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Insider Trading Arrangements
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Dec. 31, 2024
Trading Arrangements, by Individual [Table]    
Material Terms of Trading Arrangement [Text Block]  

Item 9B. Other Information.

 

Insider Trading Arrangements and Related Disclosure

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2024, none of our directors or officers adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K. 

 

Executive Severance & Change in Control Policy 

 

On March 21, 2025, (the “Effective Date”), the Board of Directors of the Company adopted the Aterian, Inc. Executive Severance Plan (the “Plan”) to provide Participants, as defined therein, with the opportunity to receive severance benefits in the event of certain terminations of employment. The Plan is intended to be a Top Hat welfare benefit plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and is designed to attract and retain qualified executives. The Administrator of the Plan is the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. The Administrator has the exclusive right, power and authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to administer and interpret the Plan. The Administrator has the exclusive power to determine who is eligible to receive benefits under the Plan and to designate Participants.

 

The Plan specifically provides that eligibility to receive benefits under the Plan is limited to a select group of management or highly compensated employees within the meaning of Sections 201, 301, and 404 of ERISA, each an “Eligible Employee.” Eligible Employee is more specifically defined as a full time executive of the Company who is designated a Participant by the Administrator and identified on Appendix A of the Plan. Appendix A is to be updated from time to time and remain current at all times. As of the Effective Date, all of the named executive officers are designated as Participants under the Plan on Appendix A.

 

The Plan provides for certain severance benefits to be paid to Participants when they experience a “Qualifying Termination” or a “Change in Control Qualifying Termination” (as both terms are defined in the Plan and described below). 

 

A Qualifying Termination means the termination of a Participant’s employment either (a) by the Company other than for Cause, the Participant’s death, or the Participant’s Disability; or (b) by the Participant for Good Reason; in each case, other than a termination of employment that qualifies as a “Change in Control Qualifying Termination. 

 

Similarly, a Change in Control Qualifying Termination means the termination of a Participant’s employment either  (a) by the Company other than for Cause, the Participant’s death, or the Participant’s Disability; or (b) by the Participant for Good Reason that occurred either (i) after a Change in Control and on or before the first anniversary thereof or (ii) at the request of a third party who had taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or in connection with or anticipation of a Change in Control.

 

The terms “Cause”, “Good Reason,” and “Change in Control” are all more specifically defined either in an in-force employment agreement entered into between the Company and the executive, or in the absence thereof, in the Plan.

 

In the event a Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination after the Effective Date, that Participant is entitled to severance in an amount equal to the Participant’s annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the date of the Qualifying Termination (“Severance”), plus a prorated annual bonus equal to the product of (i) the Annual Target Bonus, if any, for the Participant for the entire fiscal year in which the Qualifying Termination occurs; and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days the Participant was employed by the Company during the fiscal year in which the Qualifying Termination occurs and the denominator of which is the number of days in such year (a “Pro-Rata Bonus”). 

 

Additionally, subject to certain terms and conditions, for the twelve months following the date of Qualifying Termination, the Company shall cause the Company’s welfare plans to continue medical and dental benefits to the Participant and/or the Participant’s family on the same terms applicable to similarly situated active employees.

 

In the event a Participant experiences a Change in Control Qualifying Termination, the Participant shall be entitled to receive severance in an amount equal to the Participant’s base salary in effect immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control Qualifying Termination plus the Participant’s Annual Target Bonus for the year in which the Change in Control Qualifying Termination occurs (“Change in Control Severance”), plus a prorated annual bonus equal to the product of (i) the Annual Target Bonus, if any, for the Participant for the entire fiscal year in which the Change in Control Qualifying Termination occurs; and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days the Participant was employed by the Company during the fiscal year in which the Change in Control Qualifying Termination occurs and the denominator of which is the number of days in such year (a “Change in Control Pro-Rata Bonus”).

 

Additionally, subject to certain terms and conditions, for the twelve months following the date of the Change in Control Qualifying Termination, the Company shall cause the Company’s welfare plans to continue medical and dental benefits to the Participant and/or the Participant’s family on the same terms applicable to similarly situated active employees.

 

For any equity awards outstanding at the time of a Qualifying Termination, such awards shall not be terminated but shall continue to vest during the twelve month period following the Qualifying Termination.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the Participant serving as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer at the Effective Date, any outstanding equity awards shall not be terminated and shall immediately become fully vested upon a Qualifying Termination.  If a Participant experiences a Change in Control Qualifying Termination, the Participant’s outstanding unvested time-based equity awards shall become fully vested.

 

Payments under the Plan are designed, if applicable, to comply with Section 280G and 4999 of Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Nothing in the Plan provides for any “gross up” or similar payment for any excise taxes that may become payable in connection with a change in control, and payments may under certain circumstances be reduced in an effort to provide the Participant the best after-tax benefit. The Plan is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption thereunder and shall be construed and administered accordingly. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, payments provided under the Plan may only be made upon an event and in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code or an applicable exemption. Lastly, amounts payable under the Plan are also subject to any policy established by the Company at any time, providing for clawback or recovery of amounts that were paid to the Participant. All benefits provided under the Plan are further conditioned on the Participant executing customary releases of liability and restrictive covenants in favor of the Company.

 

The foregoing is only a summary of the Plan and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full and complete terms of the Plan, a copy of which is attached to this Annual Report on Form 10-K as Exhibit 10.30 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Adopted [Flag] false  
Non-Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Adopted [Flag] false  
Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Terminated [Flag] false  
Non-Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Terminated [Flag] false