STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT – Form 8-K
STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT
This Stipulation of Settlement (the "Stipulation") is made and entered into by and among the following Settling Parties, by and through their respective counsel: (i)
I. |
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND |
The Derivative Matters (defined below) involve, among other things, claims for breach of fiduciary duty and related claims asserted by Plaintiffs derivatively on behalf of Newell against the Settling Defendants arising out of certain alleged misstatements and omissions relating to, inter alia, the Company's acquisition and integration of
As set forth in greater detail in Section III, infra, the Settling Defendants dispute and deny Plaintiffs' allegations and claims.
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A. The Securities Class Actions
In
In
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Securities Litigation. Following the completion of fact and expert discovery and the filing of multiple motions for summary judgment and other pre-trial motions and mediation efforts, the remaining parties to the State Securities Litigation entered into a stipulation of settlement on
B. The Derivative Actions and Litigation Demands
On
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On
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The stockholder litigation demand sent by Plaintiffs Weber and Butcher-Weber named former Newell Chief Financial Officer |
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C. Settlement Negotiations
In 2021, the Settling Parties agreed to engage in settlement discussions to explore a possible resolution of the Derivative Matters. On
After significant arm's-length negotiations, the Settling Parties reached agreement on the substantive terms of the proposed Settlement on
After reaching agreement on the substantive terms of the proposed Settlement, the Settling Parties commenced negotiations relating to the attorneys' fees and expenses to be paid to Plaintiffs' Counsel in recognition of the benefits conferred on the Company through the corporate governance reforms set forth herein. After lengthy and adversarial negotiations guided by the Mediators that culminated in the Settling Parties agreeing to accept a fee and expense award proposal set forth by the Mediators that, in recognition of the substantial benefits to be conferred through the proposed Settlement, Plaintiffs' Counsel should receive attorneys' fees and expenses of
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II. |
PLAINTIFFS' CLAIMS AND THE BENEFITS OF SETTLEMENT |
Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel believe that the claims and allegations asserted in the Derivative Matters have merit, and Plaintiffs' entry into this Stipulation is not intended to be and shall not be construed as an admission or concession concerning the relative strength or merit of the claims alleged in the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel recognize and acknowledge the expense and length of continued proceedings necessary to prosecute the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel also have considered the uncertain outcome and the risk of any litigation, especially in complex matters such as the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel also are mindful of the inherent problems of proof of, and possible defenses to, the claims asserted in Derivative Matters.
Plaintiffs' Counsel have conducted extensive investigation and analysis, including, inter alia: (i) review of Newell's press releases, recorded public statements,
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Based on Plaintiffs' Counsel's thorough review and analysis of the relevant facts, allegations, defenses, and controlling legal principles, Plaintiffs' Counsel believe that the Settlement set forth in this Stipulation is fair, reasonable and adequate, and confers substantial benefits upon Newell. Based upon Plaintiffs' Counsel's evaluation, Plaintiffs have determined that the Settlement is in the best interests of Newell and have agreed to settle the Released Claims upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.
III. |
THE SETTLING DEFENDANTS' DENIALS OF WRONGDOING AND LIABILITY |
The Settling Defendants have denied and continue to deny each of the claims, contentions, and allegations made against them, and each of them, or that could have been made against them by Plaintiffs in the Derivative Matters. The Settling Defendants expressly have denied and continue to deny all allegations of wrongdoing or liability against them or any of them arising out of, based upon, or related to, any of the conduct, statements, acts or omissions alleged, or that could have been alleged in the Derivative Matters. Without limiting the foregoing, the Settling Defendants have denied and continue to deny, among other things, that they breached their fiduciary duties or any other duty owed to Newell or its stockholders, or that Plaintiffs, Newell, or its stockholders suffered any damage or were harmed as a result of any conduct alleged in the Derivative Matters or otherwise. The Settling Defendants have further asserted and continue to assert that at all relevant times they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in the best interests of Newell and its stockholders.
Nonetheless, the Settling Defendants also have taken into account the expense, uncertainty, and risks inherent in any litigation, especially in complex matters like the Derivative Matters, and that the proposed Settlement would, among other things: (a) bring to an end the expenses, burdens, and uncertainties associated with the continued litigation of the claims asserted in the Derivative Matters; (b) finally put to rest those claims and the underlying Derivative Matters; and (c) confer benefits upon them, including further avoidance of disruption of their duties due to the pendency
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and defense of the Derivative Matters. Therefore, the Settling Defendants have determined that it is in the best interests of Newell for the Derivative Matters to be fully and finally settled in the manner and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Stipulation. Pursuant to the terms set forth below, this Stipulation (including all of the Exhibits hereto) shall in no event be construed as or deemed to be evidence of an admission or concession by the Settling Defendants with respect to any claim of fault, liability, wrongdoing, or damage whatsoever.
IV. |
BOARD APPROVAL OF THE SETTLEMENT |
A
V. |
TERMS OF STIPULATION AND AGREEMENT OF SETTLEMENT |
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and among the Settling Parties herein, by and through their respective counsel, that in exchange for the consideration set forth below, the Derivative Matters and Released Claims shall be fully, finally, and forever compromised, settled, discharged, relinquished, and released, and the Action (defined below) shall be dismissed with prejudice as to the Settling Defendants, upon and subject to the terms and conditions of this Stipulation, as follows:
1. Definitions
As used in this Stipulation, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
1.1 "Action" means the stockholder derivative action that is pending in the
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1.2 "Approval Date" means the date on which the Court enters the Judgment (defined below).
1.3 "Court" means the
1.4 "Court Approval Order" means the Order Approving Derivative Settlement and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto.
1.5 "Defendants' Counsel" means any counsel that has appeared of record or rendered legal services to any of the Settling Defendants in connection with any of the Derivative Matters.
1.6 "Delaware Actions" means the consolidated proceeding titled In re
1.7 "Derivative Matters" means the Action, the Delaware Actions, and the Litigation Demands.
1.8 "Effective Date" means the first date by which the events and conditions specified in ¶ 7.1 of this Stipulation have been met and have occurred.
1.9 "Final" with respect to the Judgment, means the time when the Judgment has not been reversed, vacated, or modified in any way and is no longer subject to appellate review, either because of disposition on appeal and the conclusion of the appellate process or because of passage, without action, of time for seeking appellate review. More specifically, it is that situation when: (1) either no appeal has been filed and the time has passed for any notice of appeal to be timely filed in the Actions; or (2) an appeal has been filed and the court(s) of appeal has/have either affirmed the Judgment or dismissed that appeal and the time for any reconsideration or further
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appellate review has passed and the appellate court mandate(s) has/have issued; or (3) a higher court has granted further appellate review and that court has either affirmed the underlying Judgment or affirmed the court of appeal's decision affirming the Judgment or dismissing the appeal. However, any appeal or proceeding seeking subsequent review pertaining solely to an order issued with respect to attorneys' fees, costs, or expenses shall not in any way delay or preclude the Judgment from becoming Final.
1.10 "Judgment" means a judgment, substantially in the form and substance attached as Exhibit C hereto, rendered by the Court in the Actions upon its final approval of the Settlement.
1.11 "Litigation Demands" means the letters which Plaintiffs
1.12 "Newell" or the "Company" means nominal defendant
1.13 "Notice" means the Notice of Proposed Derivative Settlement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1.
1.14 "Person" or "Persons" means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, professional corporation, limited liability partnership, partnership, limited partnership, association, joint venture, joint stock company, estate, legal representative, trust, unincorporated association, government or any political subdivision or agency thereof, and any other business or legal entity, and each of their spouses, heirs, predecessors, successors, representatives, or assignees.
1.15 "Plaintiffs" means, collectively,
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1.16 "Plaintiffs' Counsel" means, collectively,
1.17 "Preliminary Approval Order" refers to the proposed order substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto, requesting: (i) preliminary approval of the Settlement set forth in this Stipulation; (ii) approval of the form and manner of providing notice of the Settlement to current Newell stockholders; and (iii) a date for the Settlement Hearing.
1.18 "Related Parties" means: (i) as to Newell, each and every one of Newell's past or present directors, officers, managers, employees, partners, agents, representatives, attorneys (including Newell's counsel), accountants, advisors, administrators, auditors, banks, insurers, co-insurers,re-insurers, fiduciaries, consultants, experts, successors, subsidiaries, predecessors, affiliates, divisions, joint ventures, assigns, assignees, general or limited partners or partnerships, limited liability companies, any entity in which Newell has a controlling interest, and all officers, directors and employees of Newell's current and former subsidiaries; and (ii) as to the Settling Defendants, for each of them (1) each spouse, immediate family member, heir, executor, estate, beneficiary, administrator, agent, attorney (including Settling Defendants' Counsel), accountant, auditor, bank, insurer, co-insurer,re-insurer, advisor, consultant, expert, or affiliate of any of them, (2) any trust in respect of which any Settling Defendant, or any spouse or family member thereof serves as a settlor, beneficiary or trustee, and (3) any entity in which a Settling Defendant, or any spouse or immediate family member thereof, holds a controlling interest or for which a Settling Defendant has served as an employee, director, officer, managing director, advisor, general partner, limited partner, or member and any collective investment vehicle which is advised or managed by any of them.
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1.19 "Released Claims" means any and all claims (including, but not limited to, Unknown Claims as defined in ¶ 1.27 below), debts, disputes, demands, losses, rights, actions or causes of action of any nature whatsoever, liabilities, damages, obligations, sums of money due, judgments, suits, amounts, matters, issues and charges of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any claims for interest, attorneys' fees, expert or consulting fees, and any other costs, expenses, amounts, or liabilities whatsoever), whether fixed or contingent or absolute, accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, at law or equity, matured or unmatured, foreseen or unforeseen, discoverable or undiscoverable, concealed or hidden, whether arising under federal or state statutory or common law or any other law, rule, or regulation, whether foreign or domestic, that Plaintiffs or any other Newell stockholder, or any of their successors, assigns, executors, administrators, representatives, attorneys, and agents, in their capacities as such, either individually or derivatively on behalf of Newell (1) asserted in any of the Derivative Matters against any of the Settling Defendants; or (2) could have asserted in any of the Derivative Matters or in any other proceeding in any forum or could in the future be asserted in any forum by Plaintiffs or any Newell stockholder against any of the Settling Defendants, that concern, arise out of, are based upon, are related to, or are in consequence of, the allegations, transactions, facts, events, matters, occurrences, disclosures, non-disclosures, representations or omissions, statements, acts or omissions or failures to act, or circumstances, that were involved, set forth, alleged, or referred to in any of the complaints or documents and other discovery in the Derivative Matters, the Securities Class Actions, or the SEC Investigation. "Released Claims" does not, however, include any claims to enforce the Settlement.
1.20 "Released Persons" means the Settling Defendants, Newell, and their Related Parties.
1.21 "Releasing Parties" means the Plaintiffs, all other current Newell stockholders, and Plaintiffs' Counsel.
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1.22 "SEC Investigation" means any and all proceedings connected with or arising out of the investigation being conducted by the
1.23 "Settlement" means the agreement, terms, and conditions contained in this Stipulation and its exhibits.
1.24 "Settlement Hearing" means any hearing or hearings at which the Court will consider final approval of the Settlement.
1.25 "Settling Defendants" means
1.26 "Settling Parties" means, collectively, each of the Plaintiffs, each of the Settling Defendants, and Newell.
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1.27 "Unknown Claims" means any and all Released Claims that any Plaintiff or any other current Newell stockholder does not know or suspect to exist in his, her, or its favor at the time of the release of the Released Persons, including claims which, if known by him, her, or it, might have affected his, her, or its settlement with, and release of the Released Persons, or might have affected his, her, or its decision not to object to this Settlement. With respect to all Released Claims, the Settling Parties stipulate and agree that, upon the Effective Date, Plaintiffs, Newell, and its stockholders shall be deemed to have, and by operation of the Judgment shall have, expressly waived the provisions, rights and benefits of California Civil Code § 1542, which provides:
A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.
Further, with respect to any and all claims released pursuant to ¶ 5 below, the Settling Parties stipulate and agree that, upon the Effective Date, each of the Released Parties shall expressly waive, and by operation of the Judgment shall have expressly waived, any and all provisions, rights, and benefits conferred by any law of any jurisdiction or any state or territory of
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2. Terms of the Settlement and Consideration
2.1 Within ninety (90) days after issuance of an order finally approving the Settlement, the Newell Board shall adopt resolutions and amend its Corporate Governance Guidelines and appropriate committee charters and/or policies, as necessary and applicable, to ensure adherence to the corporate governance reforms (the "Reforms") set forth in ¶ 3 below. The Reforms set forth in ¶¶ 3.3 through 3.10 shall be maintained for a period of no less than four (4) years after final approval of the Settlement.2 In the event any Reforms listed below conflict with any law, rule, or regulation (including, but not limited to, regulations of any stock exchange on which the Company's securities are listed), the Company shall not be required to implement or maintain such modification; provided, however, that in such event, the Company shall adopt an amended or substitute reform that addresses the same goals, purposes, and/or functions of the original Reforms within ninety (90) days of its discontinuance. If, however, the independent members of the Board, in a good faith exercise of their business judgment, determine that it is not possible to adopt an acceptable amended or substitute reform, the Reform(s) may be eliminated. Any changes that are made pursuant to the above shall be disclosed in a public filing with the
2.2 Newell acknowledges and agrees that the filing, pendency, and settlement of the Derivative Matters were the primary cause of the Company's decision to adopt and implement the Reforms outlined herein. Newell also acknowledges and agrees that the Reforms confer substantial benefits to Newell and
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Certain Reforms set forth in ¶¶ 3.1 and 3.2 shall, where specifically identified, be maintained for a period of no less than four (4) years after final approval of the Settlement. |
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3. Corporate Governance Policies
3.1 Board Refreshment
The filing, pendency, and prosecution of the Derivative Matters was a substantial contributing factor to
The filing, pendency, and prosecution of the Derivative Matters was also a substantial contributing factor to the Nominating/Governance Committee discussing the key experience, qualifications and attributes for Board members and facilitating an evaluation of each director's skills in these categories. The Company disclosed the outcome of this evaluation in its Schedules 14A filed with the
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3.2 Board Diversity
The filing, pendency, and prosecution of the Derivative Matters was a substantial contributing factor to a number of steps to increase diversity and ensure that equity and inclusion remain focus areas for the Company, including, but not limited to, the following:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E) the Company appointed a Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging in early 2021 (subsequently promoted to Vice President, Talent, Learning and Culture), who brings to the Company external experience in overseeing diversity and inclusion initiatives;
(F) the Company adopting a hiring policy for
(G) the Company publicly sharing its quantitative goals for diversity on the Executive Leadership Team and among direct reports of the Business Unit CEOs and functional heads in its 2020 Corporate Citizenship Report, published in
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(H) the Company publicly reporting on an annual basis its priorities, initiatives, and workforce demographics starting with its 2019 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, published in
(I) the Company sharing its EEO-1 employee information via its website starting in 2021. The Company will continue to share such information on its website for a period of no less than four (4) years after final approval of a settlement.
3.3 Meetings in Executive Session
3.4 Board Independence
The Company shall revise its Corporate Governance Guidelines to provide that no less than three-quarters of the Board shall be comprised of independent directors, as defined by the NASDAQ listing requirements, and that each independent director shall annually certify in writing that he or she meets the criteria for independence in accordance with NASDAQ listing requirements.
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3.5 EnhancedBoard Oversight of Stock Repurchases
The Company shall implement a procedure for approving and overseeing stock repurchases, which shall include the following measures:
(A) Before authorizing any program to repurchase the Company stock, the Board shall evaluate management's recommendation and determine independently whether such a repurchase program is in the best interests of the Company; and
(B) The Board's evaluation must support a finding that: (i) the proposed repurchases would be the best use of Company cash and serve the best interests of the Company and its stockholders; (ii) the proposed repurchases appropriately manage the Company's capital and stockholder equity; and (iii) the repurchases will not, standing alone or when combined with material loss contingencies, have a material negative impact on the Company's liquidity or capital structure.
Following authorization of a stock repurchase program, the Board or a committee thereof shall review and evaluate the program quarterly to confirm its assessment that the repurchase of shares at prevailing market prices is the best use of Company cash and appropriately manages Company capital. In connection therewith, the Board or a committee thereof shall consider whether significant developments, such as in the Company's actual or expected operational performance, business strategy, relevant markets, risk profile, liquidity, capital structure, stock price, or material undisclosed information require a reevaluation or termination of the stock repurchase program.
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3.6 Management-Level Disclosure Committee
The Company currently maintains a management-level Disclosure Committee, though its governing documents are not publicly-available. The Disclosure Committee Charter and the Company's Disclosure Controls and Procedures shall be posted on the Company's website. In addition, the Disclosure Committee Charter shall be amended to reflect to reflect the following additional responsibilities:
(A) Work with the Board's Audit Committee to ensure the timely evaluation and accurate public disclosure of material information concerning any companies proposed to be or actually acquired by
(B) Periodically, but at least quarterly, the Chair of the Disclosure Committee, or the Chair's designee, shall provide a written report of the Committee's activities or a copy of the Disclosure Committee minutes to the Board's Audit Committee; the written report or minutes shall include the Disclosure Committee's conclusions resulting from its evaluation of the effectiveness of the Disclosure Controls and Procedures.
Within six (6) months of the Court's final approval of the Settlement, the Disclosure Committee shall, with the assistance of outside counsel, review
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3.7
3.8 Board Self Evaluation
The Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines shall be revised to provide for mandatory evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board's governance and oversight procedures in director questionnaires prepared and/or reviewed by the Nominating/Governance Committee, which shall consider the
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3.9 Non-Retaliation Policy
In addition to the guidance provided in the Company's Code of Conduct, the Company shall adopt a specific written policy protecting whistleblowers (the "Non-Retaliation Policy"), that consists of the following:
(A) The Non-Retaliation Policy shall:
(i) Encourage interested parties to bring forward ethical and legal violations and/or a reasonable belief that ethical and legal violations have occurred to the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer ("CECO"), the Chief Legal Officer ("CLO"), or the Company's Ethics Hotline so that action may be taken to resolve the problem;
(ii) Communicate that any complaint or conceregarding financial statement disclosures, accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, or violations of the Company's Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers may be reported directly to the Audit Committee in accordance with the process described on the Company's website under Reporting Allegations Relating to Accounting Matters;
(iii) Provide that these complaints shall be reviewed by the CECO, in consultation with and under the supervision of the Company's CLO, and presented to the Nominating/Governance Committee of the Board; and
(iv) Communicate effectively that the Company is serious about adherence to its corporate governance policies and that whistleblowing is an important tool to achieve this goal.
(B) The Non-Retaliation Policy-with the endorsement of the Board and the most senior management of the Company-must adequately notify employees, independent contractors and vendors of the Company of the following:
(i) Executives are subject to criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for retaliation against whistleblowers;
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(ii) Whistleblower complaints may be directed to the CECO and the CLO in addition to the Ethics Hotline, and, in the case of complaints regarding financial statement disclosures, accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, or violations of the Company's Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers, to the Audit Committee;
(iii) The complaints will be handled by these parties in confidence;
(iv) If a whistleblower brings his or her complaint to an outside regulator or other governmental entity, he or she will be protected by the terms of the Non-Retaliation Policy just as if he or she directed the complaint to the CECO, the CLO, the Ethics Hotline, and/or the Audit Committee, as applicable; and
(v) The Company's Code of Conduct and Non-Retaliation Policy shall contain the statement that it is both illegal and against the Company's policy to retaliate against anyone who raises a concein good faith; and include examples of forms of retaliation covered by the Code of Conduct and Non-Retaliation Policy (e.g., discharging, demoting, suspending, threatening, intimidating, harassing, or in any manner discriminating against whistleblowers).
(C) A log of whistleblower complaints, as well as the results of all investigations of complaints, shall be memorialized in writing by the CECO and maintained for a period of not less than seven (7) years.
(D) At each regularly scheduled meeting, the Nominating/Governance Committee and, in the case of complaints relevant to financial reporting, the Audit Committee, shall be provided with a summary of the types of complaints received, as well as any material information resulting from any internal investigation into such complaints.
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(E) The Company shall remind employees of whistleblower options and whistleblower protections in employee communications provided at least twice a year and via the Company's intranet.
3.10 Securities Transaction Policy
The Company maintains a Securities Transaction Policy that governs the ability of Company insiders to trade in Company securities. The Securities Transaction Policy shall be amended as reflected in Exhibit 1 (redline against current policy) and Exhibit 2 (clean version of amended policy) hereto.
4. Settlement Procedures
4.1 Counsel for the Settling Defendants shall execute waivers of service of the Action promptly. With the exception of securing service of the filing of the Action, none of the Plaintiffs shall engage in any litigation activity in the Action or the Delaware Actions apart from activities related to seeking approval of the Settlement and/or as otherwise required by the respective courts.
4.2 Plaintiffs' Counsel shall promptly cause the Stipulation together with its Exhibits to be submitted to the Court and shall move for entry of an order substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the Preliminary Approval Order), requesting: (i) the preliminary approval of the Settlement set forth in the Stipulation; (ii) approval of the form and manner of providing notice of the Settlement to current
4.3 Within ten (10) business days following the Court's entry of the Preliminary Approval Order,
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https://ir.newellbrands.com/, the address of which shall be contained in the Notice. The cost and administration of the foregoing means of notice will be borne by
4.4 Plaintiff will also request that the Court hold a hearing in the Action (the "Settlement Hearing") to consider and determine whether the Court Approval Order and the Judgment, substantially in the forms of Exhibits B and C hereto, should be entered: (a) approving the terms of the Settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate; and (b) dismissing with prejudice the Action against the Settling Defendants.
4.5 Pending the Effective Date, none of the Settling Parties shall: (i) prosecute or pursue any of the Derivative Matters; or (ii) file, prosecute, or pursue any other actions, proceedings, or demands relating to the Derivative Matters or the Settlement.
4.6 Within three (3) calendar days of the Effective Date, Plaintiffs
5. Releases
5.1 Upon the Effective Date, as defined in ¶ 7.1, Plaintiffs (acting on their own behalf and derivatively on behalf of
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5.2 Upon the Effective Date, as defined in ¶ 7.1, Plaintiffs (acting on their own behalf and derivatively on behalf of
5.3 Upon the Effective Date, as defined in ¶ 7.1, each of the Released Persons, for good and sufficient consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, shall be deemed to have, and by operation of law and of the Judgment shall have, fully, finally, and forever compromised, settled, released, resolved, relinquished, waived, and discharged each and all of the Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel from all claims (including Unknown Claims) arising out of, relating to, or in connection with the institution, prosecution, assertion, settlement or resolution of the Derivative Matters or the Released Claims. Nothing herein shall in any way impair or restrict the rights of any
6. Plaintiffs' Counsel's Separately Negotiated Attorneys' Fees and Expenses
6.1 After negotiating the material substantive terms of the Settlement, counsel for the Settling Parties, with the assistance of the Mediators, separately negotiated the attorneys' fees and expenses to be paid to Plaintiffs' Counsel based on the substantial benefits conferred upon
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6.2 The Settling Defendants shall cause the separately negotiated Fee and Expense Amount to be paid within thirty (30) days of the entry of an order from the Court preliminarily approving the Settlement via either a paper check or wire transfer into an account of
6.3 The payment of the Fee and Expense Amount pursuant to ¶¶ 6.1 and 6.2, hereof shall constitute final and complete payment for Plaintiffs' Counsel's attorneys' fees and for the reimbursement of expenses and costs that have been incurred, or will be incurred, in connection with the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs' Counsel shall allocate the Fee and Expense Amount among themselves pursuant to their agreement. Plaintiffs' Counsel agree that any disputes regarding the allocation of the Fee and Expense Amount, including any disputes regarding reimbursement of expenses, among them shall be presented to and be mediated, and, if necessary, finally decided and resolved, by the Mediators on the terms and subject to the processes and procedures set forth by the Mediators. The Mediators' fees and costs for any such mediation and/or arbitration shall be borne solely by Plaintiffs' Counsel and allocated among Plaintiffs' Counsel by agreement or as finally determined by the Mediators. Defendants shall have no responsibility for, and no liability with respect to, the allocation of the attorneys' fees awarded among Plaintiffs' Counsel and/or to any other person who may assert some claim thereto.
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6.4 In light of the substantial benefits conferred by Plaintiffs' efforts upon
7. Conditions of Settlement; Effect of Disapproval, Cancellation, or Termination
7.1 The Effective Date shall be conditioned on the occurrence of all of the following events:
(a) the Court has entered the Court Approval Order, substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto; and the Court has entered the Judgment, substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto; and
(b) the Judgment has become final.
7.2 If any of the conditions specified in ¶ 7.1 become incapable of being met or satisfied, then the Stipulation shall be canceled and terminated subject to the provisions of ¶ 7.4, unless counsel for the Settling Parties mutually agree in writing to proceed with an alternative or modified Stipulation and submit it for Court approval.
7.3 The Settling Parties shall each have the right to terminate the Settlement and this Stipulation, by providing written notice of their election to do so ("Termination Notice") to the other parties to this Stipulation within thirty (30) days of: (a) the Court's final refusal to enter the Court Approval Order in any material respect; (b) the Court's final refusal to enter the Judgment in any material respect as to the Settlement; or (c) the date upon which the Judgment is modified
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or reversed in any material respect by the
7.4 If for any reason this Stipulation is terminated, or cancelled, or otherwise fails to become effective for any reason:
(a) The Settling Parties, Released Persons, and Related Parties shall be restored to their respective positions that existed immediately prior to the date of execution of this Stipulation;
(b) All negotiations, proceedings, and documents prepared and statements made in connection with this Stipulation shall be without prejudice to the Settling Parties, shall not be deemed or construed to be an admission by a
(c) The terms and provisions of the Stipulation, with the exception of the provisions of ¶ 6.2, shall have no further force and effect with respect to the Settling Parties and shall not be used in the Derivative Matters or in any other proceeding for any purpose, and any judgment or orders entered by the Court in accordance with the terms of the Stipulation shall be treated as vacated, nunc pro tunc.
8. Miscellaneous Provisions
8.1 The Settling Parties: (a) acknowledge that it is their intent to consummate the terms and conditions of this Stipulation; and (b) agree to cooperate to the extent reasonably necessary to effectuate and implement all terms and conditions of the Stipulation and to exercise their best efforts to accomplish the foregoing terms and conditions of the Stipulation.
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8.2 The Settling Parties intend this Settlement to be a final and complete resolution of all disputes between Plaintiffs and
8.3 The Settling Parties agree that any disputes between or amongst the parties related to the Settlement or any of its terms shall be presented to and be mediated, and, if necessary, finally decided and resolved by the Mediators on the terms and subject to the processes and procedures determined by the Mediators.
8.4 Pending the Effective Date, the Settling Parties agree not to initiate any proceedings concerning the Released Claims other than those incident to the Settlement itself; provided, however, that
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8.5 Neither the Stipulation nor the Settlement, including any Exhibits attached hereto, nor any act performed or document executed pursuant to or in furtherance of the Stipulation or the Settlement: (a) is or may be deemed to be or may be offered, attempted to be offered or used in any way as a concession, admission or evidence of the validity of any Released Claims, or of any fault, wrongdoing, or liability of the Released Persons or
8.6 All designations and agreements made and orders entered during the course of the Actions relating to the confidentiality of documents or information shall survive this Settlement.
8.7 All Exhibits to this Stipulation are material and integral parts hereof and are fully incorporated herein by this reference.
8.8 This Stipulation may be amended or modified only by a written instrument signed by or on behalf of all Settling Parties or their respective successors-in-interest.
8.9 This Stipulation and the Exhibits attached hereto constitute the entire agreement among the Settling Parties and no representations, warranties, or inducements have been made to any
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to explain, construe, contradict, or clarify its terms, the intent of the Settling Parties or their counsel, or the circumstances under which the Stipulation was made or executed. It is understood by the Settling Parties that, except for matters expressly represented herein, the facts or law with respect to which this Stipulation is entered into may tuout to be other than or different from the facts now known to each party or believed by such party to be true; each party therefore expressly assumes the risk of facts or law turning out to be different, and agrees that this Stipulation shall be in all respects effective and not subject to termination by reason of any such different facts or law.
8.10 Except as otherwise provided herein, all parties, including all Settling Defendants, their counsel,
8.11 Counsel for the Settling Parties are expressly authorized by their respective clients to take all appropriate actions required or permitted to be taken pursuant to the Stipulation to effectuate its terms and conditions.
8.12 Plaintiffs represent and warrant they have not assigned or transferred, or attempted to assign or transfer, to any Person any Released Claim or any portion thereof or interest therein.
8.13 Each counsel or other Person executing this Stipulation or any of its Exhibits on behalf of any party hereto hereby warrants that such Person has the full authority to do so.
8.14 Any failure by any party to this Stipulation to insist upon the strict performance by any other party of any of the provisions of the Stipulation shall not be deemed a waiver of any of the provisions, and such party, notwithstanding such failure, shall have the right thereafter to insist upon strict performance of all provisions of the Stipulation to be performed by such other party.
33
8.15 The Stipulation and Exhibits may be executed in one or more counterparts. A faxed or PDF signature shall be deemed an original signature for purposes of this Stipulation. All executed counterparts including facsimile and/or PDF counterparts shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument. A complete set of counterparts, either originally executed or copies thereof, shall be filed with the Court.
8.16 This Stipulation shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Settling Parties and the Released Persons and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, spouses, marital communities, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy, and legal representatives, subject to ¶ 8.18 below.
8.17 Without affecting the finality of the Judgment, entered in accordance with this Stipulation, the Court shall retain jurisdiction with respect to implementation and enforcement of the terms of the Stipulation, the Court Approval Order, and the Judgment, and the Settling Parties hereto submit to the jurisdiction of the Court for purposes of implementing and enforcing the Settlement embodied in the Stipulation, the Court Approval Order, and the Judgment, and for matters arising out of, concerning, or relating thereto.
8.18 This Stipulation shall survive any Change of Control of the Company, regardless of the effect a change in control will otherwise have on the litigation, including on the Corporate Governance Policies provided for herein, to the extent they remain applicable following a Change of Control. For purposes of this Paragraph, "Change of Control" means the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Company; any merger, consolidation or acquisition of the Company with, by or into another corporation, entity or person; or any change in the ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of the Company in one or more related transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the requirements of Section 3 shall cease to apply to the Company if at any time the Company ceases to be a publicly-traded company registered under Section 12 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
34
8.19 This Stipulation and the Exhibits hereto shall be considered to have been negotiated, executed, and delivered, and to be wholly performed, in the
8.20 The headings herein are used for the purpose of convenience only and are not meant to have legal effect.
8.21 Nothing in this Stipulation, or the negotiations relating thereto, is intended to or shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of any applicable privilege or immunity, including, without limitation, the attorney-client privilege, the joint defense privilege, or work product protection.
8.22 Without further order of the Court, the parties may agree to reasonable extensions of time to carry out any of the provisions in this Stipulation.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, the Settling Parties have caused the Stipulation to be executed, by themselves and/or by their duly authorized attorneys, dated
35
/s/ PAWAR LAW GROUP, P.C. Telephone: (212) 571-0805 Counsel for Plaintiff /s/ THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A. Telephone: (212) 686-1060 Facsimile: (212) 202-3827 Counsel for Plaintiff /s/ THE BROWN LAW FIRM Telephone: (516) 922-5427 Facsimile: (516) 344-6204 Counsel for Plaintiff |
/s/ Telephone: (404) 572-4600 Facsimile: (404) 572-5100 Counsel for Defendants /s/ 1717 Arch StreetSuite 400 Telephone: (215) 988-7800 Facsimile: (215) 988-7801 Counsel for Defendants |
36
/s/ Telephone: (504) 455-1400 Facsimile: (504) 455-1498 Counsel for Plaintiffs /s/ Telephone: (212) 619-5400 Facsimile: (212) 619-3090 Counsel for Plaintiffs |
37
Securities Transaction Policy
Policy Summary:
Please refer all questions about this Policy to one of the Company's Compliance Officers. The Company has designated the Company's Chief Legal & Administrative Officer,
Applicability:
All of the Company's directors, officers and employees
Policy Specifics:
I. |
INSIDER TRADING AND "TIPPING" |
As a general rule, Covered Persons who possess material non-public information about the Company, and persons who have received material non-public information from Covered Persons of the Company, are subject to the "abstain or disclose" rule-that is, they are required by the securities laws either (1) to refrain from both passing the Company information on to others ("tipping") and from trading in or recommending the purchase or sale of Company securities or of options on (or any other derivatives relating to) those securities, or (2) to disclose such Company information to the investing public before trading in those securities. In virtually all cases, of course, it will be improper for the Covered Person to disclose any non-public information without the express prior permission of the original source of the information, such as senior Company
1
management. Thus, invariably a Covered Person with material non-public information cannot trade while in possession of that information or disclose the information to others who may trade. Impermissible tipping includes advising another person or entity to trade in Company securities when the Covered Person himself/herself is prohibited from trading. More generally, it is unlawful for a Covered Person to deceive anyone when transacting in Company securities. To avoid inadvertent tipping, Covered Persons should refrain from commenting on or responding to questions about the Company while in possession of material non-public information. This includes participating in internet "chat rooms," "message boards," or other discussion groups.
Securities of Other Companies
It is also generally impermissible to trade in securities of any company when the information was initially disclosed, or would be used, in breach of a duty to maintain the information in confidence. For example, such would be the case when someone obtains from a vendor or customer non-public information that is material to the value of a security issued by another entity. This also applies to information about another company that is obtained in confidence from the Company itself. This is sometimes referred to as "misappropriation," another type of unlawful insider trading. The origin and nature of the duty of confidence in this context present complex legal questions. Accordingly, a Covered Person shall must resolve any uncertainty in favor of treating information as confidential where the information is material and non-public and the original source of the information has not given express permission to use the information to engage in a securities transaction.
Duration of the Prohibition on Insider Trading
The prohibitions in the prior two paragraphs remain in effect until the information has been substantially disclosed to the public or is no longer material. Thus, a Covered Person who is aware of material non-public information regarding the Company cannot trade in Company securities until that specific information has become public or is no longer material. Of course, if by that time the Covered Person has learned of additional material non-public information about the Company, the awareness of such subsequent information would independently preclude trading.
Violation of laws prohibiting insider trading can result in civil liability to third persons, civil penalties obtained by the government, fines and imprisonment.
Other Prohibitions
Covered Persons may not:
• |
pledge Company securities, including purchase Company securities on margin; or |
• |
hedge any position they may have in Company securities. |
2
Materiality
Generally, a fact is considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making an investment decision. Examples of types of information that may be material, depending on the facts of the particular situation, include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. |
A proposal or agreement for a merger, acquisition or divestiture, or for the sale or purchase of significant assets. |
2. |
Significant information or estimates about revenues, earnings or other financial metrics. |
3. |
A proposal or agreement concerning a financial restructuring or an extraordinary borrowing. |
4. |
A proposal to issue or redeem securities or a development with respect to a pending issuance or redemption of securities. |
5. |
A proposal or action regarding the Company's dividend policy, including a stock dividend or stock split. |
6. |
A significant expansion or contraction of operations, including planned layoffs. |
7. |
Significant increases or decreases in orders or information about major contracts (execution, termination, etc.). |
8. |
Liquidity problems, payment or covenant defaults or actions by creditors or suppliers relating to the Company's credit standing. |
9. |
Significant management developments. |
10. |
Legal proceedings; and |
11. |
A significant data breach or cybersecurity incident |
Any given item of information must be evaluated in light of all the relevant circumstances in order to make a determination as to materiality. Should you have any questions as to whether non-public information is material, you should consult with the Company's Compliance Officer or his delegate.
Nonpublic Information
Nonpublic information is information that is not generally available to ordinary investors in the marketplace or in general circulation. In order to conclude that information is public, one must be able to point to some fact to show that the information is generally available, for example, its announcement in a press release, a filing with the
3
II. |
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS BY COVERED PERSONS |
All transactions in Covered Person Accounts are covered at all times by the prohibitions described in Part I of this Policy. For the purposes of this Policy, a "Covered Person Account" includes (1) the Covered Person's own account, (2) accounts of the Covered Person's spouse, domestic partner, any children and any other relatives (including by marriage) living in the Covered Person's home, (3) any account in which any person listed in (1) or (2) has a beneficial interest, such as an IRA, and (4) any account over which any person listed in (1) or (2) exercises control or investment influence. Limitations on the scope of the meaning of "Covered Person Account" in the circumstances of a particular Covered Person may be made in writing by the Compliance Officer upon the written request of a Covered Person. Additional limitations on trading activities by directors and certain officers of the Company are described in Part VI of this program.
The Company discourages all Covered Persons from engaging in short-term speculative trading in Company securities. As set forth under Part IV of this Policy, certain Covered Persons are prohibited from purchasing or selling exchange-traded options on the Company's securities. All Covered Persons are prohibited from engaging in excessive trading and trading that interferes with an employee's job responsibilities. Covered Persons are expressly prohibited from engaging in frequent in and out trading in the securities of the Company in their Covered Person Accounts, including any account in the
Blackout Policy for Certain Covered Persons
This Policy prohibits trading in Company securities by members of the
Who is covered by the Blackout Policy?
• |
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 Officers of |
• |
Executive Leadership Team members or members of any functionally similar committee established by the Chief Executive Officer of |
• |
All Company employees with the title or job grade of Vice President or higher; |
4
• |
All employees in Corporate Accounting, Corporate Internal Audit, Corporate Business Planning & Analysis, Investor Relations, Corporate Communications, Master Data & Information Delivery, Strategy & Analytics, Strategic Initiatives, Tax, and |
• |
Any other employee designated by a Compliance Officer who has, or may have, access to the Company's consolidated quarterly or annual financial results or other significant financial information; and |
• |
Covered Person Accounts of any of the persons listed above. It is the Covered Person's responsibility to advise these other parties about the blackout requirement. |
What transactions are PROHIBITED during a Blackout Period?
• |
Purchase or sale of Company securities and related derivative securities, including transactions in the open market or through a broker or under a securities purchase or sale plan (unless in accordance with pre-arranged written plans that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1); |
• |
Exercise of stock options where any Company stock, including any of the acquired stock, is sold in the market during the Blackout Period (unless in accordance with pre-arranged written plans that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1); |
• |
Transfer of existing balances into or out of the |
• |
Elections that increase or decrease the rate of deferral contributions to the |
• |
Elections to participate in, or to terminate participation in, the Company's dividend reinvestment plan (or an equivalent plan offered through a third-party broker). |
What transactions are PERMITTED during a Blackout Period?
• |
Exercise of stock options, including cashless exercises, provided that no Company stock is sold in the market in connection with the option exercise; |
• |
Regular investment of deferral and matching contributions, including dividend reinvestments, in the |
• |
Regular reinvestment in the Company's dividend reinvestment plan and employee stock purchase plan (or an equivalent plan offered through a third-party broker) pursuant to pre-existing elections; |
• |
Gifts of Company securities; |
• |
Transfer of Company securities that does not result in a change in beneficial ownership; and |
• |
Transactions that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1pre-arranged written plans. |
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Any question whether a transaction is prohibited or permitted during a Blackout Period should be raised with the Compliance Officer.
In addition to the standard end-of-quarter Blackout Periods, the Company may, from time to time, impose other, event-specific Blackout Periods by notifying those persons who are affected.
A Covered Person who is subject to a Blackout Period and who has an unexpected and urgent need to sell Company securities in order to generate cash may, in appropriate circumstances, be permitted by the Compliance Officer to sell Company securities during a Blackout Period (a "Hardship Exception"). Any such Hardship Exception must be requested in writing (such as e-mail)at least two business days in advance of the proposed trade and may only be granted if the Compliance Officer concludes that (i) the information in possession of the requesting person regarding the Company's earnings for the applicable quarter does not constitute material non-public information,and (ii) there is no other material non-public information in the Covered Person's possession regarding the Company or its securities, and (iii) there is no potential violation of an applicable Rule 10b5-1 plan. Every approval of a Hardship Exception shall be in writing (such as e-mail). The approval shall specify the amount of securities that may be sold and the time period during which the sale(s) may occur. Under no circumstances shall a Hardship Exception be granted during an event-specific Blackout Period or to a member of the Board of Directors or Section 16 officer.
III. |
RULE 10b5-1 |
Covered Persons covered by the Blackout Policy who may wish to engage in transactions in Company securities, including gifts, that may occur during the Blackout or at some period when they may be aware of material non-public information regarding the Company or its securities and thus are prohibited from trading in those securities may pre-arrange such transactions in accordance with a plan that complies with SEC Rule 10b5-1. Rule 10b5-1 generally prohibits an individual from exercising any influence over the amount, price or timing of any trade once a plan is adopted.
A Rule 10b5-1 plan must not be entered into during a Blackout Period or at a time when the Covered Person is not aware of any material non-public information about the Company or its securities. Once the plan is adopted, the Covered Person generally cannot exercise any influence over the amount, price or timing of any trade, which must either be specified under the plan or delegated to an independent third party. Any Rule 10b5-1 plan must be approved in advance, in writing, and such plan must be entered into, adopted or modified in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade this Policy or the federal securities laws. Each Covered Person must provide a written certification of these statements toby the Compliance Officer or his delegate.
All Rule 10b5-1 plans must contain a mandatory cooling off period following adoption or modification of a plan that begins on the date of plan adoption or modification and ends the later of (i) 90 days following plan adoption or modification and (ii) two business days following the filing of a Form 10-Q or 10-K by the Company covering the financial reporting period in which the plan was adopted or modified (but not to exceed 120 days following plan adoption or modification) before any trading can commence. The entry into, amendment or termination of any Rule 10b5-1 plan must be approved in advance, in writing, by the Compliance Officer or his delegate.
Any trades consummated pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan must promptly be reported to the Compliance Officer or his delegate. Note that current
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IV. |
TRANSACTIONS IN LISTED OPTIONS |
All Covered Persons who are subject to the Blackout Period are prohibited from buying or selling publicly traded options, including puts and calls, on the Company's securities at any time. This prohibition applies whether or not any such Covered Person is in possession of any material non-public information and whether or not a Blackout Period is in effect.
V. |
PRE-CLEARANCE POLICY |
Covered Persons subject to the Pre-Clearance Policy are prohibited from engaging in any transaction in Company securities without pre-clearance. In order to obtain pre-clearance, Covered Persons subject to this requirement must contact the Compliance Officer in writing (such as e-mail) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before engaging in any transaction in the Company's securities. Transactions prohibited by the Blackout Policy may not be pre-cleared.
Who is covered by the Pre-Clearance Policy?
• |
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 officers of |
• |
Executive Leadership Team members or members of any functionally similar committee established by the Chief Executive Officer of |
• |
Covered Person Accounts of any of the persons listed above. It is the Covered Person's responsibility to advise these other parties about the pre-clearance requirement. |
What transactions are PROHIBITED without prior clearance under the Pre-Clearance Policy?
All transactions in Company securities and related derivative securities must be pre-cleared with the Compliance Officer. No transaction subject to the Pre-Clearance Policy may be effected without prior written (such as e-mail) approval by the Compliance Officer. The approval shall specify the amount of securities to be purchased or sold and the period for which approval of the transactions is in effect. With the exception of a pre-clearance approval of transactions undertaken in accordance with a Rule 10b5-1 plan, any pre-clearance approval is automatically revoked by imposition of an event-specific Blackout Period.
Pre-clearance is particularly important because it will enable the Compliance Officer to confirm that the transaction complies with the reporting requirements under Section 16(a), Rule 10b-5, Rule 144 and all other applicable provisions of the federal securities laws and does not expose a buyer or seller to short-swing profit recovery under Section 16(b) for directors and certain officers. However, each person is ultimately responsible for his or her compliance with the federal securities laws and, in particular, the avoidance of short-swing profits.
7
VI. |
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS AND PROCEDURES APPLICABLE ONLY TO DIRECTORS AND SECTION 16 OFFICERS |
The Compliance Officer will assist directors and Section 16 officers in considering questions relating to their beneficial ownership of Company securities and their reporting obligations as well as possible liability associated with trading in such securities. The Filing Coordinator will be responsible for the preparation and filing of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 reports based on information furnished by directors and Section 16 officers.
Completion and Filing of Forms 3, 4 and 5
The Filing Coordinator will prepare, sign and file with the
• |
An initial report on Form 3 to disclose holdings of the Company's equity securities as of the date he or she becomes a director/Section 16 Officer within 10 calendar days; |
• |
Subsequent reports on Form 4 to disclose any change in beneficial ownership of the Company's equity securities within two business days after the execution date (not the settlement date) of a transaction; and |
• |
Annual Reports on Form 5 to disclose any holding or transaction not previously disclosed (either because of a failure to file or an exemption from current reporting) by |
Each director and Section 16 officer must provide the Filing Coordinator all relevant information with respect to any transaction to be undertaken in the Company's securities (e.g., purchase or sale, the number of shares involved, the price, etc.). In some cases, the pertinent information may rest with the Section 16 officer or director's broker or with family members, trusts, partnerships, corporations or other entities in which he or she has a reportable beneficial or pecuniary interest. In all cases, however, it is the Section16 officer or director's obligation to collect the required information and forward it to the Filing Coordinator to ensure a complete, accurate and timely filing. Given the two business-day filing deadline, directors and Section 16 officers will not have an opportunity to review the form prior to filing, but a copy of the filed form will be provided to them. Please review the copy of the filed form and let the Filing Coordinator know as soon as possible if there are any changes that could require the filing of an amendment.
Compliance with Rule 144
All sales of the Company's securities by a director or Section 16 officer of the Company shall be made in compliance with SEC Rule 144. Any director or Section 16 officer contemplating the sale of the Company's securities must first contact the Compliance Officer and instruct his or her broker to do the same. The Filing Coordinator will assist the director/Section 16 officer or his/her broker with the preparation and filing of any required Form 144. This includes coordination between the Compliance Officer and the seller's broker in connection with sales pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans.
8
Prohibited Transactions
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 officers of
• |
No "short selling" of the Company's securities; and |
• |
No trading during a pension plan blackout period. |
VII. |
Corrective Action for Non-Compliance:CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR NON-COMPLIANCE AND PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING COMPLAINTS |
Failure to comply with this policy may include corrective action and enforcement subject to local legal requirements.
Questions about the Policy should be directed to a Compliance Officer. Complaints regarding this Policy, or a report of any violation of this Policy, may be submitted confidentially or anonymously via email to a Compliance Officer, [email protected] or via the ethics hotline at https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/52773/index.html.
Upon receipt of a complaint, the Compliance Officer will: (i) determine whether the complaint relates to the Securities Transaction Policy; and (ii) when possible, acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the sender. The review process shall, to the fullest extent possible, honor the confidentiality of the complainant.
Prompt and appropriate corrective action will be taken when and as warranted by a determination of the Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer may utilize outside legal counsel and other experts and advisors to investigate allegations of improper insider trading.
The Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer shall maintain a record of all complaints, including, but not limited to, (a) substance of complaint; (b) date of receipt of the complaint; (c) actions taken to investigate the complaint and the dates on which such actions were taken; (d) recommendations made in response to the complaint and the date such recommendations were made; and (e) outcome of the investigation into the complaint and the date such determination was made (collectively, the "CO's Log"). The above information shall be maintained on the CO's Log for four (4) years from the date a complaint is made.
The Company will not take any inappropriate retaliatory action against any Company employee with respect to good faith reporting of complaints relating to or arising out of the Securities Transaction Policy.
The Company's intent is to comply with all controlling national, federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations and ordinances. If any portion of this Policy conflicts with any such law, the controlling law applies. This Policy shall be reviewed by the Compliance Officer on a periodic basis.
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Chief Legal & Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary | ||
Revision history: Updated |
||
Policy Owner: Chief Securities Counsel | ||
Executive Sponsor: Chief Legal & Administrative Officer |
10
Securities Transaction Policy
Policy Summary:
Please refer all questions about this Policy to one of the Company's Compliance Officers. The Company has designated the Company's Chief Legal & Administrative Officer,
Applicability:
All of the Company's directors, officers and employees
Policy Specifics:
I. |
INSIDER TRADING AND "TIPPING" |
As a general rule, Covered Persons who possess material non-public information about the Company, and persons who have received material non-public information from Covered Persons of the Company, are subject to the "abstain or disclose" rule-that is, they are required by the securities laws either (1) to refrain from both passing the Company information on to others ("tipping") and from trading in or recommending the purchase or sale of Company securities or of options on (or any other derivatives relating to) those securities, or (2) to disclose such Company information to the investing public before trading in those securities. In virtually all cases, of course, it will be improper for the
1
Covered Person to disclose any non-public information without the express prior permission of the original source of the information, such as senior Company management. Thus, invariably a Covered Person with material non-public information cannot trade while in possession of that information or disclose the information to others who may trade. Impermissible tipping includes advising another person or entity to trade in Company securities when the Covered Person himself/herself is prohibited from trading. More generally, it is unlawful for a Covered Person to deceive anyone when transacting in Company securities. To avoid inadvertent tipping, Covered Persons should refrain from commenting on or responding to questions about the Company while in possession of material non-public information. This includes participating in internet "chat rooms," "message boards," or other discussion groups.
Securities of Other Companies
It is also generally impermissible to trade in securities of any company when the information was initially disclosed, or would be used, in breach of a duty to maintain the information in confidence. For example, such would be the case when someone obtains from a vendor or customer non-public information that is material to the value of a security issued by another entity. This also applies to information about another company that is obtained in confidence from the Company itself. This is sometimes referred to as "misappropriation," another type of unlawful insider trading. The origin and nature of the duty of confidence in this context present complex legal questions. Accordingly, a Covered Person must resolve any uncertainty in favor of treating information as confidential where the information is material and non-public and the original source of the information has not given express permission to use the information to engage in a securities transaction.
Duration of the Prohibition on Insider Trading
The prohibitions in the prior two paragraphs remain in effect until the information has been substantially disclosed to the public or is no longer material. Thus, a Covered Person who is aware of material non-public information regarding the Company cannot trade in Company securities until that specific information has become public or is no longer material. Of course, if by that time the Covered Person has learned of additional material non-public information about the Company, the awareness of such subsequent information would independently preclude trading.
Violation of laws prohibiting insider trading can result in civil liability to third persons, civil penalties obtained by the government, fines and imprisonment.
Other Prohibitions
Covered Persons may not:
• |
pledge Company securities, including purchase Company securities on margin; or |
• |
hedge any position they may have in Company securities. |
2
Materiality
Generally, a fact is considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making an investment decision. Examples of types of information that may be material, depending on the facts of the particular situation, include, but are not limited to, the following:
12. |
A proposal or agreement for a merger, acquisition or divestiture, or for the sale or purchase of significant assets. |
13. |
Significant information or estimates about revenues, earnings or other financial metrics. |
14. |
A proposal or agreement concerning a financial restructuring or an extraordinary borrowing. |
15. |
A proposal to issue or redeem securities or a development with respect to a pending issuance or redemption of securities. |
16. |
A proposal or action regarding the Company's dividend policy, including a stock dividend or stock split. |
17. |
A significant expansion or contraction of operations, including planned layoffs. |
18. |
Significant increases or decreases in orders or information about major contracts (execution, termination, etc.). |
19. |
Liquidity problems, payment or covenant defaults or actions by creditors or suppliers relating to the Company's credit standing. |
20. |
Significant management developments. |
21. |
Legal proceedings; and |
22. |
A significant data breach or cybersecurity incident |
Any given item of information must be evaluated in light of all the relevant circumstances in order to make a determination as to materiality. Should you have any questions as to whether non-public information is material, you should consult with the Company's Compliance Officer or his delegate.
Nonpublic Information
Nonpublic information is information that is not generally available to ordinary investors in the marketplace or in general circulation. In order to conclude that information is public, one must be able to point to some fact to show that the information is generally available, for example, its announcement in a press release, a filing with the
3
II. |
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS BY COVERED PERSONS |
All transactions in Covered Person Accounts are covered at all times by the prohibitions described in Part I of this Policy. For the purposes of this Policy, a "Covered Person Account" includes (1) the Covered Person's own account, (2) accounts of the Covered Person's spouse, domestic partner, any children and any other relatives (including by marriage) living in the Covered Person's home, (3) any account in which any person listed in (1) or (2) has a beneficial interest, such as an IRA, and (4) any account over which any person listed in (1) or (2) exercises control or investment influence. Limitations on the scope of the meaning of "Covered Person Account" in the circumstances of a particular Covered Person may be made in writing by the Compliance Officer upon the written request of a Covered Person. Additional limitations on trading activities by directors and certain officers of the Company are described in Part VI of this program.
The Company discourages all Covered Persons from engaging in short-term speculative trading in Company securities. As set forth under Part IV of this Policy, certain Covered Persons are prohibited from purchasing or selling exchange-traded options on the Company's securities. All Covered Persons are prohibited from engaging in excessive trading and trading that interferes with an employee's job responsibilities. Covered Persons are expressly prohibited from engaging in frequent in and out trading in the securities of the Company in their Covered Person Accounts, including any account in the
Blackout Policy for Certain Covered Persons
This Policy prohibits trading in Company securities by members of the
Who is covered by the Blackout Policy?
• |
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 Officers of |
• |
Executive Leadership Team members or members of any functionally similar committee established by the Chief Executive Officer of |
• |
All Company employees with the title or job grade of Vice President or higher; |
4
• |
All employees in Corporate Accounting, Corporate Internal Audit, Corporate Business Planning & Analysis, Investor Relations, Corporate Communications, Master Data & Information Delivery, Strategy & Analytics, Strategic Initiatives, Tax, and |
• |
Any other employee designated by a Compliance Officer who has, or may have, access to the Company's consolidated quarterly or annual financial results or other significant financial information; and |
• |
Covered Person Accounts of any of the persons listed above. It is the Covered Person's responsibility to advise these other parties about the blackout requirement. |
What transactions are PROHIBITED during a Blackout Period?
• |
Purchase or sale of Company securities and related derivative securities, including transactions in the open market or through a broker or under a securities purchase or sale plan (unless in accordance with pre-arranged written plans that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1); |
• |
Exercise of stock options where any Company stock, including any of the acquired stock, is sold in the market during the Blackout Period (unless in accordance with pre-arranged written plans that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1); |
• |
Transfer of existing balances into or out of the |
• |
Elections that increase or decrease the rate of deferral contributions to the |
• |
Elections to participate in, or to terminate participation in, the Company's dividend reinvestment plan (or an equivalent plan offered through a third-party broker). |
What transactions are PERMITTED during a Blackout Period?
• |
Exercise of stock options, including cashless exercises, provided that no Company stock is sold in the market in connection with the option exercise; |
• |
Regular investment of deferral and matching contributions, including dividend reinvestments, in the |
• |
Regular reinvestment in the Company's dividend reinvestment plan and employee stock purchase plan (or an equivalent plan offered through a third-party broker) pursuant to pre-existing elections; |
• |
Gifts of Company securities; |
• |
Transfer of Company securities that does not result in a change in beneficial ownership; and |
• |
Transactions that comply with SEC Rule 10b5-1pre-arranged written plans. |
Any question whether a transaction is prohibited or permitted during a Blackout Period should be raised with the Compliance Officer.
5
In addition to the standard end-of-quarter Blackout Periods, the Company may, from time to time, impose other, event-specific Blackout Periods by notifying those persons who are affected.
A Covered Person who is subject to a Blackout Period and who has an unexpected and urgent need to sell Company securities in order to generate cash may, in appropriate circumstances, be permitted by the Compliance Officer to sell Company securities during a Blackout Period (a "Hardship Exception"). Any such Hardship Exception must be requested in writing (such as e-mail)at least two business days in advance of the proposed trade and may only be granted if the Compliance Officer concludes that (i) the information in possession of the requesting person regarding the Company's earnings for the applicable quarter does not constitute material non-public information, (ii) there is no other material non-public information in the Covered Person's possession regarding the Company or its securities, and (iii) there is no potential violation of an applicable Rule 10b5-1 plan. Every approval of a Hardship Exception shall be in writing (such as e-mail). The approval shall specify the amount of securities that may be sold and the time period during which the sale(s) may occur. Under no circumstances shall a Hardship Exception be granted during an event-specific Blackout Period or to a member of the Board of Directors or Section 16 officer.
III. |
RULE 10b5-1 |
Covered Persons covered by the Blackout Policy who may wish to engage in transactions in Company securities, including gifts, that may occur during the Blackout or at some period when they may be aware of material non-public information regarding the Company or its securities and thus are prohibited from trading in those securities may pre-arrange such transactions in accordance with a plan that complies with SEC Rule 10b5-1. Rule 10b5-1 generally prohibits an individual from exercising any influence over the amount, price or timing of any trade once a plan is adopted.
A Rule 10b5-1 plan must not be entered into during a Blackout Period or at a time when the Covered Person is aware of any material non-public information about the Company or its securities, and such plan must be entered into, adopted or modified in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade this Policy or the federal securities laws. Each Covered Person must provide a written certification of these statements to the Compliance Officer or his delegate.
All Rule 10b5-1 plans must contain a mandatory cooling off period following adoption or modification of a plan that begins on the date of plan adoption or modification and ends the later of (i) 90 days following plan adoption or modification and (ii) two business days following the filing of a Form 10-Q or 10-K by the Company covering the financial reporting period in which the plan was adopted or modified (but not to exceed 120 days following plan adoption or modification) before any trading can commence. The entry into, amendment or termination of any Rule 10b5-1 plan must be approved in advance, in writing, by the Compliance Officer or his delegate.
Any trades consummated pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan must promptly be reported to the Compliance Officer or his delegate. Note that current
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IV. |
TRANSACTIONS IN LISTED OPTIONS |
All Covered Persons who are subject to the Blackout Period are prohibited from buying or selling publicly traded options, including puts and calls, on the Company's securities at any time. This prohibition applies whether or not any such Covered Person is in possession of any material non-public information and whether or not a Blackout Period is in effect.
V. |
PRE-CLEARANCE POLICY |
Covered Persons subject to the Pre-Clearance Policy are prohibited from engaging in any transaction in Company securities without pre-clearance. In order to obtain pre-clearance, Covered Persons subject to this requirement must contact the Compliance Officer in writing (such as e-mail) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before engaging in any transaction in the Company's securities. Transactions prohibited by the Blackout Policy may not be pre-cleared.
Who is covered by the Pre-Clearance Policy?
• |
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 officers of |
• |
Executive Leadership Team members or members of any functionally similar committee established by the Chief Executive Officer of |
• |
Covered Person Accounts of any of the persons listed above. It is the Covered Person's responsibility to advise these other parties about the pre-clearance requirement. |
What transactions are PROHIBITED without prior clearance under the Pre-Clearance Policy?
All transactions in Company securities and related derivative securities must be pre-cleared with the Compliance Officer. No transaction subject to the Pre-Clearance Policy may be effected without prior written (such as e-mail) approval by the Compliance Officer. The approval shall specify the amount of securities to be purchased or sold and the period for which approval of the transactions is in effect. With the exception of a pre-clearance approval of transactions undertaken in accordance with a Rule 10b5-1 plan, any pre-clearance approval is automatically revoked by imposition of an event-specific Blackout Period.
Pre-clearance is particularly important because it will enable the Compliance Officer to confirm that the transaction complies with the reporting requirements under Section 16(a), Rule 10b-5, Rule 144 and all other applicable provisions of the federal securities laws and does not expose a buyer or seller to short-swing profit recovery under Section 16(b) for directors and certain officers. However, each person is ultimately responsible for his or her compliance with the federal securities laws and, in particular, the avoidance of short-swing profits.
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VI. |
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS AND PROCEDURES APPLICABLE ONLY TO DIRECTORS AND SECTION 16 OFFICERS |
The Compliance Officer will assist directors and Section 16 officers in considering questions relating to their beneficial ownership of Company securities and their reporting obligations as well as possible liability associated with trading in such securities. The Filing Coordinator will be responsible for the preparation and filing of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 reports based on information furnished by directors and Section 16 officers.
Completion and Filing of Forms 3, 4 and 5
The Filing Coordinator will prepare, sign and file with the
• |
An initial report on Form 3 to disclose holdings of the Company's equity securities as of the date he or she becomes a director/Section 16 Officer within 10 calendar days; |
• |
Subsequent reports on Form 4 to disclose any change in beneficial ownership of the Company's equity securities within two business days after the execution date (not the settlement date) of a transaction; and |
• |
Annual Reports on Form 5 to disclose any holding or transaction not previously disclosed (either because of a failure to file or an exemption from current reporting) by |
Each director and Section 16 officer must provide the Filing Coordinator all relevant information with respect to any transaction to be undertaken in the Company's securities (e.g., purchase or sale, the number of shares involved, the price, etc.). In some cases, the pertinent information may rest with the Section 16 officer or director's broker or with family members, trusts, partnerships, corporations or other entities in which he or she has a reportable beneficial or pecuniary interest. In all cases, however, it is the Section16 officer or director's obligation to collect the required information and forward it to the Filing Coordinator to ensure a complete, accurate and timely filing. Given the two business-day filing deadline, directors and Section 16 officers will not have an opportunity to review the form prior to filing, but a copy of the filed form will be provided to them. Please review the copy of the filed form and let the Filing Coordinator know as soon as possible if there are any changes that could require the filing of an amendment.
Compliance with Rule 144
All sales of the Company's securities by a director or Section 16 officer of the Company shall be made in compliance with SEC Rule 144. Any director or Section 16 officer contemplating the sale of the Company's securities must first contact the Compliance Officer and instruct his or her broker to do the same. The Filing Coordinator will assist the director/Section 16 officer or his/her broker with the preparation and filing of any required Form 144. This includes coordination between the Compliance Officer and the seller's broker in connection with sales pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans.
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Prohibited Transactions
Members of the Board of Directors and Section 16 officers of
• |
No "short selling" of the Company's securities; and |
• |
No trading during a pension plan blackout period. |
VII. |
CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR NON-COMPLIANCE AND PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING COMPLAINTS |
Failure to comply with this policy may include corrective action and enforcement subject to local legal requirements.
Questions about the Policy should be directed to a Compliance Officer. Complaints regarding this Policy, or a report of any violation of this Policy, may be submitted confidentially or anonymously via email to a Compliance Officer, [email protected] or via the ethics hotline at https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/52773/index.html.
Upon receipt of a complaint, the Compliance Officer will: (i) determine whether the complaint relates to the Securities Transaction Policy; and (ii) when possible, acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the sender. The review process shall, to the fullest extent possible, honor the confidentiality of the complainant.
Prompt and appropriate corrective action will be taken when and as warranted by a determination of the Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer may utilize outside legal counsel and other experts and advisors to investigate allegations of improper insider trading.
The Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer shall maintain a record of all complaints, including, but not limited to, (a) substance of complaint; (b) date of receipt of the complaint; (c) actions taken to investigate the complaint and the dates on which such actions were taken; (d) recommendations made in response to the complaint and the date such recommendations were made; and (e) outcome of the investigation into the complaint and the date such determination was made (collectively, the "CO's Log"). The above information shall be maintained on the CO's Log for four (4) years from the date a complaint is made.
The Company will not take any inappropriate retaliatory action against any Company employee with respect to good faith reporting of complaints relating to or arising out of the Securities Transaction Policy.
The Company's intent is to comply with all controlling national, federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations and ordinances. If any portion of this Policy conflicts with any such law, the controlling law applies. This Policy shall be reviewed by the Compliance Officer on a periodic basis.
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Chief Legal & Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary |
Revision history: Updated |
Policy Owner: Chief Securities Counsel |
Executive Sponsor: Chief Legal & Administrative Officer |
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EXHIBIT A
Plaintiff, vs. Defendants, and Nominal Defendant. |
SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW DIVISION: DOCKET NO.: HUD-L-001853-23 Civil Action EX. A - [PROPOSED] ORDER PRELIMINARILY APPROVING SETTLEMENT AND PROVIDING FOR NOTICE |
WHEREAS, the above-captioned derivative action entitled Streicher v. Polk, et al. (the "Action"), is pending in this Court;
WHEREAS, Plaintiff
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS, all capitalized terms contained herein shall have the meanings as set forth in the Stipulation (in addition to those capitalized terms defined herein); and
WHEREAS, this Court, having considered the Stipulation and the Exhibits annexed thereto and having heard the arguments of the Settling Parties at the preliminary approval hearing;
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:
1. This Court does hereby preliminarily approve, subject to further consideration at the Settlement Hearing described below, the Stipulation and the Settlement set forth therein, including the terms and conditions for settlement and dismissal with prejudice of the Action, as being fair, reasonable, and adequate.
2. A hearing (the "Settlement Hearing") shall be held before this Court on ___________, 2023, at __:___ __.m., either remotely or in person, and, if in person, at the
2
3. The Court reserves the right to: (i) approve the Settlement, with such modifications agreed upon by counsel for the Settling Parties without further notice to current
4. The Court approves, as to form and content, the Notice of Proposed Derivative Settlement annexed as Exhibit A-1 hereto and finds that the dissemination of the Notice and Stipulation, substantially in the manner and form set forth in this Order, is the best notice practicable under the circumstances, and shall constitute due and sufficient notice to all Persons entitled thereto.
5. Not later than ten (10) business days following entry of this Order,
a. cause a copy of the Notice, substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit A-1 hereto, and the Stipulation to be filed with the
b. create a link to the
6. All costs incurred in the filing and posting of the Notice of the Settlement in the manner set forth above or as otherwise ordered by the Court shall be paid by
3
7. Not later than twenty-one (21) days before the Settlement Hearing,
8. Pending final determination by the Court of whether the Settlement should be approved, Plaintiffs, all other
9. All papers in support of the Settlement and the separately negotiated attorneys' fees and expenses shall be filed with the Court and served thirty (30) calendar days before the Settlement Hearing, and any reply briefs shall be filed with the Court seven (7) calendar days before the Settlement Hearing.
10. Any current
4
______________________, 2023 (which date shall be at least fourteen (14) calendar days before the date of the Settlement Hearing as initially set out in this Preliminary Approval Order). Any objection must be done through a current
11. Any attorney retained by a current
5
12. Any current
13. Any submission made pursuant to Paragraphs 10 through 12 of this Preliminary Approval Order must be sent or delivered to the following addresses:
a. |
The Court: |
Clerk of the Court
b. |
Plaintiffs' Counsel: |
and
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c. |
Defendants' Counsel: |
and
Suite 400
14. Plaintiffs' Counsel and Defendants' Counsel are directed to promptly furnish each other with copies of any and all objections that are served upon them or otherwise come into their possession.
15. Any current
16. Any current
17. All proceedings in the Action are stayed until further order of the Court, except as may be necessary to implement the Settlement or comply with the terms of the Stipulation.
18. Neither the Stipulation nor the Settlement, including the Exhibits attached thereto, nor any act performed or document executed pursuant to or in furtherance of the Stipulation or the Settlement: (a) is or may be deemed to be or may be offered, attempted to be offered or used in
7
any way as a presumption, a concession or an admission of, or evidence of, any fault, wrongdoing, liability, or non-liability of the Settling Parties or Released Persons, or of the validity of any Released Claims; or (b) is or may be deemed to be or may be used as a presumption, admission, or evidence of any liability, fault, or omission of any of the Released Persons or
19. The Court reserves the right to change the date of, or platform used for (i.e.,in person, telephonically, or via video), the Settlement Hearing or to modify any other dates set forth herein without further notice to
8
IT IS SO ORDERED. |
||||||
DATED: |
||||||
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EXHIBIT A-1
Plaintiff, vs. Defendants, and Nominal Defendant. |
SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW DIVISION: DOCKET NO.: HUD-L-001853-23 Civil Action EX. A-1 - NOTICE OF PROPOSED DERIVATIVE SETTLEMENT |
TO: |
ALL RECORD HOLDERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THE COMMON STOCK OF |
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS NOTICE RELATES TO THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AND DISMISSAL OF THE ABOVE-CAPTIONED DERIVATIVE ACTION (THE "ACTION") BY COURT ORDER AND CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR RIGHTS. YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. IF THE COURT APPROVES THE SETTLEMENT, YOU WILL BE FOREVER BARRED FROM CONTESTING THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AND FROM PURSUING THE RELEASED CLAIMS.
IF YOU HOLD
1
THE RECITATION OF THE BACKGROUND AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SETTLEMENT CONTAINED HEREIN DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE FINDINGS OF THE COURT. IT IS BASED ON REPRESENTATIONS MADE TO THE COURT BY COUNSEL FOR THE PARTIES.
Notice is hereby provided to you of the proposed settlement (the "Settlement") of this stockholder derivative litigation. This Notice is provided by Order of the
I. |
WHY THE COMPANY HAS ISSUED THIS NOTICE |
Your rights may be affected by the Settlement of the action styled Streicher v. Polk, et al., No. HUD-L-001853-23, pending in the Court (the "Action"). The "Settling Parties": (i)
4 |
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined shall have the same meanings as set forth in the Stipulation. |
2
On ________________, 2023, at __:___ __.m., the Court will hold a hearing (the "Settlement Hearing") in the Action at the
The Court may: (i) approve the Settlement, with such modifications as may be agreed to by counsel for the Settling Parties consistent with such Settlement without further notice to current
3
THERE IS NO CLAIMS PROCEDURE. This case was brought to protect the interests of
II. |
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND |
A. Factual Allegations
Plaintiffs assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty and related claims derivatively on behalf of
4
B. The Derivative Actions and Litigation Demands
On
5
On
C. The Settlement Negotiations
In 2021, the Settling Parties agreed to engage in settlement discussions to explore a possible resolution of the Derivative Matters. On
5 |
The stockholder litigation demand sent by Plaintiffs Weber and Butcher-Weber named former |
6
After significant arm's-length negotiations, the Settling Parties reached agreement on the substantive terms of the proposed Settlement on
After reaching agreement on the substantive terms of the proposed Settlement, the Settling Parties commenced negotiations relating to the attorneys' fees and expenses to be paid to Plaintiffs' Counsel in recognition of the benefits conferred on the Company through the corporate governance reforms set forth herein. After lengthy and adversarial negotiations guided by the Mediators, the Settling Parties agreed to accept a fee and expense award proposal set forth by the Mediators setting forth that, in recognition of the substantial benefits to be conferred through the proposed Settlement, Plaintiffs' Counsel should receive attorneys' fees and expenses of
7
III. |
TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT |
The proposed Settlement requires the Company to adopt certain corporate governance reforms, as outlined in the Stipulation (the "Reforms"). Certain of the Reforms specifically identified in the Stipulation shall be maintained for a minimum of four (4) years following the final approval of the Settlement. In the event any of the Reforms conflict with any law, rule, or regulation (including, but not limited to, regulations of any stock exchange on which the Company's securities are listed), the Company shall not be required to implement or maintain such modification; provided, however, that in such event, the Company shall adopt an amended or substitute reform that addresses the same goals, purposes, and/or functions of the original Reforms within ninety (90) days of its discontinuance. If, however, the independent members of the Board, in a good faith exercise of their business judgment, determine that it is not possible to adopt an acceptable amended or substitute reform, the Reform(s) may be eliminated. In the Settlement,
IV. |
DISMISSAL AND RELEASES |
The Settlement is conditioned upon the occurrence of certain events, which include, among other things: (i) final approval of the Settlement by the Court following notice to current
8
Upon the Effective Date, Plaintiffs (acting on their own behalf and derivatively on behalf of
Upon the Effective Date, each of the Released Persons shall be deemed to have, and by operation of law and of the Judgment shall have, fully, finally, and forever compromised, settled, released, resolved, relinquished, waived, and discharged each and all of the Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel from all claims (including Unknown Claims) arising out of, relating to, or in connection with the institution, prosecution, assertion, settlement or resolution of the Derivative Matters or the Released Claims.
Nothing within these releases shall in any way impair or restrict the rights of any
V. |
PLAINTIFFS' COUNSEL'S ATTORNEYS' FEES AND EXPENSES AND PLAINTIFFS' SERVICE AWARDS |
After negotiating the material substantive terms of the Settlement, counsel for the Settling Parties, with the assistance of the Mediators, separately negotiated the attorneys' fees and expenses to be paid to Plaintiffs' Counsel based on the substantial benefits conferred upon
9
Matters, Plaintiffs may request the Court to approve service awards for each of them in an amount up to two thousand
VI. |
REASONS FOR THE SETTLEMENT |
Counsel for the Settling Parties believe that the Settlement is in the best interests of
A. Why Did Plaintiffs Agree to Settle?
1. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel believe that the claims and allegations asserted in the Derivative Matters have merit, and Plaintiffs' entry into the Stipulation is not intended to be and shall not be construed as an admission or concession concerning the relative strength or merit of the claims alleged in the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel recognize and acknowledge the expense and length of continued proceedings necessary to prosecute the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel also have considered the uncertain outcome and the risk of any litigation, especially in complex matters such as the Derivative Matters. Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs' Counsel also are mindful of the inherent problems of proof of, and possible defenses to, the claims asserted in Derivative Matters.
2. Plaintiffs' Counsel have conducted extensive investigation and analysis, including, inter alia: (i) review of
10
complaints; (vi) compilation and analysis of damages; (vii) additional factual and legal research and analysis performed in connection with the preparation of Plaintiffs' settlement demand and mediation statements, including detailed assessments of each claim and potential defenses, research into corporate governance and oversight best practices generally and among
3. Based on Plaintiffs' Counsel's thorough review and analysis of the relevant facts, allegations, defenses, and controlling legal principles, Plaintiffs' Counsel believe that the Settlement set forth in the Stipulation is fair, reasonable, and adequate, and confers substantial benefits upon
B. Why Did the Settling Defendants Agree to Settle?
The Settling Defendants have denied and continue to deny each of the claims and contentions alleged by Plaintiffs in the Derivative Matters. The Settling Defendants expressly have denied and continue to deny all allegations of wrongdoing or liability against them or any of them arising out of, based upon, or related to, any of the conduct, statements, acts or omissions alleged by Plaintiffs, or that could have been alleged by Plaintiffs, in the Derivative Matters. Without limiting the foregoing, the Settling Defendants have denied and continue to deny, among other things, that they breached their fiduciary duties or any other duty owed to
11
Nonetheless, the Settling Defendants also have taken into account the expense, uncertainty, and risks inherent in any litigation, especially in complex matters like the Derivative Matters, and that the proposed Settlement would, among other things: (a) bring to an end the expenses, burdens, and uncertainties associated with the continued litigation of the claims asserted in the Derivative Matters; (b) finally put to rest those claims and the underlying Derivative Matters; and (c) confer benefits upon them, including further avoidance of disruption of their duties due to the pendency and defense of the Derivative Matters. Therefore, the Settling Defendants have determined that it is in the best interests of
VII. |
SETTLEMENT HEARING |
On ________________, 2023, at __:___ __.m., the Court will hold a Settlement Hearing either remotely or in person, and, if in person, at the
12
VIII. |
RIGHT TO ATTEND SETTLEMENT HEARING |
Any
IX. |
RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE PROPOSED DERIVATIVE SETTLEMENT AND PROCEDURES FOR DOING SO |
Any
A. You Must Make Detailed Objections in Writing
Any objections must be presented in writing and must contain the following information:
1. |
The current |
2. |
The number of shares of Newell stock the current |
13
3. |
If the objection is made by the current |
4. |
A statement of specific objections to the Settlement, the grounds therefor, or the reasons to appear and be heard, and the attachment of all documents or writings in support thereof; |
5. |
The identities of any witness such Person intends to call at the Settlement Hearing and a summary of their likely testimony; and |
6. |
A list-including dates, courts, case names and numbers, and disposition-of any other Settlements to which the individual or entity has objected during the previous seven (7) years. |
The Court may not consider any objection that does not substantially comply with these requirements.
B. You Must Timely File Written Objections with the Court and Deliver to Counsel for the Settling Parties
ANY WRITTEN OBJECTIONS MUST BE ON FILE WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT NO LATER THAN ____________________, 2023. The Court Clerk's address is:
Clerk of the Court
YOU ALSO MUST DELIVER COPIES OF THE MATERIALS TO COUNSEL FOR THE SETTLING PARTIES SO THEY ARE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN ____________________, 2023. Counsel's addresses are:
14
Counsel for Plaintiffs
|
|
|
|
Counsel for Defendants
|
Suite 400 |
Unless the Court orders otherwise, your objection will not be considered unless it is timely filed with the Court and delivered to the above-referenced counsel for the Settling Parties.
Any attorneys retained by a Person intending to appear, and requesting to be heard, at the Settlement Hearing, must, in addition to the requirements set forth above, file with the Clerk of Court and deliver to counsel listed above for the Settling Parties a notice of appearance, which must be received by no later than _______________________, 2023.
Any Person or entity who fails to object or otherwise request to be heard in the manner prescribed above will be deemed to have waived the right to object to any aspect of the Settlement or otherwise request to be heard (including the right to appeal) and will be forever barred from raising such objection or request to be heard in this or any other action or proceeding.
15
X. |
HOW TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
This Notice summarizes the Stipulation. It is not a complete statement of the events of the Derivative Matters or the Settlement contained in the Stipulation. You may inspect the Stipulation and other papers in the Action at the Clerk of Court's office at any time during regular business hours of each business day. The Clerk's office is located at the
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS NOTICE.
DATED: _____________, 2023 | BY ORDER OF THE COURT | |
SUPERIOR COURT OF |
16
EXHIBIT B
Plaintiff, vs. Defendants, and Nominal Defendant. |
SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW DIVISION: DOCKET NO.: HUD-L-001853-23 Civil Action EX. B - [PROPOSED] ORDER APPROVING DERIVATIVE SETTLEMENT AND ORDER OF DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE |
This matter came before the Court for hearing pursuant to the Order of this Court, dated ______, 2023 (the "Preliminary Approval Order"), on Plaintiff's motion for final approval of the settlement ("Settlement") set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement, dated
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that:
1. This Court Approval Order incorporates by reference the definitions in the Stipulation and exhibits thereto, and all terms used herein shall have the same meanings as set forth in the Stipulation, unless otherwise stated.
2. This Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the Action, including all matters necessary to effectuate the Settlement, and over all Settling Parties.
3. Based on the evidence submitted, the Court finds that the notice of the Settlement provided to current
4. The Court finds that the terms of the Stipulation and Settlement are fair, reasonable, and adequate as to each of the Settling Parties, and hereby finally approves the Stipulation and Settlement in all respects and orders the Settling Parties to perform its terms to the extent the Settling Parties have not already done so.
5. Pursuant to entry of this Court Approval Order, the Action, and all claims contained therein, as well as all of the Released Claims, are dismissed with prejudice.
6. Upon the Effective Date, as defined in ¶ 7.1 of the Stipulation, Plaintiffs (acting on their own behalf or derivatively on behalf of
2
operation of law and of the Court Approval Order and Judgment shall have, fully, finally, and forever released, relinquished, compromised, settled, resolved, waived, and discharged and dismissed with prejudice each and every one of the Released Claims against the Released Persons. The Releasing Parties shall be deemed to have, and by operation of the Court Approval Order and Judgment shall have, covenanted not to sue any Released Person with respect to any Released Claims, and shall be permanently barred and enjoined from initiating, instituting, commencing, maintaining, or prosecuting any of the Released Claims against any of the Released Persons. Upon the Effective Date, as defined in ¶ 7.1 of the Stipulation, the Releasing Persons shall be deemed to have waived and relinquished, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the provisions, rights, and benefits of any state, federal, or foreign law, or principle of common law, which may have the effect of limiting the foregoing release. The foregoing release shall include a release of Unknown Claims. Nothing herein shall in any way impair or restrict the rights of any Settling Parties to enforce the terms of the Stipulation, Court Approval Order, or Judgment.
7. During the course of the litigation of the Derivative Matters, all parties and their respective counsel at all times complied with the requirements of N.J. R. 1:4-8, N.J.S.A. 2A:15-59.1, and all other similar statutes.
8. The Court hereby approves the Fee and Expense Amount of one million seven hundred thousand dollars (
9. The Court hereby approves the Service Awards of two thousand
3
10. Neither the Stipulation (including any Exhibits attached thereto) nor the Settlement, nor any act performed or document executed pursuant to or in furtherance of the Stipulation or the Settlement: (a) is or may be deemed to be, or may be offered, attempted to be offered or used in any way by the Settling Parties as a presumption, a concession or admission of, or evidence of, any fault, wrongdoing, or liability of the Settling Parties or the validity of any Released Claims; or (b) is intended by the Settling Parties to be offered or received as evidence or used by any other person in any other actions or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, or administrative. Neither the Stipulation nor the Settlement shall be admissible in any proceeding for any purpose, except to enforce the terms of the Settlement, and except that the Released Persons may file or use the Stipulation, the Court Approval Order, and/or the Judgment, in any action that may be brought against them in order to support a defense or counterclaim based on principles of res judicata, collateral estoppel, full faith and credit, release, good faith settlement, standing, judgment bar or reduction, or any other theory of claim preclusion or issue preclusion or similar defense or counterclaim.
11. Without affecting the finality of this Court Approval Order and the Judgment in any way, this Court hereby retains continuing and exclusive jurisdiction over the Action and the parties to the Stipulation to enter any further orders as may be necessary to effectuate, implement, and enforce the Stipulation and the Settlement provided for therein and the provisions of this Court Approval Order.
4
12. This Court Approval Order and the Judgment is a final and appealable resolution in the Action as to all claims, and the Court directs immediate entry of the Judgment forthwith by the Clerk, dismissing the Action with prejudice.
SO ORDERED, THIS _____ DAY OF ________, 2023.
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EXHIBIT C
Plaintiff, vs. Defendants, and Nominal Defendant. |
SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW DIVISION: DOCKET NO.: HUD-L-001853-23 Civil Action EX. C - JUDGMENT AND FINAL ORDER |
Plaintiff, having moved for final approval of the Settlement set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement, dated
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED:
1. This Judgment incorporates by reference the Court's Order Approving Derivative Settlement and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice dated ___________, 2023; and
2. That for the reasons stated in, and pursuant to the terms set forth in, the Court's Order Approving Derivative Settlement and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice dated ___________, 2023, Plaintiff's Motion for Final Approval of Derivative Settlement is granted; accordingly, this case, and all related cases, are closed.
Dated: _______________, 2023 |
By:__________________________________ |
|
Clerk of Court |
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