UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.      )

Filed by the Registrant  x                             Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ¨

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¨ Preliminary Proxy Statement
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x Definitive Proxy Statement
¨ Definitive Additional Materials
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HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES, 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):

HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES, 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):
x No fee required.
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LOGOLOGO

Notice of

Annual Meeting

And Proxy Statement



Letter to Our Stockholders

March 18, 201622, 2017

Dear Fellow Stockholders:

On behalf of the Board of Directors and management team of Huntington Ingalls Industries, I would like to invite you to attend the 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. We will meet on Friday, April 29, 2016,Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, at our corporate headquarters located at the Herbert H. Bateman Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC), 2401 West Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607. We are looking forward to your responses on the proposals included in the accompanying proxy statement.

The accompanying Notice of 20162017 Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement describe the matters on which you, as a stockholder, may vote at the annual meeting, and include details of the business to be conducted at the meeting.

As a way to conserve natural resources and reduce annual meeting costs, we are electronically distributing proxy materials as permitted under rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Many of you will receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access the proxy materials via the Internet. You can also request mailed paper copies if preferred. You can expedite delivery and reduce our mailing expenses by confirming in advance your preference for electronic delivery of future proxy materials. For more information on how to take advantage of this cost-saving service, please see page 1014 of the proxy statement.

Your vote is very important. Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, I encourage you to vote your shares in advance. Stockholders can submit their votes over the Internet at the web address included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and included in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card), by telephone through the number included in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card), or by signing and dating your proxy card (if you received a proxy card) and mailing it in the prepaid and addressed envelope.

Thank you for your support of Huntington Ingalls Industries. I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.

Sincerely,

 

LOGOLOGO

Adm. Thomas B. Fargo

U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Chairman of the Board


Notice of 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

 

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

4101 Washington Avenue

Newport News, Virginia 23607

 

DATE AND TIME

  Friday, April 29, 2016,Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

PLACE

  Herbert H. Bateman Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC), 2401 West Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

  

Elect threeeight directors

Approve the company’s executive compensation on an advisory basis
Ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for 2016

2017

Approve executiveour Performance-Based Compensation Policy to preserve the tax deductibility of performance-based compensation on an advisory basis

payments

Consider a stockholder proposal to amend our proxy access bylaw, if properly presented at the meeting
Transact any other business that properly comes before the annual meeting

RECORD DATE

  Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 4, 2016,9, 2017, are entitled to vote at the annual meeting.

PROXY VOTING

  It is important you vote your shares so they are counted at the annual meeting. You can vote your shares over the Internet at the web address included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and included in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card), by telephone through the number included in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card), or by signing and dating your proxy card (if you received a proxy card) and mailing it in the prepaid and addressed envelope.

 

LOGOLOGO

Charles R. Monroe, Jr.

Corporate Vice President,

Associate General Counsel and Secretary

March 18, 201622, 2017

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on April 29, 2016May 3, 2017: The Notice of 20162017 Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement and 20152016 Annual Report are available as of today’s date, March 22, 2017, at www.envisionreports.com/HII.


Proxy Statement—Table of Contents

 

 

20162017 Proxy Statement Summary

   1 

General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

   610 

Items of Business to be Considered at the Annual Meeting

   610 

Appointment of Proxy Holders

   610 

Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials

   610 

Record Date and Voting

   611 

Quorum, Vote Required and Method of Counting

   812 

Item 1—Proposal to Elect Directors

   912 

Item 2—Proposal to Ratify Appointment of Our Independent Auditors

9

Item 3—Proposal to Approve Executive Compensation on an Advisory Basis

   913 

Item 3—Proposal to Ratify Appointment of Our Independent Auditors

13

Item  4—Proposal to Approve Our Performance-Based Compensation Policy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Compensation Payments

13

Item 5—Stockholder Proposal to Amend our Proxy Access Bylaw

13

Important Reminder of Effect of Not Casting Your Vote if You Are a Street Name Stockholder

   913 

Soliciting and Tabulating Votes

   913 

Electronic Access to Proxy Statement and Annual Report

   1014 

Householding Information

   1014 

Governance of the Company

   1115 

Overview of Corporate Governance

11

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors

11

Criteria for Board Membership

11

Director Nomination Process

13

Majority Voting Policy

14

Stockholders Right to Nominate Proxy Access Nominees

   15 

Director IndependenceResponsibilities of the Board of Directors

   1615 

Criteria for Board Leadership StructureMembership

   1615 

Board Committee Functions and MembershipDirector Nomination Process

   17 

Board StructureMajority Vote Director Resignation Policy

   18 

Executive Sessions of Non-Employee DirectorsStockholders Right to Nominate Proxy Access Nominees

   19 

The Board’s Role in Risk OversightDirector Independence

   19 

Board Leadership Structure

20

Board Committee Functions and Committee EvaluationsMembership

   21 

Board Structure

22

Executive Sessions ofNon-Employee Directors

22

The Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

23

Board and Committee Evaluations

24

Policy Against Hedging and Pledging Company Securities

   2124 

Code of Ethics and Business Conduct

   2124 

MeetingsCompensation Committee Interlocks and AttendanceInsider Participation

   2125 

IndemnificationMeetings and Attendance

   2125

Indemnification

25 

Communications and Company Documents

   2226 

Communications and Company Documents

   2226 

Future Stockholder Proposals and Nominations of Directors

   2226 

The Board of Directors

   2428 

Director Compensation

   3135 

Director Compensation Program

   3135 

20152016 Director Compensation Table

   3236 

Executive Compensation

   3337 

Introduction

   3337 

Named Executive Officer Biographies

   3337 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

   3639 

Compensation Committee Report

   5358 

Executive Compensation Tables

   5458 

Audit Committee Matters

   7578 

Audit Committee Report

   7578 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

   7679 

Audit CommitteePre-Approval Policies and Procedures

   7679 

i


Proxy Statement—Table of Contents(Continued)

Stock Ownership Information

   7780 

Stock Ownership of Officers and Directors

77

Stock Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

78

Item 1—Proposal to Elect Three Directors

79

Item 2—Proposal to Ratify the Appointment of Independent Auditors

   80 

Stock Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

81
Item 3—1—Proposal to Elect Eight Directors82
Item 2—Proposal to Approve Executive Compensation on an Advisory Basis

   8183 
Item 3—Proposal to Ratify the Appointment of Independent Auditors84
Item 4—Proposal to Approve the Performance-Based Compensation Policy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Compensation Payments85
Item 5—Stockholder Proposal to Amend our Proxy Access Bylaw89

Other Information for Stockholders

   8291 

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

   8291 

Attending the Annual Meeting

   8291 

Related Party Transactions

   8291
Annex A—Performance-Based Compensation Policy of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.94 

 

iii


20162017 Proxy Statement Summary

 

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

Annual Meeting Information

 

  Annual Meeting Information

  Date and Time:    

Date and Time:April 29, 2016,May 3, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

  Place:  

Place:Herbert H. Bateman Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center

(VASCIC),

2401 West Avenue

Newport News, Virginia 23607

  Record Date:  

Record Date:March 4, 2016

9, 2017

  Voting:  

Voting:Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share

  Admission:  

Admission:To attend the meeting in person, you will need to follow the instructions included on page

91

  Items to be Voted at the Annual Meeting

      

Board Vote

Recommendation

 

Page Reference

(for more information)

  1. Elect eight directors FOR 82
  2. Approve the company’s executive compensation on an advisory basis FOR 83
  3. Ratify the appointment of our independent auditors FOR 84
  4. Approve our Performance-Based Compensation Policy to preserve the tax deductibility of performance-based compensation payments FOR 85
  5. Consider a stockholder proposal to amend our proxy access bylaw, if properly presented at the meeting AGAINST 89

Items2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    1


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

  Corporate Governance Highlights

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (“HII,” the “company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is committed to be Voted athigh standards of corporate governance, which we believe promote the Annual Meetinglong-term interests of stockholders, strengthen accountability of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) and management and build public trust in the company. Highlights of our corporate governance practices include:

 

Board

  Structure and  

Governance

All directors are independent except for our Chief Executive Officer
  

Board Vote

Recommendation

  

Page Reference

(for more

information)

Each of the Audit, Compensation, Governance and Policy and Finance Committees is comprised of independent directors

1.      Elect three directors

  FORIndependent directors meet in executive session at each regularly scheduled Board meeting
  79Independent non-executive Chairman of the Board

2.      Ratify the appointment of our independent auditors

  FORAnnual Board and committee self-assessment process
  80Director term limits

3.      Approve executive compensation on an advisory basis

  FORMandatory director retirement age
  Limits on outside public company board service by directors to prevent overboarding
81  
Stockholder RightsAnnual election of directors beginning in 2018 (completing phase-out of classified Board)
Director resignation policy if more votes are withheld than cast for any director
Eligible stockholders may include their own director nominees in our proxy materials (proxy access)
Stockholders have the right to call a special meeting of stockholders
No stockholder rights plan (poison pill)
Stock OwnershipStock ownership guidelines and holding requirements for non-employee directors and executives
Clawback policy for all performance-based compensation
Prohibition on directors and executives hedging or pledging our common stock

  Stockholder Engagement

We believe that stockholder engagement is an essential element of strong corporate governance. Accordingly, the company’s management actively engages with our investors through telephonic meetings,in-person meetings and email to understand their perspectives on our company, including our strategy, performance, matters of corporate governance and executive compensation. During 2016, management held six meetings with our largest institutional stockholders and other interested stockholders, representing approximately 23% of our outstanding shares. We are committed to understanding the perspectives of our stockholders and responding as appropriate.

2    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

The following sections of this proxy statement summary describe the matters on which our stockholders will vote at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders.

  ELECT EIGHT DIRECTOR NOMINEES

Director Nominees

The Board is asking you to elect, for terms ending in 2017,2018, the threeeight nominees for director named below, each of whom is currently serving as a director of the company. The following table provides summary information about the nominees for director, including their names, ages and occupations, whether they are independent directors under the corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), and the Board committees on which they currently serve. The directors will be elected by a plurality vote.

In March 2016, Robert F. Bruner informed usvote, but any director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his decisionor her election than votes “for” such election must tender to retire from the Board at the conclusionhis or her offer of his current term as a director, which will be April 29, 2016. HII thanks Dr. Bruner for his service to the company and wishes him continued success in his future endeavors.resignation.

 

Board Committees

NameAgeOccupationIndependent
Director

A

 CFGP

Augustus L. Collins

59Chief Executive Officer of MINACT IncorporatedYesAgel  l

OccupationKirkland H. Donald

 63Independent Business ConsultantYesIndependent
Directorl
 

Boardl

Committees

Thomas B. Fargo

 6768 Chairman of the Board of Directors of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. Yes Compensation Committee and Governance and Policy Committeell

Victoria D. Harker

52Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Tegna, Inc.Yesll

Anastasia D. Kelly

67Co-Managing Partner of DLA Piper AmericasYesC

Thomas C. Schievelbein

63Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Brink’s CompanyYeslC

John K. Welch

 6667 Retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. Yes 

Audit Committee and Governance and

Policy Committee

ll

Stephen R. Wilson

 6970 Independent Business Consultant and Retired Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc. Yes Audit CommitteeC
C = Chair

A = Audit Committee

C = Compensation Committee

F = Finance Committee

GP = Governance and Policy Committee

20162017 Notice and Proxy Statement    3


2017 Proxy Statement Summary(Continued)

 

Continuing Directors

The following table provides summary information about the fivetwo directors of the company whose terms will continue after the annual meeting, including their names, ages and occupations, whether they are independent directors under the corporate governance listing standards of the NYSE, the Board committees on which they currently serve and the ends of their current terms.

In March 2016, Karl M. von der Heyden informed us of his decision to retire from the Board, effective April 29, 2016. The Board waived its age limit in 2015 to nominate Mr. von der Heyden for another three-year term to facilitate transition of Audit Committee chairmanship responsibilities to another director. We appointed two new directors to the Audit Committee in 2015, and Mr. von der Heyden decided to retire from the Board following the 2016 annual meeting. HII thanks Mr. von der Heyden for his service to the company and wishes him continued success in his future endeavors.

Name

  Age  

Occupation

 Independent
Director
 

Board

Committees

 End of
Term
 

Victoria D. Harker

   51   Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Tegna, Inc. Yes Compensation Committee and Finance Committee  2017  

Anastasia D. Kelly

   66   Co-Managing Partner of DLA Piper Americas Yes Governance and Policy Committee (Chair)  2017  

Thomas C. Schievelbein

   62   Chairman and President and Chief Executive Officer of The Brink’s Company Yes Audit Committee and Finance Committee (Chair)  2017  

Paul D. Miller

   74   Retired Chairman of Alliant Techsystems, Inc. Yes Compensation Committee (Chair) and Finance Committee  2018  

C. Michael Petters

   56   President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. No None  2018  

Ratify the Appointment of our Independent Auditors

The Board is asking you to ratify the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for 2016. Set forth below is summary information with respect to fees billed to us by Deloitte & Touche for professional services in 2015.

 

  Board Committees
2015NameAgeOccupationIndependent
Director

A

C

F

GP

  Paul D. Miller

75Retired Chairman of Alliant Techsystems, Inc.YesCl 
($ in thousands)

  C. Michael Petters

57President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.No   

Fees Billed:

 C = Chair

A = Audit Committee

C = Compensation Committee

F = Finance Committee

GP = Governance and Policy Committee

We have amended our certificate of incorporation to phase out our classified Board. Eight of our ten directors are up for election by our stockholders at this annual meeting, to serveone-yearterms. Phase-out of the Board classification will be completed next year, and all of our directors will be voted upon at our 2018 annual meeting to serveone-year terms.

4    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

Board Composition, Qualifications and Diversity

We believe the Board is comprised of an effective mix of experience, skills and perspectives. The following charts and graphs highlight the current composition of our Board.

Audit Fees    Director Independence

LOGO

 7,207

              Director Diversity

LOGO

Audit-Related Fees

922

Tax Fees      Director Age Mix

15

All Other Fees

23

 

LOGO

Total

8,167

2016 Proxy Statement Summary(Continued)Director Experience and Skills

 

LOGO

 

Approve Executive Compensation2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    5


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

The Board, through the Governance and Policy Committee, considers Board succession on an Advisory Basisa continuous basis. The committee’s process includes evaluation of director attributes, including professional experience, skills, diversity, independence, tenure and age, to create a balanced Board that can effectively oversee the company’s business and execution of its business strategy.

  APPROVE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION ON AN ADVISORY BASIS

The Board is asking you to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers for 2015. This vote is often referred2016.

Our stockholders have voted on our executive compensation, on an advisory basis, since 2012. We have consistently received exceptionally strong stockholder support, as reflected in the following table:

Annual Meeting  2016   2015   2014   2013   2012 

Votes Cast “FOR”Say-On-Pay Proposal

   99   99   99   99   84

Executive Compensation

We have designed our executive compensation program to as a “say-on-pay.” Last year,attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executives, incentivize our executives to achieve business objectives, reward performance and align the interests of our executives with the interests of our stockholders approvedand customers. The fundamental philosophy of our 2014 executive compensation with 99%program, set by the Compensation Committee of the votes cast.Board, ispay-for-performance. We describe below our financial performance and stockholder returns in 2016.

2016 Financial Performance

A strong operating performance in 2016 delivered a strong financial performance. The following table includes several of our 2016 financial highlights:

2016 Financial Highlights  

2016 Results

($ in millions,
except per share data)

 

Revenues

  $7,068 

Operating Income

  $858 

Operating Margin

   12.1

Segment Operating Income*

  $715 

Cash from Operations

  $822 

Free Cash Flow*

  $537 

Net Earnings

  $573 

Diluted Earnings Per Share

  $12.14 

Contract Awards

  $5,245 

*Segment operating income and free cash flow arenon-GAAP financial measures, and they are reconciled to comparable GAAP financial measures on pages 48 and 56, respectively, of our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Our full year revenues of $7.1 billion increased 0.7% over 2015. Operating income was $858 million and operating margin was 12.1%, compared to $769 million and 11.0%, respectively, in 2015. New contract awards in 2016 totaled $5.2 billion, resulting in a backlog of $21 billion at the end of the year.

6    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

2016 Stockholder Returns

Our operating performance continues to drive significant returns to our stockholders. Diluted earnings per share increased $3.78 per share from 2015, to $12.14 in 2016. We also increased dividends by 24.0%, from $1.70 per share in 2015 to $2.10 per share in 2016, and repurchased 1.3 million shares, to continue our commitment to return cash to stockholders.

The following graph and chart show total stockholder return for HII in 2016 compared to several benchmarks and total cash returned to stockholders in 2016, respectively.

1-YEAR TOTAL STOCKHOLDER RETURN

OUTPERFORMED OTHER INDICES

RETURNED $292* MILLION TO

STOCKHOLDERS IN 2016

LOGO

LOGO

Elements of Our Executive Compensation Elements for 2015Program

This proxy statement includes disclosure regarding the 2015Our compensation ofprogram for our Chief Executive Officer, ourthe two individuals who served as Chief Financial OfficerOfficers in 2016 and our three other most highly-compensated executive officers in 2015 (our “Named Executive Officers”2016 (collectively, our “NEOs”). The primary consisted primarily of the following direct compensation elements for 2015 for our Named Executive Officers consisted of base salaries, annual incentive awards and long-term incentive awards.in 2016:

 

Base salary, providesto provide a minimum fixed level of compensation that is competitive within the relevant market and helps us attract and retain highly qualified executives.

compensation.

 

Annual incentive awards, are generally paid in cash, and intendedunder our AIP, to provide motivation tomotivate our executives to achievepre-determined annual financial and operational targets that are aligned with our strategic goals. Awards

Long-term equity-based incentive awards, paid under our Annual Incentive Plan were approved by the Compensation Committee for our Named Executive Officers ranging from 131% to 200% of the target award, based upon achievement of the performance goals under the plan, as well as individual performance factors for each executive.

Long-term incentive awards are equity-based and intendedLTIP, to promote achievement ofpre-determined three-year performance goals aligned with long-term stockholder interests. The Compensation Committee approved the grant of restricted performance stock rights to our Named Executive Officers under our 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan, which vest at the end

Our executive compensation program is rounded out with certain perquisites and other executive benefits.

A significant portion of the three-yearpotential compensation of our executives is at risk, and that risk increases with each executive’s level of responsibility. We have designed our compensation program to balance performance-based compensation over the short- and long-term to incentivize decisions and actions that promote stockholder value and focus our executives on performance period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017, based upon the achievementthat benefits our stockholders and customers, while discouraging inappropriate risk-taking behaviors.

2016 Total Direct Compensation Mix

Thepay-for-performance philosophy of the performance criteria approvedour executive compensation program is demonstrated by the Compensation Committee.compensation mix of our NEOs. Of the three primary elements of total direct compensation, our

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    7


2017 Proxy Statement Summary

executive compensation is heavily weighted toward the variable, performance-based elements, and toward the long-term and equity-based elements, as reflected in the following graphs, which set forth the percentage of total compensation corresponding to each compensation element received by our CEO and by our other NEOs in the aggregate in 2016.

CEO Compensation Mix1

Other NEO Compensation Mix2

LOGOLOGO

(1)Total direct compensation does not include perquisites and other benefits.

(2)Average allocation for the NEOs other than the CEO and Ms. Walker. Ms. Walker joined the company in 2015 and therefore did not receive long-term compensation in 2016. Total direct compensation does not include perquisites and other benefits.

Compensation Best Practices

We have adopted the followingbelieve our compensation practices which are designed toaligned with and reinforce our culturepay-for-performance philosophy and pay-for-performance principles.

Our Compensation Committee considers the results of the annual stockholder “say-on-pay” advisory vote on executive compensation.

Under our 2015 compensation program, 95% of our CEO’s total direct compensation was linked directly to the achievement of performance goals through annual and long-term incentive awards, and performance-based compensation comprised approximately 88% of the total direct compensation of our other Named Executive Officers, with the exception of Ms. Walker, whose performance-based compensation comprised 59% of her total direct compensation.

We assess on an annual basis, both internally and with the engagement of the Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant, the potential risk posed by our compensation programs. We concluded there was no undue risk associated with the design or delivery of our 2015 compensation programs.

Our Compensation Committee has adopted anrelated executive compensation recoupment, or “clawback,” policy, which allows us to seek reimbursement in certain circumstances of all or a portion of any performance-based short- or long-term cash or equity incentive compensation paid or awarded to Named Executive Officers.

2016 Proxy Statement Summary(Continued)

principles.

 

 

Our Compensation Committee has established stock ownership guidelines, which provide that each Named Executive Officer must own a multiple of his or her annual base salary in our common stock.What We Do

Consideration of annual stockholder“say-on-pay” advisory vote on executive compensation.
Pay for performance compensation program heavily weighted toward variable, performance-based elements, and toward long-term and equity-based elements.
Annual assessment of potential risk posed by our compensation programs.
Executive compensation “clawback” policy.
Targeted external compensation benchmarking.
Independent compensation consultant engaged by Compensation Committee.
Executive stock ownership guidelines based upon multiple of executive’s base salary.
Executive stock holding requirements, which require executives to holdone-half of their equity awards for three additional years after they vest.

What We Don’t Do

No employment agreements for executives.
Nochange-in-control agreements for executives or related executive taxgross-up benefits.
Prohibitions against speculative transactions in our securities, pledging our securities as collateral and hedging transactions involving our securities.
No dividends or dividend equivalents paid on restricted performance stock rights during performance period.

 

Our Compensation Committee has approved stock holding requirements, which prohibit our Named Executive Officers from selling HII common stock received as compensation until their stock ownership requirements have been met and which require our Named Executive Officers to continue to hold one-half of their long-term incentive awards for an additional three years after they vest.8    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

 


Our insider trading policy prohibits officers, directors and certain employees from engaging in any2017 Proxy Statement Summary

  RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Board is asking you to ratify the selection of the following transactionsDeloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for their own account: speculative transactions in company securities, pledges of company securities as collateral for a loan or other transaction or hedging transactions involving company securities.

2015 Compensation Summary

2017. The following table summarizescontains summary information with respect to fees billed to us by Deloitte & Touche for professional services in 2016.

($ in thousands)

2016

Fees Billed:

    Audit Fees

7,198

    Audit-Related Fees

1,048

    Tax Fees

5

    All Other Fees

23

Total

8,274

  APPROVE PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION POLICY

The Board is asking you to approve our Performance-Based Compensation Policy to preserve the 2015tax deductibility of performance-based payments. We are asking for your approval under the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code to ensure that certain compensation payments to certain of our Named Executive Officers.officers will qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and therefore be fully deductible by us as a business expense in the year of payment.

 

Name & Principal Position

  Salary
($)
   Bonus
($)
   Stock
Awards
($)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
   Change in
Pension
Value

($)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total
($)
 

C. Michael Petters,

   986,538       3,799,926     2,102,736     1,239,275     30,483     8,158,958  

President and Chief Executive Officer

              

Barbara A. Niland,

   588,288       1,246,230     793,100     667,432     66,043     3,361,093  

Corporate Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer

              

Kellye L. Walker,

   491,231     220,000     1,251,251     721,000     0     166,630     2,850,112  

Corporate Vice President and General Counsel

              

Matthew J. Mulherin,

   534,808       1,081,462     470,453     -486,616     59,643     1,659,749  

Corporate Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding

              

Brian Cuccias,

   442,309       839,934     613,463     826,841     42,907     2,765,454  

Corporate Vice President and President, Ingalls Shipbuilding

              

  CONSIDER A STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL TO AMEND OUR PROXY ACCESS BYLAW,

  IF PROPERLY PRESENTED AT THE MEETING

Corporate Governance Developments

Since our 2015 annual meeting,You are being asked to consider a stockholder proposal requesting that the Board of Directors has continued to implement or initiate changes to our corporate governance model that are responsive to evolving corporate governance trends. These changes include:

Amendment of Our Bylaws to Provide Proxy Access to Our Stockholders

On January 28, 2016,amend the Board amended our bylaws to includecompany’s proxy access rights, which enable a stockholder or a group of upbylaw to 20 stockholders owning 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in our proxy materials director candidates

2016 Proxy Statement Summary(Continued)

constituting up toincrease the greater of 25% oflimitation on the number of directors then in office or two directors, subjectstockholders that may aggregate their shares to meet the requirements specified in our bylaws.stockholder ownership threshold. The amendments to our bylaws to provide proxy access were the result of the Board’s ongoing review of our corporate governance model and current trends in corporate governance, with input from stockholders. Stockholders who wish to nominate director candidates for inclusion in our proxy materials under our proxy access bylaw provisions must satisfy the requirements in our bylaws as described under the heading “Communications and Company Documents—Future Stockholder Proposals and Nominations of Directors” ofBoard is recommending a vote against this proxy statement.proposal.

Amendment of Our Certificate of Incorporation to Declassify Our Board of Directors2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    9

At our 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, the Board submitted a proposal to amend our certificate of incorporation to phase out our classified board structure, beginning with director elections at the 2016 annual meeting. The proposal was approved by our stockholders, and, accordingly, we amended our certificate of incorporation to declassify our Board. Our amended certificate of incorporation provides that all directors elected at and after our 2016 annual meeting will be elected for one-year terms. Directors elected prior to the 2016 annual meeting will continue to serve for the respective three-year terms for which they were elected.


General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

 

 

The Board of Directors is providing you with these proxy materials in connection with theits solicitation of proxies to be voted at our 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and at any postponement or adjournment of the annual meeting. In this proxy statement, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. may also be referred to as “we,” “our,” “us,” “HII” or “the company.”

ITEMS OF BUSINESS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING

The Board is asking you to vote on the following items at the annual meeting:

 

elect threeeight directors;

 

approve the company’s executive compensation on an advisory basis;

ratify the appointment of our independent auditors; and

 

approve executiveour Performance-Based Compensation Policy to preserve the tax deductibility of performance-based compensation on an advisory basis.payments; and

consider a stockholder proposal to amend our proxy access bylaw, if properly presented at the meeting.

APPOINTMENT OF PROXY HOLDERS

The Board asks you to appoint Kellye L. Walker and Charles R. Monroe, Jr. as your proxy holders to vote your shares at the annual meeting. You make this appointment by submitting your proxy using one of the voting methods described below.

If appointed by you, the proxy holders will vote your shares as you direct on the matters described in this proxy statement. If you received a proxy card and you complete and return the proxy card but do not provide voting directions, they will vote your shares as recommended by the Board on all of the matters described in this proxy statement that are brought before the annual meeting.

The Board is not aware of any business that may properly be brought before the annual meeting other than those matters described in this proxy statement. If any other matters are properly brought before the annual meeting, your proxy gives discretionary authority to the proxy holders to vote the shares in their best judgment.

NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS

Pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we are permitted to furnish our proxy materials to our stockholders over the Internet by delivering a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials instructs you on how to access and review the proxy statement and 20152016 Annual Report over the Internet. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also instructs you on how you may submit your proxy over the Internet. We believe thise-proxy process expedites receipt of proxy materials by stockholders, while also lowering our costs and reducing the environmental impact of our annual meeting. We have used thise-proxy process to furnish proxy materials to certain of our stockholders over the Internet.

If you received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials in the mail and would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting these materials provided in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

10    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

RECORD DATE AND VOTING

Stockholders owning our common stock at the close of business on March 4, 2016,9, 2017, the record date, or their legal proxy holders, are entitled to vote at the annual meeting. The Board strongly encourages you to vote. Your vote is important. Voting early helps ensure we receive a quorum of shares necessary to

General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting(Continued)

hold the annual meeting. Many stockholders do not vote, meaning the stockholders who do vote influence the outcome of the matters on which they vote in greater proportion than their percentage ownership of HII.HII shares.

We have two types of stockholders: stockholders of record and “street name” stockholders. Stockholders of record are stockholders who own their shares in their own names on the company’s books. Street name stockholders are stockholders who own their shares through a bank, broker or other holder of record.

Voting by Stockholders of Record. If you are a stockholder of record, you have four voting options. You may vote:

 

 

over the Internet atwww.envisionreports.com/HII, the web address included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card);

 

by telephone through the number included in the proxy card (if you received a proxy card);

 

by signing and dating your proxy card (if you received a proxy card) and mailing it in the prepaid and addressed envelope; or

 

by attending the annual meeting and voting in person.

If you have Internet access, we encourage you to vote over the Internet. It is convenient, and it saves us significant postage and processing costs. In addition, when you vote by proxy over the Internet or by telephone prior to the meeting date, your proxy vote is recorded immediately and there is no risk that postal delays will cause your proxy vote to arrive late and therefore not be counted.

Internet and telephone voting facilities for stockholders of record are available 24 hours a day and will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, April 28, 2016.Tuesday, May 2, 2017. The Internet and telephone voting procedures verify you are a stockholder of record by use of a control number and enable you to confirm your voting instructions have been properly recorded. If you vote by Internet or telephone, you do not need to return your proxy card (if you received a proxy card).

Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting and vote in person, we urge you to have your proxy vote recorded in advance of the meeting. If you attend the annual meeting and vote at the annual meeting, any prior proxy votes you submitted, whether by Internet, telephone or mail, will be superseded by the vote you cast at the annual meeting. Because it is not practical for most stockholders to attend the annual meeting, the Board recommends you vote using one of the other voting methods. In any event, the method by which you vote your proxy will not limit your right to vote at the annual meeting if you decide to attend in person.

Revoking Your Proxy for Stockholders of Record. If you are a stockholder of record and you vote by proxy using any method, you may later revoke your proxy and change your vote at any time before the polls close at the annual meeting. You may do this by:

 

sending a written statement to that effect to Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607, provided we receive your written statement before the annual meeting date; or

General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting(Continued)

 

voting again over the Internet or by telephone prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, April 28, 2016;Tuesday, May 2, 2017; or

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    11


General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

signing and returning another proxy card with a later date, provided we receive the later proxy card before the annual meeting date; or

 

voting in person at the annual meeting.

Only the most recent proxy vote will be counted, and all others will be discarded regardless of the method of voting.

Voting by Street Name Stockholders. If your shares are held in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, please refer to the instructions they provide regarding how to vote your shares or to revoke your voting instructions. The availability of telephone and Internet voting depends upon the voting processes of the broker, bank or other nominee. If you are a street name stockholder and would like to vote in person at the annual meeting, you must obtain a proxy, executed in your favor, from the bank, broker or other holder of record through which you hold your shares. Because it is not practical for most stockholders to attend the annual meeting, the Board recommends you vote using one of the other voting methods. In any event, the method by which you vote your proxy will not limit your right to vote at the annual meeting if you decide to attend in person.

Confidential Voting. We treat your vote as confidential to protect the privacy of our stockholders’ votes. Proxies and voting instructions provided to banks, brokers and other holders of record are kept confidential. Only the proxy solicitor, the proxy tabulator and the inspector of elections have access to the proxies and voting instructions.

QUORUM, VOTE REQUIRED AND METHOD OF COUNTING

At the close of business on the record date, 47,254,48646,271,346 shares of our common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote at the annual meeting. Each outstanding share is entitled to one vote.

A quorum which ismust be present to transact business at the annual meeting. A quorum will be present if a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote as of the record date must beare present, to hold the annual meeting. A quorum is calculated based on the number of shares represented at the meeting, either by the stockholders attending in person or by the proxy holders.proxy. If you indicate an abstention as your voting preference on all matters, your shares will be counted toward a quorum but will not be voted on any matter. In the absence of a quorum, the chairperson of the meeting may adjourn the meeting, and, at any reconvened meeting following such an adjournment at which a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record can vote your shares in its discretion only on Item 23 described in this proxy statement. If you do not give your bank, broker or other holder of record instructions on how to vote your shares on Items 1, or 32, 4 and 5 described in this proxy statement, your shares will not be voted on those matters.

If you have shares in an employee benefit plan and do not vote those shares, your trustee will vote your shares in accordance with the terms of the relevant plan. Accordingly, your trustee may vote your shares in the same proportion as shares held underby the plan for which voting instructions have been received, unless contrary to ERISA.

General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting(Continued)

The required vote and method of calculation for the matters to be considered at the annual meeting are as follows:

Item 1—Proposal to Elect Directors

Directors will be elected by a plurality of the shares present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting or any adjournment thereof and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Plurality voting means the threeeight director nominees receiving the most votes will be elected to the Board. If you do not

12    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

want your shares to be voted with respect to a particular director nominee, you may “withhold” your vote with respect to that nominee. If a director nominee receives a greater number of votes “withheld” for his or her election than votes cast “for” his or her election, such nominee will be required under the Majority Voting Policymajority vote director resignation policy included in our Corporate Governance Guidelines to submit an offer of resignation to the Board for its consideration. If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record cannot vote your shares on this item.item, and brokernon-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Item 2—Proposal to Approve Executive Compensation on an Advisory Basis

The executive compensation of our NEOs will be approved as an advisory recommendation to the Board if the number of shares voted in favor exceeds the number of shares voted against. Abstentions will have no effect on the results of the vote. If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record cannot vote your shares on this item, and brokernon-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. Although the vote on this item isnon-binding, the Compensation Committee will review the results of the vote and consider it in making future decisions concerning executive compensation.

Item 3—Proposal to Ratify Appointment of Our Independent Auditors

Ratification of appointment of our independent auditors will be approved if the number of shares voted in favor exceeds the number of shares voted against. Abstentions will have no effect on the results of the vote. If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record can vote your shares at its discretion on this item.

Item 3—4—Proposal to Approve ExecutiveOur Performance-Based Compensation on an Advisory BasisPolicy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Compensation Payments

The executive compensation of our Named Executive OfficersOur Performance-Based Compensation Policy will be approved as an advisory recommendation to the Board if the number of shares voted in favor exceeds the number of shares voted against. Abstentions will have no effect on the results of the vote. If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record cannot vote your shares on this item. Althoughitem, and brokernon-votes will have no effect on the voteoutcome of the vote.

Item 5—Stockholder Proposal to Amend Our Proxy Access Bylaw

The stockholder proposal to amend our proxy access bylaw will be approved if the number of shares voted in favor exceeds the number of shares voted against the proposal. Abstentions will have no effect on this item is non-binding, the Compensation Committee will review the results of the vote. If you are a street name stockholder and do not vote your shares, your bank, broker or other holder of record cannot vote your shares on this item, and consider it in making future decisions concerning executive compensation.brokernon-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

IMPORTANT REMINDER OF EFFECT OF NOT CASTING YOUR VOTE IF YOU ARE A STREET NAME STOCKHOLDER

If you are a street name stockholder, it is critical you vote your shares if you want your vote to count on Items 1, 2, 4 and 3.5. Your bank, broker or other holder of record is not permitted to vote your shares on Items 1, 2, 4 or 3,5, unless you instruct them how you wish to vote. Such “brokernon-votes” will have no impact on the results of the vote on Items 1, and 3.2, 4 or 5.

SOLICITING AND TABULATING VOTES

The Board has made these materials available to you in connection with its solicitation of proxies for use at our annual meeting. We will bear the costs of soliciting and tabulating your votes. Our

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    13


General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

employees, personally, by telephone, by email or otherwise, may solicit your votes without additional compensation. In addition, we have retained MacKenzie Partners, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the 20162017 annual meeting for a fee of $12,500, plus associated costs and expenses.

General Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting(Continued)

We will reimburse banks, brokers and other holders of record for reasonable,out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding these proxy materials to you, according to certain regulatory fee schedules. See “Electronic Access to Proxy Statement and Annual Report” below for information on how you can help reduce printing and mailing costs.

ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO PROXY STATEMENT AND ANNUAL REPORT

You can elect in advance to receive future proxy materials by email. If you choose to receive future proxy materials by email, you will receive an email with instructions containing a link to the website where those materials are available, as well as a link to the proxy voting website.

If you are a stockholder of record, you may enroll in the electronic delivery service by going directly to www.envisionreports.com/HII. You may revoke your electronic delivery election at this site at any time and request a paper copy of the proxy statement and annual report.

If you are a street name stockholder, you may also have the opportunity to receive copies of the proxy statement and annual report electronically. Please check the information provided in the proxy materials you received from your bank, broker or other holder of record concerning the availability of this service.

HOUSEHOLDING INFORMATION

We have adopted a procedure called “householding.” Under this procedure, stockholders of record who have the same address and last name and do not participate in electronic delivery of proxy materials will receive only one copy of the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or the printed proxy materials.materials, unless we have received contrary instructions from one or both such stockholders. This procedure reduces our printing costs and postage fees.fees and is environmentally friendly.

If you and another stockholder of record with whom you share an address are receiving multiple copies of the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or the printed proxy materials, you can request to receive a single copy of the printed proxy materials in the future by calling our transfer agent, Computershare, at1-888-665-9610, or writing to us at Investor Relations, 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607. If you and another stockholder of record with whom you share an address wish to receive a separate Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or separate printed proxy materials, we will promptly deliver them to you if you request them by contacting Computershare by phone or Investor Relations in writing in the same manner as described above.

Stockholders who participate in householding and who receive printed proxy materials will continue to receive separate proxy cards. If you are a street name stockholder, you can request householding by contacting your bank, broker or other holder of record through which you hold your shares.

14    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Governance of the Company

 

 

OVERVIEW OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Corporate governance addresses the relationships among the board of directors,Board, company management and the company’s stockholders, with the objectives of promoting the company’s long-term success, improving corporate performance, strengthening Board and representingmanagement accountability and promoting the long-term interests of our stockholders. Corporate governance is a top priority of theThe Board of Directors and senior management.management are committed to high standards of corporate governance. We believe good governance isthose high standards are important not only to our stockholders, but also to our customers, employees, customers, suppliers and others with whom we do business.other stakeholders.

The following sections provide an overview of our corporate governance model and processes. Among other topics, we describe the responsibilities of the Board, of Directors, how directors are selected and certain key aspects of Board operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

We believe the foundation for good corporate governance starts with a board of directors whose independence, knowledge,skills, experience and judgment will enable the board to effectively oversee management of the company and to engage constructively with management to provide constructive advice and counsel regarding our business.to management. The Board and its committees perform a number of important functions for the company and its stockholders, including:

 

providing advice on the corporate strategycompany’s strategic plan developed by management;

 

assessing the significant enterprise risks to which the company is subject and overseeing management of those enterprise risks;

 

selecting our chief executive officer and evaluating the performance of the chief executive officer and other senior executive officers;

 

overseeing development and succession plans for our senior executives;

 

monitoring the company’s financial performance and reviewing and approving significant corporate actions; and

 

overseeing processes that maintainprotect the integrity of the company, including the integrity of the company’s financial statements and compliance with legal requirements and the company’s ethics and business conduct standards.

BoardThe Board’s oversight of managementrole is also effected through the Board’s four standing committees—the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Governance and Policy Committee and the Finance Committee. Each of these committees operates under a separate written charter to promote clarity in their responsibilities and to ensure the committees function in coordination with each other and with the full Board of Directors.Board. Our committees are discussed in greater detail beginning on 17page 21 of this proxy statement.

CRITERIA FOR BOARD MEMBERSHIP

The Board believes all director candidates must possess certain basic qualifications and that specialized skills and experiences should be addedcontributed to the Board by individual directors. The Board and the Governance and Policy Committee consider the qualifications of directors and director candidates individually and in the broader context of the Board’s collective skills and experiences andmeasured against the company’s current and future needs.needs of the Board.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    15


Governance of the Company(Continued)

 

Qualifications for All Directors. The Board believes all its members must possess the following basic qualifications:

 

high personal and professional integrity and ethical standards;

 

substantial educational, business, military or professional accomplishments in leading organizations;

 

ability to represent the best interests of all stockholders; and

 

demonstrated leadership ability and sound judgment.

Prospective directors must also be willing to submit to a background check necessary for obtaining a security clearance.

Selection of Individual Candidates. In addition to the qualifications applicable to all director candidates, the Board and the Governance and Policy Committee consider, among other matters, a candidate’s knowledge of and experience in such areas as complex as:

finance, accounting and capital markets

the industries in which the company competes

manufacturing heavy industry and engineering, government procurement and contracting, the defense industry, finance, regulatory complianceoperations

human resources

military and government

government relations

legal, regulatory and public policy. compliance matters

technology

risk management

corporate development and strategy

We also consider whether a candidate can commit sufficient time and attention to Board activities and any potential conflicts with the company’s interests. Our objective is to have the collective skills, experiences and perspectives that create an outstanding, dynamic and effective Board and strengthen the Board’s ability to oversee management of the company,company’s business, enhance its performance and represent the long-term interests of stockholders. All of ournon-employee directors are expected to serve on Board committees, supporting the Board’s mission by providing expertise to those committees, and the needs of those committees are considered when evaluating director candidates. The Board and the Governance and Policy Committee also consider diversity when selecting director nominees, seeking representation of a range of experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

Service on Other Boards. In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board considers the number of boards of other public companies and audit committees of those boards on which a director candidate serves. Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines, directors should not serve on more than four boards of publicly-traded companies in addition to our Board, and our directors who also serve as chief executive officers or in equivalent positions of other companies should not serve on more than two other boards of publicly-traded companies, in each case without the approval of the chairman of our Governance and Policy Committee. A director who is a full-time

16    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Governance of the Company

employee of our company may not serve on the board of directors of more than two other publicly-traded companies, unless approved by the Board. No member of our Audit Committee may serve on the audit committees of more than three publicly-traded companies (including our company) without the approval of the Board, which must determine annually that such simultaneous service would not impair the ability of the member to effectively serve on our Audit Committee.

Retirement Policy. Under the retirement policy of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, a director will not bere-nominated at the annual meeting following the earlier of his or her 76th birthday or 15 years of service on the Board. Upon the recommendation of the Governance and Policy Committee, the Board may waive either of these requirements as to any director, if the Board deems waiver to be in the best interests of the company. In addition to our retirement policy, when a director’s principal occupation or business association changes substantially during his or her tenure as a director, the

Governance of the Company(Continued)

Board expects the affected director will tender his or her resignation for consideration by the Governance and Policy Committee and the Board, as provided in our Corporate Governance Guidelines.

Conclusion. Satisfaction of the foregoing criteria for boardBoard membership is implemented and assessed through ongoingcontinuous consideration of directors and director candidatessuccession by the Governance and Policy Committee and the Board, as well as through the Board’s self-evaluation process. The Board and the Governance and Policy Committee believe that, individually and collectively, the company’s current directors possess the necessary qualifications to provide effective oversight of management and the company’s affairsbusiness and contribute valuableconstructive advice and counsel to the company’s management.

DIRECTOR NOMINATION PROCESS

The Governance and Policy Committee is responsible under its charter for recommending to the full Board director nominees for election by our stockholders and for identifying and recommending candidates to fill any vacancies that may occur on the Board. The Governance and Policy Committee may use a variety of sources to identify candidates. Candidates may be identified through recommendations from independent directors or members of management, search firms, discussions with other persons who may know of suitable candidates to serve on the Board and stockholder recommendations.

Evaluations of director candidates who would be new to the Board (other than nominees recommended by our stockholders, as described below) include consideration of the candidate’s background and qualifications by the Governance and Policy Committee, interviews with the Chairman of the Board, and any of the Governance and Policy Committee as a whole, one or more members of the Governance and Policy Committee orand one or more other Board members who desire to interview a candidate, and deliberations of the Governance and Policy Committee and the full Board. The Governance and Policy Committee then recommends the candidate(s) to the full Board, with the full Board selecting the candidate(s) to be nominated for election by our stockholders or to be elected by the Board to fill a vacancy.

In connection with its recommendations to the Board of director nominees for election at each annual meeting, the Governance and Policy Committee considers the size of the Board and the criteria set forth above to recommend nominees who, individually and as a group and collectively with directors who will continue to serve on the Board, the Governance and Policy Committee believes satisfies the needs ofqualifications the Board.Board needs. Accordingly, the Governance and Policy Committee annually reviews the composition of the Board as a whole and makes recommendations, if necessary, to improve the Board to achieve what it believes is the optimal mix of experience, expertise, skills, specialized knowledge, diversity and other factors.

Stockholders who wish to recommend director candidates for consideration by the Governance and Policy Committee must submit the name and relevant information about the candidate in writing to the Corporate Secretary. All director candidates recommended by stockholders are required to meet the

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    17


Governance of the Company

criteria for directors described above, and candidates who meet the criteria described above will be evaluated by the Governance and Policy Committee. In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Governance and Policy Committee will evaluate director candidates recommended by stockholders in the same manner as candidates identified through other means.

Stockholders who wish to nominate a person for election as a director at an annual meeting must follow the procedures set forth in our bylaws and described beginning on page 2226 of this proxy

Governance of the Company(Continued)

statement. Additionally, the Board amended our bylaws to include a proxy access rights,right, which enableenables a stockholder or a group of up to 20 stockholders owning 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in our proxy materials director candidates constituting up to the greater of 25% of the number of directors then in office or two directors, subject to the requirements specified in our bylaws. Proxy access will first be available to stockholders in connection with our 2017 annual meeting of stockholders. Stockholders who wish to nominate director candidates for inclusion in our proxy materials under our proxy access bylaw provisions must satisfy the requirements in our bylaws, as described under the heading “Communications and Company Documents—Future Stockholder Proposals and Nominations of Directors” of this proxy statement. The Board expects to evaluate any director candidates nominated through the proxy access process in a manner similar to that for other director candidates.

MAJORITY VOTINGVOTE DIRECTOR RESIGNATION POLICY

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines include a Majority Voting Policy.majority vote director resignation policy. Under our Majority Voting Policy,such policy, any nominee for director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” such election (a “Majority Withhold Vote”) in an uncontested election of directors must tender to the Board his or her offer of resignation within five days following certification of the stockholder vote. The Governance and Policy Committee will promptly consider the resignation offer and make a recommendation to the Board to accept or reject the tendered offer of resignation. The Board will act on the Governance and Policy Committee’s recommendation within 90 days following certification of the stockholder vote. The Board will then promptly disclose its decision to accept or reject the director’s resignation offer, including its rationale, in a report furnished to or filed with the SEC.

The Governance and Policy Committee in making its recommendation, and the Board in making its decision, will consider the best interests of the company and our stockholders and may each consider any other factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant, including but not limited to:

 

the stated reasons, if any, why stockholders withheld their votes;

 

possible alternatives for curing the underlying cause of the withheld votes;

 

the director’s tenure;

 

the director’s qualifications;

 

the director’s past and expected future contributions to the company; and

 

the overall composition of the Board and its committees, including whether, if the offer of resignation is accepted, the company will no longer be in compliance with any applicable law, rule, regulation or governing document.

Any director who tenders his or her offer of resignation under our Majority Voting Policymajority vote director resignation policy will not participate in the Governance and Policy Committee deliberation or recommendation or Board deliberation or action to accept or reject the resignation offer. If a majority of the Governance and Policy Committee received a Majority Withhold Vote at the same election, then the independent directors (other than those who received a Majority Withhold Vote in that election) will instead appoint a

Governance of the Company(Continued)

committee among themselves to consider the resignation offers and recommend to the Board whether

18    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Governance of the Company

to accept them. If, however, the independent directors who did not receive a Majority Withhold Vote constitute two or fewer directors, all independent directors may participate in the action to accept or reject the resignation offers, except that each director who has tendered his or her offer of resignation will recuse himself or herself from the deliberations and voting with respect to his or her individual offer to resign.

If a director’s resignation offer is not accepted by the Board, that director will continue to serve for the term for which he or she was elected and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. If a director’s resignation offer is accepted by the Board, then the Board, in its sole discretion in accordance with our bylaws, may fill any resulting vacancy or may decrease the size of the Board.

STOCKHOLDERS RIGHT TO NOMINATE PROXY ACCESS NOMINEES

As disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 1, 2016, theThe Board of Directors amended our bylaws on January 28,in 2016 to includeprovide our stockholders proxy access rights, which enable a stockholder or a group of up to 20 stockholders owning 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in our proxy materials director candidates constituting up to the greater of 25% of the number of directors then in office or two directors, subject to the requirements specified in our bylaws. The amendments to our bylaws to provide proxy access were the result of the Board’s ongoing review of our corporate governance model and current trends in corporate governance, with input from stockholders. The Board believes the proxy access bylaw provisions adopted by the company conform generally with prevailing terms of proxy access bylaw provisions adopted by other public companies over the last year, and they reflect consideration of factors identified by proxy advisory firms and corporate governance experts as critical to providing meaningful proxy access rights for stockholders.

rights. Under Section 2.15 of our bylaws, we are required to include in our proxy materials for an annual meeting any stockholder nominee who is nominated by an “Eligible Stockholder.” An “Eligible Stockholder” is any stockholder or group of up to 20 stockholders (counting as one stockholder, for this purpose, any two or more funds under common management) that has beneficially owned at least 3% of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years. Eligible Stockholders must provide proof of ownership of the requisite amount of stock for the three-year time period and represent that the shares were acquired in the ordinary course of business and not to change or influence control of the company. Eligible Stockholders must also provide certain other written representations, warranties and agreements to the company, including an agreement to assume liability from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Stockholder’s communication with our stockholders and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as described in more detail in Section 2.15 of the bylaws.

The maximum number of directors who can be nominated by Eligible Stockholders, referred to as “Stockholder Nominees,” at any annual meeting is the greater of 25% of the number of directors then in office or two directors. Section 2.15 of our bylaws includes procedures to prioritize nominations if the number of Stockholder Nominees exceeds the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees we are required to include in our proxy materials for any annual meeting. Stockholder Nominees must provide written notice to the company, which must include specific information, including information similar to the information required from stockholders to propose business and director nominations through the advance notice provisions included in Section 2.08 of our bylaws. As described in Section 2.15 of our bylaws, this notice must

Governance of the Company(Continued)

include an express consent to be named as a director nominee in our proxy materials and to serve as a director if elected, as well as required disclosures and information about, and representations, undertakings and consents by, the Stockholder Nominee to enable the Board to determine whether the Stockholder Nominee meets the independence and other general requirements for directors set forth in our bylaws and corporate governance guidelines. We may request additional information to enable us to make these determinations.

Stockholders who would like to nominate candidates using proxy access should refer to Section 2.15 of our bylaws, which sets forth all the requirements for proxy access nominations. The Board may exclude any Stockholder Nominee from our proxy materials if the Stockholder Nominee or Eligible Stockholder(s) fail to meet the requirements or provide the undertakings set forth in our bylaws or corporate governance guidelines and for other reasons set forth in our bylaws. See “Communications and Company Documents—Future Stockholder Proposals and Nominations of Directors.”

DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

The Board makes determinations regarding the independence of our directors on an annual basis, following the Governance and Policy Committee’s consideration of director independence and related recommendations to the Board. In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    19


Governance of the Company

determines independence on the basis of the definition of “independence” set forth in the corporate governance listing standards of the NYSE.

The Board has considered relevant relationships between the company and eachnon-employee director to determine compliance with NYSE independence requirements. Based onupon its review, the Board has determined that Dr. Bruner,Gen. Collins, Adm. Donald, Adm. Fargo, Ms. Harker, Ms. Kelly, Adm. Miller, Mr. Schievelbein, Mr. von der Heyden, Mr. Welch and Mr. Wilson, who comprise the Board’snon-employee directors, are independent. The Board has also determined that each current member of the Audit Committee satisfies the additional independence requirements of the SEC and that each current member of the Compensation Committee satisfies the enhanced independence requirements of the NYSE listing standards.

The Board also considered in 2016 relevant relationships between the company and each of Robert F. Bruner and Karl M. von der Heyden, each of whom retired from the Board effective April 29, 2016. Based upon its review, the Board determined that Messrs. Bruner and von der Heyden were independent. The Board also determined that Mr. von der Heyden satisfied the SEC’s additional independence requirements for Audit Committee members.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

The Board understands that one of its primary responsibilities is to evaluate and determine the optimal leadership structure for the Board from time to time to facilitate effective oversight of management.the company. Our bylaws establish the position of Chairman, and our Corporate Governance Guidelines state that the Board believes it is in the best interests of the company and its stockholders for the Board to have the flexibility to determine the best director to serve as Chairman. The independent directors consider this matter on at least an annual basis. This consideration includes the advantages and disadvantages of a combined chairman and chief executive officer role and separate chairman and chief executive officer roles in the context of our operating and governance environment over time, with the goal of achieving the optimal model for the Board’s effective oversight of the company’s affairs.

Non-Executive Chairman. The Board has considered the Board leadership matter and determined that an independent,non-executive chairman is the optimal model for the company at this time. This structure provides the Board with independent leadership and allows the chief executive officer to focus on the company’s business operations. The independent directors appointed Adm. Fargo as ournon-executive Chairman of the Board at the time the company was spun off in 2011, and he has served as Chairman since that time.

Governance of the Company(Continued)

Ournon-executive Chairman has the following responsibilities under our Corporate Governance Guidelines:

 

chair all Board and stockholder meetings, including executive sessions of the independent directors;

 

serve as a liaison between the chief executive officer and the independent directors;

 

ensure the quality, quantity and timeliness of the flow of information from management to the Board; although management is responsible for the preparation of materials for the Board, thenon-executive Chairman may specifically request the inclusion of certain materials;

 

prepare the agendas of the Board meetings and assist the chairman of each standing committee with preparation of agendas for the respective committee meetings, taking into account the requests of other Board and committee members;

 

set an appropriate schedule for Board meetings to assure there is sufficient time for discussion of all agenda items;

 

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Governance of the Company

along with the chairman of the Governance and Policy Committee, interview all Board candidates and make recommendations to the Governance and Policy Committee and the Board;

 

have the authority to call meetings of the Board and meetings of the independent directors; and

 

if requested by the chief executive officer, be available for consultation and direct communication with stockholders.

Conclusion. All of our directors play an active role in overseeing the company’s business at both the Board and committee levels. The Board is currently comprised of onenon-independent director who serves as our Chief Executive Officer and nine independent directors. Our independent directors are skilled and experienced leaders in industry education,and the military and public policy.military. Our independent directors are effective in collaborating with management and thoroughly considering proposals made by management, and an independent Board leader supports this relationship. We therefore believe anon-executive Chairman of the Board, along with eight other strong independent directors, is an appropriate and effective structure at this time to oversee the company’s affairs and to provide advice and counsel to the Chief Executive Officer and other senior management of the company.

BOARD COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP

The Board has four standing committees: Audit, Compensation, Governance and Policy and Finance. Each of the Audit, Compensation and Governance and Policy Committees is constituted and operated in accordance with SEC requirements and the NYSE’s corporate governance listing standards; the Finance Company is not subject to any such requirements or standards. Each Board committee is governed by a written charter, which sets forth the responsibilities of the committee, including the responsibilities described in this section. Each charter can be viewed on our website at www.huntingtoningalls.com and is available in print to any stockholder requesting a copy. All members of each Board committee are independent, as determined under the corporate governance listing standards of the NYSE.

Governance of the Company(Continued)

Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include meeting periodically with management and with each of our independent auditor and our Vice President of Internal Audit to review audit results and the adequacy of and compliance with our system of internal controls. In addition, the Audit Committee appoints and discharges our independent auditor, evaluates proposed audit and permissiblenon-audit services from the independent auditor for their impact on the independence of the auditor and, if appropriate, approves such services.

The members of the Audit Committee are Mr. von der HeydenWilson (chair), Gen. Collins, Mr. Schievelbein Mr. Welch and Mr. Wilson. Mr. WilsonWelch. Gen. Collins was appointed to the Audit Committee on October 28, 2015.November 2, 2016. The Board has determined, in accordance with NYSE requirements, that each member of the Audit Committee is financially literate and that each of Messrs. von der Heyden andMr. Wilson possesses accounting or related financial management expertise. The Board has also determined that each of Messrs. von der Heyden andMr. Wilson qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined under applicable SEC rules.

Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee oversees all compensation and benefit programs and makes compensation decisions that affect our elected officers. The Compensation Committee also provides strategic direction for our overall compensation structure, policies and programs and reviews senior management succession plans. The Compensation Committee considers and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the compensation of directors.

The members of the Compensation Committee are Adm. Miller (chair), Adm. Donald, Adm. Fargo and Ms. Harker. Adm. Donald was appointed to the Compensation Committee effective January 1, 2017. The Board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee qualifies as anon-employee director under SEC Rule16b-3 and as an outside director for purposes of section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. None of our executive officers served as a member of

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    21


Governance of the Company

the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our Board or our Compensation Committee. Accordingly, no interlocks with other companies, within the meaning of the SEC’s proxy rules, existed during 2015.2016.

Governance and Policy Committee. The Governance and Policy Committee is responsible for developing and recommending to the Board of Directors criteria for board membership; identifying, and reviewing the qualifications of, director candidates; and assessing the contributions and independence of incumbent directors in determining whether to recommend them for reelection to the Board. The Governance and Policy Committee also considers and makes recommendations to the Board regarding transactions with related persons and corporate governance matters generally and oversees the evaluation of the Board of Directors. The members of the Governance and Policy Committee are Ms. Kelly (chair), Gen. Collins, Adm. Fargo and Mr. Welch. Gen. Collins was appointed to the Governance and Policy Committee on November 2, 2016.

Finance Committee. The Finance Committee oversees and reviews our financial affairs, strategies and policies. The Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding: our financial policies and strategies, capital structure and financial condition, our issuances of debt and equity securities and significant borrowing transactions, strategic transactions, our dividend policy and stock repurchase programs and significant capital expenditures. The Finance Committee also provides oversight to ensure that our financial policies and strategies are consistent with our capital budget, annual operating plan and strategic plan. The members of the Finance Committee are Mr. Schievelbein (chair), Dr. Bruner,Adm. Donald, Ms. Harker and Adm. Miller. Dr. BrunerAdm. Donald was appointed to the Finance Committee on October 28, 2015, but will retire from the Board on April 29, 2016.effective January 1, 2017.

BOARD STRUCTURE

Prior to amendment of our certificate of incorporation last year,in 2015, the Board was divided into three classes, with each class of directors elected for a three-year term of office and the terms staggered so the term of only one class of directors expired at each annual meeting. At our 2015 annual meeting,

Governance of the Company(Continued)

our stockholders approved an amendment to our certificate of incorporation to phase out the classification of the Board. We amended our certificate of incorporation accordingly, and all directors elected at and after our annual meeting held in 2016 were and will be elected forone-year terms. Directors elected prior to the 2016 annual meeting, and any directors who may be elected by the Board to replace any of those directors, will continue to serve for the respective three-year terms for which they were elected. Eight of our ten directors are up for election by our stockholders at our 2017 annual meeting, to serve forone-yearterms. Phase-out of the Board classification will be completed next year, and all of our directors will be voted upon at our 2018 annual meeting to serveone-year terms.

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS OFNON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines, our directors, with no members of management present (including directors who are also officers of the company), have the opportunity to meet in executive session at each regularly scheduled Board meeting. In addition, our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that at least one executive session of independent directors will be held each year. In 2015,2016, all of our directors, other than our Chief Executive Officer, were independent under NYSE corporate governance listing standards. The independent directors met in executive session at each of the five regular Board meetings during the year. Thenon-executive Chairman presides over the executive sessions.

The Audit Committee routinely meets in separate executive sessions with management, our independent auditor, our Vice President of Internal Audit and committee members only. The Compensation Committee, the Governance and Policy Committee and the Finance Committee also meetsmeet in executive session on a routine basis, with only members of the committee present.

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Governance of the Company

THE BOARD’S ROLE IN RISK OVERSIGHT

The Board’s responsibilities include oversight of risk management, which includes overseeing our system of financial and operational internal controls, our compliance with applicable laws and regulations and our processes for identifying, assessing and managing other significant risks that may affect the company. To discharge these responsibilities, the Board must understand the significant risks to which the company is subject. Risks are inherent in virtually every business decision, and our business strategy creates risks. The Board understands it is neither possible nor prudent to eliminate all risk. Indeed, purposeful, appropriate and managed risk-taking is essential for the company to be competitive and profitable and successfully execute its business strategy. The Board’s objective in overseeing risk management is to satisfy itself that management is identifying and appropriately assessing and managing our significant risks.

Management has implemented a robust enterprise risk management (“ERM”) program, which includes periodicannual risk assessments, risk analyses, development of risk plans for enterprise risks, monitoring of enterprise risks and routine reports on enterprise risks and ERM program activities to senior management and the Board. Our ERM process is managed by an Enterprise Risk Committee, comprised of management from across business units and programmatic and functional disciplines within the company. The Enterprise Risk Committee is responsible for developing enterprise risk assessments, developing and monitoring risk mitigation plans for our enterprise risks, monitoring emerging and evolving risks and developinggenerating data and reports and other data to facilitate management decision making and the Board’s risk oversight function. While the Board and its committees oversee risk management, management is responsible for identifying, assessing and managing risks.

The Board and its committees are responsible for understanding and evaluating the company’s ERM processes and determining whether they are achieving their objectives. Management provides a general briefing tobriefs the Board on an annual basis on the company’s ERMoverall program, which includes a

Governance of the Company(Continued)

report on the results of the company’s latest enterprise risk assessment, a review of the company’s latest roster of enterprise risks, and assessments of the probabilities of such risks occurring and their potential severity.severity and assessments of management’s capability of mitigating individual enterprise risks. Management also briefs the Board or a Board committee on a periodic basis on each significant risk,risks, which includes a detailed briefingreport on the risk by management’s risk owner and the related risk mitigation plan. The Board is updated on an interim basis on any changes to the company’s enterprise risk roster and any other material developments affecting the company’s ERM program.

The Governance and Policy Committee is responsible under its charter for developing and recommending to the full Board a methodology for the Board’s oversight of risk management and for monitoring the Board’s oversight of risk management. In connection with this responsibility, the Governance and Policy Committee evaluates the enterprise risk roster developed by company management, allocates oversight responsibilities among the full Board and individual standing Board committees and develops a risk briefing schedule, based upon management’s relative prioritization of enterprise risks.

Oversight of risk management is a continuous process and inherent in the company’s strategic decisions. The Board and its committees facilitate open communication between management and the directors and foster an appropriate culture of integrity and risk awareness. The Board and its committees engage in communications throughout the year with management regarding risk assessment and risk management, and directors are encouraged to and do communicate directly with senior management.

While the full Board has ultimate responsibility for the oversight of risk management, Board committees oversee certain individual enterprise risks relating to matters within the scopescopes of their authorityresponsibilities and report to the full Board with respect to this oversight. All standing Board committees play significant roles in the risk management oversight function.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    23


Governance of the Company

The Audit Committee oversees risks relating to the company’s financial statements, the financial reporting process and accounting and legal matters. The Audit Committee also oversees the internal and external audit functions and compliance with our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. The Audit Committee meets in executive sessions with our Vice President of Internal Audit and with representatives of our independent auditing firm to discuss our significant financial exposures and management’s processes for monitoring and managing such exposures.

The Compensation Committee evaluates the risks associated with our compensation principles and practices. As discussed in more detail under Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 3639 of this proxy statement, the Compensation Committee evaluates and approves compensation programs designed to discourage inappropriate risk taking without diminishing the incentive elements of our compensation programs. The Compensation Committee also considers management’s processes for identifying and mitigating potential compensation risks. At least annually, the Compensation Committee is briefed, and reports to the Board, on our senior management succession plan.

The Governance and Policy Committee monitors potential risks to the effectiveness of the Board, including director succession and committee composition, and the principal policies that guide the company’s governance. The Governance and Policy Committee also considers risks relating to the company’s policies and practices with respect to significant public policy and corporate responsibility matters.

The Finance Committee oversees management of risks associated with proposed strategic transactions. The Finance Committee also monitors our financial policies and strategies to ensure their consistency with our capital budget, annual operating plan and strategic plan. In addition, the Finance Committee is responsible for monitoring and overseeing management of risks relating to our capital structure and financial condition, securities issuances, significant borrowing transactions and significant capital expenditures.

Governance of the Company(Continued)

BOARD AND COMMITTEE EVALUATIONS

In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board (under the oversight of the Governance and Policy Committee) conducts an annual assessment of the performance of the full Board and individual committees, and the evaluation results are discussed by the Board. The Board is also required to consider the performance of each individual director on a regular basis.

POLICY AGAINST HEDGING AND PLEDGING COMPANY SECURITIES

Our insider trading policy prohibits officers, directors and certain employees from engaging in any of the following transactions for their own account: speculative transactions in company securities, pledges of company securities as collateral for a loan or other transaction or hedging transactions involving company securities, including zero cost collar transactions and forward sale contracts.

CODE OF ETHICS AND BUSINESS CONDUCT

Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, which applies to our directors, officers and employees. This code provides officers, directors and employees with guidelines for making ethical decisions while conducting business on behalf of HII and includes the commitments the company has made to its employees, customers, stockholders, communities and suppliers. The code provides guidance on, among other matters, conflicts of interest, corporate opportunities, trading in company securities, political contributions and confidential information. Employees are required to report any conduct they believe in good faith is an actual or apparent violation of the code. The Code of Ethics and Business Conduct includes provisions applicable to our senior financial officers, as required by SEC rules.

24    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Governance of the Company

Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct is available on our website at www.huntingtoningalls.com and is available in print to any stockholder requesting a copy. We will post any amendments to our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct on our website. If we waive a provision of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct with respect to our chief executive officer, chief financial officer or principal accounting officer, we will post information about the waiver at the same location on our website.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

None of our executive officers served as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our Board or our Compensation Committee. Accordingly, no interlocks with other companies, within the meaning of the SEC’s proxy rules, existed during 2016.

MEETINGS AND ATTENDANCE

The Board held fivesix meetings in 2015,2016, and each of thesethe five regular Board meetings included an executive session of independent directors. In addition, the Board held 22 committee meetings, comprised of six Audit Committee, five Compensation Committee, five Governance and Policy Committee and six Finance Committee meetings. Each director attended 75% or more of the meetings of the Board and the committees on which he or she served during 2015.2016.

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines establish an expectation that all directors will attend annual meetings of stockholders. All of our directors who were directors or nominees at the time of the 20152016 annual meeting of stockholders attended the annual meeting, except Dr. Bruner.meeting.

INDEMNIFICATION

We indemnify our directors and our elected officers to the fullest extent permitted by law, so they can be free from undue concern about personal liability in connection with their service to HII. Our bylaws require this indemnification, and we have also entered into agreements with each director and elected officer contractually obligating us to provide this indemnification to him or her.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    25


Communications and Company Documents

 

 

We welcome communications from our stockholders and other interested parties, and we make information we believe is important to our stockholders and interested parties available on our website. The following sections describe: how stockholders and other interested parties can communicate with the Board; the information we make available to our stockholders and other interested parties and where you can find that information; and the procedures that stockholders must follow to propose matters for consideration at our annual meetings or to nominate persons for election as directors at our annual meetings.

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPANY DOCUMENTS

Stockholders and other interested parties can communicate with the Board, ournon-executive Chairman, our independent directors as a group, individual directors or any of the standing Board committees in care of the Corporate Secretary, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607. At the direction of the Board, all mail received may be opened and screened for security purposes.

Communications from stockholders and other interested parties are distributed to the Board, a committee or anyan individual director or directors, as appropriate, depending on the facts and circumstances of the communication. The Board has requested that certain items unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the Board be excluded or redirected, as appropriate, such as: business solicitations or advertisements; junk mail and mass mailings; resumes and other forms of job inquiries; and surveys. In addition, communications that are unduly hostile, threatening or similarly unsuitable will be excluded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any communication will be made available to any director upon his or her request.

Our website contains our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Certificates of Amendment of Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Restated Bylaws, Corporate Governance Guidelines, standing Board committee charters and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and a link to our SEC filings.Conduct. To view these documents, go to www.huntingtoningalls.com, click on “Investor Relations” and click on “Corporate Governance.”“Leadership & Governance” under the “Company Information” drop-down box. We will post any amendments to our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct on our website. If we waive a provision of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct with respect to our chief executive officer, chief financial officer or principal accounting officer, we will post information about the waiver at the same location on our website. To view our SEC filings and Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed by our directors and executive officers, go to www.huntingtoningalls.com, click on “Investor Relations” and click on “SEC Filings.”Filings” under the “Financial Information” drop-down box.

We will promptly deliver free of charge to any requesting stockholder a copy of our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 20152016 (without exhibits), Corporate Governance Guidelines, standing Board committee charters and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. Requests should be directed to: Corporate Secretary, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607.

You can also print copies of these documents from our website at www.huntingtoningalls.com. The information on our website is not a part of this proxy statement.

FUTURE STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS

Stockholders may present proposals for consideration at a future meeting of stockholders only if they comply with the requirements of the proxy rules established by the SEC and the requirements of our bylaws.

26    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Communications and Company Documents(Continued)

 

Under SEC Rule14a-8, if a stockholder wants us to include a proposal in our proxy statement and form of proxy for presentation at our 20172018 annual meeting of stockholders, the proposal must be received by us by November 18, 2016,22, 2017, at our principal executive offices located at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607. The proposal should be sent to the attention of the Corporate Secretary.

Article II, Section 2.08 of our bylaws contains the procedures that a stockholder must follow to nominate persons for election as directors or to introduce an item of business at an annual meeting of stockholders outside of SEC Rule14a-8. Assuming that our 20172018 annual meeting is held within 30 days before or after the anniversary of the 20162017 annual meeting (April 29, 2016)(May 3, 2017), we must receive the notice of your intention to introduce a nomination or to propose an item of business at our 20172018 annual meeting not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days in advance of the anniversary of the date on which we first mailed the proxy materials for our 20162017 annual meeting (March 18, 2016)22, 2017), or between November 18, 201622, 2017 and December 18, 2016.22, 2017.

The notice must be submitted in writing to our principal executive offices located at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., 4101 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607. The notice should be sent to the attention of the Corporate Secretary. Our bylaws specify the information that must be contained in the notice. Our bylaws are posted on our website, www.huntingtoningalls.com, and can be accessed by clicking “Investor Relations” and “Corporate Governance.”“Leadership & Governance” under the “Company Information” drop-down box.

Article II, Section 2.15 of our bylaws contains the procedures eligible stockholders must follow to nominate persons for election as directors and to have those candidates included in our proxy materials.materials (proxy access). Assuming that our 20172018 annual meeting of stockholders is held within 30 days before or after the anniversary of the 20162017 annual meeting (April 29, 2016)(May 3, 2017), we must receive the notice of your intention to make a proxy access nomination not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days in advance of the anniversary of the date on which we first mailed the proxy materials for our 20162017 annual meeting (March 18, 2016)22, 2017), or between October 19, 201623, 2017 and November 18, 2016.

22, 2017.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    27


The Board of Directors

 

 

We believe the qualifications, skills and experiences of our directors are consistent with our criteria for the selection of directors and that, collectively, our directors have functioned effectively in overseeing the affairs of the company over the last year.

Mr. WilsonGen. Collins was elected by the Board on October 28, 2015,November 1, 2016, to fill a vacancy created when the Board increased its size to nine directors. He was recommended as a candidate for director by a third party unaffiliated with the company. Adm. Donald was elected to the Board effective January 1, 2017, to fill a vacancy created when the Board increased its size to ten directors. Hedirectors.He was recommended as a candidate for director by one of our independentchief executive officer and severalnon-management directors. The remaining nineeight directors have served on the Board since our last annual meeting.

In March 2016, Robert F. Bruner and Karl M. von der Heyden informed us of their decisions to retire from the Board, effective April 29, 2016. The Board waived its age limit in 2015 to nominate Mr. von der Heyden for another three-year term to facilitate transition of Audit Committee chairmanship responsibilities to another director. We appointed two new directors to the Audit Committee in 2015, and Mr. von der Heyden decided to retire from the Board following the 2016 annual meeting. HII thanks Dr. Bruner and Mr. von der Heyden for their service to the company and wishes each of them continued success in their future endeavors.

At this time, the Board is not nominating candidates for the seats held by Dr. Bruner and Mr. von der Heyden, and proxies cannot be voted for candidates other than the three nominees named in this proxy statement.

Prior to amendment of our certificate of incorporation last year,in 2015, the Board was divided into three classes, with each class of directors elected for a three-year term of office and the terms staggered so the term of only one class of directors expired at each annual meeting. At our 2015 annual meeting, our stockholders approved an amendment toWe amended our certificate of incorporation in 2015 to phase out the classification of the Board. We amended our certificate of incorporation accordingly,Board, and all directors elected at and after our annual meeting held in 2016 have been and will be elected forone-year terms. Directors elected prior to the 2016 annual meeting, and any directors who may be elected by the Board to replace any of those directors, will continue to serve for the respective three-year terms for which they were elected. Eight of our ten directors are up for election by our stockholders at our 2017 annual meeting, to serve forone-yearterms. Phase-out of the Board classification will be completed next year, and all of our directors will be voted upon at our 2018 annual meeting to serveone-year terms.

20162017 DIRECTOR NOMINEES

THOMAS B. FARGO

AUGUSTUS L. COLLINS

Director since November 2016

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Gen. Collins, age 59, has served as Chief Executive Officer of MINACT, Incorporated since September 2016.

Positions Held:From January 2012 to August 2016, Gen. Collins was a Major General in the Mississippi National Guard, serving as Adjutant General of both the Mississippi Army National Guard and the Mississippi Air National Guard. From July 2010 to January 2012, Gen. Collins served as Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning of MINACT. From August 2007 to July 2010, he served on Mississippi’s Workers’ Compensation Commission as the commission’s representative of labor. Gen. Collins served more than 35 years in the U.S. Army and Mississippi National Guard, which included command of the 155th Brigade Combat Team of the Mississippi National Guard, deploying to Iraq, where he was responsible for security operations in the southern and western provinces.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Gen. Collins received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi, an M.B.A. from Jackson State University and a Master’s Degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills: We believe Gen. Collins is qualified to serve as a director based upon his 35 years of senior military experience with the U.S. Army and Mississippi National Guard and his experience as a senior executive and then chief executive officer of a company that contracts with the U.S. government, as well as private sector customers.

Director since 2011

Nominee for director at this annual meeting

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting, if elected

Adm. Fargo, age 67, is Chairman of the Board of Directors of 28    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

Positions Held:Adm. Fargo has led companies in both the transportation and research and development sectors. He served as Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, leading the largest unified command while directing the joint operations of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force from May 2002 until his retirement from the U.S. Navy in March 2005. His 35 years of service included six tours in Washington, D.C. and five commands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Middle East, which included Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces of the Central Command.

Current Public Company Directorships:Adm. Fargo serves on the boards of directors of Matson, Inc., the Greenbrier Companies, Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric Company).


Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Adm. Fargo served on the board of directors of Northrop Grumman Corporation, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.), including as Chairman of its Compensation Committee.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

 

 

KIRKLAND H. DONALD

Director since January 2017

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Adm. Donald, age 63, has served as an independent business consultant since January 2013.

Positions Held:From January 2014 to October 2015, Adm. Donald served as chief executive officer of Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. Prior to that and from June 2013, he served as chief operating officer of the same company. Prior to that, Admiral Donald served 37 years in the U.S. Navy. In his last assignment, he served as director of the naval nuclear propulsion program from November 2004 to November 2012.

Current Public Company Directorships:Adm. Donald has served on the board of directors of Entergy Corporation since June 20, 2013, and serves on its Finance Committee and Nuclear Committee.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education: Admiral Donald currently serves on the boards of directors of Battelle Memorial Institute, Cybercore Technologies and the Naval Submarine League. He also serves on the executive advisory board of Moelis Capital Partners/NexPhase Capital Partners. Adm. Donald is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, holding a B.S. in Ocean Engineering. He also received an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix and completed Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellows Program.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills: We believe Adm. Donald is qualified to serve as a director based upon his 37 years of senior military experience with the U.S. Navy, the last eight years of which he served as director of the naval nuclear propulsion program, his experience serving on the boards of directors of other public and private companies and his experience serving as a senior operating officer and chief executive officer of a private company that provides services primarily to the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

THOMAS B. FARGO

Director since March 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Adm. Fargo, age 68, is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. and has served in that capacity since March 2011.

Positions Held:Adm. Fargo has led companies in both the transportation and research and development sectors. He served as Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, leading the largest unified command while directing the joint operations of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force from May 2002 until his retirement from the U.S. Navy in March 2005. His 35 years of service included six tours in Washington, D.C. and five commands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Middle East, which includedCommander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces of the Central Command.

Current Public Company Directorships:Adm. Fargo serves on the boards of directors of Matson, Inc., the Greenbrier Companies, Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Adm. Fargo served on the board of directors of Northrop Grumman Corporation, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.), including as Chairman of its Compensation Committee.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Adm. Fargo serves on the boards of directors of United Services Automobile Association (USAA), the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, the Japan-America Society of Hawaii, the Iolani School Board of Governors and the Friends of Hawaii Charities. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe that Adm. Fargo is qualified to serve as a director based upon his service as Commander of the largest military command in the world and his senior military, government and operations expertise. His public company board experience has given him expertise in corporate governance, aerospace and defense, transportation and finance. Adm. Fargo has received formal training in board service at Harvard University and Stanford University. He also possesses specialized knowledge in both national and homeland security that is directly relevant to our core business and customers.

 

Other Directorships2017 Notice and Memberships and Education:Adm. Fargo currently holds the John M. Shalikashvili Chair at the National Bureau of Asian Research. He also serves on the boards of directors of United Services Automobile Association (USAA), the United States Naval Academy Foundation, the Japan-America Society of Hawaii, the Iolani School Board of Governors and the Friends of Hawaii Charities. Adm. Fargo is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.Proxy Statement    29

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe that Adm. Fargo is qualified to serve as a director based upon his service as Commander of the largest military command in the world and his senior military, government and operations expertise. His public company board experience has given him expertise in corporate governance, aerospace and defense, transportation and finance. Adm. Fargo has received formal training in board service at Harvard University and Stanford University. He also possesses specialized knowledge in both national and homeland security that is directly relevant to our core business and customers.


JOHN K. WELCH

Director since 2015

Nominee for director at this annual meeting

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting, if elected

Mr. Welch, age 66, was President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. from October 2005 until his retirement in October 2014.

Positions Held:Mr. Welch was President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. (formerly USEC Inc.) from October 2005 until his retirement in October 2014. He was previously a senior executive with General Dynamics Corporation, retiring from the company in 2003 as Executive Vice President for the Marine Systems Group, which included Bath Iron Works, Electric Boat and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). During his career with General Dynamics, which began in 1989, Mr. Welch also served as President of Electric Boat, Vice President of Programs for Electric Boat, with responsibility for new construction, overhaul and repair programs, material acquisition and information technology, and Vice President for Program Development at Electric Boat, with responsibility for strategic planning, program and product marketing and high-technology program acquisition and management. Mr. Welch served over seven years on active duty with the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer and retired from the Naval Reserve.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Mr. Welch served on the board of directors of Centrus Energy Corp. and its predecessor, USEC Inc., from 2005 until 2013.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Welch is Chairman of the Board of Battelle Memorial Institute and serves on the board of Mount St. Joseph High School. He received a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Master’s Degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and an M.B.A. from Loyola College.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Welch is qualified to serve as a director based upon his senior executive experience at other public companies in the shipbuilding and energy markets, including his experience as executive vice president of the primary competitor to our core shipbuilding business. Mr. Welch also brings experience as a director of other public and private companies and not-for-profit entities.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

 

 

VICTORIA D. HARKER

Director since August 2012

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Ms. Harker, age 52, is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer of Tegna, Inc.

Positions Held:Ms. Harker began serving in her current position in June 2015, when Tegna separated from Gannett Co., Inc. Prior to that and from July 2012, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Gannett. Ms. Harker served as Chief Financial Officer from 2006 to 2012 and as President of Global Business Services from 2011 to 2012 of The AES Corporation, a multinational power company. Before joining AES, she was the acting Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MCI, Inc. from November 2002 through January 2006, and Chief Financial Officer of MCI Group, a unit of Worldcom, Inc., from 1998 to 2002.

Current Public Company Directorships:Ms. Harker serves on the board of directors of Xylem, Inc. (formerly ITT), a global water infrastructure company, and as Chair of its Audit Committee and a member of its Leadership Development and Compensation Committee.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Ms. Harker served on the board of directors and as a member of the Finance and Audit Committees of the Board of Darden Restaurants, Inc. from 2009 to 2014.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Ms. Harker is a member of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors, where she chairs the Finance Committee and serves as a member of the Executive Committee, the Special Committee on Governance and the Committee on the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. She is a trustee of the University of Virginia Alumni Association’s $250M Jefferson Trust and participates as an emeritus society member of the Board of WolfTrap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Ms. Harker received a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from American University.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Ms. Harker is qualified to serve as a director based upon the significant experience in business and finance she has accumulated serving as chief financial officer and in other senior management positions with large publicly-traded companies, as well as her experience serving on boards and board committees of other publicly-traded companies.

ANASTASIA D. KELLY

Director since March 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Ms. Kelly, age 67, is aCo-Managing Partner of DLA Piper Americas and has served in such capacity since 2013.

Positions Held:Prior to joining DLA Piper, Ms. Kelly was an executive officer of American International Group, Inc. from 2006 to 2010, serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel from 2006 to January 2009 and as Vice Chairman from January to December 2009, positions for which she was responsible for addressing legal, regulatory, corporate governance and risk management issues. Prior to joining American International Group, Ms. Kelly was an executive and general counsel of several large, publicly-traded companies, including MCI WorldCom, Sears, Roebuck and Co. and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae).

Current Public Company Directorships:Ms. Kelly serves as a director and Chair of the Risk Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee of Owens-Illinois, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of glass containers.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Ms. Kelly serves on the boards of numerous philanthropic organizations. She serves as a director of the Cardiovascular Institute at George Washington University Hospital, and is a member of the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University Law School. Ms. Kelly is also past Chair of Equal Justice Works and a director of Lawyers for Children America. She was a director of Saxon Capital from 2005 to 2007. Ms. Kelly received a B.A., cum laude, from Trinity University and a J.D., magna cum laude, from George Washington University Law School. She is a member of the Texas Bar and the District of Columbia Bar and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Ms. Kelly is qualified to serve as a director based upon her many years of experience as a senior executive and general counsel of several large, publicly traded companies, her experience as a director of another public company, and her varied business and legal experience.

 

Additional Information. Mr. Welch is the retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. (formerly USEC Inc.). Centrus Energy filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code on March 5, 2014. On September 30    2014, Centrus Energy emerged from Chapter 11, prior to Mr. Welch’s retirement from the company.

STEPHEN R. WILSON

Director since 2015

Nominee for director at this annual meeting

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting, if elected

Mr. Wilson, age 69, is an independent business consultant and retired Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc.

Positions Held:Mr. Wilson has served in general management, finance and planning capacities at major companies for nearly 30 years. Since 2015, he has served as an independent consultant at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Prior to that, Mr. Wilson was an independent consultant at Brock Capital Group LLC, an investment bank, from 2010 until 2014. He was a partner at Camelot Equity Partners from 2007 until 2010. Mr. Wilson has also served in various executive roles, including as: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc.; Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi Cola USA; Chief Financial Officer of Frito-Lay International and President of Frito-Lay Brazil; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and, later, President of Cadbury Beverages North America; and Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer and, later, Chief Administrative Officer of Footstar,Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

Prior Public Company Directorships:Mr. Wilson served on the board of directors of Newport News Shipbuilding, Inc. from 1996 until the company was acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2002. He also served as chairman of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Compensation and Executive Committees. Mr. Wilson served on the board of directors of Majesco Entertainment Company from 2006 through 2015 and as chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee.


Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Wilson currently serves on the board of directors of Blue Man Productions. He previously served: as Finance Director and on the board of directors of Reckitt & Colman PLC; on the statutory board of Natwest Bancorp North America; on the board of directors of Middlesex Mutual Assurance; on the national advisory board of LEK Consulting; on the national advisory board of Chase Bank; on the national advisory board of Parson Consulting; and on the board of directors of Knobias, Inc. Mr. Wilson currently serves on the board of directors of Blue School and previously served on the boards of the South Bronx Educational Foundation and the Manhattan Theatre Club. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and received a M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Wilson is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as chief financial officer, and chief executive officer of significant operating units, of several large public companies and his prior service on the board of directors of Newport News Shipbuilding, prior to its acquisition by Northrop Grumman, and more recently on the board of another public company.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

 

THOMAS C. SCHIEVELBEIN

Director since March 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Mr. Schievelbein, age 63, served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Brink’s Company from June 2012 until his retirement in May 2016.

Positions Held:Mr. Schievelbein served as President of Northrop Grumman Newport News and was a member of the Northrop Grumman Corporate Policy Council from November 2001 until November 2004. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. from 1995 until 2001 and was responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. His experience includes theVirginia-class submarine program,CVN-76,CVN-77 andCVN-21 aircraft carrier programs, aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling, submarine fleet maintenance, commercial and naval ship repair and business development.

Current Public Company Directorships:Mr. Schievelbein has served on the board of directors of New York Life Insurance Co. since 2006 and currently serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Investment Committee and Governance and Policy Committee.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Mr. Schievelbein previously served on the board of directors of The Brink’s Company from March 2009 until his retirement in May 2016, serving as Chairman of that board from June 2012. Before serving as Chairman, he served as a member of its Audit and Compensation Committees. Mr. Schievelbein served on the board of directors of McDermott International Inc. from 2004 to 2012.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Schievelbein is a past member of the Secretary of the Navy’s Advisory Panel and was a director of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation from 2004 through 2012. He received a B.S. in Marine Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills: We believe Mr. Schievelbein is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Northrop Grumman Newport News and Chief Operating Officer of Newport News Shipbuilding Inc., his prior experience as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of a public company and his experience serving as a director of other public companies.

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    31


The Board of Directors

JOHN K. WELCH

Director since February 2015

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Mr. Welch, age 67, was President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. (formerly USEC Inc.) from October 2005 until his retirement in October 2014.

Positions Held:He was previously a senior executive with General Dynamics Corporation, retiring from the company in 2003 as Executive Vice President for the Marine Systems Group, which included Bath Iron Works, Electric Boat and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). During his career with General Dynamics, which began in 1989, Mr. Welch also served as President of Electric Boat, Vice President of Programs for Electric Boat, with responsibility for new construction, overhaul and repair programs, material acquisition and information technology, and Vice President for Program Development at Electric Boat, with responsibility for strategic planning, program and product marketing and high-technology program acquisition and management. Mr. Welch served over seven years on active duty with the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer and retired from the Naval Reserve.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Mr. Welch served on the board of directors of Centrus Energy Corp. and its predecessor, USEC Inc., from 2005 until 2013.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Welch is Chairman of the Board of Battelle Memorial Institute and serves on the board of Mount St. Joseph High School. He received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and an M.B.A. from Loyola College.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills: We believe Mr. Welch is qualified to serve as a director based upon his senior executive experience at other public companies in the shipbuilding and energy markets, including his experience as executive vice president of the primary competitor to our core shipbuilding business. Mr. Welch also brings experience as a director of other public and private companies andnot-for-profit entities.

Additional Information. Mr. Welch is the retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp. (formerly USEC Inc.). Centrus Energy filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code on March 5, 2014. On September 30, 2014, Centrus Energy emerged from Chapter 11, prior to Mr. Welch’s retirement from the company.

32    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


The Board of Directors

STEPHEN R. WILSON

Director since October 2015

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting, if elected

Mr. Wilson, age 70, is an independent business consultant and retired Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc.

Positions Held:Mr. Wilson has served in general management, finance and planning capacities at major companies for nearly 30 years. Since 2015, he has served as an independent consultant at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Prior to that, Mr. Wilson was an independent consultant at Brock Capital Group LLC, an investment bank, from 2010 until 2014. He was a partner at Camelot Equity Partners from 2007 until 2010. Mr. Wilson has also served in various executive roles, including as: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc.; Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi Cola USA; Chief Financial Officer ofFrito-Lay International and President ofFrito-Lay Brazil; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and, later, President of Cadbury Beverages North America; and Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer and, later, Chief Administrative Officer of Footstar, Inc.

Prior Public Company Directorships:Mr. Wilson served on the board of directors of Newport News Shipbuilding, Inc. from 1996 until the company was acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2002. He also served as chairman of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Compensation and Executive Committees. Mr. Wilson served on the board of directors of Majesco Entertainment Company from 2006 through 2015 and as chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Wilson currently serves on the board of directors of Blue Man Productions. He previously served: as Finance Director and on the board of directors of Reckitt & Colman PLC; on the statutory board of Natwest Bancorp North America; on the board of directors of Middlesex Mutual Assurance; on the national advisory board of LEK Consulting; on the national advisory board of Chase Bank; on the national advisory board of Parson Consulting; and on the board of directors of Knobias, Inc. Mr. Wilson currently serves on the board of directors of Blue School and previously served on the boards of the South Bronx Educational Foundation and the Manhattan Theatre Club. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and received an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Wilson is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as chief financial officer, and chief executive officer of significant operating units, of several large public companies and his prior service on the board of directors of Newport News Shipbuilding, prior to its acquisition by Northrop Grumman, and more recently on the board of another public company.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    33


The Board of Directors

CONTINUING DIRECTORS

PAUL D. MILLER

Director since March 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting

Adm. Miller, age 75, served as Chairman and CEO of Alliant Techsystems Inc., an aerospace and defense company, from 1999 until his retirement in 2005.

Positions Held:Adm. Miller was President and CEO of Sperry Marine, Inc. from 1994 to 1998. During his30-year career with the U.S. Navy, Adm. Miller served asCommander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command, one of five U.S. theater commands, and served concurrently as NATO Supreme Allied Commander-Atlantic.

Current Public Company Directorships:Since 2001, Adm. Miller has served on the board of directors and as a member of the Audit Committee of Teledyne Technologies, Incorporated.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Adm. Miller served on the board of directors and as a member of the Audit Committee of Donaldson Company, Inc. from 2001 until 2015.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Adm. Miller was a director of Atlantic Marine Inc., a private company, from 2009 until the company was sold in 2010. He received a B.A. from Florida State University, completed the U.S. Navy War College, received an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia and completed the Executive Management Program (PDM) at Harvard Business School.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Adm. Miller is qualified to serve as a director based upon his 30 years of senior military experience with the U.S. Navy, his experience as the chairman and chief executive officer of an aerospace and defense company and his experience as a director of other public and private companies.

C. MICHAEL PETTERS

Director since March 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting

Mr. Petters, age 57, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. and has served in such capacity since March 2011.

Positions Held:Mr. Petters served as President of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding from 2008, when it was formed, until 2011, when it was spun off to form HII. Prior to that, he was President of Northrop Grumman Newport News beginning in 2004. Since joining Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Inc. in 1987, his responsibilities have included oversight of theVirginia-class submarine program, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier programs, aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling, submarine fleet maintenance, commercial and naval ship repair, human resources and business and technology development. During his service in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Petters served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USSBancroft, and he spent five years in the Naval Reserve.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Petters serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, the National Bureau of Asian Research and the Virginia Community College Foundation. He serves on the Board of Advisors to the Center for a New American Security and The Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association, and is Chairman of the Virginia Business Council. He received a B.S. in Physics from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Petters is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as our President and Chief Executive Officer, his experience as President of our predecessor companies, his experience in operations and other senior management positions of our predecessor companies and his military experience as a naval officer.

VICTORIA D. HARKER34    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Director since 2012

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting

Ms. Harker, age 51, is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer of Tegna, Inc.

Positions Held:Ms. Harker began serving in her current position in June 2015, when Tegna separated from Gannett Co., Inc. Prior to that and from June 2012, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Gannett. Ms. Harker served as Chief Financial Officer from 2006 and as President of Global Business Services from 2011 of The AES Corporation, a multinational power company. Before joining AES, she was the acting Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MCI, Inc. from November 2002 through January 2006, and Chief Financial Officer of MCI Group, a unit of Worldcom, Inc., from 1998 to 2002.

Current Public Company Directorships:Ms. Harker serves on the board of directors of Xylem, Inc. (formerly ITT), a global water infrastructure company, and as Chair of its Audit Committee and a member of its Leadership Development and Compensation Committee.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Ms. Harker served on the board of directors and as a member of the Finance and Audit Committees of the Board of Darden Restaurants, Inc. from 2009 to 2014.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Ms. Harker is a member of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors, where she chairs the Finance Committee and serves as a member of the Executive Committee, the Special Committee on Governance and the Committee on the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. She is a trustee of the University of Virginia Alumni Association’s $250M Jefferson Trust and participates as an emeritus society member of the Board of WolfTrap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Ms. Harker received a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from American University.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Ms. Harker is qualified to serve as a director based upon the significant experience in business and finance she has accumulated serving as chief financial officer and in other senior management positions with large publicly-traded companies, as well as her experience serving on boards and board committees of other publicly-traded companies.

ANASTASIA D. KELLY

Director since 2011

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting

Ms. Kelly, age 66, is a Co-Managing Partner of DLA Piper Americas.

Positions Held:Prior to joining DLA Piper, Ms. Kelly was an executive officer of American International Group, Inc. from 2006 to 2010, serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel from 2006 to January 2009 and as Vice Chairman until December 2009, positions for which she was responsible for addressing legal, regulatory, corporate governance and risk management issues. Prior to joining American International Group, Ms. Kelly was an executive and general counsel of several large, publicly-traded companies, including MCI/ WorldCom, Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Fannie Mae.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

 

 

Current Public Company Directorships:Ms. Kelly serves as a director and Chair ofCompensation elements for the Risk Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee of Owens-Illinois, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of glass containers.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Ms. Kelly serves on the boards of numerous philanthropic organizations. She serves as a director of the Cardiovascular Institute at George Washington University Hospital, and is a member of the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University Law School. Ms. Kelly is also past Chair of Equal Justice Works and a director of Lawyers for Children America. She was a director of Saxon Capital from 2005 to 2007. Ms. Kelly received a B.A., cum laude, from Trinity University and a J.D., magna cum laude, from George Washington University Law School. She is a member of the Texas Bar and the District of Columbia Bar and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Ms. Kelly is qualified to serve as a director based upon her many years of experience as a senior executive and general counsel of several large, publicly traded companies, her experience as a director of another public company, and her varied business and legal experience.

PAUL D. MILLER

Director since 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting

Adm. Miller, age 74, served as Chairman and CEO of Alliant Techsystems Inc., an aerospace and defense company, from 1999 until his retirement in 2005.

Positions Held:Adm. Miller was President and CEO of Sperry Marine, Inc. from 1994 to 1998. During his 30-year career with the U.S. Navy, Adm. Miller served as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command, one of five U.S. theater commands, and served concurrently as NATO Supreme Allied Commander-Atlantic.

Current Public Company Directorships:Since 2001, Adm. Miller has served on the board of directors and as a member of the Audit Committee of Teledyne Technologies, Incorporated.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Adm. Miller served on the board of directors and as a member of the Audit Committee of Donaldson Company, Inc. from 2001 until 2015.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Adm. Miller was a director of Atlantic Marine Inc., a private company, from 2009 until the company was sold in 2010. He received a B.A. from Florida State University, completed the U.S. Navy War College, received an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia and completed the Executive Management Program (PDM) at Harvard Business School.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Adm. Miller is qualified to serve as a director based upon his 30 years of experience with the U.S. Navy, his experience as the chairman and chief executive officer of an aerospace and defense company and his experience as a director of other public and private companies.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

C. MICHAEL PETTERS

Director since 2011

Term will expire at 2018 annual meeting

Mr. Petters, age 56, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

Positions Held:Mr. Petters served as President of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding from 2008, when it was formed, until 2011, when it was spun off to form HII. Prior to that, he was President of Northrop Grumman Newport News beginning in 2004. Since joining Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Inc. in 1987, his responsibilities have included oversight of theVirginia-class submarine program, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier programs, aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling, submarine fleet maintenance, commercial and naval ship repair, human resources and business and technology development. During his service in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Petters served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USSBancroft, and he spent five years in the Naval Reserve.

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Petters serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, and is a member of the board of trustees of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. He received a B.S. in physics from the United States Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Petters is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as our President and Chief Executive Officer, his experience as President of our predecessor companies, his experience in operations and other senior management positions of our predecessor companies and his military experience as a naval officer.

THOMAS C. SCHIEVELBEIN

Director since 2011

Term will expire at 2017 annual meeting

Mr. Schievelbein, age 62, is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Brink’s Company.

Positions Held:Mr. Schievelbein served as President of Northrop Grumman Newport News and was a member of the Northrop Grumman Corporate Policy Council from November 2001 until his retirement in November 2004. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. from 1995 until 2001 and was responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. His experience includes theVirginia-class submarine program, CVN-76, CVN-77 and CVN-21 aircraft carrier programs, aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling, submarine fleet maintenance, commercial and naval ship repair and business development.

Current Public Company Directorships:Mr. Schievelbein has served on the board of directors of The Brink’s Company since March 2009 and has been Chairman of that board since June 2012. He previously served as a member of its Audit and Compensation Committees. Mr. Schievelbein has served on the board of directors of New York Life Insurance Co. since 2006 and currently serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee and Governance Committee.

Prior Public Company Directorships (within the last five years):Mr. Schievelbein previously served on the board of directors of McDermott International Inc. from 2004 to 2012.

The Board of Directors(Continued)

Other Directorships and Memberships and Education:Mr. Schievelbein is a past member of the Secretary of the Navy’s Advisory Panel and was a director of the United States Naval Academy Foundation from 2004 through 2012. He received a B.S. in Marine Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Qualifications, Experience, Attributes and Skills:We believe Mr. Schievelbein is qualified to serve as a director based upon his experience as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Northrop Grumman Newport News and Chief Operating Officer of Newport News Shipbuilding Inc., his experience as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of a public company and his experience serving as a director of other public companies.

Director Compensation

Director compensation elements are designed to:

 

promote alignment with long-term stockholder interests;

 

enable us to attract and retain outstanding directors who meet the criteria described under “Governance of the Company” above;

 

recognize the substantial time commitments necessary to oversee the affairs of our company; and

 

support the independence of thought and action expected of directors.

Non-employee director compensation is evaluated by the Compensation Committee, which makes recommendations to the full Board for consideration and approval. In 2015,2016, our independent compensation consultant, Exequity LLP (“Exequity”), conducted a reviewan assessment of the competitive market with respect to outside director compensation. Exequity’s reviewassessment considered the following director compensation elements: board-related pay, committee-related pay, equity pay, total director compensation and chairman of the board compensation. Based upon an analysis of the 16 companies that comprise the peer group for our 20152016 NEO compensation analysis, as well as supplemental general industry data gathered from Fortune 500 companies, Exequity concluded that HII’s outside director total compensation is competitive within our market. Our CEO is not paid additional compensation for his service on our Board of Directors.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PROGRAM

Our director compensation program fornon-employee directors is comprised of both cash retainers and equity awards in the form of either restricted stock units or shares of our common stock, in each case granted under our 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan.

Non-employee directors receive an annual cash retainer of $100,000. TheOurnon-executive Chairman of the Board receives an additional annual cash retainer for serving as non-executive Chairman of the Board is $250,000. The additional annual cash retainers for serving as chairs of our standing Board committees are: $20,000 for Audit; $15,000 for Compensation; $15,000 for Governance and Policy; and $15,000 for Finance. The additional annual cash retainers for serving as members (but not as chairs) of the Board committees are: $15,000 for Audit; $5,000 for Compensation; $5,000 for Governance and Policy; and $5,000 for Finance. Cash retainers are paid on a quarterly basis at the end of each quarter in arrears.

Non-employee directors receive an annual equity award of restricted stock units or shares of our common stock, valued at $100,000. On the first trading day of each quarter, eachnon-employee director is granted a number of restricted stock units or shares determined by dividing $25,000 by the per share closing price of our common stock on the NYSE on the date of grant, rounded down to the nearest whole unit or share.

Restricted stock unit awards are fully vested at date of grant andbut do not generally become payable withinuntil 30 days following the date anon-employee director ceases to serve on the Board.Non-employee directors receive dividend equivalents with respect toon their outstanding and unpaid restricted stock units. Dividend equivalents are paid in the form of a credit of additional restricted stock units and are subject to the same vesting, payment and other provisions as the underlying restricted stock units.

If anon-employee director owns shares of our common stock having a value at least five times the director’s annual cash retainer, the director may elect to receive his or her annual equity award in the form of either shares of our common stock or stock units that are payable in the fifth calendar year

Director Compensation(Continued)

after the year in which the annual equity award is earned (or, if earlier, upon termination of the director’s board service). The common stock or stock units are fully vested on the date of grant.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    35


Director Compensation

20152016 DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table sets forth the compensation for the year ended December 31, 2015,2016, of ournon-employee directors who served during any part of 2015.2016.

 

Name

  Fees
Earned or
Paid in
Cash
($)
   Stock
Awards
($)(1)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total
($)
   Fees
Earned or
Paid in
Cash ($)
   Stock
Awards
($)(1)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
  Total ($) 

Robert F. Bruner

   113,288     99,724     —       213,012  

Robert F. Bruner*

   34,616    49,848      84,464 

Augustus L. Collins**

   19,837    0      19,837 

Thomas B. Fargo

   350,000     99,724     —       449,724     350,000    99,632      449,632 

Victoria D. Harker

   110,000     99,724     —       209,724     110,000    99,632      209,632 

Anastasia D. Kelly

   115,000     99,724     —       214,724     115,000    99,632      214,632 

Paul D. Miller

   120,000     99,724     —       219,724     120,000    99,632      219,632 

Thomas C. Schievelbein

   130,000     99,724     —       229,724     130,000    99,632      229,632 

Karl M. von der Heyden

   120,000     99,724     —       219,724  

John K. Welch*

   102,008     74,769     —       176,777  

Stephen R. Wilson**

   20,313     0     —       20,313  

Karl M. von der Heyden*

   39,561    49,848      89,409 

John K. Welch

   120,000    99,632      219,632 

Stephen R. Wilson

   118,352    99,632      217,984 

 

*Mr. WelchMessrs. Bruner and von der Heyden retired from the Board effective April 29, 2016.
**Gen. Collins was elected to the Board on February 24, 2015.
**Mr. Wilson was elected to the Board on October 28, 2015.November 1, 2016.
(1)The values for stock awards represent the grant date fair values of restricted stock units or shares of common stock granted in 2015,2016, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Information about the assumptions used to value these awards can be found in Note 19 of the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.2016. As of December 31, 2015,2016, ournon-employee directors serving as directors as of December 31, 2016, held the following number of restricted stock units: Bruner—13,988,Collins—0, Fargo—15,616,15,823, Harker—4,413,5,169, Kelly—13,988,14,871, Miller—13,988,14,871, Schievelbein—13,988, von der Heyden—13,126,14,871, Welch—6361,343 and Wilson—0;698; and the following number of shares of common stock: Fargo—1,833,1,288, Schievelbein—481 and von der Heyden—855.Welch—1,000.

36    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

 

 

INTRODUCTION

This section provides information about our executive compensation program with respect to the 20152016 compensation of our Principal Executive Officer, the two individuals who served as Chief Financial OfficerOfficers in 2016 and our three other most highly-compensated executive officers in 20152016 (our “Named Executive Officers”“NEOs”). It begins withThis section includes biographies of our Named Executive Officers. Next isNEOs, the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, which explains how and why the Compensation Committee made its compensation decisions for the Named Executive Officers, followed byNEOs, the Report of our Compensation Committee. Finally, this section includesCommittee, and the detailed executive compensation tables in the format required by the SEC, with related narrative disclosure.

NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER BIOGRAPHIES

The following biographies provide information regarding the experience and education of our Named Executive Officers.NEOs.

C. Michael Petters, President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Petters is President and Chief Executive Officer of HII. He assumed this role on March 31, 2011, when Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding began operating as the newly-formed and publicly-owned Huntington Ingalls Industries following aspin-off from Northrop Grumman Corporation. Mr. Petters is also a member of our Board of Directors.

Mr. Petters is responsible for leading the design, construction and overhaul of conventionally-powered surface combatants, amphibious and auxiliary ships and nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, as well as business opportunities in adjacent markets. From 2008 until he assumed his current position, he served as president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. Prior to that, he served as president of the Newport News sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Mr. Petters joined Newport News Shipbuilding in 1987 in the Los Angeles-class submarine construction division. He subsequently held a number of increasingly responsible positions of increasing responsibility throughout the organization, including production supervisor for submarines, marketing manager for submarines and carriers, vice president for aircraft carrier programs, vice president for contracts and pricing, and vice president for human resources.

A native of Florida, Mr. Petters earned a bachelor’s degreeB.S. in physicsPhysics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982, served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USS George Bancroft and spent five years in the Naval Reserve. In 1993, heHe earned a master’s degree in business administrationan M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary.

Mr. Petters was appointed to serve on the Virginia Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates. He serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, and is a memberthe National Bureau of both the board of directorsAsian Research and the board of trustees of the Naval Aviation MuseumVirginia Community College Foundation. Mr. Petters alsoHe serves on the distinguished advisory boardBoard of Advisors to the Center for a New American Security and The Executive Committee of the Dolphin Scholarship FoundationAerospace Industries Association, and onis Chairman of the advisory council for the Naval Historical Foundation.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Virginia Business Council.

Barbara A. Niland, CorporateChristopher D. Kastner, Executive Vice President, of Business Management and Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Niland served as CorporateMr. Kastner was elected Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer of HII in 2015. Named toeffective March 2016. In this position at the time of the spin-off, she wasrole, he is responsible for directing ourthe business strategy and processes in support of business growth and profitability goals. Ms. NilandMr. Kastner also hadhas responsibility for corporate business management functions, such asincluding investor relations, treasury, internal audit, contracts, estimating and pricing, accounting, financial reporting, planning and analysis, rates and budgets and program cost control. We previously announced that Ms. Niland was retiring frommergers and acquisitions. He also provides oversight for segment business management, contracts and estimating and pricing.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    37


Executive Compensation

From August 2012 until he assumed his current position, Mr. Kastner served as Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Development, responsible for strategy and development activities, including the company effective March 1, 2016.

development and integration of strategic planning efforts, as well as the analysis and entrance into new adjacent markets. Prior to servingthat and from March 2011, he served as CorporateVice President and Chief Financial Officer of our Ingalls Shipbuilding segment. Before that and from 2008, Mr. Kastner served as Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer Ms. Niland served as sector vice president of business management and chief financial officer of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, (2008-2011)Gulf Coast, and the Newport News sectorserved as Vice President, Contracts and Risk Management of Northrop Grumman Corporation (2004-2008),Ship Systems from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, he held several positions in which she was responsible for directing the sector’s business strategy and processes in support of business growth and profitability goals. She also had responsibility for sector business management functions, such as contracts, estimating and pricing, accounting, financial reporting, planning and analysis, rates and budgets, and program cost control. Before that, Ms. Niland served as vice president of finance and controller for Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector. In this role, she was responsible for financial planning, financial accounting, government accounting, engineering and manufacturing finance, international finance, and business management functions.

Ms. Niland began her career at Westinghouse (a predecessor ofother Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems)businesses, including Corporate Director of Strategic Transactions.

Mr. Kastner holds a B.A. in 1979, where she held a number of financial and business management positions, serving as business manager for a number of space systems programs and later being named program director of business management for space systems. Ms. Niland was promoted to vice president of finance and controller for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in 2002.

Ms. Niland earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Towson State University and a master’s of science degreePolitical Science from the University of Maryland University College.California at Santa Barbara and an M.B.A from Pepperdine University. He serves on the board of directors of WHRO, the only public broadcasting station in the United States owned by a collaboration of 19 local public school districts, and on the board of trustees for Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Kellye L. Walker, CorporateExecutive Vice President and General Counsel

Ms. Walker became Corporatehas served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel since joining HII in January 2015. In this position, she has overall leadership responsibility for our law department and outside counsel, which provide a broad range of legal advice and support for the company’s business activities.

Prior to joining us, Ms. Walker was with American Water Works Company, Inc., the country’s largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility company, where she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from January 2010 to January 2015. During her tenure at American Water, she also served as Chief Administrative Officer from September 2010 through May 2014. From February 2007 to June 2009, Ms. Walker served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Diageo North America, Inc., the largest operating company of Diageo plc. From February 2003 to December 2006, she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc., a leading warehouse club operator.

Prior to that, Ms. Walker also served as a corporate partner with thein major law firm of Hill & Barlowfirms in Boston, Massachusetts and as a partner and/or associate with the law firms of Chaffe, McCall, Phillips, Toler & Sarpy in New Orleans, Louisiana,Louisiana.

Ms. Walker’s professional affiliations include the American Bar Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel (former Board member) and Boult, Cummings, Connors & Berry in Nashville, Tennessee.

the Executive Compensation(Continued)

Leadership Council. She also serves on the Board of Visitors of Christopher Newport University. Ms. Walker received a B.S. in Business Administration, Marketing from Louisiana Tech University and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law. She is a member of the American Bar Association and a former board member of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Matthew J. Mulherin, CorporateExecutive Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding

Mr. Mulherin is Corporatehas served as Executive Vice President and President of Newport News Shipbuilding. Named to this position in 2011, heShipbuilding since March 2011. He is responsible for all Newport News Shipbuilding engineering, operations and programs, including the most complex ships in the world: nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. Newport News Shipbuilding generates approximately $4 billion in annual revenues and employs more than 23,000 employees.

Mr. Mulherin also has responsibility for our subsidiaries Continental Maritime, a San Diego shipyard that services and supports U.S. Navy ships on the West Coast, AMSEC, a full-service provider of engineering, logistics, and technical support services to the U.S. Navy, and Stoller Newport News Nuclear, a provider of technical, ecological, waste management, and remediation and consulting services within the Department of Energy markets.

From 2008 until he assumed his current position, Mr. Mulherin served as sector vice president and general manager of site operations at Newport News as part of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. His responsibilities included programs forall aspects of the company’s Newport News operations, where he successfully led the sector’s aircraft carrier design and construction programs, carrier refueling and overhaul programs, and the submarine program.

Mr. Mulherin earned a bachelor’s degreeB.S. in civil engineeringCivil Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1981 and began his career at Newport News Shipbuilding the same year as a nuclear test engineer. Since then, he has held positions of increasing

38    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

responsibility, including nuclear project manager for Los Angeles-class submarines, director of facilities, director of nuclear engineering and refueling, and director of carrier refueling and overhaul construction. Mr. Mulherin also served as director and vice president for the next generation of aircraft carriers, the Gerald R. Ford class, and vice president of all programs, including shipbuilding and repair, Department of Energy programs, and commercial energy programs.

Mr. Mulherin serves on the boards of directors of the Shipbuilders Council of America and the Naval Submarine League. He also serves on the board of trustees of The Mariners’ Museum, as a committee member of Greater Peninsula NOW, as a member of the Hampton Roads Business Roundtable, and as a member of the board of directors of the Peninsula Towne Bank. In 2013,Bank Community Board. Mr. Mulherin was appointed by the governor of Virginia to serve on the board of directors for the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority.Authority and the board of directors of the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board.

Brian J. Cuccias, CorporateExecutive Vice President and President, Ingalls Shipbuilding

Mr. Cuccias is Corporatehas served as Executive Vice President and President of Ingalls Shipbuilding. Named to this position in 2014, heShipbuilding since April 2014. He is responsible for all programs and operations at Ingalls, including U.S. Navy destroyers, amphibious assault and surface combatant programs, and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter program.

Prior to his current position and from February 2011, Mr. Cuccias began his shipbuilding careerserved in several different positions at our Ingalls Shipbuilding segment, including vice president, program management, vice president, amphibious ship programs, and vice president, large deck amphibious ships. From 2008 to February 2011, he was vice president, surface combatants for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. After joining a predecessor of Northrop Grumman in 1979, with Litton Data Systems, where he served as a financial analyst on several Navy programs, including amphibious assault ships andSpruance- andKidd-class destroyers. Since then, he has held a numbervariety of positions, of increasing responsibility, including:including assistant to the group vice president of Avondale Industries;Industries, sector vice president, material,

Executive Compensation(Continued)

for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems;Systems, and DDG(X) and DDG 1000 program manager and vice president for Northrop Grumman’s DDG 1000 program; and vice president, surface combatants, for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, which includedArleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) andZumwalt-class (DDG 1000) destroyers and Coast Guard programs.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Cuccias served as Ingalls’ vice president, program management, responsible for program execution and financial performance for all ships produced by the shipyard.president.

Mr. Cuccias earned a bachelor’s degreeB.S. in accountingAccounting from the University of South Alabama and has attended executive education programs at Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council and serves on the boardboards of directors forof the Mississippi Economic Council (the state’s chamber of commerce), the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation.Foundation and the Salvation Army of Mobile.

Barbara A. Niland, Corporate Vice President of Business Management and Chief Financial Officer (Retired)

Ms. Niland served as Corporate Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer of HII from March 2011 until she retired from the company effective March 1, 2016.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The following Compensation Discussion and Analysis, or CD&A, provides information relevant to understanding the 20152016 compensation of our Named Executive Officers.

We design, buildHuntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and manage the life-cyclea provider of the most complex nuclear-professional services to partners in government and conventionally-powered ships for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.industry. For more than a century, ourHII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisionssegments in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. In addition, we provide engineeringHII’s Technical Solutions segment provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Integrated Missions Solutions, Nuclear and project management services expertise to the commercial energy industry, the Department of EnergyEnvironmental, and other government customers.Oil and Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, we employ approximately 36,000HII employs nearly 37,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. The goal of our executive compensation program is to support apay-for-performance culture by implementing compensation programs that are market competitive, customer-focused and fair to our stockholders.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    39


Executive Compensation

Our 20152016 Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”) are:

 

C. Michael Petters

 President and Chief Executive Officer
Christopher D. Kastner*Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer

Kellye L. Walker

Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Matthew J. MulherinExecutive Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding
Brian J. CucciasExecutive Vice President and President, Ingalls Shipbuilding
Barbara A. Niland

Niland**
 Corporate Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer (retired)

*

Kellye L. Walker

Mr. Kastner became Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer on March 1, 2016. Prior to that, he served as Corporate Vice President, Corporate Strategy and General CounselDevelopment.

**

Matthew J. Mulherin

Ms. Niland served as Corporate Vice President, Business Management and President, Newport News Shipbuilding

Brian J. Cuccias

Corporate Vice President and President, Ingalls ShipbuildingChief Financial Officer until her retirement from the company on March 1, 2016.

Executive Summary

Our executive compensation program and practices are described in detail over the next severalfollowing pages. We believehave designed our executive compensation program to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executives, incentivize our executives to achieve business objectives, reward performance and align the interests of our executives with the interests of our stockholders and customers. The fundamental philosophy of our executive compensation program, set by the Compensation Committee of the Board, is pay for performance. We have also designed our compensation approach is balancedprogram to balance performance-based compensation over both the short- and long-term thereby encouragingto incentivize decisions and actions that promote stockholder value and focus our NEOs to focusexecutives on performance that has a positive impact on bothbenefits our customersstockholders and stockholders,customers, while discouraging inappropriate risk takingrisk-taking behaviors.

Our compensation principles are based on significant NEO reward opportunities for achievementThepay-for-performance philosophy of our financial and operational goals. The focus on performanceexecutive compensation program is demonstrated inby the compensation mix of

our NEOs. Of the three primary elements of total direct compensation, our executive compensation is heavily weighted toward the variable, performance-based elements, and toward the long-term and equity-based elements, as reflected in the following graphs, which set forth the percentage of total compensation corresponding to each compensation element received by our CEO and by our other NEOs in the aggregate in 2016.

                         CEO1

LOGO

                Other NEOs2

LOGO

(1)Total direct compensation does not include perquisites and other benefits.

(2)Average allocation for the NEOs other than the CEO and Ms. Walker. Ms. Walker joined the company in 2015 and therefore did not receive long-term compensation in 2016. Total direct compensation does not include perquisites and other benefits.

40    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

our NEOs. For example, 95%98% of Mr. Petters’ total direct compensation in 20152016 was directly linked to our performance in the form ofthrough his annual and long-term incentive awards. Approximately 88% of the total direct compensation of our other NEOs, with the exception of Ms. Walker, was comprised of performance-based incentive awards. Ms. Walker, whose performance based compensation comprised 59%55% of her total compensation, joined the company in 2015 and therefore did not receive a long-term compensation payout for the performance period that ended on December 31, 2015. This2016.

Our underlying principlephilosophy of pay for performance focuses us consistently on achieving our financial and operational goals. Above all, these goals are customer-focused, rewarding safety, quality, cost and schedule performance, and stockholder-friendly, rewarding consistent achievement of strong financial results and increasing stockholder value.

20152016 Business Highlights

20152016 was another successful year for HII and our employees as we continued to achieve our performance objectives consistent with our strategic plan. Such achievements could not have been realized without the dedication of the 36,000 employees who make HII the exceptional company it is today. Below is a review of some of ourOur accomplishments during 2015:in 2016 included:

 

Awarded $7.6$5.2 billion in new contracts.

contract awards.

 

Generated $7$7.1 billion in revenues and $404$573 million in net earnings, a 20%42% increase over the prior year.

 

Reported $8.36$12.14 diluted earnings per share, a 22%45% increase over the prior year.

 

Repurchased $234$192 million of our common stock repurchases and increased our quarterly cash dividend 25%increase of 20% to $0.50$0.60 per share in the fourth quarter.

Refinanced $600 million principal amount of outstanding 7.125% senior notes due 2021, with $600 million principal amount of 5.000% senior notes due 2025.

Repaid the balance of our outstanding term loan and amended our credit facility to provide increased revolving credit capacity and flexibility to pursue our strategic objectives.

Opened the doors to the company’s first Family Health Center to all eligible employees at Ingalls Shipbuilding and their covered dependents.

Broke ground for Newport News Shipbuilding’s new Joint Manufacturing Assembly Facility, which will support the construction of aircraft carriers and submarines.

 

 

DeliveredDelivery of the National Security CutterJamesMunro (WMSL 754)755) to the United StatesU.S. Coast Guard.

 

 

DeliveredChristening of the submarineJohn WarnerWashington (SSN 785) to(SSN 787), the U.S. Navy two-and-a-half months ahead of schedule.

14thVirginia-class submarine.

 

 

ChristenedLaunching of theMunroKimball (WMSL 755)756), the company’s sixthseventh U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter.

 

 

ChristenedDelivery of theJohn Finn (DDG 113) to the U.S. Navy.

Launching of thePaul Ignatius (DDG 117), the company’s 29th31stArleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) Aegis guided missile destroyer.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

 

ChristenedDelivery of theJohn P. Murtha (LPD(LPD 26), to the company’s 10th amphibious transport dock,U.S. Navy.

Christening of the Amphibious Transport DockPortland(LPD 27) and the Guided Missile DestroyerRalph Johnson(DDG 114).

 

Establishment of Technical Solutions segment to enhance strategic and operational alignment among our services businesses.

Acquired

Acquisition of Camber Corporation, a government services company that broadens HII’s existing capabilities and customer base.

Opening of the Engineering Solutions DivisionHII Family Health Center at Newport News Shipbuilding for all eligible employees and their covered dependents.

Establishment of The Columbia Group, a leading designeran Educational Assistance Fund for children of HII employees.

2017 Notice and builder of unmanned underwater vehicles for domestic and international customers.Proxy Statement    41


Executive Compensation

Commitment to Compensation Best Practices

We highlight below certain executive compensation practices we have implemented to drive performance, as well as certain practices we have avoided, in the belief they would not serve our customers’ or stockholders’ long-term interests.

What We Do

 

WHAT WE DO

Consideration of Annual“Say-on-Pay” Advisory Vote

  

Consideration of Annual “Say-on-Pay” Advisory Vote:The Compensation Committee considers the results of the annual stockholder “Say-on-Pay”“Say-on-Pay” advisory vote on executive compensation.

Pay for Performance

  

Pay for Performance:In 2015, the Compensation Committee awarded a significant majority of total directOur executive compensation to NEOs in the form ofprogram is heavily weighted toward variable, performance-based compensation.elements, and toward long-term and equity-based elements. Variable compensation is tied to the achievement of performance goals and includes annual incentive awards and restricted performance stock rights, which are described in detail in this CD&A.

Compensation Risk Assessment

  

Compensation Risk Assessment:We assess the risk of our compensation programs on an annual basis both internally and with the engagement of ourthe Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee agreed with the consultant’s conclusion that there was no undue risk associated with the design or delivery of the programs in 2015.

2016.

Executive Compensation Recoupment (Clawback Policy):(Clawback) Policy

Our executive compensation recoupment, or clawback, policy allows us to seek reimbursement in certain circumstances of all or a portion of any performance-based short- or long-term cash or equity incentive compensation paid or awarded to executive officers.

Targeted Compensation Benchmarking

  

Targeted Benchmarking:HII is a unique business with few direct competitors. The Compensation Committee must therefore strikestrikes a balance between internal equity and external benchmarking when setting executive pay levels.

Independent Compensation Consultant

  

Independent Compensation Consultant:The Compensation Committee engages an independent compensation consultant to assess the market for the determination of our executive compensation elements and targets on an annual and ongoing basis.

Executive Stock Ownership Guidelines and Holding Requirements:Requirements

Our stock ownership guidelines provide that each NEO must own a multiple of his or her annual base salary in our common stock, and we have instituted holding requirements prohibiting our NEOs from selling HII common stock received as compensation until their stock ownership requirements have been met. The holding requirements also require our NEOs to continue to hold a portionone-half of their long-term incentive awards for anthree additional three years after they vest.

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines and Holding Requirements:Requirements

Although our directors do not have specific stock ownership guidelines, the restricted stock units ournon-employee

Executive Compensation(Continued)

directors receive do not become payable until a director ceases to serve on the Board.Non-employee directors who own shares of our common stock having a value at least five times the amount of their annual cash retainer may elect, on an annual basis, to receive their annual equity award directly in shares of our common stock or

42    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

WHAT WE DO
stock units that are payable in the fifth calendar year after the year in which the annual equity award is earned (or, if earlier, upon termination of the director’s board service).

What We Don’t Do

 

WHAT WE DON’T DO

No Employment Agreements for Executives

  

No Employment Agreements:None of our NEOs have employment agreements, so each NEO is employed by the company “at will.” We maintain a severance plan that provides for the payment of severance benefits in limited termination circumstances.

NoChange-in-Control Agreements for Executives

  

No Change-in-Control Agreements:We do not provide have nochange-in-control agreements or related executive taxgross-up benefits. The onlychange-in-control provision in our compensation plans, which applies to all employees who hold equity awards, is the possible acceleration of equity vesting in certain limited circumstances within the parameters of achange-in-control transaction, as defined in the related plans.

No Hedging or Pledging by Officers or Directors Permitted:

Officers, directors and certain other employees are prohibited from engaging in speculative transactions in our securities, pledging our securities as collateral for a loan or other transaction or engaging in any hedging transactions involving our securities.

No Dividends or Dividend Equivalents on Unearned RPSRs:RPSRs

No dividends or dividend equivalents are paid out on RPSRsrestricted performance stock rights during the performance period. Dividend equivalent units are paid only at the time and to the extent that the underlying shares vest and are paid.

Executive Compensation Principles

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (which we refer to as the “Committee” in this CD&A) is comprised exclusively of independent directors, as determined under NYSE corporate governance listing standards, including the enhanced independence considerations applicable to members of the Committee. The Committee oversees all of our compensation and benefit programs that affect our NEOs, as well as other officers elected by the Board of Directors.Board. The Committee also provides strategic direction for our totaloverall compensation and benefits structure and reviews and considers CEO and senior executive succession plans. In conducting oversight of these programs, the Committee is guided by the following compensation principles it has approved.

 

Our compensation programs will be primarily customer-focused, rewarding safety, quality, cost and schedule performance, and stockholder friendly, rewarding consistent achievement of strong financial results and increasing stockholder value.

 

Compensation programs will be designed to influence outcomes and will provide a balance between short- and long-term performances.

 

Compensation programs will be based on achievement of clear and measurable financial results and accountabilities, with an emphasis on performance-based compensation, and will be formula-based with appropriate levels of discretion for adjustments.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

Compensation and benefits will be competitive within the market. Alignment with peer companies will be considered when developing programs and goals, but measures oriented to strongly improving our own business results will be the predominant factor.

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    43


Executive Compensation

Compensation will be disclosed and explained in a transparent and understandable manner. Clear and concise goals will be established to enable the assessment of performance by the Committee and by stockholders through the CD&A.

 

Achievement of business goals through both annual operating performance and increased stockholder value will produce significant individual rewards; failure to achieve business goals will negatively affect the pay of our executives.

 

To promote alignment of management and stockholder interests, elected officers will meet stock ownership guidelines in the following multiples of base salary: CEO and President, seven times; all other elected officers reporting to the CEO, three times. The Committee will monitor attainment of the ownership guidelines on an annual basis. The restricted stock units ournon-employee directors receive do not become payable until a director ceases to serve on the Board.Non-employee directors who own shares of our common stock having a value at least five times the amount of their annual cash retainer may elect, on an annual basis, to receive their annual equity award directly in shares of our common stock or stock units that are payable in the fifth calendar year after the year in which the annual equity award is earned (or, if earlier, upon termination of the director’s board service).

 

The mix of long-term awards, selection of performance criteria and oversight of compensation programs, together with other features, such as our stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements, will be designed to discourage excessive risk taking by emphasizing a long-term focus on compensation and financial performance.

 

Our NEO compensation strategy will be consistently applied for all incentive plan participants to promote proper alignment, accountability andline-of-sight regarding commitments and priorities.

Pay for Performance

OurThe fundamental philosophy of our executive compensation principlesprogram is pay for performance. Ourpay-for-performance philosophy and pay-for-performance culturecompensation principles are designed to attract, motivate and retain key talenthighly-qualified executives, incentivize our executives to achieve business objectives, reward performance and incentivize them as they strive to meet or exceed both customeralign the interests of our executives with the interests of our stockholders and stockholder expectations.customers. As such, we provide significant reward opportunities to our NEOs linked to achievement of our financial and operational goals. Above all, these goals are customer-focused, rewarding achievement of safety, quality, cost and schedule goals, and stockholder-friendly, rewarding consistent achievement of strong financial results and building or increasing stockholder value. Performance-based compensation is balanced over the short- and long-term to incentivize decisions and actions that promote stockholder value and focus our executives on performance that benefits our stockholders and customers, while discouraging inappropriate risk taking behaviors.

This focus on performance is demonstrated in the compensation mix of our NEOs. For example, 95% of Mr. Petters’ total directOur executive compensation in 2015 was linked directly to our performanceis heavily weighted toward the variable, performance-based elements, and toward the long-term and equity-based elements, as reflected in the formfollowing charts, which set forth the percentage of his annual and long-term incentive awards. Performance-basedtotal target compensation also comprised approximately 88% of the totalcorresponding to each compensation element for each of our other NEOs with the exceptionwho was employed for all of Ms. Walker. Ms. Walker, whose performance based compensation comprised 59% of her total compensation, joined the company in 2015 and therefore did not receive a long-term compensation payout for the performance period that ended on December 31, 2015. Performance-based awards are balanced over the short- and long-term, incentivizing behaviors that promote stockholder value and encouraging our

Executive Compensation(Continued)2016.

 

44    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

 

NEOs to focus on performance that has a positive impact on our customers and stockholders, while discouraging inappropriate risk taking behaviors.LOGO

The design of our incentive compensation plans also supports ourpay-for-performance principles. philosophy. A significant portion of the potential compensation of our executives is at risk, and that risk increases with each executive’s level of responsibility. Exceeding our financial and operational targets can result in a payout of up to 200% of the original award target, while failure to meet our targets can result in no payouts of incentive compensation to NEOs under our plans.

2015 “Say-on-Pay”2016“Say-on-Pay” Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

Consistent with our goal of supporting a pay for performance culturepay-for-performance philosophy by implementing compensation programs that reward performance, are market competitive customer-focused and fair toalign the interests of our executives with the interests of our stockholders and customers, we seek the views of our stockholders on the design, effectiveness and results of our executive compensation program.

At our 20152016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, our stockholders approved our executive compensation on an advisory basis with 99% of the votes cast. This strong support, among other factors, resulted in the Committee not making significant changes to our executive compensation program.

Retention of Independent Compensation Consultant

The Committee continued in 20152016 to useengage an independent compensation consultant, Exequity LLP (“Exequity”), to assist the Committee in carrying out its responsibilities under its charter. Under the terms of the agreement between the Committee and the consultant, the Committee has the exclusive right to select, retain and terminate Exequity, as well as to approve any fees, terms or other conditions of Exequity’s service. Exequity reports directly to the Committee. When directed to do so by the Committee, the consultant also works collaboratively with the company’scompany management to develop analyses and proposals for presentations to the Committee. The Committee reviews the performance of the independent consultant on an annual basis and determines whether to continue the relationship.engagement.

Exequity attended several Committee meetings during 20152016 and presented analyses and key recommendations for Committee consideration, discussed emerging trends and technical issues and reviewed and commented on management proposals, as appropriate. In addition, the consultant responded to miscellaneous Committee requests.

Compensation Consultant Independence Assessment

In accordance with SEC rules and NYSE listing standards, the Committee requested and received information from Exequity relating to the consultant’s independence and potential conflicts of interest, including information regarding the following: (1) other services provided to us by the consultant; (2) fees paid by us as a percentage of the consulting firm’s total revenue; (3) policies or procedures

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    45


Executive Compensation

maintained by the consulting firm designed to prevent a conflict of interest; (4) any business or personal relationships between the individual consultants involved in the engagement and a member of the Committee; (5) any company stock owned by the individual consultants involved in the engagement; and (6) any business or personal relationships between our executive officers and the consulting firm or the individual consultants involved in the engagement.

Based upon an assessment of these factors, including information gathered from our directors and executive officers relating to business or personal relationships with the consulting firm or the individual

Executive Compensation(Continued)

consultants, the Committee concluded that the consultant is independent and that the work of the consultant did not raise any conflict of interest.

Peer Group Development

The Committee believes our total compensation program (base salary, target annual cash incentive awards, target long-term incentive awards and benefits) should in theprovide aggregate provide compensation at approximately the 50th percentile inof the relevant market. Based onupon an analysis conducted by Exequity and reviewed with the Committee, the Committee determined that our NEO base pay generally falls at or below the median and annual and that long-term incentive compensation is generally in the third or fourth quartile among the peer companies, whichcompanies. This compensation mix is consistent with both management’s and the Committee’s philosophy that a significant portion of an executive’s overall compensation package should be based on the performance of the company.company and therefore at risk.

HII is a unique business with few directly comparable peer companies. Data was therefore collected fromAs such, our current peer group is comprised of heavy manufacturing, engineering and defense companies withof approximately comparable size and annual revenuerevenues, generally between $1 billion and $10 billion, that most closely match our company in terms of market cap, strategic interest, workforce similarities and/or business type. The median annual revenuerevenues for peer group companies was $6.9$5.6 billion, slightly belowcompared to our 2015 revenue2016 revenues of $7.0$7.1 billion. The targeted peer group for our 20152016 NEO compensation analysis consisted of the following 16 companies:

 

BWX Technologies, Inc. *

 Orbital ATKBWX Enterprises, Inc. **

Exelis Inc.

 Oshkosh Corporation

Federal-Mogul Corporation

NRG Energy, Inc.
 Precision Castparts Corp.

Harris Corporation

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

KBR Inc.

 Chicago Bridge & Iron CompanyOrbital ATK Inc.

L-3 Communications Holdings

Exelis Inc.

Oshkosh Corporation
Federal-Mogul CorporationPrecision Castparts Corp.
Harris CorporationRockwell Collins, Inc.
KBR Inc. Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc.

Moog

L-3 Communications Holdings Inc.

 Teledyne Technologies Incorporated

NRG Energy,

Moog Inc.

 Triumph Group, Inc.

*BWX Technologies, Inc. separated from The Babcock & Wilcox Company in 2015.

**Orbital ATK Inc. replaced Alliant Techsystems Inc. following its merger with Orbital Sciences Corp.

KBR Inc. was addedAs a result of ongoing monitoring and analysis of the business landscape, the Committee has decided to ourmodify this peer group for 2015. URS Corporation2017 as follows:

Exelis was removed from our peer group for 2015 as a result of its merger with AECOM Technology Corp.Harris Corporation;

Precision Castparts was removed as a result of its merger with Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; and

Textron Inc. and TransDigm Group were added.

All other peer companies will remain the same.

Compensation Risk Assessment

The Board actively oversees our overall risk profile, including the potential risk posed by our compensation programs. During the third quarter of 2015,2016, a risk assessment and analysis of our

46    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

executive compensation programs was conducted by Exequity. Their findings confirmed that our executive compensation programs are designed to drive apay-for-performance culture philosophy and do not create risks that are likely to have a material adverse impact on the company. The Committee reviewed and discussed the risk analysis with Exequity and agreed with the consultant’s conclusions.

The following key factors are key components of our executive compensation risk mitigation efforts:

 

Our stock ownership guidelines and additional stock holding requirement of three years from the date of payout, including any payout that occurs within one year of retirement, provide a strong risk mitigation tool;

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

Our clawback policy applies to all employees at the level of Vice Presidentvice president and above, allowing us to recoup incentive payments in the event of restated financial results;

 

Our lack of employment agreements discourages management entrenchment and increases our flexibility to make management changes when appropriate;

 

Long-term incentive compensation payouts are capped at 200%, preventing possible windfall awards resulting from unforeseen circumstances; and

 

Long-term incentive compensation awards are earned over a three-year performance period and reduce any incentive to engage in business tactics that improve short-term performance at the expense of long-term success.

20152016 Compensation Elements

CompensationThe direct compensation elements for executives under our compensation program consist primarily of base salaries, annual incentive awards and long-term incentive awards. Annual base salary provides a fixed minimum level of compensation that is competitive within the relevant market and helps us attract and retain highly qualified executives. Annual incentivesincentive awards are generally paid in cash and intended to provide motivation tomotivate executives to achievepre-determined financial and operational targetsgoals that are clearly aligned with our strategic goals. Long-term incentivesincentive awards are generally equity-based and intended to promote achievement ofpre-determined three-year performance goals over a three-year period.aligned with stockholder interests.

20152016 Key Compensation Decisions

Key compensation decisions for our NEOs for 20152016 included the following:

 

With the exception of Mr. Cuccias, baseBase salaries for our NEOsMessrs. Cuccias and Kastner were not increased in 2015. Base salary for Mr. Cuccias was increased from $400,000 to $450,000, based on analysesas a result of a market adjustment and peer company data and internal equity considerations.

new officer position adjustment, respectively.

 

Targets as a percentage of base salary for annual incentive awards under our Annual Incentive Plan were not increased in 2015.2016. Based on our performance for 2015,2016, as well as the individual performances of our NEOs, payout awards were approved at levels that ranged from 131%150% to 200%175% of targets.

 

Targets as a percentage of base salary for long-term incentive awards were not increased in 2015.2016. All long-term incentive awards were in the form of restricted performance stock rights, which vest only upon achievement of performance metrics consisting of pension adjusted return on invested capital (“ROIC”) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and pension (“EBITDAP”) over the performance period from January 1, 20152016 through December 31, 2017.

2018.

Executive Compensation(Continued)ROIC is a measure of our ability to use cash flows to generate returns. ROIC is calculated as Adjusted Free Cash Flow divided by Invested Capital. Adjusted Free Cash Flow represents cash

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    47


Executive Compensation

 

flow available to HII’s equity and debt stakeholders, calculated as Free Cash Flow (cash from operations less capital expenditures) plusafter-tax interest. Invested Capital is equal to total debt, plus equity, less goodwill and the impact of any Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/Loss.

EBITDAP is a key indicator of our financial performance. EBITDAP is calculated as Net Income, plus interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, less Net Pension/Post Retirement Benefit Expense.

Base Salaries

With the exception of Mr.Messrs. Cuccias 2015and Kastner, 2016 base salaries for our NEOs were not increased from 2014,2015, effectively maintaining market competitiveness. Mr. Cuccias’ increase was based on management’s recommendation and an analysis of market and peer company data conducted by our independent compensation consultant. Mr. Kastner’s increase was based on his new role as Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer.

Base salaries for our NEOs for 20152016 were as follows:

 

Name

Title  

Title

20152016 Annual
Salary

($)

 

C. Michael Petters *

  President and Chief Executive Officer   950,0001 

Barbara A. NilandChristopher D. Kastner

  CorporateExecutive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer   566,500475,000 

Kellye L. Walker

  CorporateExecutive Vice President and General Counsel   515,000 

Matthew J. Mulherin

  CorporateExecutive Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding   515,000 

Brian J. Cuccias

  CorporateExecutive Vice President and President, Ingalls Shipbuilding   450,000515,000

Barbara A. Niland, retired

Corporate Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer566,500 

2016 CEO Base Salary Change

In 2016, Mr. Petters requested that his salary be reduced to an annual rate of $1. During the first quarter of 2016, the Committee met in executive session to evaluate CEO performance and approved this request. Mr. Petters’ primary compensation comes from performance-based equity compensation, and, as a significant stockholder, his personal wealth is tied directly to sustained performance and HII stock price appreciation, which directly aligns with stockholder interests. Mr. Petters will continue to receive equity and non-equity performance-based compensation reflected as a percentage of 2015 base salary. The Committee will continue to review compensation opportunities for Mr. Petters on an ongoing basis and recommend changes, if needed, to maintain alignment with business objectives.

*In 2016, Mr. Petters requested that his salary be reduced to an annual rate of $1. During the first quarter of 2016, the Committee met in executive session to evaluate CEO performance and approved this request. Effective May 2, 2016, Mr. Petters’ annual base salary was reduced to $1. Mr. Petters’ primary compensation comes from performance-based equity compensation, and, as a significant stockholder, his personal wealth is tied directly to sustained performance and HII stock price appreciation, which directly aligns with stockholder interests. Mr. Petters will continue to receive equity and non-equity performance-based compensation reflected as a percentage of 2015 base salary. The Committee will continue to review compensation opportunities for Mr. Petters on an ongoing basis and recommend changes, if needed, to maintain alignment with business objectives.

Creation of Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) and Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan (LTIP) Goals

The Committee approved financial metrics under our AIP for the corporate office, as well as a combination of financial and operational metrics for each of our two significant operating divisions. The guiding principle behind all of our performance metrics is that they drive the desired outcomes to promote customer satisfaction and increase stockholder value.

Division operational goals based on clear and measurable results were developed collaboratively between division and corporate management. Operational goals fall into the categories of safety, quality, cost and schedule, with a fifth category oriented to goals focused on division-specific challenges and opportunities, which may change from year to year.

48    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

The Committee approved goals for the LTIP to reward performance in three-year increments. The performance metrics for all participants under the LTIP for 20152016 were ROIC and EBITDAP.

Annual Incentive Compensation Awards

The Committee approves annual incentive compensation targets for each NEO position. Targets vary with relevant benchmark market levels, individual job level, job scope and overall influence on our business results. The Committee considers both the recommendations of its compensation consultant and those of management in determining appropriate annual incentive target levels for our NEOs. The

Executive Compensation(Continued)

target incentive award (“Target Bonus”) is based on a percentage of each NEO’s base salary and provides a basis upon which a final award amount is determined by the Committee based upon its assessment of performance againstpre-determined performance criteria after the year has ended. The annual incentive compensation targets for our NEOs expressed as a percentage of base salary tend to fall in the third quartile of the relevant market data.

20152016 Annual Incentive Plan

Annual incentive awards for Mr. Petters, Mr. Kastner, Ms. Walker and Ms. Niland and Ms. Walker for 20152016 were evaluated based onupon overall company performance, which includes operating marginusing Operating Margin and free cash flow, using ourFree Cash Flow for the entire enterprise to arrive at a company performance factor (“CPF”), as well as an individual performance factor (“IPF”). Operating Margin is equal to segment operating income as a percentage of total revenues. Segment operating income is equal to operating income before the FAS/CAS Adjustment andnon-current state income taxes. Free Cash Flow represents cash from operating activities less capital expenditures.

Achievement of the maximum performance criteria results in a CPF factor of 2.0. If the CPF is less than 0.5, no annual incentive award is paid. The IPF can range from 0 to 1.5. No annual incentive award can exceed 200% of an individual’s Target Bonus. The annual incentive award formula for the 20152016 performance period was:

Base Salary x Target % = Target Bonus

Target Bonus x CPF x IPF = Final Bonus Award

20152016 annual incentive awards for Messrs. Mulherin and Cuccias were evaluated based on their respective division performance factors (“DPF”), which include division financial metrics, consisting of operating margin and free cash flow for their respective divisions, and their respective divisionnon-financial goals, which include safety, quality, cost and schedule, as well as their individual IPFs. Achievement of the maximum performance criteria results in a factor of 2.0. No annual incentive award is paid if the CPF with reference to the corporate metrics is less than 0.5. The IPF can range from 0 to 1.5. No annual incentive award can exceed 200% of an individual’s Target Bonus. The annual incentive award formula for the 20152016 performance period was:

Base Salary x Target % = Target Bonus

Target Bonus x DPF x IPF = Final Bonus Award

At the conclusion of each calendar year, our CEO conducts an annual performance evaluation for each NEO in order to recommend an IPF for each NEO. These evaluations are reviewed with the Committee. Each NEO’s individual performance is evaluated based upon consideration of the following factors:

 

Financial performance of our company as a whole and the division(s) (where applicable);

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    49


Executive Compensation

Performance onnon-financial goals, including company-level goals and division-specific operating goals;

 

Strategic leadership and vision;

 

Program execution and performance;

 

Customer relationships; and

 

Peer and employee relationships/engagement.

At the end of the year, the Committee reviews and considers all performance information, including a comparison to the 20152016 peer group data. The Committee then approves annual incentive compensation awards for all NEOs, subject to ratification by the independent members of the Board with respect to the CEO’s compensation.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Target Bonus Amounts

Based on analyses of relevant market benchmarks and peer group data, we did not increase annual incentive compensation targets as a percentage of base salary for our NEOs from 20142015 to 2015.2016. The 20152016 Target Bonus amounts were as follows:

 

Name

  Incentive Target as
% of Base Salary

(%)
   2015 Target
Bonus ($)
   Incentive Target as %
of Base Salary (%)
   2016 Target Bonus
($)
 

C. Michael Petters

   125     1,187,500     125    1,187,500 

Barbara A. Niland

   70     396,550  

Christopher D. Kastner

   70    332,500 

Kellye L. Walker

   70     360,500     70    360,500 

Matthew J. Mulherin

   70     360,500     70    360,500 

Brian J. Cuccias

   70     315,000     70    360,500 

Barbara A. Niland, retired

   70    396,550 

Plan Funding

Our AIP is designed to comply with the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.Code (“IRC”). As such, in order to establish performance-based parameters for the payment of annual incentive compensation awards, the Committee approved a bonus pool that appropriates an amount (“Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation”) not to exceed 2.5% of our Economic Earnings for the performance year. “Economic Earnings” is defined as income from continuing operations before federal and foreign income taxes and the cumulative effect of accounting changes and extraordinary items,less pension income (or plus pension expense)plus amortization and impairment of goodwill and other purchased intangible assetsplus restructuring or similar charges to the extent they are separately disclosed in the annual report. Our performance-based compensation policy provides that the maximum potential individual incentive compensation award for a performance year for an officer subject to IRC Section 162(m) will be limited to no more than 40% of the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation for the CEO and 20% for each of the other covered NEOs other than our CFO.

An amended and restated Performance-Based Compensation Policy is being submitted to our stockholders for approval at the 2017 annual meeting, as required by the IRC, so that certain compensation payments to certain of our officers will qualify as “performance-based compensation” under IRC Section 162(m) and therefore be fully deductible by us as a business expense in the year of payment.

50    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

20152016 Annual Incentive Plan Goals and Results

For Mr. Petters, Mr. Kastner, Ms. Walker and Ms. Niland, and Ms. Walker, 20152016 annual incentive compensation awards were based onupon overall company performance. For Messrs. Mulherin and Cuccias, 20152016 annual incentive compensation awards were based onupon the performance of the Newport News division and the Ingalls division, respectively.

The corporate AIP score is based onupon our overall financial score as described below. Division performance score is based 75%50% on the division operational score and 25%50% on the division financial score. In determining the division performance factors for AIP awards for Messrs. Mulherin and Cuccias, the performance criteria are weighted as follows:

 

75%50% based on achievement of the division operational criteria.

The division operational criteria consist of the following five performance metrics, which are weighted equally (i.e., eachsub-metric comprises 20% of the division operational criteria). These criteria, which are specific to the respective divisions, are recommended by our CEO and approved by the Committee at the beginning of the performance year.

 

Safety—Measured by a combination of elements, including total case rate, lost total case rate and lost work days rate;

 

Quality—Measured by integrating elements such as defect rates, process quality, planning quality and other appropriate criteria for program type and phase;

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

Schedule—Measured using program-specific objectives related to achievement of quarterly targets;

 

Cost—Measured using program-specific objectives related to achievement of factors that include Cost Performance Index and overhead rates; and

 

Division Management—May be focused on operational or financial goals or goals focused on environmental, human capital or any other area in which our CEO desires to drive performance. Goals recommended by our CEO and approved by the Committee at the beginning of the performance year are specific to each division’s opportunities and challenges.

 

12.5%25% based on achievement of the division return on sales (“ROS”) performance criteria

 

ROS performance criteria—Measured as division operating margin (“OM”) before other post-employment benefits and FAS/CAS net pension expense.

 

12.5%25% based on achievement of the division free cash flow (“FCF”) performance criteria

 

FCF performance criteria—Measured as division FCF before discretionary pension contributions and excess cash flow.

All of the AIP metrics for our NEOs are recommended by our CEO and then approved by the Committee.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    51


Executive Compensation

AIP goals are plan-based, with minimum and maximum limits based on clear targets connected to our strategic goals. The AIP goals are based onupon metrics that are customer focused and stockholder friendly with clearline-of-sight financial and operational metrics. Final performance metrics for 2015,2016, as determined by the Committee, were as follows:

Corporate 20152016 Metrics for Mr. Petters, Mr. Kastner, Ms. NilandWalker and Ms. WalkerNiland

 

Corporate 2015 Metrics

  Goals @
0%
   Goals @
100%
   Goals @
200%
   Actual   Points   Weighting Final AIP
Points
 

OM%—Performance (%)

   8.35     8.49     9.19     9.50     200     50  100  
Corporate 2016 Metrics Goals @
0%
 Goals @
100%
 Goals @
200%
 Actual Points Weighting Final AIP
Points
 

OM—Performance (%)

 8.62  9.07  9.41  10.12  200  50 100 

FCF—Performance ($M)

   520     564     643     686     200     50  100   411  459  527  676  200  50 100 
             

 

 

Total Performance (CPF)

           Total AIP Score    200            Total AIP Score   200 
             

 

 

NN 20152016 Metrics for Mr. Mulherin

 

NN 2015 Metrics

 Goals @
0%
  Goals @
100%
  Goals @
200%
  Actual  Points  Weighting  Final AIP
Points
 

Operational Metrics

       

Operational Performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Schedule, Site President Specific)

  0    100    200    116    116    75  87  
 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Financial Metrics

       

OM%—Performance (%)

  9.00    9.10    9.20    8.98    0    12.50  0  

FCF—Performance ($M)

  377    397    417    293    0    12.50  0  
      

 

 

  

 

 

 

Financial Performance

       25  0  
      

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total Performance (DPF)

      Total AIP Score    87  
       

 

 

 

Executive Compensation(Continued)

NN 2016 Metrics Goals @
0%
  Goals @
100%
  Goals @
200%
  Actual  Points  Weighting  Final AIP
Points
 

Operational Metrics

       

Operational Performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Schedule, Site President Specific)

  0   100   200   96   99   50  50 
 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Financial Metrics

       

OM—Performance (%)

  8.66   8.96   9.11   9.11   100   50  50 

FCF—Performance ($M)

  324   344   364   390   100   50  50 
      

 

 

  

 

 

 

Financial Performance

       50  100 
      

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total Performance

                  Total AIP Score   150 

Ingalls 20152016 Metrics for Mr. Cuccias

 

Ingalls 2015 Metrics

 Goals @
0%
 Goals @
100%
 Goals @
200%
 Actual Points Weighting Final AIP
Points
 
Ingalls 2016 Metrics Goals @
0%
 Goals @
100%
 Goals @
200%
 Actual Points Weighting Final AIP
Points
 

Operational Metrics

              

Operational Performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Schedule, Site President Specific)

  0    100    200    186    186    75  140   0  100  200  188  150  50 75 
 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

Financial Metrics

              

OM%—Performance (%)

  9.00    9.10    9.60    17.32    200    12.50  25  

OM—Performance (%)

 9.60  10.10  10.60  13.44  100  50 50 

FCF—Performance ($M)

  164    184    204    401    200    12.50  25   94  114  154  293  100  50 50 
      

 

  

 

       

 

  

 

 

Financial Performance

       25  50        50  100 
      

 

  

 

       

 

  

 

 

Total Performance (DPF)

      Total AIP Score    190  
       

 

 

Total Performance

  Total AIP Score   175 

Payouts to NEOs under the AIP could have ranged from 0% to 200% of each NEO’s target incentive award.Target Bonus. Actual AIP payouts to NEOs for 20152016 ranged from 131%from150% to 200%175% of the target incentive awards of the NEOs,NEOs’ Target Bonus amounts, based onupon the results of the performance factors described above, individual performance factors and

52    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

overall corporate performance, applied and considered at the discretion of the Committee. In addition, the HIIHII’s CEO recommended to the Committee a downward adjustment of histhe actual AIP payout to corporate office NEOs to reflect accountability for overall 2015his qualitative assessment of operational results.performance. Actual bonusAIP payouts for 20152016 performance are included in the Summary Compensation Table.

2016 AnnualLong-Term Incentive Plan Changes

For 2016, the Committee approved changes to the weightings of the metrics utilized to measure performance for our division annual incentive awards. Beginning with awards made in 2016 for the performance period of January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016, annual incentive awards for both the Newport News Shipbuilding division and the Ingalls Shipbuilding division will be based 50% on financial metrics and 50% on operational metrics. Specific financial and operational metrics have not changed. We believe this change will place greater emphasis on financial results for division participants while continuing to tie division presidents to division goals. This increased focus on financial results from 25% to 50% will shift the divisions’ focus towards financial results and maintain alignment with the corporate strategy and vision.

Long-Term IncentiveCompensation Awards

Our long-term incentive compensation goals are intended to reward three-year performance increments based primarily on the achievement of financial metrics. Long-term incentive compensation for our NEOs is provided in the form of Restricted Performance Stock Rights (“RPSRs”). Each RPSR represents the right to receive one share of our common stock, or cash of equivalent value, subject to vesting as provided in the award. Vesting occurs once the Committee determines that the applicable performance criteria for the performance period have been satisfied. Earned RPSRs may be paid out in shares of our common stock or, at the discretion of the Committee, cash. RPSRs include dividend equivalent units, or DEUs, that are credited to the RPSRs following payment by the company of a cash dividend on our common stock. These DEUs remain subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying RPSR grants and are paid only to the extent the underlying RPSRs vest upon satisfaction of the applicable performance criteria.

The Committee determines long-term incentive compensation target values for our NEOs based upon thea peer group analysis, applying value-based guidelines that focus on the value awarded rather than the number of shares granted (share-based guidelines). The Committee believes value-based guidelines more effectively deliver long-term incentive compensation awards that are consistent with awards given to individuals holding comparable positions at peer companies.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

20152016 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Awards

Long-term incentive compensation awards in 20152016 were granted under our stockholder-approved Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. 2012 Long Term Incentive Stock Plan (the “2012 Plan”). All long-term incentive compensation awards granted to our NEOs in 20152016 were in the form of RPSRs and covercovered the performance period from 20152016 through 2017.2018. The Committee and management review and evaluate RPSR performance goals to ensure they are aligned with our long-term objectives. For the 20152016 grants, the Committee and management determined that performance for long-term incentive compensation awards to our NEOs would be measured solely in terms of overall company financial metrics: pension adjusted return on invested capital (“ROIC”) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and pension (“EBITDAP”). The number of shares that ultimately vest and are issued to an NEO under an RPSR award can vary from 0% to 200% of the original number of shares granted.

Long-term incentive compensation targets as a percentage of base salary for our NEOs for 20152016 were unchanged from the 20142015 targets and were approved by the Committee as follows:

 

Name

  Incentive Target as
% of Base Salary
(%)
   2015 Long-Term
Incentive Target
($)
   Actual
Award ($)
   Incentive Target as
% of Base Salary
(%)
   2016 Long-Term
Incentive Target
($)
   

Actual
Award

($)

 

C. Michael Petters

   400     3,800,000     3,799,926     400    3,800,000    3,799,960 

Barbara A. Niland

   220     1,246,300     1,246,230  

Christopher D. Kastner

   220    1,045,000    1,044,949 

Kellye L. Walker

   175     901,250     901,170     175    901,250    901,249 

Matthew J. Mulherin

   210     1,081,500     1,081,462     210    1,081,500    1,081,472 

Brian J. Cuccias

   210     840,000     839,934     210    945,000    944,943 

Barbara A. Niland, retired

   n/a    n/a    n/a 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    53


Executive Compensation

The target dollar targetsamounts are grant date theoretical values and not based upon any actual calculation or estimate of payout. An NEO is not guaranteed to receive any payout as a result of the 20152016 grants.

2013-20152014-2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan Goals and Results

During the first quarter of each year, the Committee reviews our financial performance over the prior three years against approved long-term incentive compensation goals to determine payout multiples for RPSRs with a performance period that ended December 31 of the prior year.

At the March 20162017 meeting, the Committee reviewed performance for the January 1, 20132014 through December 31, 20152016 performance period. Payouts for the 20132014 LTIP equity grants, based onupon actual performance, were approved as follows:

 

   HII 2013-2015 Goals   Actual Performance (Adj.) 
   @ 0%   @ 100%   @ 200%   Actual   Score   Weighting  CPF 

EBITDAP ($M) (1)

   2,073     2,253     2,478     2,365     150     50  75

ROIC (%) (2)

   29.30     32.60     36.50     40.70     200     50  100
             

 

 

 
           Total LTIP Score    175
             

 

 

 
   HII 2014-2016 Goals   Actual Performance (Adj.) 
   @ 0%   @ 100%   @ 200%   Actual   Score   Weighting   CPF 

EBITDAP (1)

   2,159    2,339    2,564    2454    151    50   76

ROIC% (2)

   34.30    38.40    42.20    57    200    50   100

Total

                       Total LTIP Score    176

 

(1)Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and net pension.

 

(2)Cumulative free cash flow divided by average invested capital.

The 20132014 LTIP awards were earned at 175%176% of target value, and the earned RPSRs were issued on March 1, 2016.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

2017.

Additional Benefits

We provide additional benefits to our NEOs through various plans that are also available to some or all of our other employees. Although these plans are not directly overseen by the Committee, the Committee considers benefits under these plans when reviewingconsidering an executive’s total annual compensation and determining the annual and long-term compensation components. These benefits are not performance-related and are designed to provide a market competitive package to attract, motivate and retain the executive talent we need to achieve our business objectives. The plans include broad-based retirement plans, as well as supplemental executive benefits we provide in addition to those offered to all other employees. These supplemental benefits include supplemental pension plans, enhanced health and welfare benefits (dental, life, AD&D and disability) and the Special Officers Retiree Medical Plan (“SORMP”) for our CEO that is offered at retirement.

Defined Benefit Retirement Plans. We maintaintax-qualified defined benefit pension plans that cover all but one of our NEOs and the majority of our workforce. These plans are structured to retain and reward employees for long service and to recognize higher performance levels through annual pay increases. Compensation, age and service factor into the amount of the benefits provided under the plans.

We also maintainnon-tax-qualified supplemental defined benefit pension plans that cover all but one of our NEOs. These plans provide benefits that would have been provided under thetax-qualified plans if no limits applied to such plans under the Internal Revenue Code. These types of benefits are common in our industry.

Defined Contribution Savings Plans. We maintaintax-qualified defined contribution savings plans that cover our NEOs and the majority of our workforce. Participating employees contribute portions of their pay to the plans, and the company generally provides a matching contribution.

54    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

We also maintain twonon-tax-qualified supplemental savings plans that cover all eligible employees, including our NEOs. The Savings Excess Plan (“SEP”) allows eligible employees to defer compensation beyond the limits of thetax-qualified plans and receive a matching company contribution. Eligibility begins when annual income, including base pay and bonuses, equals or exceeds $265,000, the plan compensation limit under the Internal Revenue Code. Eligible employees may participate in the plan in the calendar year after their total cash income meets or exceeds this limit.

The Officers Retirement Account Contribution Plan (“ORAC”) covers the company’s elected and appointed officers hired on or after July 1, 2008, who are not eligible for defined benefit pension plans. Enrollment is automatic, and the company contributes an amount equal to 4% of the officer’s eligible compensation. Because she was hired after June 30, 2008, Ms. Walker is not eligible to participate in the company’s qualified and nonqualified defined benefit pension plans, but she does receive the SEP and ORAC benefits described above. Our other NEOs do not receive ORAC benefits. Additional information about the SEP and the ORAC is provided in the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation table.

Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan. Our President and Chief Executive Officer is a participant in the SORMP and entitled to retiree medical benefits under the terms of the SORMP. Coverage under the SORMP is essentially a continuation of medical benefits into retirement, plus retiree life insurance. Additional information about the SORMP is provided below in the Retiree Medical Arrangement section of the Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control section and related tables.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Perquisites. Our NEOs are eligible for certain executive perquisites, which include financial planning, dental coverage, physical exams, personal liability insurance and relocation benefits. These perquisites are common within our industry and comprise an important component of our total compensation package. Management and the Committee review perquisites and benefits on an annual basis to ensure they are appropriate.

Severance Benefits. Management and the Committee believe severance benefits are appropriate for a reasonable amount of time following certain terminations of employment, including a termination without cause. In addition to providing a severance plan for all employees, we maintain The Severance Plan for Elected and Appointed Officers of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Benefits under this plan for our NEOs include the following:

 

Lump Sum Cash Severance Payment—A lump sum equal to one and one half (1.5) times the sum of annual base salary and Target Bonus;

 

Extension of Medical and Dental Benefits—The employer portion of medical and dental insurance premiums for a period of 18 months following the date of termination (concurrent with COBRA);

 

Financial Planning Reimbursement—Eligible expenses incurred prior to the date of termination and eligible expenses incurred in the year in which the date of termination occurs up to a maximum of $15,000, and any fees incurred in the year following the year in which the date of termination occurs up to a maximum of $15,000; and

 

Outplacement Services Reimbursement—Fees incurred within one year after the date of termination (limited to 15% of base salary as of the date of termination).

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    55


Executive Compensation

Additional Compensation Policies

Total Compensation—Tally Sheet

Management provides the Committee with a total compensation and benefits perspective for each NEO, which includes a tally sheet that captures each element of total compensation and benefits. In conjunction with the Committee’s reviewconsideration of NEO compensation compared to the company’s peer group, this tally sheet ensures that compensation decisions are made within a total compensation framework. The tally sheet provides a broad perspective that covers basic annual compensation components, as well as an annualized value of the benefits and perquisites each NEO receives. Accordingly, the values of nonqualified deferred compensation, outstanding equity awards, health and welfare benefits, pension benefits and perquisites are included.

Tax Deductibility of Pay—Section 162(m)

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally limits the deductibility ofnon-performance based compensation to $1,000,000 each for a public company’s CEO and next three highest-paid executive officers (other than the CFO). We intend to qualify our executive compensation for deductibility under Section 162(m) to the extent consistent with the best interests of the company and its stockholders. As such, we strive to make compensation decisions to ensure we maintain market competitiveness and retain executives critical to our business. Such considerations may result in compensation that isnon-deductible under Section 162(m).

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Grant Date for Equity Compensation Awards

Our annual grant cycle for long-term incentive compensation equity awards occurs simultaneously with salary increases and annual incentive compensation awards. We expect this to occur in the first two andone-half months of each year. This timing allows management and the Committee to make decisions on all three compensation componentselements at the same time to promote a total compensation review.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

To promote ownership of our common stock by our executives and alignment of management and stockholder interests, we have adopted stock ownership guidelines that prescribepre-determined stock ownership levels for certain executives, expressed as a multiple of the executive’s base salary. The stock ownership guidelines prescribe the following ownership levels:

 

President and CEO—7 times base salary;

 

Elected officers reporting directly to the President and CEO—3 times base salary; and

 

Other elected, appointed and other officers—1.5 times base salary.

The ownership guidelines may be satisfied in one or more of the following ways:

 

Direct ownership of our common stock;

 

Restricted Stock Rights (“RSRs”) (vested or unvested) granted in the form of restricted stock units and issued as part of a long-term incentive compensation award; or

 

Equivalent shares held in our savings plan (401(k) plan).

56    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

As of December 31, 2015,February 28, 2017, the percentage of stock ownership target attained by each NEO was as follows:

 

Name

  Target  % of Target
Attained
 

C. Michael Petters

  7 x salary   6202028

Barbara A. NilandChristopher D. Kastner

  3 x salary   509608

Kellye L. Walker

  3 x salary   2530

Matthew J. Mulherin

  3 x salary   7301467

Brian J. Cuccias

  3 x salary   357632%

Barbara A. Niland, retired

n/an/a 

Stock Holding Requirement

In connection withTo supplement our stock ownership guidelines, we adopted stock holding requirements for our NEOs for grants made in or after 2010. Under the holding requirements, our NEOs must hold at least 50% of the total number of shares of our common stock received as compensation until the earlier of (a) the third anniversary of the date such shares are issued or (b) the date that employment terminates due to death or disability. The holding requirement continues upon termination or retirement for aone-year period after separation from the company and applies to any equity compensation award vesting in thatone-year period. Any equity compensation award vesting or stock options exercised after theone-year anniversary of retirement or termination are not subject to the holding requirement.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Executive Compensation Recoupment

The Committee has adopted the Policy Regarding the Recoupment of Certain Performance-Based Compensation Payments (“clawback policy”), which requires reimbursement of all or a portion of any performance-based short- or long-term cash or equity incentive compensation payments to an employee at the vice president or morehigher senior position level, as required under the Dodd-Frank Act or any other “clawback” provision required by law or the corporate governance listing standards of the NYSE when (i) restatement of financial results is necessitated by noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws and (ii) payment of such amounts was received by the employee during the12-month period following the first public issuance or filing of the financial results that were subsequently restated. The clawback policy is in addition to any rights to repayment we may have under Section 304 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act and other applicable laws and does not limit other available remedies, including dismissing an employee or initiating other disciplinary actions.

Trading Restrictions and Policy againstAgainst Hedging and Pledging

Our insider trading policy prohibits directors, officers and employees from buying or selling securities of any company while in possession of materialnon-public information about that company, subject to certain limited exceptions involvingpre-arranged trading plans, and from providing such materialnon-public information to any person who may trade on the basis of such information. This policy also prohibits officers, directors and certain employees from engaging in speculative transactions in company securities, pledging company securities as collateral for a loan or other transaction or engaging in any hedging transactions involving company securities, including zero cost collar transactions and forward sale contracts. Directors, officers and certain employees may engage in permitted transactions in our securities only during certain specified periods and after receiving authorization from our Office of the General Counsel.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    57


Executive Compensation

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management this Compensation Discussion and Analysis and, based on such review and discussion, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement and incorporated by reference into the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.2016.

Submitted by members of the Compensation Committee:

Paul D. Miller, Chair

Kirkland H. Donald

Thomas B. Fargo

Victoria D. Harker

Executive Compensation(Continued)

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

20152016 Summary Compensation Table

The following table summarizes the compensation for our 2016 NEOs over the last three years of our 2015 Named Executive Officers.years.

Summary Compensation Table

 

Name & Principal Position

 Year  Salary
($)(1)
  Bonus
($)(2)
  Stock
Awards
($)(3)
  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(4)
  Change
in
Pension
Value

($)(5)
  All Other
Compensation
($)(6)
  Total
($)
 

C. Michael Petters,
President and
Chief Executive Officer

  
 
 
2015
2014
2013
  
  
  
  
 
 
986,538
950,000
940,385
  
  
  
   
 
 
3,799,926
3,799,909
3,599,983
  
  
  
  
 
 
2,102,736
1,844,306
1,983,125
  
  
  
  
 
 
1,239,275
6,853,403
2,592,852
  
  
  
  
 
 
30,483
50,580
31,254
  
  
  
  
 
 
8,158,958
13,498,198
9,147,599
  
  
  

Barbara A. Niland,
Corporate Vice President,
Business Management
and Chief Financial Officer

  
 
 
2015
2014
2013
  
  
  
  
 
 
588,288
563,327
550,000
  
  
  
   
 
 
1,246,230
1,209,940
1,209,998
  
  
  
  
 
 
793,100
662,239
642,950
  
  
  
  
 
 
667,432
4,398,420
1,752,179
  
  
  
  
 
 
66,043
64,472
62,728
  
  
  
  
 
 
3,361,093
6,898,398
4,217,855
  
  
  

Kellye L. Walker,
Corporate Vice President
and General Counsel

  2015    491,231    220,000    1,251,251    721,000    0    166,630    2,850,112  

Matthew J. Mulherin,
Corporate Vice President
and President, Newport
News Shipbuilding

  
 
 
2015
2014
2013
  
  
  
  
 
 
534,808
512,115
500,000
  
  
  
   
 
 
1,081,462
1,049,955
1,049,970
  
  
  
  
 
 
470,453
538,948
551,250
  
  
  
  
 
 
-486,616
2,023,150
755,953
  
  
  
  
 
 
59,643
59,923
28,735
  
  
  
  
 
 
1,659,749
4,184,091
2,885,908
  
  
  

Brian Cuccias,
Corporate Vice President
and President, Ingalls
Shipbuilding (7)

  
 
2015
2014
  
  
  
 
442,309
376,677
  
  
   
 
839,934
839,945
  
  
  
 
613,463
468,832
  
  
  
 
826,841
589,442
  
  
  
 
42,907
25,541
  
  
  
 
2,765,454
2,300,436
  
  
Name & Principal Position Year  

Salary

($) (1)

  

Bonus

($) (2)

  

Stock
Awards

($) (3)

  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($) (4)
  

Change in
Pension
Value

($) (5)

  All Other
Compensation
($) (6)
  Total ($) 

C. Michael Petters,

President and Chief Executive Office

  2016   328,847(7)    3,799,960   2,018,750   1,000,696   57,983   7,206,236 
  2015   986,538    3,799,926   2,102,736   1,239,275   30,483   8,158,958 
  2014   950,000    3,799,909   1,844,306   6,853,403   50,580   13,498,198 

Christopher D. Kastner,

Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer (8)

  2016   463,462    1,044,949   565,250   1,065,316   56,323   3,195,300 
Kellye L. Walker,  2016   505,096    901,249   612,850    151,352   2,170,547 
Executive Vice President and General Counsel (9)  2015   491,231   220,000   1,251,251   721,000   0   166,630   2,850,112 

Matthew J. Mulherin,

Executive Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding

  2016   515,000    1,081,472   540,750   163,722   32,012   2,332,956 
  2015   534,808    1,081,462   470,453   -486,616   59,643   1,659,749 
  2014   512,115    1,049,955   538,948   2,023,150   59,923   4,184,091 
        

Brian Cuccias,

Executive Vice President and President, Ingalls Shipbuilding division

  2016   514,906    944,943   630,877   1,511,713   50,322   3,652,761 
  2015   442,309    839,934   613,463   826,841   42,907   2,765,454 
  2014   376,677    839,945   468,832   589,442   25,541   2,300,436 
        

Barbara A. Niland,

Corporate Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer, retired (10)

  2016   132,910       103,714   -5,340,861   40,247   -5,063,990 
  2015   588,288    1,246,230   793,100   667,432   66,043   3,361,093 
  2014   563,327    1,209,940   662,239   4,398,420   64,472   6,898,398 
                                

 

(1)The amounts in this column represent salary earned during the year and include amounts deferred under the savings and nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

 

(2)The amount in this column represents a discretionarysign-on bonus awarded to Ms. Walker when she was hired in 2015.

58    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

 

(3)The dollar values shown in this column are equal to the grant date fair values of equity awards made during the year, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Information about the assumptions used to value these awards can be found in Note 19 of the financial statements included in our 20152016 Annual Report on Form10-K. The dollar value shown for Ms. Walker also includes a one-time grant of 3,031 restricted stock rights (“RSRs”) to Ms. Walker when she was hired in 2015, which vested at the end of one year with no performance requirements.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

The grant date values of 2016 RPSRs for each NEO, assuming maximum performance, were:

 

The grant date values of 2015 RPSRs for each NEO, assuming maximum performance, is:

C. Michael Petters

  $7,599,852    $7,599,920 

Barbara A. Niland

  $2,492,460  

Christoper D. Kastner

  $2,089,898 

Kellye L. Walker

  $1,802,340    $1,802,498 

Matthew J. Mulherin

  $2,162,923    $2,162,944 

Brian J. Cuccias

  $1,679,868    $1,889,886 

Barbara A. Niland

   n/a 

 

(4)The amounts reported in this column are attributable to the AIP awards earned for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2015,2016, but paid in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2016,2017, respectively. See the Grants of Plan-Based Awards table for more information regarding the range of AIP awards that could have been earned for 2015.2016.

 

(5)The amounts reported in this column represent the changes in actuarial present values of the accumulated benefits under defined benefit pension plans, determined by comparing the prior completedyear-end amount to the coveredyear-end amount. We do not have any deferred compensation plans that provide for above market or preferential earnings.

 

(6)Detailed information on the amounts reported in this column is included in the All Other Compensation table below.

 

(7)At the request of Mr. Petters, the Compensation Committee reduced his base salary to $1 effective May 2, 2016.

(8)Mr. Kastner was elected Executive Vice President, Business Management and Chief Financial Officer effective March 1, 2016. Under SEC rules, we are only required to provide 2014 and 20152016 information for Mr. Cuccias,Kastner, since he first became an NEO in 2014.2016.

(9)Ms. Walker was elected Executive Vice President and General Counsel effective January 12, 2015, and became an NEO that year.

(10)Ms. Niland retired from the company effective March 1, 2016.

All Other Compensation

 

Name

 Non-Qualified
Plans
Company
Match

($)
  Qualified
Plans
Company
Match

($)
  Health and
Welfare
Contributions
($)
  Executive
Physical
($)
  Financial
Planning
($)
  Personal
Liability
($)
  Relocation
Expenses
($)
  Total All Other
Compensation
($)
 

C. Michael Petters

   10,600    14,799     4,000    1,084     30,483  

Barbara A. Niland

  41,018    8,138    13,323    2,000    950    613     66,043  

Kellye L. Walker

  27,431    20,408    14,073    2,000    250    569    101,900    166,630  

Matthew J. Mulherin

  31,558    10,600    12,872     4,000    613     59,643  

Brian J. Cuccias

  22,615    6,625    13,070      597     42,907  

A family member of Mr. Petters accompanied him on two business trips on a corporate aircraft at no aggregate incremental cost to the company. A family member of Mr. Cuccias accompanied him on three business trips on a corporate aircraft at no aggregate incremental cost to the company.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Name    

Non-

Qualified
Plans
Company
Match ($)

  Qualified
Plans
Company
Match ($)
  Health and
Welfare
Contributions
($)
  Executive
Physical
($)
  Financial
Planning
($)
  Personal
Liability
($)
  Relocation
Expenses
($)
  Total All Other
Compensation
($)
 

C. Michael Petters

  2016    10,600   14,091   2,000   30,000   1,292    57,983 

Christopher D. Kastner

  2016   30,954   10,600   13,616    525   629    56,323 

Kellye L. Walker

  2016   62,207   23,850   13,966    2,165   629   48,535   151,352 

Matthew J. Mulherin

  2016   792   10,600   14,241    5,750   629    32,012 

Brian J. Cuccias

  2016   28,060   7,950   13,684     628    50,322 

Barbara A. Niland, retired

  2016   29,774   8,138   2,221           115       40,247 

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    59


Executive Compensation

 

20152016 Grants of Plan-BasedPlan Based Awards

The following table provides additional information about equity andnon-equity incentive compensation awards we granted to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs during the year ended December 31, 2015.2016.

20152016 Grants of Plan Based Awards

 

 

 

Estimated Potential

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 Units
(#)(3)
 Grant
Date Fair
Value of
Stock
and
Option
Awards
($)(4)
                

Grant Date
Fair Value
of Stock

and Option
Awards

($) (3)

 
    Estimated Potential Payouts Under
Non Equity Incentive Plan  Awards (1)
 Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards  (2)
 

Name

 Grant Type Grant
Date
 Threshold
($)
 Target
($)
 Maximum
($)
 Threshold
(#)
 Target
(#)
 Maximum
(#)
  Grant Type Grant
Date
 Threshold
($)
 

Target

($)

 Maximum
($)
 Threshold
(#)
 Target
(#)
 Maximum
(#)
 

C. Michael Petters

 Annual Incentive Plan  0  1,187,500    2,375,000        Annual Incentive Plan   0   1,187,500   2,375,000     
 Long-term
Incentive (RPSR)
 2/23/2015    0  26,683    53,366     3,799,926   Long-term Incentive (RPSR)  3/1/2016      0   28,612   57,224   3,799,960 

Barbara A. Niland

 Annual Incentive Plan  0  396,550    793,100       
Long-term Incentive
(RPSR)
 2/23/2015    0  8,751    17,502     1,246,230  

Christopher D. Kastner

 Annual Incentive Plan   0   332,500   665,000     
 Long-term Incentive (RPSR)  3/1/2016      0   7,868   15,736   1,044,949 

Kellye L. Walker

 Annual Incentive Plan  0  360,500    721,000        Annual Incentive Plan   0   360,500   721,000     
Long-term Incentive
(RPSR)
 2/23/2015    0  6,328    12,656     901,170  
Short-term Incentive
(RSR)
 1/12/2015       3,031  350,081  
 Long-term Incentive (RPSR)  3/1/2016      0   6,786   13,572   901,249 

Matthew J. Mulherin

 Annual Incentive Plan  0  360,500    721,000        Annual Incentive Plan   0   360,500   721,000     
Long-term Incentive
(RPSR)
 2/23/2015    0  7,594    15,188     1,081,462  
 Long-term Incentive (RPSR)  3/1/2016      0   8,143   16,286   1,081,472 

Brian J. Cuccias

 Annual Incentive Plan  0  315,000    630,000        Annual Incentive Plan   0   360,500   721,000     
Long-term Incentive
(RPSR)
 2/23/2015    0  5,898    11,796     839,934  
 Long-term Incentive (RPSR)  3/1/2016      0   7,115   14,230   944,943 
Barbara A. Niland, retired Annual Incentive Plan  0   396,550   793,100  

 

(1)Amounts in these columns show the range of payouts that was possible under our Annual Incentive Plan based on performance during 2015,2016, as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis. The amounts actually earned for 20152016 are included in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

(2)These amounts reflect RPSRs granted in 20152016 under the 2012 Plan. Each RPSR represents the right to receive a share of our common stock upon vesting of the RPSR. These RPSRs and accrued DEUs may beare earned based onupon ROIC and EBITDAP performance over a three-year performance period commencing January 1, 20152016 and ending December 31, 2017,2018, with payout occurring in early 2018,2019, ranging from 0% to 200% of the rights awarded. Accrued DEUs will be paid only to the extent the underlying shares vest based upon achievement of performance targets. Generally, an executive must remain employed through the performance period to earn an award, although vesting will be prorated if employment terminates earlier due to retirement, death or disability.

 

(3)The amount in this column reflects RSRs granted to Ms. Walker under the 2012 Plan when she was hired in 2015, and represents shares of our common stock that were issued upon vesting. The RSRs and accrued DEUs vested after one full year of service.

(4)The amounts reported in this column represent the full grant date fair values of the equity awards computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

60    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2015 2016Year-End

The following table summarizes the equity compensation awards we have made to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs that were outstanding as of December 31, 2015.2016.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2015 2016Year-End

 

Name

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

($)(1)
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number
of
Unearned
Shares,

Units or
Other
Rights

that Have
Not
Vested

(#)(2)
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,

Units or
Other
Rights

that
Have Not
Vested
($)(1)
  

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options

Exercisable (#)

 

Grant

Date

 

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
($)

 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number
of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
that Have
Not
Vested
(#) (1)
 Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
that Have
Not
Vested
($) (2)
 

C. Michael Petters

   2/23/2015         27,049    3,431,166    3/1/2016      28,990  5,339,668 
   2/24/2014         39,655    5,030,237    2/23/2015      27,407  5,048,095 
  2/19/2013         81,534    10,342,588    2/24/2014      40,179  7,400,570 
 202,795    2/16/2010    36.04    2/16/2017       202,795  2/16/2010  36.04  2/16/2017     
 196,762    2/17/2009    27.23    2/17/2016       59,499  2/28/2007  43.48  2/28/2017     
 59,499    2/28/2007    43.48    2/28/2017      
 66,110    2/15/2006    39.39    2/15/2016      

Barbara A. Niland

   2/23/2015         8,871    1,125,286  
Christopher D. Kastner  3/1/2016      7,972  1,468,363 
   2/24/2014         12,626    1,601,608    2/23/2015      6,058  1,115,823 
   2/19/2013         27,404    3,476,197    2/24/2014      8,881  1,635,791 

Kellye L. Walker

   2/23/2015         6,414    813,616    3/1/2016      6,875  1,266,306 
   1/12/2015       3,072    389,683      2/23/2015      6,499  1,197,051 

Matthew J. Mulherin

   2/23/2015         7,698    976,491    3/1/2016      8,250  1,519,568 
   2/24/2014         10,957    1,389,895    2/23/2015      7,800  1,436,682 
   2/19/2013         23,780    3,016,493    2/24/2014      11,102  2,044,877 

Brian J. Cuccias

   2/23/2015         5,979    758,436    3/1/2016      7,209  1,327,826 
   2/24/2014         8,765    1,111,840    2/23/2015      6,058  1,115,823 
   2/19/2013         6,088    772,263    2/24/2014      8,881  1,635,791 
Barbara A. Niland, retired  2/23/2015      8,871  1,633,949 
   2/24/2014          12,626  2,325,583 

 

(1)The market values are based on the closing price of our common stock on December 31, 2015, of $126.85.

(2)The numbers in this column assume target performance levels for RPSRs. The RPSR award granted in February 2016, if earned, will vest based on performance for the three-year period ending on December 31, 2018. The RPSR award granted in February 2015, if earned, will vest based on performance for the three-year period ending on December 31, 2017. The RPSR award granted in February 2014 if earned, will vest based on performance for the three-year period ending on December 31, 2016. The RPSR award granted in February 2013 vested based upon performance for the three-year period that ended on December 31, 2015.2016. See “2013-2015“2014-2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan Goals and Results” for actual vesting amounts. The number of shares reflected in the table for the 2016, 2015 2014 and 20132014 awards also includes DEUs accrued through December 31, 2015.2016. DEUs vest only to the extent the underlying performance award vests.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

(2)The market values are based on the closing price of our common stock on December 31, 2016, of $184.19.

 

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    61


Executive Compensation

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 20152016

The following table provides additional information about the value realized by our Named Executive OfficersNEOs on exercises of option awards and vesting of stock awards during the year ended December 31, 2015.2016.

20152016 Option Exercises and Stock Vested

 

 Option Awards    Stock Awards   Option Awards   Stock Awards 

Name

 Number of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise

(#)
 Value Realized
on Exercise

(1)($)
    Number of Shares
Acquired on
Vesting

(2)(#)
 Value Realized
on Vesting

(3)($)
   Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise (#)
   Value
Realized on
Exercise (1)
($)
   Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting (2)
(#)
   Value
Realized on
Vesting (3)
($)
 

C. Michael Petters

  98,422    9,205,410      199,320    28,385,161     262,872    24,884,725    142,684    18,949,862 

Barbara A. Niland

  0    0      53,593    7,632,179  

Christopher D. Kastner

   0    0    18,825    2,500,148 

Kellye L. Walker

  0    0      0    0     0    0    3,073    396,432 

Matthew J. Mulherin

  0    0      44,292    6,307,624     0    0    41,615    5,526,888 

Brian J. Cuccias

  0    0      11,637    1,657,225     0    0    10,654    1,414,958 

Barbara A. Niland, retired

   0    0    47,958    6,369,302 

 

(1)The values in this column are calculated by subtracting the exercise price of the options from the price of our common stock on the date of exercise and multiplying the result by the number of shares underlying the options. Amounts in the column may not represent amounts that were actually realized.

 

(2)The numbers in this column represent RPSRs that were received in 20152016 based on the achievement of performance goals for the three-year period from 20122013 through 2014.2015. For Ms. Walker, the number in this column represents RSRs granted upon her hiring in 2015 that vested after one year of service.

 

(3)The values in this column are calculated by multiplying the number of RPSRs vested by the closing price of our common stock on the NYSE on the date of vesting.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

62    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

 

20152016 Pension Benefits

It is our policy that an executive’s total benefit under our pension plans is essentially limited to 60% of the executive’s final average pay. The following table shows the present value of accumulated benefits payable to each of our Named Executive OfficersNEOs under the qualified defined benefit pension plans and nonqualified defined benefit pension plans that we sponsor.

20152016 Pension Benefits

 

Name

 

Plan Name

 Number of
Years
Credited
Service
 Present Value of
Accumulated
Benefit

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

C. Michael Petters (2)

 Special Officer SERP  11.167    10,465,529    —     Special Officer SERP   12.167    10,567,432     
 HII NNS Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan  27.500    11,125,679    —     HII NNS Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan   28.500    11,883,103     
HII NNS Inc. Retirement Plan  27.500    1,057,965    —     HII NNS Inc. Retirement Plan   28.500    1,199,334     

Barbara A. Niland (2)(3)

 OSERP  37.000    7,735,961    —     OSERP   37.167    7,917,627    387,238 
 HII Supplemental Plan 2-ERISA 2  12.500    1,433,356    —     HII Supplemental Plan2-ERISA 2   12.667    1,710,790    83,571 
ES Executive Pension Plan  36.996    5,727,213    —     ES Executive Pension Plan   37.163         
HII Retirement Plan “B”  36.996    1,162,080    —     HII Retirement Plan “B”   37.163    1,089,332    53,149 

Kellye L. Walker (3)(4)

   —      —      —                 

Matthew J. Mulherin (2)

 OSERP  35.000    2,173,328    —     OSERP   36.000    1,767,944     
 HII NNS Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan  33.500    4,154,751    —     HII NNS Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan   34.500    4,563,664     
 HII NNS Inc. Retirement Plan  33.500    1,201,271    —     HII NNS Inc. Retirement Plan   34.500    1,361,464     

Brian J. Cuccias (2)

 HII Retirement Plan “B”  29.750    617,495    —     HII Retirement Plan “B”   30.750    713,102     
 Avondale Supp Pension Plan  29.750    833,218    —     Avondale Supp Pension Plan   30.750    1,101,738     
 HII Litton Restoration Plan  29.750    1,158,263    —     HII Litton Restoration Plan   30.750    1,754,348     
 OSERP  29.750    1,363,563    —     OSERP   30.750    1,915,064     

Christopher D. Kastner (2)

 OSERP   25.917    508,316     
 HII Supplemental Plan2-ERISA 2   25.917    2,841,035     
 HII Retirement Plan “B”   25.917    1,363,282     

 

(1)While benefits may be spread over different plans, it is our policy that an executive’s total benefit under these plans is essentially limited to 60% of such executive’s final average pay. The pension benefits for Mr. Petters under the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan are based on an alternate formula that includes total HII service.

 

(2)The following plans in which these executives participate were consolidated as of December 31, 2014 to form the Huntington Ingalls Industries Omnibus Supplemental Retirement Plan: HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan, HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan, and Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.

 

(3)Ms. Niland retired on March 1, 2016, and elected the joint and 100% to surviving spouse option for her pension benefits payable under the HII Retirement Plan “B”, HII Supplemental Plan2-ERISA Supplemental Program 2 and OSERP. Ms. Niland is not eligible to receive a benefit from the HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, because she did not meet the plan’s vesting requirements at the time of retirement.

(4)Ms. Walker was hired in January 2015 and was, therefore, not eligible to participate in any historical defined benefit pension plans, which were closed to new participants in 2008. Ms. Walker does, however, participate in company sponsored defined contribution plans.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    63


Executive Compensation

The pension values represent the present values of the benefits expected to be paid in the future. They do not represent actual lump sum values that may be paid from a plan. The amount of future payments is based on the current accrued pension benefit as of December 31, 2015.2016. Pursuant to SEC disclosure rules, (i) the actuarial assumptions used to calculate amounts for this table are the same as those used for our financial statements, and (ii) all pension values are determined assuming the Named Executive OfficerNEO works until the specified retirement age, which is the earliest unreduced retirement age (as defined in each plan).

Executive Compensation(Continued)

General Explanation of the Pension Benefits Table

Individual employees may be covered by several different pension plans as a result of our history as a division of Northrop Grumman. However, an executive’s total benefit under the pension plans is essentially limited to 60% of his or her final average pay. The accrued tax qualified pension benefit cannot be reduced or taken away under applicable law, so all historical pension plans have been maintained.

Pension plans provide income during retirement, as well as benefits in special circumstances, including death and disability. In general, the plans are structured to reward and retain employees of long service and recognize higher achievement levels through increases in annual pay. The term “qualified plan” generally means a plan that qualifies for favorable tax treatment under Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) Section 401. Savings plans (also known as 401(k) plans) and traditional pension plans are examples of qualified plans. Qualified plans apply to a broad base of employees. The term “nonqualified plan” generally means a plan that is limited to a specified group of management personnel. Our nonqualified plans supplement our qualified plans and (1) provide benefits that would be provided under our qualified plans if there were no limitations imposed by the IRC and (2) provide a minimum level of pension benefits to our executives in recognition of their higher levels of responsibility.

The amounts in the table are based on the specific provisions of each plan, which are described in more detail below. Two basic types of pension benefits are reflected in the Pension Benefits table: traditional benefits and cash balance benefits. For purposes of computing amounts in the table, traditional benefits are determined based on the annual pension earned as of December 31, 2015,2016, and include any supplemental payments. Cash balance benefits are based onupon the account balance as of December 31, 2015,2016, plus a future interest credit, converted to an annuity using the applicable conversion factors.

Ms. Niland participates in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B”,“B,” the HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan and the Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2. Mr. Kastner participates in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and the Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2. Messrs. Petters and Mulherin participate in the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan and the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan. Mr. Cuccias participates in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B”, the Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan and the HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan. Ms. Walker participates in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Retirement Account Contribution Plan (“ORAC”). Each Named Executive Officer,NEO, except Mr. Petters and Ms. Walker, also participates in the Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program (“OSERP”). Mr. Petters participates in the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.

Effective December 31, 2014, the following plans were consolidated to form the Huntington Ingalls Industries Omnibus Supplemental Retirement Plan: HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan, HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan and Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. The consolidation does not affect the benefit amounts payable to the participants.

64    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

The change in pension values shown in the Summary Compensation Table includes the effect of:

 

an additional year of service from December 31, 20142015 to December 31, 2015;

2016;

 

changes in eligible pension pay;

 

changes in applicable pay cap limits; and

 

changes in actuarial assumptions.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Description of Qualified Plans

Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan.The general benefit structure of these plans is similar except for the historical benefit formulas, the transition benefit formulas and the timing of the transition period, all of which are described below. The plans are qualified under IRC Section 401 and provide up to three component pieces of benefits depending on when a participant is hired and terminates. The following chart illustrates the component pieces (described in more detail after the chart):

 

  

Part B

(5-Year Transition Benefit)

Benefit based on a formula similar to the one under the historical plan formula during the transition period

     

Part A

Benefit under the historical plan

formula before the transition period

 + or (if greater) + 

Part D

Benefit under the cash balance

formula after the transition period

 =  Pension Benefit
  

Part C

(5-Year Transition Benefit)

Benefit under the cash balance formula during the transition period

     

The components are the historical benefit (the Part A benefit), the transition benefit (the greater of the Part B benefit or the Part C benefit) and the cash balance benefit (the Part D benefit). Eligible employees who joined a plan after the transition date associated with their pension plan accrue only the cash balance benefit (Part D) from their first date of participation.

The qualified benefit for each Named Executive OfficerNEO is the sum of these three benefits (Part A + Max (Part B or C) + Part D).The. The transition period for the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” is July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2008, while the transition period for the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan is January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2008. During the transition period, each eligible participant earned the greater of (i) the benefit calculated under a formula similar to his or her historical plan (Part B) or (ii) the cash balance formula benefit (Part C).

The cash balance formula (Parts C and D benefits) uses a participant’s points (age plus years of service) to determine apay-based credit amount (a percentage of eligible pay) on a monthly basis. Interest is credited monthly on the amount in the participant’s hypothetical individual account. At normal retirement age, a participant’s balance in the hypothetical account is converted into an annuity payable for life, using specified factors. There are various forms of annuities from which the participant can choose, including a single-life annuity or ajoint-and-survivor annuity.

Specific Elements of the Plans. The following paragraphs describe specific elements of the plans in more detail.

 

Formulas Under Historical Plans:

 

  

HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan—This plan is a legacy part of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and provides a benefit equal to 2% multiplied by the sum of all years of pensionable compensation (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) from

Executive Compensation(Continued)

January 1, 1995, plus a frozen benefit accrued under the prior Westinghouse Pension Plan, if any.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    65


Executive Compensation

Participants hired prior to January 1,1995, who elect an annuity form of payment for their Westinghouse frozen benefit are eligible for an annualpre-age 62 supplemental benefit equal to $144 per year of service. This supplemental benefit is paid to those who retire prior to age 62 with payments ceasing at age 62. The HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan was a contributory plan until April 1, 2000. Ms. Niland has historical (Part A) benefits under this formula.

 

  

HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan—This plan provides a benefit equal to 55% of final average pay (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) multiplied by benefit service up to a maximum of 35 years divided by 35. Participants withpre-1997 service also have a frozen accrued benefit with the prior NNS parent company, Tenneco. Total benefit service is used for the plan benefit, but the frozen accrued benefit with Tenneco is offset from the total benefit. Final average pay is the average of the final 60 months of base pay multiplied by 12 to determine an annual final average pay. Messrs. Petters and Mulherin have historical (Part A) benefits under this formula.

 

  

HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan—This plan is a legacy part of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and provides different benefits depending on whether the participant was an employee of Avondale Services Corporation (“Services”) or a Shipyard employee (“Shipyard”). The Services benefit is equal to 1.5% of final average pay (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) multiplied by benefit service. The Shipyard benefit is equal to the sum of 25% of final average pay (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) up to $6,600 and 40% of final average pay (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) in excess of $6,600 multiplied by the ratio of actual benefit service to projected benefit service at normal retirement age, prorated when projected benefit service is less than 30 years. In both cases, the benefit is offset by the annuitized value of the participant’s HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Savings Plan (“ESOP”) account, unless the participant is eligible and elects to roll over the ESOP account into the plan. The benefit amounts shown for Mr. Cuccias reflect the ESOP offset. Final average pay is the average of the five consecutive highest paid years during the last ten years of employment. Mr. Cuccias has historical (Part A) benefits under both of these formulas. Since he transferred from Shipyard to Services, his benefit is the greater of (1) the sum of his Shipyard and Services benefits based on service earned under each respective formula and (2) his Shipyard benefit as if he never transferred. The Part B benefit for Mr. Cuccias is based on the Services formula.

HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan—This plan is a legacy part of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and provides a benefit equal to 1.6667% of final average pay (as limited by IRC Section 401(a)(17)) multiplied by benefit service up to a maximum of 30 years. Final average pay is the average of the three highest-paid years during which the participant was an eligible employee of Northrop Grumman after 1996. Mr. Kastner has historical (Part A) benefits under this formula.

 

Cash Balance Formula. Table 1 shows the percentage of pay credit specified at each point level for the Part C benefit for each Named Executive Officer.NEO. Interest is credited monthly based on the30-year Treasury bond rate in effect four months prior to the crediting month.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

For the Part D benefit, the cash balance formula for all Named Executive Officers is based upon Table 2.

66    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

Table 1 (Part C Formula)

 

   Credit Amount 

Points

(attained age and total service)

  All Eligible Pay
(%)
   Eligible Pay in Excess of
Social Security Wage Base
(%)
 

Under 25

   6.0    6.0 

25 to 34

   6.5    6.0 

35 to 44

   7.0    6.0 

45 to 54

   7.5    6.0 

55 to 64

   8.0    6.0 

65 to 74

   8.5    6.0 

75 to 84

   9.0    6.0 

Over 84

   9.5    6.0 

Table 2 (Part D Formula)

 

   Credit Amount 

Points

(attained age and total service)

  All Eligible Pay
(%)
   Eligible Pay in Excess of
Social Security Wage Base
(%)
 

Under 25

   3.5    4.0 

25 to 34

   4.0    4.0 

35 to 44

   4.5    4.0 

45 to 54

   5.0    4.0 

55 to 64

   5.5    4.0 

65 to 74

   6.5    4.0 

75 to 84

   7.5    4.0 

Over 84

   9.0    4.0 

 

Vesting. Participants vest in their program benefits upon completion of three years of service. As of December 31, 2015,2016, each Named Executive OfficerNEO (with the exception of Ms. Walker) has a nonforfeitable right to receive retirement benefits, which are payable upon early (if eligible) or normal retirement, as elected by the Named Executive Officer.

NEO.

 

Form of Benefit.The standard form of benefit is an annuity payable for the life of the participant. At normal retirement, the annuity for the cash balance formula is equal to the accumulated account balance divided by 9. Other annuity options may be elected; however, each option is actuarially equivalent in value to the standard form. The HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan also allows alump-sum form of distribution to be elected on a portion of the historical (Part A) benefit.

 

Pay.Pay for purposes of the cash balance, the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan formula, the HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan formula and the services formula of the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan is primarily salary plus the annual cash bonus. Final average pay for the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan and the Shipyard formula of the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan is determined using base salary only.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

Normal Retirement. Normal retirement means the benefit is not reduced for early commencement. It is generally specified in each formula as: age 65 for the historical HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan, HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan and HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan formulas and the later of age 65 and three years of vesting service for the cash balance formula.

 

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Plan, HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan, HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan and HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan formulas and the later of age 65 and three years of vesting service for the cash balance formula.

Early Retirement. Early retirement eligibility for the historical HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan, the HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan, the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan and the cash balance formulas occurs when the participant both attains age 55 and completes ten years of service. Early retirement for the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan can occur when the participant either attains age 58 and completes 30 years of service or attains age 60 and completes ten years of service. Alternatively, an HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan participant may elect to commence an actuarially reduced vested benefit at any time following termination. Early retirement benefits under both the historical and cash balance formulas may be reduced for commencement prior to normal retirement to reflect the longer period of time over which the benefit will be paid.

All Named Executive OfficersNEOs (with the exception of Ms. Walker) have completed ten or more years of service. Accordingly, each of Mr.Messrs. Petters, Ms. Niland, Mr. Mulherin, Kastner and Mr. Cuccias will be eligible for early retirement under the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” (which includes historical benefits from the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan, the HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan and the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan) or the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan, as applicable, upon attainment of the early retirement age requirement. Early retirement benefits for each Named Executive OfficerNEO cannot commence prior to termination of employment.

Description of Nonqualified Plans

Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2. This plan is a nonqualified plan that provides benefits that would have been paid under the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” but for the IRC Section 401(a)(17) limit on the amount of compensation that must be taken into account under a qualified plan. The definition of compensation under this plan also includes compensation under deferred compensation plans. Benefits under this plan are subject to a general limitation of 60% of final average pay (reduced for early retirement, if applicable, according to the rules of the Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program (“OSERP”)) for all company pension benefits. Optional forms of payment are generally the same as those from the qualified plan, plus a13-month delayed lump sum option on a portion of the benefit. Reductions for early retirement apply in the same manner as under the associated qualified plan.

Ms. Niland began participation under the plan on July 1, 2003, the date the plan was amended to cover HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan participants. Mr. Kastner began participation under the plan when he reached applicable pay grades for inclusion in the plan.

HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan. This plan is a nonqualified plan that provides benefits that would have been paid under the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan but for the IRC Section 401(a)(17) limit on the amount of compensation that must be taken into account under a qualified plan and the IRC Section 415 limit on benefits that may be paid under a qualified plan. The definition of compensation under this plan also includes compensation under deferred compensation plans. Benefits under the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan are subject to a general limitation of 60% of final average pay (reduced for early retirement, if applicable, according to the rules of the OSERP for all

Executive Compensation(Continued)

pension benefits). Optional forms of payment are the same as those under the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan. Reductions for early retirement apply in the same manner as under the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan.

Messrs. Petters and Mulherin began participation under the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan when they reached applicable pay grades for inclusion in the plan.

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HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan.This plan is a nonqualified plan, frozen to new entrants on July 1, 2003. It provides a gross supplemental pension equal to 1.47% of final average pay for each year or portion thereof that the participant was making maximum contributions to the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan or predecessor plan. Final average pay is the average of the highest five annualized base salaries at December of each year on or after 1995 plus the average of the highest five annual incentive payments since January 1, 1995.

The final HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan benefit is reduced by benefits from the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” and Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2. Participants vest in their HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan benefits upon attaining age 58 and completion of 30 years of service, attaining age 60 and completion of ten years of service or attaining age 65 and completion of five years of service. These milestones must be attained prior to termination from the company. Currently, Ms. Niland is not vested in her HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan benefits. Optional forms of payment are the same as those under the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan. Ms. Niland is not eligible to receive a benefit from the HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, because she did not meet the age and service vesting requirements at the time of her retirement.

HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan. This plan is a nonqualified plan that provides benefits that would have been paid under the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B” but for the IRC Section 401(a)(17) limit on the amount of compensation that must be taken into account under a qualified plan. The definition of compensation under this plan also includes compensation under deferred compensation plans. Benefits under this plan are subject to a general limitation for all company pension benefits of 60% of final average pay (reduced for early retirement, if applicable, according to the rules of the OSERP). Optional forms of payment are generally the same as those from the qualified plan, plus a13-month delayed lump sum option on a portion of the benefit. Reductions for early retirement apply in the same manner as under the associated qualified plan.

Mr. Cuccias began participating in the HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan on July 1, 2003, when the plan was amended to cover thenon-represented participants of HII Avondale Industries, Inc.

Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan. This plan is a nonqualified plan that provides a supplemental pension equal to 15% of final average pay multiplied by a fraction of actual benefit service divided by projected years of service to early retirement date, where the fraction shall not exceed one. Final average pay is the average of the five consecutive highest paid years out of the last ten years of employment. The definition of compensation under this plan also includes compensation under deferred compensation plans. Optional forms of payment and reductions for early retirement are generally the same as those from the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan.

Mr. Cuccias began participating in the Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan when he was designated a participant by the Avondale Board of Directors.

Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program. The Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program is a nonqualified plan frozen to new entrants on July 1, 2008. Accordingly, officers hired on or after this date and any promoted officers who do not participate in a qualified defined

Executive Compensation(Continued)

benefit pension plan are not allowed to participate in the plan. They instead participate in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Retirement Account Contribution Plan, which is a defined contribution plan arrangement.

Ms. Niland, Mr. Cuccias, Mr. Kastner and Mr. Mulherin participate in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program, which provides a total pension benefit equal to a percentage of final average pay (the average pay without the IRC Section 401(a)(17) limit and including deferred compensation in the three highest-paid plan years during the greater of (i) the last ten consecutive years of participation, or (ii) all consecutive years of participation since January 1, 1997)

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where the percentage is determined by the following formula: 2% for each year of service up to ten years, 1.5% for each subsequent year up to 20 years, and 1% for each additional year over 20 and less than 45, less any other HII pension benefits. Under the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program, all years of service with HII are used to determine the final percentage.

The Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program benefit, when combined with all HII pension benefits, cannot exceed the general limit of 60% of final average pay (reduced for early retirement, if applicable, according to the rules of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program). Optional forms of payment are generally the same as those under the qualified plan, plus a13-month delayed lump sum option on a portion of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program benefit.

 

Normal Retirement: Age 65.

 

Early Retirement: Age 55 and completion of ten years of service. Benefits are reduced by the lesser of 2.5% for each year between retirement age and age 65, or 2.5% for each point less than 85 at retirement. Points are equal to the sum of age and years of service.

 

Vesting: Participants vest in their Huntington Ingalls Industries Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program benefits upon attaining age 55 and completion of ten years of service or attaining age 65 and completion of five years of service. These milestones must be attained prior to termination from HII.

Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. The Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan is a nonqualified plan, limited to the Chief Executive Officer of the company as of March 31, 2011. Mr. Petters is eligible to participate in the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, which provides a pension equal to the greater of the amount accrued under the OSERP formula or the benefit calculated using the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan provisions.

The Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan provides a total pension benefit equal to a percentage of final average pay (the average pay without the IRC Section 401(a)(17) limit and including deferred compensation of the three highest-paid plan years after 1996) where the percentage is determined by the following formula: 3.33% for each year of service up to ten years, 1.5% for each subsequent year up to 20 years and 1% for each additional year over 20 less any other HII pension benefits accrued while a participant in the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. Only service while a participant in the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan is used to determine the final percentage.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

The Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan benefit, when combined with all pension benefits, cannot exceed the general limit of 60% of final average pay (reduced for early retirement, if applicable), according to the rules of the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. Optional forms of payment are generally the same as those under the qualified plan, plus a13-month delayed lump sum option on a portion of the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan benefit.

 

Normal Retirement: Age 65.

 

Early Retirement: The later of the first day of the month following termination or the commencement of the participant’s qualified plan benefit. Benefits are reduced by the lesser of 2.5% for each year between retirement age and age 65, or 2.5% for each point less than 85 at retirement. Points are equal to the sum of age and years of service.

 

Vesting: Participants vest in their Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan benefits when they have vested in their qualified plan benefits.

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Huntington Ingalls Industries Omnibus Supplemental Retirement Plan. Effective December 31, 2014, the following plans were consolidated to form the Huntington Ingalls Industries Omnibus Supplemental Retirement Plan: HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan, HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan and Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. The consolidation does not affect the benefits amounts payable to the participants.

Section 409A Restrictions on Timing and Optional Forms of Payment. Under IRC Section 409A, employees who participate in company-sponsored nonqualified plans, such as the Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2, the HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan, the HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, the HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan, the Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, the Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and the Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, are subject to special rules regarding the timing and forms of payment for benefits earned or vested after December 31, 2004 (“post-2004 benefits”). Payment of post-2004 benefits must begin on the first day of the month coincident with or following the later of attainment of age 55 and termination from the company. The optional forms of payment for post-2004 benefits are limited to a single life annuity or a selection of joint and survivor options.

Specific Assumptions Used to Estimate Present Values. The following assumptions were used to estimate the present values in the Pension Benefits table:

 

Assumed Retirement Age: For all plans, pension benefits are assumed to begin at the earliest retirement age that the participant can receive an unreduced benefit payable from the plan. Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program and Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan benefits are first unreduced once a Named Executive Officeran NEO reaches age 55 and accumulates 85 points or reaches age 65. For the HII Electronic Systems Pension Plan (Part A and B benefits), the associated Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2 (Part B benefits) and the HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan, vested benefits are first unreduced for a Named Executive Officeran NEO at the earlier of age 58 and completion of 30 years of service or age 65. HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan and associated HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Restoration Plan benefits (Part A and B benefits) are first unreduced at the earlier

of age 62 and completion of ten years of service or age 65. For the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan (Part A and B benefits), the associated HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan (Part A and B benefits) and the Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, benefits are first unreduced for an NEO at age 65. For the HII Northrop Grumman Pension Plan (Part A and B benefits) and the associated Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2 (Part A and B benefits), vested benefits are first unreduced once an NEO reaches age 55 and accumulates 85 points or reaches age 65. Given each NEO’s period of service, cash balance benefits (Part C and D benefits) will be converted to an annuity on an unreduced basis starting at age 55.

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Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

of age 62 and completion of ten years of service or age 65. For the HII Avondale Industries, Inc. Pension Plan (Part A and B benefits), the associated HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan (Part A and B benefits) and the Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan, benefits are first unreduced for a Named Executive Officer at age 65. Given each Named Executive Officer’s period of service, cash balance benefits (Part C and D benefits) will be converted to an annuity on an unreduced basis starting at age 55.

When portions of a Named Executive Officer’san NEO’s benefit under the “Part A + Max (Part B or Part C) + Part D” structure have different unreduced retirement ages, the later unreduced age is used for the entire benefit.

 

Discount Rate: The applicable discount rates are as follows:

 

Plan Name

  12/31/2015
(%)
   12/31/2014
(%)
   12/31/2016
(%)
   12/31/2015
(%)
 

Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2

   4.79     4.38     4.53    4.79 

HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Plan

   4.68     4.25     4.40    4.68 

HII Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan

   4.75     4.38     4.52    4.75 

Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B”

   4.77     4.40     4.52    4.77 

HII Electronic Systems Executive Pension Plan

   4.75     4.38     4.52    4.75 

Avondale Industries, Inc. Restated Supplemental Pension Plan

   4.75     4.38     4.52    4.75 

HII Litton Industries, Inc. Restoration Plan

   4.75     4.38     4.52    4.75 

Officers Supplemental Executive Retirement Program

   4.77     4.41     4.54    4.77 

Special Officer Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan

   4.75     4.38     4.52    4.75 

 

Mortality Table: A variation of theRP-2014 andMP-2014 mortality tables, adjusted to reflect the company’s experience and expectations.

 

Present Values: Present values are calculated using the Assumed Retirement Age, Discount Rate and Mortality Table described above; they assume nopre-retirement mortality, disability or termination and that the Named Executive OfficerNEO remains employed until his earliest unreduced retirement age.

 

Future Investment Crediting Rate Assumption: Cash balance amounts are projected to the Assumed Retirement Age based on the future investment crediting rate assumptions of 2.84% as of December 31, 2014, and 3.23% as of December 31, 2015.2015, and 2.97% as of December 31, 2016. These rates are used in conjunction with the discount rate to estimate the present value amounts for cash balance benefits.

Information on Executives Eligible to Retire.Messrs. Cuccias, Mulherin and Petters are eligible to retire early and begin pension benefits immediately under all plans in which they participate. Their total annual immediate benefit, assuming they had terminated on December 31, 2015,2016, is $292,972$395,918 for Mr. Cuccias, $549,793$546,668 for Mr. Mulherin and $1,586,475$1,647,404 for Mr. Petters.

Ms. Niland retired on March 1, 2016, and will receive pension benefits from the Huntington Ingalls Industries Retirement Plan “B,” Huntington Ingalls Industries Supplemental Plan 2—ERISA Supplemental Program 2 and OSERP. Her total annual benefit payable under the joint and 100% to surviving spouse option is $600,437.76

Executive Compensation(Continued)

$628,750.

 

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Executive Compensation

2016 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Table

The following table summarizes our Named Executive Officers’NEOs’ compensation under our nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

20152016 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

 

Name

  Plan Name  Executive
Contributions
in Last FY

(1)($)
   Registrant
Contributions
in Last FY

(2)($)
   Aggregate
Earnings
in Last FY
(3)($)
   Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distributions
($)
   Aggregate
Balance
at Last
FYE

(4)($)
   Plan Name Executive
Contributions
in Last FY
(1) ($)
 Registrant
Contributions
in Last FY
(2) ($)
 Aggregate
Earnings
in Last FY
(3) ($)
 

Aggregate
Withdrawals/

Distributions
($)

 Aggregate
Balance
at Last
FYE (4)
($)
 

C. Michael Petters

  Deferred Compensation   —       —       9,565     —       3,144,529    Deferred Compensation       179,386     3,323,915 
  Savings Excess   —       —       —       —       —    

Barbara A. Niland

  Deferred Compensation   —       —       —       —       —    
Savings Excess   240,935     41,018     34,771     —       1,735,446  

C. Michael Petters

Savings Excess               
  Deferred Compensation               

Christopher D. Kastner

Savings Excess 77,385  30,954  25,849     333,306 
  Savings Excess   —       8,415     95     —       8,510    Savings Excess 20,798  13,519  2,482     45,309 
  ORAC   —       19,015     -298     —       18,717  

Kellye L. Walker

ORAC 49,678  48,689  17,423     134,506 
  Deferred Compensation   —         12,283     —       1,963,966    Deferred Compensation       100,013     2,063,979 

Matthew J. Mulherin

Savings Excess   63,116     31,558     522     —       397,386   Savings Excess 1,585  792  19,146     418,909 
  Deferred Compensation   —       —       —       —       —      Deferred Compensation               

Brian J. Cuccias

Savings Excess   38,768     22,615   �� -6,423     —       269,032   Savings Excess 43,168  28,060  37,834     378,095 
ORAC   —       —       —       —       —    
  ORAC               

Barbara A. Niland, retired

  Deferred Compensation               
Savings Excess 170,700  29,774  37,618  411,031  1,562,507 

 

(1)Executive contributions in this column also are included in the salary andnon-equity incentive plan columns of the 20152016 Summary Compensation Table.

 

(2)Company contributions in this column are included under the All Other Compensation column in the 20152016 Summary Compensation Table and the 20152016 All Other Compensation table.

 

(3)Aggregate earnings in the last fiscal year are not included in the 20152016 Summary Compensation Table because they are not above market or preferential.

 

(4)The only amounts reflected in this column that previously were reported as compensation to the Named Executive OfficerNEO in the Summary Compensation Table are executive and company contributions for the respective fiscalyear-end and only if the Named Executive OfficerNEO was reported as a Named Executive Officeran NEO for each respective year. Aggregate earnings in this column were not reported previously in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

Ms. Walker’s aggregate SEP account balance consists of $22,302 in employee contributions.

Mr. Mulherin’s aggregate SEP account balance consists of $287,043 in employee contributions.

Mr. Cuccias’ aggregate SEP account balance consists of $244,254 in employee contributions.

Ms. Niland’s aggregate SEP account balance consists of $1,469,092$1,331,572 in employee contributions.

 

Mr. Mulherin’sKastner’s aggregate SEP account balance consists of $272,375$226,609 in employee contributions.

Mr. Cuccias’ aggregate SEP account balance consists of $176,364 in employee contributions.

The material terms of the deferred compensation plans in which our Named Executive OfficersNEOs participate are summarized below:

 

The “Deferred Compensation Plan” was the Northrop Grumman Deferred Compensation Plan, which was closed to future contributions at the end of 2010. Prior to 2011, eligible executives were allowed to defer a portion of their salary and bonus. No company contributions were made to the plan.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

 

The “Savings Excess Plan” is described below. No above market earnings are provided under the plan.

 

The Savings Excess Plan allows eligible participants to defer between 1% and 75% of salary and annual incentive payments above the limits mandated by the IRS. The company provides a matching contribution of up to 4%, based on a participant contribution rate of 8%. Participants are immediately 100% vested in their accounts and are allowed to make elections regarding how their account balances will be deemed invested for purposes of crediting earnings to the account by selecting investments from a limited list of investment options selected by the administrator.

 

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are immediately 100% vested in their accounts and are allowed to make elections regarding how their account balances will be deemed invested for purposes of crediting earnings to the account by selecting investments from a limited list of investment options selected by the administrator.

Based onupon an advance election, payment is made in a lump sum or installments over a period of up to 15 years. Neitherin-service distributions nor hardship withdrawals are allowed under this plan.

 

The “ORAC” covers those elected and appointed officers hired on or after July 1, 2008, who are not eligible for defined benefit retirement plans. Enrollment is automatic, and the company contributes an amount equal to 4% of the officer’s eligible compensation.

All deferred compensation that was not earned and vested before January 1, 2005, is subject to the requirements of IRC Section 409A. Those requirements largely restrict an executive’s ability to control the form and timing of distributions from nonqualified plans such as those listed in this table.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

The tables below provide estimated payments and benefits that we would have provided each NEO if his or her employment had terminated on December 31, 2015,2016, for specified reasons. This information is based upon the assumption that employment terminates on December 31, 2015,2016, and uses the closing price of our common stock of $126.85$184.19 on the NYSE as of December 31, 2015.30, 2016. These payments and benefits are provided under the following plans:

 

The Severance Plan for Elected and Appointed Officers

 

The 2011 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan and terms and conditions of equity awards

 

The 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan and terms and conditions of equity awards

 

The Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan

We summarize below these plans before providing the estimated payment and benefit amounts in the tables. Due to the many factors that affect the nature and amount of any benefits provided upon the termination events discussed below, any actual amounts paid or distributed to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs may be different. Factors that may affect these amounts include timing during the year of the occurrence of the event, our stock price and the Named Executive Officer’sNEO’s age.

The amounts described in the tables below are in addition to each Named Executive Officer’sNEO’s benefits described in the Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation tables, as well as benefits generally available to our employees such as distributions under our 401(k) plan, disability and life insurance benefits and accrued vacation.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Severance Plan

Upon a “qualifying termination” (defined below), we have discretion to provide severance benefits to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs under The Severance Plan for Elected and Appointed Officers of Huntington Ingalls Industries (“Severance Plan”). Provided the Named Executive OfficerNEO signed a release, such executive would have received:

 

a lump sum severance benefit equal to 1.5 times base salary and target bonus;

 

continued medical and dental premium payments for 18 months following the date of termination;

 

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financial planning expense reimbursement for fees incurred in the year in which the date of termination occurs (limited to $15,000) and any fees incurred in the year following the year in which the date of termination occurs (limited to $15,000); and

 

outplacement services reimbursement for fees incurred within one year after the date of termination (limited to 15% of base salary as of the date of termination).

A “qualifying termination” means one of the following:

 

an involuntary termination of employment of the Named Executive Officer,NEO, other than termination for cause or mandatory retirement; or

 

a Named Executive Officer’san NEO’s election to terminate employment with us in lieu of accepting a downgrade to anon-officer position or status.

Terms of Equity Awards Under the 2011 Plan and 2012 Plan

The terms of equity awards to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs under the 2011 Plan and 2012 Plan provide for prorated or accelerated vesting if a Named Executive Officeran NEO terminates for certain reasons. For stock options and RPSRs, accelerated vesting of a portion of each award occurs upon a termination due to death, disability or retirement (after age 55 with ten years of service or mandatory retirement at age 65). An extended exercise period is also provided for options under these circumstances. For RSRs, accelerated vesting occurs upon a termination due to death or disability.

For purposes of estimating the payments due under RPSRs below, our performance is assumed to be at target levels through the close of each three-year performance period, and we include accrued DEUs for awards granted in 2012 and later.

The terms of equity awards to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs under the 2011 Plan and 2012 Plan also provide for accelerated vesting of stock options, RPSRs and RSRs in the event that the Named Executive OfficerNEO is terminated in a qualifying termination related to a change in control (see “Change-in-Control“Change-in-Control Benefits” below).

Payouts of RPSRs for retirements and terminations is made during the normal process for payouts, which occurs during the first quarter following the end of the performance period.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan

The Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan (“SORMP”) was closed to new participants in 2007. Mr. Petters is the only Named Executive OfficerNEO eligible for SORMP benefits.

Named Executive OfficersNEOs who are vested participants in the SORMP are entitled to retiree medical benefits pursuant to the terms of the SORMP. The coverage is essentially a continuation of the Named Executive Officer’sNEO’s executive medical benefits plus retiree life insurance. A participant becomes vested if he or she has either five years of vesting service as an elected officer or 30 years of total service with the company and its affiliates. A vested participant can commence SORMP benefits at retirement before age 65 if he has attained age 55 and ten years of service. The estimated cost of the SORMP benefit reflected in the tables below is the present value of the estimated cost to provide future benefits using actuarial calculations and assumptions.

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Potential Payments upon Termination of Employment

The following tables show the values of payments and other benefits due to our Named Executive OfficersNEOs under the Severance Plan for Elected and Appointed Officers of Huntington Ingalls Industries and the 2011 Plan and 2012 Plan, assuming a termination of employment as of December 31, 2015.2016.

Change-in-Control Followed by Termination Payments Summary

 

  Petters   Niland   Walker   Mulherin   Cuccias  Petters Kastner Walker Mulherin Cuccias Niland 

Severance

   $3,206,250     $1,444,575     $1,313,250     $1,313,250     $1,147,500   $1,781,252  $1,211,250  $1,313,250  $1,313,250  $1,313,250    

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2015)1

   $2,102,736     $793,100     $721,000     $470,453     $613,463  

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2016)1

 $2,018,750  $565,250  $612,850  $540,750  $630,877    

Unvested RS/RSU Value

   $0     $0     $389,765     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Stock Option Value

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Performance-Based RS/RSU Value2

   $26,561,048     $8,810,493     $813,743     $7,645,359     $3,221,896   $23,413,254  $5,463,386  $2,463,659  $6,555,449  $5,322,855    

Health and Welfare Benefits

   $26,407     $26,407     $34,995     $26,407     $35,051   $27,627  $36,581  $36,581  $27,627  $35,051    

Retiree Medical (SORMP)3

   $477,405           $486,740  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Financial Planning and Outplacement

   $172,500     $114,975     $107,250     $107,250     $97,500   $172,500  $101,250  $107,250  $107,250  $107,250    

Total Payments Before Excise Tax Response

   $32,546,346     $11,189,551     $3,380,003     $9,562,719     $5,115,409   $27,900,122  $7,377,716  $4,533,590  $8,544,326  $7,409,283    

Forfeiture Due to Alternative Cap (If Applicable)

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Total Payments After Excise Tax Response

   $32,546,346     $11,189,551     $3,380,003     $9,562,719     $5,115,409   $27,900,122  $7,377,716  $4,533,590  $8,544,326  $7,409,283    

 

1

Pro-rata bonus paid upon termination is based on target. Actual bonuses paid for performance during 20152016 exceeded target and are shown in the table above.

2

2013-20152014-2016 RPSR cycle paid based on actual performance through 12/31/2015.2016. All unvested cycles fully accelerate at target.

3

Represents present value of the vested Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan (SORMP).SORMP. Mr. Petters is the only participant in this program.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

Involuntary Termination Not For Cause or Good Reason Termination by Executive

 

  Petters   Niland   Walker   Mulherin   Cuccias  Petters Kastner Walker Mulherin Cuccias Niland 

Severance

   $3,206,250     $1,444,575     $1,313,250     $1,313,250     $1,147,500   $1,781,252  $1,211,250  $1,313,250  $1,313,250  $1,313,250    

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2015)1

   $2,102,736     $793,100     $721,000     $470,453     $613,463  

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2016)1

 $2,018,750  $565,250  $612,850  $540,750  $630,877    

Unvested RS/RSU Value

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Stock Option Value

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Performance-Based RS/RSU Value2

   $22,596,807     $7,526,385     $0     $6,531,034     $2,345,635   $18,170,662  $2,879,148  $0  $5,063,403  $4,065,668    

Health and Welfare Benefits

   $26,407     $26,407     $34,995     $26,407     $35,051   $27,627  $36,581  $36,581  $27,627  $35,051    

Retiree Medical (SORMP)3

   $477,405     $0     $0     $0     $0   $486,740  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Financial Planning and Outplacement

   $172,500     $114,975     $107,250     $107,250     $97,500   $172,500  $101,250  $107,250  $107,250  $107,250    

Total Payments

   $28,582,105     $9,905,442     $2,176,495     $8,448,394     $4,239,149   $22,657,530  $4,793,479  $2,069,931  $7,052,280  $6,152,096    

 

1

Pro-rata bonus paid upon termination is based on target. Actual bonuses paid for performance during 20152016 exceeded target and are shown in the table above.

2

2013-20152014-2016 RPSR cycle paid based on actual performance through 12/31/2015. Mr.2016. Messrs. Petters, Ms. Niland, Mr. Mulherin, and Mr. Cuccias are retirement eligible. Unvestedeligible; unvested cycles arepro-rated at target.

Ms. Walker and Mr. Kastner are not retirement eligible and therefore would forfeit the 2015-2017 and 2016-2018 cycles.
3

Represents present value of the vested Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan (SORMP).SORMP. Mr. Petters is the only participant in this program.

76    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Executive Compensation

Termination Due to Death or Disability

 

  Petters   Niland   Walker   Mulherin   Cuccias  Petters Kastner Walker Mulherin Cuccias Niland 

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2015)1

   $2,102,736     $793,100     $721,000     $470,453     $613,463  

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2016)1

 $2,018,750  $565,250  $612,850  $540,750  $630,877    

Unvested RS/RSU Value

   $0     $0     $389,765     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Stock Option Value

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Unvested Performance-Based RS/RSU Value2

   $22,596,807     $7,526,385     $248,644     $6,531,034     $2,345,635   $18,170,662  $4,112,512  $1,187,032  $5,063,403  $4,065,668    

Retiree Medical (SORMP)3

   $477,405     $0     $0     $0     $0   $486,740  $0  $0  $0  $0    

Total Payments

   $25,176,948     $8,319,485     $1,359,408     $7,001,487     $2,959,098   $20,676,152  $4,677,762  $1,799,882  $5,604,153  $4,696,545    

 

1

Pro-rata bonus paid upon termination is based on target. Actual bonuses paid for performance during 20152016 exceeded target and are shown in the table above.

2

2013-20152014-2016 RPSR cycle paid based on actual performance through 12/31/2015. Unvested2016; unvested cycles are prorated at target.

3

Represents present value of the vested Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan (SORMP).SORMP. Mr. Petters is the only participant in this program.

Amount shown is applicable only to the termination due to disability scenario.

Retirement

 

  Petters   Niland   Walker   Mulherin   Cuccias  Petters Kastner Walker Mulherin Cuccias Niland 
Bonus (Actual Earned in 2015)1  $2,102,736   $793,100   $721,000   $470,453   $613,463 

Bonus (Actual Earned in 2016)1

 $2,018,750  $565,250  $612,850  $540,750  $630,877  $103,714 

Unvested RS/RSU Value2

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0  $0 

Unvested Stock Option Value

   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0   $0  $0  $0  $0  $0  $0 

Unvested Performance-Based RS/RSU Value3

   $22,596,807     $7,526,385     $0     $6,531,034     $2,345,635   $18,170,662  $2,879,148  $0  $5,063,403  $4,065,668  $3,591,673 

Retiree Medical (SORMP)4

   $477,405     $0     $0     $0     $0   $486,740  $0  $0  $0  $0  $0 

Total Payments

   $25,176,948     $8,319,485     $721,000     $7,001,487     $2,959,098   $20,676,152  $3,444,398  $612,850  $5,604,153  $4,696,545  $3,695,387 

 

1

Pro-rata bonus paid upon termination is based on target. Actual bonuses paid for performance during 20152016 exceeded target and are shown in the table above.

Ms. Niland’s bonus ispro-rated based on a 3/1/2016 retirement date.
2

All unvested restricted stock/unit grants are forfeited upon retirement.

Executive Compensation(Continued)

3

2013-20152014-2016 RPSR cycle paid based on actual performance through 12/31/2015.2016. Mr. Petters, Ms. Niland, Mr. Mulherin, and Mr. Cuccias are retirement eligible. Unvestedeligible; unvested cycles arepro-rated at target.

Ms. Niland’s awards arepro-rated based on a 3/1/2016 retirement date. Ms. Walker and Mr. Kastner are not retirement eligible and therefore would forfeit the 2015-2017 and 2016-2018 cycles.
4

Represents present value of the vested Special Officer Retiree Medical Plan (SORMP).SORMP. Mr. Petters is the only participant in this program.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    77


Audit Committee Matters

 

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

As described more fully in its charter, among the purposes for which the Audit Committee was organized are to assist the Board in its general oversight of (a) the integrity of the company’s financial statements and the company’s accounting and financial reporting processes and financial statement audits and (b) the company’s system of internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee serves a Board-level oversight role in which it provides advice, counsel and direction to management, the internal audit department and the independent auditors on the basis of information it receives, discussions with management, the Vice President of Internal Audit and the independent auditors and the experience of the Audit Committee’s members in business, financial and accounting matters.

In discharging its oversight role, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements contained in the company’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015,2016, with management, the Vice President of Internal Audit and the company’s independent auditors. Management is responsible for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the system of disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. The independent auditors are responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and on the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting.

The Audit Committee met privately with the independent auditors and discussed issues deemed significant by the independent auditors, and the Audit Committee has discussed with the independent auditors the matters required to be discussed by the statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA, Professional Standards, Vol. 1,AU section 380), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T.

In addition, the Audit Committee discussed with the independent auditors their independence from HII and its management; received the written disclosures and the letter required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent auditors’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence; and considered whether the provision ofnon-audit services by the independent auditors was compatible with maintaining the independent auditors’ independence.

In reliance on the reviews and discussions described above, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015,2016, for filing with the SEC.

Submitted by the members of the Audit Committee:

Karl M. von der Heyden,Stephen R. Wilson, Chair

Augustus L. Collins

Thomas C. Schievelbein

John K. Welch

Stephen R. Wilson

78    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Audit Committee Matters(Continued)

 

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed to us for professional services in 20152016 and 20142015 by Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent auditors:

 

($ in thousands)  2015   2014    2016    2015 

Fees Billed:

        

Audit Fees

   7,207     5,842     7,198    7,207 

Audit-Related Fees

   922     930     1,048    922 

Tax Fees

   15     —       5    15 

All Other Fees

   23     22     23    23 
  

 

   

 

 

Total

   8,167     6,794     8,274    8,167 
  

 

   

 

 

Audit fees for 20152016 and 20142015 related to services provided in connection with audits of our annual consolidated financial statements, including audits of internal control over financial reporting, interim reviews of our quarterly consolidated financial statements included in Forms10-Q, statutory audits of our captive insurance subsidiary, and other documents we filed with the SEC.

Audit-related fees for 20152016 and 20142015 related to services provided in connection with audits of our employee benefit plans, of which $355,000$370,000 and $391,000,$355,000, respectively, were paid for by the plans.

Tax fees for 2016 were related to services provided in support of a state tax audit and assistance with benefit plan tax forms. Tax fees were incurred in 2015 for services related to our application for a change in accounting method.

All other fees for 2016 and 2015 and 2014 includednon-audit-related fees for human resources and technical accountingon-line research tools.

AUDIT COMMITTEEPRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

All 20152016 services provided by Deloitte & Touche were approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also reviewed these services to ensure compatibility with maintaining the auditor’s independence.

The Audit Committee has apre-approval policy and procedures related to the provision of services by our independent auditor. Under the policy and procedures, the Audit Committeepre-approves both the type of services to be provided by our independent auditor and the estimated fees related to those services. During the approval process, the Audit Committee considers the impact of the types of services and the related fees on the independence of the auditor. The services and fees must be deemed compatible with the maintenance of the auditor’s independence, including compliance with SEC rules and regulations.

The Audit Committee must approve any fees for audit andnon-audit services that exceed by certain amounts the estimates of fees for such services initially approved. The Audit Committee is advised quarterly in any event on the services performed by and fees paid to the independent auditoryear-to-date for the fiscal year.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    79


Stock Ownership Information

 

 

STOCK OWNERSHIP OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

The following table provides information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of December 31, 2015,February 28, 2017, by:

 

each of our directors;

 

each officer named in the Summary Compensation Table; and

 

all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Except as otherwise provided in the footnotes below, each person or entity identified in the following table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the securities owned by such person or entity.person. None of our directors or executive officers have pledged any of our common stock.

As of December 31, 2015, 46,876,725February 28, 2017, 46,091,789 shares of our common stock were outstanding.

 

  Shares
Beneficially
Owned
 Options
(1)
   Share
Equivalents
(2)
   Restricted
Stock
Units
(3)
   Total   Percent
of Class
(%)
   Shares
Beneficially
Owned
 

Share
Equivalents

(1)

   Restricted
Stock
Units
(2)
   Total   Percent
of Class
(%)
 

Non-Employee Directors

                    

Augustus L. Collins

   0       132    132    * 

Kirkland H. Donald

   0       132    132    * 

Thomas B. Fargo

   1,833    —       —       15,616     17,449     *     1,420(3)       15,823    17,243    * 

Robert F. Bruner

   —      —       —       13,988     13,988     *  

Victoria D. Harker

   —      —       —       4,413     4,413     *            5,301    5,301    * 

Anastasia D. Kelly

   —      —       —       13,988     13,988     *     132       14,871    15,003    * 

Paul D. Miller

   —      —       —       13,988     13,988     *     132       14,871    15,003    * 

Thomas C. Schievelbein

   481    —       —       13,988     14,469     *     481       15,003    15,484    * 

Karl M. von der Heyden

   855    —       —       13,126     13,981     *  

John K. Welch

   —      —       —       636  ��  636     *     1,000       1,475    2,475    * 

Stephen R. Wilson

   —      —       —       —       —       *            830    830    * 

Named Executive Officers

                    

C. Michael Petters

   325,068(4)   525,166     185     —       850,419     1.81     617,104(4)  186        617,290    1.34 

Barbara A. Niland

   68,234    —       —       —       68,234     *  

Christopher D. Kastner

   39,581  86        39,667    * 

Kellye L. Walker

   3,073    —       32     —       3,105     *     2,093  234        2,327    * 

Matthew J. Mulherin

   88,775    —       124     —       88,899     *     103,613  124        103,737    * 

Brian J. Cuccias

   37,959    —       72     —       38,031     *     44,682  73        44,755    * 

Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (20 persons)

   674,960    525,166     2,634     89,743     1,292,503     2.76  

Barbara A. Niland (5)

   47,973           47,973    * 
Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (21 persons)   951,720  3,028    68,438    1,023,185    2.22 

 

*Less than 1%.

 

(1)Represents shares subject to option that are either currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of December 31, 2015.

(2)Represents share equivalents with pass-through voting rights in the Huntington Ingalls Industries Savings Plan and/or the Huntington Ingalls Industries Savings Excess Plan.

 

(3)(2)

Represents vested restricted stock units, which will generally become payable within 30 days following the date anon-employee director ceases to serve on the Board of Directors. A restricted

80    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Stock Ownership Information

stock unit is payable in either a share of common stock or, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, cash of equivalent value at the time of vesting (or a combination of cash and shares).

Stock Ownership Information(Continued)

 

(3)Includes 978 shares held in a trust, of which Adm. Fargo is aco-beneficiary. Adm. Fargo shares voting and dispositive power over such shares.

 

(4)Includes 60,000110,000 shares not beneficially owned by a charitable family foundation. Mr. Petters but for which he has dispositive and voting powers.powers over such shares.

(5)Reflects beneficial ownership as of March 1, 2016, the date of Ms. Niland’s retirement from the company.

For a description of our stock ownership guidelines and stock holding requirements, see page 5256 of this proxy statement.

STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS

To our knowledge, as of February 24, 2016,28, 2017, the following entities beneficially owned more than 5% of our common stock.

 

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner

Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Percent
of
Class
(%)

BlackRock, Inc.

3,493,8527.4 (a)

55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055

The Vanguard Group

3,821,3548.1 (b)

100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355

State Street Corporation

2,506,8585.3 (c)

One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111

FMR LLC

2,909,5786.2 (d)

245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner  Shares
Beneficially
Owned
   Percent
of
Class
(%)
 

BlackRock, Inc.

   4,281,216    9.2(a) 

55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055

    

The Vanguard Group

   4,283,046    9.23(b) 

100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355

    

State Street Corporation

   2,863,902    6.18(c) 

One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111

    

FMR LLC

   2,704,271    5.83(d) 

245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

          

 

(a)This information is derived from information regarding our common stock in a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC by BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) on January 26, 2016.24, 2017. According to BlackRock, as of December 31, 2015,2016, BlackRock had sole voting power over 3,325,8673,988,610 shares of common stock and sole dispositive power over 3,493,8524,281,216 shares of common stock.

 

(b)This information is derived from information regarding our common stock in a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC by The Vanguard Group (“(��Vanguard”) on February 11, 2016.13, 2017. According to Vanguard, as of December 31, 2015,2016, Vanguard had sole voting power over 34,95639,670 shares of common stock, shared voting power over 2,7008,500 shares of common stock, sole dispositive power over 3,786,5984,237,076 shares of common stock and shared dispositive power over 34,75645,970 shares of common stock.

 

(c)This information is derived from information regarding our common stock in a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC by State Street Corporation (“State Street”) on February 12, 2016.7, 2017. According to State Street, as of December 31, 2015, State Street had shared voting power over 2,506,8582,718,976 shares of common stock and shared dispositive power over 2,506,8582,863,902 shares of common stock.

 

(d)This information is derived from information regarding our common stock in a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC by FMR LLC (“FMR”) on February 12, 2016.14, 2017. According to FMR, as of December 31, 2015,2016, FMR had sole voting power over 38,12310,604 shares of common stock and sole dispositive power over 2,909,5782,704,271 shares of common stock.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    81


Item 1—Proposal to Elect ThreeEight Directors

 

 

As explained above under Governance of the Company—Board Structure, we have amended our certificate of incorporation to phase out our classified Board of Directors. Directors elected at and after the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders have been and will be elected forone-year terms. Directors elected prior to the 2016 annual meeting, and any directors who might be elected to replace such directors, will continue to serve for the respective three-year terms for which they were elected. Eight of our ten directors are up for election by our stockholders at this annual meeting, to serve forone-yearterms. Phase-out of the Board classification will be completed next year, and all of our directors will be voted upon at our 2018 annual meeting to serveone-year terms.

NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR

The Board of Directors is nominating the threeeight individuals named below for election as directors at the annual meeting forone-year terms ending at our annual meeting in 20172018 and until their successors are elected. Each of the nominees for director is currently serving on the Board with a term that expires at the 20162017 annual meeting. If any nominee is unable to serve as a director, which we do not anticipate, the Board by resolution may reduce the number of directors or choose a substitute nominee. Dr. Robert F. Bruner, whose term as a director expires at the 2016 annual meeting, will retire from the Board at the conclusion of his current term.

 

Augustus L. Collins

Kirkland H. Donald

Thomas B. Fargo

 

Victoria D. Harker

Anastasia D. Kelly

Thomas C. Schievelbein

John K. Welch

 

Stephen R. Wilson

For biographical information about the nominees for director, including information about their qualifications to serve as a director, see “The Board of Directors” beginning on page 24.28.

The Board recommends a vote FOR each of the three director nominees.

82    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Item 2—Proposal to Approve Executive Compensation on an Advisory Basis

Stockholders have the opportunity to approve, on an advisory(non-binding) basis, the compensation of our NEOs. This vote is often referred to as“say-on-pay.” You are being asked to vote on the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the NEOs as disclosed in the compensation discussion and analysis, the accompanying compensation tables and the related narrative disclosure in this proxy statement.”

As described in detail in this proxy statement under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 39, our compensation programs are designed to:

be customer-focused, rewarding achievement of safety, quality, cost and schedule performance, and stockholder friendly, rewarding consistent achievement of strong financial results and increasing stockholder value;

influence outcomes and provide a balance between short- and long-term performances;

incorporate clear and measurable financial results and accountabilities, with an emphasis on equity-based compensation, be formulaic in nature with appropriate levels of discretion and be market competitive;

be disclosed and explained in a transparent and understandable manner, enabling the assessment of performance by our Compensation Committee and by our stockholders through the CD&A;

produce significant individual rewards for achievement of business goals relating to both annual operating performance and increased stockholder value and reduce compensation for failure to achieve business goals;

promote alignment of management and stockholder interests by establishing and monitoring stock ownership requirements;

mitigate excessive risk by emphasizing a long-term focus on compensation and financial performance; and

be applied consistently for all incentive plan participants to ensure proper alignment, accountability andline-of-sight regarding commitments and priorities.

We believe our compensation program, with its balance of base salary, short-term incentives (annual cash incentive awards) and long-term incentives, rewards sustained performance that is aligned with long-term stockholder interests. We encourage stockholders to read the compensation discussion and analysis, the accompanying compensation tables and the related narrative disclosures contained in this proxy statement.

The Board values the opportunity to receive input from our stockholders. Although this vote isnon-binding, the Compensation Committee will consider the results of the vote when considering future executive compensation decisions. To the extent there is any significant negative vote, we will communicate directly with our stockholders to better understand the concerns that influenced the vote.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the approval of executive compensation of our NEOs.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    83


Item 3—Proposal to Ratify the Appointment of Independent Auditors

 

 

Deloitte & Touche LLP audited our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015.2016.

The Audit Committee has selected Deloitte & Touche as our independent registered public accounting firm to audit the consolidated financial statements of HII and its subsidiaries for the year ending December 31, 2016,2017, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016.2017. The Board has endorsedratified this appointment.

Although ratification of our selection of Deloitte & Touche is not required by our bylaws, NYSE listing standards or otherwise, we are asking our stockholders to do so as a matter of good corporate governance. The Board values the opportunity to receive input from our stockholders. If the selection of Deloitte & Touche is not ratified, the Audit Committee will consider whether it is appropriate to select another independent registered public accounting firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different independent registered public accounting firm 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.

Representatives of Deloitte & Touche will attend the annual meeting, will have an opportunity to make statements if they desire and will be available to respond to questions, as appropriate.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of the independent auditors.

84    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Item 3—4—Proposal to Approve Executivethe Performance-Based Compensation on an Advisory BasisPolicy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Payments

 

 

The Board is asking you to approve our Performance-Based Compensation Policy (the “policy”). We are seeking stockholder approval of the policy so that certain payments to certain of our officers will qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and will therefore be fully deductible by us as a business expense in the year of payment. As provided under IRC Section 162(m), the policy will apply only to those officers who are our CEO and our next three most highly compensated executive officers (other than our CFO) during a year when these payments are made. The policy would limit the amount of designated annual performance-based cash incentive payments and performance-based stock compensation awards we may make to these individuals. The full text of the policy is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A.

Important facts about this proposal:

This proposal does not increase the number of shares of common stock that can be issued under our 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan; and

This proposal does not result in any additional cost to the company.

Preserving the Tax Deductibility of Certain Awards.

IRC Section 162(m) limits the deductibility of compensation of “covered employees” to $1 million per year unless the compensation qualifies as “performance-based.” Our CEO and our next three most highly compensated executive officers (other than our CFO) are “covered employees.” For purposes of the policy, annual cash incentive payments are deductible performance-based compensation if these four conditions are satisfied:

The compensation is payable on the attainment of one or morepre-established, objective performance criteria;

The performance criteria and the formula for setting the maximum compensation payable are fixed or are set by a committee comprised solely of two or more outside directors, like our Compensation Committee;

The material terms of the compensation, the performance criteria and the formula for calculation of the compensation are disclosed to and approved by stockholders before payment; and

The Compensation Committee certifies that the performance criteria have been satisfied before payment is made.

We are requesting stockholder approval in order to satisfy the third requirement listed above. Your vote for approval of the policy will allow payments under the designated awards to be tax deductible by us as performance-based compensation under IRC Section 162(m).

Overview of the Performance-Based Compensation Policy

Policy Objective. The policy is intended to limit payments of designated annual cash incentives and performance-based stock compensation to officers covered by the policy to amounts that would be considered “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of IRC Section 162(m). The policy is binding on us with respect to amounts intended to be performance-based compensation.

Eligibility. The officers subject to the limitations under the policy are our chief executive officer and three other most highly compensated executive officers other than our chief financial officer in the year when payment is made.

 

Stockholders have2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    85


Item 4—Proposal to Approve the opportunityPerformance-Based Compensation Policy to approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis,Preserve the compensationTax Deductibility of our Named Executive Officers. This vote is often referred to as “say-on-pay.” You are being asked to vote on the following resolution:Performance-Based Payments

“RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Named Executive Officers as disclosed in the compensation discussion and analysis, the accompanying compensation tables and the related narrative disclosure in this proxy statement.”

As described in detail in this proxy statement under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 36, our compensation programs are designed to:

 

be customer-focused, rewarding achievement of safety, quality, cost and schedule performance, and stockholder friendly, rewarding consistent achievement of strong financial results and increasing stockholder value;

influence outcomes and provide a balance between short- and long-term performances;

incorporate clear and measurable financial results and accountabilities, with an emphasis on equity-based compensation, be formulaic in nature with appropriate levels of discretion and be market competitive;

be disclosed and explained in a transparent and understandable manner, enabling the assessment of performance by ourAdministration. The Compensation Committee and by our stockholders throughwill administer the CD&A;

produce significant individual rewards for achievementpolicy. Members of business goals relating to both annual operating performance and increased stockholder value and reduce compensation for failure to achieve business goals;

promote alignment of management and stockholder interests by establishing and monitoring stock ownership requirements;

mitigate excessive risk by emphasizing a long-term focus on compensation and financial performance; and

be applied consistently for all incentive plan participants to ensure proper alignment, accountability and line-of-sight regarding commitments and priorities.

We believe our compensation program, with its balance of base salary, short-term incentives (annual cash incentive awards) and long-term incentives, rewards sustained performance that is aligned with long-term stockholder interests. We encourage stockholders to read the compensation discussion and analysis, the accompanying compensation tables and the related narrative disclosures contained in this proxy statement.

The Board values the opportunity to receive input from our stockholders. Although this vote is non-binding, the Compensation Committee will considermust qualify as “outside directors” under IRC Section 162(m). Subject to the resultsterms of the vote when considering futurepolicy, the Compensation Committee has sole discretion to designate the incentive awards that are subject to the policy and to interpret the policy.

Annual Cash Incentive Payment Limitations

Appropriated Incentive Compensation.Designated annual cash payments to officers subject to the policy will be limited to set percentages of our “Economic Earnings,” defined as income from continuing operations before federal and foreign income taxes and the cumulative effect of accounting changes and extraordinary items, less pension income (or plus pension expense), plus amortization and impairment of goodwill and other purchased intangibles, plus restructuring or similar charges to the extent they are separately disclosed in our annual report.

The maximum aggregate amount that can be paid to officers subject to the policy as annual cash incentive payments under the policy will be computed by first calculating 2.5% of Economic Earnings for a year. This amount constitutes the “Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation.”

Allocation of Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation. The maximum potential percentage of Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation payable to any officer subject to the policy as incentive compensation for any single performance year will not exceed 40% for the CEO and 20% for each of the other three most highly compensated executive officers.

Adjustment to Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation. After allocation of the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation among the officers subject to the policy, the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation amount allocated to any officer may then be reduced by the Compensation Committee to reflect its evaluation of our overall economic performance for the year. The Compensation Committee currently intends to apply standards and criteria that are used under our Annual Incentive Plan to determine the amounts payable to the officers subject to the policy. The reduced amount constitutes the “Appropriated Incentive Compensation” and is the amount payable to the officer.

Performance-Based Stock Awards

Awards Subject to the Policy.A portion of the policy would apply under our stock compensation decisions.plans, including the 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan, which incorporates the policy. To the extent thereauthorized under these plans, the Committee may grant awards that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under, and be exempt from the deductibility limitations of, IRC Section 162(m) (“Performance-Based Awards”). By designating an award under those plans as subject to the policy, the award becomes a Performance-Based Award. In addition to Performance-Based Awards, options and stock appreciation rights may also qualify as performance-based compensation for Section 162(m) purposes. Performance-Based Awards may be in the form of restricted performance stock, restricted performance stock rights or other performance-based stock rights.

86    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Item 4—Proposal to Approve the Performance-Based Compensation Policy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Payments

Performance Criteria That May Be Used.The vesting or payment of Performance-Based Awards will depend on the performance of our company relative topre-established goals on a consolidated, segment, sector, subsidiary, division, or plant basis with reference to any of the following:

Performance Criteria

  revenue

  net earnings (on a total or continuing basis) and either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or net pension income or expense

  earnings per share (on a total or continuing basis) and either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization

  cash flow or free cash flow (either as dollars or as a percentage of net earnings)

  return on equity, investment, or assets (including on a net basis)

  cash flow return on equity, investment, assets or net assets

  stock price or stock price appreciation

  total stockholder return

  EVA—defined as operating profit after tax (which means net earnings after tax but beforetax-adjusted interest income and expense and goodwill amortization), less a charge for the use of capital (which is based on average total capital and our weighted average cost of capital)

  overhead or expense containment or reduction

  working capital level or working capital turnover

  asset levels or asset turnover

  new business awards or backlog

  cost containment or reduction

  enterprise value

  operating margin (dollars or rate)

  Pension Adjusted Operating Margin—defined as operating margin adjusted for the difference in pension cost between FAS (Financial Accounting Standards) and allowable and reimbursable pension costs under CAS (Cost Accounting Standards)

  debt covenants (including compliance with debt covenants)

  credit ratings

These financial metrics can be measured on an as reported or pension adjusted basis, on an annual or cumulatively over a defined period of time basis, and on an absolute, relative or growth basis.

Establishing Performance Criteria. The Compensation Committee will establish the criterion or criteria and target(s) on which performance will be measured. The Compensation Committee must establish criteria and targets in advance of applicable deadlines under the IRC and while the attainment of the performance targets remains substantially uncertain. The Compensation Committee has discretion to determine the performance target or targets and any other restrictions or limitations of Performance-Based Awards and may reserve discretion to reduce payments below maximum award limits.

Eligible Participants.Performance-Based Awards may be granted to any employees of our company or our subsidiaries. IRC Section 162(m) may apply in a future year when payment of an award is any significant negative vote, we will consult directly withmade. As a result, the participants for Performance-Based Awards are not limited to the individuals who are currently our stockholdersCEO and our next three most highly compensated executive officers (other than our CFO). To the extent permitted under the IRC, performance goals may be adjusted to better understandmitigate the concerns that influenced the vote.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    87


Item 4—Proposal to Approve the Performance-Based Compensation Policy to Preserve the Tax Deductibility of Performance-Based Payments

impact of material, unusual or nonrecurring gains and losses, accounting charges or other extraordinary events not foreseen at the time the goals were set.

Performance-Based Awards (other than stock options or stock appreciation rights, and without giving effect to any related dividend equivalents) that are granted to any participant during any three consecutive years may not relate to or provide for payment of more than 500,000 shares of our common stock.

Administration of Policy by Our Compensation Committee

Payment of Awards. Before payment of any Performance-Based Awards to an officer subject to the policy, the Compensation Committee must certify that the performance criteria have been satisfied by setting the Appropriated Incentive Compensation or certify that the performance target or targets have been satisfied for Performance-Based Awards. The Compensation Committee may impose such conditions, including forfeitures and restrictions, as the Compensation Committee believes will best serve the company’s interests and the purposes of the policy. The Compensation Committee retains complete discretion to adjust Performance-Based Award amounts downward based on such factors as it deems relevant.

Amendment or Termination. The Board may terminate the policy at any time. The Compensation Committee may discontinue designating further awards under the policy at any time. Stockholders must approve any amendment to the policy if stockholder approval is required to preserve the exemption of awards granted to officers subject to the policy as “performance-based compensation” under IRC Section 162(m).

Your Board recommends a vote FOR the approval of executive compensationthe Performance-Based Compensation Policy.

88    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Item 5—Stockholder Proposal to Amend Our Proxy Access Bylaw

John R. Chevedden, 2215 Nelson Avenue, No. 205, Redondo Beach, California 90278, has informed us that he intends to present the following proposal at the annual meeting and that he owns more than $2,000 of our Named Executive Officers.common stock.

Stockholder Proposal and Supporting Statement

Proposal [4]—Shareholder Proxy Access Reform

Shareholders request that our board of directors replace the limit of 20 shareholders who are currently allowed to aggregate their shares to equal 3% of our stock owned continuously for3-years in order to make use of our shareholder proxy access provisions adopted recently. The 20 shareholder limit is to be replaced with a limit of 50 on the number of shareholders who can aggregate their shares for the purpose of shareholder proxy access.

Under current provisions, even if the 20 largest public pension funds were able to aggregate their shares, they would not meet the 3% criteria for a continuous3-years at most companies examined by the Council of Institutional Investors. Additionally many of the largest investors of major companies are routinely passive investors who would be unlikely to be part of the proxy access shareholder aggregation process.

Under this proposal it is unlikely that the number of shareholders who participate in the aggregation process would reach an unwieldy number due to the rigorous rules our company adopted for a shareholder to qualify as one of the aggregation participants. Plus it is easy for our management to reject an aggregating shareholder because management simply needs to find one of a list of requirements lacking.

Please vote to enhance shareholder value:

Shareholder Proxy Access Reform—Proposal [4]

Board Recommendation

The Board recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal for the following reasons.

The changes requested by the stockholder proposal are unnecessary and unwarranted, as the company’s proxy access bylaw already provides a meaningful and workable mechanism for stockholders to have their nominees included in the company’s proxy materials, without subjecting the company and its other stockholders to unnecessary disruption or administrative burden by stockholders that do not have a significant economic stake in our company.

HII is committed to, and prides itself on, high standards of corporate governance and responsiveness to our stockholders. Consistent with this commitment, on January 28, 2016, the Board adopted a proxy access bylaw that permits a stockholder, or a group of up to 20 stockholders, owning 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years, to nominate and include in our proxy materials director candidates constituting up to 25% of the Board or two directors, whichever is greater, provided that the stockholder(s) and the nominee(s) satisfy the requirements specified in our bylaws. The proxy access bylaw was implemented after careful consideration of current trends in corporate governance and input from stockholders, and we believe it reflects best practices in proxy access bylaws. Further, our proxy access bylaw is consistent with bylaws implemented to date by our peers and other public companies, and, to the extent its key terms deviate from market practice, our

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    89


Item 5—Stockholder Proposal to Amend Our Proxy Access Bylaw

bylaw is more permissive than many proxy access bylaws by permitting eligible stockholders to nominate up to 25% of the Board rather than the more common 20% limitation.

As set out above, the stockholder proposal requests an increase in the limitation on the number of stockholders that may aggregate their shares to meet the 3% stockholder ownership threshold, from 20 to 50 stockholders. The Board believes such a change would risk significant administrative burden to the company to confirm and monitor stock ownership of the members of a stockholder group, without a commensurate increase in availability of proxy access to our stockholders. The vast majority of companies that have adopted proxy access bylaws have included a limitation of 20 stockholders that may aggregate their shares, and making the requested change would make HII an outlier among public companies that have adopted proxy access. More importantly, we believe the existing limitation of 20 stockholders strikes an appropriate balance between the many considerations at issue in adopting proxy access rights, including that proxy access be appropriately accessible to our stockholders, assuring that such access is administratively workable for both the company and our stockholders and reserving the ability to utilize proxy access to stockholders with a significant economic stake in the company.

In addition to making a meaningful proxy access right available to our stockholders, we have adopted an array of other strong corporate governance practices, detailed throughout our proxy statement, which assure that our stockholders have a voice in the nomination and election of our Board. All of our Board members will be elected annually starting next year, and directors for whom more votes are withheld than are cast for election are subject to a director resignation policy. Further, all directors are subject to term limits and a mandatory retirement age. Stockholders may also recommend director nominees directly to the Governance and Policy Committee or may utilize the advance notice provisions of our bylaws to nominate their own candidates outside of our proxy statement. Finally, as described on page 2, we believe that stockholder engagement is an essential element of strong corporate governance and actively engage with our investors through a variety of means to understand their perspectives on our company, including in respect of corporate governance matters. Accordingly, the Board believes the requested change to the company’s proxy access bylaw is both unnecessary and unwarranted.

For these reasons, the Board recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.

90    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Other Information for Stockholders

 

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires directors and executive officers to file with the SEC reports of initial ownership and changes in ownership of our equity securities. Based solely upon a review of the reports furnished to us, we believe all of our directors and executive officers timely filed all reports they were required to file under Section 16(a) during 2015,2016, except that a Form 4 filed on behalf of D. R. Wyatt, Corporate Vice President and Treasurer, in respect of a sale of 681 shares of our common stock was a day late due to an administrative error, four grants to Ms. Walker totaling approximately 42 shares of common stock, representing dividend equivalent units on shares of restricted stock, were the subject of late Form 4 filings.error.

ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING

Only stockholders or their legal proxy holders are invited to attend the annual meeting. To be admitted to the annual meeting, you will need a form of government-issued photo identification. In addition, depending on how you hold your stock, you may need valid proof of ownership of our common stock or a valid legal proxy.

 

If you are a stockholder of record, we will be able to verify your name in our share register with your government-issued photo identification. To be admitted to the annual meeting, stockholders of record must present a form of government-issued photo identification, which we will match with our share register.

 

If you are a street name stockholder, you must present a form of government-issued photo identification and proof of your ownership of our common stock as of the record date of March 4, 2016,9, 2017, such as a bank or brokerage account statement, to be admitted to the annual meeting.

 

 

If you are not a stockholder, you will be admitted to the annual meeting only if you have a form of government-issued photo identification and a valid legal proxy from a stockholder that held our stock as of the record date. If you are receiving a legal proxy from a stockholder of record, you must bring to the meeting the legal proxy from the record holder to you. If you are receiving a legal proxy from a street name stockholder, you must bring to the meeting the legal proxy from the record holder (i.e., the bank, broker or other holder of record) to the street name holder, which must be assignable, and the legal proxy from the street name holder to you. Each stockholder may appoint only one proxy holder to attend the meeting on their behalf.

No cameras, camera phones, weapons, large bags, briefcases, backpacks or packages will be permitted in the annual meeting, and no audio or video recording of the meeting will be permitted.

Directions to the location of the annual meeting are included on the form of proxy.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

It is our policy that all employees and directors must avoid any activity that conflicts with or has the appearance of conflicting with our business interests. This policy is included in our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. In addition, at least annually, each director and executive officer completes a detailed questionnaire specifying any business relationship that may give rise to a conflict of interest with the company.

Process for Review of Related Person Transactions. OurThe Board of Directors has adopted a written policy for the review, approval and ratification of existing or proposed transactions to which the company (or any subsidiary) is a party, when the aggregate amount involved in the transaction

Other Information for Stockholders(Continued)

exceeds or is expected to exceed $100,000 and any director, director nominee, executive officer,greater-than-5% beneficial owner or their respective immediate family members had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    91


Other Information for Stockholders

The policy provides that the Governance and Policy Committee will review transactions subject to the policy and determine whether or not to approve or ratify those transactions. In doing so, the Governance and Policy Committee considers whether the transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the company than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances, the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction, the materiality of the proposed related person transaction, the actual or perceived conflict of interest between the company and the related person, the relationship of the proposed transaction to applicable state corporation and fiduciary obligation laws and rules, disclosure standards, our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and the best interests of the company and our stockholders.

The Governance and Policy Committee has adopted standingpre-approvals under the policy for transactions with related persons.Pre-approved transactions include, but are not limited to:

(a) compensation arrangements of executive officers where (i) the officer’s compensation is reported in the proxy statement or (ii) the executive officer is not an immediate family member of another executive officer, director or nominee for director, the related compensation would have been reported in the proxy statement if the officer was a “named executive officer” and the Compensation Committee approved, or recommended to the Board for approval, such compensation;

(b) director compensation where such compensation is reported in the proxy statement;

(b)director compensation where such compensation is reported in the proxy statement;

(c) transactions in which the related persons interest derives solely from (i) his or her service as a director of another corporation or organization that is a party to the transaction, (ii) his or her beneficial ownership (together with all other related persons) of less than 10% of the equity interest of any firm, corporation or other entity (other than a partnership) or (iii) both clauses (i) and (ii);

(d) transactions in which the related persons interest derives solely from his or her position as a limited partner in a partnership where his or her interest in the partnership (together with all other related persons) is less than 10% and he or she is not a general partner and does not hold any other position with the partnership;

(e) transactions with another corporation or organization with respect to which a related person’s only relationship is as an employee (other than an executive officer) if the aggregate amount involved does not exceed the greater of $1,000,000 or 2% of that corporation’s or organization’s total annual revenues;

(f) charitable contributions, grants and endowments by the company to a charitable organization, foundation or university with respect to which a related person’s only relationship is as an employee (other than an executive officer), a director or a trustee, if the aggregate amount involved does not exceed the lesser of $1,000,000 or 2% of the charitable organization’s total annual receipts;

(g) transactions in which the related person’s interest derives solely from his or her ownership of our common stock and all stockholders receive proportional benefits;

(h) transactions involving competitive bids;

Other Information for Stockholders(Continued)

(i) regulated transactions; and

(j) certain banking-related services.

The policy requires each director and executive officer to complete an annual questionnaire to identify his or her related interests and persons, and to notify the Office of the General Counsel of changes in

92    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


Other Information for Stockholders

that information. The Office of the General Counsel receives such information and maintains a master list of related persons, for purposes of tracking and reportingwhich is incorporated into an internal control designed to identify related person transactions.

Transactions with Related Persons

There have been no related party transactions since the beginning of 20152016 that required disclosure under the securities laws or that otherwise required review, approval or ratification by our Governance and Policy Committee under our related person transactiontransactions policy.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    93


ANNEX A

PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION POLICY OF HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES, INC.

As amended and restated effective March 1, 2017

1. Purpose

This Policy is intended to allow certain designated annual cash incentives payable to the senior executives of the Company and certain designated equity-based awards under the Company’s 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan to comply with the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2. Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

(a) The aggregate maximum potential amount of cash compensation designated as payable under this Policy payable to all of the Section 162(m) Officers for a Performance Year shall equal two andone-half percent (2.5%) of the Economic Earnings for such Performance Year (the “Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation”).

(b) The maximum potential amount of Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation (as defined in Section 2(a)) payable for any single Performance Year to each Section 162(m) Officer shall be the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation multiplied by the applicable percentage as follows: forty percent (40%) for the Chief Executive Officer and twenty percent (20%) for each of the other up to three (3) Section 162(m) Officers for such Performance Year.

(c) The maximum potential amount of the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation payable to each Section 162(m) Officer as described in Section 2(b) may be reduced (but not increased) by the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, as provided in Section 2(d). The Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation that is actually allocated among the Section 162(m) Officers for the Performance Year after any reduction pursuant to Section 2(d) shall be the “Appropriated Incentive Compensation.” In no event may the Appropriated Incentive Compensation for a Performance Year exceed the Tentative Appropriate Incentive Compensation for such Performance Year. Any Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation for a Performance Year which is not actually allocated to each of the Section 162(m) Officers for a Performance Year shall be forfeited.

(d) The Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, exercise negative discretion by reducing amounts of Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation to all or any of the Section 162(m) Officers from the maximum potential awards payable by application of Section 2(b). No such reduction shall increase the amount of the maximum award payable to any other Section 162(m) Officer. The Policy anticipates that the Compensation Committee will exercise its negative discretion in the following manner:

(i) In connection with the granting of awards under the Annual Incentive Plan at the beginning of each Performance Year, the Compensation Committee will make an award to each Section 162(m) Officer under the Annual Incentive Plan.

(ii) After the end of the Performance Year, the Compensation Committee will determine the Annual Incentive Plan Compensation for each Section 162(m) Officer. If the Annual Incentive

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ANNEX A

Plan Compensation is more than the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation determined for that Section 162(m) Officer under Section 2(b), the Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation for that officer is the maximum amount payable. If the Annual Incentive Plan Compensation for a Section 162(m) Officer is less than the officer’s Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation, the Compensation Committee may determine to pay the Annual Incentive Plan Compensation or make an adjustment as provided in Section 2(d)(iii).

(iii) Subject to Section 2(d)(ii), the Compensation Committee may determine the amount of any reduction in a Section 162(m) Officer’s Tentative Appropriated Incentive Compensation on the basis of such factors as it deems relevant, which may include but not be limited to the following factors:

(A) The evaluation of the Section 162(m) Officer’s performance during that Performance Year in relation to any performance objectives and the officer’s contribution during the Performance Year to the success or profit of the Company.

(B) The classification of the Section 162(m) Officer’s position, relative to the position of participants in the Annual Incentive Plan.

The Compensation Committee shall not be required to establish any allocation or weighting component with respect to the factors it considers.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Policy, the Appropriated Incentive Compensation payable to a Section 162(m) Officer for a Performance Year must satisfy the requirements of Sections 2(e)-(h). The purpose of these subsections is to ensure compliance by the Policy with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code relating to performance-based compensation. To the extent necessary to ensure that Appropriated Incentive Compensation payments comply with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code relating to performance based compensation, Appropriated Incentive Compensation payments are subject to:

(i) Approval of this Policy and of the criteria and percentages stated in Sections 2(a) and (b) by the shareholders of the Company following theSpin-Off no later than the first regularly scheduled meeting of the shareholders that occurs more than twelve (12) months after theSpin-Off;

(ii) The maximum amount that may be awarded to any Section 162(m) Officer for any Performance Year as stated in Section 2(b); and

(iii) Approval of this Policy by the Compensation Committee following theSpin-Off and at or prior to the time any Appropriated Incentive Compensation is paid to any Section 162(m) Officers.

(f) The Economic Earnings criterion established in Section 2(a) on which Appropriated Incentive Compensation payments are based shall first apply in the Performance Year beginning January 1, 2011.

(g) Prior to the payment of any Appropriated Incentive Compensation to a Section 162(m) Officer for a Performance Year, the Compensation Committee shall make a determination and certification in writing as to the achievement of the Economic Earnings, and any other material terms with respect to payment of the Appropriated Incentive Compensation to such officer for such Performance Year.

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ANNEX A

(h) The Compensation Committee shall have no discretion to increase Appropriated Incentive Compensation for a Section 162(m) Officer for a Performance Year above the amount determined by application of Section 2(b). The Compensation Committee shall make the final determination of each Section 162(m) Officer’s Appropriated Incentive Compensation for a Performance Year.

3. Performance-Based Awards

(a) The Compensation Committee may grant Performance-Based Awards under the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan to key employees of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether in the form of Restricted Performance Stock (as defined in Section 8(c)(i)(B) of the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan, Restricted Performance Stock Units (as defined in Section 8(c)(i)(A) of the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan), or other rights, that are intended to comply with the performance-based compensation exception to the deductibility limitation under Section 162(m) of the Code. Performance-Based Awards shall be subject to all applicable terms and conditions of the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan andSection 3(b)-(e) below.

(b) The applicable Performance Criteria and the specific performance goals for Performance-Based Awards must be approved by the Compensation Committee in advance of applicable deadlines under the Code and while the performance relating to such goals remains substantially uncertain. The applicable performance period may range from one to ten years. Performance targets shall, to the extent determined by the Compensation Committee to be equitable and appropriate, be adjusted to mitigate the unbudgeted impact of material, unusual or nonrecurring gains and losses, accounting charges or other extraordinary events not foreseen at the time the targets were set.

(c) In no event shall the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded to any eligible participant in the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan during any three year period pursuant to stock option grants and SAR grants hereunder exceed 1,500,000 shares.

(d) In no event shall share-based Performance-Based Awards granted to any eligible person under the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan (without giving effect to any related dividend equivalents) during any three consecutive years relate to or provide for payment of more than 500,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock. In no event shall grants to any eligible person under the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan of Performance-Based Awards payable only in cash in any calendar year and not related to shares provide for payment of more than $3,000,000.

(e) Except as otherwise permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code, before any Performance-Based Award is paid, the Compensation Committee must certify that the performance goal and any other material terms of the Performance-Based Award were in fact satisfied. The Compensation Committee shall have discretion to determine the conditions, restrictions or other limitations, in accordance with the terms of this Policy, the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan and Section 162(m) of the Code, on the payment of individual Performance-Based Awards. The Compensation Committee may reserve by express provision in any award agreement the right to reduce the amount payable in accordance with any standards or on any other basis (including the Compensation Committee’s discretion), as the Compensation Committee may impose.

4. Administration

The Compensation Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Policy. The Compensation Committee shall:

(a) Interpret the Policy, make any rules and regulations relating to the Policy, designate the awards that are subject to the Policy, and determine factual questions arising in connection with the Policy, after such investigation or hearing as the Compensation Committee may deem appropriate.

96    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


ANNEX A

(b) As soon as practicable after the close of each Performance Year and prior to the payment of any Appropriated Incentive Compensation for such Performance Year, review the performance of each Section 162(m) Officer and determine the amount of each such officer’s individual Appropriated Incentive Compensation payment, if any, with respect to that Performance Year.

(c) Have sole discretion in determining the terms of Appropriated Incentive Compensation and Performance-Based Awards that are subject to the Policy, except that in making awards the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, request and consider the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and others whom it may designate.

Any decisions made by the Compensation Committee under the provisions of this Section 4 shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Policy, the provisions of this Policy shall be interpreted and administered by the Compensation Committee in a manner consistent with the requirements for exemption of Appropriated Incentive Compensation and Performance-Based Awards granted to Section 162(m) Officers as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations and other interpretations issued by the Internal Revenue Service thereunder.

5. Amendment or Termination of Policy

The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the right to terminate or amend this Policy at any time and to discontinue further appropriations thereto, except that that no amendment to the Policy shall be made without the approval of the shareholders of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. if shareholder approval is required to preserve the exemption of Appropriated Incentive Compensation and Performance-Based Awards granted to Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan participants as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).

6. Effective Date

This Policy was first effective for Performance Years commencing in 2011 and was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the 2012 annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders. The Policy, as amended and restated herein, will be effective for Performance Years commencing in 2017, subject to approval by the Company’s shareholders at the 2017 annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders.

7. Miscellaneous

(a) Nothing in this Policy shall constitute an agreement (i) of any Section 162(m) Officer or any other employee to remain in the employ of and to render his/her services to the Company, or (ii) of the Company to continue to employ a Section 162(m) Officer or any other employee, and the Company may terminate the employment of a Section 162(m) Officer or any other employee at any time with or without cause.

(b) In the event any provision of the Policy shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Policy, and the Policy shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

(c) All costs of implementing and administering the Policy shall be borne by the Company.

(d) The Policy shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

(e) The Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the state of Delaware.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    97


ANNEX A

8. Definitions

The following terms shall have the following meanings (capitalized terms used in the Policy not otherwise defined below shall have the meanings given to such terms under the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan):

“Annual Incentive Plan”—The Annual Incentive Plan of Huntington-Ingalls Industries, Inc. (or any successor plan). Unless the Committee provides otherwise at the time of an award, awards under the Annual Incentive Plan to Section 162(m) Officers are designated as subject to the Policy.

“Annual Incentive Plan Compensation”—The annual cash-based incentive that would be payable to a Section 162(m) Officer under the Annual Incentive Plan award for the Performance Year.

“Compensation Committee”—The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. It shall be composed of not less than two members of the Board of Directors, no one of whom shall be an officer or employee of the Company and it shall be constituted so as to comply with the “outside director” requirement of Section 162(m) of the Code.

“Company”—Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. and such of its subsidiaries as are consolidated in its consolidated financial statements.

“Economic Earnings”—Income from continuing operations before federal and foreign income taxes and the cumulative effect of accounting changes and extraordinary items, less pension income (or plus pension expense) plus amortization and impairment of goodwill and other purchased intangibles, plus restructuring or similar charges to the extent they are separately disclosed in the annual report.

“EVA”—Operating profit after tax (which means net earnings after tax but before tax adjusted interest income and expense and goodwill amortization), less a charge for the use of capital (which is based on average total capital and the weighted average cost of capital).

“Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan”—The 2012 Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan of Huntington-Ingalls Industries, Inc.

“Net Pension Income or Expense”—Any positive (Income) or negative (Expense) difference between income from employee pension plan investments less the cost of employee pension benefits for the relevant period of time.

“Pension Adjusted Operating Margin”—Operating margin adjusted for the difference in pension cost between FAS (Financial Accounting Standards) and allowable and reimbursable pension costs under CAS (Cost Accounting Standards).

“Performance-Based Award”—An award (other than stock options or SAR grants) under the Long-Term Incentive Stock Plan, the vesting of which depends on the absolute or relative performance of the Company on a consolidated, segment, subsidiary, division, or plant basis with reference to one or more Performance Criteria, that is designated by the Compensation Committee as being subject to this Policy.

“Performance Criteria”—Revenue, net earnings (on a total or continuing basis and either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or Net Pension Income or Expense), earnings per share (either on a total or continuing basis and before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), cash flow or free cash flow (either as dollars or as a percentage of net earnings), return on equity or on assets or on investment (in each case which may, but need not, be on a net basis), cash flow return on equity, investments, assets or net assets, cost containment or reduction, new business awards or backlog, stock price or stock price appreciation, total stockholder return, EVA,

98    Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.


ANNEX A

overhead or expense containment or reduction, working capital level or working capital turnover, asset levels or asset turnover, enterprise value, operating margin (dollars or rate), Pension Adjusted Operating Margin, debt covenants (including compliance with debt covenants), or credit ratings.

The financial metrics identified above can be measured on an as reported or pension adjusted basis, on an annual or cumulatively over a defined period of time basis, and can be measured on an absolute, relative or growth basis. The metrics may be set on a consolidated, segment, sector, subsidiary, division, or plant basis. Any of these metrics also may be based on peer comparisons.

“Performance Year”—The fiscal year of the Company with respect to which an award of Appropriated Incentive Compensation is calculated and paid.

“Policy”—This Performance-Based Compensation Policy of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

“Section 162(m) Officer”—An employee of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates who is a “covered employee” as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to a Performance Year or with respect to a Performance-Based Award.

2017 Notice and Proxy Statement    99


            LOGO

 

LOGO

  

LOGO

 

Electronic Voting Instructions

 

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

 

Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the voting methods described below to vote your proxy.

 

VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR.

 

Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on April 28, 2016.May 2, 2017.

  

 LOGO     

 

 

Vote by Internet

   

 

•  Go towww.envisionreports.com/HII

   

 

•  Or scan the QR code with your smartphone

  

 

•  Follow the steps outlined on the secure website

  

 

Vote by telephone

  

   

•   Call toll free1-800-652-VOTE (8683)within the USA, US territories & Canada on a touch tone telephone

Using ablack inkpen, mark your votes with anXas shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. x        

  

 

•   Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message

 

LOGO

q IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNETOR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. qLOGO

 

q  IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNETOR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.  q

    

 A 

 The Board of Directors recommends a voteFOR the threeeight nominees for director.

1. Elect three Directors:

1. 

Elect eight Directors:

 For Withhold   For Withhold   For Withhold         +  
 

 

01 -

 

 

Augustus L. Collins

 

 

 

 

 

 

    02 -

 

 

Kirkland H. Donald

 

 

 

 

 

 

    03 -

 

 

Thomas B. Fargo

 

 

 

 

 
 04 - Victoria D. Harker       05 - Anastasia D. Kelly       06 - Thomas C. Schievelbein     
 07 - John K. Welch       08 - Stephen R. Wilson       

 

For

Withhold

For

Withhold

For

Withhold

Ê

    01 - Thomas B. Fargo

¨

¨

02 - John K. Welch

¨

¨

03 - Stephen R. Wilson

¨

¨

 B  The Board of Directors recommends a voteFOR Proposals 2, 3 and 3.4 andAGAINST Proposal 5.

 

ForAgainstAbstainForAgainstAbstain

2. Ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for 2016.

¨

¨

¨

3. Approve executive compensation on an advisory basis.

¨

¨

¨

   For Against Abstain     For  Against  Abstain

 

2.

 

 

Approve executive compensation on an advisory basis.

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

3.

 

 

Ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for 2017

  

 

 

 

 

 

 ☐

4. Approve our Performance-Based Compensation Policy to preserve the tax deductibility of performance-based compensation payments      5. Stockholder proposal to amend our proxy access bylaw     ☐

 

 C  Non-Voting Items

Change of Address — Please print your new address below.  Comments— Please print your comments below. Meeting Attendance 
Mark the box to the
right if you plan to
attend the Annual
Meeting.
      Mark the box to the right if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting.¨

 

 D  Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below

Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian or custodian, please give full title.

Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below.            Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box.    Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box.

      /        /         

 

Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below.        Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box.Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box.
        /        /

 LOGO

  

1 U P X

  +

                    02JGTD

 

LOGO


Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Friday, April 29, 2016,Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. EDT

Herbert H. Bateman Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC)

2401 West Avenue

Newport News, Virginia 23607

Driving Directions

FromInterstateI-64, takeExit 264toInterstateI-664 South;

FromI-664, takeExit 6to26th Street;

Continue on26th Streetuntil it intersects withWest Avenueat a stop sign;

TurnLeftontoWest Avenue; and then

TurnRightinto VASCIC;

Continue into the covered garage for parking.

q IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNETOR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q

 

LOGOLOGO

 

 

Proxy — Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

 

 

Notice of 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

The undersigned, having received the Notice of 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement, appoints Kellye L. Walker and Charles R. Monroe, Jr., and each of them, Proxies with full power of substitution, for and in the name of the undersigned, to vote all shares of common stock of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. owned of record by the undersigned, and which the undersigned is entitled to vote, in each case on all matters that may come before the 20162017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 29, 2016,May 3, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. EDT, at the Herbert H. Bateman Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC), 2401 West Avenue, Newport News, Virginia 23607, and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

If shares are held on your behalf under any of the Company savings plans, the proxy serves to provide confidential instructions to the plan Trustee, who then votes the shares. Instructions must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 26, 2016,30, 2017, to be included in the tabulation to the plan Trustee. For shares represented by proxies not received by this date, the applicable plan Trustee will treat the received proxies as instructions to vote the respective plan shares in the same proportion as shares held under the plan for which voting instructions have been received, unless contrary to ERISA.

Shares represented by this proxy will be voted as directed by the stockholder. If no such directions are indicated, the Proxies will voteFOR the threeeight nominees for director, andFOR Proposals 2, 3 and 3.4 andAGAINST Proposal 5.

The Proxies are authorized to vote in their discretion upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

(Items to be voted appear on reverse side.)