualified and has satisfactorily performed his or her duties as Director during the preceding term, and (ii) there exists no reason, including considerations relating to the composition and functional needs of the Board as a whole, why in the NCG Committee's view the incumbent Director should not be re-nominated, then the NCG Committee will, absent special circumstances, propose the incumbent Director for re-election.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The NCG Committee will identify and evaluate new candidates for election to the Board where it identifies a need to do so, including for the purpose of filling vacancies or a decision of the Directors to expand the size of the Board. The NCG Committee will solicit recommendations for nominees from persons that the NCG Committee believes are likely to be familiar with qualified candidates. The NCG Committee may also determine to engage a professional search firm to assist in identifying qualified candidates.

As to each recommended candidate that the NCG Committee believes merits consideration, the NCG Committee will:

Based on all available information and relevant considerations, the NCG Committee will select and recommend to the Board a candidate who, in the view of the NCG Committee, is most suited for membership on the Board.

STOCKHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS

The NCG Committee considers recommendations for Director candidates submitted by holders of our shares entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors. Candidates for Director who are properly recommended by our stockholders will be evaluated in the same manner as any other candidate for Director. In addition, the NCG Committee may consider the number of shares held by the recommending stockholder and the length of time such shares have been held.

For each Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the NCG Committee will accept for consideration only one recommendation from any stockholder or affiliated group of stockholders. The NCG Committee will only consider recommendations of nominees for Director who satisfy the minimum qualifications prescribed by our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the eligibility requirements of our By-laws. For a stockholder recommended candidate to be considered by the NCG Committee, the stockholder recommendation must be submitted in writing before our fiscal year-end to

GRAPHIC
Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
1437 South Boulder Avenue
Suite 1400
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

and must include the reasons for the recommendation, a description of the candidate's qualifications and the candidate's written consent to being considered as a Director nominee, together with a statement of the number of shares of our stock beneficially owned by the stockholder making the recommendation and by any other supporting stockholders (and their respective affiliates). The NCG Committee may require the stockholder submitting the recommendation or the recommended candidate to furnish such other information as the NCG Committee may reasonably request.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

STOCKHOLDER NOMINATIONS

Our By-laws provide that stockholders meeting certain requirements may nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors if such stockholders comply with the procedures set forth in our By-laws.

For more information on stockholder nominations, see "Additional Information—Stockholder Proposals and Nominations."

Director Qualification Standards

All persons nominated to serve as one of our Directors should possess the following minimum qualifications more fully discussed in our Corporate Governance Guidelines. Specifically, all candidates:

The NCG Committee will also ensure that:

GRAPHICat least a majority of the Directors serving at any time on the Board are independent, as defined under the rules of the NYSE and applicable law;


GRAPHICall Audit Committee members are independent and satisfy the financial literacy requirements required for service on the Audit Committee under the rules of the NYSE; and
GRAPHICat least some of the independent Directors have experience as senior executives of a public or substantial private company.

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines also provide, in lieu of a formal diversity policy, that as part of the nomination process, the NCG Committee will consider diversity in professional background, experience, expertise, perspective, age, gender, and ethnicity with respect to Board composition as a whole. With respect to diversity, we place particular emphasis on identifying candidates whose experiences and talents complement and augment those of other Board members with respect to matters of importance to the Company. We attempt to balance the composition of the Board to promote comprehensive consideration of issues. Our current Board composition achieves this through widely varying levels and types of business and industry experience among current Board members. We monitor the composition and functioning of our Board and committees through both an annual review of our Corporate Governance Guidelines and a self-evaluation process undertaken each year by our Directors.

The foregoing qualification attributes are only threshold criteria, however, and the NCG Committee will also consider the contributions that a candidate can be expected to make to the collective functioning of the Board based upon the totality of the candidate's credentials, experience, and expertise, the composition of the Board at the time, and other relevant circumstances.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Director Nominees

The information that follows, including principal occupation or employment for the past five or more years and a summary of each individual's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that have led to the conclusion that each individual should serve as a Director in light of our current business and structure, is furnished with respect to each Director nominee.

Director Nominees

GRAPHICDELANEY M. BELLINGER KevinDirector since 2018

LOGO
DIRECTOR

Age 62

COMMITTEES

Audit

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Ms. Bellinger served as the Chief Information Officer for Huntsman Corporation, a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals, from 2016 to 2018.

Prior to her role at Huntsman, she was the Chief Information Officer for EP Energy, an exploration and production company in Houston, Texas.

Before joining EP Energy, she was the Chief Information Officer for YUM! Brands, Inc., formerly Tricon Global Restaurants, for 10 years.

Prior to joining YUM! Brands, Ms. Bellinger held technical development, account management, as well as sales and consulting positions during her 13-year career with EDS following her Drilling Engineer position with ExxonMobil.

Ms. Bellinger has served on the Board of Directors for the Women's Foodservice Forum.

She was the Chair of the National Retail Federation Chief Information Officers Board and served on the Board of The Parish School.

She is currently on the non-profit Board for TicKids and The Advisory Board of The Gateway Academy in Houston, Texas.

EDUCATION

Ms. Bellinger holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Vanderbilt University.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

The Board believes that Ms. Bellinger provides significant insight and guidance to the Board and the Company as a result of her experience in the oil and gas industry and expertise as a Chief Information Officer.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


KEVIN G. CramtonCRAMTONDirector since 2017

LOGO  —
DIRECTOR

Age 61

COMMITTEES

Audit

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Cramton age 58, has served as a Director of the Company since 2017. He currently isbeen an operating partner at HCI Equity Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., since 2016.

Since 2019, he has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Tribar Technologies, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of automotive trim components.

He previously served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Atlantix Global Systems, a leading reseller of IT hardware and services, from 2016 to 2017.

Mr. Cramton served from 2012 to 2015 as the Chief Executive Officer of Cardone Industries, the largest remanufacturer of automotive aftermarket components.

Mr. Cramton served from 2011 to 2012 as Chief Executive Officer of Revstone Industries, a major supplier of highly engineered automotive components, and from 2007 to 2011 as Managing Director of RHJ International (Ripplewood Holdings), a publicly traded,publicly-traded, investment holding company.

Mr. Cramton has served on various company boards, (bothboth public and private)private, and worked in various management positions during a 20 year20-year career at Ford Motor Company.

EDUCATION

Mr. Cramton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in Finance degree from Michigan State University.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

The Board believes that Mr. Cramton's diverse global business experience, including his chief executive officer experience, enables him to provide the Board and the Company with valuable input and guidance.


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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


GRAPHICRANDY A. FOUTCH Randy A. FoutchDirector since 2007

LOGO  —
LEAD DIRECTOR

Age 69

COMMITTEES

Human Resources

Nominating and Corporate Governance ICON

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

In 2020, Mr. Foutch age 66, has served as a Director of the Company since 2007. founded RAF Consulting, which provides professional consulting services to several companies.

In 2007,2006, Mr. Foutch founded Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a publicly tradedpublicly-traded, Mid-Continent focused oil and natural gas exploration and production company, where he servesserved as Chief Executive Officer from 2006 to 2019 and as a director,Director and Chairman of the Board until May 2020.

He founded and Chief Executive Officer. He also foundedserved in executive roles with Colt Resources Corp., Latigo Petroleum, Inc. in 2002 and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until its sale to Pogo Producing Company in May 2006. In 1996, Mr. Foutch founded Lariat Petroleum, Inc. and served as its President until January 2001, when it was soldprior to Newfield Exploration, Inc. From 2006 to 2011, Mr. Foutchtheir sales.

He served as a Director of Bill Barrett Corporation a publicly traded explorationfrom 2006 to 2011, MacroSolve, Inc. from 2006 to 2008 and production company. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Foutch also served as a Director of publicly traded Cheniere Energy, Inc. from 2013 to 2015.

Mr. Foutch is an Advisory Board member and consultant to Devonshire Investors, an advisor to the Energy Group at Warburg Pincus, and serves on the Advisory Board at Pattern Computer. He also serves on several nonprofit boards.

Mr. Foutch has received an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2012, a Distinguished Graduate Award by Leadership Oklahoma in 2011 and private industry boards. the American Association of Petroleum Geologists' Public Service Award.

EDUCATION

Mr. Foutch holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Texas, Austin, and a Master of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

As a result of Mr. Foutch's service as a chief executive officer and in other executive positions and as a director of several oil and gas exploration and development companies, the Board believes that he provides valuable business, leadership and management experience and insights into many aspects of the oil, natural gas and contract drilling industries. The Board believes Mr. Foutch's background provides the necessary expertise to serve as Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors.and as the Company's Lead Director.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS





GRAPHICHANS HELMERICH Hans Helmerich — Mr. Helmerich, age 59, has served as Chairman of the Board since 2012. 2012

LOGO
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Age 62

COMMITTEES

None

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Helmerich has been a directorDirector of the Company since 1987.

He served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 1989 to 2014 and President from 1987 to 2012.

Mr. Helmerich ishas been a directorDirector of Cimarex Energy Co., a publicly tradedpublicly-traded energy exploration and production company. company, since 2002.

He is alsowas a trusteeTrustee of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Company from 2006 to May 2020.

He iswas a former directorDirector of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (1989from 1989 to 2017). He2017.

EDUCATION

Mr. Helmerich is a graduate of Dartmouth College and completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

The Board believes that Mr. Helmerich brings to the Board in-depth experience as a business executive in the contract drilling industry. For over 25 years, Mr. Helmerich provided continuity of leadership and strategic vision which resulted in the Company's significant growth and outstanding peer performance.





GRAPHICJOHN W. LINDSAY John W. Lindsay — Mr. Lindsay, age 57, has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2014 and
President since 2012. 2012

LOGO
DIRECTOR, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT, HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC.

Age 60

COMMITTEES

None

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Lindsay has been President of the Company since 2012 and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since 2014.

He has been a Director of the Company since 2012. He also holds the position of President of subsidiary companies.

Mr. Lindsay joined the Company in 1987 and has served in various positions, including Vice President, U.S. Land Operations (1997-2006) for the Company's wholly-owned drilling subsidiaryfrom 1997 to 2006, Executive Vice President, U.S. and International Operations of Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co., Executive Vice President, U.S. and International Operations (2006-2010),from 2006 to 2010, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company (2010-2012),from 2010 to 2012, and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company (2012-2014). He isfrom 2012 to 2014.

Mr. Lindsay has served as a graduateDirector of the University of Tulsa andArcosa, Inc., a publicly-traded company, since 2018.

EDUCATION

Mr. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering. Engineering from the University of Tulsa.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

The Board believes that Mr. Lindsay brings to the Board and the Company significant knowledge and experience in the contract drilling industry. He provides a management representative on the Board with extensive knowledge of our day-to-day operations which facilitates the Board's oversight of management's strategy, planning, and performance.


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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS



GRAPHICJOSÉ R. MAS Paula Marshall — Ms. Marshall, age 64, has served as a Director of the Company since 2002. She has served since 1984 as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Bama Companies, Inc., a major bakery product manufacturing company with multiple facilities in the U.S., China and Poland. She was a Director of publicly traded BOK Financial Corporation from 2003 to 2009, and prior thereto served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and American Fidelity Corporation (insurance holding company). In 2001, Ms. Marshall chaired the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. Through her company leadership expertise, business background and entrepreneurial experience, the Board believes Ms. Marshall brings to the Board and the Company meaningful input and advice.2017



GRAPHIC

 

José R. MasLOGO  — Mr. Mas, age 46, has served as a Director of the Company since 2017.
DIRECTOR

Age 49

COMMITTEES

Human Resources

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Mas has served as the Chief Executive Officer of MasTec, Inc., a leading infrastructure construction company operating primarily throughout North America across a range of industries, since April 2007.

He joined MasTec, Inc. in 1992 and has been a member of MasTec, Inc.'s boardBoard of directorsDirectors since 2001. MasTec, Inc. is a leading infrastructure construction company operating primarily throughout North America across a range of industries.

MasTec, Inc.'s primary activities include the engineering, building, installation, maintenance and upgrade of energy, utility, and communications infrastructure. Mr. Mas also serves

He previously served on the boardBoards of directors ofNeff Rental for six years and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Commerce for three years.

Mr. Mas was awarded the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the year award in 2011 and in 2012.

EDUCATION

Mr. Mas holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

As a result of his service as a chief executive officer and directorDirector of a publicly tradedpublicly-traded corporation, the Board believes that Mr. Mas provides the Board and the Company with meaningful knowledge and perspective on a wide variety of matters.





GRAPHICTHOMAS A. PETRIE Thomas A. PetrieDirector since 2012

LOGO  —
DIRECTOR

Age 75

COMMITTEES

Human Resources ICON

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Petrie age 72, has served as a Director of the Company since 2012. He is Chairman of Petrie Partners, LLC, a Denver-based investment banking firm that offers financial advisory services to the oil and gas industry. industry, since 2012.

In 1989, Mr. Petriehe co-founded Petrie Parkman & Co., an energy investment banking firm, where he and served as its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer from 1989 to 2006.

Mr. Petrie served as a Vice Chairman of Merrill Lynch following the merger of Petrie Parkman & Co. with Merrill Lynch in 2006. 2006 until 2009.

Mr. Petrie also served until 2012 as Vice Chairman of Bank of America following Bank of America's acquisition of Merrill Lynch in 2009.

Mr. Petrie has been an active advisor on more than $250 billion of energy relatedenergy-related mergers and acquisitions, including manyacquisitions.

EDUCATION

Mr. Petrie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the largest. United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

The Board believes that Mr. Petrie's significant financial and energy industry experience enables him to provide valuable input and guidance into many aspects of the oil and gas industry.


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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


GRAPHICDONALD F. ROBILLARD, JR. Donald F. Robillard, Jr.Director since 2012

LOGO  — Mr. Robillard, age 66, has served as a Director of the Company since 2012. Until September 1, 2017, he served as Chief Executive Officer
DIRECTOR

Age 69

COMMITTEES

Audit ICON

Nominating and Chairman of ES Xplore, LLC, a direct hydrocarbon indicator technology company which in 2016 spun outCorporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

A 34-year employee of Hunt Oil and Hunt Consolidated, Inc., a private international company with interests in oil and gas exploration and production, refining, real estate development, private equity investments and land.land, Mr. Robillard served as a Director and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer of Hunt Consolidated, Inc.as well as a Director of both companies, from July 2015 until his retirement onin January 31, 2017. In June 2020, Mr. Robillard joined the Board of RRH Corporation, the holding company for all Hunt subsidiaries.

Prior to 2015, Mr. Robillard had served as a financial officer of Hunt Consolidated, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries since 1992.

He was also CEO and Chairman of ES Xplore, LLC, a direct hydrocarbon indicator company, from early 2016 until September 1, 2017, when the company successfully transitioned to a new CEO and a new Chairman.

In 2018, Mr. Robillard formed Robillard Consulting, LLC, an oil and gas advisory firm.

He has also served as a Director of publicly tradedpublicly-traded Cheniere Energy, Inc. since September 2014 and as Chair of its Audit Committee since June 2015.

Mr. Robillard is a Certified Public Accountant and an active member of both Financial Executives International, where he has served as a national director, and chaired the CommitteeNational Association of Corporate Directors. He also serves as a Director on Private Company Policy. Throughthe Advisory Board of The Institute for Ethics and Corporate Governance at the University of Texas at Dallas.

EDUCATION

Mr. Robillard holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Texas, Austin.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

As a result of his service as a chief financial officer at a major corporation directing the treasury, finance, planning, insurance, risk, and accounting functions, the Board believes that Mr. Robillard brings to the Board large company leadership, financial expertise, and experience in the oil and gas industry. The Board believes that Mr. Robillard's background provides the necessary expertise to serve as the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.Board.

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS





GRAPHICEDWARD B. RUST, JR. Edward B. Rust, Jr.Director since 1997

LOGO  — Mr. Rust, age 67, has served as a Director of the Company since 1997.
DIRECTOR

Age 70

COMMITTEES

Audit

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

From 1987 until his retirement in 2016, Mr. Rust served as Chairman of the Board of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, the largest insurer of automobiles and homes in the United States.

Mr. Rust was also President of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company from 1985 to 1998 and from 2007 to 2014, as well as Chief Executive Officer from 1985 to 2015.

He has been a Director of Caterpillar, Inc. (publicly traded, a publicly-traded manufacturer of construction and mining equipment)equipment, since 2003 and a Director of S&P Global Inc., formerly known as McGraw Hill Financial, Inc. (publicly traded, a publicly-traded global information services provider serving the financial services and business information markets),markets, since 2001.

EDUCATION

Mr. Rust received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University and his Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Southern Methodist University.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

His role as chief executive officer at a major corporation and experience as a Director of large, publicly tradedpublicly-traded, multi-national corporations enables Mr. Rust to provide significant input and guidance to the Board and the Company.



GRAPHICMARY M. VANDEWEGHE John D. ZeglisDirector since 2019

LOGO  — Mr. Zeglis, age 70,
DIRECTOR

Age 61

COMMITTEES

Human Resources

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Ms. VanDeWeghe has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of Forte Consulting Inc., a financial and management consulting firm, since 2009.

Previously, Ms. VanDeWeghe served as Senior Vice President of Finance for Lockheed Martin Corporation, and held positions in corporate finance, capital markets, and general management at J.P. Morgan, where she rose to the rank of Managing Director.

She also previously was a finance professor at the business schools at Georgetown University and the University of Maryland.

Ms. VanDeWeghe currently serves on the Board of Directors of Principal Funds.

She previously served on the Boards of Directors of Denbury Resources, Inc., B/E Aerospace, Inc., Ecolab Inc., Nalco Holding Co., W.P. Carey Inc., and Brown Advisory.

EDUCATION

Ms. VanDeWeghe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

Ms. VanDeWeghe's extensive business experience developed through executive responsibilities, consulting assignments and board positions, and her finance expertise gained through capital markets and corporate finance experiences enable her to provide valuable insight and guidance to the Board and the Company.

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Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


JOHN D. ZEGLISDirector of the Company since 1989. 1989

LOGO
DIRECTOR

Age 73

COMMITTEES

Audit

Nominating and Corporate Governance

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

From 1999 until his retirement in 2004, Mr. Zeglis served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.

He served as President of AT&T Corporation from December 1997 to July 2001, Vice Chairman from June 1997 to November 1997, General Counsel and Senior Executive Vice President from 1996 to 1997, and Senior Vice President and General Counsel from 1986 to 1996.

Mr. Zeglis is presentlyhas been a Director of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Corporation and The Duchossois Group. Group since 2010.

He ishas previously served on the boards of numerous other public and private companies.

EDUCATION

Mr. Zeglis holds a former DirectorBachelor of Georgia-Pacific Corporation (2001-2005), Sara Lee Corporation (1998-2000),Science in Finance degree from the University of Illinois Power Company (1992-1996) and Telstra Limited (2006-2015). a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

Through his past service as a chief executive officer at a major corporation and service as a Director of large, publicly tradedpublicly-traded multi-national corporations, Mr. Zeglis brings to the Board large company leadership, expertise and experience in many areas including corporate governance, and general business and financial strategic oversight. The Board believes Mr. Zeglis provides significant insight and guidance to the Board and the Company and has the necessary expertise with respect to executive compensation matters to serve as the ChairmanCompany.


GRAPHIC


Our Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR each of the Human Resources Committee ofpersons nominated by the Board of Directors.Board.

OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" EACH OF THE PERSONS NOMINATED BY THE BOARD.GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |19


Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The Board values a diverse group of directors who possess the background, skills and expertise and the highest level of personal and professional ethics, integrity, judgment, and values to represent the long-term interests of the Company and its stockholders.

Additional information about each director is provided in the biographies beginning on page 12.





Director Nominee Skills and Experiences




Delaney M. Bellinger




Kevin G. Cramton




Randy A. Foutch




Hans Helmerich




John W. Lindsay




José R. Mas




Thomas A. Petrie




Donald F. Robillard, Jr.




Edward B. Rust, Jr.




Mary M. VanDeWeghe




John D. Zeglis




# of
Directors
Accounting and finance·········9
Corporate governance···········11
Diverse industries·········9
Engineering·····5
Executive leadership···········11
Global business···········11
Information Technology···3
Investment, private equity and capital markets·······7
Law··2
Oil and gas industry·······7
Public company board experience··········10
Risk management··········10
Strategic planning···········11

More than 27 percent of our Director nominees are ethnically and/or gender diverse. Of the four independent Directors added to our Board since 2017, 75 percent are ethnically and/or gender diverse and 50 percent are women.

20|2021 Proxy Statement    CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
GRAPHIC


Table of Contents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Corporate Governance

The Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to address significant corporate governance issues. The guidelines,Our Corporate Governance Guidelines, as well as our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation") and our By-Laws, all Board committee charters, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is applicable to all our Directors, officers, and employees, the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers, the Related Person Transaction Policies and Procedures, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Policy, certain Audit Committee Practices, and our Sustainability Statement are available on our website,www.hpinc.com, under the "Governance" section. www.helmerichpayne.com/governance.

The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this proxy statement. A printed copy of the above mentionedabove-mentioned documents will be provided without charge upon written request to our Corporate Secretary.

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide a framework for our corporate governance initiatives and cover topics such as director independence and selection and nomination of director candidates, communication with the Board, Board committee matters, and other areas of import. Certain highlights from our Corporate Governance Guidelines, as well as other corporate governance matters, are discussed below.

Director Independence

Director Independence

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that a majority of the Board must meet the requirements for being an independent director under the listing standards of the NYSE and applicable law, including the requirement that the Board affirmatively determine that the Director has no material relationship with us. To guide its determination of whether a Director is independent, the Board has adopted the following categorical standards:

A Director will not be independent if:


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Table of Contents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

In addition, the following commercial and charitable relationships will not be considered material relationships that would impair a director'sDirector's independence:

A Director who is a member of our Audit Committee will not be independent if such Director: (i) other than in his or her capacity as a member of the Board, the Audit Committee the Board or any other Board committee, accepts directly or indirectly any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from


us or any subsidiary (except for retirement benefits to the extent permitted by applicable rules of the SEC); or (ii) is an affiliated person (as defined by the SEC) of us or any subsidiary. Similarly, in affirmatively determining the independence of any Director who will serve on the Human Resources Committee, the Board considers all factors specifically relevant to determining whether a Director has a relationship to the Company which is material to that Director's ability to be independent from management in connection with the duties of a Human Resources Committee member, including, but not limited to: (i) the source of compensation of such Director, including any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee paid by the Company to such Director; and (ii) whether such Director is affiliated with the Company, a subsidiary of the Company, or an affiliate of a subsidiary of the Company.

Generally, relationships not addressed by the NYSE rules or otherwise described above will not cause an otherwise independent Director to be considered not independent. For relationships that do not fall within the categories delineated above, the other Directors who are otherwise independent under the guidelines will determine whether a relationship is material and, therefore, whether thesuch Director would be independent.

In determining the independence of Ms. MarshallMses. Bellinger and VanDeWeghe and Messrs. Cramton, Foutch, Mas, Petrie, Robillard, Rust, and Zeglis, the Board of Directors considered (i) State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company's ownership of our common stock, and (ii) that Mr. Zeglis is a director of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. The Board of Directors also considered that the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, provides or provided in 2017 drilling or other services to Hunt Oil Company and Laredo Petroleum,Denbury Resources, Inc. Until his retirement in January of 2017, Mr. Robillard was("Denbury") at market rates during fiscal year 2020. Ms. VanDeWeghe served as a director of Hunt Oil Company (as well as an officer and directorDenbury until September 2020.

22|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


Table of parent company, Hunt Consolidated, Inc.). Mr. Foutch is an officer and director of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Payments made to the Company's subsidiaries by those entities have not exceeded two percent of the consolidated gross revenues of such entities during any applicable fiscal year.Contents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

After applying the standards set forth above in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board determined that Ms. MarshallMses. Bellinger and VanDeWeghe and Messrs. Cramton, Foutch, Mas, Petrie, Robillard, Rust, and Zeglis, our current, non-employee directors,

had no material relationship with the Company and that each is independent under our categorical standards and the requirements of the NYSE and applicable law.

Board Leadership Structure

Director Identification, Evaluation, and Nomination

General Principles and Procedures.    We are of the view that the continuing service of qualified incumbents promotes stability and continuity in the boardroom, contributing to the Board's ability to work as a collective body, while giving us the benefit of familiarity and insight into our affairs that our Directors have accumulated during their tenure. Accordingly, the process for identifying nominees reflects our practice of re-nominating incumbent Directors who continue to satisfy the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee's ("Committee") criteria for membership on the Board and the eligibility requirements of our By-laws, whom the Committee believes continue to make important contributions to the Board, and who consent to continue their service on the Board.

        In general, and as more fully outlined in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, in considering candidates for election at annual meetings of stockholders, the Committee will:


        If the Committee determines that (i) an incumbent Director consenting to re-nomination continues to be qualified and has satisfactorily performed his or her duties as Director during the preceding term, and (ii) there exist no reasons, including considerations relating to the composition and functional needs of the Board as a whole, why in the Committee's view the incumbent should not be re-nominated, then the Committee will, absent special circumstances, propose the incumbent Director for re-election.

        The Committee will identify and evaluate new candidates for election to the Board where it identifies a need to do so, including for the purpose of filling vacancies or a decision of the Directors to expand the size of the Board. The Committee will solicit recommendations for nominees from persons that the Committee believes are likely to be familiar with qualified candidates. The Committee may also determine to engage a professional search firm to assist in identifying qualified candidates.

        As to each recommended candidate that the Committee believes merits consideration, the Committee will:

        Based on all available information and relevant considerations, the Committee will select and recommend to the Board a candidate who, in the view of the Committee, is most suited for membership on the Board.

Stockholder Recommendations.    The Committee considers recommendations for Director candidates submitted by holders of our shares entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors. Candidates for Director who are properly recommended by our stockholders will be evaluated in the same manner as any other candidate for Director. In addition, the Committee may consider the number of shares held by the recommending stockholder and the length of time such shares have been held.

        For each annual meeting of stockholders, the Committee will accept for consideration only one recommendation from any stockholder or affiliated group of stockholders. The Committee will only consider recommendations of nominees for Director who satisfy the minimum qualifications prescribed by our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the eligibility requirements of our By-laws. For a stockholder recommended candidate to be considered by the Committee, the stockholder recommendation must be submitted in writing before our fiscal year-end to our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address, 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119, and must include the reasons for the recommendation, a description of the candidate's qualifications and the candidate's written consent to being considered as a Director nominee, together with a statement of the number of shares of our stock beneficially owned by the stockholder making the recommendation and by any other supporting stockholders (and their respective affiliates). The Committee may require the stockholder submitting the recommendation or the recommended candidate to furnish such other information as the Committee may reasonably request.


Stockholder Nominations.    Our By-laws provide that stockholders meeting certain requirements may nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors if such stockholders comply with the procedures set forth in our By-laws. For more information on stockholder nominations, see Stockholder Proposals and Nominations on page 48.

Director Qualification Standards

        All persons nominated to serve as one of our Directors should possess the following minimum qualifications more fully discussed in our Corporate Governance Guidelines. Specifically, all candidates:

The Committee will also ensure that:

        Our Corporate Governance Guidelines also provide, in lieu of a formal diversity policy, that as part of the nomination process, the Committee will consider diversity in professional background, experience, expertise, perspective, age, gender, and ethnicity with respect to Board composition as a whole. With respect to diversity, we place particular emphasis on identifying candidates whose experiences and talents complement and augment those of other Board members with respect to matters of importance to the Company. We attempt to balance the composition of the Board to promote comprehensive consideration of issues. Our current Board composition achieves this through widely varying levels and types of business and industry experience among current Board members. We monitor the composition and functioning of our Board and Committees through both an annual review of our Corporate Governance Guidelines and a self-evaluation process undertaken each year by our Directors.

        The foregoing qualification attributes are only threshold criteria, however, and the Committee will also consider the contributions that a candidate can be expected to make to the collective functioning of the Board based upon the totality of the candidate's credentials, experience, and expertise, the composition of the Board at the time, and other relevant circumstances.

Board Leadership Structure

        The Company's By-laws provide that, in general, any two or more offices may be held by the same person, including the offices of Chairman of the Board ("Chairman") and CEO. The Board believes


that this flexibility in the allocation of the responsibilities of these two roles is beneficial and enables the Board to adapt the leadership function to changing circumstances. Mr. Hans Helmerich currently is the Chairman of the Board of the Company. Mr. Helmerich has served as a Director since 1987 and became the Chairman in 2012. He served as the Company's CEO from 1989 until his retirement in March 2014. He also was the President from 1987 to 2012. Mr. Helmerich, who has nearly 25 years of successful experience as CEO and possesses in-depth knowledge of the Company, its operations and the evolving drilling and energy industry, has been responsible for the general supervision, direction and control of the Company's business and affairs. Under Mr. Helmerich's leadership, the Company experienced steady growth in earnings and market share and became the leading land driller in the United States. Mr. Helmerich retired from the position of CEO on March 5, 2014. Following retirement, Mr. Helmerich also provided consulting services to the Company for a three-year period that ended February 28, 2017. Mr. John W. Lindsay is the Company's current President and succeeded Mr. Helmerich as CEO on March 5, 2014. Since joining the Company in 1987 as a drilling engineer, Mr. Lindsay has served in various management positions. Mr. Lindsay was appointed Executive Vice President, U.S. and International Operations in 2006 for the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co., and became Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company in 2010. In 2012, Mr. Lindsay was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer and was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Lindsay brings to the Board and the Company significant leadership, knowledge and experience in the contract drilling industry. The Board believes at this time that the interests of all stockholders will be best served by the leadership model described above that contemplates a separated Chairman and CEO. The combined experience and knowledge of Messrs. Helmerich and Lindsay in their respective roles of Chairman and CEO will provide the Board and the Company with continuity of leadership that has enabled the Company's success.

        In addition, the Board has demonstrated its commitment and ability to provide independent oversight and management. We believe that the most effective board structure is one that emphasizes board independence and ensures that the board's deliberations are not dominated by management. With the exception of Messrs. Helmerich and Lindsay, our Board is composed entirely of independent Directors. EachOur Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which is composed of our standing Board committees is comprised ofindependent directors only, independent Directors. Further, whileregularly reviews the Board's leadership structure to ensure that it enables the Board does not currently have a leadto fulfill its responsibility to provide independent Director, it has appointed a presiding, independent Directoroversight and management for each executive sessionthe Company.

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that if the Chairman of the Board (the "Chairman") is not an independent director then the independent directors will annually elect an independent director to serve as lead director (the "Lead Director"). The independent directors designated Mr. Foutch to serve in the role of Lead Director in 2020. As Lead Director, Mr. Foutch presides at all executive sessions of the independent Directors when it meetsmanagement is not present. During fiscal year 2020, our independent Directors met in executive session without management.management at each of the four regularly scheduled Board meetings. Mr. Randy A. Foutch presently serveswas presiding Director for all executive sessions. The Lead Director also performs other duties and responsibilities as determined from time to time by the Board.

The Company's By-laws provide that, in general, any two or more offices may be held by the same person, including the offices of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"). Additionally, the office of Chairman may be held by an individual who is not an independent director. Currently, Mr. Hans Helmerich is the Chairman and Mr. John W. Lindsay is the CEO. The Board believes that this flexibility in the allocation of the responsibilities of these two roles

is beneficial and enables the Board to adapt the leadership function to changing circumstances.

Mr. Helmerich has served as a Director since 1987 and became the Chairman in 2012. He served as the presiding, independent Director. WhileCompany's CEO from 1989 until his retirement in 2014. He also was the Company's President from 1987 to 2012. Mr. Helmerich, who has nearly 25 years of successful experience as CEO and possesses in-depth knowledge of the Company, its operations and the evolving drilling and energy industry, has been responsible for providing guidance and leadership to the Board. Mr. Lindsay was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer and was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors in 2012 and succeeded Mr. Helmerich as CEO in 2014. Since joining the Company in 1987 as a drilling engineer, Mr. Lindsay has served in various management positions. Mr. Lindsay brings to the Board and the Company significant leadership, knowledge, and experience in the contract drilling industry.

At this time, the Board believes this practicethat the interests of all stockholders are best served by the leadership model described above. The Board believes the combined experience and knowledge of Messrs. Foutch, Helmerich, and Lindsay in their respective roles as Lead Director, Chairman, and CEO provides for independent leadership without the need to designate a single lead director, the Board may examine inand the future whetherCompany with both strong, independent guidance, and continuity of leadership that will promote the appointment of a lead Director would enhanceCompany's continued success. We believe that the Board's effectiveness. Our Board'scurrent leadership, committee structure, and strong governance practices help the Board oversee the Company's risks, create a productive relationship between the Board and management, and ensure strong independent oversight of risk management (discussed below) has had no effect onthat benefits our leadership structure to date.stockholders.

Board Meeting AttendanceGRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |23


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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board Meeting Attendance

There were four regularly scheduled and two special10 meetings of the Board held during fiscal 2017.year 2020, four of which were regularly scheduled. We require each Director to make a diligent effort to attend all Board and Committeecommittee meetings as well as the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders. All of our then sittingthen-sitting Directors attended

the 20172020 Annual Meeting of the Stockholders. During fiscal 2017,year 2020, no incumbent Director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board and its committees of which he or she was a member.

Board Committees

Board Committees

        Messrs. Cramton, Foutch, Robillard (Chairman) and Rust are members of the Audit Committee. The Board has adopted a written charterof Directors is responsible for overseeing the Audit Committee. The primary functions ofCompany's sustainability, business, and affairs, providing guidance and insight to the Audit Committee are to assistCompany's management and effectively stewarding the Board in fulfilling its independent and objective oversight responsibilities of


financial reporting and internal financial and accounting controlslong-term interests of the Company and to monitor the qualifications, independence, and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm.its stockholders. The Board has determined that Messrs. Kevin G. Cramton, Randy A. Foutch, Donald F. Robillard, Jr.reviews significant developments affecting the Company and Edward B. Rust, Jr. are "audit committee financial experts" as defined by the SEC.acts on matters requiring Board approval. The Board has also determined that all Audit Committee members are "financially literate" as contemplated by the rulesChairman of the NYSE. DuringBoard, the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017,Lead Director, and the committee chairs set Board and committee agendas in advance of every meeting to ensure that appropriate, relevant subjects, are covered with time for meaningful discussion. Directors

receive comprehensive materials in advance of Board and committee meetings and are expected to review these materials before each meeting. The standing committees of the Board are the Audit Committee, held twelve meetings.

        Ms. Marshall and Messrs. Mas, Petrie and Zeglis (Chairman) are members of the Human Resources Committee, (which functions as our compensation committee). The Board has adopted a written charter for the Human Resources Committee. The primary functions of the Human Resources Committee are to evaluate the performance of our executive officers, to review and make decisions regarding compensation of our executive officers and make recommendations regarding compensation of non-employee members of our Board, and to review and make recommendations or decisions regarding incentive compensation and equity-based compensation plans. The Human Resources Committee may not delegate any of its authority to other persons or committees. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, the Human Resources Committee held four meetings.

        Ms. Marshall and Messrs. Cramton, Foutch (Chairman), Mas, Petrie, Robillard, Rust, and Zeglis are members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The primary functionsBelow is an overview of the Committee are to identifymembers of each of the committees and to recommend to the Boardprimary duties of each of the selectioncommittees as of Director nominees for each annual meetingthe date of stockholders or for any vacancies on the Board, to make recommendations to the Board regarding the adoption or amendmentthis proxy statement.

24|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


Table of corporate governance principles applicable to us, and to assist the Board in developing and evaluating potential candidates for executive positions and generally oversee management succession planning. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held four meetings.Contents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
          Current Committee
Composition
  
Director Nominee and
Principal Occupation
 Age Director since Independent Audit Human
Resources
 Nominating
& Corporate
Governance
 Other Current Public
Company Boards
LOGO DELANEY M. BELLINGER
Retired Chief Information Officer, Huntsman Corporation
 62 2018  ICON   ICON 

None

LOGO KEVIN G. CRAMTON
Operating Partner,
HCI Equity Partners; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tribar Technologies, Inc.
 61 2017  ICON

ICON
   ICON 

None

LOGO RANDY A. FOUTCH
Chairman and Retired Chief Executive Officer, Laredo Petroleum, Inc.
 69 2007    ICON ICON 

None

LOGO HANS HELMERICH
Chairman of the Board,
Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
 62 1987;
ICON

since 2012
         

Cimarex Energy Co.

LOGO JOHN W. LINDSAY
President and Chief Executive Officer, Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
 60 2012         

Arcosa, Inc.

LOGO JOSÉ R. MAS
Chief Executive Officer, MasTec, Inc.
 49 2017    ICON ICON 

MasTec, Inc.

LOGO THOMAS A. PETRIE
Chairman, Petrie Partners, LLC
 75 2012    ICON ICON 

None

LOGO DONALD F. ROBILLARD, JR.
President, Robillard Consulting, LLC; Retired Director, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer, Hunt Consolidated
 69 2012  ICON

ICON
   ICON 

Cheniere Energy, Inc.

LOGO EDWARD B. RUST, JR.
Retired Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
 70 1997  ICON

ICON
   ICON 

S&P Global Inc.

Caterpillar, Inc.

LOGO MARY M. VANDEWEGHE
Chief Executive Officer & President of Forte Consulting Inc.
 61 2019    ICON ICON 

Principal Funds

LOGO JOHN D. ZEGLIS
Retired Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, AT&T Wireless Service, Inc.
 73 1989  ICON   ICON 

None

Number of Meetings in 2020: Board: 10 8 8 4 Total: 30

 The non-management Directors, in fiscal 2017, met in executive session without management, prior to four regularly scheduled Board meetings. Mr. Foutch was presiding Director for all executive sessions.

ICONDenotes Chairman of the Board

ICON


Denotes committee chair

ICON


Denotes "audit committee financial expert" as defined by the SEC

GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |25


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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GRAPHIC AUDIT COMMITTEEMeetings in fiscal year 2020: 8

MEMBERS (all independent)

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
​  

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.  ICON

Delaney M. Bellinger

Kevin G. Cramton

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

John D. Zeglis

The primary functions of the Audit Committee are to:

assist the Board in fulfilling its independent and objective oversight responsibilities of financial reporting and internal financial and accounting controls of the Company

monitor the qualifications, independence, and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm

ICON     The Board has determined Messrs. Cramton, Robillard and Rust are "audit committee financial experts" as defined by the SEC.

GRAPHIC     The Board has also determined that all Audit Committee members are "financially literate" as contemplated by the rules of the NYSE.


AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT AND CHARTER

The Audit Committee Report is provided on page 36 of this proxy statement.

The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, which is available on our website at http://www.helmerichpayne.com/governance/charter-audit-committee-board-directors.


GRAPHIC HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEEMeetings in fiscal year 2020: 8

MEMBERS (all independent)

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
​  

Thomas A. Petrie  ICON

Randy A. Foutch

José R. Mas

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

The primary responsibilities of the Human Resources Committee (which functions as our compensation committee) are to:

evaluate the performance of our executive officers

review and make decisions regarding compensation of our executive officers

make recommendations regarding compensation of non-employee members of our Board

review and make recommendations or decisions regarding incentive compensation and equity-based compensation plans

The Human Resources Committee may delegate to subcommittees of at least two members such power and authority as it deems appropriate to the extent not prohibited by any law, regulation, or listing standard.


COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE CHARTER

The Compensation Committee Report is provided on page 38 of this proxy statement.

The Board has adopted a written charter for the Human Resources Committee, which is available on our website at www.helmerichpayne.com/governance/charter-human-resources-committee-board-directors.

26Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters and Certain Control Persons|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
GRAPHIC NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEEMeetings in fiscal year 2020: 4

MEMBERS (all independent)

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
​  

Randy A. Foutch  ICON

Delaney M. Bellinger

Kevin G. Cramton

José R. Mas

Thomas A. Petrie

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

John D. Zeglis

The primary responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are to:

identify and recommend to the Board the selection of Director nominees for each Annual Meeting of Stockholders or for any vacancies on the Board

make recommendations to the Board regarding the adoption or amendment of corporate governance principles applicable to the Company

assist the Board in developing and evaluating potential candidates for executive positions and generally overseeing management succession planning


NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CHARTER

The Board has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which is available on our website at www.helmerichpayne.com/governance/charter-nominating-corporate-governance-committee-board-directors.

Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters, and Certain Control Persons

The Company has adopted written Related Person Transaction Policies and Procedures. The Audit Committee is responsible for applying such policies and procedures. The Audit Committee reviews all transactions, arrangements, or relationships in which the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any fiscal year, the Company is a participant, and any related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. In general, a related person is any Company executive officer, Director, or nominee for election as a Director, any greater than 5five percent beneficial owner of our common stock, and immediate family members of any of the foregoing.

The Audit Committee applies the applicable policies and procedures by reviewing the material facts of all interested transactions that require the Audit Committee's approval and either approves, ratifies, or disapproves of the entry into the interested transaction, subject to the exceptions described below. Any member of the Audit Committee who is a related person with respect to a transaction under review may not vote with respect to the approval or ratification of the transaction. In determining whether

to approve or ratify an interested transaction, the Audit Committee takes into account, among other factors it deems appropriate, the nature of the related person's interest in the interested transaction, the material terms of the interested transaction including whether the interested transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances, the materiality of the related person's direct or indirect interest in the interested transaction, the materiality of the interested transaction to us, the impact of


the interested transaction on the related person's independence (as defined in our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the New York Stock ExchangeNYSE listing standards), and the actual or apparent conflict of interest of the related person participating in the transaction (as contemplated under our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics). The following transactions are deemed to be pre-approved under the applicable policies and procedures:

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

There are no related person transactions required to be reported in this proxy statement.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During fiscal 2017,year 2020, the members of our Human Resources Committee were Ms. MarshallVanDeWeghe and Messrs. Foutch, Mas Petrie and Zeglis.Petrie. None of the members of the Human Resources Committee members has ever been an officer or employee of the Company or any of our subsidiaries and none has an interlocking

relationship requiring disclosure under applicable SEC rules. Additionally, none of the members of the Human Resources Committee members had any relationship requiring disclosure by the Company under the SEC's rules requiring disclosure of certain relationships and related-party transactions.

Communication with the Board

Communication with the Board

The Board has established several means for employees, stockholders, and other interested persons to communicate their concerns to the Board. If the concern relates to our financial statements, accounting practices, or internal controls, the concern may be submitted in writing to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee in care of our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address. If the concern relates to our governance practices, business ethics, or corporate conduct, the concern may be submitted in writing to the Lead Director and/or the Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in care of our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address. If the concern is intended for the non-management presiding Director or the non-management Directors as a group, the concern may be submitted in writing to such presiding Director or group in care of our Corporate Secretary at our

headquarters address. If the employee, stockholder, or other interested person has an unrelated concern or is unsure as to which category his or her concern relates, he or she may submit it in writing to the Board or any one of the Directors in care of our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address. Our headquarters address is 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119.is:

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Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
1437 South Boulder Avenue
Suite 1400
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

Each communication intended for any management or non-management Director(s) or for the entire Board and received by the Corporate Secretary whichthat is related to our operations will be promptly forwarded to the specified party.

Our Risk Management Program and the Board's Role in Risk Oversight

The Board's Role in Risk Management

        The Audit Committee reviewsBoard and discusses with managementits committees perform certain risk oversight functions for the Company's processes and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including the Company'sCompany. We maintain an enterprise risk management program.program designed to identify significant risks facing the Company. Our Risk Management and Insurance Department is responsible for implementing the program, which involves identifying and monitoring risks to the Company, assessing the Company's risk mitigation plans, and consulting on further measures that can

be taken to address new and existing risks. The Director of Risk Management and Insurance reports to the Audit Committee and full Board quarterly. At each regular meeting, the Board reviews the Company's financial condition and results of operations, hears reports concerning factors that could affect the business in the future, and receives a report on the Company's most significant risks. The Board annually approves a capital budget, with subsequent approval required for

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

any significant variations. In addition, the Company's risk oversight process involves the Board receivingreceives information from management on a variety ofconcerning operations, safety, legal and regulatory matters, including operations, legal, regulatory,insurance, finance, and strategy, as well as information regarding any material risks associated with each matter.of the foregoing. The full Board (or the appropriate Board committee, if the Board committee is responsible for the oversight of the matter) receives this information through updates from the appropriate members of management to enable it to understand and monitor the Company's risk management practices. When a Board committee receives an update, the chairperson of the relevant Board committee reports on the discussion to the full Board during the Board committee reports portion ofat the next Board meeting. This enables the Board and the Board committees to coordinate their oversight of risks facing the Company.

The Audit Committee plays a significant role in oversight of risks associated with the Company's financial performance, internal and external audit functions, legal and tax contingencies, cybersecurity, physical security, and other exposures. The Company's independent auditors, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Vice President of Accounting Services, Chief Accounting Officer, Vice President of Internal Audit, General Counsel, Senior Vice President of Information Technologies and Engineering, Director of Risk Management and Insurance, Senior Manager of Compliance, Director of Global Security, and Tax Director report to the Audit Committee at each regular quarterly meeting. The Audit Committee reviews and approves the annual internal audit plan and also receives reports on all internal audits.

The Audit Committee also reviews and discusses with management the Company's processes and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including the Company's enterprise risk management program.

Consulting with its compensation consultant and with management, the Human Resources Committee establishes performance goals for the Company's various compensation plans. These performance goals are intended to drive behavior that does not encourage or result in any material risk of adverse consequences to the Company and/or its stockholders. Further information concerning the Human Resource Committee's role in risk management in connection with executive compensation can be found below in "Compensation Risk Assessment." The Human Resources Committee also assists in mitigating the risks associated with the loss of the Company's senior executives by overseeing the Company's management succession planning.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also has a role in risk oversight role.for the Company, including, but not limited to, assessing the Company's succession planning, and environmental, social and corporate governance on a periodic basis. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is also responsible for Director succession planning, which includes efforts to mitigate risks associated with the loss of expertise and leadership at the Board level.


Compensation Risk Assessment

Compensation Risk Assessment

Management has undertaken a review of ourregularly reviews the Company's compensation programs and practices applicable to all employees, including executive officers, in order to assess the risks presented by such programs and practices. Management analyzedThis review includes analyzing the likelihood and magnitude of potential risks, focusing on program elements that may create risk, including pay mix and amount, performance metrics and goals, the balance between annual and long-term incentives, the terms of equity and bonus awards, and change-in-control arrangements. The review also tooktakes into account mitigating features associated with embedded in

our compensation programs and practices which include elements such as capped payoutspayout levels for both annual bonuses and performance-based equity grants under the Company's stockequity compensation plan, the Human Resources Committee's authorityuse of individual performance objectives to exercise negative discretion overincrease or decrease bonus payouts, stock ownership guidelines aligning the interests of our named executive officers (as defined herein) with stockholders, claw-back provisions contained in stockequity compensation plan award and other agreements, the use of multiple performance measures, and multi-year vesting schedules for equity awards.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The findings of thethis risk assessment are discussed with the Human Resources Committee and the full Board. Based on the assessment, we have determined that our compensation programs and practices applicable to all employees, including our

named executive officers, are aligned with the interests of stockholders, appropriately reward pay for performance, and are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Director Compensation in Fiscal Year 2020

 Role
Quarterly Retainer
($)

Chairman of the Board (Mr. Helmerich)

37,500

Each Non-Employee Director

25,000

Lead Director

6,250

Audit Committee Chair

3,750

Human Resources Committee Chair

2,500

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair

2,500

Each Member of the Audit Committee

1,250


 Non-Employee Director Annual Restricted Stock Grant(1)
Intended Value
on the Date of Grant
($)

Chairman of the Board

270,000

Other Non-Employee Directors

180,000
(1)
All equity grants are made as shares of restricted stock under our equity compensation plan. The number of shares is determined by dividing the intended value of the award by the preceding ten-day closing average price of our common stock.

All non-employee Directors are reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with the attending of Board or Board committee meetings. Employee Directors do not receive compensation for serving on the Board. Beginning with fiscal year 2019, we eliminated stock options as an element of our Director compensation program. Restricted stock is now the sole form of stock-based compensation to Directors.

The Directors may participate in our Director Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Director Plan"). Each Director participating in the Director Plan may defer into a separate account maintained by us, all or a portion of such Director's cash and stock compensation for services as a Director of the Company. A Director may select between two deemed investment alternatives, including an interest investment alternative and a stock unit investment alternative; however, deferred stock compensation must be deferred into the stock unit investment

alternative. The interest investment alternative provides for the payment of interest on deferred amounts in the Director's account at a rate equal to prime plus one percent. Under the stock unit investment alternative, we credit the Director's account with a number of stock units determined by dividing the Director's deferred compensation amount by the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the compensation deferral date. The Director's account is also credited with any dividends that would have been paid by us had the Director held actual shares of our common stock. The account balance attributable to the stock unit investment alternative may increase or decrease depending upon fluctuations in the value of our common stock and the distribution of dividends. The stock units credited to a Director's account are used solely as a device for the determination of the amount of cash payment to be distributed to the Director under the Director Plan. No Director is entitled to a distribution of actual shares of our common stock or to any other stockholder rights

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with respect to the stock units credited under the Director Plan. Except for emergency withdrawals and a change-in-control event (as defined in the Director Plan), the deferred cash amounts in a Director's account are not paid until he or she ceases to be a Director. The Director Plan does not create a trust and the participating Directors would be general

unsecured creditors of the Company. Since employee Directors do not receive compensation for serving on the Board, only non-employee Directors are able to participate in the Director Plan. The Director Plan is interpreted and administered by the Human Resources Committee.

        WeDirector Compensation Table

 Name
 Fees Earned
or Paid in
Cash(2)
($)

 Stock
Awards(3)
($)

 Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings

 All Other
Compensation(4)
($)

 Total
($)

 

Delaney M. Bellinger

  105,000  179,978    7,097  292,075 

Kevin G. Cramton

  105,000  179,978    7,052  292,030 

Randy A. Foutch

  135,000  179,978    14,497  329,475 

Hans Helmerich(1)

  150,000  270,001    61,814  481,815 

José R. Mas

  100,000  179,978    7,052  287,030 

Thomas A. Petrie

  110,000  179,978    7,052  297,030 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

  120,000  179,978    7,097  307,075 

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

  105,000  179,978    7,052  292,030 

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

  100,000  179,978    7,532  287,510 

John D. Zeglis

  105,000  179,978    7,052  292,030 
(1)
The amount included in the column captioned "All Other Compensation" reflects $48,454 for personal use of our aircraft, $2,662 in club memberships, $120 in event tickets and $10,578 in dividends on restricted stock. The value shown for personal use of our aircraft is the incremental cost to us of such use, which is calculated based on the variable operating costs to us per nautical mile of operation, which include fuel costs, repairs, meals, professional services, travel expenses and licenses and fees. Fixed costs that do not change based on usage, such as the cost of aircraft, pilot salaries, insurance, rent, and other costs, were not included. The amount reported includes deadhead flights and is reduced by any reimbursements to us. Flights for Mr. Helmerich comply with the Company's aircraft use policy described on page 52 in "Executive Compensation Discussion and Analysis."

(2)
Cash retainers, committee chair fees and lead director fees are committedpaid quarterly in March, June, September, and December.

(3)
Includes restricted stock and restricted stock deferred to long-term sustainability. We define sustainabilitystock units under our Director Plan. The amounts included in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of restricted stock determined pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 718. For restricted stock, fair value (and the number of shares granted) is calculated based on the closing sales price of our stock on the date of grant. However, to determine the number of shares or units awarded, we use the ten-day average closing price of our common stock divided by the intended value of the award. Therefore, the value in the table is different than the intended award value discussed in the narrative preceding the table. For additional information, including valuation assumptions with respect to the grants, refer to note 12, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, included in our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 20, 2020 (the "2020 Form 10-K").

(4)
With the exception of Mr. Helmerich addressed in footnote (1) above, all amounts in this column are dividends on restricted stock, dividends credited on restricted stock units under the Director Plan, and in one instance, personal use of our aircraft.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The following table provides information on the outstanding equity awards at September 30, 2020 for non-employee Directors. This table includes unexercised option awards reflected in each row below on an award-by-award basis. All options granted prior to fiscal year 2017 vested on the grant date and will expire ten years following the grant date. All options granted in fiscal year 2017 and after vested on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and will expire ten years following the grant date. Ms. VanDeWeghe held no outstanding options at September 30, 2020. Also, note that while not reflected in the table below, at September 30, 2020 (a) Mses. Bellinger and VanDeWeghe and

Messrs. Foutch and Robillard each held 5,415 restricted stock units representing the deferral of restricted stock pursuant to the Director Plan on March 16, 2020 and additional stock units credited as makinga result of dividend equivalent rights; (b) Messrs. Cramton, Mas, Petrie, Rust, and Zeglis each held 5,154 shares of restricted stock; and (c) Mr. Helmerich held 7,732 shares of restricted stock. All shares of restricted stock were granted on March 16, 2020 and vest on the right businessone-year anniversary of the grant date. Restricted stock units, including additional units credited as a result of dividend equivalent rights, vest on March 16, 2021.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Outstanding Equity Awards At Fiscal Year 2020 Year-End (Directors)

 
 Option Awards 
  Name
 Grant Date
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Exercisable
(#)

 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Unexercisable
(#)

 Option
Exercise
Price
($)

 Option
Expiration
Date

 

Delaney M. Bellinger

  7/1/2018  2,926    63.76  7/1/2028 

Kevin G. Cramton

  3/1/2017  5,242    69.91  3/1/2027 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

Randy A. Foutch

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.94  12/7/2020 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  4,790    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

Hans Helmerich

  12/7/2010  40,000    47.94  12/7/2020 

  12/6/2011  62,000    59.76  12/6/2021 

  12/4/2012  83,000    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/2/2014  11,777    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  18,841    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  7,185    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  11,057    58.43  12/4/2027 

José R. Mas

  3/1/2017  5,242    69.91  3/1/2027 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

Thomas A. Petrie

  6/6/2012  1,208    47.29  6/6/2022 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  4,790    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

  12/4/2012  2,500    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  4,790    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.94  12/7/2020 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  4,790    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

John D. Zeglis

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.94  12/7/2020 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 

  12/5/2016  4,790    81.31  12/5/2026 

  12/4/2017  7,371    58.43  12/4/2027 

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PROPOSAL 2—RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Audit Committee has appointed the firm of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm ("independent auditors") to audit our financial statements for fiscal year 2021. A proposal will be presented at the Annual Meeting asking the stockholders to ratify this appointment. The firm of Ernst & Young LLP has served us in this capacity since 1994.

Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting and will have the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and to respond to appropriate questions. In the event the stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent auditors to audit our

financial statements for fiscal year 2021, the Audit Committee will consider the voting results and evaluate whether to select a different independent auditor.

Although ratification is not required by Delaware law, our Certificate of Incorporation or our By-laws, we are submitting the selection of Ernst & Young LLP to our stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate governance. Even if the selection of Ernst & Young LLP is ratified, the Audit Committee may select different independent auditors at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.

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Our Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR the ratification of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent auditors for fiscal year 2021.

Audit Fees

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees and costs paid to Ernst & Young LLP during the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered to us:

Years Ended September 30,

20202019

Audit Fees(1)

$2,389,607$2,067,949

Audit-Related Fees(2)

86,94285,533

Tax Fees(3)

268,020263,147

All Other Fees

Total

$2,744,569$2,416,629
(1)
Includes fees for services related to the annual audit of the consolidated financial statements for the years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and the reviews of the financial statements included in our Form 10-Q reports, required domestic and international statutory audits and attestation reports, and the auditor's report for internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

(2)
Includes fees for the audits of our Employee Retirement Plan, 401(k)/Thrift Plan, Employee Benefit Program, and Maintenance Costs of Common Area Facilities for a wholly-owned subsidiary.

(3)
Includes fees for services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning, including expatriate tax services.

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PROPOSAL 2—RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves audit and non-audit services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm as well as the fee charged for such services. Pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year, is detailed as to the particular service or category of service, and is subject to a specific budget. The Audit Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority for such services to one or more of its members, whose decisions that integrate profitabilityare

then presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. For fiscal years 2019 and 2020, all of the audit and non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm were pre-approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with highthe Audit Committee Charter. In its review of all non-audit service fees, the Audit Committee considers, among other things, the possible effect of such services on the auditor's independence.

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AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is composed of five Directors and operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors. All members of the Audit Committee meet the independence standards set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines as well as the listing standards of corporate governancethe NYSE and ethics, health and safety, stewardshipthe applicable rules of the environment, employee engagement and a commitment toSEC. Three members of the communities in which we operate. We believe that sustainabilityAudit Committee meet the "audit committee financial expert" requirements under applicable SEC rules. The Audit Committee charter is an integral component ofavailable on our commitment to operational excellence worldwide. Our sustainability commitment is reflected in our Sustainability Statement which can be accessed electronicallywebsite at www.helmerichpayne.com under the "Governance" sectionsection. The Audit Committee reviews the adequacy of our website atwww.hpinc.com. You may also request the Sustainability Statement in print from our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address set forth above.and compliance with such charter annually.


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Summary

        In 2014,The Company's management is responsible for, among other things, preparing our industry experienced a severe declineconsolidated financial statements in oil prices, the effects of which are still apparent today. Oil prices exceeded $100 per barrel in July of 2014 and dropped to below $30 per barrel in January and February of 2016. This overall decline in prices caused the industry active rig countaccordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States to plummet from a high of America ("GAAP"), establishing and maintaining internal controls over 1,800 rigs to below 400 rigsfinancial reporting and evaluating the effectiveness of such internal controls over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for (i) auditing the Company's consolidated financial statements in early 2016. Inaccordance with the second half of fiscal 2016 oil prices rebounded modestly from observed lows but generally remained below $50 per barrel. In fiscal 2017, oil prices continued to seesaw around the $50 per barrel mark and generally remained below $55 per barrel. As a result, the United States active rig count began to slowly increase again and gain some momentum in fiscal 2016 and 2017. Nevertheless, at the close of fiscal 2017, the United States active rig count had only risen to approximately halfstandards of the activity high observedPublic Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") and for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the financial statements with GAAP and (ii) auditing our internal controls over financial reporting in 2014.accordance with such standards and for expressing an opinion as to the effectiveness of those controls.

The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee management's implementation of our financial reporting process and the audits of our consolidated financial statements and our internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, spot dayrate pricingthis regard, the Audit Committee meets periodically with management, our internal auditor, and average rig margins, though improved, remained significantly depressedour independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention, and oversight of our independent registered public accounting firm. As part of fulfilling this responsibility, the Audit Committee engages in fiscal 2017 relativean annual evaluation of, among other things, our independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications, competence, integrity, expertise, performance, independence and communications with the Audit Committee, and whether our independent registered public accounting

firm should be retained for the upcoming year's audit. The Audit Committee discusses with the Company's internal auditor and our independent registered public accounting firm the overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit Committee meets with the Company's internal auditor and our independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, to 2014.discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting. The Audit Committee reviews significant audit findings together with management's responses thereto. The Audit Committee performs other activities throughout the year, in accordance with the responsibilities of the Audit Committee specified in the Audit Committee charter.

        As a result of these difficult market conditions, we reported a net loss of $128 million ($1.20 per diluted share) from operating revenues of $1.8 billionIn its oversight role, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed our audited consolidated financial statements and our internal controls over financial reporting with management and with Ernst & Young LLP ("E&Y"), our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2017, onlyyear 2020. Management and E&Y indicated that our second annual lossconsolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended September 30, 2020 were fairly stated in accordance with GAAP and that our internal controls over 50 years. Nevertheless, fiscal 2017 witnessedfinancial reporting were effective as of September 30, 2020. The Audit Committee discussed with E&Y and management the largest ramp up of U.S. land rig activity our history, which more than doubled evensignificant accounting policies used and significant estimates made by management in the facepreparation of oil price uncertaintyour audited consolidated financial statements, and volatility. We began fiscal 2017the overall quality, not just the acceptability, of our consolidated financial statements and management's financial reporting process. The Audit Committee and E&Y also discussed any issues deemed significant by E&Y or the Audit Committee, including critical audit matters addressed during the audit and the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB, the rules of the SEC, and other applicable regulations.

E&Y has provided to the Audit Committee written disclosures and the letter required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent registered public accounting firm's communications with 95 rigs running in U.S. landthe Audit Committee concerning independence, and closed the yearAudit Committee discussed with 197 rigs after reactivating 102 FlexRigs® while upgrading 91of those to super-spec capacity. Our FamilyE&Y the firm's independence. The Audit Committee also concluded that E&Y's provision of Solutions® with over 2000


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rig yearsTable of FlexRig experienceContents

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

other permitted non-audit services to us and our related entities is compatible with E&Y's independence.

Based on its review of the audited financial statements and the various discussions noted above,

the Audit Committee recommended to our Board that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, filed with the SEC.

Submitted by the Audit Committee



Donald F. Robillard, Jr., Chairman
Delaney M. Bellinger
Kevin G. Cramton
Edward B. Rust, Jr.
John D. Zeglis

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COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Human Resources Committee of the Company has allowed usreviewed and discussed with management the following section of this proxy statement entitled "Executive Compensation Discussion and Analysis" ("CD&A") as required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K. Based on such review and discussions, the Human Resources Committee

recommended to provide the right rigBoard that the CD&A be included in this proxy statement and incorporated by reference into the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the customerfiscal year ended September 30, 2020. This report is provided by the following Directors, who comprise the Human Resources Committee:

Thomas A. Petrie, Chairman
Randy A. Foutch
José R. Mas
Mary M. VanDeWeghe

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In this discussion and enabled us to growanalysis, we describe our U.S. land market share to approximately 20% (compared to approximately 15% in 2014). Further, during fiscal 2017,compensation philosophy and program for our strong balance sheet and strong liquidity position allowed us to pay dividends of approximately $2.80 per share of common stock. In addition, our three and five-year total stockholder return ranked in the 88th and 96th percentile, respectively, relative to our peers within our Compensation Peer Group (defined and discussed below).

        For fiscal 2015, we did not pay bonuses in the midst of the industry downturn despite reporting net income of $422 million. No bonuses were paid because we did not achieve the threshold level of performance with respect to our corporate performance criteria. However, for fiscal 2016, we did pay our CEO and other named executive officers partial bonuses. The bonuses paid were significantly below target level bonuses because we only achieved the threshold level of performance with respect to one of our three fiscal 2016 corporate performance criteria. For fiscal 2017, we paid our CEO and other ("named executive officers bonuses that were modestly above target level bonuses because we (i) exceeded the threshold level of performance with respect to two of our three fiscal 2017 corporate performance criteria (EPS and ROIC), (ii) exceeded our reach level of performance with respect to our third corporate performance criteria (EBITDA), and (iii) achieved favorable results with respect to certain strategic objectives (discussed below under "2017 Executive Compensation Components — Bonus"officers"). The bonuses paid are reported whose compensation is set forth in both the "Bonus" and "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" columns of the Summary Compensation Table on page 32.

        In light of prevailing industry conditions and other considerations,compensation tables included in this proxy statement. For the year ended September 30, 2020, our CEO and other named executive officers did not receive base salary adjustments for calendar 2016. For calendar 2017, our CEO and other named executive officers (with one exception) received base, market-driven salary adjustments of 10%. One named executive officer received a 15% base salary adjustment due toincluded the fact that the individual's salary was significantly below the market median for similarly positioned officers. In fiscal 2017, our CEO and other named executive officers were also awarded non-qualified stock options and restricted stock as shown in the Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2017 table on page 34.following individuals:

Officers
Title
John W. LindsayPresident and Chief Executive Officer
Mark W. SmithSenior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Cara M. HairSenior Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer
John R. BellSenior Vice President, International and Offshore Operations of Drilling Subsidiary
Michael P. LennoxSenior Vice President, U.S. Land Operations of Drilling Subsidiary
Robert L. StauderSenior Vice President and Chief Engineer of Drilling Subsidiary until July 17, 2020
Wade W. ClarkVice President, U.S. Land of Drilling Subsidiary until May 1, 2020

Executive Summary

Compensation Process, Philosophy and Objectives

        TheOur Human Resources Committee (the(referred to in this section as the "Committee") has the responsibility for establishing, implementing, and monitoring our executive compensation program. All compensation decisions relating to our CEO, Chief Financial OfficerCFO, and the other named executive officers identifiedare made by the Committee.

Fiscal year 2020, which began on October 1, 2019, was a challenging year for the oil and gas industry and the Company. In early March 2020, the increase in crude oil supply resulting from production escalations from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil producing nations ("OPEC+") combined with a decrease in crude oil demand stemming from the global response and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a sharp decline in crude oil prices. In calendar year 2020, crude oil prices fell from approximately $60 per barrel to the low-to-mid-$20 per barrel range, and significantly lower in some cases. Consequently, we observed a significant decrease in customer 2020 capital budgets. There was a corresponding dramatic decline in the demand for land rigs, such that the overall rig count for calendar year 2020 averaged significantly less than in calendar year 2019.

The following pay decisions were made by the Committee with respect to our named executive officer compensation for fiscal year 2020:

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The Committee believes that the compensation decisions made and highlighted above align with our pay for performance philosophy and are in the best interest of our stockholders.

Executive Compensation Philosophy and Practices

The primary goals of our executive compensation program are to:

    align the interests of our executives with those of our stockholders;

    ensure that we are able to attract and retain qualified executives; and

    link our executives' pay with their performance and execution of the Company's strategy.

The table on the following page highlights compensation practices we have implemented because we believe they drive performance, as well as practices we have not implemented because we do not believe they would serve our stockholders' long-term interests.

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What We Do
What We Do Not Do

We pay our named executive officers based on their impact on the Company's achievement of its strategic goals by making a significant portion of their target compensation performance-based and at risk.

We do not have employment contracts with our named executive officers.

Our performance-based compensation varies based on our actual performance and the achievement of individual performance objectives. 

We do not reprice performance-based incentives to pay out in the event that the Company falls short of its performance goals.

The Committee engages in a multi-step target setting process to establish the composition of our named executive officers' compensation, including reviewing market and survey data sourced from our peer group of companies, the oil and gas industry, and the general industry.

We do not provide tax gross-ups or compensation programs to our named executive officers that are not available to all employees.

We emphasize long-term equity incentives and utilize caps on potential payments, clawback provisions, reasonable retention strategies, performance targets, and individual performance objectives to mitigate risk in our compensation programs.

We do not maintain compensation programs that we believe motivate misbehavior or excessive risk-taking by named executive officers or other employees of the Company.

We have modest post-employment benefits and have included double trigger change in control provisions in all equity awards since fiscal year 2017.

We do not provide significant additional benefits to named executive officers that differ from those provided to all other employees.

We have stock ownership and retention guidelines intended to align management and stockholder interests.

We do not permit our named executive officers, Directors or employees to hedge and pledge or use margin accounts related to the Company's stock.

The Committee retains an expert, independent compensation consulting firm for the purpose of advising on executive compensation practices.

Compensation Components

Generally, the elements of compensation and benefits provided to our named executive officers are the same as those provided to other key employees. The executive compensation program for our named executive officers for fiscal year 2020 consisted of the following elements:

As illustrated by the charts below, our CEO and other named executive officers have a majority of their target total direct compensation tied to elements that are designed to align their incentives with the Company's success in achieving its financial and strategic goals. Furthermore, a majority of the compensation that is tied to Company performance is in the form of restricted stock vesting over four years and performance share units that may be earned over three years.

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GRAPHIC

*
The above charts exclude small amounts of compensation attributable to changes in pension value and non-qualified deferred compensation as well as other compensation as shown in the Summary Compensation Table ("Table.

We believe that our executive compensation program is well-designed to achieve its primary goals. To ensure that management's interests are aligned with those of our stockholders, and to motivate and reward individual initiative and effort, a substantial portion of our named executive officers") are madeofficers' compensation is at-risk and will vary above or below target levels commensurate with Company performance. We emphasize performance-based compensation that rewards executives for delivering financial, operational, and strategic results that meet

or exceed pre-established goals set annually by the Committee. Committee under our Annual Short-Term Incentive Bonus and grants under our Long-Term Incentive Equity Compensation programs in the form of performance share units and time-vested restricted stock. Additionally, we further align the interests of our executives with those of our stockholders and the long-term interests of the Company through stock ownership requirements as well as grants under our Long-Term Incentive Equity Compensation program.

Determination of Executive Compensation

For purposes of deciding upondetermining named executive officer compensation, the Committee generally meets at least quarterly throughout the fiscal year to to:

Following the end of each fiscal year, the Committee meets to consider and determine bonus compensation for the completed fiscal year, and salary

adjustments, and equity-based compensation awards. During this meeting, theThe Committee also considers executive bonuscompensation plan performance objectives for the next fiscal year and recommends the same for approval by the Board. Generally,We evaluate the typesperformance of compensationour executives over both short-term and benefits paid tomulti-year periods. To align the interests of our named executive officers are the same asexecutives with those provided to other key employees. We do not offer employment contracts toof our named executive officers and there are no material individual differences in compensation policies and decisions for these executives.

        The objectives ofstockholders, our executive compensation program areis designed to compensate executives inplace a manner that advancessubstantial emphasis on variable compensation which is based on both the interests of the stockholders while ensuring that we are able to attract, retainCompany's stock price performance and reward qualified executives. To that end, we have designed our executive compensation program to


reward theexecutives' achievement of short- and long-term corporate goals that enhance stockholder value. The Committee monitors both performance and compensation to ensure that we maintain our ability to attract, retain and reward qualified executives and that compensation paid to our executives remains competitive relative to compensation paid to executives of competitor companies. Our compensation elements consist of:

        We believe the Company should have the ability to recover compensation paid to executive officers and key employees under certain circumstances. As a result, we have two policies addressing recoupment of bonus and equity compensation from executive officers and certain other key employees. The following is a summary of those policies:

Role of Executive Officers in Compensation

        The Committee annually evaluates the performance of the CEO and other named executive officers and determines their compensation in light of the objectives of our compensation program. The CEO provides an annual assessment of his performance and the performance of the other named executive officers. The CEO, with the assistance of the Vice President, Corporate Services, provides to the Committee data, analysis, and suggested base salary adjustments and equity compensation for the other named executive officers. This input from management is considered by the Committee when making its compensation decisions. The Vice President, Corporate Services also reviews the compensation consultant's annual draft of its compensation analysis (discussed below) and provides comments for the consultant's consideration. She also attends Committee meetings and provides requested information to the Committee. Except for discussing individual performance objectives with the CEO, the other named executive officers do not otherwise play a role in their own compensation decisions.

Role of Compensation Consultant

        Pay Governance, the Committee's independent compensation consultant, provides reports to the Committee throughout each year containing research, market data, survey information, and information regarding trends and developments in executive compensation. At the Committee's request, Pay


Governance advises the Committee on all principal aspects of executive compensation including the competitiveness of program design and award values. Pay Governance ordinarily provides the Committee, on an annual basis, with a final written executive compensation analysis with respect to the named executive officers. The written analysis generally addresses, among other things, the following:

        The Committee generally reviews the compensation of the named executive officers in late November or early December following the end of a particular fiscal year. During calendar 2017, Pay Governance attended two meetings and produced reports that were considered in three Committee meetings.

        The Committee's compensation consultant periodically provides the Committee with a written director compensation analysis. The Committee reviews the analysis and determines whether to recommend to our Board a compensation increase for non-employee directors. The executive officers do not play a role in determining or recommending the amount or form of director compensation.

        Pay Governance reports directly to the Committee although they may meet with management from time to time to gather information or to obtain management's perspective on executive compensation matters. The Committee has the sole authority under its Charter to retain, at our expense, or terminate the compensation consultant at any time. In addition, the Committee may conduct or authorize investigations of matters within its scope of responsibilities and may retain, at our expense, independent counsel or other advisors as it deems necessary.

        The Committee has considered the independence of Pay Governance in light of SEC rules and NYSE listing standards. The Committee requested and received a letter from Pay Governance addressing its independence, including the following factors:

The Committee discussed these considerations, including the fact that Pay Governance provides no additional services to the Company or management. The Committee concluded that there was no conflict of interest present and that Pay Governance provided the Committee with appropriate assurances and confirmation of its independent status as the Committee's advisor.

Effect of Stockholder Say-on-Pay Vote on Executive Compensation Decisions

        The Committee has reviewed the voting results from the advisory vote on executive compensation (commonly known as a say-on-pay proposal) conducted at our 2017 annual meeting of stockholders. At this meeting, approximately 96% of the votes cast on the say-on-pay proposal were in favor of our


named executive officers' compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement for that meeting. The Committee determined that, given the very high level of support, no changes to our executive compensation policies and decisions were necessary based on the voting results from our 2017 annual meeting of stockholders.

        Our stockholders vote on a say-on-pay proposal each year. In the event there is any significant vote against the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the proxy statement, the Committee will consider the concerns of the stockholders in future executive compensation decisions.

Determining Executive Compensation

In making compensation decisions, the Committee compares each element of compensation against a peer group of publicly-traded contract drilling and oilfield service companies (collectively, the "Compensation Peer Group") and against published survey data. The Compensation Peer Group consists of companies that are representative of the types of companies that we compete against for talent. The companies currently included in our

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For compensation decisions with respect to fiscal year 2020, the Compensation Peer Group arewas as follows:

Diamond Offshore Drilling,  Inc.

Noble Corporation

Baker Hughes Incorporated

Nabors Industries Ltd.

Rowan Companies plc

ENSCO plc

Transocean Ltd.

Patterson-UTI Energy,  Inc.

Oceaneering International,  Inc.

Precision Drilling Corp.

Weatherford International plc

National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

Superior Energy Services,  Inc.

Company
(in millions)

Market Capitalization
(at September 30,
2020)*
Enterprise Value
(at September 30,
2020)*
Revenue
(TTM from
September 30, 2020)*

Baker Hughes Company

$8,723$18,018$21,558

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

$30$2,185$794

Nabors Industries Ltd.

$178$3,507$2,405

National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

$3,518$4,662$7,044

Noble Corporation plc

$6$3,680$1,215

Oceaneering International, Inc.

$349$967$1,964

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

$534$1,226$1,396

Precision Drilling Corp.

$176$1,139$855

Superior Energy Services, Inc.

$5$1,145$1,008

TechnipFMC plc

$2,836$3,260$13,351

Transocean Ltd.

$496$7,554$3,254

Valaris plc

$17$(113)$1,643

Weatherford International plc

$137$1,921$4,089

For comparison, the Company's comparable statistics are shown here:

Company
(in millions)

Market Capitalization
(at September 30,
2020)*
Enterprise Value
(at September 30,
2020)*
Revenue
(TTM from
September 30, 2020)*

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

$1,575$1,523$1,774

 

During calendar year 2020, the Committee, with the assistance of its independent compensation consultant evaluated the Compensation Peer Group. Based on this assessment a number of changes were made to the peer group for fiscal 2021 compensation decisions, including:

Company
(in millions)

Market Capitalization
(at September 30,
2020)*
Enterprise Value
(at September 30,
2020)*
Revenue
(TTM from
September 30, 2020)*

ChampionX Corporation

$1,596$2,547$1,442

Oil States International, Inc.

$167$314$739

ProPetro Holding Corp.

$410$356$1,070
*
Amounts provided by Willis Towers Watson. Enterprise value amounts are as of September 30, 2020 and are calculated as follows: market capitalization as of September 30, 2020, plus debt, lease liabilities, preferred stock, and minority interest less cash and short-term investments.

The Committee also uses survey data to assist in compensation decisions, including those instances in which a named executive officer's position or duties do not match the position or duties of Compensation Peer Group executives. This survey data includes

oilfield services, energy, and general industry data. The surveys used are as follows:

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The Committee sets target total direct compensation for named executive officers to generally approximate the median level of compensation paid to similarly situatedsimilarly-situated executives of the companies comprising the Compensation Peer Group.Group, although in some instances there may be insufficient peer group data to provide a meaningful percentile ranking. Variations to this objective may occur as dictated by corporate performance, experience level, internal considerations, nature of duties, market factors, and retention issues. At the time the Committee makes compensation decisions, it uses prior fiscal year peer data and available survey data. As such, the data used by the Committee provides peer compensation comparisons on a historical basis which does not reflect the most recent year over year increase in peer compensation. Therefore, when the Committee annually sets compensation for our named executive officers, that compensation generally lags behind the current median of peer compensation. Similarly, the

percentile ranking for total direct compensation (discussed below) could generally be overstated as well because such rankings are derived from dated peer compensation data.

A significant portion of total compensation is variable based on corporate performance and relative stockholder return. The Committee considers individual performance during its annual review of base salary and equity awards. However, no specific individual performance criteria or guidelines are used by the Committee as a controlling factor in the Committee's ultimate judgment and final decision. In deciding on the type and amount of executive compensation, the Committee focuses on both current pay and the opportunity for future compensation. The Committee does not have a specific formula for


allocating each element of pay, but instead bases the allocation on peer and survey data and the Committee's judgment.

Role of Executive Officers in Compensation

        In DecemberThe Committee annually evaluates the performance of 2016 (i.e., fiscal 2017), the Committee began utilizingCEO and other named executive officers and determines their compensation in light of the objectives of our compensation program. The CEO provides an award mixannual assessment of 50% stock options and 50% time-based restricted stock which the Committee believes has the effect of aligning the interests of executives with stockholders. For more information on our rationale for the use of stock options and restricted stock as components of total compensation, see the discussion of Stock Options and Restricted Stock below on pages 26 and 27.

        Equity awards are calculated based on an executive's base payhis performance and the value of our common stock. Under this methodology, in fiscal 2017, the Committee limited the value of annual equity awards to 440% of the CEO's base salary and 275% of the base salaryperformance of the other named executive officers. The Committee arrived at those values in an effort to approximateCEO, with the median level of such compensation paid to similarly situated executivesassistance of the companies comprisingSenior Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, provides to the Committee data, analysis, and suggested base salary adjustments and equity compensation for the other named executive officers. This input from management is considered by the Committee when

making its compensation decisions. The Senior Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer also reviews the compensation consultant's annual draft of its compensation analysis (discussed below) and provides comments for the consultant's consideration. She also attends Committee meetings and provides requested information to the Committee. Except for discussing individual performance objectives with the CEO, the other named executive officers do not otherwise play a role in their own compensation decisions.

Role of Compensation Consultant

During fiscal year 2019, the Committee conducted a thorough evaluation process to select a new independent compensation consultant. As a result of the process, the Committee engaged Willis Towers Watson as the Committee's independent compensation consultant beginning in fiscal year 2020. The independent compensation consultant provided reports to the Committee throughout the year containing research, market data, survey information, and information regarding trends and

developments in executive compensation. At the Committee's request, the independent compensation consultant advises the Committee on all principal aspects of executive compensation, including the competitiveness of program design and award values. The independent compensation consultant ordinarily provides the Committee, on an annual basis, with a final written executive compensation analysis with respect to the named executive officers. The written

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analysis generally addresses, among other things, the following:

The Committee generally reviews the compensation of the named executive officers in November or December following the end of a particular fiscal year. The Committee's independent compensation consultant is generally tasked with preparing materials to help the Committee analyze the effectiveness of the Company's compensation programs and the Company's positioning relative to its Compensation Peer Group. To determine the actual number of stock option shares awardedThe independent compensation consultant may also be asked to a named executive officer, the dollar valueprepare reports in connection with other meetings of the award is divided by the applicable Black-Scholes value. In determining the Black-Scholes value,Committee where elements of executive compensation or director compensation are discussed. During calendar year 2020, Willis Towers Watson participated in seven Committee meetings and produced reports that were considered in those Committee meetings.

The Committee's compensation consultant periodically provides the Committee uses an average price for our common stock overwith a 10-day trading period ending onwritten director compensation analysis. The Committee reviews the Friday before the week that stock option awards are considered by the Committee. Exceptionsanalysis and determines whether to recommend to our long-term incentiveBoard any changes to the compensation policy have occurred and may occur in the future as dictated by retention considerations and market factors.

2017 Executive Compensation Components

program for non-employee directors. The principal components of compensation for named executive officers do not play a role in determining or recommending the amount or form of director compensation.

The independent compensation consultant reports directly to the Committee, although it may meet with management from time to time to gather information or to obtain management's perspective on executive

compensation matters. The Committee has the sole authority under its Charter to retain, at our expense, or terminate the compensation consultant at any time. In addition, the Committee may conduct or authorize investigations of matters within its scope of responsibilities and may retain, at our expense, independent counsel or other advisors as it deems necessary. The Committee has considered the independence of Willis Towers Watson in light of SEC rules and NYSE listing standards. The Committee requested and received a letter from Willis Towers Watson addressing its independence, including the following factors:

The Committee discussed these considerations and concluded that there was no conflict of interest present and that Willis Towers Watson provided the Committee with appropriate assurances and confirmation of its independent status as the Committee's advisor.

Effect of Stockholder Say-on-Pay Vote on Executive Compensation Decisions

Our Board and the Committee value the continued interest and feedback of our stockholders regarding our executive compensation decisions. Our stockholders vote on a say-on-pay proposal each

year and the Board and the Committee carefully review the voting results from the advisory vote on executive compensation (commonly known as a say-on-pay proposal) and other stockholder input

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when making decisions concerning executive compensation. At our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, approximately 94% of the votes cast on the say-on-pay proposal were in favor of our named executive officers' compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement for that meeting. The Committee

determined that no changes to our executive compensation policies and decisions were necessary in light of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, are described below.high level of support shown for our executive compensation plan in the voting results from our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Elements of Executive Compensation

BASE SALARY

Base Salary

We provide named executive officers and other employees with a base salary to compensate them for services rendered during the fiscal year.their services. Base salaries of named executive officers are targeted to generally approximatefall within a range around the median level of base salaries of similarly situatedsimilarly-situated executives of companies included in theour Compensation Peer Group. If the base salariessalary of any of our named executive officers consistently fallfalls below such median level, thenthis range, the Committee will consider market adjustments to a named executive officer's base salaries.

salary. Salary levels are typically considered annually as part of our review process as well as upon a promotion. Although named executive officers generally receive the same percentage salary increase applicable to office-basedConsistent with our compensation practice for all employees, the named executive officers may receive no salary increase, a merit-based increase, or greater increases as a result of market adjustments, changes in duties or retention considerations. Salary adjustmentsconsiderations, individual contributions, level of experience, and overall market conditions.

The following table details salary increases for 2017 are discussed above undercalendar year 2020 which were approved by the Summary section beginning on page 19.Committee in November 2019.

Executive

20192020% Increase

John M. Lindsay

$976,000$1,025,0005.0%

Mark W. Smith

$500,000$515,0003.0%

Cara M. Hair

$415,000$450,0008.4%

John R. Bell

$379,272$398,0004.9%

Michael P. Lennox

$339,488$356,5005.0%

Robert L. Stauder

$493,812$510,0003.3%

Wade W. Clark

$339,488$356,5005.0%

PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION COMPONENTS

Annual Short-Term Incentive Bonus Plan

The annual bonus plan for executive officers ("Annual Short-Term Incentive Bonus Plan (the "STI Plan") is a cash incentive plan that provides for calculation of annual non-equity incentive-based compensation. These cash incentive awards areincentives designed to reward short-term financial performance and achievement of strategic goals. Combined salaries and target bonus levels are intended to generally approximate the median of the Compensation Peer Group's combined salary and annual cash bonus levels.

The BonusCommittee determined that no payout would be made under the fiscal year 2020 STI Plan, isas described below. Under the 2020 STI Plan, incentive payouts were subject to a minimum EBITDA hurdle of $200 million. If the EBITDA hurdle was achieved, the plan was structured to be funded, in the aggregate, at an amount equal to 1% of our earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA").EBITDA. This funding pool isamount was to be allocated 40% to the CEO and 15% is allocated to each of the other four current named executive officers. Notwithstanding the size of the funding pool,

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no bonus in excess of $5,000,000 may be paid to any named executive officer under the BonusSTI Plan. In addition, each

Each named executive officer is assigned a threshold, target, and reach bonus


award opportunity

expressed as a percentage of base salary. Thesesalary under our STI Plans. For fiscal year 2020, these bonus award opportunities arewere set as follows and do not include the potential bonus adjustment described below:


 Threshold Target Reach ThresholdTargetReach

Chief Executive Officer

 40% 100% 130%40%110%130%

Chief Financial Officer

25%90%100%

Other Named Executive Officers

 25% 75% 100%25%75%100%

 An

For fiscal year 2020, each named executive officer's bonus opportunity isunder the STI Plan was based upon three weighted corporate performance criteria. These performance criteria and their weightings are:were: earnings per share (35%("EPS") (20%); return on invested capital (35%("ROIC") (20%); and EBITDA (30%(60%). At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Committee establishes (and recommends for approval by the full Board) the BonusSTI Plan funding structureamounts and the allocation among the named executive officers, as well as the assignment of a threshold, target, and reach objective for each performance criterion. The target objective is established based upon the operating and capital budget approved by the Board. OnceBoard, which is developed from our base case financial forecast for the target objective is established,coming year, an analysis of our business units, and certain assumptions about our business and operating environment. From that base case, we further develop upside and downside scenarios by adjusting the threshold objective is generally adjusted 30% belowassumptions used in our financial modeling. The Committee also considers previous years' goals and the reach objective is generally adjusted 30% aboveprevious years' actual achievement when evaluating the target objective. However, on occasion we adjustrigor of the threshold and reach objectives by more than 30% when in the Committee's judgment a wider spread is more meaningful, appropriate and/or fair to our stockholders and named executive officers. Actual fiscal yearCompany's financial performance objectives.

Financial results are compared to plan objectives in order to determine the amount of anyeach named executive officerofficer's bonus. If actual financial results fall between the threshold and target objectives or the target and reach objectives, then bonuses are proportionately increased as a result of the threshold or target objective, as applicable, being exceeded. Notwithstanding the other provisions of the BonusSTI Plan, the Committee hashad the right under the 2020 STI Plan to reduce or eliminate any bonus due to a named executive officer based upon the Committee's determinationevaluation of individual performance, and the Committee has the discretion to adjust performance criteria during a fiscal year if, for example, the initially-established performance criteria are rendered unrealistic in light of circumstances beyond the control of the Company and its management. NoBefore applying the corporate performance criteria for fiscal year 2020, adjustments were made to the corporate performance criteria during fiscal 2017.Company's results in order to account for the impact of non-recurring gains on sale of assets, one-time restructuring charges, impairment of plant, property, equipment, and goodwill, mark-to-market loss on the Company's securities portfolio, and certain other discrete, one-time items.

The approved corporate performance criteria for fiscal 2017 were:year 2020 and the actual performance were as follows:


 Threshold Target Reach WeightingThresholdTargetReachActual

Earnings Per Share

 $(1.56)$0.00 $1.56 20%($0.31)$0.79$1.47($0.95)

Return on Invested Capital

 (3.2)% 0.0% 3.2%20%(0.4%)2.7%4.5%(2.0%)

EBITDA

 $197,960,000 $282,800,00 $367,640,000 

EBITDA (in millions)

60%$510$678$784$411

 The

Given that actual performance on each of the financial metrics was below the threshold level, no bonus if any, is thenwas earned based on fiscal year 2020 Company financial performance.

Any bonus earned based on Company financial performance under the 2020 STI Plan was subject to being increased or decreased by up to 100% based on the Committee's overall assessment of our rig

utilization, dayrates, market share relative to our broader U.S. land drilling peer group, total stockholder returns relative to both the returns of our U.S. land drilling peers within the Compensation Peer Group and all companies within our broader U.S. land drilling peer group, and our performance with respect to implementation of certain strategic Company strategic initiatives that may vary from year to year (collectively, "strategic objectives"). No specific criteria or objectives are used by the Committee when assessing performance with respect to these strategic objectives. Whether the bonus of a named executive officer is was

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increased or decreased by up to 100% iswas primarily dependent upon the Committee's judgment as to the named executive officer's successeffectiveness in positively affectingfacilitating the achievement of the Company's strategic objectives.

        Within this framework,Despite the Committee determined that the fiscal 2017 threshold objectives of earnings per share and return on invested capital had been exceeded. Further, the Committee determined that the EBITDA reach objective had been exceeded in fiscal 2017. In light of the Company's performance with respect to our three corporate performance criteria, the Committee determined that our bonus award structure would generate bonuses of 77% of base salary for our CEO and 56% for our other named executive officers, which are below the target bonus percentages noted above.


        However, the Committee also determined that our CEO and other named executive officers had achieved favorable results with respect to certain strategic objectives. In addition to those listed above, strategicof these objectives, that were considered in light of the evaluation of whether to increase or decrease bonuses included the following:

        After consideration of same, restructuring efforts during fiscal year 2020, the Committee determined that no payout would be made under the annual bonus for the CEO and the other named executive officers,STI Plan, as a group, be increased by 50%. After application of the 50% bonus modifier our CEO's bonus was set at 116% of base salary, slightly above our 100% target bonus, and similarly the other named executive officers bonuses were set at 84% of base salary, slightly above our 75% target bonus. Please refer to the "Bonus" and "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" columns of the Summary Compensation Table on page 32 for actual bonuses paid.noted above.

Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation

The Helmerich & Payne, Inc. 20162020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2016"2020 Plan") was approved by our stockholders at the 2016Company's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The 20162020 Plan governs all stock-based awards granted on or after March 2, 2016, and the 2005 and the3, 2020. Stock-based awards granted prior to March 3, 2020 are governed by either our 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plans govern stock-based awards granted under such plans prior to March 2, 2016.Plan (the "2010 Plan") or 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2016 Plan"). The 20162020 Plan allows the Committee to design stock-based compensation programs to encourage growth of stockholder value and allow key employees and non-employee Directors to participate in the long-term growth and profitability of the Company. Approximately 220 employees (including the named executive officers) and non-employee Directors receive stock-based awards on an annual basis. Equity award levels are determined based on market data, and vary among participants based on their positions.

        Under the 2016 Plan, the Committee may grant nonqualified stock options, restricted stock awards, cash awards, stock appreciation rights and other awards to selected employees and non-employee Directors. Also, the Committee may grant incentive stock options to selected employees under such Plan. To date, the Committee has only awarded non-qualified stock options and time-vested restricted stock to participants. A total of 6,600,0006,000,000 shares of our common stock have been authorized for award under the 20162020 Plan. With

Under the exception of2020 Plan, the Committee may grant stock options, restricted shares and restricted share units (including performance share units), cash awards, stock appreciation rights, share bonuses, and other share-based awards to employees and non-employee Directors. Except for new employees or non-employee Directors, the Committee generally only approves annual stock-based awards at its meeting in late November or early December after the end of each fiscal year. The Committee selected this time period for review of executive compensation since it coincides with executive performance reviews and allows the Committee to receive and consider final fiscal year financial information. Newly hiredNewly-hired employees or appointednewly-appointed Directors may be considered for stock-based awards at the time they join the Company. ExceptionsOccasional exceptions to this policy may occur as dictated by retention considerations or market factors.

The table below details the 2020 target long-term equity incentive compensation for each of our named executive officers.

NEO

Target Equity
Grant as % of
Base Salary
Target Value

John W. Lindsay

500$4,880,000

Mark W. Smith

300$1,500,000

Cara M. Hair

300$1,245,000

John R. Bell

300$1,137,815

Michael P. Lennox

300$1,018,464

Robert L. Stauder

300$1,481,436

Wade W. Clark

300$1,018,464

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        We fundamentally believe thatTable of Contents

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

During fiscal year 2020, the Committee awarded a combination of performance-vested restricted share units ("performance share units") and time-vested restricted stock optionsareto participants. Consistent with our performance-based compensation philosophy and our fiscal year 2019 grants, 50% of the annual grant was delivered in the form of performance based. Stock options are inextricably linked share units and 50% was granted in the form of time-vested restricted stock. To determine the actual number of performance share units and restricted stock awarded

to a named executive officer, the creationdollar value of stockholder value and, therefore, stockholders' interests since they only generate value for executives when we create valuefor stockholders. This is evidencedthe award was divided by the fact that at the close of fiscal 2017, over halftrailing average closing price of our outstandingcommon stock option awards were under water duefor the 20 trading days immediately preceding the grant date (the "Grant Calculation").

Prior to fiscal year 2019, the impact significantly reduced oil prices have had in our industry and on our stock price. As


discussed above, today we utilize an award mix of 50%Committee awarded non-qualified stock options and 50% time-basedtime-vested restricted stock. Consequently, we believe that 50% of our long-term incentive awards are performance based.stock to participants.

Performance Share Units

        The grant date for all stock options is the date the Committee approves the grant. The Committee does not make equitymade grants in anticipation of the release of material non-public information and does not time the release of such information based on equity award grant dates. The Committee has never approved a backdated stock option grant.

        The exercise price for all option grants, as provided by the 2016 Plan, is the closing price on the date of grant. Such Plan also prohibits repricing of stock option awards.

        The options granted by the Committee are typically setperformance share units to vest at a rate of 25% per year over the first four years of a ten-year option term. Prior to the exercise of an option, the holder has no rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares subject to the option.

        The number and grant date fair value of non-qualified stock options awarded to theour named executive officers in fiscal 2017November 2019. These performance share units may be earned based on our TSR versus our Compensation Peer Group during the performance period ("relative TSR"). Each performance share unit award consists of two elements, one of which is based on the Company's relative TSR over the entire three-year performance period and the other of which will be divided into annual tranches and determined based on the Company's one-year relative TSR for each year of the performance period. The portion of the performance share units that is earned based on the Company's one-year relative TSR for the first and second years of the performance period will not vest until the conclusion of the three-year term of the performance share unit award. Additional performance share units are showncredited based on the amount of cash dividends on our common shares

divided by the market value of our common shares on the date such dividend is paid. Such dividend equivalents are subject to the same terms and conditions and are settled or forfeited in the Grantssame manner and at the same time as the performance share units to which they were credited.

We believe that the performance share units based upon a measurement of Plan-Based Awardsrelative TSR, reflect the full value created for our stockholders as they measure both the Company's stock price appreciation and dividends against those of our peer group used for compensation decisions. Performance share units are paid in Fiscal 2017full-value shares. In order to further protect stockholder interests, executives' award agreements include a provision that caps awards at the target number of shares in the event the Company has a negative absolute TSR over the measurement period regardless of whether the Company's relative TSR exceeds the median TSR of its peers.

The complete payout table for the Company's performance share units is shown below:

The Company's TSR Percentile Ranking Relative
to the Applicable Peer Group

The Company's
Performance Percentage /
Vested Percentage of
the Subject RSUs
The Company's
Performance
Category

Greater than or Equal to 85th Percentile

200%Maximum Performance

Equal to 75th Percentile

150%

Equal to 65th Percentile

125%

Equal to 55th Percentile

100%Target Performance

Equal to 45th Percentile

75%

Equal to 35th Percentile

50%Threshold Performance

Less than 35th Percentile

0%Below Threshold Performance

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

2020 Performance Share Unit Award

The table below details the target performance share units granted to each of our named executive officers in November 2019.

NEO

2020 Target
PSUs Awarded
Value Based on
Grant Calculation

John W. Lindsay

59,058$2,439,685

Mark W. Smith

18,153$749,900

Cara M. Hair

15,067$622,417

John R. Bell

13,770$568,838

Michael P. Lennox

12,325$509,145

Robert L. Stauder

17,928$740,605

Wade W. Clark

12,325$509,145


Under the terms of the award, one-sixth of these share units were eligible to be earned based on page 34. In makingour relative TSR performance during 2020, subject to the satisfaction of the three-year vesting requirement. Although our relative TSR during 2020 was at the 81.8th percentile of the comparative peer group with respect to these awards, we had a negative absolute

TSR over the Committee appliedmeasurement period, which capped the methodology discussed above and considered individual and corporatenumber of share units eligible to be earned at 100%. The table below details the number of units eligible to be earned based on performance (including units credited based on cash dividends) and the value of equitythe units earned.

NEO

2020
PSUs Earned
Market Value
as of Dec. 31,
2020

John W. Lindsay

10,840$251,054

Mark W. Smith

3,331$77,146

Cara M. Hair

2,765$64,037

John R. Bell

2,527$58,525

Michael P. Lennox

2,262$52,388

Robert L. Stauder*

0*

Wade W. Clark*

0*
*
Forfeited upon retirement.

2019 Performance Share Unit Award

The table below details the target performance share units granted to each of our named executive officers in December 2018.

NEO

2019 Target
PSUs Awarded
Value Based on
Grant Calculation

John W. Lindsay

35,620$2,165,696

Mark W. Smith

9,717$590,794

Cara M. Hair

8,460$514,368

John R. Bell

8,419$511,875

Michael P. Lennox

7,536$458,189

Robert L. Stauder

10,962$666,429

Wade W. Clark

7,536$458,189

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Under the terms of the award, one-sixth of these share units were eligible to be earned based on our relative TSR performance during 2020, subject to the satisfaction of the three-year vesting requirement. Although our relative TSR during 2020 was at the 84.6th percentile of the comparative peer group with respect to these awards, made by competitors.we had a negative absolute

TSR over the measurement period, which capped the number of share units eligible to be earned at 100%. The table below details the number of units eligible to be earned based on performance (including units credited based on cash dividends) and the value of the units earned.

NEO

2019
PSUs Earned
Market Value as
of Dec. 31, 2020

John W. Lindsay

6,848$158,600

Mark W. Smith

1,867$43,240

Cara M. Hair

1,626$37,658

John R. Bell

1,618$37,473

Michael P. Lennox

1,448$33,536

Robert L. Stauder

2,107$48,798

Wade W. Clark

1,399$32,401


Restricted Stock

There is competitive pressure in the oil and gas drilling industrysector to attract and retain qualified executives and other employees whose knowledge and skill-set provide us with a competitive advantage. Our experience leads us to believe that awards of restricted stock improve our employee retention and help ensure that our compensation packages remain competitive with compensation packages offered by our peers. We believe that it is important to include restricted stock awards as a component of our long-term equity incentive compensation. In short, we believecompensation because they help us attract and retain employees across a greater variety of economic scenarios. The value of

restricted stock awards remains tied to the performance of the Company's stock, and employees who receive such awards are incentivized to ensure that awardsthe Company performs well throughout the award's vesting period and for as long as they hold the vested stock.

Grants of restricted stock have a strong retentive effect and help ensure that our compensation packages remain competitive relative to our peers who, from time to time, may desire or attempt to lure away our top talent. Since 2009, the Committee has annually awarded time-vested restricted stock to the named executive officers and other key employees. Generally, all employee restricted stock awards are structured toin November 2019 vest at a rate of 25% per year beginning on the first anniversary of the date of grant.over four years. During the restriction period, the participant receives quarterly payments from us equal to quarterly dividends and has the right to vote restricted shares. Unvested restricted stock is forfeited if the participant leaves the Company and is not retirement eligible.

The table below details the number of sharesand value of restricted stock awardedshares granted to theeach named executive officersofficer in fiscal 2017 are shown in the Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2017 table on page 34. In making these awards, the Committee applied the methodology discussed above and considered the retentive effect of these awards in light of a competitive business climate, individual and corporate performance and the value and type of equity awards made by competitors.

Total Direct Compensation for 2017

        With the exception of Ms. Hair and Messrs. Stauder and Bell, the following reflects the percentile ranking of how fiscal 2017 total direct compensation (i.e., base salary, bonus and equity awards) for the named executive officers compares to the total direct compensation of executives of the Compensation Peer Group:November 2019.

NEO

Shares of
Restricted
Stock Granted
in Nov. 2019
Value Based on
Grant Calculation

John W. Lindsay

62,213$2,439,993

Mark W. Smith

19,123$750,004

Cara M. Hair

15,872$622,499

John R. Bell

14,506$568,925

Michael P. Lennox

12,984$509,232

Robert L. Stauder

18,886$740,708

Wade W. Clark

12,984$509,232

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John W. Lindsay

28th percentileEXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Juan Pablo Tardio48th percentile

        With regard to Ms. Hair and Messrs. Stauder and Bell, there was insufficient peer group data to provide a meaningful percentile ranking.


RETIREMENT

RetirementPension Plans

Pension Plans

Prior to October 1, 2003, most of the Company's full-time employees, including certain current named executive officers, participated in our qualified EmployeesEmployee Retirement Plan ("Pension(the "Pension Plan"). Certain named executive officers also participated in our non-qualified Supplemental Pension Plan. Effective October 1, 2003, we revised both the Pension Plan and the Supplemental Pension Plan to close the plans to new participants and reduced benefit accruals for current participants through September 30, 2006, at which time benefit accruals were discontinued and the plans frozen.

The fiscal 2017year 2020 year-end present value of accumulated benefits for each of theour current named executive officers is shown in the Pension Benefits for Fiscal 2017Year 2020 table on page 38.64.

Savings Plans

Savings plans are designed to help employees, especially long-service employees, save and prepare for retirement. We sponsor a qualified and supplemental savings plan as described below.

Our 401(k)/Thrift Plan ("Savings(the "Savings Plan") is a tax-qualified savings plan pursuant to which most

employees paid in U.S. dollars, including theour named executive officers, are able to contribute to the Savings Plan on a before taxbefore-tax basis the lesser of up to 100% of their annual compensation or the dollar limit prescribed annually by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"(the "IRS"). We match 100% of the first 5% of cash compensation that is contributed to the Savings Plan subject to IRS annual compensation limits ($270,000285,000 for 2017)2020). All employee contributions are immediately vested and matching contributions are subject to a six-yearthree-year graded vesting schedule.

In addition to the Savings Plan, theour named executive officers and certain other eligible employees can participate in the Supplemental Savings Plan, which is a non-qualified savings plan. Pursuant to the Supplemental Savings Plan, a participant can contribute between 1% and 40% of the participant's cash compensation to the Supplemental Savings Plan on a before taxbefore-tax basis. If the participant has not received the full Company match of the first 5% of pay in the Savings Plan, then the balance of the match could be contributed to the Supplemental Savings Plan. The Nonqualified Deferred Compensation for Fiscal 2017Year 2020 table on page 3965 contains additional Supplemental Savings Plan information for theour named executive officers.

OTHER BENEFITS

Other Benefits

        TheOur named executive officers are provided with other benefits, including perquisites and relocation benefits, that the Company and the Committee believe are reasonable. The Committee annually reviews the levels of these benefits provided to theour named executive officers. The compensation associated with these benefits is included in the "All Other Compensation" column of the Summary Compensation Table on page 3257 and a brief explanation of these fiscal year 2020 benefits is shown in footnote 7 to such table. A more detailed explanation of our aircraft policy is provided below.

Company Aircraft

With the approval of the CEO, our aircraft may be used by theour named executive officers and other employees for business purposes. Since manyMany of our operations and offices are in remote locations, so our aircraft provide a more efficient use of employee time and improved flight times than are available


commercially. Our aircraft also provide a more secure traveling environment where sensitive business issues may be discussed.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The Chairman of our Board of Directors and our CEO positions are each allocated 10 hours of personal use of our aircraft annually without reimbursement to us. The time attributable to attendance at board meetings of publicly heldpublicly-held companies willis not be counted against the 10 hour10-hour limitation. Any personal use in excess of this allotment willis permitted only be permitted under extraordinary circumstances. WithUnder extraordinary circumstances and with the approval of the CEO, the other named

executive officers are permitted personal use of our aircraft, without reimbursement to us, only under extraordinary circumstances.us.

For tax purposes, imputed income is assessed to each named executive officer for his or her own or his guest'sor her guests' personal travel based upon the Standard Industrial Fare Level of such flights during the calendar year.

Actions Pertaining to Fiscal Year 2021 Compensation

Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Short-Term Incentive Bonus Plan

The Committee modified the design of the Company's STI Plan for fiscal year 2021. Under the 2021 STI Plan, the target incentive opportunities for our named executive officers will remain unchanged from 2020. However, the potential incentive payout ranges based on Company performance were adjusted. The threshold payout will be 65% of the target, while the reach payout will be 175% of target. The Committee believes this change results in a potential incentive payout range that is more consistent with typical market practices.

Performance under the 2021 STI Plan will be measured based on independently weighted financial, operational, and strategic objectives. Among other things, operational objectives include safety components and strategic objectives, including an environmental, social, and governance component. In response to the uncertainties related to COVID-19 and the resulting market volatility, certain financial performance metrics under the STI Plan will be evaluated based on two six-month measurement periods, which allows the Committee to more effectively establish performance goals under the plan. Company financial performance criteria will be established at the beginning of each six-month performance period. Bonuses for most financial performance metrics will be earned based on the six month performance relative to the financial performance goals that are established. While bonuses for financial performance will be determined for each of the two six month periods, no bonuses will be paid until after the end of fiscal year 2021. Bonuses for operational and strategic objectives will be determined based on full year performance.

Under the 2021 STI Plan, individual performance will also be taken into account when determining bonus

payouts for each named executive officer. Any bonus earned based on Company financial, operational, or strategic performance may be adjusted up or down at the end of the year by up to 25% to reflect an evaluation of each executive's individual performance. The Committee believes formally including individual performance in the plan design will allow the Company to effectively reward executives for their individual contributions to the Company's annual success.

Fiscal Year 2021 Base Salary Review

Given the challenging industry conditions as described on page 39, in December 2020, the Committee determined that there would be no salary increases to 2021 base salary levels from 2020 levels for our named executive officers.

Fiscal Year 2021 Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards

Long-term equity incentive awards to named executive officers in fiscal year 2021 were again granted in the form of performance share units and time-vested restricted stock, with each equity vehicle representing 50% of the annual grant. The structure of the awards remained largely consistent with the 2020 grants, but did include the following changes:

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In addition, in response to market conditions and Director Stock Ownership Guidelinesbased on our annual equity run-rate, and equity plan share reserve, the value of the fiscal year 2021 equity awards to our named executive officers was reduced by 8-10% from fiscal year 2020 grant levels.

Clawback Rights

We are dedicated to performing with integrity and promoting accountability. We believe the Company must have the ability to recover performance-based compensation paid to executive officers and key employees in circumstances when misconduct has resulted in or contributed to a restatement of our financial statements or damage to the Company. As a result, we have two policies addressing recoupment of bonus and equity compensation from executive officers and certain other key employees.

The following is a summary of those policies:

Executive Officer and Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

Because the Board believes in linking the interests of management and stockholders, the Board has adopted stock ownership guidelines for theour named executive officers. Our Executive Stock Ownership Guidelines specify a number of shares that our named executive officers must accumulate and hold within five years of the later of the adoption of the guidelines or the appointment of the individual as a named executive officer. The CEO is required to own shares having a value of five times base salary and

the other named executive officers are required to own shares having a value of two times base salary.

The Board has adopted a similar policy applicable to Directors requiringthat requires ownership of shares having a value equal to two times annual compensation.

All of our named executive officers and non-employee Directors have either met, or are on track to meet, their ownership requirements within the prescribed five-year period.

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Trading, Hedging, and Pledging Policies

Our Insider Trading Policy prohibits all directors, officers and employees from engaging in short-term (i.e., short-swing trading) or speculative transactions involving Company stock. Our Insider Trading Policy prohibits the purchase or sale of puts, calls, options, and other derivative securities based on Company stock. Our Insider Trading Policy also prohibits short sales, margin accounts, hedging transactions, pledging of Company stock as collateral and, except forwith the exception of Rule 10b5-1 trading plans as noted below, standing orders placed with brokers to sell or purchase Company stock.

Our Insider Trading Policy prohibits our directors, officers, and employees from purchasing or selling Company stock while in possession of material, non-public information. As such, and in addition to our pre-clearance procedures, our directors,

executive officers, and certain other employees are prohibited from buying or selling Company stock during our earnings periodsperiod (which beginbegins on the first day of the month following the close of a fiscal quarter and ends after the second full trading day following the release of the Company's earnings). However, we do permit our directors and employees to adopt and use Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. This allows directors and employees to sell and diversify their holdings in Company stock over a designated period by adopting pre-arranged stock trading plans at a time when they are not aware of material nonpublicnon-public information concerning the Company, and thereafter sell shares of Company stock in accordance with the terms of their stock trading plans without regard to whether or not they are in possession of material nonpublicnon-public information about the Company at the time of the sale.

Deductibility of Executive Compensation

DeductibilityIn connection with making decisions on executive compensation, the Committee has previously taken into consideration the provisions of Executive Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally limits to $1 million annuallyof 1986, as amended (the "Code"), which limited the deductibility by the Company for federal income tax deduction that a publicly held corporation may claim forpurposes of certain categories of annual compensation payablein excess of $1 million paid to certain of its respective current and former executive officers, but thatofficers. The exemption from the Section 162(m) deduction limitation historically did not apply tolimit for performance-based compensation that met certain requirements. As part ofwas repealed by the tax reform legislation passed inTax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was enacted on December 22, 2017, Section 162(m) was amended, effective for taxable years

beginning after December 31, 2017, such that compensation paid to expand the scope ofour named executive officers in excess of $1.0 million will not be deductible unless it qualifies for transition relief applicable to certain arrangements in place as of November 2, 2017. The repeal means that even performance-based compensation will be subject to the deduction


limitation and also to eliminate the performance-based compensation exception, though the exception generally continues to be available on a "grandfathered" basis to compensation payable under a written binding contract in effect on November 2, 2017.

        In determining compensation for our executive officers, the Human Resources Committee considers the extent to which the compensation is deductible, including the effect limit of Section 162(m). In prior years,Although the Human Resources Committee generally sought to structure our executive incentive compensation awards so that they qualified as performance-based compensation exempt from theexemption under Section 162(m) deduction limitation where doing soof the Code was consistent with our compensation objectives, but it reservedrepealed, there are still outstanding stock options subject to the right to award nondeductible compensation and often did so. Our Human Resource Committee continues to evaluate the changes tograndfather rule of Section 162(m) and their significance to our compensation programs, but in any event its primary focus in its compensation decisionsthat will remain on most productively furthering our business objectives and not on whether compensation is deductible. Our Human Resources Committee has not at this time made any significant changes to our executive compensation program in response to the tax code changes.be fully deductible if exercised.

Potential Payments Upon Change-in-Control or Termination

CHANGE-IN-CONTROL

Potential Payments Upon Change-in-Control or Termination

Change-in-Control

We have entered into change-in-control agreements with theour named executive officers and certain other key employees. These agreements are entered into in recognition of the importance to us and our stockholders of avoiding the distraction and loss of key management personnel that may occur in connection with a rumored or actual change-in-control of the Company. These agreements contain a "double"

"double" trigger provision whereby no benefits will be paid to an executive unless both a change-in-control has occurred and the executive's employment is terminated after a change-in-control. We believe this arrangement appropriately balances our interests and the interests of executives since we make no payments unless a termination of employment occurs.

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More specifically, if we actually or constructively terminate a named executive officer's employment within 24 months after a change-in-control other than for cause, disability, death, or the occurrence of a substantial downturn, or if any of theour named executive officers terminates his or her employment for good reason within 24 months after a change-in-control (as such terms are defined in the change-in-control agreement), any unvested benefits under our Supplemental Savings Plan and Supplemental Pension Plan and any options or restricted stock, restricted stock units, or performance share units granted to any of the named executive officers will fully vest and we will be required to pay or provide:

provided that theThe above-referenced payments and benefits will be provided only if a named executive officer executes and does not revoke a release of claims in the form attached to the change-in-control agreement. No tax gross-ups are provided on payments made under these agreements. These agreements are automatically renewed for successive two-year periods unless terminated by us.


For more information regarding post-termination payments that we may be required to make to named executive officers in the event of a change-in-control, see the Potential Payments Upon Change-in-Control table on page 39.67.

Our 2005 and 2010 long-term equity compensation plans containPlan contains a provision whereby all stock options and restricted stock will automatically become fully vested and immediately exercisable in the event of a change-in-control, as defined in such plans. This provision was included in all equity plans in order to be consistent with market practice at the time the plans were approved by stockholders. However, similar to our change-in-control agreements, our 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan containsand 2020 Plan contain a "double" trigger"double trigger" provision whereby stock options, and restricted stock, and performance share units will vest in the event of a change-in-control and the executive's employment is subsequently terminated. The potential value of the acceleration of vesting of stock options, and restricted stock, and performance share units upon a change-in-control is reflected in columns 6 and 7 of the Potential Payments Upon Change-in-Control table on page 39.66.

OTHER TERMINATION PAYMENTS

Other Termination Payments

The Supplemental Pension Plan and Supplemental Savings Plan described on page 2852 and quantified in the Pension Benefits for Fiscal 2017Year 2020 and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation for Fiscal 2017Year

2020 tables on pages 3864 and 3965 provide for potential payments to named executive officers upon termination of employment for other than change-in-control.

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        The Human Resources Committee

Table of the Company has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis ("CD&A") required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K with management and, based on such review and discussions, the Human Resources Committee recommended to the Board that the CD&A be included in this proxy statement. This report is provided by the following Directors, who comprise the Human Resources Committee:Contents

John D. Zeglis, Chairman
Paula Marshall
José R. Mas
Thomas A. Petrie

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES AND RELATED INFORMATION



SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

Summary Compensation Table

The following table includes information concerning compensation paid to or earned by our named executive officers listed in the table for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2017, 20162020, 2019 and 2015.2018.

Name and Principal
Position
 Year Salary
($) (1)
 Bonus
($) (2)
 Stock
Awards
($) (3)
 Option
Awards
($) (4)
 Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($) (5)
 Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($) (6)
 All Other
Compensation
($) (7)
 Total
($)
 

John W. Lindsay,

  2017  904,327  349,823  1,857,527  2,165,637  699,648  17,582  236,408  6,230,952 

President and Chief

  2016  840,865  229,750  1,019,375  2,427,200  229,750  150,461  194,681  5,092,082 

Executive Officer

  2015  832,115    929,205  1,835,680    11,743  97,952  3,706,695 

Juan Pablo Tardio,

  
2017
  
478,375
  
136,849
  
592,018
  
690,267
  
273,696
  
641
  
82,479
  
2,254,325
 

Vice President and

  2016  445,000  92,146  302,900  734,720  92,146  5,622  64,532  1,737,066 

Chief Financial

  2015  441,250    282,203  565,455    1,683  30,635  1,321,226 

Officer

                            

Robert L. Stauder,

  
2017
  
463,838
  
130,128
  
562,990
  
656,368
  
260,258
  
80,340
  
88,268
  
2,242,190
 

Senior Vice President

  2016  431,288  87,622  291,250  708,480  87,622  34,025  89,423  1,729,710 

and Chief Engineer,

  2015  423,000    440,512  364,678    9,648  27,735  1,265,573 

Drilling Subsidiary

                            

John R. Bell,

  
2017
  
349,375
  
99,945
  
432,407
  
504,114
  
199,891
  
1,115
  
30,284
  
1,617,131
 

Vice President,

  2016  325,000  67,298  233,000  537,920  67,298  8,494  48,076  1,287,086 

International and

  2015  316,750    189,283  368,775    2,905  21,520  899,233 

Offshore Operations, Drilling Subsidiary

                            

Cara M. Hair,

  
2017
  
305,938
  
88,413
  
365,895
  
426,563
  
176,826
  
  
47,744
  
1,411,379
 

Vice President,

  2016  275,000  56,944  174,750  406,720  56,944    30,251  1,000,609 

Corporate Services and Chief Legal Officer

                            

Name and
Principal Position

Year
Salary(1)
($)

Bonus(2)
($)

Stock
Awards(3)
($)

Option
Awards(4)
($)

Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation(5)
($)

Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings(6)
($)

All Other
Compensation(7)
($)

Total
($)

John W. Lindsay,

20201,012,7505,168,59771,561391,1556,644,063

President and Chief

2019984,450643,6684,784,455858,22477,388382,8647,731,049

Executive Officer

2018927,919811,6172,225,7162,398,8201,082,15517,895313,0427,777,164

Mark W. Smith(8),

2020511,2501,588,71482,5402,182,504

Senior Vice President

2019481,250243,5401,305,241324,72086,1242,440,875

and Chief Financial Officer

2018177,083214,285426,147426,165285,71543,7651,573,160

Cara M. Hair,

2020441,2501,318,62981,4321,841,311

Senior Vice President,

2019403,750202,1381,136,319269,51788,6392,100,363

Corporate Services
and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer

2018356,563244,599465,395501,566326,13244,2041,938,459

John R. Bell,

2020379,2721,205,1292,44078,9011,665,742

Senior Vice President,

2019376,510184,7361,130,829246,31417,21493,0392,048,642

International and
Offshore Operations,
Drilling Subsidiary

2018365,544243,426526,104566,994324,5681,98269,5632,098,181

Michael P. Lennox,
Senior Vice President,
US Land Operations, Drilling Subsidiary

2020352,24730,0001,078,67676,4131,537,336

Robert L. Stauder(9),

2020399,7031,569,01958,043887,730$2,914,495

Former Senior Vice

2019499,712240,5261,472,427320,70161,706124,7372,719,809

President and
Chief Engineer,
Drilling Subsidiary

2018475,938316,940684,975738,220422,58716,461109,1862,764,307

Wade W. Clark(9),
Former Vice President, US Land, Drilling Subsidiary

2020195,5631,078,67630,068560,4491,864,797
(1)
The amounts shownincluded in this column arereflect salaries earned during fiscal 2017, 2016years 2020, 2019, and 2015.2018. Annual salary adjustments, if any, become effective at the beginning of each calendar year. Thus, the salary reported above for a fiscal year is the sum of the named executive officer's salary for the last three months of a calendar year plus the first nine months of the following calendar year.

(2)
The amounts shownincluded in this column with respect to fiscal years 2018 and 2019 reflect the portion of amounts paid pursuant to our Bonus Plan based onSTI Plans attributable to the Human Resources Committee's assessment of our achievement of financial performance criteria in our STI Plans, rig utilization, dayrates, market share, our stockholder returns relative to both the returns of our U.S. land drilling peers within the Compensation Peer Group and all companies within our broader U.S. land drilling peer group, and our performance with respect to certain other Company strategic initiatives. The amounts were earned in connection with our performance for the reported fiscal year, but were paid during the first quarter of the succeedingnext fiscal year. Also,The fiscal year 2020 bonus reported in this column with respect to Mr. Lennox was awarded by the Human Resources

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(3)
This column represents the aggregate grant date fair value under ASC Topic 718 for performance share units and restricted stock awards granted during fiscal year 2020, as well as prior fiscal years (as applicable). All grants were made pursuant to the 2016 Plan. For additional information on the valuation assumptions, refer to note 12, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, included in the 2020 Form 10-K. These amounts are overreflect an accounting expense and abovedo not correspond to the amounts earnedactual value that may be realized by meeting the performance objectives undernamed executive officers. The Human Resources Committee approved the Bonus Plan.early vesting of 12,984 and 18,886 restricted stock awards held by Messrs. Clark and Stauder, respectively, upon retirement in light of their service to the Company.

(3)(4)
The amounts included in this column representreflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stockoption awards determined pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 718. Because the amounts reflect our accounting expense, the amounts do not correspond to the actual value that will be recognized by the named executive officers. For additional information, including valuation assumptions with respect to the grants, refer to note 7,12, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017,2020, included in the 2017 Annual Report on2020 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017.

(4)
The amounts included in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards determined pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 718. Because the amounts reflect our accounting expense, the amounts do not correspond to the actual value that will be recognized by the named executive officers. For additional information, including valuation assumptions with respect to the grants, refer to note 7, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, included in the 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017.10-K.

(5)
The amounts included in this column are paymentsreflect the portion of amounts paid under our BonusSTI Plan based on annual performance measured against pre-established objectives whose outcome iswas uncertain at the time the awards arewere communicated to the named executive

&A.

(6)
The amounts included in this column reflect the aggregate change in the actuarial present value of the accumulated benefit of each named executive officer under our Pension Plan and our Supplemental Pension Plan. The actuarial present value calculation for fiscal 2017year 2020 for Messrs.Mr. Lindsay, and Stauder, who areis retirement eligible, is based on an immediate annuity (with an assumed retirement date of September 30, 2017)2020), whereas the present value calculation for Messrs. Tardio andMr. Bell, who areis not retirement eligible, is based on a deferred annuity (with an assumed retirement age of 61). None of Messrs. Lennox and Smith or Ms. Hair is not a participantare participants under either the Pension Plan or the Supplemental Pension Plan.

(7)
"All other compensation" for fiscal 2017year 2020 includes the following:

Our matching contribution to our 401(k)/Thriftthe Savings Plan on behalf of each named executive officer as follows: John W. Lindsay — $13,500; Juan Pablo Tardio — $13,500; Robert L. Stauder — $13,500; John R. Bell — $14,469; and Cara M. Hair — $14,797.


 – John W. Lindsay  $14,250 – Mark W. Smith  $14,250 – Robert L. Stauder  $14,250 
 – Cara M. Hair  $14,250 – John R. Bell  $14,250 – Michael P. Lennox  $14,250 
 – Wade W. Clark  $8,113           
 – John W. Lindsay  $37,373 – Mark W. Smith  $5,063 – Robert L. Stauder   
 – Cara M. Hair  $7,813 – John R. Bell  $5,416 – Michael P. Lennox  $5,201 
 – Wade W. Clark             
 – John W. Lindsay  $252,243 – Mark W. Smith  $62,090 – Robert L. Stauder  $72,322 
 – Cara M. Hair  $59,339 – John R. Bell  $59,204 – Michael P. Lennox  $52,124 
 – Wade W. Clark  $41,380           

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(8)
Mr. Smith joined the Company in May 2018.

(9)
Messrs. Clark and Stauder retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal Year 2020


GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS IN FISCAL 2017

As described on pages 24 through 27 ofin the CD&A under "Compensation Components—Performance-Based Compensation Components," we provide incentive award opportunities to executives, designed to reward both short-term and long-term business performance, and create a close alignment between incentive compensation and stockholders' interests. The following table provides information on non-equity incentive plan awards, performance share units and restricted stock and stock options granted in fiscal 2017year 2020 to each of our named executive officers. Although the grant date fair value is shown in the table for these stock and option awards, there can be no assurance that these values will actually be realized during the terms of these grants.

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 All Other
Stock
Awards:
Number
of
Shares of
Stock or
Units
(#) (2)
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 All Other
Option
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Options
(#) (3)
  
 Grant
Date
Fair
Value of
Stock and
Option
Awards
($) (5)
 
 
  
 Estimated Possible Payouts
Under Non-Equity Incentive
Plan Awards (1)
 Estimated Future Payouts
Under Equity Incentive Plan
Awards
 Exercise
or Base
Price of
Option
Awards
($/Sh) (4)
 
Name
 Grant
Date
 Threshold
($)
 Target
($)
 Maximum
($)
 Threshold
($)
 Target
($)
 Maximum
($)
 

John W. Lindsay

     363,000  907,500  1,179,750                      

  12/5/2016                       96,594  81.31  2,165,637 

  12/5/2016                    22,845        1,857,527 

Juan Pablo Tardio

     
122,375
  
367,125
  
489,500
                      

  12/5/2016                       30,788  81.31  690,267 

  12/5/2016                    7,281        592,018 

Robert L. Stauder

     
116,366
  
349,099
  
465,465
                      

  12/5/2016                       29,276  81.31  656,368 

  12/5/2016                    6,924        562,990 

John R. Bell

     
89,375
  
268,125
  
357,500
                      

  12/5/2016                       22,485  81.31  504,114 

  12/5/2016                    5,318        432,407 

Cara M. Hair

     
79,063
  
237,188
  
316,250
                      

  12/5/2016                       19,026  81.31  426,563 

  12/5/2016                    4,500        365,895 

 
 
Estimated Possible Payouts
Under Non-Equity Incentive
Plan Awards(1)

Estimated Future Payouts
Under
Equity Incentive Plan
Awards(2)

All Other
Stock Awards:
Number of
Shares of
Stock or

Grant Date
Fair Value of
Stock

Name
Grant Date
Threshold
($)

Target
($)

Maximum
($)

Threshold
(#)

Target
(#)

Maximum
(#)

Units(3)
(#)

Awards(4)
($)

John W. Lindsay

 410,0001,127,5001,332,500     

11/04/2019   29,52959,058118,116 2,563,117

11/04/2019      62,2132,605,480

Mark W. Smith

 128,750463,500515,000     

11/04/2019   9,07618,15336,306 787,843

11/04/2019      19,123800,871

Cara M. Hair

 112,500337,500450,000     

11/04/2019   7,53315,06730,134 653,910

11/04/2019      15,872664,719

John R. Bell

 99,500298,500398,000     

11/04/2019   6,88513,77027,540 597,618

11/01/2019      14,506607,511

Michael P. Lennox

 89,125267,375356,500     

11/04/2019   6,16212,32524,650 534,907

11/04/2019      12,984543,769

Robert L. Stauder

 127,500382,500510,000     

11/04/2019   8,96417,92835,856 778,074

11/04/2019      18,886790,945

Wade W. Clark

 89,125267,375356,550     

11/04/2019   6,16212,32524,650 534,907

11/04/2019      12,984543,769
(1)
The columns showamounts included in this column reflect the threshold, target, and maximum potential value of a payout for each named executive officer under our Bonus2020 STI Plan if certain of our financial performance objectives were achieved for the October 1, 2016,2019 to September 30, 2017,2020 performance period. The amounts are based on salaries in effect as of January 1, 20172020 for each named executive officer, which is the basis for determining the actual payments to be made subsequent to year-end. The potential payouts arewere performance-driven and, therefore, arewere at risk. The possible payouts reflected in the table may be increased or decreased by an adjustment factor of up to 100% based on the Human Resources Committee's assessment of corporate performance. The financial measures, bonus opportunities, and adjustment factors for

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(2)
The amounts in the table above reflect the threshold, target, and maximum number of shares issuable with respect to performance share units granted in November 2019. The performance share units are settled in shares of common stock, in an amount from 0% to 200% of the number of units awarded, based on the Company's total stockholder return, compared to that of the Compensation Peer Group, over the three-year period commencing on January 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2022. All grants were made pursuant to the 2016 Plan. Performance share units reported in this table held by Messrs. Clark and Stauder were forfeited upon their retirement from the Company pursuant to the terms of the grant agreements with respect to such units.

(3)
The amounts included in this column reflect the number of shares of common stock subject to restricted stock wereawards granted in fiscal 2017year 2020 to the named executive officers. The awards of restricted stock vestsvest ratably in four equal annual installments, beginning on December 5, 2017, one year afterthe one-year anniversary of the grant date. Dividends are paid on the restricted stock at the same rate applicable to other holders of our common stock.

(3)
This column shows The Human Resources Committee approved the numberaccelerated vesting of the restricted stock options grantedawards reported in fiscal 2017this table with respect to Messrs. Clark and Stauder upon their retirement in light of their service to the named executive officers. The options vest and become exercisable ratably in four equal annual installments, beginning on December 5, 2017, one year after the grant date.Company.

(4)
This column showsrepresents the exercise price for the stock options granted, which was the closing price of our common stock on December 5, 2016.

(5)
The fair value shown for stock awards and option awards are accounted for in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. This column shows the full grant date fair value of the restricted stock and stock options under FASB ASC Topic 718 granted to the named executive officers in fiscal 2017. The full grant date fair value is the amount that we would expense in our financial statements over the award's vesting schedule. Forfor performance share units and restricted stock fair value is calculated based on the closing sales prices on December 5, 2016. For stock options, fair value was calculated using the Black-Scholes value on the grant date of $20.48. In applying the Black-Scholes model, we have made certain valuation assumptions.awards granted during fiscal year 2020. For additional information on the valuation assumptions, refer to note 7,12, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017,2020, included in the 2017 Annual Report on2020 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017. The actual value, if any, the named executive officer will realize on option awards will depend on the excess of the market value of the common stock over the exercise price on the date the option is exercised. The values10-K. These amounts reflect thean accounting expense and maydo not reflectcorrespond to the actual value that may be realized by the named executive officer.officers.

(5)
Messrs. Clark and Stauder retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively.


OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL 2017 YEAR-END

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year 2020 Year-End

The following table provides information on the current holdings of stock option awards, performance share unit awards, and restricted stock awards by the named executive officers at September 30, 2017.2020. This table includes exercisable and unexercisable option awards and unvested performance share unit awards and restricted stock awards, and such awards are reflected in each row below on an award-by-award basis. The vesting schedule for each grant that has not fully vested is shown following this table. For additional information about the option awards and stock awards, see the description of such awards in the CD&A on pages 26 and 27.under "Compensation Components—Performance-Based Compensation Components—Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation."

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 Option Awards Stock Awards 
Name
 Grant
Date
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
(#)
 Option
Exercise
Price
($)
 Option
Expiration
Date
 Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That
Have Not
Vested
(#)
 Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That
Have Not
Vested
($) (7)
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
(#)
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
($)
 
John W. Lindsay  12/4/2007  25,000       35.105  12/4/2017            
   12/2/2008  65,000       21.065  12/2/2018            
   12/1/2009  45,000       38.015  12/1/2019            
   12/7/2010  21,000       47.935  12/7/2020            
   12/6/2011  34,000       59.76  12/6/2021 1,500 (2)  78,165       
   12/4/2012  54,500       54.18  12/4/2022            
   12/3/2013  46,875 15,625 (1)     79.67  12/3/2023 2,625 (3)  136,789       
   12/2/2014  56,000 56,000 (1)     68.83  12/2/2024 6,750 (4)  351,742       
   11/30/2015  46,250 138,750 (1)     58.25  11/30/2025 13,125 (5)  683,943       
   12/05/2016    96,594 (1)     81.31  12/05/2026 22,845 (6)  1,190,453       

Juan Pablo Tardio

 

 

12/6/2011

 

 

9,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

59.76

 

 

12/6/2021

 

750 (2)

 

 

39,083

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   12/3/2013  16,500 5,500 (1)     79.67  12/3/2023 875 (3)  45,596       
   12/2/2014  17,250 17,250 (1)     68.83  12/2/2024 2,050 (4)  106,826       
   11/30/2015    42,000 (1)     58.25  11/30/2025 3,900 (5)  203,229       
   12/05/2016    30,788 (1)     81.31  12/05/2026 7,281 (6)  379,413       

Robert L. Stauder

 

 

12/3/2013

 

 

12,750

 

4,250 (1)

 

 

 

 

 

79.67

 

 

12/3/2023

 

1,062 (3)

 

 

55,341

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   12/2/2014    11,124 (1)     68.83  12/2/2024 3,200 (4)  166,752       
   11/30/2015    40,500 (1)     58.25  11/30/2025 3,750 (5)  195,413       
   12/05/2016    29,276 (1)     81.31  12/05/2026 6,924 (6)  360,810       

John R. Bell

 

 

12/4/2007

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

35.105

 

 

12/4/2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   12/2/2008  13,000       21.065  12/2/2018            
   12/1/2009  9,000       38.015  12/1/2019            
   12/7/2010  5,500       47.935  12/7/2020            
   12/6/2011  6,000       59.76  12/6/2021            
   12/4/2012  10,000       54.18  12/4/2022            
   12/3/2013  6,375 2,125 (1)     79.67  12/3/2023 1,125 (3)  58,624       
   12/2/2014  11,250 11,250 (1)     68.83  12/2/2024 1,374 (4)  71,599       
   11/30/2015  10,250 30,750 (1)     58.25  11/30/2025 3,000 (5)  156,330       
   12/05/2016    22,485 (1)     81.31  12/05/2026 5,318 (6)  277,121       

Cara M. Hair

 

 

12/6/2011

 

 

750

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

59.76

 

 

12/6/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   12/4/2012                          
   12/3/2013               250 (3)  13,028       
   12/2/2014  2,500 2,500 (1)     68.83  12/2/2024 750 (4)  39,083       
   11/30/2015  7,750 23,250 (1)     58.25  11/30/2025 2,250 (5)  117,248       
   12/05/2016    19,026 (1)     81.31  12/05/2026 4,500 (6)  234,495       

 
 
Option Awards
Stock Awards
Name
Grant Date
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Exercisable
(#)

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Unexercisable
(#)

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
(#)

Option
Exercise
Price
($)

Option
Expiration
Date

Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested
(#)

Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested(4)
($)

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That Have
Not
Vested(5)
(#)

Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards:
Market or
Payout Value
of Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other Rights
That Have
Not Vested(4)
($)

John W. Lindsay

12/7/201021,000  47.9312/7/2020    

12/6/201134,000  59.7612/6/2021    

12/4/201254,500  54.1812/4/2022    

12/3/201362,500  79.6712/3/2023    

12/2/2014112,000  68.8312/2/2024    

11/30/2015185,000  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/201696,95424,150(1) 81.3112/5/20265,712(2)83,681  

12/4/2017185,81192,906(1) 58.4312/4/202719,046(2)279,024  

12/14/2018     28,854(2)422,71140,458592,715

11/04/2019     62,231(2)911,42064,353942,771

Mark W. Smith

5/1/201811,95711,958(3) 68.905/1/20283,093(2)45,312  

12/14/2018     7,872(2)115,32411,036161,677

11/4/2019     19,123(2)280,15119,781289,785

Cara M. Hair

12/6/2011750  59.7612/6/2021    

12/2/20145,000  68.8312/2/2024    

11/30/201531,000  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/201614,2684,758(1) 81.3112/5/20261,125(2)16,481  

12/4/201719,42519,426(1) 58.4312/4/20273,983(2))58,350  

12/14/2018     6,853(2)100,3969,607140,749

11/4/2019     15,872(2)232,52416,418240,529

John R. Bell

12/7/20105,500  47.9312/7/2020    

12/6/20116,000  59.7612/6/2021    

12/4/201210,000  54.1812/4/2022    

12/3/20138,500  79.6712/3/2023    

12/2/201422,500  68.8312/2/2024    

11/30/201541,000  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/201616,8635,622(1) 81.3112/5/20261,331(2)19,499  

12/4/201721,96021,959(1) 58.4312/4/20274,502(2)65,954  

12/14/2018     6,820(2)99,9139,607140,749

11/4/2019     14,506(2)212,51315,005219,817

Michael P. Lennox

12/7/20103,000  47.9312/7/2020    

12/6/20114,000  59.7612/6/2021    

11/30/20158,400  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/2016     1,264(2)18,517  

12/4/201717,50617,506(1) 58.4312/4/20273,58952,578  

12/14/2018     6,105(2)89,4388,559125,383

11/4/2019     12,984(2)190,21513,431196,757

Robert L. Stauder

12/3/201317,000  79.6712/3/2023    

12/2/201411,124  68.8312/2/2024    

11/30/201540,500  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/201621,9577,319(1) 81.3112/5/20261,731(2)25,359  

12/4/201728,59128,591(1) 58.4312/4/20275,862(2)85,878  

12/14/2018     8,880(2)130,09212,449182,399

Wade W. Clark

12/6/20118,500  59.7612/6/2021    

12/4/201210,000  54.1812/4/2022    

12/3/20138,500  79.6712/3/2023    

12/2/201414,000  68.8312/2/2024    

11/30/201522,350  58.2511/30/2025    

12/5/20167,5902,530(1) 81.3112/5/20261,400(2)20,510  
��

12/4/201719,65619,656(1) 58.4312/4/20274,030(2)59,039  

12/14/2018     6,105(2)89,4388,269121,150
(1)
TheTo the extent applicable to each person in the above table, the remaining unexercisable options vest as follows:
Grant Date

 
Vesting Schedule


12/3/201305/2016

 100% on 12/3/201705/2020

12/2/201404/2017

 ratably on each of the following dates: 12/2/201704/2020 and 12/2/201804/2021

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(2)
To the extent applicable to each person in the above table, the remaining unvested shares of restricted stock vest as follows:
Grant Date
Vesting Schedule

12/05/2016

12/05/2020

12/04/2017

ratably on each of the following dates: 12/04/2020 and 12/04/2021

05/01/2018

ratably on each of the following dates: 05/01/2021 and 05/01/2022

12/14/2018

ratably on each of the following dates: 12/14/2020, 12/14/2021, and 12/14/2022

11/30/201504/2019

 ratably on each of the following dates: 11/30/2017,04/2020, 11/30/201804/2021, and 11/30/2019
12/5/201604/2022 ratably on each of the following dates: 12/5/2017, 12/5/2018, 12/5/2019 and 12/5/2020.
(2)
The unvested shares of restricted stock vest on 12/6/2017.

(3)
The unvested shares of restricted stock vest on 12/3/2017.

(4)
The unvested shares of restricted stockremaining unexercisable options vest ratably on 12/2/2017each of the following dates: 5/1/2021 and 12/2/2018.5/1/2022.

(5)
The unvested shares of restricted stock vest ratably on 11/30/2017, 11/30/2018 and 11/30/2019.

(6)
The unvested shares of restricted stock vest ratably on 12/5/2017, 12/5/2018, 12/5/2019 and 12/5/2020.

(7)(4)
The aggregate market value is based on the closing market price of our common stock of $52.11$14.65 at September 29, 2017.30, 2020.

(5)
Includes, as of September 30, 2020 (i) unvested performance share units at threshold (including dividend equivalents accumulated thereon) that have not been determined to be eligible to vest, which were granted on December 14, 2018 and November 4, 2019 and remain subject to performance conditions and (ii) the portion of performance share units granted on December 14, 2018 determined to be eligible to vest (including dividend equivalents accumulated thereon) subject to the condition that the named executive officer remain continuously employed by the Company through the end of the three-year performance cycle with respect to such units. Each performance share unit award consists of two elements, one of which is based on performance criteria over a three-year performance period and the other of which is further divided into three annual tranches with one-year performance criteria. Performance share units that remain subject to performance conditions may be determined to be eligible to vest in amounts that vary from threshold amounts. The number of performance units determined to be eligible to vest (including dividend equivalents accumulated thereon) as of September 30, 2020 were as follows:

– John W. Lindsay6,579 performance share units
– Mark W. Smith1,794 performance share units
– Cara M. Hair1,561 performance share units
– John R. Bell1,554 performance share units
– Michael P. Lennox1,391 performance share units
– Robert L. Stauder2,024 performance share units
– Wade W. Clark1,391 performance share units

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in Fiscal Year 2020


OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED IN FISCAL 2017

The following table provides additional information about stock option exercises and shares acquired upon the vesting of stock awards, including the value realized, during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017,2020 by the named executive officers.

 
 Option Awards Stock Awards 
Name
 Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)
 Value
Realized on
Exercise
($)
 Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting
(#)
 Value
Realized on
Vesting
($) (1)
 

John W. Lindsay

  48,000  2,198,938  14,125  1,106,311 

Juan Pablo Tardio

  
36,000
  
935,169
  
5,013
  
393,695
 

Robert L. Stauder

  
44,501
  
969,352
  
11,537
  
914,685
 

John R. Bell

  
  
  
5,313
  
418,905
 

Cara M. Hair

  
  
  
1,625
  
126,256
 

 Option AwardsStock Awards
Name
Number of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)

Value
Realized on
Exercise
($)

Number of Shares
Acquired on
Vesting
(#)

Value
Realized on
Vesting
($)(1)

John W. Lindsay

45,00026,79329,2261,172,882

Mark W. Smith

4,170136,432

Cara M. Hair

6,150247,537

John R. Bell

9,0005,8986,853275,062

Michael P. Lennox

6,142246,502

Robert L. Stauder

27,758(2)738,950

Wade W. Clark

19,615(2)483,924
(1)
The value realized on vesting is calculated using the closing market price of our common stock on the relevant vesting dates.

(2)
Messrs. Clark and Stauder retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively. The Human Resources Committee approved the early vesting of 12,984 and 18,886 restricted stock awards held by Messrs. Clark and Stauder, respectively, upon retirement in light of their service to the Company.

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PENSION BENEFITS FOR FISCAL 2017

Pension Benefits for Fiscal Year 2020

The Pension Benefits table below sets forth the fiscal 2017year 2020 year-end present value of accumulated benefits payable to each of our named executive officers under our Pension Plan and the Supplemental Pension Plan. Effective October 1, 2003, we revised both the Pension Plan and the Supplemental Pension Plan to close the plans to new participants and reduced benefit accruals for current participants through September 30, 2006, at which time benefit accruals were discontinued and the plans frozen.

The pension benefit under our Pension Plan for time periods prior to October 1, 2003, is calculated pursuant to the following formula:

Compensation × 1.5% = Annual Pension Benefit.

The pension benefit for the period commencing October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2006 is calculated as follows:

Compensation × 0.75% = Annual Pension Benefit.

Pension benefits are determined based on compensation received throughout a participant's career. "Compensation" includes salary, bonus, vacation pay, sick pay, Section 401(k) elective deferrals, and Section 125 "cafeteria plan" deferrals. The Pension Plan benefit formulas are the same for all employees. Therefore, retirement benefits for executives are calculated in the same manner as for other employees.

A normal retirement benefit is available under our Pension Plan if the employee retires at age 65 with at least 5five years of credited service or is otherwise fully vested. The "normal retirement date" is the first day of the month coincident with or next following the later of (i) normal retirement age (age 65) and (ii) the fifth anniversary of the employee's participation in the Pension Plan.


An employee can take early retirement once he has reached age 55 and has completed at least 10 years of credited service. The amount of the early retirement benefit payment is reduced if the employee retires prior to age 62 and immediately begins receiving payments. The reduction in the annual benefit amount is 6% for each year (1/(1/2 of 1% for

each month) that the employee's early retirement benefit payments start prior to age 62. The Pension Plan provides unreduced benefits for early retirement after the employee reaches age 62 and has at least 10 years of credited service. The benefit after age 62 is calculated the same as a benefit at age 65.

A vested benefit is available if the employee terminates employment before early or normal retirement and has 5five or more years of credited service. However, the employee may elect to start receiving a benefit as early as age 55 if he had 10 years of credited service. In this situation, the monthly amount will be less than what the employee would receive had he waited until age 65 since the benefit will be actuarially reduced to cover a longer period of time for payment. The actuarial reduction of the early deferred vested pension is greater than the reduction for early retirement immediately following termination of employment. However, if the employee qualified for the more favorable reduction factors at the time he leaves the Company, the benefit is based on those factors.

The employee may choose among alternative forms of retirement income payment after he becomes eligible to retire on his normal retirement date or early retirement date, as the case may be. Optional forms of payment include a single life annuity (which is an unreduced monthly pension for the rest of the employee's life), a Joint & Survivor Annuity (which is a reduced monthly pension during the employee's lifetime with payments, depending on the employee's election, of 50%, 75%, or 100% of the monthly pension continuing to the employee's spouse for the rest of the spouse's life), a guaranteed certain benefit option (which is a reduced monthly pension with payments guaranteed for 10 years and if the employee dies before the end of this period, his beneficiary will receive the payments through the end of this period) or a lump-sum (a one-time only lump sum payment, based on the present value of the monthly benefits that would have been expected to be paid for the retiree's lifetime — lifetime—no survivor benefits are payable under this option).

The Supplemental Pension Plan benefit payable to the employee is the difference between the monthly amount of our Pension Plan benefit to which the employee would have been entitled if such benefit

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were computed without giving effect to the limitations on benefits imposed by application of Sections 415 and 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code, and the monthly amount actually payable to the employee under our Pension Plan at the applicable point in time. The benefit amount is computed as of the employee's date of termination with the Company in the form of a straight life annuity payable over the employee's lifetime (calculated in the same manner as the Pension Plan) assuming payment was to commence at the employee's normal retirement date. The employee will be paid in the form of a lump sum

payment or an annual installment payable over a period of two to 10 years as designated by the employee. The employee's form of payment election under the Pension Plan will not affect the payment form under the Supplemental Pension Plan. Payment under the Supplemental Pension Plan will commence within 30 days of the later of the first business day of the seventh month following the employee's separation from service or the age (between age 55 and 65) specified on the


employee's election form. However, in the event of death, payment will be paid within 30 days of the date of death.

Name
 Plan Name Number of
Years
Credited
Service
(#)
 Present
Value of
Accumulated
Benefit
($) (1)
 Payments
During
Last
Fiscal Year
($)
 

John W. Lindsay

 

Pension Plan

  31  344,698   

 

Supplemental Pension Plan

  31  55,749   

Juan Pablo Tardio

 

Pension Plan

  
17
  
31,825
  
 

 

Supplemental Pension Plan

  17     

Robert L. Stauder

 

Pension Plan

  
34
  
286,190
  
 

 

Supplemental Pension Plan

  34  847   

John R. Bell

 

Pension Plan

  
20
  
42,475
  
 

 

Supplemental Pension Plan

  20     

Cara M. Hair (2)

 

Pension Plan

  
  
  
 

 

Supplemental Pension Plan

       

Name
Plan Name
Number of
Years Credited
Service
(#)

Present Value of
Accumulated
Benefit(1)
($)

Payments
During Last
Fiscal Year
($)

John W. Lindsay

Pension Plan34488,316

Supplemental Pension Plan3478,976

Mark W. Smith(2)

Pension Plan

Supplemental Pension Plan

Cara M. Hair(2)

Pension Plan

Supplemental Pension Plan

John R. Bell

Pension Plan2364,112

Supplemental Pension Plan23

Michael P. Lennox(2)

Pension Plan

Supplemental Pension Plan

Robert L. Stauder(3)

Pension Plan36421,999

Supplemental Pension Plan361,248

Wade W. Clark(3)

Pension Plan33196,101

Supplemental Pension Plan
(1)
The actuarial present value calculation for fiscal 2017year 2020 for Mr. Lindsay, and Mr. Stauder, who areis retirement eligible, is based on an immediate annuity (with an assumed retirement date of September 30, 2017)2020), whereas the present value calculation for Messrs. Tardio andMr. Bell, who areis not retirement eligible, is based on a deferred annuity (with an assumed retirement age of 61). The lump sum factor is based on the Pension Protection Act 2017 Mortality Table and the following tier rates: Segment 1 — 1.93%; Segment 2 — 3.57%; and Segment 3 — 4.36%. The lump-sum assumptions are consistent with those used at September 30, 2017.2020. The Company's pension and the assumptions are more fully described in the Company's 2017 Annual Report on2020 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017.10-K.

Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Stauder are currentlyis eligible to receive a reduced early retirement benefit upon termination of employment. Messrs. Tardio andMr. Bell would be eligible to receive a benefit anytimeany time after attaining age 55 upon theirhis termination of employment. Depending on theirhis age at termination, theyhe would be eligible to receive either a reduced early retirement benefit or an actuarially reduced early deferred vested benefit on or after age 55.

(2)
Ms. Hair isand Messrs. Lennox and Smith are not a participantparticipants under either the Pension Plan or the Supplemental Pension Plan.

(3)
Messrs. Clark and Stauder retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively.

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NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION FOR FISCAL 2017

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation for Fiscal Year 2020

Pursuant to our Supplemental Savings Plan, a participant can contribute between 1% and 40% of a participant's combined base salary and bonus to the Supplemental Savings Plan on a before-tax basis. If the participant has not received the full Company match of the first 5% of pay in the qualified Savings Plan, then the balance of the match will be contributed to the Supplemental Savings Plan. With the exception of one stable value fund, the investment fund selections are identical in both the qualified Savings Plan and the Supplemental Savings

Plan. Unless previously distributed according to the terms of a scheduled in-service withdrawal, a participant's account will become payable at the time and in the form selected by the participant upon the earlier to occur of a participant's separation from service, a participant's disability, a change-in-control or the participant's death. A participant may select payment in the form of a single lump sum payment or annual installment payments payable over a period of two to 10 years.


The following Nonqualified Deferred Compensation table summarizes the named executive officers' compensation for fiscal 2017year 2020 under our Supplemental Savings Plan.

Name
 Executive
Contributions in
Last FY
($) (1)
 Registrant
Contributions in
Last FY
($) (1)
 Aggregate
Earnings in
Last FY
($) (2)
 Aggregate
Withdrawals /
Distributions
($)
 Aggregate
Balance at
Last FYE
($) (3)
 

John W. Lindsay

  103,095  76,858  137,409  133,415  1,410,765 

Juan Pablo Tardio

  
66,267
  
28,180
  
6,414
  
  
1,078,718
 

Robert L. Stauder

  
31,954
  
26,574
  
128,053
  
  
708,411
 

John R. Bell

  
10,202
  
15,674
  
26,140
  
30,594
  
148,766
 

Cara M. Hair

  
10,768
  
13,229
  
3,665
  
  
42,905
 

Name
Executive
Contributions
for FY 2020(1)
($)

Registrant
Contributions
for FY 2020(1)
($)

Aggregate
Earnings in
Last FY(2)
($)

Aggregate
Withdrawals /
Distributions
($)

Aggregate
Balance at
Last FYE(3)
($)

John W. Lindsay

380,15237,373110,83335,3132,640,555

Mark W. Smith

53,9765,06339,413121,520

Robert L. Stauder

48,73339,2271,270,032��

Cara M. Hair

55,7707,81330,333239,801

John R. Bell

44,9155,41626,516270,118

Michael P. Lennox

29,1565,20120,370140,289

Wade W. Clark

116,68322,5931,137,299
(1)
The amounts reflected as Registrant Contributions above are included in the Summary Compensation Table under the "All Other Compensation."Compensation" column. Executive Contributions reflected above are made monthly during the fiscal year and are based on the employee's elected deferral percentage rate. Registrant Contributions are made at the end of the calendar year following the end of the fiscal year. These contributions are based on salary and bonus. Executive Contributions are reported as salary and bonus in the Summary Compensation Table.

(2)
These amounts do not include any above-market earnings.

(3)
The fiscal year-end balance reported for the Supplemental Savings Plan includes the following amounts that were previously reported in the above Summary Compensation Table as compensation for 20152018 and 2016: John W. Lindsay — $240,480; Juan Pablo Tardio — $444,922; Robert L. Stauder — $98,055; John R. Bell — $40,328; and Cara M. Hair — $10,225.2019.
 – John W. Lindsay  $883,785 – Mark W. Smith  $52,851 – Robert L. Stauder  $200,812 
 – Cara M. Hair  $87,523 – John R. Bell  $117,682      

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POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON CHANGE-IN-CONTROL

Potential Payments Upon Change-in-Control

The following table shows potential pre-tax payments to our named executive officers under existing agreements in the event of a change-in-control, assuming a September 30, 20172020 termination date and using the closing price ($52.11)14.65) of our common stock on September 29, 2017 (since the New York Stock Exchange was closed on September 30, 2017)2020 (the last business day of fiscal year 2020). Any payments due under the agreements are to be paid in a lump sum within 30 days after an executive's employment termination date. In addition, in the event of a change-in-control without termination of employment, our named executive officers would be entitled to all of the

amounts reflected in the column captioned "Stock Options" and, with respect to restricted stock and performance share units, the amounts reflected in the column captioned "Restricted Stock" after reducing same by the value attributed to the unvested portions of the restricted stock awardawards granted on December 5, 2016, December 4, 2017, May 1, 2018, December 14, 2018, and November 4, 2019 under outour 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan. See footnote 7 below for additional information on restricted stock.

Name
 Salary
and
Bonus
($) (1)
 Bonus
($) (2)
 Vacation
Pay
($) (3)
 Continued
Benefits
($) (4)
 Outplacement
Services
($) (5)
 Stock
Options
($) (6)
 Restricted
Stock
($) (7)
 Non-qualified
Plans
($) (8)
 Total
($)
 

John W. Lindsay

  4,537,500  907,500  29,667  227,517  5,000  3,165,000  2,441,093  1,466,514  12,779,791 

Juan Pablo Tardio

  
1,713,250
  
367,125
  
13,414
  
124,947
  
5,000
  
  
774,146
  
1,078,718
  
4,076,600
 

Robert L. Stauder

  
1,629,128
  
349,099
  
25,958
  
126,802
  
5,000
  
  
778,315
  
709,258
  
3,623,560
 

John R. Bell

  
1,251,250
  
268,125
  
8,250
  
98,505
  
5,000
  
723,453
  
563,674
  
148,766
  
3,067,023
 

Cara M. Hair

  
1,106,875
  
237,188
  
9,122
  
60,340
  
5,000
  
  
403,853
  
42,905
  
1,865,283
 

Name
Salary and
Bonus
($)

Bonus(2)
($)

Vacation
Pay(3)
($)

Continued
Benefits(4)
($)

Outplacement
Services(5)
($)

Stock
Options(6)
($)

Restricted
Stock(7)
($)

Non-qualified
Plans(8)
($)

Total
($)

John W. Lindsay

7,580,6761,501,89276,875187,5037,5003,232,3322,717,47013,802,356

Mark W. Smith

2,166,520568,26028,72170,9497,500892,263121,5203,287,473

Michael P. Lennox

1,484,670385,83534,27981,3117,500672,894140,2892,420,942

Cara M. Hair

1,843,312471,65638,07771,6137,500789,037239,8012,989,340

John R. Bell

1,620,644431,05039,38694,4427,500757,780270,1182,789,869

Robert L. Stauder(9)

Wade W. Clark(9)

��
(1)
For Mr. Lindsay, this amount represents a lump sum payment equal to two and one-half (21/2)three (3) times the sum of (a) base salary in effect at the time of termination and (b) an annual bonus, derived by taking the target annual bonus applicable for the year of termination or, if greater, the amount of annual bonus most recently paid for a year preceding the year of termination. The computation for the other named executive officers is the same except that the multiplier in the preceding formula is two (2) times.

(2)
This amount represents an annual bonus for the fiscal year-end which coincides with the termination date of September 30, 2017.2020. This annual bonus amount is calculated in the manner contemplated in footnote 1 above.

(3)
This column reflects accrued vacation pay not yet paid by us as of September 30, 2017.2020.


(4)
This amount represents the value of 24 months of benefit continuation following the termination of employment. Benefits included are: 18 months of Company medical COBRA, and private medical, dental, and vision insurance for 6six months following COBRA; basic and supplemental life insurance; long-term disability insurance; Savings Plan match; and Supplemental Savings Plan match by us.

(5)
This amount represents payment for outplacement counseling services if utilized by the named executive officer.

(6)
This column represents the potential value of unvested stock options that would vest. The value in the column is derived by multiplying the number of shares underlying the options that vested by the difference between $52.11, theclosing market price of our common stock of $14.65 at September 29, 2017,30, 2020 (the last business day of fiscal year 2020), and the exercise price of each option that vested. We used the closing price on September 29, 2017 since the New York Stock Exchange was closed on September 30, 2017.

(7)
This column represents the value of unvested restricted stock awards and performance share units that would vest in connection with a change of controlchange-in-control and a termination of employment. The value on September 30, 2017,2020 is shown at $52.11$14.65 per share, the closing price of our common stock on September 29, 2017. We used the closing price on September 29, 2017 since the New York Stock Exchange was closed on September 30, 2017.2020 (the last business day of fiscal year 2020). If there was a change-in-control without a termination of employment, the column amounts would be reduced (since, beginning in fiscal year 2017, all equity award grants contain a vesting double trigger) and the new column amounts would be as follows: John W. Lindsay — $1,250,640; Juan Pablo Tardio — $394,733; Robert L. Stauder — $417,505; John R. Bell — $286,553; and Cara M. Hair — $169,358.

— John W. Lindsay$83,681— Mark W. Smith$0— Michael P. Lennox$18,517
— Cara M. Hair$16,481— John R. Bell$19,499  
(8)
Except as noted in this footnote, this column reflects the value of, and payout under, the Supplemental Savings Plan and Supplemental Pension Plan. Both the Supplemental Savings Plan and Supplemental Pension Plan are payable upon termination of employment. Only

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(9)
Messrs. Clark and Stauder retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively; consequently, their change-in-control agreements ceased to be in effect. As a result, the table is not applicable to Messrs. Clark and Stauder because of the assumed employment termination date of September 30, 2020.


DIRECTOR COMPENSATION IN FISCAL 2017

Pay Ratio Disclosure

        Mr. Helmerich, as ChairmanSection 953(b) of the Board, receives a quarterly retainerDodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of $37,500. Each non-employee Director receives a quarterly retainer2010 (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and Item 402(u) of $25,000. The Audit Committee chair receives a quarterly retainer of $3,750. The Human Resources Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee chairs each receive a quarterly retainer of $2,500. In addition, each memberRegulation S-K require us to disclose for the last fiscal year (i) the median of the Audit Committee receives a quarterly retainerannual total compensation of $1,250. In addition to quarterly retainers, each non-employee Director (other thanall of our employees, except our principal executive officer, (ii) the Chairmanannual total compensation of our principal executive officer and (iii) the ratio of the Board) receivedamount in fiscal 2017 restricted stock and an option to purchase shares of our common stock pursuantclause (i) to the amount in clause (ii) (the "pay ratio").

Background

We identified a new median employee for fiscal year 2020, as the median employee used for our fiscal year 2019 disclosure was not employed by us at the end of fiscal year 2020. As of September 30, 2020, the date we used for identifying the median employee and calculating the pay ratio, our employee population consisted of 3,890 people in two countries, including all full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary workers of Helmerich & Payne, Inc. 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan which hadand its consolidated subsidiaries, but excluding the employees described below. We used the last day of each month during the fiscal year for purposes of determining the foreign exchange rate to U.S. dollar for employees paid in other currencies. We excluded 199 employees based in seven non-U.S. countries (see details in the table below) under the "de minimis" exemption in Item 402(u)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K.

Country

Number of Workers
Excluded

Bahrain

29

Canada

1

Colombia

69

France

26

India

62

United Arab Emirates

5

United Kingdom

7

We used a consistently applied compensation measure to identify our median-paid employee from our employee population by comparing employees' total cash compensation for fiscal year 2020, consisting of salary or wages, bonuses, matching contributions to Company savings plans and other income earned during the fiscal year. We did not annualize compensation for employees who were hired during fiscal year 2020 and no cost-of-living adjustments were made in identifying the median employee.

Calculation

After identifying our median employee, we combined valueall elements of approximately $180,000 onthis employee's compensation for fiscal year 2020 in accordance with the daterequirements of grant. The ChairmanItem 402(c)(2)(x) of Regulation S-K, resulting in annual total cash compensation of $102,231 for fiscal year 2020. As reported in the "Total" column of the Board received"Summary Compensation Table" included in this proxy statement, our CEO's annual total compensation for fiscal 2017 restricted stock and options to purchase sharesyear 2020 was $6,644,063. Based on this information, the pay ratio of our common stock withCEO's annual total compensation to that of our median employee for fiscal year 2020 was approximately 64.99 to 1.

Because the SEC rules for identifying the median employee and calculating the pay ratio based on that employee's annual total compensation allow companies to adopt a combined valuevariety of approximately $270,000. All non-employee Directorsmethodologies, to apply certain exclusions, and to make reasonable estimates and assumptions that reflect their compensation practices, the pay ratio reported by other companies may not be comparable to the pay ratio that we have reported here. We believe that our calculated ratios are reimbursed for expenses incurredreasonable estimates calculated in connectiona manner consistent with the attendingpay ratio disclosure requirements.

GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |67


Table of BoardContents

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES AND RELATED INFORMATION

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), requires our directors, officers, and certain beneficial owners (collectively, "Section 16 Persons") to file with the SEC reports of beneficial ownership on Form 3 and reports of changes in ownership on Form 4 or Committee meetings. Employee Directors do not receive compensationForm 5. To our knowledge, based solely on a review of the Section 16(a) reports filed electronically with the SEC for serving on the Board.fiscal year 2020 and written

        The Directors may participate in our Director Deferred Compensation Plan ("Plan"). Each Director participating in the Plan may defer into a separate account maintained by us,representations that no other reports were required, all or a portion of such Director's cash compensation paid by us for services as a Director. A Director may select between two deemed investment alternatives, being an interest investment alternative and a stock unit investment alternative. The interest investment alternative providesfiling requirements for the payment of interest on deferred amounts in the Director's account at a rate equal to prime plus one percent. Under the stock unit investment alternative, we credit the Director's account with a number of stock units determined by dividing the Director's deferred compensation amount by the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the compensation deferral date. The Director's account is also credited with any dividends that wouldSection 16 Persons have been paid by us had the Director held actual shares of our common stock. The account balance attributable to the stock unit investment alternative may increase or decrease depending upon fluctuations in the value of our common stockcomplied with during and the distribution of dividends. The stock units credited to a Director's account are used solely as a device for the determination of the amount of cash payment to be distributed to the Director under the Plan. No Director is entitled to a distribution of actual shares of our common stock or to any other stockholder rights with respect to fiscal year 2020, except that due to clerical oversights, amendments to Forms 4 for Ms. Hair and Messrs. Bell, Benson, Clark, Lennox, Lindsay, Smith, and Stauder, to correct the


stock underreporting of performance share units, credited under the Plan. Except for emergency withdrawals and a change-in-control event (as defined in the Plan), the deferred cash amounts in a Director's account are not paid until he or she ceases to be a Director. The Plan does not create a trust and the participating Directors would be general unsecured creditors of the Company. Since employee Directors do not receive compensation for servingwere filed late on the Board, only non-employee Directors are able to participate in the Plan. The Plan is interpreted and administered by the Human Resources Committee of the Board.July 23, 2020.



DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

Name
 Fees
Earned or
Paid in
Cash
($) (4)
 Stock
Awards
($) (6)
 Option
Awards
($) (6)
 Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
 Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
 All Other
Compensation
($) (5)
 Total
($)
 

Kevin G. Cramton (1)

  78,750    91,997      1,837  172,584 

Randy A. Foutch

  
115,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
  
2,379
  
316,895
 

Hans Helmerich (2)

  
150,000
  
138,146
  
161,088
  
  
  
184,124
  
633,358
 

Paula Marshall

  
100,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
  
2,379
  
301,895
 

José R. Mas (1)

  
75,000
  
  
91,997
  
  
  
1,837
  
168,834
 

Thomas A. Petrie

  
100,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
  
2,379
  
301,895
 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr. 

  
120,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
  
2,379
  
321,895
 

Edward B. Rust, Jr. (3)

  
105,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
4,104
  
2,379
  
310,999
 

John D. Zeglis

  
110,000
  
92,124
  
107,392
  
  
  
2,379
  
311,895
 

(1)
Messrs. Cramton and Mas were appointed to the Board of Directors on March 1, 2017.

(2)
As noted above under Corporate Governance — Board Leadership Structure, Mr. Helmerich agreed to provide consulting services to the Company for a three-year period (March 5, 2014 to February 28, 2017). The amount reflected in the column above captioned "All Other Compensation" discloses (i) consulting fees earned by Mr. Helmerich during fiscal 2017 in the amount of $125,000, (ii) $50,282 for personal use of our aircraft, $3,844 in club memberships, $1,430 in event tickets and $3,568 in dividends on restricted stock. The value shown for personal use of our aircraft is the incremental cost to us of such use, which is calculated based on the variable operating costs to us per nautical mile of operation, which include fuel costs, repairs, meals, professional services, travel expenses and licenses and fees. Fixed costs that do not change based on usage, such as the cost of aircraft, pilot salaries, insurance, rent, and other costs, were not included. The amount reported includes deadhead flights and is reduced by any reimbursements to us. The amount reported for Mr. Helmerich is attributable primarily to flights in connection with attending board meetings of publicly held companies. Flights for Mr. Helmerich comply with the Company's aircraft use policy described on pages 28 and 29 of the CD&A.

(3)
The reported amount of $4,104 is the above-market portion of interest earned pursuant to the interest investment alternative under the Director Deferred Compensation Plan.

(4)
Cash retainers and committee chair fees are paid quarterly in March, June, September, and December.

(5)
With the exception of Mr. Helmerich addressed in footnote (1) above, all amounts in this column are dividends on restricted stock.

(6)
The amounts included in the columns captioned "Stock Awards" and "Option Awards" represent the aggregate grant date fair value of restricted stock and option awards determined pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 718. For restricted stock, fair value (and the number of shares granted) is calculated based on the closing sales price of our stock on the date of grant. We use a Black-Scholes valuation formula to estimate the fair value of options for amortization to compensation expense as well as to calculate the number of shares to be awarded in connection with stock option grants to Directors. However, the two formulas utilize different inputs, such as a single closing price of our stock on the grant date (for accounting expense) and a ten-day closing price average (for computing awards). Therefore, the value in the table is different than the intended award value discussed in the narrative preceding the table. Further, because the amounts in the table reflect our accounting expense, the amounts do not correspond to the actual value that will be recognized by our Directors. For additional information, including valuation assumptions with respect to the grants, refer to note 7, "Stock-Based Compensation," to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, included in the 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017.


The following table provides information on the outstanding equity awards at September 30, 2017 for non-employee Directors. This table includes unexercised option awards reflected in each row below on an


OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL 2017 YEAR-END

  
 Option Awards 
 
Name
 Grant
Date
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
 Option
Exercise
Price
($)
 Option
Expiration
Date
 
 

Kevin G. Cramton

           
 

Randy A. Foutch

  
12/1/2009
  
2,349
  
  
38.015
  
12/1/2019
 
 

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.935  12/7/2020 
 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 
 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

Hans Helmerich

  
12/4/2007
  
110,000
  
  
35.105
  
12/4/2017
 
 

  12/2/2008  120,000    21.065  12/2/2018 
 

  12/1/2009  80,000    38.015  12/1/2019 
 

  12/7/2010  40,000    47.935  12/7/2020 
 

  12/6/2011  62,000    59.76  12/6/2021 
 

  12/4/2012  83,000    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/2/2014  11,777    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  18,841    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    7,185  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

Paula Marshall

  
12/4/2007
  
3,823
  
  
35.105
  
12/4/2017
 
 

  12/2/2008  4,122    21.065  12/2/2018 
 

  12/1/2009  2,349    38.015  12/1/2019 
 

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.935  12/7/2020 
 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 
 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

José R. Mas

  
  
  
  
  
 
 

Thomas A Petrie

  
6/6/2012
  
1,208
  
  
47.29
  
6/6/2022
 
 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr. 

  
12/4/2012
  
4,078
  
  
54.18
  
12/4/2022
 

  
 Option Awards 
 
Name
 Grant
Date
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
 Option
Exercise
Price
($)
 Option
Expiration
Date
 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

Edward B. Rust, Jr. 

  
12/4/2007
  
3,823
  
  
35.105
  
12/4/2017
 
 

  12/2/2008  4,122    21.065  12/2/2018 
 

  12/1/2009  2,349    38.015  12/1/2019 
 

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.935  12/7/2020 
 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 
 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 
 

John D. Zeglis

  
12/4/2007
  
3,823
  
  
35.105
  
12/4/2017
 
 

  12/2/2008  4,122    21.065  12/2/2018 
 

  12/1/2009  2,349    38.015  12/1/2019 
 

  12/7/2010  1,902    47.935  12/7/2020 
 

  12/6/2011  2,980    59.76  12/6/2021 
 

  12/4/2012  4,078    54.18  12/4/2022 
 

  12/3/2013  5,086    79.67  12/3/2023 
 

  12/2/2014  7,851    68.83  12/2/2024 
 

  11/30/2015  12,561    58.25  11/30/2025 
 

  12/5/2016    4,790  81.31  12/5/2026 

Summary of All Existing Equity Compensation Plans

Summary of All Existing Equity Compensation Plans

The following chart sets forth information concerning our equity compensation plans as of September 30, 2017.2020.


Equity Compensation Plan Information

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

Plan Category
 Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
 Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options,
warrants and rights
 Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
 
 (a)
 (b)
 (c)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

       3,278,338 (1) $56.4085       5,623,909 (3)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders (2)

 

 

 

Total

 

3,278,338

 

$56.4085

 

5,623,909


Plan Category

Number of securities to
be issued upon
exercise of outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation plans
(excluding
securities reflected
in column (a))

(a)(b)(c)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

2,862,869(1)$62.415,889,556(3)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(2)

Total

2,862,869$62.415,889,556
(1)
Includes the 2005 Long-Term Incentive2010 Plan, the 2010 Long-Term Incentive2016 Plan, and the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan of the Company.2020 Plan.

(2)
We do not maintain any equity compensation plans that have not been approved by the stockholders.

(3)
The reported 5,623,9095,889,556 shares available for future issuance pertain to our 2016 Omnibus Incentive2020 Plan approved by our stockholders at the March 2, 20162020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Of the 5,623,9095,889,556 shares that remain available for issuance under our 2016 Omnibus Incentive2020 Plan, up to 2,719,9162,944,778 shares may be awarded as restricted stock or certain other awards as contemplated under the 2016 Omnibus Incentive2020 Plan.

68|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 3—ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION


PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

        The Audit Committee has appointed the firm of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm ("independent auditors") to audit our financial statements for fiscal year 2018. A proposal will be presented at the Annual Meeting asking the stockholders to ratify this appointment. The firm of Ernst & Young LLP has served us in this capacity for many years.

        Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting and will have the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and to respond to appropriate questions. In the event the stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent auditors to audit our financial statements for fiscal year 2018, the Audit Committee will consider the voting results and evaluate whether to select a different independent auditor.

        Although ratification is not required by Delaware law, our articles or our By-laws, we are submitting the selection of Ernst & Young LLP to our stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate governance. Even if the selection of Ernst & Young LLP is ratified, the Audit Committee may select different independent auditors at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interestsaccordance with Section 14A of the Company and our stockholders.

OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE RATIFICATION OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS FOR FISCAL 2018.

Audit Fees

        The following table sets forth the aggregate fees and costs paid to Ernst & Young LLP during the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered to us:

 
 Years Ended September 30, 
 
 2017 2016 

Audit Fees (1)

 $1,707,249 $2,198,147 

Audit-Related Fees (2)

  145,701  465,620 

Tax Fees (3)

  190,088  343,926 

Total

 $2,043,038 $3,007,693 

(1)
Includes fees for services related to the annual audit of the consolidated financial statements for the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016Exchange Act and the reviews of the financial statements included in our Form 10-Q reports, required domestic and international statutory audits and attestation reports, and the auditor's report for internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

(2)
Includes fees for the audits of our Employee Retirement Plan, 401(k)/Thrift Plan, Employee Benefit Program, Maintenance Costs of Common Area Facilities for a wholly-owned subsidiary, and internal controls review related to enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation.

(3)
Includes fees for services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning, including expatriate tax services and transfer pricing studies.

        The Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves audit and non-audit services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm as well as the fee charged for such services. Pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year, is detailed as to the particular service or category of service, and is subject to a specific budget. The Audit Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority for such services to one or more of its members, whose decisions are then presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. For fiscal 2016 and 2017, all of the audit and non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm were pre-approved by the Audit Committee in


accordance with the Audit Committee Charter. In its review of all non-audit service fees, the Audit Committee considers among other things, the possible effect of such services on the auditor's independence.

Audit Committee Report

        The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is composed of four Directors and operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors. All members of the Audit Committee meet the independence standards set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines as well as the listing standards of the NYSE and the applicable rules of the SEC. Three members of the Audit Committee meet the "audit committee financial expert" requirements under applicable SEC rules. The Audit Committee charter is available on our website atwww.hpinc.com under the "Governance" section. The Audit Committee reviews the adequacy of and compliance with such charter annually.

        Our management is responsible for, among other things, preparing our consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), establishing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting and evaluating the effectiveness of such internal controls over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing our consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), and for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the financial statements with GAAP. Our independent registered public accounting firm is also responsible for auditing our internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with such standards and for expressing an opinion on our internal controls over financial reporting.

        The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee management's implementation of our financial reporting process and the audits of our consolidated financial statements and our internal controls over financial reporting. In this regard, the Audit Committee meets periodically with management, our internal auditor and our independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of our independent registered public accounting firm. As part of fulfilling this responsibility, the Audit Committee engages in an annual evaluation of, among other things, our independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications, competence, integrity, expertise, performance, independence and communications with the Audit Committee, and whether our independent registered public accounting firm should be retained for the upcoming year's audit. The Audit Committee discusses with the Company's internal auditor and our independent registered public accounting firm the overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit Committee meets with the Company's internal auditor and our independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting. The Audit Committee reviews significant audit findings together with management's responses thereto. The Audit Committee performs other activities throughout the year, in accordance with the responsibilities of the Audit Committee specified in the Audit Committee charter.

        In its oversight role, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed our audited consolidated financial statements and our internal controls over financial reporting with management and with Ernst & Young LLP ("E&Y"), our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2017. Management and E&Y indicated that our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended September 30, 2017 were fairly stated in accordance with GAAP and that our internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of September 30, 2017. The Audit Committee discussed with E&Y and management the significant accounting policies used and significant estimates made by management in the preparation of our audited consolidated financial statements, and the overall quality, not just the acceptability, of our consolidated financial statements and management's financial


reporting process. The Audit Committee and E&Y also discussed any issues deemed significant by E&Y or the Audit Committee, including the matters required to be discussed pursuant to PCAOB Auditing Standard 1301, the rules of the SEC, and other applicable regulations.

        E&Y has provided to the Audit Committee written disclosures and the letter required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent registered public accounting firm's communications with the audit committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee discussed with E&Y the firm's independence. The Audit Committee also concluded that E&Y's provision of other permitted non-audit services to us and our related entities is compatible with E&Y's independence.

        Based on its review of the audited financial statements and the various discussions noted above, the Audit Committee recommended to our Board that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, filed with the SEC.

Submitted by the Audit Committee



Donald F. Robillard, Jr., Chairman
Kevin G. Cramton
Randy A. Foutch
Edward B. Rust, Jr.


PROPOSAL 3

ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

        The Company is requesting stockholder approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of the Company's named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement. The Human Resources Committee of the Board has overseen the development of a compensation program that is described more fully in the Executive"Executive Compensation Discussion and AnalysisAnalysis" section of this proxy statement, including the related compensation tables and narrative. Our compensation program is designed to attract and retain qualified executives who are critical to the successful implementation of our strategic business plan. Further, we believe that our compensation program promotes a performance-based culture and aligns the interests of executives with those of stockholders by linking a substantial portion of compensation to the Company's performance. It balances short-term and long-term compensation opportunities to ensure that the Company meets short-term objectives while continuing to produce value for our stockholders over the long-term. The Company believes that its compensation program is appropriate and has served to accomplish the goals

mentioned above. In deciding how to vote on this proposal, the Board urges you to consider the Executive"Executive Compensation Discussion and AnalysisAnalysis" section beginning on page 1939 of this proxy statement.

For the reasons discussed, the Board recommends a vote in favor of the following resolution:

As an advisory vote, this proposal is not binding on the Company. However, the Human Resources Committee, which is responsible for designing and administering the Company's executive compensation program, values the opinions expressed by stockholders in their vote on this proposal, and will consider the outcome of the vote when making future compensation decisions for named executive officers.

GRAPHIC

Our Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of the Company's named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement.

GRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |69


Table of Contents

STOCK OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

The following table sets forth those persons or groups who, to our knowledge, beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock, the number of shares beneficially owned by each, and the percentage of

outstanding stock so owned, as of January 5, 2021. At the close of business on January 5, 2021, there were 109,291,244 issued and outstanding shares of our common stock.

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner

Title of ClassAmount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
Percent of Class

BlackRock, Inc.
55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10055

Common Stock16,464,123(1)15.06%

The Vanguard Group, Inc.
100 Vanguard Blvd.
Malvern, PA 19355

Common Stock11,932,032(2)10.92%

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
One State Farm Plaza
Bloomington, Illinois 61710

Common Stock8,303,961(3)7.60%

State Street Corporation
State Street Financial Center
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111

Common Stock5,880,267(4)5.38%

Capital World Investors
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Common Stock5,860,000(5)5.36%
(1)
This information is based on BlackRock, Inc.'s Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on June 9, 2020. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, BlackRock, Inc. has sole voting power over 15,961,671 shares and sole dispositive power over 16,464,123 shares.

(2)
This information is based on The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on February 12, 2020. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, The Vanguard Group, Inc. has sole voting power over 138,814 shares, sole dispositive power over 11,782,602 shares, shared voting power over 25,115 shares, and shared dispositive power over 149,430 shares.

(3)
This information is based on State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company's Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 29, 2020. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and certain of its affiliates have sole voting power and sole dispositive power over 8,257,200 shares and shared voting and shared dispositive power over 46,761 shares.

(4)
This information is based on State Street Corporation's Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on May 11, 2020. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, State Street Corporation has shared voting power over 5,474,855 shares and shared dispositive power over 5,879,367 shares.

(5)
This information is based on Capital World Investors' Schedule 13G Amendment filed with the SEC on February 14, 2020. Of the shares reported as beneficially owned, Capital World Investors has sole voting and dispositive power over 5,860,000 shares.

70|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY'S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS DISCLOSED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.Table of Contents

STOCK OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

Security Ownership of Directors and Management

The following table sets forth the total number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by each of the present Directors and nominees, our CEO, all other executive officers named in the

Summary Compensation Table, and all Directors and executive officers as a group, and the percent of the outstanding common stock so owned by each as of January 5, 2021.

Directors and Named Executive Officers

Title of ClassAmount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership(1)
Percent of Class(2)

Hans Helmerich

Common Stock2,836,946(3)2.59%

John W. Lindsay

Common Stock1,017,978(4) 

John R. Bell

Common Stock236,024(5) 

Robert L. Stauder(19)

Common Stock179,745(6) 

Wade W. Clark(19)

Common Stock154,918(7) 

Cara M. Hair

Common Stock147,789(8) 

Edward B. Rust, Jr.

Common Stock94,949(9)(20) 

John D. Zeglis

Common Stock85,802(10) 

Michael P. Lennox

Common Stock79,372(11) 

Thomas A. Petrie

Common Stock62,396(12)(20) 

Randy A. Foutch

Common Stock60,506(13)(20) 

Donald F. Robillard, Jr.

Common Stock51,156(14)(20) 

Mark W. Smith

Common Stock73,703(15) 

Kevin G. Cramton

Common Stock23,553(16) 

José R. Mas

Common Stock23,553(17)(20) 

Delaney M. Bellinger

Common Stock6,595(18) 

Mary M. VanDeWeghe

Common Stock2,288(20) 

All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group

Common Stock5,276,745(19)4.75%
(1)
Unless otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly by the named person, and he or she has sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares. Shares owned include restricted shares over which the named person has voting but not investment power. Stock options held by the named person include options exercisable within 60 days of January 5, 2021.

(2)
Percentage calculation not included if beneficial ownership is less than one percent of class.

(3)
Includes options to purchase 193,860 shares; 7,732 restricted shares; 21,302 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan; 27,470 shares owned by Mr. Helmerich's wife, with respect to which he has disclaimed all beneficial ownership; 1,583,015 shares held by Mr. Helmerich as trustee for various family trusts for which he possesses voting and investment power; 65,600 shares held by The Helmerich Trust, an Oklahoma charitable trust, for which Mr. Helmerich is a trustee for which he possesses voting and investment power; 120,000 shares owned by Saddleridge LLC, of which he is a manager and possesses voting and investment power, and 44,000 shares held by Helmerich Grandchildren LLC, of which he is a manager and possesses voting and investment power.

(4)
Includes options to purchase 659,802 shares; 166,539 restricted shares; and 9,146 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

(5)
Includes options to purchase 143,424 shares; 39,300 restricted shares; and 1,780 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan.

(6)
Includes options to purchase 155,082 shares and 8,851 restricted shares.

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Table of Contents

STOCK OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

(7)
Includes options to purchase 123,768 shares and 6,085 restricted shares.

(8)
Includes options to purchase 84,914 shares and 42,912 restricted shares.

(9)
Includes options to purchase 44,717 shares and 5,154 restricted shares.

(10)
Includes options to purchase 44,717 shares and 5,154 restricted shares.

(11)
Includes options to purchase 38,659 shares and 34,970 restricted shares.

(12)
Includes options to purchase 42,945 shares and 5,154 restricted shares.

(13)
Includes options to purchase 44,717 shares.

(14)
Includes options to purchase 40,159 shares.

(15)
Includes options to purchase 11,957 shares and 50,662 restricted shares.

(16)
Includes options to purchase 12,613 shares and 5,154 restricted shares.

(17)
Includes options to purchase 12,613 shares and 5,154 restricted shares.

(18)
Includes options to purchase 2,926 shares.

(19)
Includes options to purchase 1,687,087 shares; 446,423 restricted shares; and 32,228 shares fully vested under our 401(k) Plan. Includes shares beneficially owned by Messrs. Clark and Stauder who retired from the Company on May 1, 2020 and July 17, 2020, respectively.

(20)
The value of Director stock units and restricted stock units under our Director Plan are based on the market price of our Common Stock and possess dividend equivalent reinvestment rights but are settled in cash; consequently, such stock units are not included in the table. Stock units and restricted stock units are held as follows as of January 5, 2021: Rust, 21,071 stock units; Petrie, 7,257 restricted stock units; Foutch, 27,036 stock units and 5,473 restricted stock units; Robillard, 12,509 stock units and 5,473 restricted stock units; Bellinger, 5,473 restricted stock units; and VanDeWeghe, 5,473 restricted stock units.

72|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


2019 Annual MeetingTable of Contents

        Our annual meeting for 2019

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Householding of Annual Meeting Materials

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries, such as brokers and banks, to provide notice to an address shared by two or more stockholders by delivering a single notice to those stockholders. This procedure is referred to as "householding." We do not household our notice with respect to our stockholders of record. However, if you hold your shares in street name, your intermediary, such as a broker or bank, may rely on householding and you may receive a single notice if you share an address with another stockholder.

Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be held Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Stockholder Proposalshouseholding materials to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and Nominationswould prefer to receive a separate copy of the notice, or if you are receiving multiple copies of the notice and wish to receive only one, please notify your broker. Stockholders who currently receive multiple notices at their address and would like to request "householding" of their communications should contact their broker.

Stockholder Proposals and Nominations

PROPOSALS FOR INCLUSION IN OUR 2022 PROXY MATERIALS

Proposals for Inclusion in our 2019 Proxy Materials

SEC rules permit stockholders to submit proposals to be included in our proxy materials if the stockholder and the proposal satisfy the requirements specified in Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.Act. For a stockholder proposal to be considered for inclusion in

our proxy statement and accompanying proxy for the 2019 annual meeting,2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the proposal must be received by our Corporate Secretary at the address provided below on or before September 25, 2018.21, 2021.

DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS FOR INCLUSION IN OUR 2022 PROXY MATERIALS (PROXY ACCESS)

Director Nominations for Inclusion in our 2019 Proxy Materials (Proxy Access)

Our proxy access by-law permits a stockholder (or a group of up to 20 stockholders) owning 3% or more of the Company's outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in the Company's proxy materials Director candidates constituting up to the greater of two individuals or 20% of the Board of Directors, if the

nominating stockholder(s) and the nominee(s) satisfy the requirements specified in our By-laws. For the 2019 annual meeting,2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, notice of a proxy access nomination must be received by our Corporate Secretary at the address provided below during the period beginning August 26, 2018,22, 2021, and ending September 25, 2018.21, 2021.

OTHER PROPOSALS OR NOMINATIONS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE OUR 2022 ANNUAL MEETING

Other Proposals or Nominations to be brought before our 2019 Annual Meeting

Our By-laws permit a stockholder of record to propose items of business and/or nominate Director candidates that are not intended to be included in our proxy materials if the stockholder complies with the procedures set forth in our advance notice by-law.

For the 2019 annual meeting,2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, notice of such proposals or nominations must be received by our Corporate Secretary at the address provided below during the period beginning November 6, 2018,2, 2021, and ending December 6, 2018.2, 2021.

Address for SubmissionGRAPHIC    2021 Proxy Statement  |73


Table of Notices and Additional InformationContents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION OF NOTICES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All stockholder nominations or proposals of other items of business to be considered by stockholders at the 2019 annual meeting2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (whether or not intended for inclusion in our proxy materials) must be submitted in writing to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at our headquarters address: 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119.to:

GRAPHIC
Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
1437 South Boulder Avenue
Suite 1400
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

In addition, both the proxy access and the advance notice provisions of our By-laws require a stockholder's notice of a nomination or other item of business to include certain information. Director nominees must also meet certain eligibility requirements. Any stockholder considering introducing a nomination or other item of business should carefully review our By-laws.




By Order of the Board of Directors,



/s/ William H. Gault



William H. Gault
Corporate Secretary

Dated: January 19, 2021

74|2021 Proxy Statement    GRAPHIC


Table of Contents

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting ComplianceGRAPHIC

        For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, all reports required by Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, were filed on a timely basis with the SEC. In making this disclosure, we have relied solely upon the written representations of our Directors and executive officers, and copies of the reports they have filed with the SEC.


Executive Officers

        The names, ages, and other information for our executive officers is incorporated by reference to the section "Executive Officers of the Company" included in Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2017 filed with the SEC on November 22, 2017.

By Order of the Board of Directors,OUR 100-YEAR LEGACY

GRAPHIC

H&P is the leading U.S. unconventional driller, and our drilling experience spans the globe. Our company currently owns and operates land rigs across North America, South America and the Middle East, with offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.


Our people drive our success. H&P is dedicated to providing opportunities and a work environment that is both personally and professionally rewarding. It's the reason many of our employees remain with us throughout their career.

A century of achievement, a reputation of excellence. Since 1920, Helmerich & Payne has
been the industry's most trusted partner in drilling productivity and reliability.


Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
1437 South Boulder Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
helmerichpayne.com
  GRAPHIC
Jonathan M. Cinocca
Corporate Secretary

Dated: January 23, 2018


 

VIEW MATERIALS & VOTE w SCAN TO HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC. 1437 S. BOULDER AVENUE SUITE 1400 TULSA, OK 74119-3623 VOTE BY INTERNET Before the Meeting - Go to www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode above Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up untilinformation. Vote by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the meeting date.on March 1, 2021 for shares held directly and by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on February 25, 2021 for shares held in an employee benefit plan. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC. 1437 S. BOULDER AVENUE SUITE 1400 TULSA, OK 74119-3623During The Meeting - Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021 You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow available and follow the instructions. ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years. VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up untilinstructions. Vote by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the meeting date.on March 1, 2021 for shares held directly and by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on February 25, 2021 for shares held in an employee benefit plan. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. **If you vote by Internet or telephone, you do not need to mail back the attached proxy card. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: E35262-P00706D29519-P48168 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following:each director nominee listed below in Proposal 1: 1. Election of Directors For Against Abstain ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1a. Delaney M. Bellinger For Against Abstain The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposalsProposals 2 and 3. For Against Abstain 1a.1b. Kevin G. Cramton 1b.! ! ! ! ! ! 1c. Randy A. Foutch 2. Ratification of Ernst & Young LLP as auditors for 2018. 1c. Hans Helmerich2021. 3. Advisory vote on executive compensation. 1d. John W. LindsayHans Helmerich NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. 1e. Paula MarshallJohn W. Lindsay 1f. José R. Mas 1g. Thomas A. Petrie 1h. Donald F. Robillard, Jr. 1i. Edward B. Rust, Jr. 1j. Mary M. VanDeWeghe 1k. John D. Zeglis For address change/comments, mark here. (see reverse for instructions) Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date

 


Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com. E35263-P00706D29520-P48168 HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC. Annual Meeting of Stockholders This proxy is solicited by and on behalf of the Board of Directors The undersigned hereby appoints as his/her proxies, with powers of substitution and revocation, Hans Helmerich, John W. Lindsay, and Cara M. Hair, and each of them (the "Proxies"), to vote all shares of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., which the undersigned would be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., to be held virtually via a live webcast at Boulder Towers, H&P Conference Center, 11th Floor, 1437 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma,www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HP2021, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018,2, 2021, at 12:00 noon, TulsaCentral time, and all adjournments thereof. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED OR, IF NO CHOICE IS SPECIFIED, FOR THE ELECTION OF THE FULL SLATE OF DIRECTORSDIRECTOR NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 1 AND FOR PROPOSALS 2 AND 3. IF ANY OTHER MATTER SHOULD PROPERLY BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE MEETING, THE PERSONS NAMED AS PROXIES WILL VOTE ON SUCH MATTERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR BEST JUDGMENT. (If you noted any Address Changes/Comments above, please mark corresponding box on the reverse side.) Continued and to be signed on reverse side Address changes/comments:

 



QuickLinks

1437 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be held on March 6, 2018
1437 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
PROXY STATEMENT
PROPOSAL 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS IN FISCAL 2017
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL 2017 YEAR-END
OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED IN FISCAL 2017
PENSION BENEFITS FOR FISCAL 2017
NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION FOR FISCAL 2017
POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON CHANGE-IN-CONTROL
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION IN FISCAL 2017
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL 2017 YEAR-END
Equity Compensation Plan Information
PROPOSAL 2 RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
PROPOSAL 3 ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION