Exhibit 99.1
Box Responds to Starboard Value and Reiterates the Board’s Unified Commitment to Stockholder Value Creation
May 03, 2021 06:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Box, Inc. (NYSE: BOX) today issued the following statement in response to the letter issued by Starboard Value LP (“Starboard”):
Over the last two years, the Box Board of Directors and management team have embraced suggestions from Starboard and other stockholders, taking meaningful action to enhance Box’s corporate governance and improve profitability, while also pursuing a comprehensive review of a wide range of strategic options. Building on these actions and in alignment with feedback from stockholders, including Starboard, the company is intently focused on accelerating top-line growth while continuing to drive increased profitability. The Board has been unified and unwavering in its commitment to acting in the best interests of all stockholders.
Proactive Governance Actions and World Class Board
As part of an agreement reached with Starboard in March 2020, the Box Board was significantly refreshed through the replacement of three long-standing directors with three new independent directors, including two former CEOs and one CFO at leading publicly traded technology companies, who added important skillsets and diverse perspectives. One of the new directors approved by Starboard, Jack Lazar, was recently appointed Chair of the Audit Committee, and another of the new directors approved by Starboard, Bethany Mayer, was appointed Chair of the Compensation Committee. Additionally, the Board recently approved the separation of the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer roles, and appointed Ms. Mayer as Chair of the Board.
These Board refreshments are in addition to the three directors with significant enterprise technology experience – Sue Barsamian, Kim Hammonds, and Peter Leav – who have been added to the Box Board since 2018. In connection with the closing of the recently announced KKR-led transaction, an additional independent director, John Park, Head of Americas Technology Private Equity at KKR, will be added. As a result, Box has a diverse and independent Board with directors who bring extensive technology experience across enterprise and consumer markets, enterprise IT, and global go-to-market strategy, as well as deep financial acumen and proven track records of helping public companies drive disciplined growth, profitability, and stockholder value. Furthermore, seven of the ten directors on the Box Board will have joined the Board within the last three years.
Strong Financial Results
As part of the March 2020 agreement with Starboard, the Box Board also formed an Operating Committee, consisting entirely of independent directors. In the past year, under the oversight of the Operating Committee, the company has made substantial progress across all facets of the business – strategic, operational and financial – as demonstrated by the strong results reported for the full year of fiscal 2021:
| • | | Revenue growth rate plus free cash flow margin of over 26%, exceeding stated target of 25%, and nearly double the results from fiscal 2020; |
| • | | Revenue of $771 million, an 11% increase year-over-year; |
| • | | RPO of $897 million, up 17% year-over-year; |
| • | | Non-GAAP operating margin of over 15%, a 14 percentage point increase year-over year; and |
| • | | Free cash flow of $120 million, compared to negative $7.2 million in fiscal 2020. |
It is clear that Box’s strategy is working. The company has observed growing demand for its more advanced capabilities, such as Box Shield and Box Relay, and drove more Suites adoption due to innovation and product portfolio enhancements. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021, Box had a record 45% attach rate for Suites, as well as a 60% attach rate for Box Shield, in its six-figure deals. This has resulted in over 1,200 customers paying more than $100,000 annually, up 10% year-over-year, and 99 $1 million customers, up 24% year-over-year.