SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
| Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31,
2019
| Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
For the Transition Period from
to
Commission File No.
001-34037
Commission Company Name: SUPERIOR ENERGY SERVICES INC
SUPERIOR ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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1001 Louisiana Street, Suite 2900 Houston, TX | | |
Address of principal executive offices) | | |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713)
654-2200
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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| | | | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, $.001 par value | | | | |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes
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No
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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes
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No
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes
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No
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation
S-T
(§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes
☒
No
☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
non-accelerated
filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule
12b-2
of the Exchange Act.
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| | | | Smaller reporting company | | |
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2
of the Exchange Act). Yes
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No
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At June 30, 2019, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting stock held by
non-affiliates
of the registrant was $205.4 million. At June 1, 2020 there were 15,798,919 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.
Superior Energy Services, Inc. (the Company, we, us or our) filed its Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (the Form
10-K)
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on February 28, 2020. The Company is filing this Amendment No. 1 to the Form
10-K
(the Form
10-K/A
or this Amendment) solely for the purpose of including the Part III information. This information was previously omitted from the original Form
10-K
in reliance on General Instruction G(3) to Form
10-K,
which permits the information in Part III to be incorporated in the Form
10-K
by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement or an amendment to the
Form10-K
if such statement or amendment is filed with the SEC no later than 120 days after the Company’s fiscal
year-end.
The Company is filing this Form
10-K/A
to include Part III information because the Company did not file a definitive proxy statement containing such information within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by the Form
10-K.
This Form
10-K/A
hereby amends and restates in their entirety Items 10 through 14 of Part III of the Form
10-K.
The Company is also relying on the
45-day
extension provided by an order issued on March 4, 2020 by the SEC under Section 36 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), granting exemptions from specified provisions of the Exchange Act and certain rules thereunder, as amended by Release No.
34-88465
issued on March 25, 2020 (as amended, the Order) to delay the filing of this Form
10-K/A
after April 30, 2020, which is the original filing deadline (the Original Filing Deadline) for filing the Part III information. On April 28, 2020, the Company filed the Current Report on Form
8-K
with the SEC to indicate its intention to rely on the Order for the extension of the filing of this Form
10-K/A.
Consistent with our statements made in the Form
8-K,
the Company was unable to file this Form
10-K/A
until the date hereof because the Company’s operations have experienced disruptions due to the circumstances surrounding the
COVID-19
pandemic including, but not limited to, suggested and mandated social distancing and stay home orders. These mandates and the resulting office closures and staff reductions have severely limited access to the Company’s facilities by the Company’s financial reporting and accounting staff as well as other advisors involved in the preparation of this Form
10-K/A
and impacted the Company’s ability to fulfill required preparation and review processes and procedures with respect to this Form
10-K/A.
In light of the impact of the factors described above, the Company was unable to compile and review certain information necessary to permit the Company to timely file this
10-K/A
by the Original Filing Deadline without unreasonable effort and expense.
Pursuant to Rule
12b-15
under the Exchange Act, this Form
10-K/A
also contains new certifications by the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Accordingly, Item 15(b) of Part IV is amended and restated to include the currently dated certifications as exhibits to this Form
10-K/A.
Because no financial statements have been amended by or included in this Form
10-K/A
and this Form
10-K/A
does not contain or amend any disclosure with respect to Items 307 and 308 of Regulation
S-K,
paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of the certifications have been omitted.
Except as expressly noted in this Form
10-K/A,
this Form
10-K/A
does not reflect events occurring after the original filing of the Form
10-K
or modify or update in any way any of the other disclosures contained in the Form
10-K
including, without limitation, the financial statements. Accordingly, this Form
10-K/A
should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Form
10-K
and the Company’s other filings with the SEC.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Form
10-K/A
and other documents filed by us with the SEC contain, and future oral or written statements or press releases by us and our management may contain, forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, the words “expects,” “anticipates,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks” and “estimates,” variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Form
10-K/A
or such other materials regarding our financial position, financial performance, liquidity, strategic alternatives, market outlook, future capital needs, capital allocation plans, business strategies and other plans and objectives of our management for future operations and activities are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by our management in light of its experience and prevailing circumstances on the date such statements are made. Such forward-looking statements, and the assumptions on which they are based, are inherently speculative and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
| • | the conditions in the oil and gas industry; |
| • | the effects of public health threats, pandemics and epidemics, like the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and the adverse impact thereof on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity, including, but not limited to, our growth, operating costs, supply chain, labor availability, logistical capabilities, customer demand and industry demand generally, margins, utilization, cash position, taxes, the price of our securities, the ability to access capital markets; |
| • | the ability of the members of OPEC+ to agree on and to maintain crude oil price and production controls; |
| • | our outstanding debt obligations and the potential effect of limiting our ability to fund future growth; |
| • | necessary capital financing may not be available at economic rates or at all; |
| • | volatility of our common stock; |
| • | operating hazards, including the significant possibility of accidents resulting in personal injury or death, or property damage for which we may have limited or no insurance coverage or indemnification rights; |
| • | we may not be fully indemnified against losses incurred due to catastrophic events; |
| • | claims, litigation or other proceedings that require cash payments or could impair financial condition; |
| • | credit risk associated with our customer base; |
| • | the effect of regulatory programs and environmental matters on our operations or prospects; |
| • | the impact that unfavorable or unusual weather conditions could have on our operations; |
| • | the potential inability to retain key employees and skilled workers; |
| • | political, legal, economic and other risks and uncertainties associated with our international operations; |
| • | laws, regulations or practices in foreign countries could materially restrict our operations or expose us to additional risks; |
| • | potential changes in tax laws, adverse positions taken by tax authorities or tax audits impacting our operating results; |
| • | changes in competitive and technological factors affecting our operations; |
| • | risks associated with the uncertainty of macroeconomic and business conditions worldwide; |
| • | potential impacts of cyber-attacks on our operations; |
| • | counterparty risks associated with reliance on key suppliers; |
| • | challenges with estimating our potential liabilities related to our oil and natural gas property; and |
| • | risks associated with potential changes of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management security and bonding requirements for offshore platforms. |
These risks and other uncertainties related to our business are described in detail in Part I, Item 1A of the Form
10-K.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Investors are cautioned that many of the assumptions on which our forward-looking statements are based are likely to change after such statements are made, including for example the market prices of oil and gas and regulations affecting oil and gas operations, which we cannot control or anticipate. Further, we may make changes to our business strategies and plans (including our capital spending and capital allocation plans) at any time and without notice, based on any changes in the above-listed factors, our assumptions or otherwise, any of which could or will affect our results.
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| | • Payout in cash, although up to 50% of value may be paid in shares of stock in the Committee’s discretion | | • Use of TSR to better align the interests of our executives with those of our stockholders |
The award mix for NEOs during 2019 was 65.7% in PSUs, 21.8% in RSUs and 12.5% stock options. The following table shows the 2019 LTI award value (denominated as a percentage of annual salary) and the approximate total value of the 2019 LTI grants (amounts reflected in Summary Compensation Table for RSUs and stock options reflect actual grant date fair values). The amounts reflected below reflect the LTI grant values and not the actual value received by any of the NEOs.
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| | | | | Total Value Granted as PSUs | | | Total Value Granted as RSUs | | | Total Value Granted as Options | | | Total Value of 2019 LTI Awards | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | | | % | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
For the PSUs granted for the 2019-2021 cycle, under both performance criteria, the maximum, target and threshold levels are met when our ROA and TSR are in the 75
th
percentile, 50
th
percentile and 25
th
percentile, respectively, as compared to the ROA and TSR of the Performance Peer Group, as described in the following table:
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Performance Level Relative to Performance Peer Group | | Percent of Date-of-Grant Value of PSU Received for Relative ROA Level | | | Percent of Date-of-Grant Value of PSU Received for Relative TSR Level | | | Total Percent of Date-of- Grant Value of PSU Received | |
| | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
Threshold (25th Percentile) | | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
| | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
Maximum (75th Percentile or above) | | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
The PSUs have a three year performance period, commencing January 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2021, and will time-vest on December 31, 2021, subject to continued employment through the vesting date. Actual PSU performance results that fall
in-between
the “maximum,” “target” and
“threshold” levels will be calculated based on a sliding scale. For purpose of determining the Company’s ROA rank in the Performance Peer Group, we generate the results using income from operations data and net operating asset data derived from financial statements as reported by each peer company in their
year-end
annual report on Form
10-K,
uniformly adjusted for any
non-operational
charges as determined by established, independent third-party financial data providers. All calculations are validated by the Committee’s independent compensation consultant.
The PSUs granted for the 2017-2019 performance period were paid out in cash to the PSU recipients in April 2020. The Company ranked in the 17th percentile of relative TSR and in the 44th percentile of relative ROA, both as compared to its performance peers, resulting in a payout to the NEOs of $50 per PSU.
The PSU payout received by each NEO is reflected in the table below and in the “2019 Summary Compensation Table” under the column
“Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation.”
We seek to maintain a cost conscious culture, and specifically in connection with the benefits and modest perquisites provided to executives. The Company provides each of our executive officers an automobile allowance, including fuel and maintenance costs, and also reimburses them for business travel, as well as for all deductibles,
co-pays,
and other out of pocket expenses associated with our health insurance program through a program called ArmadaCare, and provides them with other limited perquisites. These perquisites are intended to ensure our executive officers are able to devote their full business time to the affairs of the Company. The attributed costs of the personal benefits described above for the NEOs for 2019 are included in the “2019 Summary Compensation Table.” We believe the provision of these benefits was modest and appropriate in 2019.
Post–Employment Compensation
The Company also provides post-employment benefits to our executive officers through our SERP, including a
non-qualified
deferred compensation plan and certain severance and change of control benefits pursuant to employment agreements that we have with our executive officers. For more information on these plans, see the sections entitled “Item 11. Executive Compensation—Retirement Benefit Programs” and “Item 11. Executive Compensation—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.” For more information on the contributions, earnings and aggregate account balances for each NEO, see the table entitled “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Contribution for 2019.”
As described in more detail under “Item 11. Executive Compensation—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control,” we entered into employment agreements with all of our executive officers whereby the executives are entitled to severance benefits in the event of an involuntary termination of employment under certain conditions. We have determined that it is appropriate to provide our executives with severance benefits under these circumstances in light of their positions with the Company and as part of their overall compensation package. The severance benefits are generally designed to approximate the benefits each would have received had he remained employed by the Company through the remainder of the term covered by his employment agreement.
We believe that the occurrence, or potential occurrence, of a change of control transaction creates uncertainty regarding the continued employment of our executive officers and distracts them from effectively performing their duties. This uncertainty results from the fact that many change of control transactions result in significant organizational changes, particularly at the senior executive level. In order to encourage our executive officers to remain employed with the Company during an important time when their prospects for continued employment following a transaction are often uncertain, we provide our executive officers with enhanced severance benefits under our Change of Control Severance Plan if their employment is terminated by the Company without cause or, in certain cases, by the executive for good reason in connection with a change of control (a double-trigger benefit). Because we believe that a termination by the executive for good reason may be conceptually the same as a termination by the Company without cause, and because we believe that in the context of a change of control, potential acquirers would otherwise have an incentive to constructively terminate the executive’s employment to avoid paying severance, we believe it is appropriate to provide severance benefits in these circumstances. The change of control-related severance payments are made from a transaction sharing pool that is calculated as of the date of the change of control and based on the transaction value of the Company at the time of the change of control (with the transaction pool increasing or decreasing as the transaction value increases or decreases, respectively). The impact of a change of control on our long-term incentive awards is governed by the applicable award agreement, which currently provide for accelerated vesting upon a change of control. The terms of the employment agreements and the Change of Control Severance Plan and the benefits they provide are discussed more fully in the section entitled “Item 11. Executive Compensation—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.”
Executive Compensation Policies
Stock Ownership Guidelines and Holding Requirement
We believe it is important that the interests of our executives and directors are aligned with the long-term interests of our stockholders. We have adopted stock ownership guidelines applicable to our executive officers. Under the guidelines, required ownership levels are as follows:
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| | Stock Value as a Multiple of Base Salary | |
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Additionally, we included a requirement that our executives maintain ownership of at least 50% of the net
after-tax
shares of common stock acquired from the Company pursuant to any equity-based awards received from the Company, unless the executive has met his individual ownership requirement. The required share amount is determined as of the date the officer becomes subject to the guidelines, and is calculated by dividing such officer’s applicable base salary multiple by the
365-day
average closing price of our common stock as reported on the NYSE, and then rounding to the nearest 100 shares. The target ownership level does not change with changes in base salary or common stock price, but will change in the event the officer’s position level changes. Our executive officers are required to achieve their required ownership levels within five years from the date they become subject to the guidelines. The Committee will administer the guidelines and will periodically review each participant’s compliance (or progress towards compliance) and may impose additional requirements the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this program. See “Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters—Management and Director Stock Ownership” for the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by our NEOs.
In structuring our executive compensation program, the Committee takes into account the tax treatment of our compensation arrangements, including compensation over $1 million paid to our NEOs who are “covered employees” as
non-tax
deductible under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (Section 162(m)). As in prior years, in 2019 the Committee considered the tax implications (including the lack of deductibility) when making compensation decisions, but continued to reserve the right to make compensation decisions based on other factors if it determined that it was in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to do so.
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NVIT Government Money Market V | | | | % |
JPMorgan IT Insurance Tr Core Bond 1 | | | | % |
Vanguard VIF Total Bond Market Index | | | | % |
| | | | % |
Fidelity VIP Index 500 Initial | | | | % |
American Funds IS Growth 2 | | | | % |
JPMorgan Insurance Tr Mid Cap Value 1 | | | | % |
Janus Henderson VIT Enterprise Svc | | | | % |
DFA VA U.S. Targeted Value | | | | % |
| | | | % |
MFS VIT II International Intrs Val Svc | | | | % |
Invesco VI II International Growth I | | | | % |
Vanguard VIF Real Estate Index | | | | % |
Templeton Global Bond VIP I | | | | % |
Vanguard VIF Mid Cap Index | | | | % |
DWS Small Cap Index VIP A | | | | % |
NVIT International Index I | | | | % |
(4) | Pursuant to the terms of the SERP, aggregate earnings for 2019 were calculated at a rate of interest equal to 5.82%, which was our after-tax long-term borrowing rate. |
Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control
In addition to the post-employment benefits under the Company’s 401(k) plan, the SERP and the NQDC Plan, each of our NEOs are entitled to severance benefits upon termination of employment, including in connection with a change of control of the Company under their employment agreements. See also “Item 11. Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” for additional information.
Below is a description of the employment agreements and Change of Control Severance Plan in place with each of our NEOs. As required by the SEC’s disclosure rules, we have included disclosure quantifying the potential payments to our NEOs under various termination and change of control scenarios based on the agreements in place as of December 31, 2019.
Executive Employment Agreements and Severance Program
All of our NEOs are party to the same form of employment agreement. The initial term of each employment agreement is three years and the term automatically extends for an additional year on the second anniversary and each subsequent anniversary, unless prior written notice not to extend the term is provided by the Company or the NEO. The employment agreements entitles our NEOs to:
| • | eligibility for annual incentive bonuses and LTI awards as approved by the Compensation Committee; |
| • | participation in the retirement and welfare benefit plans of the Company; and |
| • | participation in our Change of Control Severance Plan |
Termination due to Incapacity, No Cause, Good Reason without a Change of Control
. If (1) the Company terminates an NEO’s employment (a) due to incapacity or (b) without cause or (2) the NEO terminates his employment for good reason as defined in the employment agreement and the termination under (1)(b) or (2) is not due to a change of control, then the Company will pay or provide the NEO:
| • | the NEO’s base salary through the date of termination, any earned but unpaid cash incentive compensation for the preceding calendar year, any rights under the terms of equity awards and any medical or other welfare benefits required by law (the Accrued Amounts); |
| • | a lump sum payment equal to: |
| • | two times the sum of the NEO’s annual salary plus target annual bonus; and |
| • | the NEO’s pro-rated target annual bonus for the year of termination; and |
| • | Company-paid healthcare continuation benefits for up to 24 months for the NEO and the NEO’s spouse and/or family (the Welfare Continuation Benefit). |
The payments and benefits described above (other than the Accrued Amounts) are subject to the NEO’s timely execution of a release of claims in favor of the Company.
Termination for No Cause or Good Reason with Change of Control
If the NEO is terminated by the Company without cause or if the NEO terminates his employment for good reason and the termination occurs within 6 months before or 24 months after a change of control, then the Company will be required to pay or provide:
| • | a cash severance payment pursuant to the terms of our Change of Control Severance Plan described below; |
| • | a lump sum amount equal to the NEO’s pro-rated target annual bonus for the year of termination; |
| • | outplacement services for one year after termination at a cost of up to $10,000; and |
| • | the Welfare Continuation Benefit. |
The payments and benefits described above (other than the Accrued Amounts) are subject to the NEO’s timely execution of a release of claims in favor of the Company. The Company does not provide excise tax
gross-ups
under the employment agreements or Change of Control Severance Plan discussed below.
Termination for Cause, Death or Without Good Reason
. If the NEO is terminated by the Company for cause, due to the NEO’s death or by the NEO without good reason, then the Company will only be required to pay to the NEO or the NEO’s estate the Accrued Amounts.
Each employment agreement contains an indefinite confidentiality and protection of information covenant and a mutual
non-disparagement
covenant for one year after termination of employment. If the NEO is terminated by the Company for cause or if the NEO terminates the NEO’s employment without good reason, the NEO will also be bound by a
non-compete
and
non-solicitation
covenant for one year after the date of the NEO’s termination.
Change of Control Severance Plan.
Each NEO participates in the Company’s Change of Control Severance Plan and is eligible to receive certain cash severance payments upon a termination of employment without cause or for good reason that occurs within 6 months before or 24 months after a change of control. The potential severance payments due under the plan are determined as of the date of the change of control, based on a sharing pool that is calculated as a percentage of the transaction value (with the sharing pool increasing or decreasing as the transaction value increases or decreases, respectively). The Company does not provide excise tax
gross-ups
under our severance plan.
Calculation of change of control severance benefits
. The severance benefit is equal to each participant’s portion of the total cash available in the sharing pool. Each participant’s severance benefit will be determined based on the date of the change of control and will ensure: (1) each participant receives the same percentage of the total net
after-tax
benefit that would be received by all participants under the plan as the participant’s percentage interest; and (2) the total net
after-tax
benefit received by all participants is maximized.
Determination of “sharing pool.”
The total severance benefits payable under the plan may not exceed the “sharing pool.” The sharing pool is determined based on the transaction value as defined in the plan at the time of the change of control as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
Transaction Value (in Billions) | | Sharing Pool (6 Executives) | | | Sharing Pool as a Percentage of Transaction Value (Approximate) | |
| | $ | | | | | | % |
| | $ | | | | | | % |
| | $ | | | | | | % |
| | $ | | | | | | % |
| | $ | | | | | | % |
If the actual transaction value at the time of a change of control falls between the transaction values shown above, the sharing pool will be interpolated. If the transaction value is greater than the transaction values identified above, the sharing pool value will increase linearly. The Compensation Committee will determine the sharing pool should the applicable transaction value fall outside the values above. In addition, the sharing pool values will be adjusted if new participants are added to or removed from the plan between the effective date of the plan and the date of the change of control. Specifically, the sharing pool will be decreased or increased, as applicable, by the amount that is equal to the applicable transaction value multiplied by 0.07% or 0.04% if the individual is in the top half or bottom half, respectively, of participants ranked by their “combined compensation” (as defined in the plan), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Under the plan, a participant’s “combined compensation” is the sum of the participant’s base salary, target bonus and unvested LTI, as those terms are defined in the plan.
Calculation of participant’s percentage interest in the sharing pool
. Each participant’s interest or “participation alignment” in the sharing pool is initially determined by dividing the participant’s “combined compensation” by the sum of the combined compensation for all participants, thus resulting in a percentage amount for each participant which, add up to 100%. The difference between the participation alignment of the participant with the highest combined compensation and the participation alignment of the participant with the second highest combined compensation of all the participants as of the date of the change of control may not exceed the percentage that is equal to (1/n)% +12%, where n is the number of participants as of the date of the change of control. If necessary, the participation alignment of the participant with the highest combined compensation as of the date of the change of control will be decreased and the participation alignments of each of the other participants increased on a pro rata basis so that (1) the rule contained in the preceding sentence is respected and (2) the sum of the participation alignments of all participants is equal to 100% (effectively capping the highest paid NEO’s benefit).
Upon the termination of an NEO’s employment due to retirement, death or disability or a termination without cause by the Company, accelerated vesting of NEO equity awards will only occur upon (1) the retirement, death or disability of the NEO prior to the end of the applicable performance period; or (2) termination of the NEO’s employment (i) by the Company without cause or (ii) by the NEO for good cause as defined in the employment agreement, if termination under (i) or (ii) occurs after a change of control.
Except as otherwise noted, the following table quantifies the potential payments to our NEOs under their employment arrangements and our Change of Control Severance Plan discussed above, for various scenarios involving a change of control or termination of employment of each of our NEOs in such position at the end of the year, assuming a December 31, 2019 termination date and where applicable, using the closing price of our common stock of $5.01 (as reported on the NYSE as of December 31, 2019). Excluded are benefits provided to all employees, such as accrued vacation and benefits provided by third parties under our life and other insurance policies. Also excluded are benefits our NEOs would receive upon termination of employment under the SERP and the NQDC Plan, as described above, as well as benefits under our 401(k) plan. The table also assumes the following:
| • | the number of participants in the Change of Control Severance Plan is six; |
| • | the transaction value on December 31, 2019 is $1.2 billion (estimated value assumes equity based on our December 29, 2019 closing stock price plus all outstanding debt reflected on the December 31, 2019 balance sheet); and |
| • | the corresponding sharing pool is $14,791,149. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Change of Control Severance Plan Payment | | | | | | Total Cash Severance Payment | | | Total Cash Severance Multiple of Base Salary + Target Bonus | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
Westervelt T. Ballard, Jr. | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | | | |
(2) | Pursuant to the terms of the PSU award agreements, if an NEO’s employment terminates prior to the end of the applicable performance period as a result of retirement, death, disability, or termination for any reason other than the voluntary termination by the NEO or termination by the Company for cause, then the NEO retains a pro-rata portion of the NEO’s then-outstanding PSUs based on the NEO’s employment during the performance period and the remaining units will be forfeited. The retained units will be valued and paid out to the NEO in accordance with their original payment schedule based on the Company’s achievement of the applicable performance criteria. Upon a voluntary termination by the NEO or a termination by the Company for cause, all outstanding units are forfeited. |
The following is a reasonable estimate of the pay ratio of our median compensated employee compared to our CEO based on the “2019 Summary Compensation Table” data and real pay data which includes salary, payouts from the AIP, PSUs and the value of vested RSUs (valuing the shares based on the closing price at
year-end)
and the gain on the exercise of any stock options:
In 2019, there were no meaningful changes to our employee population or employee compensation arrangements that we believe would have significantly impacted the CEO pay ratio disclosure. As a result, our median compensated employee remained the same as identified in 2019 as allowed by the SEC rules.
To summarize the methodology we used in identifying the median compensated employee in 2018, we consistently applied the compensation measure of total taxable compensation which included base salary, overtime, bonuses, long-term incentives and any other type of taxable compensation. In our analysis, we included all part-time and full-time U.S. and
non-U.S.
employees who were employed by the Company as of December 31, 2018. The 5% de minimis exception was applied, allowing the exclusion of
non-U.S.
employees if they account for 5% or less of our total employees.
Non-U.S.
employees were excluded under the 5% de minimis exception from Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago, India and Colombia. The exclusion of
non-U.S.
employees represented less than 5% of our total number of employees. Given that we have global operations and employees located in many locations, pay and reporting systems and pay practices vary depending on the region. As a result, assumptions, adjustments and estimates were consistently applied to identify the annual total taxable compensation of the median compensated employee. In addition, anomalies related to compensation were excluded as allowed by the SEC. We selected December 31, 2018 as the date to identify our median compensated employee. Based on the methodology described above, our median compensated employee is an hourly field training employee who has worked for our Company for eight years.
In 2019, our median compensated employee earned an annual total compensation of $99,759. Our CEO’s compensation reflected in the Summary Compensation was $5,030,500. As a result, the pay ratio between our CEO’s total annual compensation and our median compensated employee’s total annual compensation was 50:1 in 2019. The pay ratio between our CEO’s real pay and our median compensated employee’s real pay was 31:1 in 2019.
2019 Director Compensation
In 2019, directors maintained the 15% reduction of the annual retainer paid to
non-management
directors that was implemented in 2016 to show alignment with management. During 2019, our
non-management
directors received:
| • | an annual retainer of $175,000; |
| • | an additional annual fee of $20,000 for the chair of the Audit Committee; |
| • | an additional annual fee of $15,000 for the chair of the Compensation Committee; |
| • | an additional annual fee of $10,000 for the chair of the Corporate Governance Committee; |
| • | an additional annual fee of $25,000 for the Lead Director; and |
| • | an additional annual fee of $125,000 for the non-executive chairman of the Board. |
In 2019,
non-management
directors’ compensation included RSUs with a grant date fair value of approximately $82,000. The RSUs are granted on the day following each Annual Meeting, with the number of RSUs granted determined by dividing $82,000 by the closing price of our common stock on the day of the Annual Meeting and rounding up to the next whole RSU. In addition, if the director’s initial election or appointment does not occur at an Annual Meeting, then he or she will receive a pro rata number of RSUs based on the number of full calendar months between the date of election or appointment and the first anniversary of the previous Annual Meeting.
The RSUs vest and pay out in shares of our common stock on the date of the next year’s Annual Meeting, subject to the applicable director’s continued service through the date and further subject to each director’s ability to elect to defer receipt of the shares of our common stock under the NQDC Plan.
Under our NQDC Plan,
non-management
directors may elect to defer compensation received from the Company for service on our Board. Deferred cash compensation will earn a rate of return based on hypothetical investments in certain mutual funds from which the director may select, or may be converted to deferred RSUs. Any deferred RSUs will be paid out in shares of our common stock and will be credited with dividend equivalents for any dividends paid on our common stock. Director participants may elect the timing of the distributions of their deferred compensation, which may be made in a lump sum payment or installments, provided that all payments are made no later than 10 years following the director’s termination of service on our Board.
The table below summarizes the compensation of our
non-management
directors for 2019. As CEO and President, Mr. Dunlap does not receive any additional compensation for his service as a director. His compensation as an executive is reflected in the “Item 11. Executive Compensation—2019 Executive Compensation—2019 Summary Compensation Table.” All
non-management
directors are reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in attending Board and committee meetings.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (1) | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
(1) | Amounts shown reflect fees earned by the directors as retainers or fees for their service on our Board during 2019. |
(2) | Amounts reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of the RSU awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 at the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. On June 7, 2019, each non-employee director received an award of 50,000 RSUs, with a grant date fair value of $1.64 per unit. |
Management and Director Stock Ownership
The following table shows the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned as of June 1, 2020, by our current (i)
non-management
directors, (ii) NEOs, and (iii) directors and executive officers as a group. The information in the table is based on our review of filings with the SEC. Each person listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned unless otherwise stated.
| | | | | | | | |
| | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership (1) | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % |
Westervelt T. Ballard, Jr. | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
ALL DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS A GROUP (12 Persons) (3) | | | | | | | | % |
(1) | Includes the number of shares subject to options that are exercisable within 60 days, as follows: Mr. Dunlap (199,808); Mr. Ballard (35,846); Mr. Moore (62,550); Mr. Bernard (42,082); Mr. Masters (41,415) and Mr. Spexarth (3,952). The total number of shares subject to options that are exercisable within 60 days for all directors and executive officers as a group is 385,653. |
(2) | Based on 15,798,919 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June1, 2020. |
(3) | Includes stock beneficially owned by all directors and executive officers. |
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Our practice has been that any transaction which would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation
S-K
of the rules and regulations of the SEC, with respect to a director or executive officer, must be reviewed and approved by our Audit Committee. The Audit Committee reviews and investigates any matters pertaining to the integrity of our executive officers and directors, including conflicts of interest, or adherence to standards of business conduct required by our policies. We are currently not a party to any transactions requiring a disclosure.
The Board has also affirmatively determined that each member of our standing committees (the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance Committee) has no material relationship with the Company and satisfies the independence criteria (including the enhanced criteria applicable to the Audit and Compensation Committees) set forth in the NYSE listing standards and SEC rules and regulations.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered to KPMG LLP for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements for 2019, 2018 and 2017, and fees billed for other services rendered by KPMG LLP:
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fiscal Year Ended December 31 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
| | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
(1) | Audit fees were for the audit of the annual consolidated financial statements and review of the quarterly consolidated financial statements, for the audit of internal controls over financial reporting and for services normally provided by KPMG in connection with statutory audits and review of documents filed with the SEC. |
(2) | Audit fees for professional services related to SEC filings for debt offering. |
(3) | Reflects fees for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, tax planning, statutory reporting and other international, federal and state projects. |
The Audit Committee must
pre-approve
all audit and permissible
non-audit
services provided by the independent auditor and follows established approval procedures to ensure that the independent auditor’s independence will not be impaired. If services require specific
pre-approval,
the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) submits requests along with a joint statement from the independent auditor as to whether, in the CAO’s view, the request for services is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.
The Audit Committee delegated
pre-approval
authority for audit, audit-related, tax services and other services that may be performed by the independent auditor in the
pre-approval
policy to its chair and any
pre-approval
decisions are presented to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee does not delegate to management its responsibility to
pre-approve
services to be performed by the Company’s independent auditor.
All audit and tax fees described above were approved by the Audit Committee before services were rendered.