UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): May 17, 2016


 

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

 

001 -08246   71-0205415
(Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

10000 Energy Drive

Spring, Texas

  77389
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(832) 796-1000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 


 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

        o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

        o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

        o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

        o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 


 

Section 5  Corporate Governance and Management  

 

Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

 

Incentive Plan Amendment

 

On May 17, 2016, at the annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Southwestern Energy Company (the “Company”), the Company’s stockholders voted to approve the Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”), as amended by the First Amendment (the “First Amendment”).  The 2013 Plan, as amended by the First Amendment, is referred to as the “Amended 2013 Plan.”  The Amended 2013 Plan was adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors on February 23, 2016.  The First Amendment modified the 2013 Plan as follows:

 

·          Increased the share reserve; switched to fungible share pool .  The number of shares available for issuance under the Amended 2013 Plan was increased by 13,350,000 shares to a total of  33,850,000 shares.  Under the Amended 2013 Plan, the shares available for issuance may be used for all types of awards under a fungible share ratio pursuant to which each share subject to a stock-settled award granted on or after May 17, 2016 (other than options and stock appreciation rights) will count against the share limit as 2.3 shares.

 

·          Increased the individual award limits .  The Amended 2013 Plan provides that the maximum number of shares subject to awards that may be granted to any plan participant in any calendar year is 2,500,000 in the aggregate and that the maximum amount of cash that may be paid to a participant with respect to any cash-based award is $10,000,000.  The Amended 2013 Plan further provides that any increases to these limits would require shareholder approval.

 

·          Non-Employee director equity award limit .  The Amended 2013 Plan provides that the grant date fair value of equity-based awards to any non-executive directors granted during a calendar year may not exceed $400,000.  Any change to this limit requires shareholder approval.

 

·          Prohibition on cancellation of underwater options or stock appreciation rights (SARs) for cash .  In addition to the existing repricing prohibitions in the 2013 Plan, the Amended 2013 Plan prohibits the plan administrator from cancelling any option or SARs in exchange for cash when the exercise price per share of such award exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares.

 

A description of the material terms of the Amended 2013 Plan was included in the Company’s 2016 proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 6, 2016, and the proxy statement’s description of the Amended 2013 Plan and its terms are incorporated herein by reference.  The description in the proxy statement and the foregoing description are qualified in their entirety by reference to the 2013 Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s S-8 filed on May 22, 2013 and of the First Amendment, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. 

 

Departure of Executive Officer

 

As previously disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 2016, Jeffrey B. Sherrick is retiring from the Company and, effective as of May 1, 2016, no longer serves as Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and New Ventures of the Company.  On May 19, 2016, the Company entered into a Retirement Agreement and an Amendment to Awards Agreement with Mr. Sherrick (the “Retirement Agreements”).  The Retirement Agreements provide that as of May 1, 2016 and continuing through December 2, 2016 or such earlier date as he or the Company may specify (the “Separation Date”), Mr. Sherrick will continue to be employed by the Company providing services related to transitional and other matters as requested by the chief executive officer from time to time. Pursuant to the Retirement Agreements, Mr. Sherrick will receive salary at a reduced rate of $12,500 per month for the period May 1, 2016 through the Separation Date, plus benefits generally available to Company employees; after the Separation Date, a payment of $152,355 plus 50% of his previously established target bonus for 2016, increased in certain circumstances if the Separation Date is before December 2, 2016; and modification of the terms of his unvested performance units, restricted stock and stock options such that his stock options will vest in accordance with their original schedules and remain subject to their respective original exercise prices and expiration dates, his restricted stock will remain outstanding and will vest in accordance with their respective original terms, net of reductions for amounts withheld for taxes due upon his departure, and a prorated number performance units will vest in accordance with their respective terms, based on Mr. Sherrick’s service to the Company through the Effective Date.  The Retirement Agreements also include a release of claims by Mr. Sherrick against the Company.

 

Item 5.07  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders elected each of the following individuals to serve on the Board of Directors for a term of one year, or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, with the votes, rounded to the nearest whole share, cast as follows:

 

JOHN D. GASS

For:

287,611,500

 

Against:

 16,326,345

 

Abstain:

 204,643

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 


CATHERINE A. KEHR

For:

 287,629,055

 

Against:

 16,101,668

 

Abstain:

 411,764

 

Nonvotes:

31,436,229


 

GREG D. KERLEY

For:

 300,025,345

 

Against:

 3,658,046

 

Abstain:

 459,097

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 

 

KENNETH R. MOURTON

For:

 287,328,527

 

Against:

16,608,549

 

Abstain:

 205,411

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 

 

ELLIOT PEW

For:

 300,676,035

 

Against:

 2,322,795

 

Abstain:

 1,143,658

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 

 

TERRY W. RATHERT

For:

 288,569,723

 

Against:

 15,365,802

 

Abstain:

 206,962

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 


ALAN H. STEVENS

For:

300,296,884

 

Against:

 2,594,210

 

Abstain:

 1,251,393

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229

 

 

WILLIAM J. WAY

For:

301,448,585

 

Against:

 1,548,867

 

Abstain:

 1,145,035

 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229


 

In addition, the following proposals were voted at the Annual Meeting:

 

With respect to the advisory vote regarding the compensation of our Named Executive Officers disclosed in the proxy statement, which vote is referred to as the “say-on-pay vote” and occurs each year in accordance with the frequency determined by the Board of Directors, the stockholders have approved the compensation of our Named Executive Officers, with the votes, rounded to the nearest whole share, cast as follow s:

 

For:

 284,314,526 

Against:

 18,627,237 

Abstain:

 1,200,724 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229 

 

 

The proposal as set forth in the proxy statement to amend the Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan, primarily to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance, was approved by the stockholders, with the votes, rounded to the nearest whole share, cast as follows:

 

For:

 276,274,210 

Against:

 27,304,210 

Abstain:

 564,067 

Nonvotes:

 31,436,229 

 

 

The ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2016 was approved by the stockholders, with the votes, rounded to the nearest whole share, cast as follows :

 

For:

 334,076,113 

Against:

 929,748 

Abstain:

 572,856 

 

 

 

Section 8 - Other Events

 

Item 8.01 Other Events. 

 

At the Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company held immediately following the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Catherine A. Kehr as Chairman of the Board .

 

Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

4.1

First Amendment to Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan

 

 


 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY

Dated: May 20, 2016

 

By:

 

/s/ JOHN C. ALE


 

 

Name:

 

John C. Ale

 

 

Title:

 

Senior Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

 

 


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

Description

4.1

First Amendment to Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

     

 

 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY

2013 INCENTIVE PLAN

 

THIS FIRST AMENDMENT (this “ Amendment ”) to the Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan, is made and adopted by the Board of Directors (the “ Board ”) of Southwestern Energy Company (the “ Company ”), effective as of May 17, 2016 (the “ Effective Date ”), subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders.  All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Plan (as defined below).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company maintains the Southwestern Energy Company 2013 Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 17(a) of the Plan, the Board has the authority to amend the Plan from time to time, including the authority to amend, subject to stockholder approval, the number of shares of common stock of the Company that may be issued under the Plan; and

 

WHEREAS, t he Board believes it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to amend the Plan as set forth herein.

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Plan is hereby amended as follows, effective as of the Effective Date, subject to approval by the Company’s shareholders:

 

AMENDMENT

 

1.         The following new Section 2(q) is hereby added to the Plan, and the remaining subsections of Section 2 of the Plan are hereby renumbered accordingly:

 

            “(q)      “ Full-Value Award ” means any Award that is settled in shares, other than an Option or a stock appreciation right.

 

2.         The first paragraph of Section 3(a) of the Plan is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

           

           “(a)      Stock Subject to the Plan

 

            The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall not exceed 33,850,000 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate.  Any shares that are subject to Awards of Options or stock appreciation rights shall be counted against this limit as one (1) share for every one (1) share subject to the Option or stock appreciation right.  Any shares that are subject to Full-Value Awards granted on or after May 17, 2016 shall be counted against this limit as 2.3 shares for every one (1) share subject to the Award.  Any shares that are subject to Full-Value Awards granted before May 17, 2016 shall be counted against this limit as one (1) share for every one (1) share subject to the Award.  The shares referred to in the preceding sentences of this paragraph and the manner in which shares subject to Full-Value Awards are counted shall in each case be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12 and the following provisions of this Section 3.  Shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may be either authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares, or both, at the sole discretion of the Committee.”

 

3.         Section 3(b) of the Plan is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

           

            “(b)      Individual Award Limits

 

            Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any single Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed 2,500,000 shares in the aggregate.  The amount payable under the Plan to any single Participant in any calendar year with respect to any cash-based Award shall not exceed $10,000,000.  The limitations in this Section 3(b) (the “ Award Limits ”) shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code.”

 

4.         Section 3(c) of the Plan is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

                        “(c)      Substitution and Repricing

 

            Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, in no event shall any new Awards be issued in substitution for outstanding Awards previously granted to Participants, nor shall any repricing (within the meaning of US generally accepted accounting practices or any applicable stock exchange rule) of Awards issued under the Plan be permitted at any time under any circumstances, nor shall any Option or stock appreciation right be cancelled in exchange for cash when the Option or stock appreciation right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying shares, in each case unless the stockholders of the Company expressly approve such substitution, repricing or cancellation.”

 

5.         The following new Section 3(d) is hereby added to the Plan:

 

            “(d)      Non-Employee Director Limit

 

           Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the grant date fair value (determined as of the date of grant under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of equity-based Awards granted during any calendar year to a Director for services as a Director shall not exceed $400,000 (the “ Director Limit ”).”

 

6.         The first sentence of Section 17(a) of the Plan is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

            “The Plan and any Award may be amended, suspended or terminated at any time by the Board; provided that no amendment (i) to increase the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan, (ii) to increase any Award Limit or the Director Limit, (iii) to materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants granted Awards under the Plan, or (iv) to materially modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan, shall be made without stockholder approval; provided , further, that no other amendments shall be made without stockholder approval if stockholder approval is required under then applicable law, including any applicable tax, stock exchange or accounting rules, and that no amendment to the Plan or any Award shall violate the prohibition on repricing contained in Section 3(d).”  

 

7.         This Amendment shall be and is hereby incorporated into and forms a part of the Plan.

 

8.         Except as expressly provided herein, all terms and conditions of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.