DEF 14A 1 d353474ddef14a.htm DEF 14A DEF 14A

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                            Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

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  Preliminary Proxy Statement
  Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by 14a-6(e)(2))
  Definitive Proxy Statement
  Definitive Additional materials
  Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12
SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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LOGO

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual

Meeting of Stockholders to Be Held on Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Skechers U.S.A., Inc., a Delaware corporation, to be held at our corporate offices located at 330 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266 on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Our Annual Meeting is being held for the following purposes:

 

  1. To elect the three nominees for election named in the enclosed proxy statement as members to the Board of Directors to serve for a three-year term as Class III Directors;

 

  2. To conduct a non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers;

 

  3. To conduct a non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers;

 

  4. To approve the 2017 Incentive Award Plan;

 

  5. To approve the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan;

 

  6. To consider a stockholder proposal requesting the Board of Directors to adopt a policy and prepare a report regarding gender and racial diversity on the Board, if properly presented at the meeting; and

 

  7. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.

The Board of Directors has set the close of business on March 31, 2017 as the record date for determining those stockholders who will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The enclosed proxy statement, proxy card and 2016 annual report are being sent to each stockholder as of the record date.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to Be Held on May 23, 2017: The proxy statement and 2016 annual report are available in the SEC Filings section of the investor relations page of our corporate information website at www.skx.com/investor.jsp.

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting, and if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person, you may find directions by going to the Annual Meeting of Stockholders section of the Investor Relations page of our corporate information website at www.skx.com/investor.jsp. If you do not expect to attend, or if you plan to attend but desire the proxy holders to vote your shares, please date and sign your proxy card and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Returning a signed proxy card will not affect your right to vote in person in the event you find it convenient to attend. Please return the proxy card promptly to avoid the expense of additional proxy solicitation.

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

LOGO

Philip G. Paccione, Corporate Secretary

Dated: May 1, 2017

Manhattan Beach, California


LOGO

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

PROXY STATEMENT

For Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be Held

May 23, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time

This proxy statement is delivered to you by Skechers U.S.A., Inc., a Delaware corporation (“we,” “us,” “our,” “our company” or “Skechers”), in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 23, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time at our corporate offices located at 330 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266 (the “Annual Meeting”). The Board of Directors of Skechers (the “Board”) is soliciting proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting. The approximate mailing date for this proxy statement and the enclosed proxy is May 1, 2017. If a proxy in the accompanying form is duly executed and returned, the shares represented by the proxy will be voted as directed. If no direction is given, the shares represented by the proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees for director named herein, FOR the approval of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers, FOR every three years on the frequency of future advisory votes to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers, FOR the approval of the 2017 Incentive Award Plan, FOR the approval of the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and AGAINST the stockholder proposal. Any proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise by notifying our Corporate Secretary, Philip Paccione, in writing of such revocation, by duly executing and delivering another proxy bearing a later date, or by attending and voting in person at the Annual Meeting. If your shares are held in street name and you want to change your vote, please contact your broker, bank or other nominee to find out how to do so. We will incur the cost of this solicitation of proxies that will be made by mail. In addition, our officers and other regularly engaged employees may, in a limited number of instances, solicit proxies personally or by telephone. We will reimburse banks, brokerage firms, other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for reasonable expenses incurred in sending proxy materials to beneficial owners of our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock.

Holders of our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of record at the close of business on March 31, 2017 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. There were 133,778,930 shares of Class A Common Stock and 24,545,188 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding on that date. Each share of Class A Common Stock is entitled to one vote and each share of Class B Common Stock is entitled to ten votes, and the presence in person or by proxy of holders of a majority of the combined voting interest of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock is necessary to constitute a quorum for the Annual Meeting. A quorum must be established to consider any matter.

Pursuant to Proposal No. 1, the three candidates for director receiving the most “for” votes of the votes entitled to be voted at the Annual Meeting will become directors of Skechers. Stockholders may not cumulate their votes. Proposal No. 2 is a non-binding advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers, and Proposal No. 3 is a non-binding advisory proposal on the frequency of future advisory votes to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. Proposal No. 4 seeks the approval of the 2017 Incentive Award Plan, Proposal No. 5 seeks the approval of the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and Proposal No. 6 is a stockholder proposal requesting the Board of Directors to adopt a policy and prepare a report on gender and racial diversity on the Board. Each of Proposal Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 will be considered as having passed if it receives the affirmative “for” vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on each such proposal at the Annual Meeting. Proposal No. 3 also requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal at the Annual Meeting. If none of the frequency alternatives (every 1 year, 2 years or 3 years) receives such a majority, we will consider the frequency with highest number of votes cast “for” by stockholders to be the frequency that has been selected by our stockholders.


If you hold shares beneficially in street name and do not provide your broker with voting instructions, your shares may constitute “broker non-votes.” Generally, broker non-votes occur on a matter when a broker is not permitted to vote on that matter without instructions from the beneficial owner and instructions are not given. With respect to our 2017 Annual Meeting, brokers are not permitted to vote on any of Proposals Nos. 1 through 6 without instructions from the beneficial owner. In tabulating the voting result for any particular proposal, shares that constitute broker non-votes are not considered entitled to vote on that proposal. Thus, broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of any matter being voted on at the meeting and will not be counted in determining whether there is a quorum.

A properly executed proxy marked “Abstain” will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Because directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast, proxies marked “Withhold” as to Proposal No. 1 will not have any effect on the election of directors as long as one vote is cast for each director nominee. Proxies marked “Abstain” as to Proposal Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6 will have the same effect as a vote cast against the respective proposals.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries such as banks and brokers to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements and annual reports with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies. This year, a number of banks and brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be householding our proxy materials. A single proxy statement will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your bank or broker that it will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive separate copies of our proxy statement and annual report, please notify your bank or broker, direct your written request to Investor Relations, Skechers U.S.A., Inc., 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266, or contact our investor relations advisory firm, Addo Communications, by telephone at (310) 829-5400. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statement at their address and would like to request householding of their communications should contact their bank or broker.

Our principal executive office is located at 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Our Board of Directors is divided into three classes, with each director serving a three-year term and until their successors is duly elected and qualified or until their death, resignation or removal. One class of directors is elected annually at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws provide for a variable Board of Directors with between five and nine members. We currently have nine members on our Board of Directors. Our bylaws give the Board of Directors the authority to increase or decrease the number of directors without the approval of our stockholders, and our bylaws also give our stockholders the authority to increase or decrease the size of our Board of Directors. The nominees for election to our Board of Directors at our 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are Geyer Kosinski, Richard Rappaport and Richard Siskind. For more information regarding our nominees, please see “Information Concerning Director Nominees” below.

Unless otherwise directed by stockholders, within the limits set forth in our bylaws, the proxy holders will vote all shares represented by proxies held by them for the election of Geyer Kosinski, Richard Rappaport and Richard Siskind, who are director nominees and are currently members of the Board of Directors. We have been advised by Geyer Kosinski, Richard Rappaport and Richard Siskind of their availability and willingness to serve if re-elected. In the event that any of Geyer Kosinski, Richard Rappaport and Richard Siskind becomes unavailable or unable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors prior to the voting, the proxy holders will refrain from voting for them or will vote for a substitute nominee in the exercise of their best judgment.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of these director nominees.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 2

ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

As required by Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Securities Exchange Act”), we are seeking stockholder approval on an advisory, non-binding basis of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers as disclosed in the section of this proxy statement titled “Executive Compensation.” In this Proposal No. 2, stockholders are being asked to vote on the following advisory resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers, as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Summary Compensation Table and the related compensation tables, notes and narrative in the proxy statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.”

Stockholders are urged to read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement, which discusses in detail how our compensation policies and procedures implement our compensation philosophy, and to refer to the related executive compensation tables. The compensation of our Named Executive Officers is based on a design that ties a substantial percentage of an executive’s compensation to our attainment of financial and other performance measures that, our Board of Directors believes, promote the creation of long-term stockholder value and position our company for long-term success. As described more fully in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the mix of fixed and performance-based compensation, as well as the terms of restricted stock awards, are designed to enable our company to attract and maintain top talent while, at the same time, creating a close relationship between our company’s performance and overall stockholder return and the Named Executive Officers’ compensation. Our Compensation Committee and Board of Directors believe that the design of the program, and hence the compensation awarded to Named Executive Officers under the current program, fulfills this objective.

Although the vote is advisory and non-binding, our Board of Directors and Compensation Committee value the opinions that our stockholders express in their votes and will consider the voting results in connection with their ongoing evaluation of our compensation program. Our Board of Directors has determined to hold an advisory vote on the compensation of our Named Executive Officers every three years. Unless our Board of Directors modifies its determination on the frequency of such future advisory votes, the next advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers will be held at the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the advisory, non-binding resolution

approving the compensation of our Named Executive Officers.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 3

ADVISORY VOTE ON FREQUENCY OF FUTURE VOTES TO APPROVE COMPENSATION OF

NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act requires us to submit a non-binding, advisory resolution to stockholders at least once every six years to indicate how frequently they believe we should seek an advisory vote on the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. In this Proposal No. 3, we are seeking an advisory, non-binding determination from our stockholders as to the frequency with which stockholders would have an opportunity to provide an advisory approval of our executive compensation program. We are providing stockholders the option of selecting a frequency of every one, two or three years, or abstaining. In voting on this proposal, you should mark your proxy for one, two or three years based on your preference as to the frequency with which future advisory votes on executive compensation should be held. You may also abstain from voting on this proposal.

Our Board of Directors recommends that future advisory votes on the compensation of our Named Executive Officers occur every three years because our Board and Compensation Committee believe that this frequency will provide the most effective means for conducting and responding to the advisory vote based on a number of considerations, including the following:

 

   

Our compensation program is designed to induce and reward performance over a multi-year period;

 

   

A three-year cycle will provide investors sufficient time to evaluate the effectiveness of our short- and long-term compensation strategies and the related business outcome of our company;

 

   

A three-year vote cycle gives our Board of Directors and Compensation Committee sufficient time to thoughtfully respond to stockholders’ sentiments and to implement any necessary changes to our executive compensation policies and procedures; and

 

   

As discussed under “Corporate Governance and Board Matters—Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors,” we provide our stockholders an opportunity to communicate with the Board.

Stockholders are not voting to approve or disapprove the recommendation of our Board of Directors, but rather to indicate their choice among these frequency options.

Although the result of this vote is advisory and non-binding, our Compensation Committee and Board of Directors value the opinions that our stockholders express in their votes and will consider our stockholders’ concerns and take them into account in determining how frequently future advisory votes on the compensation of our Named Executive Officers will occur.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote to hold future advisory votes on the compensation

of our Named Executive Officers every THREE YEARS.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 4

APPROVAL OF THE 2017 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

Introduction

We are asking our stockholders to approve the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2017 Incentive Award Plan (the “2017 Plan”). Our Board adopted the 2017 Plan on April 17, 2017, subject to stockholder approval, and the 2017 Plan will become effective on the date of the Annual Meeting, subject to approval by our stockholders.

The 2017 Plan is intended to replace our current equity incentive plan, the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2007 Incentive Award Plan (the “2007 Plan”), which will expire pursuant to its terms on May 24, 2017. Upon stockholder approval of the 2017 Plan, the 2017 Plan will become effective and will supersede and replace in its entirety the 2007 Plan, and no further awards will be granted under the 2007 Plan; however, the terms and conditions of the 2007 Plan will continue to govern any outstanding awards granted thereunder. If the 2017 Plan is not approved by our stockholders, the 2017 Plan will not become effective.

We believe that equity incentives are critical to attracting and retaining the most talented employees in our industry. Stockholder approval of the 2017 Plan will allow us to continue to provide such incentives.

Compensation and Governance Best Practices

The 2017 Plan reflects a broad range of compensation and governance best practices, with some of the key features of the 2017 Plan as follows:

 

   

New Share Reserve Lower Than Shares Remaining under 2007 Plan. We are requesting a share reserve of 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock under the 2017 Plan, which is only slightly higher than the approximately 9.7 million shares that remained available for issuance under the 2007 Plan as of December 31, 2016.

 

   

No Increase to Shares Available for Issuance without Stockholder Approval. Without stockholder approval, the 2017 Plan prohibits any increase in the total number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2017 Plan (other than adjustments in connection with certain corporate reorganizations, changes in capitalization and other events).

 

   

Limitations on Dividend Payments on Performance Awards. Dividends and dividend equivalents may not be paid on awards subject to performance vesting conditions unless and until such conditions are met.

 

   

Limitations on Grants. The maximum number of shares of our Class A common stock that may be subject to one or more awards granted to any one participant pursuant to the 2017 Plan during any fiscal year is 1,500,000. However, this number may be adjusted to take into account equity restructurings and certain other corporate transactions as described below. The maximum amount that may be paid in cash to any one participant during any fiscal year pursuant to awards payable in cash granted under the 2017 Plan is $15,000,000.

 

   

No Repricing or Replacement of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs). The 2017 Plan prohibits, without stockholder approval: (1) the amendment of options or SARs to reduce the exercise price, and (2) the replacement of an option or SAR with cash or any other award when the exercise or base price per share of the option or SAR exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares, except with respect to any substitute award.

 

   

No In-the-Money Option or SAR Grants. The 2017 Plan prohibits the grant of options or SARs with an exercise or base price less than 100% of the fair market value of our Class A common stock on the date of grant.

 

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Independent Administration. The Compensation Committee, which consists of only non-employee directors, generally will administer the 2017 Plan if it is approved by stockholders, and only the Compensation Committee may make grants of awards to persons who are subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act and persons who are “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Compensation Committee may delegate certain of its duties and authorities to a subcommittee for awards to certain non-executive employees.

Share Reserve

In its determination to approve the 2017 Plan, the Board considered the following:

 

   

The share reserve under the 2017 Plan is lower than the shares that remained available for issuance under the 2007 Plan as of December 31, 2016.

 

   

In 2014, 2015 and 2016, we granted equity awards representing a total of approximately 3,277,500 shares, 40,500 shares and 1,444,000 shares, respectively, under the 2007 Plan. This level of equity awards represents a three-year average burn rate of approximately 1.0% of the weighted average shares outstanding. Equity burn rate is calculated by dividing the number of shares subject to equity awards granted during the fiscal year (without adjusting for forfeitures) by the weighted average shares outstanding during the fiscal year.

 

   

We expect the share authorization under the 2017 Plan to provide us with enough shares for awards for approximately six years, assuming we continue to grant awards consistent with our current practices and historical usage, as reflected in our historical burn rate, and further dependent on the price of our shares and hiring activity during the next few years, forfeitures of outstanding awards under the 2007 Plan, and noting that future circumstances may require us to change our current equity grant practices. We cannot predict our future equity grant practices, the future price of our shares or future hiring activity with any degree of certainty at this time, and the share reserve under the 2017 Plan could last for a shorter or longer time.

 

   

In 2016, 2015 and 2014, the end of year overhang rate was 8.2%, 9.0% and 9.8%, respectively. If the 2017 Plan is approved, we expect our overhang at the end of 2017 will be approximately 8.3%. Overhang is calculated by dividing (1) the sum of the number of shares subject to equity awards outstanding at the end of the fiscal year plus shares remaining available for issuance for future awards at the end of the fiscal year by (2) the number of shares outstanding at the end of the fiscal year.

In light of the factors described above, and the fact that the ability to continue to grant equity compensation is vital to our ability to continue to attract and retain employees in the competitive labor markets in which we compete, the Board has determined that the size of the share reserve under the 2017 Plan is reasonable and appropriate at this time.

Stockholder Approval Requirement

Stockholder approval of the 2017 Plan is necessary in order for us to (1) meet the stockholder approval requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), (2) preserve the tax deductibility of certain awards granted under the 2017 Plan that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, and (3) grant incentive stock options (“ISOs”).

Specifically, approval of the 2017 Plan will constitute approval of the material terms of the performance goals that may apply to awards granted under the 2017 Plan pursuant to the stockholder approval requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, which will enable (but not require) us to award performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) through our 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, preserving the deductibility of these awards for federal income tax purposes. In addition, approval of the 2017 Plan will constitute approval pursuant to the stockholder approval requirements of Section 422 of the Code relating to ISOs.

 

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Description of the 2017 Plan

The following sets forth a description of the material terms of the proposed 2017 Plan. The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2017 Plan attached hereto as Appendix A.

Limitation on Awards and Shares Available

The aggregate number of shares of our Class A common stock available for issuance pursuant to awards granted under the 2017 Plan is 10,000,000 shares. Shares granted under the 2017 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, or shares purchased in the open market. If an award under the 2017 Plan or any award under the 2007 Plan is forfeited, expires or is settled for cash (including shares of restricted stock that are repurchased by us during the restricted period applicable to such shares at the same price paid by the holder), any shares subject to such award may, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, be used again for new grants under the 2017 Plan. The following shares will not be added back to the shares available for grant under the 2017 Plan:

 

   

shares tendered by a holder or withheld by us in payment of the exercise price of an option granted under the 2017 Plan;

 

   

shares tendered by the holder or withheld by us to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an award granted under the 2017 Plan;

 

   

shares subject to a SAR granted under the 2017 Plan that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR on exercise thereof; and

 

   

shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of options granted under the 2017 Plan.

Awards granted under the 2017 Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, awards authorized or outstanding under a qualifying equity plan maintained by an entity with which we enter into a merger or similar corporate transaction will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2017 Plan to the extent that grants of awards using such authorized shares are (i) permitted without stockholder approval under the rules of the principal securities exchange on which our Class A common stock is then listed and (ii) made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to our company or its subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction. The maximum number of shares of our Class A common stock that may be subject to one or more awards granted to any one participant pursuant to the 2017 Plan during any calendar year will be 1,500,000 and the maximum amount that may be paid under a cash award pursuant to the 2017 Plan to any one participant during any calendar year period will be $15,000,000. In addition, the grant date fair value of equity-based awards granted to any non-employee director during any calendar year will not exceed $500,000.

Administration

The 2017 Plan will be administered by our Board with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by the Compensation Committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (our Board and such committees, the “plan administrator”), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under Section 162(m) of the Code, Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act, and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator will have the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the 2017 Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator will also set the terms and conditions of all awards under the 2017 Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions, repurchase provisions, forfeiture provisions, form of payment and any performance criteria.

Eligibility

Awards other than ISOs may be granted to any of our officers, employees, consultants or directors or any officers, employees, consultants or directors of a subsidiary of our company. Only officers and employees of our company or its subsidiaries may be granted ISOs under Section 422 of the Code. As of January 31, 2017,

 

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approximately 9,800 employees, including five executive officers, five non-employee directors and less than fifty consultants were eligible to participate in the 2017 Plan.

Awards

The 2017 Plan provides that the administrator may grant or issue options, including ISOs and non-qualified stock options (NSOs), SARs, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSUs), dividend equivalents and other stock-based and cash-based awards to eligible participants. Awards other than cash awards generally will be settled in shares of our Class A common stock, but the plan administrator may provide for cash settlement of any award. Each award will be evidenced by an award agreement, which will detail all terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations, and in the case of an option, will be designated as either an ISO or NSO. A brief description of each award type follows.

Stock Options

Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our Class A common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. The 2017 Plan provides for the grant of ISOs under the federal tax laws or NSOs. ISOs may be granted only to employees, and NSOs may be granted to employees, directors or consultants. The term of a stock option may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders). The exercise price of options will be determined by the administrator, provided that the exercise price of a stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute options granted in connection with a corporate transaction. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to stock options and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.

Stock Appreciation Rights

SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the shares subject to the SAR on the exercise date and the exercise price of the SAR. Each SAR will be governed by a stock appreciation right agreement and may be granted in connection with stock options or other awards, or separately. The exercise price of a SAR may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (except with respect to certain substitute SARs granted in connection with a corporate transaction) and the term of a SAR may not be longer than ten years. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to SARs and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

Restricted stock is an award of nontransferable shares of our Class A common stock that remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and which may be subject to a purchase price. RSUs are contractual promises to deliver shares of our Class A common stock in the future, which may also remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met. Delivery of the shares underlying RSUs may be deferred under the terms of the award or at the election of the participant, if the plan administrator permits such a deferral. Vesting conditions applicable to restricted stock and RSUs may be based on continuing service, the attainment of performance goals and/or such other conditions as the plan administrator may determine. Holders of restricted stock, unlike recipients of other equity awards, will have voting rights and will have the right to receive dividends, if any, prior to the time when the restrictions lapse, except that, with respect to restricted stock that is subject to performance-based vesting, dividends which are paid prior to vesting shall only be paid to the extent that the performance-based vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied.

Dividend Equivalents

Dividend equivalents represent the right to receive the equivalent value of the dividends, if any, per share paid by us on shares of Class A common stock, and may be granted alone or in tandem with awards other than

 

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stock options or SARs. Dividend equivalents are credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date an award is granted (or such other dates as may be determined by the plan administrator) and the date such award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the plan administrator. Dividend equivalents may not be paid on performance-vesting awards granted under the 2017 Plan unless and until the performance vesting conditions are satisfied, and no dividend equivalents will be payable with respect to stock options or SARs.

Other Stock or Cash-Based Awards

Subject to the provisions of the 2017 Plan, the plan administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of each other stock or cash-based award, including the term of the award, any exercise or purchase price, performance goals, transfer restrictions, vesting conditions and other terms and conditions. Other stock or cash-based awards may be paid in cash, shares of our Class A common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of our Class A common stock, as determined by the plan administrator, and may be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other awards granted under the 2017 Plan, as stand-alone payments, as a part of a bonus, deferred bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, and/or as payment in lieu of compensation to which an individual is otherwise entitled.

Performance-Based Compensation

The plan administrator will determine whether awards granted under the 2017 Plan are intended to constitute “qualified performance-based compensation,” or QPBC, within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, in which case the performance criteria applicable to the award will be selected from the list below in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code. These performance criteria may also be used with respect to awards that are not intended to constitute QPBC. Section 162(m) of the Code generally imposes a $1,000,000 cap on the compensation deduction that a public company may take in respect of compensation paid to its “covered employees” (which should include its chief executive officer and its next three most highly compensated employees other than its chief financial officer), but excludes from the calculation of amounts subject to this limitation any amounts that constitute QPBC. In addition, we may issue awards that are not intended to constitute QPBC even if such awards might be non-deductible as a result of Section 162(m) of the Code.

In order to constitute QPBC under Section 162(m) of the Code, in addition to certain other requirements, the relevant amounts must be payable only upon the attainment of pre-established, objective performance goals set by the Compensation Committee and linked to stockholder-approved performance criteria. For purposes of the 2017 Plan, one or more of the following performance criteria will be used in setting performance goals applicable to QPBC, and may be used in setting performance goals applicable to other performance awards: (i) net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of the following: interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash equity-based compensation expense), (ii) economic value-added, (iii) gross or net sales or revenue or sales revenue growth, (iv) net income (either before or after taxes and share-based compensation), (v) adjusted net income, (vi) operating earnings or profit (either before or after taxes), (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), (viii) return on capital (or invested capital), (ix) return on assets, (x) return on shareholders’ equity, (xi) return on capital, (xii) shareholder returns, (xiii) return on sales, (xiv) gross or net profit or operating margin, (xv) productivity, (xvi) expense, (xvii) costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures, (xviii) funds from operations, (xix) margins, (xx) operating efficiency, (xxi) customer satisfaction, (xxii) working capital, (xxiii) earnings or loss per share, (xxiv) adjusted earnings or loss per share, (xxv) price per share, (xxvi) market share, (xxvii) regulatory achievements or compliance (including, without limitation, regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product), (xxviii) implementation or completion of critical projects, (xxix) economic value, (xxx) booked revenue pursuant to our revenue recognition policies, (xxxi) growth in deferred revenue and (xxxii) product line revenue, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices. The 2017 Plan also permits the plan administrator to provide for objectively determinable adjustments to the applicable performance criteria in setting performance goals for QPBC awards.

 

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Transferability of Awards

Awards are transferable only by will and the laws of descent and distribution, or to the extent authorized by the administrator, to certain permitted transferees, including members of the participant’s immediate family. The participant may also designate one or more beneficiaries in the event of death on a designated form provided by the administrator.

Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions

In the event of certain transactions and events affecting our Class A common stock, such as stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and other corporate transactions, the plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the 2017 Plan, as well as make adjustments to the terms and conditions of existing and future awards, to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits and to facilitate such transactions or events, including providing for the cash-out, assumption, substitution, accelerated vesting or termination of awards. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders known as “equity restructurings,” the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the 2017 Plan and outstanding awards.

Change in Control

In the event of a change in control of our company (as defined in the 2017 Plan), to the extent that outstanding equity awards are not continued, converted, assumed or replaced, then all such awards will become fully vested and, as applicable, exercisable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such awards will lapse immediately prior to such change in control.

Foreign Participants, Claw-Back Provisions and Participant Payments

The plan administrator may modify award terms, establish sub-plans and/or adjust other terms and conditions of awards, subject to the share limits described above, in order to facilitate grants of awards subject to the laws and/or stock exchange rules of countries outside of the United States. All awards will be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by us to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable award agreement. With regard to tax withholding, exercise price and purchase price obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2017 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash or check, shares of our Class A common stock that meet specified conditions, a “market sell order” or such other consideration as it deems suitable.

Amendment; Termination

Our Board of Directors may amend, suspend or terminate the 2017 Plan at any time, provided that, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the 2017 Plan, no amendment, suspension or termination will, without the consent of the holder, materially adversely affect any rights or obligations under any award previously granted, unless the award itself otherwise expressly so provides. In addition, except in connection with certain changes in our capital structure, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that increases the number of shares available under the 2017 Plan or the award limits or director limits under the 2017 Plan, “reprices” any stock option or SAR, or cancels any stock option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award when the option or SAR price per share exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares. No incentive stock option shall be granted under the 2017 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date on which the 2017 Plan was adopted by the Board.

New Plan Benefits

As of the date of this proxy statement, no awards have been granted under the 2017 Plan. Grants of awards under the 2017 Plan are subject to the discretion of the plan administrator and it is not possible to determine the benefits that will be received in the future by participants in the 2017 Plan or the benefits that would have been received by such participants if the 2017 Plan had been in effect in the year ended December 31, 2016.

 

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U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following is a general summary under current law of the principal United States federal income tax consequences related to awards under the 2017 Plan. This summary deals with the general federal income tax principles that apply and is provided only for general information. Some kinds of taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes and federal employment taxes, are not discussed. This summary is not intended as tax advice to participants, who should consult their own tax advisors.

Non-Qualified Stock Options

If an optionee is granted an NSO under the 2017 Plan, the optionee should not have taxable income on the grant of the option. Generally, the optionee should recognize ordinary income at the time of exercise in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares acquired on the date of exercise, less the exercise price paid for the shares. The optionee’s basis in the Class A common stock for purposes of determining gain or loss on a subsequent sale or disposition of such shares generally will be the fair market value of our Class A common stock on the date the optionee exercises such option. Any subsequent gain or loss will be taxable as a long-term or short-term capital gain or loss. We or our subsidiaries or affiliates generally should be entitled to a federal income tax deduction at the time and for the same amount as the optionee recognizes ordinary income.

Incentive Stock Options

A participant receiving ISOs should not recognize taxable income upon grant. Additionally, if applicable holding period requirements are met, the participant should not recognize taxable income at the time of exercise. However, the excess of the fair market value of the shares of our Class A common stock received over the option exercise price is an item of tax preference income potentially subject to the alternative minimum tax. If stock acquired upon exercise of an ISO is held for a minimum of two years from the date of grant and one year from the date of exercise and otherwise satisfies the ISO requirements, the gain or loss (in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value on the date of disposition and the exercise price) upon disposition of the stock will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss, and we will not be entitled to any deduction. If the holding period requirements are not met, the ISO will be treated as one that does not meet the requirements of the Code for ISOs and the participant will recognize ordinary income at the time of the disposition equal to the excess of the amount realized over the exercise price, but not more than the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the ISO is exercised over the exercise price, with any remaining gain or loss being treated as capital gain or capital loss. We are not entitled to a tax deduction upon either the exercise of an ISO or upon disposition of the shares acquired pursuant to such exercise, except to the extent that the participant recognizes ordinary income on disposition of the shares.

Other Awards

The current federal income tax consequences of other awards authorized under the 2017 Plan generally follow certain basic patterns: SARs are taxed and deductible in substantially the same manner as NSOs; restricted stock subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture results in income recognition equal to the excess of the fair market value over the price paid, if any, only at the time the restrictions lapse (unless the recipient elects to accelerate recognition as of the date of grant through a Section 83(b) election); RSUs, other stock or cash based awards, dividend equivalents, and other incentive awards are generally subject to tax at the time of payment.

Section 162(m) of the Code

Section 162(m) denies a deduction to any publicly-held corporation for compensation paid to “covered employees” in a taxable year to the extent that compensation paid to such covered employee exceeds $1,000,000. It is possible that compensation attributable to awards under the 2017 Plan, when combined with all other types of compensation received by a covered employee from us, may cause this limitation to be exceeded in any particular year.

 

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The Section 162(m) deduction limitation does not apply to “qualified performance-based compensation.” In order to qualify for the exemption for qualified performance-based compensation, Section 162(m) requires, among other things, that: (i) the compensation be paid solely upon account of the attainment of one or more pre-established objective performance goals, (ii) the performance goals must be established by a compensation committee comprised of two or more “outside directors,” (iii) the material terms of the performance goals under which the compensation is to be paid must be disclosed to and approved by the shareholders and (iv) the compensation committee of “outside directors” must certify that the performance goals have indeed been met prior to payment.

Section 162(m) contains a special rule for stock options and SARs which provides that stock options and SARs will satisfy the “qualified performance-based compensation” exemption if (i) the awards are made by a compensation committee comprised of “outside directors”, (ii) the plan sets the maximum number of shares that can be granted to any person within a specified period, and (iii) the compensation is based solely on an increase in the stock price after the grant date.

The 2017 Plan has been designed to permit our Compensation Committee to grant stock options, SARs and other awards which are intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation.”

If the 2017 Plan is approved by our stockholders, our Compensation Committee may, but is not obligated to, grant awards under the 2017 Plan that are intended to constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m).

Section 409A of the Code

Certain types of awards under the 2017 Plan may constitute, or provide for, a deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code. Unless certain requirements set forth in Section 409A of the Code are complied with, holders of such awards may be taxed earlier than would otherwise be the case (e.g., at the time of vesting instead of the time of payment) and may be subject to an additional 20% penalty tax (and, potentially, certain interest penalties and additional state taxes). To the extent applicable, the 2017 Plan and awards granted under the 2017 Plan are intended to be structured and interpreted in a manner intended to either comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance that may be issued under Section 409A of the Code. To the extent determined necessary or appropriate by the plan administrator, the 2017 Plan and applicable award agreements may be amended to further comply with Section 409A of the Code or to exempt the applicable awards from Section 409A of the Code.

Vote Required

Approval of the 2017 Incentive Award Plan requires approval by a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of the 2017 Incentive Award Plan.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 5

APPROVAL OF THE 2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

Introduction

We are asking our stockholders to approve the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2018 ESPP”). Our Board adopted the 2018 ESPP on April 17, 2017, upon which it became effective, subject to stockholder approval. The 2018 ESPP is intended to replace our current employee stock purchase plan, the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2008 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2008 ESPP”), which will expire pursuant to its terms on January 1, 2018. If the 2018 ESPP is approved by our stockholders, we intend to terminate the 2008 ESPP effective upon the completion of the purchase period under the 2008 ESPP ending on December 31, 2017, and the 2018 ESPP will go into effect for periods commencing on or after January 1, 2018. If the 2018 ESPP is not approved by our stockholders, the 2018 ESPP will not become effective.

The purpose of the 2018 ESPP is to provide our employees the opportunity to purchase our Class A common stock through accumulated payroll deductions. The 2018 ESPP is intended to qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Code.

The 2008 ESPP is an important component of the benefits package that we offer to our employees. We believe that it is a key factor in retaining existing employees, recruiting and retaining new employees and aligning and increasing the interest of all employees in our success. Stockholder approval of the 2018 ESPP will allow us to continue to provide such important incentives.

Summary of the 2018 ESPP

A summary of the principal features of the 2018 ESPP is set forth below and qualified by reference to the full text of the 2018 ESPP, which is attached to this proxy statement as Appendix B.

Administration

The 2018 ESPP will be administered by our Compensation Committee, which has broad authority to construe the 2018 ESPP and to make determinations with respect to the terms and conditions of each offering period under the 2018 ESPP, awards, designated subsidiaries and other matters pertaining to plan administration.

Common Stock Reserved for Issuance under the 2018 ESPP

The maximum number of shares of Class A common stock available for sale under the 2018 ESPP is 5,000,000 shares. The Class A common stock made available for sale under the 2018 ESPP may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares or reacquired shares reserved for issuance under the 2018 ESPP.

Participating Subsidiaries and Sub-plans

The plan administrator may designate certain of our subsidiaries as participating subsidiaries in the 2018 ESPP and may change these designations from time to time. The plan administrator may also adopt sub-plans applicable to particular designated subsidiaries or locations, and these sub-plans may be designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code.

Eligible Employees

Our employees and those of our designated participating subsidiaries whose customary employment is more than five months in a calendar year are generally eligible to participate in the 2018 ESPP, though employees who would own 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of our stock or the stock of one

 

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of our subsidiaries after the granting of an option under the 2018 ESPP are not allowed to participate in the 2018 ESPP. Under applicable tax rules, the plan administrator may also exclude certain categories of employees from participation in the 2018 ESPP. As of January 31, 2017, approximately 9,800 employees of our company or our designated participating subsidiaries would have been eligible to participate in the 2018 ESPP.

Participation

Under the terms of the 2018 ESPP, eligible employees may generally elect to contribute and apply to the purchase of shares of Class A common stock between 1% and 15% of their eligible compensation during an offering period. Options granted under the 2018 ESPP are exercisable on specified exercise dates only through funds accumulated by an employee through payroll deductions made during the applicable offering period, and any such funds that are not used to purchase shares will be returned to the employee. Participants may not accrue the right to purchase stock under the 2018 ESPP (or any other tax-qualified stock purchase plan) with a fair market value exceeding $25,000 in any calendar year. In addition, during any offering period, no individual participant may purchase more than that amount of shares of Class A common stock equal to $25,000 divided by the fair market value of our Class A common stock per share on the first day of the offering period. Participation in the 2018 ESPP is voluntary.

Offering Periods

Under the 2018 ESPP, employees are offered the option to purchase discounted shares of Class A common stock during offering periods designated by the plan administrator. Each offering period will be an approximately six-month period commencing on each June 1 and December 1 following the effective date of the 2018 ESPP, except that the first offering period following the effective date of the 2018 ESPP will begin on January 1, 2018 and end on May 31, 2018.

Share Purchases

Shares are purchased on the applicable exercise date(s), generally the last trading day of each offering period. The option price will be 85% of the fair market value of our Class A common stock on either the enrollment date or the exercise date, whichever is lower. The enrollment date is the first trading day of an offering period. On March 31, 2017, the closing price of our Class A common stock on the NYSE was $27.45 per share.

Unless a participant has previously canceled his or her participation in the 2018 ESPP and elected to withdraw all of the funds then credited to his or her 2018 ESPP account, an amount equal to the amount credited to his or her ESPP account will be used to purchase the maximum number of whole shares of Class A common stock that can be purchased based on the amount credited to such participant’s account on the exercise date, subject to any individual and aggregate share limitations under the applicable offering period established by the plan administrator. No fractional shares will be issued.

A participant may decrease his or her payroll deductions during an offering period by providing written notice to us, which decrease shall be implemented as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of such notice. A participant may not increase his or her payroll deductions during an offering period. In addition, a participant may cancel his or her payroll deduction authorization and elect to withdraw from the 2018 ESPP by delivering written notice of such election to us. Upon cancellation, all of the funds then credited to his or her 2018 ESPP account will be returned to the participant in a lump sum. A participant who ceases contributions to the 2018 ESPP during any offering period shall not be permitted resume contributions to the 2018 ESPP during the same offering period.

Termination of Eligibility and Transferability

If a participant ceases to be an eligible employee for any reason during an offering period, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the 2018 ESPP and any amounts credited to the participant’s 2018

 

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ESPP account will be returned to the participant. Options granted under the 2018 ESPP are not transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and are exercisable only by the participant during the participant’s lifetime.

Adjustments

In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or reclassification of shares or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of Class A common stock effected without receipt of consideration, the plan administrator has broad discretion to equitably adjust the number of shares authorized for issuance and awards under the 2018 ESPP to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits under outstanding awards as a result of such transaction.

In the event of a proposed liquidation or dissolution of our company, the offering period then in progress will be shortened by setting a new exercise date to occur prior to the consummation of the proposed liquidation or dissolution and will terminate immediately prior to such consummation.

In the event of a proposed merger or asset sale, each outstanding option will be assumed or substituted by the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute the options, any offering periods then in progress will be shortened by setting a new exercise date to occur prior to the date of the proposed sale or merger.

Insufficient Shares

If the total number of shares of Class A common stock which are to be purchased under outstanding purchase rights on any particular date exceed the number of shares then available for issuance under the 2018 ESPP, the plan administrator will make a pro rata allocation of the available shares on a uniform and equitable basis, and unless additional shares are authorized under the 2018 ESPP, no further offering periods will take place. In this event, excess payroll deductions will be refunded to participants.

Amendment or Termination of the 2018 ESPP

The Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the 2018 ESPP at any time and from time to time to the extent that it deems advisable. However, absent the approval of our stockholders within 12 months before or after action by the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may not amend the 2018 ESPP to increase the maximum number of shares that may be purchased under the 2018 ESPP or change the designation or class of eligible employees. Further, without the approval of our stockholders, the 2018 ESPP may not be amended in any manner that would cause the 2018 ESPP to no longer be an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code. The plan administrator may also modify or amend the 2018 ESPP, to the extent permitted by Section 423 of the Code, to reduce or eliminate any unfavorable financial accounting consequences that may result from the ongoing operation of the 2018 ESPP.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following is a general summary under current law of the material federal income tax consequences to an employee who participates in the 2018 ESPP. This summary deals with the general federal income tax principles that apply and is provided only for general information. Some kinds of taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes and federal employment taxes, are not discussed. Tax laws are complex and subject to change and may vary depending on individual circumstances and from locality to locality. The summary does not discuss all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant in light of a participant’s personal circumstances. This summarized tax information is not tax advice and a participant of an award should rely on the advice of his or her legal and tax advisors.

 

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The 2018 ESPP, and the right of participants to make purchases thereunder, is intended to qualify for special tax treatment under the provisions of Section 423 of the Code. Under the applicable Code provisions, no income will be taxable to a participant until the sale or other disposition of the shares purchased under the 2018 ESPP. Upon such sale or disposition, the participant will generally be subject to tax in an amount that depends upon the length of time such shares are held by the participant prior to disposing of them. If the shares are sold or disposed of more than two years from the first day of the offering period during which the shares were purchased and one year from the date of purchase, or if the participant dies while holding the shares, the participant (or his or her estate) will recognize ordinary income measured as the lesser of (1) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such sale or disposition over the purchase price or (2) the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date we granted the option over the purchase price paid for the shares, determined assuming that the option was exercised on the date granted. Any additional gain will be treated as a capital gain.

If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of the holding periods described above, the participant will recognize ordinary income generally measured as the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the shares are purchased over the purchase price. Any additional gain or loss on such sale or disposition will be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on how long the shares were held following the date they were purchased by the participant prior to disposing of them.

We are entitled to a deduction to the extent of ordinary income recognized upon a sale or disposition of shares prior to the expiration of the holding periods described above.

New Plan Benefits

Because the number of shares that may be purchased under the 2018 ESPP will depend on each employee’s voluntary election to participate and on the fair market value of our Class A common stock at various future dates, the actual number of shares that may be purchased by any individual cannot be determined in advance.

Vote Required

Approval of the 2018 Stock Purchase Plan requires approval by a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 6

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL REQUESTING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ADOPT A POLICY AND PREPARE A REPORT REGARDING GENDER AND RACIAL DIVERSITY ON THE BOARD

The Comptroller of the State of New York, Thomas P. DiNapoli, trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund and administrative head of the New York State and Local Retirement System, a beneficial owner of at least $2,000 worth of our Class A Common Stock, submits the following resolution to stockholders for approval at the Annual Meeting, if properly presented. We will provide the proponent’s address to any stockholder promptly upon request. The text of the proponent’s resolution and supporting statement appear below, printed verbatim from its submission. We disclaim all responsibility for the content of the proposal and the supporting statement, including sources referenced therein.

The stockholder’s proposal follows:

“RESOLVED: Shareholders ask the board of directors to adopt a policy of seeking to enhance board diversity beyond current levels by taking all reasonable steps, consistent with the board’s fiduciary obligations, to ensure that a wider range of female and minority candidates are included in the candidate pool from which board nominees are chosen, with a report to shareholders by the 2018 annual meeting on how that policy is being implemented, along with any changes made to the governance and nominating committee’s charter. The report may be prepared at reasonable expense and omit proprietary information.

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

The Skechers board is, we believe, entrenched and in need of reform:

 

   

Only one-third of the directors are elected annually;

 

   

Only five out of the nine directors are considered independent; and

 

   

Seven of the nine directors have served for over a decade.

Moreover, by the end of 2016 the stock price had declined 50% from its high in August 2015.

We believe that a good way to start improving board accountability would be by seeking a wider range of female and minority candidates to serve as directors. Skechers’ 2016 proxy pays lip service to “the benefits of broad diversity” while emphasizing three times the importance of finding “qualified” candidates. However, Skechers’ board currently has no female or minority candidates and apparently has never nominated any such candidates.

Has the board really been unable in over 15 years to identify a single female or minority candidate who is “qualified” to be a director of a footwear company?

We view lack of diversity as contrary to long-term shareholder value. The Business Roundtable’s 2016 Principles of Corporate Governance put it well: “Diverse backgrounds and experience on corporate boards, including those of directors who represent the broad range of society, strengthen board performance and promote the creation of long-term shareholder value.”

The Roundtable encourages companies to “develop a framework for identifying appropriately diverse candidates that allows the nominating/corporate governance committees to consider women, minorities and others with diverse backgrounds as candidates for each open board seat.”

Research confirms a strong business case for board diversity, Credit Suisse linked board diversity to better market and financial performance, including 26% higher share performance over a six-year period, higher return

 

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on equity, lower leverage, higher price/book ratios and improved growth prospects (Gender Diversity and Corporate Performance, August 2012). Their research suggests several explanations for this better performance including, inter alia, a stronger mix of leadership skills, improved understanding of consumer preferences, a larger pool from which to pick top talent, and more attention to risk.

Also, companies with more female directors outperform companies with fewer female directors by 53% on return-on-equity, 42% on return-on-sales, and 66% on return-on-invested-capital over a four-year time frame (Catalyst, Inc., The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women’s Representation on Boards, 2007). Thomson Reuters researched 4,100 global companies with mixed boards over a five-year period (Mining The Metrics of Board Diversity, June 2013).”

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPPOSITION STATEMENT

The Board of Directors urges a vote against this stockholder proposal. The Board of Directors acknowledges the benefits of broad diversity throughout our company, but believes the proposal could impede its ability to select the most suitable and qualified candidates for membership on the Board of Directors and would impose unnecessary administrative burdens and costs. The Board of Directors believes that our company’s existing nominating process considers the needs of our company in light of the current mix of director skills and attributes, and is designed to identify the best possible nominees for director. When assessing individual nominees, the Board of Directors considers a variety of issues and factors, including career achievements, breadth of experience, soundness of judgment, ability to make independent analytical inquiries, and ability to represent the total corporate interests of our company and its stockholders.

When identifying and evaluating candidates for director, diversity is a part of the overall mix of factors that the Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee have historically considered, and continue to consider. The Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee consider diversity broadly to include gender and ethnicity, age, skills and experience in the context of the needs of the Board as well as viewpoint, individual characteristics, qualities and skills resulting in the inclusion of naturally varying perspectives among the directors. The Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee also consider whether these capabilities and characteristics will enhance and complement the full Board of Directors so that, as a unit, the Board of Directors possesses the appropriate skills and experience to oversee our company’s business and serve the long-term interests of our stockholders.

The Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee seek qualified candidates for director, and consider diversity as a factor, but believe that this proposal is unnecessarily restrictive and would not maintain the necessary flexibility in the nominating process to ensure that the most qualified candidates are selected as directors in light of our company’s evolving needs and circumstances. In addition, the reporting obligations contemplated by this proposal would be expensive and time consuming, without any corresponding benefit to our stockholders.

For the foregoing reasons, the Board of Directors unanimously believes that this proposal is not in the best interests of our company or its stockholders, and recommends that you vote “AGAINST” this proposal. Proxies solicited by the Board of Directors will be voted “AGAINST” this proposal unless a stockholder has otherwise indicated in voting the proxy.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST the stockholder proposal requesting the Board to adopt a policy and prepare a report regarding gender and racial diversity on the Board.

 

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Information Concerning Director Nominees

 

Name

   Age     

Class and Year

in Which Term Will

Expire if Re-elected

  

Position

Geyer Kosinski

     51      Class III (2020)    Director

Richard Rappaport

     57      Class III (2020)    Director

Richard Siskind

     71      Class III (2020)    Director

Geyer Kosinski has served as a member of our Board of Directors since November 2001. Since July 2004, Mr. Kosinski has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Media Talent Group, a talent management and production company, and prior to that he was the Managing Partner of Industry Entertainment.

Mr. Kosinski’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 25 years of leadership and transactional experience, as well as special expertise with respect to endorsement, branding, and licensing deals with celebrities and luxury brands. In addition to running Media Talent Group, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner sits on the boards and executive teams of several other private companies including Motion Theory/Mirada, Social Ink, and Top Fan and has managed the careers of over 100 actors, writers and directors, and developing and producing feature films and television series, such as Fargo for FX.

Richard Rappaport has served as a member of our Board of Directors since September 2010. Since he founded WestPark Capital in 1999, Mr. Rapport has served as its Chief Executive Officer. WestPark Capital is a full service investment banking and securities brokerage firm that serves the needs of both private and public companies worldwide, as well as individual and institutional investors. Mr. Rappaport received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley, and his M.B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Mr. Rappaport’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 25 years of experience in business development and corporate finance, specifically in the United States and international small cap investment banking and securities markets. He has completed over 50 public offerings of issuers’ stock and numerous private financing and M&A transactions. During his career, he has helped companies plan and implement their financial and business development strategies.

Richard Siskind has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 1999. Since he founded R. Siskind & Company in 1991, Mr. Siskind has served as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of its board of directors. R. Siskind & Company is a business that purchases brand name men’s and women’s apparel and accessories and redistributes those items to off-price retailers. R. Siskind & Company also controls other companies that have licenses and distribution agreements for various brands.

Mr. Siskind’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 40 years of experience as chief executive officer of various companies in the consumer retail sector, including four years as Chief Executive Officer and six years as a board member of Magic Lantern Group, a publicly traded apparel company, and over 20 years as founder, majority shareholder and leader of R. Siskind & Company. Mr. Siskind’s experience with consumer retail businesses includes expertise with business planning, operations, finance, inventory control, acquisitions and licenses.

 

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Directors Not Standing for Election

The members of the Board of Directors who are continuing and not standing for election at this year’s Annual Meeting are set forth below.

 

Name

   Age   

Class and Year in Which

Term Will Expire

  

Position

Robert Greenberg

   77    Class I (2018)    Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Morton Erlich

   72    Class I (2018)    Director

Thomas Walsh

   75    Class I (2018)    Director

Michael Greenberg

   54    Class II (2019)    President and Director

David Weinberg

   66    Class II (2019)    Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director

Jeffrey Greenberg

   49    Class II (2019)    Senior Vice President of Active Electronics Media and Director

Robert Greenberg has served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since October 1993.

Mr. Greenberg is uniquely qualified to serve on and lead our Board of Directors with over 35 years of experience in the footwear industry, primarily in branding and product design, including 25 years as our founder, leader and one of our largest stockholders since our inception in 1992.

Morton Erlich has served as a member of our Board of Directors since January 2006 and has been an independent investor and consultant since October 2004. Since October 2013, Mr. Erlich has served as a member of the board of directors of American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE:AVD). Mr. Erlich also serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee and member of each of the Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee at American Vanguard. Mr. Erlich worked for 34 years at KPMG LLP including 24 years as an audit partner until retiring in September 2004. His last position at KPMG LLP was office managing partner of the office in Woodland Hills, California.

Mr. Erlich’s qualifications to serve on our Board include 34 years of accounting and finance experience at KPMG LLP and being licensed as a certified public accountant (currently inactive) in California since 1974. While a partner with KPMG LLP, Mr. Erlich served as lead audit partner for numerous companies in a variety of industries including companies in consumer markets, manufacturing, distribution and retail sectors. His accounting and finance experience includes expertise with various types of transactions such as bank lines of credit, debt financings, equity financings including public offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.

Thomas Walsh has served as a member of our Board of Directors since September 2010 and as a private investor and consultant since November 2006. From May 1993 until retiring in November 2006, Mr. Walsh served as senior vice president and portfolio manager with Colbie Pacific Capital, which is a factoring and asset-based lender located in Southern California.

Mr. Walsh’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 40 years of experience in managing and providing guidance to companies, the majority of which were in the apparel business, regarding debt financing options including securitization and action plans for companies with respect to distressed customers. His qualifications also include a background in accounting and extensive experience in evaluating businesses and evaluating their financial information.

Michael Greenberg has served as our President and a member of our Board of Directors since our company’s inception in 1992, and from June 1992 to October 1993, he served as our Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Greenberg’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 30 years of experience in the footwear industry, specifically in sales, including his leadership as President of our company for 25 years.

 

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David Weinberg has served as our Chief Operating Officer since January 2006, as our Chief Financial Officer since September 2009 and from October 1993 to January 2006, and as Executive Vice President and a member of our Board of Directors since July 1998.

Mr. Weinberg’s qualifications to serve on our Board include over 25 years of experience in the footwear industry, specifically in finance and operations, including more than 20 years as our Chief Financial Officer and over ten years as our Chief Operating Officer.

Jeffrey Greenberg has served as our Senior Vice President of Active Electronic Media since June 2005 and as a member of our Board of Directors since September 2000. From January 1998 to June 2005, Mr. Greenberg served as our Vice President of Active Electronic Media. Previously, Mr. Greenberg served as our Chief Operating Officer, Secretary and a member of our Board of Directors from June 1992 to July 1998, and as our Chief Executive Officer from June 1992 to October 1993.

Mr. Greenberg’s qualifications to serve on our Board include 25 years of experience in the footwear industry, specifically in marketing and operations, including his role on our management team during our early years of growth following our company’s inception in 1992.

Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to our executive officers who are not also members of our Board of Directors. For information concerning Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg, see “Directors Not Standing for Election” above.

 

Name

   Age     

Position

Philip Paccione

     55      Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Mark Nason

     55      Executive Vice President of Product Development

Philip Paccione has served as our Executive Vice President of Business Affairs since February 2000, as our Corporate Secretary since July 1998 and as our General Counsel since May 1998.

Mark Nason has served as our Executive Vice President of Product Development since March 2002. From January 1998 to March 2002, Mr. Nason served as our Vice President of Retail and Merchandising, and from December 1993 to January 1998, he served as our Director of Merchandising and Retail Development.

Robert Greenberg is the father of Michael Greenberg and Jeffrey Greenberg; other than the foregoing, no family relationships exist among any of our executive officers or directors.

 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD MATTERS

Board of Directors, Committees of the Board and Attendance at Meetings

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines were adopted by our Board of Directors as of April 28, 2004 to assist the Board in the exercise of its responsibilities. The Corporate Governance Guidelines reflect the Board’s commitment to monitor the effectiveness of policy and decision making both at the Board and management levels, with a view to enhancing long-term stockholder value. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are posted in the Corporate Governance section of the Investor Relations page of our corporate information website located at www.skx.com/investor.jsp. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this proxy statement.

Our Board of Directors met four times in 2016, and all directors attended at least 75% of the combined total of (i) all Board meetings and (ii) all meetings of committees of the Board on which the director served. While we do not have a policy requiring our directors to attend our Annual Meeting of Stockholders, all of the directors attended the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held in 2016.

The Board has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below provides current membership and meeting information for 2016 for each of the committees. Each of the members of these committees is independent as defined by Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (the “NYSE Rules”), and each member of the Audit Committee is independent as defined by Section 10A(m)(3) of, and Rule 10A-3(b) under, the Securities Exchange Act. In addition, each member of the Compensation Committee is an outside director for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

Name

   Audit Committee     Compensation
Committee
    Nominating and
Governance Committee
 

Morton Erlich

     X     X       X  

Geyer Kosinski

     X      

Richard Siskind

     X       X     X  

Thomas Walsh

       X       X

Total Meetings in 2016

     6       9       3  

 

* Committee Chairman

Each of these committees acts under a written charter that complies with the applicable NYSE Rules and SEC rules. The functions performed by the committees are summarized below and are set forth in greater detail in their respective charters. The complete text of the charter for each committee can be found in the Corporate Governance section of the Investor Relations page of our corporate information website located at www.skx.com/investor.jsp, and copies are available in print, without charge, upon written request to our Corporate Secretary at Skechers U.S.A., Inc., 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this proxy statement.

Director Independence

Our Board of Directors has nine members including six non-management directors, which are those directors who are not also serving as one of our executive officers. Our Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that the Board has five members who are independent as defined by Section 303A.02 of the NYSE Rules. These directors are Morton Erlich, Geyer Kosinski, Richard Rappaport, Richard Siskind and Thomas Walsh. The Board of Directors made this affirmative determination regarding these directors’ independence based on discussions with the directors and on its review of the directors’ responses to a questionnaire regarding employment and compensation history; affiliations, family and other relationships; and transactions with our company, its subsidiaries and affiliates. The Board considered relationships and transactions between each

 

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director or any member of his immediate family and our company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including those reported in the section entitled “Transactions with Related Persons” in this proxy statement. The purpose of the Board of Director’s review with respect to each director was to determine whether any such relationships or transactions were inconsistent with a determination that the director is independent under the NYSE Rules.

Board Leadership Structure

Robert Greenberg currently serves as both Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of our company. We believe combining the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer is currently the appropriate leadership model for our company as it provides for clear accountability and efficient and effective leadership of our business. Mr. Greenberg’s knowledge regarding our operations and the industries and markets in which we compete positions him to best identify matters for Board review and deliberation. The dual role serves as a bridge between management and the Board of Directors that enables Mr. Greenberg to provide his insight and direction on important strategic initiatives to both groups, ensuring that they act with a common purpose. As our founder and one of our largest stockholders, with beneficial ownership of approximately 48.9% of the aggregate number of votes eligible to be cast by our stockholders and the ability to exert significant influence over matters requiring approval by our stockholders, we believe Mr. Greenberg is the appropriate person to lead both our Board of Directors and the management of our company.

To further strengthen our corporate governance structure and provide independent oversight of our company, our Board of Directors had previously appointed Morton Erlich to serve as our Lead Independent Director through March 31, 2017, and Richard Siskind was appointed by the Board to replace Mr. Erlich as our Lead Independent Director for a five-year term, effective as of April 1, 2017. The Lead Independent Director acts as a liaison between the non-management directors on our Board and Robert Greenberg and the other members of our management team, chairs and presides over regularly held executive sessions without our management present, and performs other functions as requested by the non-management directors. Executive sessions are typically held in conjunction with regularly scheduled Audit Committee meetings and Board meetings, and additional sessions may be called by the Lead Independent Director in his own discretion or at the request of the Board of Directors.

Role of Board in Risk Oversight

Our Board of Directors is responsible for the oversight of risk management. The Board of Directors delegates much of this responsibility to the various committees of the Board. The Audit Committee is responsible for inquiring of management, our Director of Internal Audit and our independent registered public accounting firm about our financial reporting processes, internal controls and policies with respect to financial risk assessment and management. The Chairman of the Audit Committee has periodic discussions with our Director of Internal Audit about the adequacy and effectiveness of steps taken to monitor, control and report financial risk exposures, and the Director of Internal Audit also presents the Audit Committee with formal periodic status reports as well. The Compensation Committee oversees risks related to our compensation programs and the Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing regulatory and other corporate compliance risks. The Board is advised by the committees of significant risks and management’s response via periodic updates.

Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors

Stockholders and other interested parties who wish to contact our Lead Independent Director, Richard Siskind, or any of our other directors either individually or as a group may do so by writing to them c/o Philip Paccione, Corporate Secretary, Skechers U.S.A., Inc., 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266. Each writing interested party should specify whether the communication is directed to our entire Board of Directors, to only the non-management directors or to a particular director. Copies of written communications received at such address will be provided to the Board of Directors or the relevant director unless such communications are considered, in the reasonable judgment of our Corporate Secretary, to be inappropriate for submission to the intended recipient(s). Examples of communications that would be considered

 

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inappropriate for submission to the Board of Directors include, without limitation, customer complaints, solicitations, communications that do not relate directly or indirectly to our company’s business or communications that relate to improper or irrelevant topics. The Corporate Secretary may analyze and prepare a response to the information contained in communications received and may deliver a copy of the communication to other staff members or agents of our company who are responsible for analyzing or responding to complaints or requests.

Audit Committee

Our Board of Directors has determined Morton Erlich, who is the Chairman of the Audit Committee, is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing and evaluating (i) the quality and integrity of our financial statements, (ii) the performance of our internal audit and internal control functions in addition to financial risk assessment and management applicable to our company, (iii) our policies and procedures regarding transactions with related persons, as described in greater detail below in the section entitled “Transactions with Related Persons,” (iv) the appointment, compensation, independence and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm, and (v) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee is responsible for (i) discharging the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of our executive officers, (ii) overseeing the administration of our executive compensation plans, (iii) reviewing and discussing with our management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by the applicable SEC rules and recommending to the Board whether such disclosure should be included in our proxy statement, (iv) overseeing risks related to our compensation programs and (v) producing a report on executive compensation for inclusion in our proxy statement in accordance with the applicable rules of the SEC. This includes reviewing and approving the annual compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to executive compensation plans, including incentive compensation and equity-based compensation, and reviewing and approving performance goals and objectives with respect to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers consistent with our executive compensation plans. For additional information on the role of our Chief Executive Officer in recommending the form or amount of executive compensation, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Role of Management in Compensation Decisions.”

None of the members of our Compensation Committee has ever been an employee or officer of our company or any of its subsidiaries. None of our executive officers has served or currently serves on the board of directors or on the compensation committee of any other entity, which has officers who served on our Board of Directors or Compensation Committee during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

Nominating and Governance Committee

The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for (i) developing and recommending to our Board of Directors the criteria for selecting directors and assessing director independence, (ii) identifying individuals qualified to become members of our Board of Directors and recommending candidates as director nominees for election to the Board, (iii) considering and making recommendations to the Board regarding its size and composition, director assignments to the other Board committees and the appointment of a chairperson for each of the other Board committees, (iv) overseeing the evaluation of our management, the Board and its committees, (v) evaluating and recommending to the Board changes to the corporate governance guidelines applicable to our company, and (vi) reviewing regulatory and other corporate compliance risks applicable to us.

 

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Director Nominations

The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to our Board of Directors candidates to fill vacancies or for election or re-election to the Board. In the event of a vacancy on our Board of Directors, the process followed by the Nominating and Governance Committee to identify and evaluate director candidates includes requests to our Board members, management and others for recommendations, meeting from time to time to evaluate biographical information and qualifications relating to potential candidates and interviews of selected candidates by members of the committee and other directors. In considering whether to recommend any particular candidate for inclusion in the Board’s slate of recommended director nominees, the Nominating and Governance Committee applies the criteria set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines. While the Nominating and Governance Committee has not established specific minimum qualifications for director nominees, the committee believes that candidates and nominees must reflect a board of directors that comprises directors who have as a whole: personal and professional integrity, ethics and values; experience in corporate management and a general understanding of marketing, finance and other elements relevant to the success of a publicly traded company; experience in our company’s industry; and practical and mature business judgment, including ability to make independent analytical inquiries. The committee also considers the statutory requirements applicable to the composition of the Board and its committees, including independence requirements of the NYSE. Our Board of Directors ultimately determines the director nominees approved for inclusion on the proxy card for each annual meeting of stockholders.

While our Nominating and Governance Committee does not have a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees, we believe that the backgrounds and qualifications of our directors, considered as a group, should provide a diverse mix of background, experience, knowledge and skills that will best allow our Board to fulfill its responsibilities including oversight of our business. Consistent with the committee’s charter, when identifying director nominees, the committee considers general principles of diversity and does so in the broadest sense. The committee considers diversity to include gender and ethnicity, age, skills and experience in the context of the needs of the Board as well as viewpoint, individual characteristics, qualities and skills resulting in the inclusion of naturally varying perspectives among the directors. The committee also considers whether these capabilities and characteristics will enhance and complement the full Board of Directors so that, as a unit, the Board of Directors possesses the appropriate skills and experience to oversee our company’s business and serve the long-term interests of our stockholders.

The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider candidates recommended by stockholders for nomination for election as directors. The committee will evaluate stockholder-recommended candidates by following substantially the same process, and applying the same criteria, as it follows for candidates recommended by our Board members, management and others. Stockholders wishing to submit recommendations must provide the following information by written notice to the attention of our General Counsel by certified or registered mail:

 

   

As to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director:

 

   

the name, age, business address and residential address of the candidate;

 

   

the principal occupation or employment of the person;

 

   

the class and number of shares of our stock that are beneficially owned by the candidate; and

 

   

the candidate’s consent to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

 

   

As to the stockholder recommending a candidate for director:

 

   

the name and address, as they appear on our stock transfer books, of the stockholder and of the beneficial owners, if any, of the stock registered in the stockholder’s name and the name and address of other stockholders known by the stockholder to be supporting the nominee; and

 

   

the class and number of shares of our stock beneficially owned (i) by the stockholder and the beneficial owners, if any, and (ii) by any other stockholders known by the stockholder to be supporting such candidates.

 

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To be considered by the Nominating and Governance Committee for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, nominations for director candidates must be received at our principal office within the time period set forth below under the section “Nominations and Stockholder Proposals for 2018 Annual Meeting” in this proxy statement.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all directors, officers and employees, was adopted by our Board of Directors as of April 28, 2004 and amended by the Board as of January 15, 2007. The purpose of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is to promote honest and ethical conduct. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted in the Corporate Governance section of the Investor Relations page of our corporate information website located at www.skx.com/investor.jsp. We intend to promptly post any amendments to or waivers of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on our website. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this proxy statement.

Compensation of Directors

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation earned by our non-employee directors during 2016. Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg, David Weinberg and Jeffrey Greenberg are not included because as employee directors, they did not earn any additional compensation for services provided as members of our Board of Directors.

 

Name

   Fees Earned or Paid
in Cash ($)(1)
     Stock Awards
($)(2)(3)
     Total ($)  

Morton D. Erlich

     88,000        125,160        213,160  

Geyer Kosinski

     50,000        125,160        175,160  

Richard Rappaport

     41,000        125,160        166,160  

Richard Siskind

     81,500        125,160        206,660  

Thomas Walsh

     71,000        125,160        196,160  

 

(1) This column reports the amount of cash compensation earned in 2016 for Board and committee service.
(2) Represents the grant date fair value of stock awards granted during the applicable fiscal year, as calculated in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation (“FASB ASC Topic 718”). The fair value was calculated using the closing price of our Class A Common Stock on the grant date for the shares awarded.
(3) As of December 31, 2016, our non-employee directors held the following outstanding unvested stock awards: Mr. Erlich: 13,000 shares; Mr. Kosinski: 13,000 shares; Mr. Rapport: 10,000 shares; Mr. Siskind: 13,000 shares; and Mr. Walsh: 10,000 shares.

Non-Employee Directors. We paid each of our non-employee directors annual compensation of $35,000 for serving on the Board of Directors in 2016, which was increased to $50,000 effective as of January 1, 2017. Our Audit Committee Chairman, Compensation Committee Chairman and Nominating and Governance Committee Chairman were paid additional annual fees of $20,000, $15,000 and $15,000, respectively, in 2016, which were increased to $35,000, $20,000 and $20,000, respectively, effective as of January 1, 2017. Non-employee directors also received fees of $1,500 for each Board and committee meeting attended during 2016, which were increased to $2,000 per meeting attended, effective as of January 1, 2017. Non-employee directors are reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred for attending any of our Board or committee meetings. Compensation, fees, and reimbursable costs and expenses are paid quarterly. During 2016, non-employee directors were eligible to receive awards of restricted shares of Class A Common Stock, grants of options to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock and other equity-based compensation under the 2007 Plan as determined by the Board of Directors. On March 30, 2016, each of our non-employee directors received a discretionary award of 4,000 restricted shares of Class A Common Stock with a grant date fair value under FASB ASC Topic 718 of $125,160, which is scheduled to vest in two equal installments on May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to the director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

 

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Employee Directors. As of December 31, 2016, Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg were the Named Executive Officers (as defined below in the section entitled “Executive Compensation”) serving on our Board of Directors, and Jeffrey Greenberg was the only non-executive employee serving on our Board of Directors. Employees of Skechers who are members of the Board of Directors are not paid any directors’ fees. Compensation of Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg earned in 2016 is set forth under “Executive Compensation.” Compensation of Jeffrey Greenberg earned in 2016 is described in the section entitled “Transactions with Related Persons” in this proxy statement. During the 2016 fiscal year, employee directors were eligible to receive awards of shares of Class A Common Stock, grants of options to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock and other equity-based compensation under the 2007 Plan as determined by the Board of Directors. As a component of their total compensation as executive employees for the 2016 fiscal year, on March 30, 2016, Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg each received a discretionary award of restricted shares of Class A Common Stock, which is described under “Executive Compensation—Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2016.”

 

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The following discussion and analysis describes our compensation strategy, philosophy, policies, programs and practices for our Named Executive Officers for 2016 and should be read together with the compensation tables and related disclosures set forth below. The Named Executive Officers are those executive officers listed in the table captioned Summary Compensation Table in this proxy statement: Robert Greenberg, Chief Executive Officer; Michael Greenberg, President; David Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer; Mark Nason, Executive Vice President of Product Development; and Philip Paccione, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. This discussion contains forward looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we may adopt in the future may differ materially from the compensation strategy, philosophy, policies, programs and practices summarized in this discussion.

Alignment of Executive Compensation with Financial Performance – Highlights

Our executive compensation program is designed to reward superior performance by our company. The company delivered strong financial performance during the 2016 fiscal year, including the following highlights:

 

   

Net sales increased $416.0 million, or 13.2%, to $3.56 billion compared to net sales of $3.15 billion in 2015.

 

   

Net earnings attributable to Skechers U.S.A., Inc. were $243.5 million, an increase of $11.6 million, or 5.0%, compared to net earnings of $231.9 million in 2015.

 

   

Diluted earnings per share attributable to Skechers U.S.A., Inc. was $1.57, which reflected a 4.7% increase from diluted earnings per share of $1.50 in 2015.

 

   

Our cash and cash equivalents increased $210.5 million to $718.5 million at December 31, 2016 from $508.0 million at December 31, 2015.

The total compensation of all Named Executive Officers for 2016, which is disclosed in the “Executive Compensation—Summary Compensation Table” below, increased in comparison to 2015 due to increases in base salary and restricted stock awards, which was partially offset by a decrease in incentive compensation. The Compensation Committee determined to increase the 2016 annual base salaries of each of the Named Executive Officers from their 2015 levels, following consideration of each executive’s individual contributions to our strong financial performance in 2014 and 2015, the fact that the annual base salaries of the Named Executive Officers did not change from 2014 to 2015, and the recommendations of our Chief Executive Officer, Robert Greenberg. As a further reward for our strong financial performance as well as to promote retention, the Compensation Committee also awarded shares of restricted stock to the Named Executive Officers, which are generally scheduled to vest in two equal installments in 2019 and 2020.

Role of the Compensation Committee

Our executive compensation program is administered by or under the direction of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors. Under the terms of its Charter, the Compensation Committee is responsible for (i) discharging the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of our executive officers, (ii) overseeing the administration of our executive compensation plans, (iii) reviewing and discussing with our management this Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by the applicable SEC rules and recommending to the Board its inclusion in this proxy statement and (iv) producing the annual report on executive compensation included elsewhere in this proxy statement in accordance with the applicable SEC rules.

The Compensation Committee has the authority to retain the services of outside advisors, experts and other consultants to assist in the evaluation of the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer, the other executive officers and the Board of Directors. Neither our management nor the Compensation Committee retained a compensation consultant in 2016 to review policies and procedures with respect to executive compensation or to advise us on compensation matters. The Compensation Committee ensures that each component of executive

 

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compensation, as well as compensation in the aggregate, is competitive by relying on its members’ deep expertise and years of experience with the companies with which we compete for talent. For 2016, the Compensation Committee reviewed and considered management’s compensation recommendations and then discussed these recommendations with management.

Role of Management in Compensation Decisions

Management, led by our Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer, annually makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding (i) annual base salary and bonuses to be paid to executive officers, (ii) the formation and modification of our equity-based and incentive compensation plans for executive officers, (iii) awards to be granted under our equity-based compensation plan and (iv) performance metrics to be used to calculate incentive compensation that executive officers may earn under our incentive compensation plan. Management also meets periodically with the Compensation Committee to discuss these recommendations, which are based on management’s assessment of the base salary, equity-based compensation and incentive compensation opportunities that are competitive within our industry and within the geographical labor markets in which we participate. The Compensation Committee may adopt, modify or reject any of these recommendations.

Compensation Objectives

The basic compensation philosophy of the Compensation Committee is to provide competitive salaries and incentives to executive officers in order to promote superior financial performance. The Compensation Committee believes that compensation paid to executive officers should be closely aligned with our performance, linked to specific, measurable results intended to create value for stockholders, and that such compensation should assist us in attracting and retaining key executives critical to our long-term success.

Our executive compensation policies are designed to achieve the following four objectives:

 

   

attract and motivate well-qualified individuals with the ability and talent to enable us to achieve our business objectives and corporate strategies;

 

   

provide incentives to achieve specific short-term individual and corporate goals by rewarding achievement of those goals at established financial performance levels;

 

   

provide incentives to achieve longer-term financial goals and reinforce sense of ownership through award opportunities that can result in ownership of stock; and

 

   

promote retention of key executives and align the interests of management with those of the stockholders to reinforce achievement of continuing increases in stockholder value.

Consistent with our performance-based philosophy, the Compensation Committee reviewed and approved our compensation programs for 2016 to effectively balance executive officers’ salaries with incentive compensation that was performance-based. We believe that it served the needs of our stockholders to provide incentives commensurate with individual management responsibilities and past and future contributions to corporate objectives. The mix of compensation elements varied among the executive officers based on each executive officer’s position, responsibilities and performance.

To maximize stockholder value, we believe that it is necessary to deliver consistent, long-term sales and earnings growth. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee reviews not only the individual compensation elements, but the mix of individual compensation elements that make up the aggregate compensation, and attempts to balance the total compensation package between short-term, long-term and cash and equity compensation in a way that meets the objectives set forth above.

 

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Elements of Compensation

Our executive compensation has historically consisted of three primary components:

 

   

base salary and benefits;

 

   

performance-based cash compensation, if any, under the 2006 Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2006 Plan”); and

 

   

equity compensation awarded under the 2007 Plan.

These components, individually and in the aggregate, are designed to accomplish one or more of the compensation objectives described above.

Base Salary

Base salaries for our Named Executive Officers are established based on the scope of their respective responsibilities, taking into account market compensation paid by competitors within our industry and other companies of similar type, size and financial performance for individuals in similar positions. We set base compensation for our Named Executive Officers at levels that we believe enable us to hire and retain individuals in a competitive environment, and to reward satisfactory performance at an acceptable level based upon contributions to our overall business objectives.

Base salaries are generally reviewed annually, but may be adjusted from time to time to realign salaries with market levels. In reviewing base salaries, we consider various factors, including (i) each individual’s level of responsibilities, performance and results achieved, and professional experience, (ii) a comparison to base salaries paid to employees in comparable positions by our competitors and companies of similar type, size and financial performance and (iii) cost of living increases.

In January 2016, the 2016 annual base salaries of each of the Named Executive Officers were increased from their 2015 levels by $750,000 for Robert Greenberg, $550,000 for Michael Greenberg, $400,000 for David Weinberg, $250,000 for Mark Nason and $150,000 for Philip Paccione. These increases were based on the Compensation Committee’s review of each executive’s individual contributions to our strong financial performance in 2014 and 2015 (as the annual base salaries of the Named Executive Officers did not change from 2014 to 2015) and the recommendations of our Chief Executive Officer, Robert Greenberg with respect to each other Named Executive Officer.

Annual Incentive Compensation

The 2006 Plan is intended to advance our interests and those of our stockholders and to assist us in attracting and retaining executive officers by providing incentives and financial rewards to such executives who, because of the extent of their responsibilities can make significant contributions to our success through their ability, industry expertise, loyalty and exceptional services.

The 2006 Plan provides executive employees, including the Named Executive Officers, with the opportunity to earn bonuses based on our financial performance by linking incentive award opportunities to the achievement of our short-term performance goals. The 2006 Plan allows us to set performance periods equal to fiscal quarters, fiscal years or such other period that the Compensation Committee may establish up to five years in length, and determine performance criteria and goals for such performance periods that are flexible and change with the needs of our business. The Compensation Committee annually approves the performance criteria and goals that will be used in formulae to calculate our Named Executive Officers’ incentive compensation on a quarterly basis for each fiscal year. By determining performance criteria and setting goals at the beginning of each fiscal year, our Named Executive Officers understand our goals and priorities during the current fiscal year. Following the conclusion of each quarter during the current fiscal year, the Compensation Committee certifies the amount of

 

31


the award for each participant for each such quarter. The amount of an award actually paid to a participant each quarter may, in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, be reduced to less than the amount payable to the participant based on attainment of the performance goals for each such quarter.

The Compensation Committee approved the performance goals of the Named Executive Officers for fiscal 2016 in January 2016. As in 2015, the performance criteria used in the formulae to calculate the incentive compensation of the Named Executive Officers for 2016 was our net sales growth because the Compensation Committee believes that it provides an accurate measure of our annual performance. Based on these performance goals, the Named Executive Officers were eligible to receive incentive compensation targeted from 10% to 50% of their total cash compensation, calculated as the sum of base salary and earned incentive compensation for 2016 (“Cash Compensation”), which was determined to be competitive in the marketplace for similar positions. In determining the potential awards that computed into these percentages, the Compensation Committee additionally considered each Named Executive Officer’s position, responsibilities and prospective contribution to the attainment of our performance goals. The percentage of total target compensation represented by incentive awards is generally higher for more senior executives to reflect their greater influence on profits and sales and to put a larger percentage of their total potential cash compensation “at risk.” Accordingly, our Chief Executive Officer, Robert Greenberg, was at the top end of the range.

The Compensation Committee did not place a maximum limit on the incentive compensation that could have been earned by the Named Executive Officers in 2016, although the maximum amount of incentive compensation that any Named Executive Officer may earn in a 12-month period under the 2006 Plan is $5,000,000.

The potential payments of incentive compensation to our Named Executive Officers are performance-driven and therefore completely at risk. Any incentive compensation to be paid to the Named Executive Officers is earned based on the Compensation Committee’s pre-approved performance criteria and formulae for the respective Named Executive Officers. The Named Executive Officers’ annual incentive compensation is calculated on a quarterly basis by multiplying net sales growth, which is the amount by which net sales for the applicable quarter exceeded net sales for the corresponding quarter in the prior year, by the percentages that were pre-approved by the Compensation Committee, as set forth in the following tables:

 

      First Quarter     Second Quarter     Third Quarter     Fourth Quarter        
      (i)       (ii)       (iii)       (iv)    

Amount by which net sales for the quarter in fiscal 2016 exceeded net sales for the corresponding quarter in fiscal 2015 ($)

 

    210,796,484       77,346,093       86,238,224       41,606,528    
    Pre-approved
Percentage (%)
    Incentive Compensation Calculated on a Quarterly Basis ($)     2016 Annual
Incentive
Compensation ($)
 

Name of Executive

    First Quarter     Second Quarter     Third Quarter     Fourth Quarter    
    (a)       (a)x(i)       (a)x(ii)       (a)x(iii)       (a)x(iv)    

Robert Greenberg

    0.500       1,053,983       386,731       431,192       208,033       2,079,939  

Michael Greenberg

    0.250       526,992       193,366       215,596       104,017       1,039,971  

David Weinberg

    0.150       316,195       116,020       129,358       62,410       623,983  

Mark Nason

    0.125       263,496       96,683       107,798       52,009       519,986  

Philip Paccione

    0.075       158,098       58,010       64,679       31,205       311,992  

Based on our financial performance and the performance goals previously set by the Compensation Committee for each Named Executive Officer for 2016, the actual incentive compensation earned by each Named Executive Officer for 2016 was $2,079,939 for Robert Greenberg, which represented 36% of his Cash Compensation; $1,039,971 for Michael Greenberg, which represented 27% of his Cash Compensation; $623,983

 

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for David Weinberg, which represented 24% of his Cash Compensation, $519,986 for Mark Nason, which represented 29% of his Cash Compensation; and $311,992 for Philip Paccione, which represented 29% of his Cash Compensation.

Cash incentive compensation awarded under the 2006 Plan incentivizes the achievement of our short-term performance objectives and complements the long-term equity compensation program described below.

Equity-Based Compensation

Our employees, including the Named Executive Officers, are eligible to receive, from time to time, awards of restricted stock, stock options and other equity-based compensation under the 2007 Plan that are designed to:

 

   

closely align management and stockholder interests;

 

   

promote retention and reward executives and other key employees for building stockholder value; and

 

   

encourage long-term investment in our company.

The Compensation Committee believes that stock ownership by management has been demonstrated to be beneficial to all stockholders. We awarded restricted shares to all Named Executive Officers in March 2016, as described below, that are scheduled to vest in 2019 and 2020.

Historically, awards of restricted stock made to our Named Executive Officers are subject to certain time-vesting restrictions that generally lapse over a period of two to four years from the date of the award depending on the specific award.

This vesting schedule promotes retention and encourages long-term investment in our company by the Named Executive Officers, while also providing a reasonable time frame to align the Named Executive Officers’ compensation with stockholder interests since any appreciation of our stock price will benefit both management and stockholders. An additional advantage of restricted stock is that, in comparison to stock options, fewer shares are required to deliver the same economic value, which may result in lower stockholder dilution than granting stock options.

In March 2016, the Compensation Committee awarded the following shares of restricted stock to the Named Executive Officers: Robert Greenberg: 100,000 restricted shares; Michael Greenberg: 90,000 restricted shares; David Weinberg: 175,000 restricted shares; Mark Nason: 50,000 restricted shares; and Philip Paccione: 30,000 restricted shares. These awards of restricted stock are scheduled to vest in two equal installments on May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to the Named Executive Officer’s continued service to the company through the applicable vesting date, except for the shares awarded to David Weinberg, which are scheduled to vest as follows: 50,000 shares on each of May 1, 2017 and 2018, and 37,500 shares on each of May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to Mr. Weinberg’s continued service to the company through the applicable vesting date. In determining the size of each award, the Compensation Committee considered a number of factors, including our strong financial performance in 2015 as well as each Named Executive Officer’s responsibilities, experience, his degree of contribution for the company’s past successes and his ability to contribute to our future success.

Employment Agreements and Change of Control Provisions

We do not have any employment, severance or change-of-control agreements in effect with any of our Named Executive Officers except for Michael Greenberg. The following is a description of the material terms of the employment agreement with Mr. Greenberg and the change of control provisions of the restricted stock granted under our 2007 Plan.

 

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Michael Greenberg

On August 7, 2015, we entered into an employment agreement with Michael Greenberg (the “Employment Agreement”). The terms of the Employment Agreement are effective as of January 1, 2015 and were negotiated by the Compensation Committee with Mr. Greenberg prior to the date he and our company entered into the agreement. Subject to certain termination provisions, the Employment Agreement provides for Mr. Greenberg’s continued employment by us as our President through December 31, 2018.

The Employment Agreement provides for the following compensation and benefits:

 

   

base salary at the annual rate of not less than $2,200,000 (subject to annual review by the Board or the Compensation Committee);

 

   

annual incentive compensation, as calculated on a quarterly basis, equal to not less than 0.25% of the amount by which net sales for the applicable quarter exceeds net sales by the corresponding quarter in the prior year (subject to annual review by the Board or the Compensation Committee);

 

   

acknowledgement of an award of 200,000 shares of our Class A Common Stock on a pre-split basis that was granted on October 21, 2014, of which 50,000 shares vest on each of November 1, 2015 and the first three anniversaries thereof, subject to the terms and conditions of the 2007 Plan and the restricted stock agreement previously entered into between Mr. Greenberg and our company (the “2014 Restricted Stock Agreement”); and

 

   

participation in our other benefit plans and policies on terms consistent with those generally applicable to our other senior executives (including, without limitation, vacation benefits and other perquisites).

The Employment Agreement also provides for certain severance payments and benefits upon certain terminations of employment, including in connection with a change in control of our company, as described in greater detail under “Executive Compensation—Termination and Change of Control Benefits.”

Change of Control Provisions

The restricted stock awards granted under our 2007 Plan provide that in the event of a change of control, all outstanding unvested shares will vest in full if the awards are not converted, assumed, or replaced by a successor entity.

A “change of control” is generally defined in the 2007 Plan, including the equity award agreements thereunder, as (i) the acquisition by certain persons of our securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of our outstanding securities, (ii) a change during any two-year period in a majority of the Board of Directors unless each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the period, or whose election or nomination was so approved, (iii) approval by our stockholders of a merger or consolidation (except with certain permitted entities), or (iv) approval by our stockholders of a complete liquidation of our company or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of our assets.

The Compensation Committee believes that the change of control benefits provided under the Employment Agreement and our restricted stock award agreements are consistent with the objectives of providing the highest possible return to stockholders by allowing the Named Executive Officers to be able to effectively participate equally with stockholders in evaluating alternatives in the event of a change of control transaction, without compelling the Named Executive Officer to remain employed under new ownership.

Equity Award Practices

As described under the Equity Compensation section, equity-based awards are a significant component of our overall executive compensation program. We do not backdate grants of awards nor do we coordinate the grant of awards with the release of material information that might result in favorable pricing. New hire grants of awards to executive officers and other new employees are generally based on the date of hire. It is our practice

 

34


that the per share exercise price for all grants of stock options be equal to the closing price of a share of our Class A Common Stock on the NYSE on the date of grant, and we have never re-priced any grants.

Perquisites and Other Benefits

We provide our Named Executive Officers with certain perquisites and other benefits that are reflected in the “All Other Compensation” column in the table captioned Summary Compensation Table in this proxy statement, which we believe are reasonable, competitive and consistent with our overall executive compensation program. These benefits are intended to facilitate the efficient operation of our business by allowing our Named Executive Officers to better focus their time, attention and capabilities on our company or permit them to be better accessible to the business. The costs of these benefits constitute only a small percentage of each Named Executive Officer’s total compensation and include the following:

Aircraft usage. During 2016, Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg used our aircraft for personal travel.

Automobile usage. During 2016, automobiles that we purchased at our sole cost were used by Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg and David Weinberg. We also paid on their behalf the automobile insurance premiums related to their use of these automobiles.

Country club dues and health club fees. During 2016, we paid country club membership dues and/or health club membership fees for David Weinberg and Philip Paccione.

Finance and tax services. During 2016, we paid fees for financial planning and tax preparation services that Robert Greenberg and Michael Greenberg received from their personal accountant.

Profit Sharing and Retirement Plans

The Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan (the “401(k) Plan”) is a U.S. tax qualified retirement savings plan pursuant to which all eligible U.S. employees, including the Named Executive Officers, are able to make pre-tax contributions from their cash compensation. The 401(k) Plan provides for us to make discretionary matching contributions to the participants. The amounts and timing of any such discretionary contributions is determined each year in the sole discretion of our management, as the administrator of the 401(k) Plan, subject to Board approval. For fiscal 2016, the Board of Directors approved a matching contribution for each eligible employee equal to 50% of the employee’s contribution up to 6% of total eligible compensation.

In May 2013, we adopted the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”), effective as of May 1, 2013. We maintain the Deferred Compensation Plan primarily for the purpose of providing a means for deferral of compensation to a select group of employees, including all of our Named Executive Officers, who are limited in their participation under our 401(k) profit sharing plan under statutory requirements. Pursuant to the Deferred Compensation Plan, participants may defer receipt of a portion of their respective cash compensation and elect to have such amounts paid to them (or their beneficiaries in the event of death) upon retirement, termination of employment, death, disability or some other date chosen by the respective participants, in each case, consistent with the terms of the Deferred Compensation Plan. We are not funding the Deferred Compensation Plan, and we will make payments under the Deferred Compensation Plan to each participant as permitted by law and in accordance with the participant’s election decisions. In addition to providing a means to defer compensation for payment at a later date, the Deferred Compensation Plan also provides for us to make discretionary contributions to the participants. The amounts and timing of any such discretionary contributions will be determined in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, as the administrator of the Deferred Compensation Plan. For fiscal 2016, the Board of Directors approved a matching contribution for each eligible employee equal to 50% of the employee’s deferral up to 6% of total eligible compensation less the amount of any matching contribution received under the 401(k) Plan for the same fiscal year. A description of the material terms of the Deferred Compensation Plan can be found in the section entitled “Executive Compensation—Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan” in this proxy statement.

 

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Impact of Regulatory Requirements

Tax Deductibility of Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Code places a limit of $1,000,000 on the annual amount of compensation (other than compensation that qualifies as “qualified performance-based compensation”) that publicly held companies may deduct for federal income tax purposes for certain executive officers.

The Compensation Committee believes that tax deductibility is a factor to be considered in evaluating a compensation program. The Compensation Committee generally seeks to structure incentive compensation in a manner that is intended to minimize the disallowance of deductions under Section 162(m) of the Code. Nevertheless, when warranted due to competitive and other factors, the Compensation Committee may award compensation that exceeds the deductibility limit under Section 162(m) of the Code or otherwise pay non-deductible compensation.

Non-qualified Deferred Compensation

Section 409A of the Code requires that “non-qualified deferred compensation” be deferred and paid under plans or arrangements that satisfy the requirements of the statute with respect to the timing of deferral elections, timing of payments and certain other matters. Failure to satisfy these requirements can expose employees and other service providers to accelerated income tax liabilities and penalty taxes and interest on their vested compensation under such plans. Accordingly, as a general matter, it is our intention to design and administer our compensation and benefits plans and programs for all of our employees and other service providers, including the Named Executive Officers, so that they are either exempt from, or satisfy the requirements of, Section 409A of the Code.

Accounting Standards

FASB ASC Topic 718 requires us to recognize an expense for the fair value of equity-based compensation awards. Grants of restricted stock and stock options under the 2007 Plan are accounted for under FASB ASC Topic 718. The Compensation Committee regularly considers the accounting implications of significant compensation decisions, especially in connection with decisions that relate to equity compensation awards. As accounting standards change, we may revise certain programs to appropriately align accounting expenses of our equity awards with our overall executive compensation philosophy and objectives.

Other Tax, Accounting and Regulatory Considerations

Many other Code provisions, SEC regulations and accounting rules affect the delivery of executive compensation and are generally taken into consideration as programs are developed. Our goal is to create and maintain plans that are efficient and in full compliance with these requirements.

REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis (set forth above) with the management of Skechers, and, based on such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement and, through incorporation by reference from this proxy statement, in Skechers’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard Siskind, Chairman

Morton Erlich

Thomas Walsh

 

36


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table provides selected information concerning the compensation earned by our Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer, and each of our three most highly compensated executive officers who served in positions other than Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer at the end of the last completed fiscal year (the “Named Executive Officers”).

Summary Compensation Table

 

Name and

Principal Position

  Year     Salary ($)     Bonus ($)     Stock Awards
($)(1)
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(2)
    All Other
Compensation
($)
    Total ($)  

Robert Greenberg

    2016       3,750,000             3,129,000       2,079,939       290,708 (3)      9,249,647  

Chairman of the Board and

    2015       3,000,000                   3,848,813       267,586       7,116,399  

Chief Executive Officer

    2014       3,000,000             3,547,700       2,656,000       268,098       9,471,798  

Michael Greenberg

    2016       2,750,000             2,816,100       1,039,971       185,280 (4)      6,791,351  

President and Director

    2015       2,200,000                   1,924,407       173,287       4,297,694  
    2014       1,656,153       1,000,000       10,886,000             192,167       13,734,320  

David Weinberg

    2016       2,000,000             5,475,750       623,983       94,425 (5)      8,194,158  

Executive Vice President,

    2015       1,600,000                   1,154,645       72,621       2,827,266  

Chief Operating Officer, Chief

Financial Officer and Director

    2014       1,600,000             2,459,100       796,800       72,148       4,928,048  

Mark Nason

    2016       1,250,000             1,564,500       519,986       5,940 (6)      3,340,426  

Executive Vice President of

    2015       1,000,000                   962,204       21,944       1,984,148  

Product Development

    2014       1,000,000             1,364,000       664,000       13,021       3,041,021  

Philip Paccione

    2016       750,000             938,700       311,992       8,216 (7)      2,008,908  

Executive Vice President of

    2015       600,000                   577,324       23,468       1,200,792  

Business Affairs, General

Counsel and Corporate Secretary

    2014       600,000             1,369,000       398,401       21,514       2,388,915  

 

(1) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted during the applicable fiscal year, as calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The fair value was calculated using the closing price of our Class A Common Stock on the grant dates for the shares awarded.
(2) Represents the cash awards that the Named Executive Officers earned under our 2006 Plan. Incentive compensation is paid quarterly based on performance levels that our company achieved in the prior quarter. The amounts listed for each year exclude any bonuses earned by the Named Executive Officers in the previous year that were paid in the indicated year and include incentive compensation earned in the fourth quarter of the indicated year that was paid in the following year. Additional information regarding the 2006 Plan is described in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in this proxy statement.
(3) Represents payments of $242,255 for financial planning and tax preparation services for Mr. Greenberg, and costs of $31,901 related to an automobile purchased by us for use by Mr. Greenberg and automobile insurance premiums paid by us on behalf of Mr. Greenberg, and imputed income of $16,552 for personal use of our aircraft. The aggregate incremental costs of automobile usage are based on depreciation expense for an automobile purchased in 2012. For each use of our aircraft for personal travel, the imputed income is calculated based on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Standard Industry Fare Level Rate (SIFL) rate per mile, the distance in nautical miles flown and the number of passengers, including guests, if any, on the flight. If there is more than one Named Executive Officer on a flight, the imputed income for personal use of our aircraft is allocated equally to the Named Executive Officers present on the aircraft. If we are not reimbursed for personal use of the aircraft, the imputed income is considered taxable income to the Named Executive Officer, who is also provided a tax gross-up reimbursement for such income.
(4)

Represents payments of $93,240 for financial planning and tax preparation services for Mr. Greenberg, costs of $66,014 related to an automobile purchased by us for use by Mr. Greenberg and automobile insurance premiums paid by us on behalf of Mr. Greenberg, and imputed income of $26,026 for personal use of our aircraft. The aggregate incremental costs of automobile usage are based on depreciation expense for an automobile purchased in 2015. See note 3 above regarding the calculation of imputed income for the personal use of our aircraft.

 

37


(5) Represents monthly payments of country club membership dues equal to a total of $19,100, monthly payments of health club membership fees equal to a total of $1,644, costs of $53,653 related to an automobile purchased by us for use by Mr. Weinberg and automobile insurance premiums paid by us on behalf of Mr. Weinberg, imputed income of $12,078 for personal use of our aircraft, and an annual matching contribution of $7,950 that we made under the Deferred Compensation Plan for fiscal 2016. The aggregate incremental costs of automobile usage are based on depreciation expense for an automobile purchased in 2015. See note 3 above regarding the calculation of imputed income for the personal use of our aircraft.
(6) Represents an annual matching contribution that we made under the 401(k) Plan for fiscal 2016
(7) Represents monthly payments of health club membership fees equal to a total of $1,644, and annual matching contributions of $5,940 and $632 that we made under the 401(k) Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan, respectively, for fiscal 2016.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2016

The following table provides information about plan-based awards granted to the Named Executive Officers in 2016: (i) the grant date, (ii) the estimated future payouts under non-equity incentive plan awards, which consist of potential payouts under the 2006 Plan for the performance period covering fiscal 2016, (iii) the number of shares underlying all other stock awards and (iv) the grant date fair value of each equity award computed under FASB ASC Topic 718.

 

            Estimated Future Payments Under
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards (1)
     All Other
Stock Awards:
Number of
Shares of
Stock or Units
(#)(2)
     Grant Date
Fair Value of
Stock and
Option
Awards ($)(3)
 

Name of Executive

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

Robert Greenberg

      (1)   (1)     5,000,000                
     3/30/16                   100,000        3,129,000  

Michael Greenberg

     3/30/16      (1)

  (1)

   

5,000,000

 

 

    


90,000

 

 

    


2,816,100

 

 

David Weinberg

     3/30/16      (1)

  (1)

   

5,000,000

 

 

    


175,000

 

 

    


5,475,750

 

 

Mark Nason

     3/30/16      (1)

  (1)

   

5,000,000

 

 

    


50,000

 

 

    


1,564,500

 

 

Philip Paccione

     3/30/16      (1)

  (1)

   

5,000,000

 

 

    


30,000

 

 

    


938,700

 

 

 

(1)

These columns are intended to show the potential value of the payments for each Named Executive Officer under the 2006 Plan if the threshold, target or maximum goals are satisfied for the performance measures. The potential payments are performance-driven and therefore completely at risk. There are no specific threshold or target amounts that can be determined with respect to any payouts of incentive compensation under the 2006 Plan for fiscal 2016 because any amounts payable are determined on a quarterly basis based on pre-approved percentages for each Named Executive Officer multiplied by the amount, if any, that net sales for the applicable quarter exceed net sales for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

 

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  Additional information regarding the business measurements and performance goals for determining the payments are described in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Annual Incentive Compensation” in this proxy statement. When determining the performance goals, the Compensation Committee did not place a limit on the non-equity incentive compensation that could be earned by the Named Executive Officers in fiscal 2016; however, the maximum amount of incentive compensation that any Named Executive Officer may earn in a 12-month period under the 2006 Plan is $5,000,000.
(2) This column shows the number of shares of restricted stock awarded in 2016 to the Named Executive Officers under the 2007 Plan. These shares are scheduled to vest in two equal installments on May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to the executive’s continued service on the applicable vesting date, except for the shares awarded to David Weinberg, which are scheduled to vest as follows: 50,000 shares on each of May 1, 2017 and 2018, and 37,500 shares on each of May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to Mr. Weinberg’s continued service on the applicable vesting date.
(3) This column shows the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards in 2016, as calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The fair value was calculated using the closing price of our Class A Common Stock on the grant dates for the shares awarded, which was $31.29 per share on March 30, 2016.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2016 Fiscal Year-End

The following table provides information on the outstanding stock awards, specifically unvested shares of restricted stock, held by the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2016. Each stock award is shown separately for each of the Named Executive Officers. The market value of each stock award is based on the closing price of our Class A Common Stock as of December 30, 2016, which was $24.58. None of the Named Executive Officers held any outstanding option awards as of December 31, 2016. For additional information about option awards and stock awards, see the description of equity-based compensation in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in this proxy statement.

 

     Stock Awards  

Name of Executive

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

Robert Greenberg

    

150,000

100,000

(1) 

(2) 

   

3,687,000

2,458,000

 

 

Michael Greenberg

    

300,000

90,000

(3) 

(2) 

   

7,374,000

2,212,200

 

 

David Weinberg

    

190,000

75,000

(1) 

(2) 

   

4,670,200

1,843,500

 

 

Mark Nason

    

60,000

50,000

(1) 

(2) 

   

1,474,800

1,229,000

 

 

Philip Paccione

    

60,000

30,000

(1) 

(2) 

   

1,474,800

737,400

 

 

 

(1) Shares of restricted stock scheduled to vest in two equal installments on May 1, 2017 and 2018, subject to the executive’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.
(2) Shares of restricted stock scheduled to vest in two equal annual installments on May 1, 2019 and 2020, subject to the executive’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.
(3) Shares of restricted stock scheduled to vest in two equal annual installments on November 1, 2017 and 2018, subject to the executive’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

 

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Options Exercised and Stock Vested in Fiscal 2016

The following table provides information for the Named Executive Officers regarding the number of shares acquired in 2016 upon the vesting of restricted stock awards and the value realized, each before payment of any applicable withholding tax and broker commissions. None of the Named Executive Officers exercised any stock options in 2016.

 

     Stock Awards  

Name of Executive

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

Robert Greenberg

     45,000        1,509,300  

Michael Greenberg

     150,000        3,108,000  

David Weinberg

     45,000        1,509,300  

Mark Nason

     15,000        503,100  

Philip Paccione

     15,000        503,100  

 

(1) Amounts are calculated by multiplying the number of shares acquired on vesting of the related stock awards by the closing price per share of our company’s Class A Common Stock on the date of vesting.

Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan

The following table provides information about contributions to, aggregate losses and account balances under, our Deferred Compensation Plan, as more fully described below, in 2016. Other than David Weinberg and Philip Paccione, none of the other Named Executive Officers participated in our Deferred Compensation Plan during 2016.

 

Name of Executive

   Executive
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year ($)(1)
     Registrant
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year ($)
     Aggregate
Gains in
Last Fiscal
Year ($)(2)
     Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distributions ($)
     Aggregate Balance at
December 31, 2016 ($)
 

David Weinberg

     892,046        —          224,331        —          3,155,941 (3) 

Philip Paccione

     13,143        —          6,921        —          162,351 (4) 

 

(1) The amount of the contributions made by the Named Executive Officer, as reported above, is also included in the Named Executive Officer’s compensation reported in the Summary Compensation Table for 2016 either as “Salary” or “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.”
(2) The amount in this column represents the gains and losses by funds in which investments were made under the Deferred Compensation Plan. The aggregate losses are not reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
(3) Includes $2,843,272 reported in the Summary Compensation Table for 2013 through 2016.
(4) Includes $156,034 reported in the Summary Compensation Table for 2014 through 2016.

Under the Deferred Compensation Plan, eligible employees, including our Named Executive Officers, are permitted to defer receipt of up to 75% of their base salary and 100% of their commissions and bonuses. A participant’s deferrals are deemed 100% vested at all times and are credited to an account balance. This account balance represents a participant’s entire interest under the Deferred Compensation Plan. The Deferred Compensation Plan provides the opportunity for us to contribute additional discretionary contributions to an eligible employee’s account if authorized by the Compensation Committee and subject to such terms and conditions as provided by the Compensation Committee. At present, however, the Compensation Committee has not authorized any such contributions.

A participant shall receive his or her account balance following the first to occur of: (i) a separation from service, (ii) a specified date elected by the participant, (iii) disability, (iv) death (with account balance distributed to a designated beneficiary) or (v) an unforeseeable emergency (as determined at the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee). Generally, the account balance will be distributed in a single lump sum regardless of the payment event. If, however, a participant separates from service within two years following a change in control of our company, or separates from service with five years of service and the sum of his or her age and years of employment is at least 65 years, payment of the participant’s account balance under the Deferred Compensation Plan may be made in a series of payments over a period of two to ten years instead of a single

 

40


lump sum (subject to a timely participant election). Similarly, if a participant has established one or more specified dates upon which to receive a distribution of his or her account balance (or a portion thereof) or becomes disabled, payment of the participant’s account balance under the Deferred Compensation Plan may be made in a series of payments over a period of two to five years instead of a single lump sum (subject to a timely participant election).

The Deferred Compensation Plan is an unfunded plan for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. A “rabbi trust” has been established to satisfy our obligations under the plan. The Deferred Compensation Plan provides investment options, or fund media, amongst which participants make investment allocations that provide the basis on which gains and losses are attributed to account balances under the plan, and such options may change from time to time. In 2016, the Deferred Compensation Plan permitted participants to choose from among 37 investment options. The rates of return for 2016 ranged from -10.48% to 43.71%.

The investment options under the Deferred Compensation Plan and their rates of return for 2016 are provided in the following table.

 

Name of Investment Option

   Rate of Return (%)  

American Century VP Mid Cap Value - Class I Shares

     22.85  

Davis Financial

     14.25  

Deutsche Small Cap Index VIP - Class A Shares

     21.03  

Fidelity VIP Balanced - Service Class 2

     6.98  

Fidelity VIP Contrafund - Service Class 2

     7.73  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2005 - Service Class 2

     4.78  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2010 - Service Class 2

     5.23  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2015 - Service Class 2

     5.58  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 - Service Class 2

     5.80  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2025 - Service Class 2

     5.98  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 - Service Class 2

     6.37  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2035 - Service Class 2

     6.52  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 - Service Class 2

     6.53  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2045 - Service Class 2

     6.56  

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 - Service Class 2

     6.56  

Fidelity VIP Freedom Income - Service Class 2

     4.17  

Fidelity VIP Government Money Market – Service Class 2

     0.01  

Great-West MFS International Value

     3.88  

Great-West T. Rowe Price Mid Cap Growth

     6.18  

Invesco V.I. High Yield - Series I Shares

     11.21  

Invesco V.I. International Growth - Series I Shares

     -0.45  

Invesco V.I. Managed Volatility - Series I Shares

     10.61  

Janus Aspen Series Global Technology - Instl Shares

     14.21  

MFS VIT Global Equity - Initial Class

     7.35  

PIMCO VIT Real Return - Admin Class

     5.20  

PIMCO VIT Total Return - Admin Class

     2.68  

T. Rowe Price Health Sciences

     -10.48  

T. Rowe Price New America Growth

     1.31  

Van Eck VIP Emerging Markets - Initial Class

     0.10  

Van Eck VIP Global Hard Assets - Initial Class

     43.71  

Vanguard VIF Diversified Value

     12.96  

Vanguard VIF Equity Index

     11.81  

Vanguard VIF International

     1.88  

Vanguard VIF Mid-Cap Index

     11.11  

Vanguard VIF Short-Term Investment-Grade

     2.72  

Vanguard VIF Small Company Growth

     14.94  

Vanguard VIF Total Bond Market Index

     2.47  

 

41


Termination and Change of Control Benefits

Michael Greenberg’s Employment Agreement

The Employment Agreement with Mr. Greenberg provides for certain severance payments and benefits upon certain terminations of employment, including in connection with a change in control of our company, described as follows:

 

   

The Employment Agreement provides that if Mr. Greenberg’s employment with us is terminated by us with “cause” or by Mr. Greenberg without “good reason”, or on account of his death or “disability” (each as defined in the Employment Agreement), he (or his estate) will be paid his then current salary earned through the date of termination, in addition to any accrued but unused vacation.

 

   

If Mr. Greenberg’s employment with us is terminated by us without “cause” or by Mr. Greenberg for “good reason,” or by us without “cause” upon a “change in control” (as defined in the Employment Agreement) or within 120 days after a “change in control,” he will be paid his then current salary earned through the date of termination, in addition to any accrued but unused vacation. Mr. Greenberg will also be entitled to receive, subject to Mr. Greenberg delivering a valid release and waiver of claims in favor of our company, the total gross amount equal to his base salary for the remainder of the four-year term (at the annual rate payable at the time of such termination), plus annual incentive compensation for each of the remaining fiscal years in the four-year term equal to the highest amount of the annual incentive compensation that was earned by Mr. Greenberg in any fiscal year in the four-year term prior to his termination, less any annual incentive compensation already paid for the fiscal year in which he was terminated, and we will accelerate the vesting of all restricted shares of our Class A Common Stock held by Mr. Greenberg, provided that such acceleration is allowed by the terms of the 2007 Plan and the 2014 Restricted Stock Agreement.

 

   

Should Mr. Greenberg’s payments or benefits (whether under the Employment Agreement or any other plan or arrangement) be subject to the excise tax imposed under Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code, the Employment Agreement provides that such payments or benefits will be reduced so that the present value of the total amount received by Mr. Greenberg will be one dollar less than three times his average yearly taxable income for the five most recent years and so that no portion of such payments or benefits will be subject to such excise tax.

The following table sets forth the estimated amounts Mr. Greenberg would have been entitled to receive under the terms of the Employment Agreement and the 2014 Restricted Stock Agreement had his employment with us terminated and/or a change in control of our company occurred on the last business day of fiscal 2016, which was December 30, 2016. These amounts do not include the incentive compensation that Mr. Greenberg earned for the fourth quarter of 2016 under the 2006 Plan, which he also would have been entitled to receive if any of these trigger events had occurred on December 30, 2016.

 

Name                                         

           Triggering Event            Cash
    Severance ($)(1)    
   Value of Accelerated
  Restricted Stock ($)(2)  
             Total ($)           

Michael Greenberg

   Death/Disability                 
   Termination Without
Cause or Resign For
Good Reason
   7,579,942      9,586,200        17,166,142  
   Change in Control         9,586,200        9,586,200  
   Change in Control and

Termination

   7,579,942      9,586,200        17,166,142  

 

(1) Represents an amount equal to the sum of $2,750,000, which is Mr. Greenberg’s annual base salary on December 30, 2016, plus $1,039,971, which is the annual incentive compensation that he earned in 2016, multiplied by two, which represents the remaining two years of the four-year term under the Employment Agreement.
(2) Represents the value of the acceleration of vesting of Mr. Greenberg’s outstanding restricted stock, based on the closing price of our Class A Common Stock on December 30, 2016, which was $24.58 per share.

 

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These benefits do not include any amounts with respect to fully vested Deferred Compensation Plan (as defined below) or 401(k) profit sharing plan benefits. In addition to these change in control and termination benefits, outstanding equity-based awards held by Mr. Greenberg may also be subject to accelerated vesting in connection with certain changes in control of our company under the terms of the 2007 Plan, as described below and in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Employment Agreements and Change of Control Provisions—Change of Control Provisions” in this proxy statement.

2007 Incentive Award Plan

Upon a “change of control” under the 2007 Plan, Robert Greenberg, Michael Greenberg, David Weinberg, Mark Nason and Philip Paccione would be entitled to full vesting of their outstanding restricted stock if the awards are not converted, assumed, or replaced by a successor entity, which would be valued at $6,145,000, $9,586,200, $6,513,700, $2,703,800, $2,212,200, respectively, based on the closing price of our Class A Common Stock on December 30, 2016, which was $24.58 per share. As of December 31, 2016, there were no outstanding unvested stock options under the 2007 Plan held by any of the Named Executive Officers.

For additional information about change of control terms under the 2007 Plan, see the description provided in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in this proxy statement.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2016 regarding compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance.

 

Plan Category

   Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
    Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
     Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance  under equity
compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
 
     (a)     (b)      (c)  

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders:

       

2007 Plan

             —                      9,682,643  

2008 ESPP

                  5,432,396  
  

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total plans approved by security holders

     (1)              15,115,039 (2) 
  

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total

              15,115,039  
  

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

(1) Amount does not include an additional 3,043,164 shares of restricted stock, which were awarded under the 2007 Plan, that were outstanding as of December 31, 2016.
(2) The shares available for issuance under the 2007 Plan are available for issuance as restricted stock and other forms of equity-based compensation in addition to stock options, warrants and rights.

Relationship of Risk to Compensation Policies and Practices

In April 2017, our company’s management and Compensation Committee reviewed our compensation policies and practices to determine whether any potential risks related to our compensation policies and practices for executives and other employees could encourage decision making that could expose our company to unreasonable risks of material adverse consequences to our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The Compensation Committee discussed these potential pay risks with management and determined that any such pay risks do not expose our company to any risks that could result in a material adverse effect to our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

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REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

The Audit Committee consists of three non-employee directors who are independent under the standards adopted by the Board of Directors and applicable NYSE Rules and SEC standards. The Audit Committee is responsible for oversight and evaluation of (i) the quality and integrity of Skechers’ financial statements, (ii) the performance of Skechers’ internal audit and internal controls functions in addition to financial risk assessment and management applicable to Skechers, (iii) Skechers’ policies and procedures regarding transactions with related persons, (iv) the appointment, compensation, independence and performance of Skechers’ independent registered public accounting firm, BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”), and (v) Skechers’ compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

The Audit Committee has done the following:

 

   

it reviewed and discussed with Skechers’ management, internal finance staff, internal auditors and BDO, with and without management present, Skechers’ audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, management’s assessment of the effectiveness of Skechers’ internal control over financial reporting, and BDO’s evaluation of Skechers’ internal control over financial reporting;

 

   

it discussed with BDO the results of its examinations and the judgments concerning the quality, as well as the acceptability, of Skechers’ accounting principles and such other matters that Skechers is required to discuss with its independent registered public accounting firm under applicable rules, regulations and U.S. generally accepted auditing standards (including Auditing Standard No. 1301, “Communications with Audit Committees” as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board); and

 

   

it received from BDO the written disclosures and the letter required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and discussed with BDO its independence from Skechers and management, including a consideration of the compatibility of non-audit services with their independence, the scope of the audit and the fees paid to BDO during the year.

Based on our review and the discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 be included in Skechers’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 for filing with the SEC.

Respectfully submitted,

Morton Erlich, Chairman

Geyer Kosinski

Richard Siskind

 

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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Fees to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015

BDO provided services for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 in the categories and amounts as follows:

 

Service

   2016      2015  

Audit fees(1)

   $ 1,855,000      $ 1,587,000  

Audit-related fees(2)

     6,000        —    

Tax fees(3)

     176,000        138,000  

All other fees

     —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total audit and non-audit fees

   $ 2,037,000      $ 1,725,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) These are fees for the audit of our annual financial statements and the review of our annual report on Form 10-K, the review of financial statements included in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, the attestation of the effectiveness of internal controls under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and consultations regarding financial accounting and reporting, as well as for services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
(2) These are fees for the audit of gross receipts from one of our domestic retail stores.
(3) These are fees for U.S. federal, state and international tax compliance and tax consulting.

Pre-Approval Policy

The Audit Committee’s Pre-Approval Policy provides for pre-approval of specifically described audit, audit-related, tax and all other services by the Audit Committee in order to ensure that the provision of such services does not impair the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence. The Pre-Approval Policy also provides a list of prohibited non-audit services. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm has received general pre-approval, the requested service will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee. The term of any pre-approved services is 12 months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee specifically provides for a different period. The Audit Committee will periodically review and may revise the list of pre-approved services, based on subsequent determinations. Pre-approval fee levels for all services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm are established annually by the Audit Committee after the independent registered public accounting firm’s appointment for the then current fiscal year has been approved by the Audit Committee. Any fees for proposed services exceeding these levels will also require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee. All services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in 2016 were pre-approved in accordance with the Audit Committee’s pre-approval requirements.

Attendance at Annual Meeting

A representative of BDO will attend the Annual Meeting to make any statements he or she may desire and to respond to appropriate stockholder questions.

 

45


SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock as of March 31, 2017 by (i) each of our directors, (ii) each of our Named Executive Officers, (iii) each person that we know to be a beneficial owner of more than 5% of either class of our Common Stock and (iv) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Each stockholder’s percentage of ownership in the following table is based upon 133,778,930 shares of Class A Common Stock and 24,545,188 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding as of March 31, 2017. Our Class B Common Stock is convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. In computing the number of shares of our Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage of beneficial ownership of that person, shares of Class A Common Stock underlying notes, options or shares of Class B Common Stock held by that person that are convertible or exercisable, as the case may be, within 60 days of March 31, 2017 are included. Those shares, however, are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. To our knowledge, unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table and subject to applicable community property laws, each person named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of Class A and Class B Common Stock set forth opposite such person’s name. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes below, the address of each beneficial owner listed below is c/o Skechers U.S.A., Inc., 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266.

 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number of
Class A Shares
Beneficially Owned
    Percentage of
Class A Shares
Beneficially Owned
    Number of
Class B Shares
Beneficially Owned
    Percentage of
Class B Shares
Beneficially Owned
 

5% stockholders:

       

FMR LLC

    19,998,448 (1)      14.9     —         —    

BlackRock, Inc.

    10,810,496 (2)      8.1       —         —    

The Vanguard Group, Inc.

    9,943,683 (3)      7.4       —         —    

Skechers Voting Trust

    13,684,670 (4)      9.3       13,684,670 (5)      55.8

Gil Schwartzberg

    8,412,382 (6)      5.9       8,412,382 (7)      34.3  

Named Executive Officers and directors:

       

Robert Greenberg

    19,246,371 (8)      12.6     18,468,678 (9)      75.2

Michael Greenberg

    1,373,416 (10)      1.7       821,023 (11)      6.9  

Jeffrey Greenberg

    2,090,4501 (12)      2.2       948,525 (13)      7.4  

David Weinberg

    403,283 (14)      *       —         —    

Mark Nason

    78,752       *       —         —    

Philip Paccione

    60,000       *       —         —    

Morton Erlich

    37,000 (15)      *       —         —    

Geyer Kosinski

    22,000       *       —         —    

Richard Rappaport

    27,500 (16)      *       —         —    

Richard Siskind

    205,999       *       —         —    

Thomas Walsh

    10,750       *       —         —    

All current directors and executive officers as a group (11 persons)

    23,555,521       15.3     20,238,226       82.5

 

* Less than 1.0%

 

(1)

Information is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2017 and represents the number of shares beneficially owned as of December 31, 2016. FMR LLC has sole voting power with respect to 5,000,013 shares and sole dispositive power with respect to 19,998,448 shares. Each of FIAM LLC, Fidelity Institutional Asset Management Trust Company and FMR Co., Inc beneficially owns shares of Class A Common Stock, with FMR Co beneficially owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock. Abigail P. Johnson is a Director, the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Ms. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned

 

46


  directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act (“Fidelity Funds”) advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the funds’ Boards of Trustees. FMR Co carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. The principal business office of FMR LLC is located at 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
(2)

Information is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 27, 2017 and represents the number of shares beneficially owned as of December 31, 2016. BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) has sole voting power with respect to 10,094,367 shares and sole dispositive power with respect to 10,810,496 shares held by the following subsidiaries: BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Capital Management, BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Ltd and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC. The principal business office of BlackRock is located at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.

(3) Information is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017 and represents the number of shares beneficially owned as of December 31, 2016. The Vanguard Group, Inc. (“Vanguard”) has sole voting power with respect to 76,356 shares, of which 69,692 shares are held by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company, for which Vanguard serves as investment manager of collective trust accounts, and 21,520 shares are held by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vanguard Investments Australia, Ltd., for which Vanguard serves as investment manager of Australian investment offerings. Vanguard has shared voting power with respect to 14,856 shares. Vanguard has sole dispositive power with respect to 9,859,135 shares and shared dispositive power with respect to 84,548 shares. The principal business office of Vanguard is located at 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.
(4) Represents shares of Class B Common Stock that are convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Beneficial ownership of these shares is described in greater detail in note 5 below.
(5) Robert Greenberg and Gil Schwartzberg agreed to place certain shares of Class B Common Stock that they beneficially owned into the Skechers Voting Trust, of which they serve as co-trustees, pursuant to an agreement that was entered into on March 2, 2016. Mr. Greenberg contributed 8,500,000 shares that were held by the Greenberg Family Trust, of which he and his wife serve as co-trustees, to the Skechers Voting Trust. During the 15-year term of the Skechers Voting Trust (unless terminated sooner by the co-trustees), Mr. Greenberg has sole voting power with respect to these shares, and these shares may not be withdrawn from the Skechers Voting Trust in accordance with the terms of the Skechers Voting Trust. Mr. Schwartzberg has contributed 5,184,670 shares of Class B Common Stock that he beneficially owned to the Skechers Voting Trust. Mr. Schwartzberg has sole voting power with respect to these shares and shared dispositive power with Mr. Greenberg and the beneficiaries of these shares. Each beneficiary may withdraw the shares held by the Skechers Voting Trust in which he or she has an interest at any time, but only with the consent of the co-trustees. The principal business address of the Skechers Voting Trust is c/o Regina Brown, CPA, 21440 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, California 91364.
(6) Represents shares of Class B Common Stock that are convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Beneficial ownership of these shares is described in greater detail in note 7 below.
(7)

Represents 1,613,856 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Robert Y. Greenberg 2012 Annuity Trust and 1,613,856 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the M. Susan Greenberg 2012 Annuity Trust (collectively, the “Annuity Trusts”), and 5,184,670 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Skechers Voting Trust. Gil Schwartzberg may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Annuity Trusts as sole trustee of those trusts, and Mr. Schwartzberg has sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to the shares held by the Annuity Trusts. Mr. Schwartzberg may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Skechers Voting Trust as its co-trustee, with sole voting power and shared dispositive

 

47


  power with respect to these shares. Mr. Schwartzberg disclaims beneficial ownership of any of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The principal business office of Mr. Schwartzberg is located at 5500 Military Trail, Suite 22, Jupiter, Florida 33458.
(8) Includes 18,468,678 shares of Class B Common Stock that are convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Beneficial ownership of these shares is described in greater detail in note 9 below.
(9) Represents 4,784,008 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Greenberg Family Trust (the “Trust”) that Robert Greenberg, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, is deemed to beneficially own as a trustee of the Trust. His wife, Susan Greenberg, is also a trustee of the Trust and is also deemed to beneficially own all shares held by the Trust. Also, represents 13,684,670 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Skechers Voting Trust. Mr. Greenberg may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Skechers Voting Trust as its co-trustee, with sole voting power and shared dispositive power with respect to 8,500,000 of these shares and shared dispositive power with respect to 5,184,670 of these shares. Mr. Greenberg disclaims beneficial ownership of any of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(10) Includes 821,023 shares of Class B Common Stock that are convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis, and 150,714 shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Michael Greenberg, our President and a member of our Board of Directors, indirectly through his children. Mr. Greenberg disclaims beneficial ownership of these 150,714 shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. Beneficial ownership of the 821,023 shares of Class B Common Stock is described in greater detail in note 11 below.
(11) Represents 667,123 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Michael Greenberg Trust that Michael Greenberg is deemed to beneficially own as trustee of such trust, and 153,900 shares of Class B Common Stock held in various trust accounts for Mr. Greenberg’s minor children and of which a third party acts as trustee. Mr. Greenberg disclaims beneficial ownership of the 153,900 shares held in various trusts for his minor children except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(12) Includes 948,525 shares of Class B Common Stock that are convertible at any time into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis, and 303,372 shares of Class A Common Stock held in various trust accounts for Mr. Greenberg’s two daughters who are minors and of which Mr. Greenberg is deemed to beneficially own as trustee of such trusts. Beneficial ownership of the 948,525 shares of Class B Common Stock is described in greater detail in note 13 below.
(13) Represents 364,365 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Jeffrey and Lori Greenberg Family Trust that Jeffrey Greenberg, a member of our Board of Directors, is deemed to beneficially own as trustee of such trust, and an additional 4,344 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Jeffrey and Lori Greenberg Family Trust that are his wife’s separate property,. Also, represents 524,964 shares of Class B Common Stock held in various trust accounts for Mr. Greenberg’s two daughters who are minors and of which Mr. Greenberg is deemed to beneficially own as he or his wife is trustee of such trusts, and 32,376 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Chloe July Greenberg custodial account and 22,476 shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Catherine Elle Greenberg custodial account, for which one of his siblings acts as custodian. These custodial accounts are for the benefit of Mr. Greenberg’s two daughters who are minors, and he disclaims beneficial ownership of the 54,852 shares held in the two custodial accounts and the 4,344 shares that are his wife’s separate property, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(14) Includes 183,283 shares of Class A Common Stock that David Weinberg, our Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President and a member of our Board of Directors, is deemed to beneficially own as sole trustee of The David Weinberg Trust dated September 7, 2000.
(15) Includes 24,000 shares of Class A Common Stock held by The Erlich Family Trust that Morton Erlich, a member of our Board of Directors, is deemed to beneficially own as a trustee of such trust.
(16) Includes 6,000 shares of Class A Common Stock held in trust accounts for two of Mr. Rappaport’s daughters, who share the same household as him, and of which Mr. Rappaport is deemed to beneficially own as trustee of such trusts.

 

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COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act requires our officers, directors and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our securities, to file with the SEC reports of initial ownership (Form 3’s) and reports of changes in ownership (Form 4’s and 5’s) of our securities. Officers, directors and greater than ten percent stockholders are required by the SEC’s regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms that they file. Based on our review of copies of Form 3’s, 4’s and 5’s furnished to us as well as communications with our officers, directors and greater than ten percent stockholders, we believe that all of them complied with the filing requirements of Section 16(a) and we are not aware of any late or missed filings of such reports for the 2016 fiscal year, except that Jeffrey Greenberg filed one late report on Form 4 on June 16, 2016 with respect to a sale of shares on June 1, 2016.

TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS

Policies and Procedures

As provided in our Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee shall review (i) at least annually a summary of directors’ and executive officers’ related party transactions and potential conflicts of interest and our policies relating to the avoidance of conflicts of interest (which is discussed in our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics), (ii) past and proposed transactions between our company, on the one hand, and any of our directors or executive officers, on the other hand, and (iii) policies and procedures as well as audit results associated with directors’ and executive officers’ expense accounts and perquisites, including the use of corporate assets.

Our Policies and Procedures for Related Person Transactions (the “Policy”), which was adopted by the Board of Directors as of March 8, 2007, covers any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) in which (i) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $100,000 in any calendar year, (ii) we are a participant, and (iii) any Related Person has or will have a direct or indirect interest (other than solely as a result of being a director or a less than ten percent beneficial owner of another entity). A “Related Person” is (a) any person who is or was (since the beginning of the last fiscal year for which we have filed a Form 10-K and proxy statement, even if they do not presently serve in that role) an executive officer, director or nominee for election as a director of Skechers, (b) a greater than five percent beneficial owner of our Class A or Class B Common Stock or (c) an immediate family member of either of the foregoing.

Certain categories of transactions with Related Persons (such as transactions involving competitive bids) have been reviewed and pre-approved by the Audit Committee under the Policy. The Audit Committee shall review the material facts of all other transactions with Related Persons that require the Committee’s approval. If advance approval by the Audit Committee of a transaction with a Related Person is not feasible, then the transaction shall be considered and, if the Committee determines it to be appropriate, ratified at the Committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting. Factors that the Audit Committee will take into account include whether the transaction with a Related Person is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the Related Person’s interest in the transaction. No Audit Committee member shall participate in any discussion or approval of a transaction with a Related Person pursuant to which he is a Related Person except for providing material information concerning the transaction. For those transactions with a Related Person that are ongoing, the Audit Committee, on at least an annual basis, shall review and assess ongoing relationships with the Related Person to determine that the transaction with the Related Person remains appropriate.

The following list of transactions with Related Persons includes all such transactions equal to or greater than $120,000 that took place since January 1, 2016. Each of these transactions was reviewed, and approved or ratified by the Audit Committee, pursuant to the policies and procedures discussed herein.

 

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Related Person Transactions

Jeffrey Greenberg, Jason Greenberg, Joshua Greenberg and Jennifer Greenberg Messer, who are the children of Robert Greenberg and also the siblings of Michael Greenberg, are non-executive employees of Skechers, and they earned total compensation of $276,230, $2,860,601, $2,327,619 and $226,245, respectively, in 2016. Jeffrey Greenberg was also a member of our Board of Directors in 2016, but did not earn any additional compensation for services provided as a director.

Andrew Weinberg and Jeffrey Weinberg, who are the sons of David Weinberg, are non-executive employees of Skechers, and they earned total compensation of $537,615 and $369,675, respectively, in 2016.

NOMINATIONS AND STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2018 ANNUAL MEETING

Stockholder proposals intended to be presented at our next Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 2018 must be received at our principal executive offices no later than January 1, 2018 to be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to that meeting. Proposals must comply with the proxy rules relating to stockholder proposals, in particular Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act, to be included in our proxy materials. Stockholders who wish to submit a proposal for consideration at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, but who do not wish to submit a proposal for inclusion in our proxy statement, must, in accordance with our bylaws, deliver a copy of their proposal no later than March 24, 2018, the close of business on the 60th day, nor earlier than February 22, 2018, the close of business on the 90th day in advance of the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days or delayed by more than 60 days from such anniversary date, notice must be delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 90th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by our company. In either case, proposals should be sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to Skechers U.S.A., Inc., 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266, Attention: General Counsel.

OTHER BUSINESS

Our Board of Directors does not know of any other matter to be acted upon at the meeting. However, if any other matter shall properly come before the meeting, the proxy holders named in the proxy accompanying this proxy statement will have authority to vote all proxies in accordance with their discretion.

 

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LOGO

Philip G. Paccione, Corporate Secretary

Dated: May 1, 2017

Manhattan Beach, California

 

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APPENDIX A

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

2017 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

ARTICLE 1.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2017 Incentive Award Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (the “Company”) by linking the individual interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

ARTICLE 2.

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

2.1 “Administrator” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 12. With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 12.6, or as to which the Board has assumed, the term “Administrator” shall refer to such person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.

2.2 “Applicable Accounting Standards” shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.

2.3 “Applicable Law” shall mean any applicable law, including without limitation: (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether federal, state, local or foreign; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

2.4 “Award” shall mean an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, an Other Stock or Cash Based Award or a Dividend Equivalent award, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

2.5 “Award Agreement” shall mean any written notice, agreement, terms and conditions, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine consistent with the Plan.

2.6 “Award Limit” shall mean with respect to Awards that shall be payable in Shares or in cash, as the case may be, the respective limit set forth in Section 3.2.

2.7 “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

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2.8 “Change in Control” shall mean and includes each of the following:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; provided, however, that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or the Greenberg Group; (ii) any acquisition by an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) any acquisition which complies with Sections 2.8(c)(i) or 2.8(c)(ii); or (iv) in respect of an Award held by a particular Holder, any acquisition by the Holder or any group of persons including the Holder (or any entity controlled by the Holder or any group of persons including the Holder); or

(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in clause (a), (c) or (d) hereof whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof;

(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination, (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(i) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(ii) after which no person or group (other than any member of the Greenberg Group) beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.8(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or

(d) The Company’s stockholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, then, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the

 

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occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

2.9 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.

2.10 “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board described in Article 12 hereof.

2.11 “Common Stock” shall mean the Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

2.12 “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

2.13 “Consultant” shall mean any consultant or adviser engaged to provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for registration of shares on a Form S-8 Registration Statement.

2.14 “Covered Employee” shall mean any Employee who is, or could become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

2.15 “Director” shall mean a member of the Board, as constituted from time to time.

2.16 “Director Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

2.17 “Dividend Equivalent” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 10.2.

2.18 “DRO” shall mean a “domestic relations order” as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or the rules thereunder.

2.19 “Effective Date” shall mean the date of the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company, provided that the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders on such date.

2.20 “Eligible Individual” shall mean any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a Non-Employee Director, as determined by the Administrator.

2.21 “Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder) of the Company or of any Subsidiary.

2.22 “Equity Restructuring” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a change in the per-share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

2.23 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

2.24 “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any given date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

(a) If the Common Stock is (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select

 

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Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) listed, quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(b) If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

(c) If the Common Stock is neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in good faith.

2.25 “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” shall mean an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) or parent corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code).

2.26 “Greenberg Group” means Robert Greenberg, M. Susan Greenberg, any member of their family, the Greenberg Family Trust, or any entity controlled by any of the foregoing.

2.27 “Holder” shall mean a person who has been granted an Award.

2.28 “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

2.29 “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a Director of the Company who is not an Employee.

2.30 “Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

2.31 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.32 “Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 6. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided, however, that Options granted to Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

2.33 “Option Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

2.34 “Organizational Documents” shall mean, collectively, (a) the Company’s articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents relating to the creation and governance of the Company, and (b) the Committee’s charter or other similar organizational documentation relating to the creation and governance of the Committee.

2.35 “Other Stock or Cash Based Award” shall mean a cash bonus award, stock bonus award, performance award or incentive award that is paid in cash, Shares or a combination of both, awarded under Section 10.1, which may include, without limitation, deferred stock, deferred stock units, stock payments and performance awards.

 

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2.36 “Performance-Based Compensation” shall mean any compensation that is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.

2.37 “Performance Criteria” shall mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator selects for an Award for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period, determined as follows:

(a) The Performance Criteria that shall be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: (i) net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of the following: interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash equity-based compensation expense), (ii) economic value-added, (iii) gross or net sales or revenue or sales revenue growth, (iv) net income (either before or after taxes and share-based compensation), (v) adjusted net income, (vi) operating earnings or profit (either before or after taxes), (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), (viii) return on capital (or invested capital), (ix) return on assets, (x) return on shareholders’ equity, (xi) return on capital, (xii) shareholder returns, (xiii) return on sales, (xiv) gross or net profit or operating margin, (xv) productivity, (xvi) expense, (xvii) costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures, (xiii) funds from operations, (xix) margins, (xx) operating efficiency, (xxi) customer satisfaction, (xxii) working capital, (xxiii) earnings or loss per share, (xxiv) adjusted earnings or loss per share, (xxv) price per share, (xxvi) market share, (xxvii) regulatory achievements or compliance (including, without limitation, regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product), (xxiii) implementation or completion of critical projects, (xxix) economic value, (xxx) booked revenue pursuant to revenue recognition policies of the Company, (xxxi) growth in deferred revenue and (xxxii) product line revenue, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.

(b) The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in Applicable Accounting Standards; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the sale or disposition of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under Applicable Accounting Standards; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of stock occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; (xi) items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ core, on-going business activities; (xiv) items related to acquired in-process research and development; (xv) items relating to changes in tax laws; (xvi) items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; (xvii) items relating to asset impairment charges; (xviii) items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; (xix) items related to software revenue recognition; (xx) items related to deferred revenue growth; (xxi) items attributable to expenses incurred in connection with a reduction in force or early retirement initiative; or (xxii) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable Law, Applicable Accounting Standards or business conditions. For all Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such determinations shall be made within the time prescribed by, and otherwise in compliance with, Section 162(m) of the Code.

2.38 “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business unit, or an individual. The achievement of each Performance Goal shall be determined, to the extent applicable, with reference to Applicable Accounting Standards.

 

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2.39 “Performance Period” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Holder’s right to, vesting of, and/or the payment in respect of, an Award.

2.40 “Permitted Transferee” shall mean, with respect to a Holder, any “family member” of the Holder, as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act (or any successor form thereto), after taking into account Applicable Law.

2.41 “Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

2.42 “Program” shall mean any program adopted by the Administrator pursuant to the Plan containing the terms and conditions intended to govern a specified type of Award granted under the Plan and pursuant to which such type of Award may be granted under the Plan.

2.43 “Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article 8 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture or repurchase.

2.44 “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean an Award providing for the right to receive Shares awarded under Article 9.

2.45 “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.

2.46 “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

2.47 “Shares” shall mean shares of Common Stock.

2.48 “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean an Award entitling the Holder (or other person entitled to exercise pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion thereof (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per share of such Award from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of such Award by the number of Shares with respect to which such Award shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose.

2.49 “SAR Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

2.50 “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

2.51 “Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

 

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2.52 “Termination of Service” shall mean:

(a) As to a Consultant, the time when the engagement of a Holder as a Consultant to the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, by resignation, discharge, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Consultant simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

(b) As to a Non-Employee Director, the time when a Holder who is a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a Director for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Holder simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

(c) As to an Employee, the time when the employee-employer relationship between a Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement; but excluding terminations where the Holder simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether a Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for cause and all questions of whether particular leaves of absence constitute a Termination of Service; provided, however, that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Program, Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code and the then-applicable regulations and revenue rulings under said Section. For purposes of the Plan, a Holder’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relationship shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary employing or contracting with such Holder ceases to remain an Subsidiary following any merger, sale of stock or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off).

ARTICLE 3.

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares.

(a) Subject to Sections 3.1(b) and 13.2, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards (including, without limitation, Incentive Stock Options) under the Plan is 10,000,000 Shares (the “Share Limit”). Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury Common Stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.

(b) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited or expire, or such Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part) (including Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 8.4 at the same price paid by the Holder), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan and shall be added back to the Share Limit in the same number of Shares as were debited from the Share Limit in respect of the grant of such Award (as may be adjusted in accordance with Section 13.2 hereof). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 3.1(a) and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Holder or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Holder or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax

 

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withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (iii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (iv) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

(c) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 of the Code. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan to the extent that grants of Awards using such available Shares are (i) permitted without stockholder approval under the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed and (ii) made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

3.2 Limitation on Number of Shares Subject to Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Section 13.2, the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one person during any calendar year shall be 1,500,000 Shares and the maximum aggregate amount of cash that may be paid in cash to any one person during any calendar year with respect to one or more Awards payable in cash shall be $15,000,000. To the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code, Shares subject to Awards which are canceled shall continue to be counted against the Award Limit.

ARTICLE 4.

GRANTING OF AWARDS

4.1 Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom an Award shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. Except for any Non-Employee Director’s right to Awards that may be required pursuant to the Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy as described in Section 4.6, no Eligible Individual or other Person shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Holders or any other persons uniformly. Participation by each Holder in the Plan shall be voluntary and nothing in the Plan or any Program shall be construed as mandating that any Eligible Individual or other Person shall participate in the Plan.

4.2 Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for such Award as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion (consistent with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Program). Award Agreements evidencing Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code. Award Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

4.3 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act

 

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(including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.4 At-Will Service. Nothing in the Plan or in any Program or Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Holder any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Director or Consultant for, the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and any Subsidiary, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Holder at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.

4.5 Foreign Holders. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or applicable Program to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Non-Employee Directors or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any foreign securities exchange or other Applicable Law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with Applicable Law (including, without limitation, applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange); (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable; provided, however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitation contained in Section 3.1, the Award Limit or the Director Limit; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange.

4.6 Non-Employee Director Awards. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors shall be granted pursuant to a written nondiscretionary formula established by the Administrator (the “Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy”), subject to the limitations of the Plan. The Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy shall set forth the type of Award(s) to be granted to Non-Employee Directors, the number of Shares to be subject to Non-Employee Director Awards, the conditions on which such Awards shall be granted, become exercisable and/or payable and expire, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine in its sole discretion. The Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy may be modified by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in the Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy, the grant date fair value (determined as of the date of grant under Applicable Accounting Standards) of equity-based Awards granted to any Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed $500,000 (the “Director Limit”).

ARTICLE 5.

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS INTENDED TO QUALIFY AS PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION

5.1 Purpose. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, (a) determine whether an Award is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, and (b) at any time after such determination, alter such intent for any or no reason. If the Administrator, in its sole discretion, decides to grant an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation (other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right), then the provisions of this Article 5 shall control over any contrary provision contained in the Plan or any applicable Program; provided that, if after such decision the Administrator alters such intention for any reason, the provisions of this Article 5 shall no longer control over any other provision contained in the Plan or any applicable Program. The

 

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Administrator may, in its sole discretion, (i) grant Awards to other Eligible Individuals that are based on Performance Criteria or Performance Goals or any such other criteria and goals as the Administrator shall establish, but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Article 5 and that are not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, and (ii) subject any Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation to additional conditions and restrictions unrelated to any Performance Criteria or Performance Goals (including, without limitation, continued employment or service requirements) to the extent such Awards otherwise satisfy the requirements of this Article 5 with respect to the Performance Criteria and Performance Goals applicable thereto. Unless otherwise specified by the Administrator at the time of grant, the Performance Criteria with respect to an Award intended to be Performance-Based Compensation payable to a Covered Employee shall be determined on the basis of Applicable Accounting Standards.

5.2 Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards. To the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, with respect to any Award which is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, no later than 90 days following the commencement of any Performance Period or any designated fiscal period or period of service (or such earlier time as may be required under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Administrator shall, in writing, (a) designate one or more Eligible Individuals, (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the Performance Period, (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period based on the Performance Criteria, and (d) specify the relationship between Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Administrator shall certify in writing whether and the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned under such Awards, the Administrator (i) shall, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, have the right to reduce or eliminate the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Administrator may deem relevant, including the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period, but (ii) shall in no event have the right to increase the amount payable for any reason.

5.3 Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Program or Award Agreement and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code, as to an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Holder must be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary throughout the Performance Period. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Holder shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to such Awards for a Performance Period only if and to the extent the Performance Goals for such Performance Period are achieved.

5.4 Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan and except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Award which is granted to an Eligible Individual and is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in Section 162(m) of the Code or any regulations or rulings issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as Performance-Based Compensation, and the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

ARTICLE 6.

GRANTING OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

6.1 Granting of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals. The Administrator is authorized to grant Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine, which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.

6.2 Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of the Company’s present or future “parent corporations” or “subsidiary corporations” as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any

 

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other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. No person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Holder during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively), exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the fair market value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. Any interpretations and rules under the Plan with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Neither the Company nor the Administrator shall have any liability to a Holder, or any other Person, (a) if an Option (or any part thereof) which is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option or (b) for any action or omission by the Company or the Administrator that causes an Option not to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, including without limitation, the conversion of an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option or the grant of an Option intended as an Incentive Stock Option that fails to satisfy the requirements under the Code applicable to an Incentive Stock Option.

6.3 Option and Stock Appreciation Right Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to each Option and Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 424 and 409A of the Code.

6.4 Option and SAR Term. The term of each Option (the “Option Term”) and the term of each Stock Appreciation Right (the “SAR Term”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the Option Term or SAR Term, as applicable, shall not be more than (a) ten (10) years from the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted to an Eligible Individual (other than a Greater Than 10% Stockholder), or (b) five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder or the first sentence of this Section 6.4 and without limiting the Company’s rights under Section 11.7, the Administrator may extend the Option Term of any outstanding Option or the SAR Term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise, and may amend, subject to Section 11.7 and 13.1, any other term or condition of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right relating to such Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise.

6.5 Option and SAR Vesting. The period during which the right to exercise, in whole or in part, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right vests in the Holder shall be set by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, the applicable Program or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (a) no portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable and (b) the portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire on the date of such Termination of Service.

 

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6.6 Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option; provided that such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price, vesting schedule and remaining term as the substituted Option.

ARTICLE 7.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

7.1 Exercise and Payment. An exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part. However, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional Shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares. Payment of the amounts payable with respect to Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Article 7 shall be in cash, Shares (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Administrator.

7.2 Manner of Exercise. Except as set forth in Section 7.3, all or a portion of an exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, the stock plan administrator of the Company or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed or otherwise acknowledged electronically by the Holder or other person then entitled to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right or such portion thereof;

(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law.

(c) In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Section 11.3 by any person or persons other than the Holder, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and

(d) Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes for the Shares with respect to which the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 11.1 and 11.2.

7.3 Notification Regarding Disposition. The Holder shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two years from the date of grant (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) of such Option to such Holder, or (b) one year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Holder. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Holder in such disposition or other transfer.

 

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ARTICLE 8.

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK

8.1 Award of Restricted Stock. The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan or any applicable Program, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate. The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock; provided, however, that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value, if any, of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock to the extent required by Applicable Law.

8.2 Rights as Stockholders. Subject to Section 8.4, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Holder shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject to the restrictions in the Plan, any applicable Program and/or the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares to the extent such dividends and other distributions have a record date that is on or after the date on which the Holder to whom such Restricted Stock are granted becomes the record holder of such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the Shares may be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 8.3. In addition, with respect to a share of Restricted Stock with performance-based vesting, dividends which are paid prior to vesting shall only be paid out to the Holder to the extent that the performance-based or contingent vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the share of Restricted Stock vests.

8.3 Restrictions. All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by Holders thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement. By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the applicable Program or Award Agreement.

8.4 Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, if no price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall automatically be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration on the date of such Termination of Service. If a price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Holder the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Holder for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the applicable Program or Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that upon certain events, including, without limitation, a Change in Control, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service or any other event, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall not lapse, such Restricted Stock shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.

8.5 Section 83(b) Election. If a Holder makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Holder would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Holder shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

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ARTICLE 9.

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

9.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Individual selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator.

9.2 Term. Except as otherwise provided herein, the term of a Restricted Stock Unit award shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

9.3 Purchase Price. The Administrator shall specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the Holder to the Company with respect to any Restricted Stock Unit award; provided, however, that value of the consideration shall not be less than the par value of a Share, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.

9.4 Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, vesting based upon the Holder’s duration of service to the Company or any Subsidiary, one or more Performance Criteria, Company or Subsidiary performance, individual performance or other specific criteria, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods, as determined by the Administrator.

9.5 Payment. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the payment date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units, which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the Holder (if permitted by the applicable Award Agreement), consistent with the applicable provisions of Section 409A of the Code or an exemption therefrom. On the payment date, the Company shall, in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement and subject to Section 11.4(f), transfer to the Holder one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited, or in the sole discretion of the Administrator, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the payment date or a combination of cash and Common Stock as determined by the Administrator.

9.6 Payment upon Termination of Service. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall only be payable while the Holder is an Employee, a Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) that a Restricted Stock Unit award may be paid subsequent to a Termination of Service in certain events, including a Change in Control, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service.

ARTICLE 10.

AWARD OF OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

10.1 Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. The Administrator is authorized to (a) grant Other Stock or Cash Based Awards, including awards entitling a Holder to receive Shares or cash to be delivered immediately or in the future, to any Eligible Individual and (b) determine whether such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards shall be Performance-Based Compensation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Program, the Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including the term of the Award, any exercise or purchase price, performance goals, including the Performance Criteria, transfer restrictions, vesting conditions and other terms and conditions applicable thereto, which shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Administrator, and may be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan, as stand-alone payments, as a part of a bonus, deferred bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, and/or as payment in lieu of compensation to which an Eligible Individual is otherwise entitled.

 

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10.2 Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Stock, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Holder (or such other date as may be determined by the Administrator) and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be determined by the Administrator. In addition, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award with performance-based vesting that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall only be paid out to the Holder to the extent that the performance-based vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

ARTICLE 11.

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

11.1 Payment. The Administrator shall determine the method or methods by which payments by any Holder with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash or check, (b) Shares (including Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise, vesting or payment of the Award) having a fair market value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Holder has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator in its sole discretion, or (e) any combination of the above permitted forms of payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Holder who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment, with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

11.2 Tax Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Holder to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Holder’s FICA, employment tax or other social security contribution obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Holder arising as a result of the Plan or any Award. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, satisfy, or allow a Holder to satisfy, such obligations by any payment means described in Section 11.1 hereof, including without limitation, by withholding, or allowing such Holder to elect to have the Company or any Subsidiary withhold, Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a fair market value on the date of withholding or repurchase no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory withholding rates in the applicable jurisdiction. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

 

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11.3 Transferability of Awards.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 11.3(b) and 11.3(c):

(i) No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than (A) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or (B) subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed;

(ii) No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for or otherwise subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Holder or the Holder’s successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 11.3(a)(i); and

(iii) During the lifetime of the Holder, only the Holder may exercise any exercisable portion of an Award granted to such Holder under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO. After the death of the Holder, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement, be exercised by the Holder’s personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Holder’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder or a Permitted Transferee of such Holder to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is intended to become a Nonqualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Holder, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than (A) to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder or (B) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Holder (other than the ability to further transfer the Award to any Person other than another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder); and (iii) the Holder (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the receiving Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (C) evidence the transfer. In addition, and further notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and other Applicable Law, the Holder is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), a Holder may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Holder and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Holder’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Program or Award Agreement applicable to the Holder and any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Holder is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as the Holder’s beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Holder’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the

 

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Holder’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Holder, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Holder’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Holder at any time; provided that the change or revocation is delivered in writing to the Administrator prior to the Holder’s death.

11.4 Conditions to Issuance of Shares.

(a) The Administrator shall determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Holders. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with Applicable Law and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Holder make such reasonable covenants, agreements and representations as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with Applicable Law.

(b) All share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares (including, without limitation, restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock).

(c) The Administrator shall have the right to require any Holder to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.

(d) No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.

(e) The Company, in its sole discretion, may (i) retain physical possession of any stock certificate evidencing Shares until any restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and/or (ii) require that the stock certificates evidencing such Shares be held in custody by a designated escrow agent (which may but need not be the Company) until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that the Holder deliver a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to such Shares.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company shall not deliver to any Holder certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).

11.5 Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions. All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Holder upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement, be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, whether or not such claw-back policy was in place at the time of grant of an Award.

11.6 Prohibition on Repricing. Subject to Section 13.2, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation

 

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Right to reduce its price per Share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares.

11.7 Amendment of Awards. Subject to Section 11.6 and Applicable Law, the Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or settlement, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Holder’s consent to such action shall be required unless (a) the Administrator determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Holder, or (b) the change is otherwise permitted under the Plan (including, without limitation, under Section 13.2 or 13.10).

11.8 Data Privacy. As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Holder explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section 11.8 by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its Subsidiaries may hold certain personal information about a Holder, including but not limited to, the Holder’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), any shares of stock held in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, details of all Awards, in each case, for the purpose of implementing, managing and administering the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration and management of a Holder’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries may each further transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company and its Subsidiaries in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. These recipients may be located in the Holder’s country, or elsewhere, and the Holder’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. Through acceptance of an Award, each Holder authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the Holder may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Holder will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Holder’s participation in the Plan. A Holder may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Holder, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Holder, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Holder or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Holder’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Holder may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Holder refuses or withdraws his or her consents as described herein. For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Holders may contact their local human resources representative.

ARTICLE 12.

ADMINISTRATION

12.1 Administrator. The Committee shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein). To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and with respect to Awards that are intended to be Performance-Based Compensation, including Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, then the Committee shall take all action with respect to such Awards, and the individuals taking such action shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, each of whom is intended to qualify as both a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule and an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or

 

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automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 12.1 or the Organizational Documents. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Organizational Documents or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, (a) appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, (b) Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board and (c) vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and, with respect to such Awards, the terms “Administrator” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (b) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 12.6.

12.2 Duties and Powers of Administrator. It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, all Programs and Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and any Program as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement; provided that the rights or obligations of the Holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Program or Award Agreement are not materially adversely affected by such amendment, unless the consent of the Holder is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Section 11.5 or Section 13.10. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee in its capacity as the Administrator under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule, or Section 162(m) of the Code, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

12.3 Action by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Board, set forth in any Organizational Documents or as required by Applicable Law, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

12.4 Authority of Administrator. Subject to the Organizational Documents, any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

(a) Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;

(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Individual (including, without limitation, any Awards granted in tandem with another Award granted pursuant to the Plan);

(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, purchase price, any Performance Criteria or other performance criteria, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and claw-back and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;

 

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(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Holder;

(g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

(h) Establish, adopt, or revise any Programs, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement;

(j) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan; and

(k) Accelerate wholly or partially the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Award or portion thereof at any time after the grant of an Award, subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects and Section 13.2.

12.5 Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding and conclusive on all Persons.

12.6 Delegation of Authority. The Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 12; provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (b) Covered Employees with respect to Awards intended to constitute Performance Based Compensation, or (c) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided, further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under any Organizational Documents and Applicable Law (including, without limitation, Section 162(m) of the Code). Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or that are otherwise included in the applicable Organizational Documents, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 12.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.

ARTICLE 13.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

13.1 Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 13.1(b), the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board; provided that, except as provided in Section 11.5 and Section 13.10, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Holder, materially adversely affect any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 13.1(a), the Board may not, except as provided in Section 13.2, take any of the following actions without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before

 

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or after such action: (i) increase the limit imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, the Award Limit or the Director Limit, (ii) reduce the price per share of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan or take any action prohibited under Section 11.6, or (iii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation of Section 11.6.

(c) No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event may any Incentive Stock Option be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the earlier of (i) the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Board or (ii) the date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders (such anniversary, the “Expiration Date”). Any Awards that are outstanding on the Expiration Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan, the applicable Program and the applicable Award Agreement.

13.2 Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events.

(a) In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the Administrator may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to: (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, and adjustments of the Award Limit); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan. Any adjustment affecting an Award intended as Performance-Based Compensation shall be made consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code unless otherwise determined by the Administrator.

(b) In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 13.2(a) or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards:

(i) To provide for the termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property with a value equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 13.2 the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment);

(ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

 

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(iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares of the Company’s stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future;

(iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement;

(v) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

(vi) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.

(c) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 13.2(a) and 13.2(b):

(i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted (and the adjustments provided under this Section 13.2(c)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Holder and the Company); and/or

(ii) The Administrator shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitation in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, and adjustments of the Award Limit).

(d) Except as may otherwise be provided in any applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement entered into between the Company (or a Subsidiary) and a Holder, if a Change in Control occurs and a Holder’s outstanding Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced by the surviving or successor entity in such Change in Control, then, immediately prior to the Change in Control, such outstanding Awards, to the extent not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced, shall become fully vested and, as applicable, exercisable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse.

(e) The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

(f) Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Section 13.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent it would (i) with respect to Awards which are granted to Covered Employees and are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, cause such Award to fail to so qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, (ii) cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, (iii) result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, or (iv) cause an Award to fail to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A.

(g) The existence of the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and/or the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

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(h) In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Stock including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Company, in its sole discretion, may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.

13.3 Approval of Plan by Stockholders. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan.

13.4 No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Holder becomes the record owner of such Shares.

13.5 Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Holder may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

13.6 Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Subsidiary. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

13.7 Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law (including but not limited to state, federal and foreign securities law and margin requirements), and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to effect compliance with Applicable Law, including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

13.8 Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

13.9 Governing Law. The Plan and any Programs and Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of California without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.

 

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13.10 Section 409A. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Plan, the Program pursuant to which such Award is granted and the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A. In that regard, to the extent any Award under the Plan or any other compensatory plan or arrangement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to Section 409A, and such Award or other amount is payable on account of a Participant’s Termination of Service (or any similarly defined term), then (a) such Award or amount shall only be paid to the extent such Termination of Service qualifies as a “separation from service” as defined in Section 409A, and (b) if such Award or amount is payable to a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A then to the extent required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A, such Award or other compensatory payment shall not be payable prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, or (ii) the date of the Participant’s death. To the extent applicable, the Plan, the Program and any Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator may (but is not obligated to), without a Holder’s consent, adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under Section 409A. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any Award under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 13.10 or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Holder or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant, “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Section 409A.

13.11 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Holder pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement shall give the Holder any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

13.12 Indemnification. To the extent permitted under Applicable Law and the Organizational Documents, each member of the Administrator shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Organizational Documents, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

13.13 Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

13.14 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

* * * * *

 

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I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. on April 17, 2017.

* * * * *

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. on                  , 2017.

Executed on this      day of             , 2017.

 

 

Corporate Secretary

 

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APPENDIX B

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

ARTICLE I.

PURPOSE, SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

1.1 Purpose and Scope. The purpose of the Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”), is to assist employees of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (the “Company”) and its Designated Subsidiaries in acquiring a stock ownership interest in the Company pursuant to a plan which is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code and to help such employees provide for their future security and to encourage them to remain in the employment of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

ARTICLE II.

DEFINITIONS

Whenever the following terms are used in the Plan, they shall have the meaning specified below unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

2.1 “Administrator” shall mean the Committee, or such individuals to which authority to administer the Plan has been delegated under Section 7.1 hereof.

2.2 “Agent” means the brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution, entity or person(s), if any, engaged, retained, appointed or authorized to act as the agent of the Company or an Employee with regard to the Plan.

2.3 “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.4 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2.5 “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or another committee or subcommittee of the Board or the Compensation Committee described in Article 7 hereof.

2.6 “Common Stock” shall mean the Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

2.7 “Company” shall have such meaning as set forth in Section 1.1 hereof.

2.8 “Compensation” of an Employee shall mean the regular straight-time earnings or base salary, bonuses and commissions paid to the Employee from the Company on each Payday as compensation for services to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, before deduction for any salary deferral contributions made by the Employee to any tax-qualified or nonqualified deferred compensation plan, including overtime, shift differentials, vacation pay, salaried production schedule premiums, holiday pay, jury duty pay, funeral leave pay, paid time off, military pay, prior week adjustments and weekly bonus, but excluding education or tuition reimbursements, imputed income arising under any group insurance or other benefit program, travel expenses, business and moving reimbursements, income received in connection with any stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other compensatory equity awards and all contributions made by the Company or any Designated Subsidiary for the Employee’s benefit under any employee benefit plan now or hereafter established. Such Compensation shall be calculated before deduction of any income or employment tax withholdings, but shall be withheld from the Employee’s net income.

 

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2.9 Designated Subsidiary shall mean each Subsidiary that have been designated by the Board or Committee from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan, including any Subsidiary in existence on the Effective Date and any Subsidiary formed or acquired following the Effective Date, in accordance with Section 7.2 hereof.

2.10 “Effective Date” shall mean the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders.

2.11 “Eligible Employee” shall mean an Employee (a) whose customary employment is more than five (5) months in a calendar year and (b) who after the granting of the Option would not be deemed for purposes of Section 423(b)(3) of the Code to possess five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary. For purposes of clause (b), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code with regard to the attribution of stock ownership shall apply in determining the stock ownership of an individual, and stock which an Employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the Employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may exclude from participation in the Plan as an Eligible Employee (x) any Employee that is a “highly compensated employee” of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code), or that is such a “highly compensated employee” (A) with compensation above a specified level, (B) who is an officer and/or (C) is subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and/or (y) any Employee who is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction (without regard to whether they are also a citizen of the United States or a resident alien (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) if either (i) the grant of the Option is prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction governing such Employee, or (ii) compliance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction would cause the Plan or the Option to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code; provided that any exclusion in clauses (x), and/or (y) shall be applied in an identical manner under each Offering Period to all Employees of the Company and all Designated Subsidiaries, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e).

2.12 “Employee” shall mean any person who renders services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary in the status of an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. “Employee” shall not include any director of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary who does not render services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary in the status of an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on military leave, sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or Designated Subsidiary and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2). Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months, or such other period specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2), and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three (3)-month period, or such other period specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2).

2.13 “Grant Date” shall mean the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.

2.14 “Exercise Date” shall mean the last Trading Day of each Offering Period, except as provided in Section 5.2 hereof.

2.15 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

2.16 “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

(a) If the Common Stock is (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) listed, quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no

 

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closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(b) If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

(c) If the Common Stock is neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in good faith.

2.17 “New Exercise Date” shall have such meaning as set forth in Section 5.2(b) hereof.

2.18 “Offering Period” shall mean each approximately six-(6) month period commencing on each June 1 and December 1 following the Effective Date, except as provided under Section 5.2 hereof; provided, however, that the first Offering Period commencing on or after the Effective Date shall commence on January 1, 2018 and end on May 31, 2018. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be established or changed by the Board or Committee at any time, in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may an Offering Period exceed twenty-seven (27) months.

2.19 “Option” shall mean the right to purchase Shares pursuant to the Plan during each Offering Period.

2.20 “Option Price” shall mean the purchase price of a Share hereunder as provided in Section 4.2 hereof.

2.21 “Parent” means any entity that is a parent corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

2.22 “Participant” shall mean any Eligible Employee who elects to participate in the Plan.

2.23 “Payday” shall mean the regular and recurring established day for payment of Compensation to an Employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary.

2.24 “Plan” shall have such meaning as set forth in Section 1.1 hereof.

2.25 “Plan Account” shall mean a bookkeeping account established and maintained by the Company in the name of each Participant.

2.26 “Section 423 Option” shall have such meaning as set forth in Section 3.1(b) hereof.

2.27 “Share” shall mean a share of Common Stock.

2.28 “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity that is a subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder. In addition, with respect to any sub-plans adopted under Section 7.1(d) hereof which are designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code, Subsidiary shall include any corporate or noncorporate entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect equity interest or significant business relationship.

 

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2.29 “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed is open for trading or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a securities exchange, shall mean a business day, as determined by the Administrator in good faith.

2.30 “Withdrawal Election” shall have such meaning as set forth in Section 6.1(a) hereof.

ARTICLE III.

PARTICIPATION

3.1 Eligibility.

(a) Any Eligible Employee who shall be employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on a given Grant Date for an Offering Period shall be eligible to participate in the Plan during such Offering Period, subject to the requirements of Articles IV and V hereof, and the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

(b) No Eligible Employee shall be granted an Option under the Plan which permits the Participant’s rights to purchase Shares under the Plan, and to purchase stock under all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary subject to the Section 423 of the Code (any such Option or other option, a “Section 423 Option”), to accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of fair market value of such stock (determined at the time the Section 423 Option is granted) for each calendar year in which any Section 423 Option granted to the Participant is outstanding at any time. For purposes of the limitation imposed by this subsection,

(i) the right to purchase stock under a Section 423 Option accrues when the Section 423 Option (or any portion thereof) first becomes exercisable during the calendar year,

(ii) the right to purchase stock under a Section 423 Option accrues at the rate provided in the Section 423 Option, but in no case may such rate exceed $25,000 of fair market value of such stock (determined at the time such option is granted) for any one calendar year, and

(iii) a right to purchase stock which has accrued under a Section 423 Option may not be carried over to any other Section 423 Option; provided that Participants may carry forward amounts so accrued that represent a fractional share of stock and were withheld but not applied towards the purchase of Shares under an earlier Offering Period, and may apply such amounts towards the purchase of additional Shares under a subsequent Offering Period.

The limitation under this Section 3.1(b) shall be applied in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

3.2 Election to Participate; Payroll Deductions

(a) Except as provided in Section 3.3 hereof, an Eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan only by means of payroll deduction. Each individual who is an Eligible Employee as of an Offering Period’s Grant Date may elect to participate in such Offering Period and the Plan by delivering to the Company a payroll deduction authorization prior to the applicable Grant Date (or by such period of time prior to the Grant Date as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion).

(b) Subject to Section 3.1(b) hereof, payroll deductions with respect to an Offering Period (i) shall be equal to at least one percent (1%) but not more than fifteen percent (15%) of the Participant’s Compensation as of each Payday during the Offering Period following the Grant Date; and (ii) shall be expressed as a whole number percentage. Amounts deducted from a Participant’s Compensation with respect to an Offering Period pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall be deducted each Payday through payroll deduction and credited to the Participant’s Plan Account.

 

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(c) A Participant may decrease (to as low as zero) the amount deducted from such Participant’s Compensation during an Offering Period by providing written notice to the Company, which decrease shall be implemented as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of such notice. A Participant may not increase the amount deducted from such Participant’s Compensation during an Offering Period.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the completion of an Offering Period, each Participant in such Offering Period shall automatically participate in the Offering Period that commences immediately following Offering Period at the same payroll deduction percentage as in effect at the completion of the prior Offering Period, unless such Participant delivers to the Company a different election with respect to the successive Offering Period in accordance with Section 3.2(a) hereof, or unless such Participant becomes ineligible for participation in the Plan.

3.3 Leave of Absence. During leaves of absence approved by the Company and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2) under the Code, a Participant may continue participation in the Plan by making cash payments to the Company on his or her normal payday equal to his or her authorized payroll deduction.

ARTICLE IV.

PURCHASE OF SHARES

4.1 Grant of Option. Each Participant shall be granted an Option with respect to an Offering Period on the applicable Grant Date. Subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(b) hereof, the number of Shares subject to a Participant’s Option as of any Exercise Date shall be determined by dividing (a) such Participant’s payroll deductions accumulated prior to an Exercise Date and retained in the Participant’s Plan Account on such Exercise Date by (b) the applicable Option Price; provided that in no event shall a Participant be permitted to purchase during any Offering Period more than that number of Shares (subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof) determined by dividing $25,000 by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date. The Administrator may, for future Offering Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of Shares that a Participant may purchase during such future Offering Periods. Each Option shall expire on the Exercise Date for the applicable Offering Period immediately after the automatic exercise of the Option in accordance with Section 4.3 hereof, unless such Option terminates earlier in accordance with Article 6 hereof.

4.2 Option Price. The “Option Price” per Share to be paid by a Participant upon exercise of the Participant’s Option on the applicable Exercise Date for an Offering Period shall be equal to eighty five percent (85%) of the lesser of the Fair Market Value of a Share on (a) the applicable Grant Date and (b) the applicable Exercise Date; provided that in no event shall the Option Price per Share be less than the par value per Share.

4.3 Purchase of Shares.

(a) On the applicable Exercise Date for an Offering Period, each Participant shall automatically and without any action on such Participant’s part be deemed to have exercised his or her Option to purchase at the applicable Option Price the largest number of whole Shares which can be purchased with the amount in the Participant’s Plan Account. Any balance, if any, remaining in the Participant’s Plan Account (after exercise of such Participant’s Option) as of the Exercise Date shall be carried forward to the next Offering Period, unless the Participant has elected to withdraw from the Plan pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof or, pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof, such Participant has ceased to be an Eligible Employee. Any balance not carried forward to the next Offering Period in accordance with the prior sentence promptly shall be refunded to the applicable Participant. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall an amount greater than or equal to the per share Option Price as of an Exercise Date be carried forward to the next Offering Period.

(b) As soon as practicable following the applicable Exercise Date, the number of Shares purchased by such Participant pursuant to Section 4.3(a) hereof shall be delivered (either in share certificate or book entry

 

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form), in the Company’s sole discretion, to either (i) the Participant or (ii) an account established in the Participant’s name at a stock brokerage or other financial services firm designated by the Company. If the Company is required to obtain from any commission or agency authority to issue any such Shares, the Company shall seek to obtain such authority. Inability of the Company to obtain from any such commission or agency authority which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance of any such shares shall relieve the Company from liability to any Participant except to refund to the Participant such Participant’s Plan Account balance, without interest thereon.

4.4 Transferability of Rights.

(a) An Option granted under the Plan shall not be transferable, other than by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant. No option or interest or right to the Option shall be available to pay off any debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or his or her successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempt at disposition of the option shall have no effect.

ARTICLE V.

PROVISIONS RELATING TO COMMON STOCK

5.1 Common Stock Reserved. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.2 hereof, the maximum number of Shares that shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 5,000,000. Shares made available for sale under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares of Common Stock, or reacquired shares reserved for issuance under the Plan.

5.2 Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Asset Sale.

(a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but not yet placed under Option, as well as the price per share and the number of Shares covered by each Option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Administrator, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Option.

(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Exercise Date (the “New Exercise Date”), and such Offering Period shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator. The New Exercise Date shall be before the date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator shall notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option shall be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 6.1 hereof or the Participant has ceased to be an Eligible Employee as provided in Section 6.2 hereof.

 

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(c) Merger or Asset Sale. In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger of the Company with or into another corporation, each outstanding Option shall be assumed or an equivalent Option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the Option is not assumed or substituted, any Offering Periods then in progress shall be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date and any Offering Periods then in progress shall end on the New Exercise Date. The New Exercise Date shall be before the date of the Company’s proposed sale or merger. The Administrator shall notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option shall be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 6.1 hereof or the Participant has ceased to be an Eligible Employee as provided in Section 6.2 hereof.

5.3 Insufficient Shares. If the Administrator determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of Shares with respect to which Options are to be exercised may exceed the number of Shares remaining available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date, the Administrator shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares available for issuance on such Exercise Date in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising Options to purchase Shares on such Exercise Date, and unless additional shares are authorized for issuance under the Plan, no further Offering Periods shall take place and the Plan shall terminate pursuant to Section 7.5 hereof. If an Offering Period is so terminated, then the balance of the amount credited to the Participant’s Plan Account which has not been applied to the purchase of Shares shall be paid to such Participant in one (1) lump sum in cash within thirty (30) days after such Exercise Date, without any interest thereon.

5.4 Rights as Stockholders. With respect to Shares subject to an Option, a Participant shall not be deemed to be a stockholder of the Company and shall not have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder. A Participant shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder of the Company when, but not until, Shares have been deposited in the designated brokerage account following exercise of his or her Option.

ARTICLE VI.

TERMINATION OF PARTICIPATION

6.1 Cessation of Contributions; Voluntary Withdrawal.

(a) A Participant may cease payroll deductions during an Offering Period and elect to withdraw from the Plan by delivering written notice of such election to the Company in such form and a reasonable time prior to the Exercise Date for such Offering Period as may be established by the Administrator (a “Withdrawal Election”). Amounts credited to the Plan Account of a Participant electing to withdraw from the Plan shall be returned to the Participant in one (1) lump-sum payment in cash within thirty (30) days after such election is received by the Company, without any interest thereon, and the Participant shall cease to participate in the Plan and the Participant’s Option for such Offering Period shall terminate. As soon as practicable following the Company’s receipt of a Withdrawal Election, the Participant’s payroll deduction authorization and his or her Option to purchase Shares under the Plan shall terminate.

(b) A Participant’s withdrawal from the Plan shall not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in succeeding Offering Periods which commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.

(c) A Participant who ceases contributions to the Plan during any Offering Period shall not be permitted to resume contributions to the Plan during that Offering Period.

6.2 Termination of Eligibility. Upon a Participant’s ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any reason, such Participant’s Option for the applicable Offering Period shall automatically terminate, he or she shall be

 

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deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan, and such Participant’s Plan Account shall be paid to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto pursuant to applicable law, within thirty (30) days after such cessation of being an Eligible Employee, without any interest thereon.

ARTICLE VII.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

7.1 Administration.

(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which (unless otherwise determined by the Board) shall consist solely of two or more members of the Board, each of whom is intended to qualify as a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded, in each case, to the extent required under such provision. The Committee may delegate administrative tasks under the Plan to the services of an Agent and/or Employees to assist in the administration of the Plan, including establishing and maintaining an individual securities account under the Plan for each Participant.

(b) It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Plan. The Administrator shall have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To establish and terminate Offering Periods;

(ii) To determine when and how Options shall be granted and the provisions and terms of each Offering Period (which need not be identical);

(iii) To select Designated Subsidiaries in accordance with Section 7.2 hereof; and

(iv) To construe and interpret the Plan, the terms of any Offering Period and the terms of the Options and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation, and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules. The Administrator, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, any Offering Period or any Option, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effect, subject to Section 423 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

(c) The Administrator may adopt rules or procedures relating to the operation and administration of the Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding handling of participation elections, payroll deductions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, payroll tax, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with local requirements. In its absolute discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Administrator under the Plan.

(d) The Administrator may adopt sub-plans applicable to particular Designated Subsidiaries or locations, which sub-plans may be designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code. The rules of such sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of this Plan, with the exception of Section 5.1 hereof, but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of this Plan shall govern the operation of such sub-plan.

(e) All expenses and liabilities incurred by the Administrator in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be borne by the Company. The Administrator may, with the approval of the Committee, employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, appraisers, brokers or other persons. The Administrator, the Company and its officers and directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any

 

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such persons. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith shall be final and binding upon all Participants, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Board or Administrator shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or the options, and all members of the Board or Administrator shall be fully protected by the Company in respect to any such action, determination, or interpretation.

7.2 Designation of Subsidiary Corporations. The Board or Committee shall designate from among the Subsidiaries, as determined from time to time, the Subsidiary or Subsidiaries that shall constitute Designated Subsidiaries. The Board or Committee may designate a Subsidiary, or terminate the designation of a Subsidiary, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

7.3 Reports. Individual accounts shall be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of Plan Accounts shall be given to Participants at least annually, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Option Price, the number of Shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

7.4 No Right to Employment. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to give any person (including any Participant) the right to remain in the employ of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary or to affect the right of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary to terminate the employment of any person (including any Participant) at any time, with or without cause, which right is expressly reserved.

7.5 Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

(a) The Board may, in its sole discretion, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time and from time to time; provided, however, that without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after action by the Board, the Plan may not be amended to increase the maximum number of Shares subject to the Plan, to change the designation or class of Eligible Employees or in any other manner that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders; and provided, further that without approval of the Company’s stockholders, the Plan may not be amended in any manner that would cause the Plan to no longer be an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code.

(b) In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, to the extent permitted under Section 423 of the Code, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:

(i) altering the Option Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Option Price;

(ii) shortening any Offering Period so that the Offering Period ends on a new Exercise Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator action; and

(iii) allocating Shares.

Such modifications or amendments shall not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Participant.

(c) Upon termination of the Plan, the balance in each Participant’s Plan Account shall be refunded as soon as practicable after such termination, without any interest thereon.

7.6 Use of Funds; No Interest Paid. All funds received by the Company by reason of purchase of Shares under the Plan shall be included in the general funds of the Company free of any trust or other restriction and may be used for any corporate purpose. No interest shall be paid to any Participant or credited under the Plan.

7.7 Term; Approval by Stockholders. No Option may be granted during any period of suspension of the Plan or after termination of the Plan. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. Options may be granted prior

 

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to such stockholder approval; provided, however, that such Options shall not be exercisable prior to the time when the Plan is approved by the stockholders; provided, further that if such approval has not been obtained by the end of said twelve (12)-month period, all Options previously granted under the Plan shall thereupon terminate and be canceled and become null and void without being exercised.

7.8 Effect Upon Other Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees of the Company or any Parent or any Subsidiary, or (b) to grant or assume Options otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose, including, but not by way of limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition, by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, firm or association.

7.9 Conformity to Securities Laws. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan and the participation in the Plan by any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemption rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

7.10 Notice of Disposition of Shares. Each Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares, acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option, if such disposition or transfer is made (a) within two (2) years after the applicable Grant Date or (b) within one (1) year after the transfer of such Shares to such Participant upon exercise of such Option. The Company may direct that any certificates evidencing shares acquired pursuant to the Plan refer to such requirement.

7.11 Tax Withholding. The Company or any Parent or any Subsidiary shall be entitled to require payment in cash or deduction from other compensation payable to each Participant of any sums required by federal, state or local tax law to be withheld with respect to any purchase of Shares under the Plan or any sale of such shares.

7.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all rights and obligations thereunder shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

7.13 Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

7.14 Conditions To Issuance of Shares.

(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Option by a Participant, unless and until the Board or the Committee has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed or traded, and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board or the Committee may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board or the Committee, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements.

(b) All certificates for Shares delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal, state, or foreign securities or other laws, rules and regulations and the rules

 

B-10


of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any certificate or book entry evidencing Shares to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares.

(c) The Committee shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Option, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Committee.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or required by any applicable law, rule or regulation, the Company may, in lieu of delivering to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Option, record the issuance of Shares in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).

7.15 Equal Rights and Privileges. Except with respect to sub-plans designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code, all Eligible Employees of the Company (or of any Designated Subsidiary) shall have equal rights and privileges under this Plan to the extent required under Section 423 of the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder so that this Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations thereunder. Any provision of this Plan that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations thereunder shall, without further act or amendment by the Company or the Board, be reformed to comply with the equal rights and privileges requirement of Section 423 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

* * * * * *

I hereby certify that the foregoing Skechers U.S.A., Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan was duly approved by the Board of Directors of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. on April 17, 2017.

I hereby certify that the foregoing Skechers U.S.A., Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan was duly approved by the stockholders of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. on             , 2017.

Executed on this      day of             , 2017.

 

 

Philip G. Paccione, Corporate Secretary

 

B-11


             

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

 

228 MANHATTAN BEACH BLVD.

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266

ATTN: TED WEITZMAN

      VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com        
     

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

 

       
      ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS        
     

If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.

 

       
      VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903        
     

Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

       
     

 

VOTE BY MAIL

       
     

Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.

       

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:

 

       KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS  
        DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY

THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.

 

                                                        
           

For

All

 

Withhold

All

 

For All

Except

       

To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below.

                 
    The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following:                                    
                                           
   

 

1.

 

 

Election of Director

                                     
   
     

Nominees

                                     
   
     

01 Geyer Kosinski        02 Richard Rappaport        03 Richard Siskind

                       
   
    The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 2.     For   Against   Abstain         The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR Proposal 4.         For    Against    Abstain    
   

 

2.

 

 

Advisory vote to approve compensation of Named Executive Officers.

   

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

4   Approve 2017 Incentive Award Plan.

  

 

  

 

  

 

   
                       

 

The Board of Directors recommends you vote for Proposal 5.

        For    Against    Abstain    
    The Board of Directors recommends you vote for THREE YEARS on the following proposal.   1 year   2 years   3 years   Abstain        

 

5  Approve 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

  

 

  

 

  

 

   
   

 

3

 

 

Advisory vote on frequency of future advisory votes to approve compensation of Named Executive Officers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

The Board of Directors recommends you vote AGAINST the following proposal:

        For    Against    Abstain    
                       

6  Stockholder proposal requesting the Board of Directors to adopt a policy and prepare a report regarding gender and racial diversity on the Board.

  

 

  

 

  

 

   
     

 

For address change/comments, mark here.

(see reverse for instructions)

     

 

Yes

 

 

No

 

 

     

 

NOTE: Each of the person’s named as proxies herein are authorized, in such person’s discretion, to vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or any adjournments thereof.

            
   

 

Please indicate if you plan to attend this meeting

   

       

 

       

                               
   

 

Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer.

      
          
               
                                               
   

Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]

 

 

Date

 

             

Signature (Joint Owners)                                              Date

 

                  

0000336953_1    R1.0.1.15


 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:

The Annual Report, Notice & Proxy Statement is/are available at www.proxyvote.com

 

 

 

 

 

SKECHERS U.S.A., INC.

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 11:00 AM

This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors

 

The undersigned stockholder(s) of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. a Delaware corporation, hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement, each dated May 1, 2017, and hereby appoints Morton Erlich and Thomas Walsh and each of them, with full power of substitution, as attorneys-in-fact and proxies for, and in the name and place of, the undersigned, and hereby authorizes each of them to represent and to vote all of the shares which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. to be held at our corporate offices located at 330 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California 90266, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time, and at any adjournments thereof, upon the matters as set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged. Directions to the Annual Meeting may be found by going to the annual meeting section of the investor relations page of our corporate information website at www.skx.com/investor.jsp.

THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED AND RETURNED IN A TIMELY MANNER, WILL BE VOTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENTS THEREOF IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER(S). IF NO SPECIFICATION IS MADE, THE PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 1, FOR APPROVAL OF PROPOSAL 2, 4 AND 5, FOR THREE YEARS UNDER PROPOSAL 3 AS DESCRIBED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT, AND AGAINST APPROVAL OF PROPOSAL 6, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JUDGMENT OF THE PERSONS NAMED AS PROXIES HEREIN ON ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING.

 

 

 

Address changes/comments:

 

 

   

 

   
              

(If you noted any Address Changes and/or Comments above, please mark corresponding box on the reverse side.)

Continued and to be signed on reverse side

 

0000336953_2    R1.0.1.15