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): December 13, 2017

 

 

GANNETT CO., INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-36874   47-2390983
(State or other jurisdiction 
of incorporation)
  (Commission 
File Number)
  (IRS Employer 
Identification No.)

 

7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia, 22107-0910

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(703) 854-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(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:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company          ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.          ☐

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

On December 13, 2017, the Board of Directors of Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”) approved a form of award agreement for long-term cash performance units (“Performance Units”) under the Company’s 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). In order to promote greater alignment of the Company’s long-term incentive program with its strategic objectives, particularly related to digital transformation, the Company’s senior executives will receive a portion of their long-term incentive awards for 2018 in the form of Performance Units in lieu of Performance Share Units. Each Performance Unit will be equivalent to $1 in cash, and will pay out following the completion of a three-year performance period, based on upon the Company’s achievement of digital revenue growth over that period as indicated below. Payouts for performance between the threshold and maximum percentages of target will be calculated based on straight-line interpolation.

 

2018 Growth

50% weighting

The Performance Units tied to 2018 growth (50% of the award) will pay out as follows:

 

●     None of the units will be earned if the Company’s actual 2018 digital revenue is below a specified threshold percentage of targeted 2018 digital revenue.

 

●     50% of the units will be earned if actual 2018 digital revenue equals the threshold percentage of targeted 2018 digital revenue.

 

●     100% of the units will be earned if actual 2018 digital revenue equals targeted 2018 digital revenue.

 

●     200% of the units will be earned if actual 2018 digital revenue equals or exceeds a specified maximum percentage over targeted 2018 digital revenue.

2019 Growth

30% weighting

The Performance Units tied to 2019 growth (30% of the award) will pay out as follows:

 

●     None of the units will be earned if the Company’s actual 2019 digital revenue is below a specified threshold percentage of targeted digital revenue for 2019, where target is calculated as a specified percentage increase over digital revenue achieved for 2018.

 

●     50% of the units will be earned if actual 2019 digital revenue equals the threshold percentage of targeted 2019 digital revenue.

 

●     100% of the units will be earned if actual 2019 digital revenue equals targeted 2019 digital revenue.

 

●     200% of the units will be earned if actual 2019 digital revenue equals or exceeds a specified maximum percentage over targeted 2019 digital revenue.

2020 Growth

20% weighting

The Performance Units tied to 2020 growth (20% of the award) will pay out as follows:

 

●     None of the units will be earned if the Company’s actual 2020 digital revenue is below a specified threshold percentage of targeted digital revenue for 2020, where target is calculated as a specified percentage increase over digital revenue achieved for 2019.

 

●     50% of the units will be earned if actual 2020 digital revenue equals the threshold percentage of targeted 2020 digital revenue.

 

 

 

 

 

●     100% of the units will be earned if actual 2020 digital revenue equals targeted 2020 digital revenue.

 

●     200% of the units will be earned if actual 2020 digital revenue equals or exceeds a specified maximum percentage over targeted 2020 digital revenue.

 

For purposes of the Performance Unit awards, digital revenue is defined as the Company’s revenue from digital advertising plus its revenue from digital-only subscriptions. Digital advertising revenue includes revenues earned by selling display and video advertising on desktop and mobile platforms as well as classified revenues earned through sales on third party platforms. It also includes revenues generated through search engine marketing, search engine optimization, social, email, directories, digital syndication, archives, other third-party partners and various digital-related software and web presence products. Digital-only subscriptions revenue includes revenue earned through the purchase of digital-only newspaper subscriptions on desktop, mobile web or native applications (for Domestic Publishing only), but excludes revenues generated by e-editions (Kindle, Nook, etc.) and certain digital circulation revenues. The Company’s actual digital revenue for any given year shall be adjusted for any “Extraordinary Items” as defined in the 2015 Plan, except that adjustments for the effects of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs or significant transactions shall be made only in respect of the year in which the transaction closes.

 

The form of award agreement for Performance Units contains vesting and other provisions regarding continued employment and death/disability of the awardee that are materially consistent with those contained in the Company’s form of award agreement for Performance Share Units, as previously reported. Upon a change of control of the Company, the Performance Units will pay out at an amount calculated as specified in the form of award agreement, depending upon when the change of control occurs during the three-year performance period.

 

In addition, the Board approved changes to the form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement and form of Performance Share Unit Award Agreement for executive officers. The new forms of agreement, which will be used for grants commencing in 2018, provide for three-year vesting for RSU awards and modify the threshold performance level for Performance Share payouts, but are otherwise consistent with the prior versions of the respective forms.

 

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by the forms of Performance Unit Award Agreement, Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement and Performance Share Unit Award Agreement, copies of which are filed as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein.

 

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

On December 13, 2017, the Board amended and restated the Company’s Bylaws (as so amended and restated, the “Bylaws”) to eliminate the provision specifying that the Company’s fiscal year shall be the 52 or 53 week period ending on the last Sunday in December. This description of the Bylaws is a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 3.1 to this report and incorporated by reference herein.

 

In conjunction with the above, the Board adopted resolutions changing the Company’s fiscal year from the 52 or 53 week period ending on the last Sunday in December to a calendar year period, effective with the year commencing January 1, 2018. Because the Company’s current fiscal year will end on December 31, 2017, no transition reporting with respect to the current fiscal year will be required.

 

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

3.1 Amended and Restated Bylaws of Gannett Co., Inc., effective as of December 13, 2017

 

10.1 Form of Executive Officer Performance Unit Award Agreement

 

10.2 Form of Executive Officer Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

 

10.3 Form of Executive Officer Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

       
  Gannett Co., Inc.
     
Date: December 14, 2017 By:  

/s/ Barbara W. Wall

      Barbara W. Wall
      Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

GANNETT CO., INC.

 

Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Delaware 

     

 

These Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “ Bylaws ”) of Gannett Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Corporation ”), are effective as of 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on December 13, 2017 and hereby amend and restate the previous bylaws of the Corporation which are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:

 

ARTICLE I

 

OFFICES AND RECORDS

 

Section 1.1           Delaware Office . The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be located in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, and the name and address of its registered agent is The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

 

Section 1.2           Other Offices . The Corporation may have such other offices, either inside or outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate or as the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.

 

Section 1.3           Books and Records . The books and records of the Corporation may be kept inside or outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE II

 

STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 2.1           Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date and at such place and time as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.2           Special Meeting . Special meetings of the stockholders may be called and business at such special meetings may be transacted only in accordance with the provisions of Article VII, Section 2 of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 2.3           Place of Meeting . The Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board, as the case may be, may designate the place of meeting for any annual or special meeting of the

 

 

 

 

stockholders or may designate that the meeting be held by means of remote communication. If no designation is so made, the place of meeting shall be the principal office of the Corporation.

 

Section 2.4           Notice of Meeting . Written or printed notice, stating the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given by the Corporation not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting, either personally, by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (except to the extent prohibited by Section 232(e) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware) or by mail, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail with postage thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If notice is given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be given at the times provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Such further notice shall be given as may be required by applicable law. Meetings may be held without notice if all stockholders entitled to vote are present, or if notice is waived by those not present in accordance with Section 7.4 of these Bylaws. Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed, and (unless the Certificate of Incorporation otherwise provides) any special meeting of the stockholders not called at the request of the stockholders may be cancelled, by resolution of the Board of Directors upon public notice given prior to the date previously scheduled for such meeting of stockholders.

 

Section 2.5           Quorum and Adjournment . Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Voting Stock ”), represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business. The Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may adjourn the meeting from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum. No notice of the time and place, if any, of adjourned meetings need be given except as required by applicable law. The stockholders present at a duly called meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

Section 2.6           Organization . Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by such person as the Board of Directors may designate as chairman of the meeting, or in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board, or if none or in the Chairman of the Board’s absence or inability to act, the Chief Executive Officer, or if none or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or inability to act, the President, or if none or in the President’s absence or inability to act, a Vice President, or, if none of the foregoing is present or able to act, by a chairman to be chosen by the majority of the shares of capital stock entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at the meeting. The Secretary, or in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of every meeting, but if neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, the presiding officer of the meeting shall appoint any person present to act as secretary

 

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of the meeting. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting and matters which are to be voted on by ballot.

 

Section 2.7           Proxies . At all meetings of stockholders, a stockholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such manner prescribed by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware) by the stockholder, or by such stockholder’s duly authorized attorney in fact.

 

Section 2.8           Order of Business .

 

(A)        Annual Meetings of Stockholders . At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors shall be made, and only such other business shall be conducted or considered, as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. For nominations to be properly made at an annual meeting, and proposals of other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting, nominations and proposals of other business must be: (a) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise properly made at the annual meeting, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) otherwise properly requested to be brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder of the Corporation in accordance with these Bylaws. For nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors or proposals of other business to be properly requested by a stockholder to be made at an annual meeting, a stockholder must (i) be a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice of such annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors and at the time of the annual meeting, (ii) be entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (iii) comply with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws as to such business or nomination. The immediately preceding sentence shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or other business proposals (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(B)         Special Meetings of Stockholders . At any special meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted or considered as shall have been properly brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. To be properly brought before a special meeting, proposals of business must be (a) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise properly brought before the special meeting, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or

 

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any supplement thereto) given by the Corporation pursuant to a valid stockholder request in accordance with Article VII, Section 2 of the Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting additional matters to stockholders at any such special meeting.

 

Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting or the election of directors at such a meeting is allowed in accordance with the provisions of Article VII, Section 2 of the Certificate of Incorporation, by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice of such special meeting and at the time of the special meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (iii) complies with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws as to such nomination. This section 2.8(B) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or other business proposals (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before a special meeting of stockholders.

 

(C)         General . Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chairman of any annual or special meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or other business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that no action shall be taken on such nomination or other proposal and such nomination or other proposal shall be disregarded.

 

Section 2.9           Advance Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations .

 

(A)        Annual Meeting of Stockholders . Without qualification or limitation, subject to Section 2.9(C)(4) of these Bylaws, for any nominations or any other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to Section 2.8(A) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof (including, in the case of nominations, the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.10 of these Bylaws), and timely updates and supplements thereof, in each case in proper form, in writing to the Secretary, and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action.

 

To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90 th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the

 

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Corporation. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or the public announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

Notwithstanding anything in the immediately preceding paragraph to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased by the Board of Directors, and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least 100 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.9(A) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

In addition, to be considered timely, a stockholder’s notice shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Company’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

 

(B)         Special Meetings of Stockholders . Without qualification or limitation, subject to Section 2.9(C)(4) of these By-laws, for any business to be properly requested to be brought before a special meeting by a stockholder pursuant to Section 2.8(B) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof and timely updates and supplements thereof in each case in proper form, in writing to the Secretary and such business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action.

 

Subject to Section 2.9(C)(4) of these Bylaws, in the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, provided that the stockholder gives timely notice thereof (including the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.10 of these Bylaws), and timely updates and supplements thereof, in each case in proper form, in writing, to the Secretary.

 

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To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to the date of such special meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such special meeting is less than 100 days prior to the date of such special meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and, if applicable, of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of a special meeting of stockholders, or the public announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

In addition, to be considered timely, a stockholder’s notice shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting, any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

 

(C)           Disclosure Requirements .

 

(1)            To be in proper form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must include the following, as applicable:

 

(a)           As to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal, as applicable, is made, a stockholder’s notice must set forth: (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of such beneficial owner, if any, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (ii) (A) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series

 

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of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the stockholder of record, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “ Derivative Instrument ”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, and/or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith have any right to vote any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (D) any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, involving such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, directly or indirectly, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “ Short Interest ”), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership, (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is entitled to base on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, including without limitation any such interests held by members of the immediate family sharing the same household of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (H) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith and (I) any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (iii) all information that would be

 

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required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and (iv) any other information relating to such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement and form of proxy or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

 

(b)            If the notice relates to any business other than a nomination of a director or directors that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraph (a) above, also set forth: (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and each of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, in such business, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such proposal or business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws of the Corporation, the text of the proposed amendment), and (iii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among any of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder;

 

(c)            As to each individual, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board of Directors, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraph (a) above, also set forth: (i) all information relating to such individual that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such individual’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected) and (ii) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his or her respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, including, without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant; and

 

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(d)            With respect to each individual, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board of Directors, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above, also include a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.10 of these Bylaws. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws, including without limitation Sections 2.8, 2.9 and 2.10 hereof, shall be eligible for election as directors.

 

(2)            For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(3)            Notwithstanding the provisions of these Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Bylaw; provided , however , that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the separate and additional requirements set forth in these Bylaws with respect to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered.

 

(4)            Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of stock having a preference over the Common Stock of the Corporation as to dividends, voting or upon liquidation (the “ Preferred Stock ”) if and to the extent provided for under law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. Subject to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to permit any stockholder, or give any stockholder the right, to include or have disseminated or described in the Corporation’s proxy statement any nomination of director or directors or any other business proposal.

 

Section 2.10          Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement . To be eligible to be a nominee of any stockholder for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section 2.9 of these Bylaws) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such individual and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request), and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such individual (A) is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not

 

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been disclosed to the Corporation and (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such individual’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such individual’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed therein, (C) in such individual’s personal capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply, with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation publicly disclosed from time to time, and (D) will abide by the requirements of Section 2.11 of these Bylaws.

 

Section 2.11        Procedure for Election of Directors; Required Vote .

 

(A)        Except as set forth below, election of directors at all meetings of the stockholders at which directors are to be elected shall be by ballot, and, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, a majority of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present shall elect directors. For purposes of this Bylaw, a majority of votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Votes cast shall include direction to withhold authority in each case and exclude abstentions with respect to that director’s election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a “contested election” of directors, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present. For purposes of this Bylaw, a “contested election” shall mean any election of directors in which the number of candidates for election as directors exceeds the number of directors to be elected, with the determination thereof being made by the Secretary as of the close of the applicable notice of nomination period set forth in Section 2.9 of these Bylaws or under applicable law, based on whether one or more notice(s) of nomination were timely filed in accordance with said Section 2.9; provided , however , that the determination that an election is a “contested election” shall be determinative only as to the timeliness of a notice of nomination and not otherwise as to its validity. If, prior to the time the Corporation mails its initial proxy statement in connection with such election of directors, one or more notices of nomination are withdrawn such that the number of candidates for election as director no longer exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the election shall not be considered a contested election, but in all other cases, once an election is determined to be a contested election, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast.

 

(B)         If a nominee for director who is an incumbent director is not elected and no successor has been elected at such meeting, the director shall promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors in accordance with the agreement contemplated by clause (E) of Section 2.10 of these Bylaws. The Nominating and Public Responsibility Committee shall make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors shall act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Public Responsibility Committee’s recommendation, and publicly disclose (by a press release, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other broadly disseminated means of communication) its decision

 

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regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within 90 days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Public Responsibility Committee in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation shall not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Public Responsibility Committee or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her resignation. If such incumbent director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such director shall continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board of Directors pursuant to these Bylaws, or if a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is not an incumbent director, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.10 of these Bylaws or may decrease the size of the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.2 of these Bylaws.

 

(C)         Except as otherwise provided by law, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter shall be the act of the stockholders.

 

Section 2.12         Inspectors of Elections; Opening and Closing the Polls . The Board of Directors by resolution shall appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may, but does not need to, include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives, to act at the meetings of stockholders and make a written report thereof. One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act or is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by law.

 

The chairman of the meeting shall be appointed by the inspector or inspectors to fix and announce at the meeting the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting.

 

Section 2.13         No Stockholder Action by Written Consent . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

 

ARTICLE III

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 3.1            General Powers . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and

 

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authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the Board of Directors may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

Section 3.2           Number, Tenure and Qualifications .

 

(A)        Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Whole Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

(B)         The directors shall be elected at the annual meetings of stockholders as specified in the Certificate of Incorporation except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and in these Bylaws, and each director of the Corporation shall hold office until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

(C)         A director who has not served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Board of Directors until the first Annual Meeting of Stockholders following his or her seventieth-fifth (75 th ) birthday.

 

A director who has served or is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall be eligible to serve as a director until the first Annual Meeting of Stockholders following his or her sixty-fifth (65 th ) birthday, and the age of eligibility for his or her service as a director may be extended past age sixty-five (65) if the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, deems it advisable under the circumstances.

 

Section 3.3           Regular Meetings . A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held without other notice than this Bylaw immediately after, and at the same place as, the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, provide the time and place, if any, for the holding of additional regular meetings without other notice than such resolution.

 

Section 3.4           Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the Board of Directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix the place, if any, and time of the meetings.

 

Section 3.5           Notice of Meeting . Notice of any special meeting of directors shall be given to each director at such person’s business or residence in writing by hand delivery, first-class or overnight mail or courier service, email or facsimile transmission, or orally by telephone. If mailed by first-class mail, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when deposited in the United States mails so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid, at least five (5) days before such meeting. If by overnight mail or courier service, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when delivered to the overnight mail or courier service company at least twenty-four (24) hours before such meeting. If by email, facsimile transmission, telephone or by hand, such

 

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notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when the notice is transmitted at least twelve (12) hours before such meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice of such meeting. A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 7.4 of these Bylaws.

 

Section 3.6           Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from among the directors and may be the Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman of the Board shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall perform all duties incidental to the office which may be required by law and all such other duties as are properly required of the Chairman of the Board by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.7           Action by Consent of Board of Directors . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 3.8           Conference Telephone Meetings . Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 3.9           Quorum . Subject to Section 3.10 of these Bylaws, a whole number of directors equal to at least a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. The directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

 

Section 3.10         Vacancies . Subject to applicable law and the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, vacancies resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

Section 3.11         Executive and Other Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, designate an Executive Committee to

 

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exercise, subject to applicable provisions of law, all the powers of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation when the Board is not in session, and may, by resolution similarly adopted, designate one or more other committees.

 

The Board may designate any such other committee as the Board considers appropriate, which shall consist of one or more directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee other than the Executive Committee (the powers of which are expressly provided for herein), may to the extent permitted by law exercise such powers and shall have such responsibilities as shall be specified in the designating resolution. Each committee shall keep written minutes of its proceedings and shall report such proceedings to the Board when required.

 

A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place, if any, of its meetings, unless the Board shall otherwise provide. Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in Section 3.5 of these Bylaws. The Board shall have power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve, any such committee. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the Board from appointing one or more committees consisting in whole or in part of persons who are not directors of the Corporation; provided , however , that no such committee shall have or may exercise any authority of the Board.

 

Section 3.12         Removal . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, and subject to Article VII, Section 2 of the Certificate of Incorporation, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by the affirmative vote of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 3.13         Records . The Board of Directors shall cause to be kept a record containing the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Board and of the stockholders, appropriate stock books and registers and such books of records and accounts as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 4.1           Officers Enumerated . The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, and a President (or any combination thereof), one or more Vice Presidents (one or more of whom may be designated Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President), a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Controller and such other officers as the Board may from time to time may elect or appoint. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

 

Section 4.2           Term of Office . Each officer shall hold office for the term for which he or she is elected or appointed and until his or her successor has been elected or appointed and

 

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qualified or until his or her death or until he or she shall resign or until he or she shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter provided.

 

Section 4.3           Powers and Duties . The officers of the Corporation shall each have such powers and authority and perform such duties in the management of the property and affairs of the Corporation as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board of Directors and, to the extent not so prescribed, they shall each have such powers and authority and perform such duties in the management of the property and affairs of the Corporation, subject to the control of the Board, as generally pertain to their respective offices.

 

Without limitation of the foregoing:

 

(A)        Chairman of the Board: The Chairman of the Board shall be a director of the Corporation and shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the Executive Committee of the Board and at all meetings of stockholders. The Chairman of the Board shall undertake such other duties or responsibilities as the Board may assign.

 

(B)         Chief Executive Officer: The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall be a director of the Corporation. In the absence of the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the Executive Committee of the Board and at all meetings of stockholders.

 

(C)         President: The President shall act in a general executive capacity and shall assist the Chief Executive Officer in the administration and operation of the Corporation’s business and general supervision of its policies and affairs.

 

(D)        Vice Presidents: The Board of Directors shall determine the powers and duties of the respective Vice Presidents and may, in its discretion, fix such order of seniority among the respective Vice Presidents as it may deem advisable.

 

(E)         Secretary: The Secretary shall issue notices of all meetings of the stockholders and Directors where notices of such meetings are required by law or these Bylaws and shall keep the minutes of such meetings. He or she shall sign such instruments and attest such documents as require his or her signature of attestation and affix the corporate seal thereto where appropriate.

 

(F)         Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation and shall sign all instruments and documents as require his or her signature. He or she shall perform all acts incident to the position of Treasurer, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

 

(G)         Controller: The Controller shall be in charge of the accounts of the Corporation and he or she shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

 

(H)         Chief Legal Officer or General Counsel: The Chief Legal Officer or General Counsel shall have general control of all matters of legal import concerning the Corporation.

 

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Section 4.4           Temporary Absence . In case of the temporary absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer may perform any of the duties of any such other officer as the Board of Directors or Executive Committee may prescribe.

 

Section 4.5           Resignations . Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

Section 4.6           Removal . Any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time by action of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.7           Vacancy . A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal or other cause may be filled by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.8           Compensation . The salaries of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nothing contained herein shall preclude any officer from serving the Corporation in any other capacity, including that of director, or from serving any of its stockholders, subsidiaries or affiliated corporations in any capacity and receiving a proper compensation therefor.

 

ARTICLE V

 

STOCK CERTIFICATES AND TRANSFERS

 

Section 5.1           Certificated and Uncertificated Stock; Transfers . The interest of each stockholder of the Corporation may be evidenced by certificates for shares of stock in such form as the appropriate officers of the Corporation may from time to time prescribe or be uncertificated.

 

The shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation, in the case of certificated shares of stock, by the holder thereof in person or by such person’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender for cancellation of certificates for at least the same number of shares, with an assignment and power of transfer endorsed thereon or attached thereto, duly executed, with such proof of the authenticity of the signature as the Corporation or its agents may reasonably require; and, in the case of uncertificated shares of stock, upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of the shares or by such person’s attorney duly authorized in writing, and upon compliance with appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

 

The certificates of stock shall be signed, countersigned and registered in such manner as the Board of Directors may by resolution prescribe, which resolution may permit all or any of the signatures on such certificates to be in facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has

 

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ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, at all times that the Corporation’s stock is listed on a stock exchange, the shares of the stock of the Corporation shall comply with all direct registration system eligibility requirements established by such exchange, including any requirement that shares of the Corporation’s stock be eligible for issue in book-entry form. All issuances and transfers of shares of the Corporation’s stock shall be entered on the books of the Corporation with all information necessary to comply with such direct registration system eligibility requirements, including the name and address of the person to whom the shares of stock are issued, the number of shares of stock issued and the date of issue. The Board shall have the power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation in both the certificated and uncertificated form.

 

Section 5.2           Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . No certificate for shares of stock in the Corporation shall be issued in place of any certificate alleged to have been lost, destroyed or stolen, except on production of such evidence of such loss, destruction or theft and on delivery to the Corporation of a bond of indemnity in such amount, upon such terms and secured by such surety, as the Board of Directors or any financial officer may in its or such person’s discretion require.

 

Section 5.3           Record Owners . The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

 

Section 5.4           Transfer and Registry Agents . The Corporation may from time to time maintain one or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 6.1           Indemnification .

 

(A)        Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “ Proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which this Bylaw is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any Proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation or is or

 

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was at any such time serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (hereinafter, a “ Covered Person ”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in paragraph (A) of Section 6.3, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

(B)         To obtain indemnification under this Bylaw, a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (1) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (2) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if a quorum of the Board of Directors consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (iii) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by a majority vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the Proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “ Change of Control ” as defined in the Corporation’s Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

 

Section 6.2           Mandatory Advancement of Expenses . To the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification,

 

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only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater rights to advancement of expenses than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), each Covered Person shall have (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to have) the right, without the need for any action by the Board of Directors, to be paid by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such advances to be paid by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided , however , that if the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “ Undertaking ”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “ final disposition ”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Bylaw or otherwise.

 

Section 6.3           Claims .

 

(A)        (1) If a claim for indemnification under this Article VI is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim pursuant to Section 6.1(B) of these Bylaws has been received by the Corporation, or (2) if a request for advancement of expenses under this Article VI is not paid in full by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after a statement pursuant to Section 6.2 of these Bylaws and the required Undertaking, if any, have been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim for indemnification or request for advancement of expenses and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action that, under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or that the claimant is not entitled to the requested advancement of expenses, but (except where the required Undertaking, if any, has not been tendered to the Corporation) the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(B)         If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6.1(B) of these Bylaws that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section 6.3.

 

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(C)         The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section 6.3 that the procedures and presumptions of this Bylaw are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this Bylaw.

 

Section 6.4           Contract Rights; Amendment and Repeal; Non-exclusivity of Rights .

 

(A)        All of the rights conferred in this Article VI, as to indemnification, advancement of expenses and otherwise, shall be contract rights between the Corporation and each Covered Person to whom such rights are extended that vest at the commencement of such Covered Person’s service to or at the request of the Corporation and (x) any amendment or modification of this Article VI that in any way diminishes or adversely affects any such rights shall be prospective only and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any such rights with respect to such person, and (y) all of such rights shall continue as to any such Covered Person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased to serve at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as described herein, and shall inure to the benefit of such Covered Person’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

(B)         All of the rights conferred in this Article VI, as to indemnification, advancement of expenses and otherwise, (i) shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise and (ii) cannot be terminated by the Corporation, the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to a person’s service prior to the date of such termination.

 

Section 6.5           Insurance, Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

 

(A)        The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. To the extent that the Corporation maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such current or former director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights to indemnification have been granted as provided in paragraph (B) of this Section 6.5, shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such current or former director, officer, employee or agent.

 

(B)         The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, grant rights to indemnification and rights to advancement of expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Bylaw with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of current or former directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

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Section 6.6           Definitions . For purposes of this Bylaw:

 

(1)            Disinterested Director ” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

 

(2)            Independent Counsel ” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Bylaw.

 

Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this Bylaw shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

 

Section 6.7           Severability . If any provision or provisions of this Bylaw shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (1) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Bylaw (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Bylaw containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (2) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Bylaw (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Bylaw containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 7.1           Fiscal Year . The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Corporation by a duly adopted resolution.

 

Section 7.2           Dividends . The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 7.3           Seal . The corporate seal shall bear the name of the Corporation, the year in which the Corporation was incorporated (2014) and the words “Corporate Seal - Delaware” and such other words or figures as the Board of Directors may approve and adopt.

 

Section 7.4           Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given to any stockholder or director of the Corporation under the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall

 

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be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or the Board of Directors or committee thereof need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

 

Section 7.5           Audits . The accounts, books and records of the Corporation shall be audited upon the conclusion of each fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant selected by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7.6           Resignations . Any director or any officer, whether elected or appointed, may resign at any time by giving written notice of such resignation to the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or the Secretary, and such resignation shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the date said notice is received by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or the Secretary, or at such later time as is specified therein. Except to the extent specified in such notice, no formal action shall be required of the Board of Directors or the stockholders to make any such resignation effective.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

CONTRACTS, PROXIES, ETC.

 

Section 8.1           Contracts . All contracts and agreements authorized by the Board of Directors, and all checks, drafts, bills of exchange or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such person or persons and in such manner as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors, which designation may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

Section 8.2           Proxies . Unless otherwise provided by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or any one of them, may exercise or appoint an attorney or attorneys, or an agent or agents, to exercise in the name and on behalf of the Corporation the powers and rights which the Corporation may have as the holder of stock or other securities in any other corporation to vote or to consent in respect of such stock or other securities; and the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer may instruct the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of exercising such powers and rights and the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer may execute or cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation and under its corporate seal, or otherwise, all such ballots, consents, proxies, powers of attorney or other written instruments as they or either of them may deem necessary in order that the Corporation may exercise such powers and rights. Any stock or other securities in any other corporation which may from time to time be owned by or stand in the name of the Corporation may, without further action, be endorsed for sale or transfer or sold or transferred by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation or any proxy appointed in writing by any of them.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 9.1           By the Stockholders . Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, or new Bylaws enacted, at any special meeting of the stockholders if duly called for that purpose (provided that in the notice of such special meeting, notice of such purpose shall be given), or at any annual meeting, by the affirmative vote of shares representing a majority of the voting power of all of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 9.2           By the Board of Directors . Subject to the laws of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws, these Bylaws may also be altered, amended or repealed, or new Bylaws enacted, by the Board of Directors.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

  

Model 2018 Performance Unit Award Agreement

  

AWARD AGREEMENT

 

PERFORMANCE UNITS

 

The Gannett Board of Directors or the Executive Compensation Committee thereof (the “Committee”), as the case may be, has approved your opportunity to receive Performance Units (referred to herein as “Performance Units”) under the Gannett Co., Inc. 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended, as set forth below.

  

This Award Agreement and the enclosed Terms and Conditions effective as of January 1, 2018, constitute the formal agreement governing this award.

 

Please sign both copies of this Award Agreement to evidence your agreement with the terms hereof. Keep one copy and return the other to the undersigned.

 

Please keep the enclosed Terms and Conditions for future reference. 

 

 

 

Employee: Location:
   
Grant Date: 1/1/2018
   
Performance Period Commencement Date: 1/1/2018
   
Performance Period End Date: 1/1/2021
   
Performance Unit Payment Date: On a date specified by the Committee that is within the first 70 days of 2021
   
Target Number of Performance Units: ______*
   
Value of each Performance Unit: $1

 

* The actual number of Performance Units you may receive will be higher or lower depending on the Company’s performance and your continued employment with the Company, as more fully explained in the enclosed Terms and Conditions.

 

 

 

    Gannett Co., Inc.
       
    By:    
Employee’s Signature     David Harmon
      Chief People Officer

   

 

 

PERFORMANCE UNITS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Under the

Gannett Co., Inc.

2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended

 

These Terms and Conditions, dated January 1, 2018, govern the right of the employee (the “Employee”) designated in the Award Agreement dated coincident with these Terms and Conditions to receive Performance Units (referred to herein as “Performance Units”). Generally, the Employee will not receive any Performance Units unless the specified service and performance requirements set forth herein are satisfied. The Performance Units are granted under, and are subject to, the Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”) 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “Plan”). Terms used herein that are defined in the Plan shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan. If there is any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and the terms of the Plan, the Plan’s terms shall supersede and replace the conflicting terms herein.

 

1.           Grant of Performance Units . Pursuant to the provisions of (i) the Plan, (ii) the individual Award Agreement governing the grant, and (iii) these Terms and Conditions, the Employee may be entitled to receive Performance Units. Each Performance Unit that becomes payable shall entitle the Employee to receive from the Company an amount of cash consideration equal to $1 upon the expiration of the Incentive Period (except as provided in Section 13), subject to applicable withholding requirements. The actual number of Performance Units an Employee will receive will be calculated in the manner described in these Terms and Conditions, including Exhibit A, and may be different than the Target Number of Performance Units set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

 

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2.          Incentive Period . Except as otherwise provided in Section 13 below, the Incentive Period in respect of the Performance Units shall commence on the Performance Period Commencement Date specified in the Award Agreement and end on the Performance Period End Date specified in the Award Agreement.

 

3.          No Interest or Earnings Credited on Performance Units . No interest or earnings shall be paid to the Employee with regard to the Performance Units.

 

4.          Payment of Units . The Company shall pay to the Employee a cash amount equal to $1 multiplied by the number of Performance Units that have been earned based on the Company’s performance during the Incentive Period as set forth in Exhibit A and satisfaction of the Terms and Conditions set forth herein, which amount shall be reduced by the value of all taxes which the Company is required by law to withhold by reason of such delivery. Except as provided in Sections 13 or 14, such delivery shall take place on the Performance Unit Payment Date. An Employee shall have no further rights with regard to a Performance Unit once the Performance Unit has been paid.

 

5.          Forfeiture and Cancellation of Right to Receive Performance Units .

 

(a)          Termination of Employment . Except as provided in Sections 6, 13, and 14, an Employee’s right to receive Performance Units shall automatically be cancelled upon the Employee’s termination of employment (as well as an event that results in the Employee’s employer ceasing to be a subsidiary of the Company) prior to the Performance Period End Date, and in such event the Employee shall not be entitled to receive any payment in respect thereof.

 

(b)           Forfeiture of Performance Unit/Recovery of Cash Payment . Performance Units granted under this Award Agreement are subject to the Company’s Clawback Policy, dated as of December 9, 2015, which may be amended from time-to-time with retroactive effect. In

 

 

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addition, the Company may assert any other remedies that may be available to the Company under applicable law.

 

6.          Death, Disability, Retirement . Except as provided in Sections 13 or 14 below, in the event that the employment of the Employee shall terminate prior to the Performance Period End Date by reason of death, permanent disability (as determined under the Company’s Long Term Disability Plan), termination of employment after attaining age 65, or termination of employment after both attaining age 55 and completing at least 5 years of service, the Employee (or in the case of the Employee’s death, the Employee’s estate or designated beneficiary) shall be entitled to receive at the Performance Unit Payment Date a cash payment equal to (i) the total number of Performance Units which the Employee would have been entitled to receive upon the expiration of the Incentive Period had the Employee’s employment not terminated, and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of full calendar months between the Performance Period Commencement Date and the date that employment terminated, and the denominator of which shall be the number of full calendar months from the Performance Period Commencement Date to the Performance Period End Date.

 

7.          Non-Assignability . Performance Units may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, whether by operation of law or otherwise, nor may the Performance Units be made subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

 

8.          Rights as a Shareholder . The Employee shall have no rights as a shareholder by reason of the Performance Units.

 

9.          Discretionary Plan; Employment . The Plan is discretionary in nature and may be suspended or terminated by the Company at any time. With respect to the Plan, (a) each grant of Performance Units is a one-time benefit which does not create any contractual or other right to

 

 

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receive future grants of Performance Units, or benefits in lieu of Performance Units; (b) all determinations with respect to any such future grants, including, but not limited to, the times when the Performance Units shall be granted, the number of Performance Units, and the Incentive Period, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (c) the Employee’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to further employment with the Employee’s employer and shall not interfere with the ability of the Employee’s employer to terminate the Employee’s employment relationship at any time with or without cause; (d) the Employee’s participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the Performance Units are not part of normal and expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, redundancy, end of service payment, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits, or similar payments; (f) the future value of the Performance Units is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty; and (g) the payment of the Performance Units shall be an unfunded, contractual obligation of the Company.

 

10.        Effect of Plan and these Terms and Conditions . The Plan is hereby incorporated by reference into these Terms and Conditions, and these Terms and Conditions are subject in all respects to the provisions of the Plan, including without limitation the authority of the Executive Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) in its sole discretion to make interpretations and other determinations with respect to all matters relating to the applicable Award Agreements, these Terms and Conditions, the Plan and awards made pursuant thereto. These Terms and Conditions shall apply to the grant of Performance Units made to the Employee on the date hereof and shall not apply to any future grants of Performance Units made to the Employee.

 

 

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11.        Notices . Notices hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Company at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22107, and, if to the Employee, shall be addressed to the Employee at his or her address as it appears on the Company’s records.

 

12.        Successors and Assigns . The applicable Award Agreement and these Terms and Conditions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 6 hereof, to the estate or designated beneficiary of the Employee.

 

13.        Change in Control Provisions .

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms and Conditions, the following provisions shall apply to the right of an Employee to receive Performance Units under the attached Award Agreement.

 

(a)           Definitions .

 

As used in Article 15 of the Plan and in these Terms and Conditions, a “Change in Control” shall mean the first to occur of the following:

 

(i)          the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this Section, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any

 

 

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acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one of its affiliates, or (iv) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 13(a)(iii)(A), 13(a)(iii)(B) and 13(a)(iii)(C);

 

(ii)          individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

 

(iii)         consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the

 

 

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case may be, of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation or entity, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv)          approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(b)         Acceleration Provisions . In the event of a Change in Control, the number of Performance Units payable to an Employee shall be calculated in accordance with the Change in Control rules set forth in Exhibit A, subject to the vesting rules set forth below.

 

(i)     In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Units are not continued or assumed (i.e., the Performance Units are not equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash of a successor entity or its affiliate), the

 

 

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Performance Units that have not been cancelled shall become fully vested and shall be paid out to the Employee as soon as administratively practicable on or following the effective date of the Change in Control (but in no event later than 30 days after such event), provided that the Change in Control also constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and the regulations and guidance issued thereunder (“Section 409A”), and such payout will not result in additional taxes under Section 409A. Otherwise, in the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Units are not continued or assumed, the vested Performance Units shall be paid out at the earlier of the Employee’s termination of employment or the Performance Unit Payment Date.

 

(ii) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Units are continued or assumed (i.e., the Performance Units are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Performance Units shall not vest upon the Change in Control, provided that the Performance Units that have not vested under the other provisions of this Award shall become fully vested in the event that the Employee has a “qualifying termination of employment” within two years following the date of the Change in Control. In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Units are continued or assumed, vested Performance Units shall be paid out to the Employee at the earlier of the Employee’s termination of employment or the Performance Unit Payment Date.

 

A “qualifying termination of employment” shall occur if the Company involuntarily terminates the Employee without “Cause” or the Employee voluntarily terminates for “Good

 

 

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  Reason”. For this purpose, “Cause” shall mean:

 

any material misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or its affiliate by the Employee;

 

unreasonable and persistent neglect or refusal by the Employee to perform his or her duties which is demonstrably willful and deliberate on the Employee’s part, which is committed in bad faith or without reasonable belief that such breach is in the best interests of the Company and which is not remedied in a reasonable period of time after receipt of written notice from the Company specifying such breach;

 

conviction of the Employee of a securities law violation or a felony involving moral turpitude; or

 

the Employee being found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission to have violated any Federal or State securities law.

 

For this purpose, “Good Reason” means the occurrence after a Change in Control of any of the following circumstances without the Employee’s express written consent, unless such circumstances are fully corrected within 90 days of the Notice of Termination described below:

 

the material diminution of the Employee’s duties, authorities or responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

a material reduction in the Employee’s base salary or target bonus opportunity as in effect on the date immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

the relocation of the Employee’s office from the location at which the Employee is principally employed immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control to a location 35 or more miles farther from the Employee’s residence immediately prior to the Change in Control, and recognizing that the Employee shall be expected to travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with the Employee’s business travel obligations prior to the Change in Control; or

 

the failure by the Company or its affiliate to pay any material compensation or benefits due to the Employee.

 

Any termination by the Employee for Good Reason shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination that (x) indicates the specific termination provision in the Award Agreement relied upon, and (y) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Employee’s employment under

 

 

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the provision so indicated. Such notice must be provided to the Company within ninety (90) days after the event that created the “Good Reason”.

 

(iii)       If in connection with a Change in Control, the Performance Units are assumed (i.e., the Performance Units are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Performance Units shall refer to the right to receive such cash. An assumption of this Performance Unit award must satisfy the following requirements:

 

The converted or substituted award must be a right to receive an amount of cash that has a value, measured at the time of such conversion or substitution, that is equal to the value of this Award as of the date of the Change in Control;

 

The vesting terms of any converted or substituted award must be substantially identical to the terms of this Award; and

 

The other terms and conditions of any converted or substituted award must be no less favorable to the Employee than the terms of this Award are as of the date of the Change in Control (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change in Control).

 

The determination of whether the conditions of this Section 13(b)(iii) are satisfied shall be made by the Committee, as constituted immediately before the Change in Control, in its sole discretion.

 

(c) Legal Fees. The Company shall pay all legal fees, court costs, fees of experts and other costs and expenses when incurred by Employee in connection with any actual, threatened or contemplated litigation or legal, administrative or other proceedings involving the provisions of this Section 13, whether or not initiated by the Employee. The Company agrees to pay such amounts within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Employee, provided that the Employee shall have submitted an invoice for such amounts at least 30 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and disbursements were incurred.

 

 

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14.         Employment or Similar Agreements . The provisions of Sections 1, 4, 5, 6 and 13 of these Terms and Conditions shall not be applied to or interpreted in a manner which would decrease the rights held by, or the payments owing to, an Employee under an employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement with the Company that pre-exists the Grant Date and contains specific provisions applying to Plan awards in the case of any change in control or similar event or termination of employment, and if there is any conflict between the terms of such employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement and the terms of Sections 1, 4, 5, 6 or 13, the employment agreement or termination benefits agreement shall control.

 

15.         Grant Subject to Applicable Regulatory Approvals . Any grant of Performance Units under the Plan is specifically conditioned on, and subject to, any regulatory approvals required in the Employee’s country. These approvals cannot be assured. If necessary approvals for grant or payment are not obtained, the Performance Units may be cancelled or rescinded, or they may expire, as determined by the Company in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

16.         Applicable Laws and Consent to Jurisdiction . The validity, construction, interpretation and enforceability of this Agreement shall be determined and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law. For the purpose of litigating any dispute that arises under this Agreement, the parties hereby consent to exclusive jurisdiction in Virginia and agree that such litigation shall be conducted in the courts of Fairfax County, Virginia or the federal courts of the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia.

 

17.         Compliance with Section 409A . This Award is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that no taxes under Section 409A are triggered, and shall be

 

 

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interpreted and administered in accordance with that intent (e.g., the definition of “termination of employment” (or similar term used herein) shall have the meaning ascribed to “separation from service” under Section 409A). If any provision of these Terms and Conditions would otherwise conflict with or frustrate this intent, the provision shall not apply. Notwithstanding any provision in this Award Agreement to the contrary and solely to the extent required by Section 409A, if the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and payment of the award is being made in connection with the Employee’s separation from service other than by reason of the Employee’s death, payment of the award shall be delayed until six months and one day after the Employee’s separation from service with the Company (or, if earlier than the end of the six-month period, the date of the Employee’s death). The Company shall not be responsible or liable for the consequences of any failure of the Award to avoid taxation under Section 409A.

 

 

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Exhibit A

 

Calculation of Performance Units

 

Subject to the satisfaction of applicable service requirements, the amount awarded to the Employee shall be the Maximum Amount, subject to the Committee’s right, in its sole discretion, to exercise negative discretion and to instead pay the Employee a lower amount calculated as the sum of (i), (ii) and (iii) as set forth below:

 

(i) 50% of the Employee’s Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2018 Applicable Percentage determined pursuant to the following chart based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues for 2018 versus the Company’s 2018 Target Digital Revenues:

 

2018 Digital Revenue
  Achievement Against Target Digital Revenue Digital Revenue 2018 Applicable Percentage
Below Threshold Below YYY% Less than $XXX 0% - No Award
Threshold YYY% $XXX 50%*
Target YYY% $XXX 100%*
Maximum YYY% $XXX 200%*
Above Maximum YYY% or more More than $XXX 200%

 

* The Applicable Percentage is calculated using straight line interpolation between points.

 

(ii) 30% of the Employee’s Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2019 Applicable Percentage determined pursuant to the following chart based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues for 2019 versus the Company’s 2019 Target Digital Revenues:

 

2019 Digital Revenue
  Achievement Against Target Digital Revenue Digital Revenue 2019 Applicable Percentage
Below Threshold Below YYY% Below Threshold 0% - No Award
Threshold YYY% ___% of 2019 Target Digital Revenue 50%*
Target YYY% 2019 Target Digital Revenue 100%*
Maximum YYY%

___% of 2019 Target Digital Revenue

200%*
Above Maximum YYY% or more Above Maximum 200%

 

* The Applicable Percentage is calculated using straight line interpolation between points.

 

(iii) 20% of the Employee’s Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2020 Applicable Percentage determined pursuant to the following chart based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues for 2020 versus the Company’s 2020 Target Digital Revenues:

 

 

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2020 Digital Revenue
  Achievement Against Target Digital Revenue Digital Revenue 2020 Applicable Percentage
Below Threshold Below YYY% Below Threshold 0% - No Award
Threshold YYY% ___% of 2020 Target Digital Revenue 50%*
Target YYY% 2020 Target Digital Revenue 100%*
Maximum YYY% ___% of 2020 Target Digital Revenue 200%*
Above Maximum YYY% or more Above Maximum 200%

 

* The Applicable Percentage is calculated using straight line interpolation between points.

 

The Committee, in its sole discretion, is responsible for making the above calculations, and its determinations are binding on all parties. The Committee reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reduce, but not increase, the amount of an Award.

 

Definitions:

 

“2018 Target Digital Revenue” shall mean $_______________ (such amount shall be established by the Committee in the first 60 days of 2018 as will the achievement percentages in the foregoing charts).

 

“2019 Target Digital Revenue” shall mean __% multiplied by the Company’s actual Digital Revenues for 2018.

 

“2020 Target Digital Revenue” shall mean __% multiplied by the Company’s actual Digital Revenues for 2019.

 

“Adjusted EBITDA” means “Operating Income” as reported in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income, plus amounts reported for depreciation expense, amortization of intangible assets and impairment charges and further adjusted to exclude unusual or non-recurring charges or credits, such as restructuring charges and transformation costs, to the extent and in the amount such items are separately reported or discussed in the audited financial statements and notes thereto or in management’s discussion and analysis of the financial statements in a periodic report filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act.

 

“Digital Revenue” means Digital Advertising plus Digital Only Subscriptions as defined below:

 

Digital Advertising includes revenues earned by selling display and video advertising on desktop and mobile platforms as well as classified revenues earned through sales on third party platforms (e.g., RealMatch, Cars). It also includes revenues generated through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), social, email, directories, digital syndication, archives, other third party partners (e.g., affiliate sites) and various digital-related software and web presence products.

Digital Only Subscriptions is revenue earned through the purchase of digital only

 

 

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    newspaper subscriptions on desktop, mobile web or native apps (USCP only). It excludes revenues generated by e-editions (e.g., Kindle, Nook) and other digital circulation revenues (e.g., USA Today college app revenues).

 

Actual Digital Revenue shall be adjusted for “Extraordinary Items” as defined and set forth in Article 10 of the Plan except that the adjustment for item 4 in such definition (i.e., the effects of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs or significant transactions) shall only be made in the year of the closing of the transaction.

 

“Maximum Amount” means ____ percent of the sum of the Company’s “Adjusted EBITDA” for the Company’s 2018, 2019 and 2020 fiscal years.

 

Change In Control

 

In the event of a Change in Control of the Company and provided that the Employee’s right to receive Performance Units has not previously been cancelled or forfeited, the number of Performance Units an Employee will be paid is calculated as follows:

 

(i) For a Change in Control occurring in 2018, the number of the Employee’s Performance Units shall be calculated as the sum of (A) plus (B) where:

 

(A) is 50% of the Target Number of Performance Units; provided that if the Change in Control occurs on or after July 1, 2018, (A) shall be the greater of: (I) 50% of the Target Number of Performance Units, or (II) 50% of the Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2018 Applicable Percentage where the 2018 Applicable Percentage is determined under the 2018 Digital Revenue chart set forth above based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues in 2018 through the date of the Change in Control (with the Company’s Target Digital Revenues for 2018 multiplied by a fraction whose numerator is the number of days in 2018 prior to the Change in Control and whose denominator is 365); and

 

(B) is 50% of the Target Number of Performance Units.

 

(ii) For a Change in Control occurring in 2019, the number of the Employee’s Performance Units shall be calculated as the sum of (A) plus (B) plus (C) where:

 

(A) is the number of Performance Units earned based on the Company’s performance in 2018;

 

(B) is 30% of the Target Number of Performance Units; provided that if the Change in Control occurs on or after July 1, 2019, (B) shall be the greater of (I) 30% of the Target Number of Performance Units; and (II) 30% of the Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2019 Applicable Percentage where the 2019 Applicable Percentage is determined under the 2019 Digital Revenue chart set forth above based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues in 2019 through the date of the

 

 

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Change in Control (with the Company’s Target Digital Revenues for 2019 multiplied by a fraction whose numerator is the number of days in 2019 prior to the Change in Control and whose denominator is 365); and

 

(C) is 20% of the Target Number of Performance Units.

 

(iii) For a Change in Control occurring in 2020, the number of the Employee’s Performance Units shall be calculated as the sum of (A) plus (B) where

 

(A) is the number of Performance Units earned based on the Company’s performance in 2018 plus the number of Performance Units earned based on the Company’s performance in 2019; and

 

(B) is 20% of the Target Number of Performance Units; provided that if the Change in Control occurs on or after July 1, 2020, (B) is the greater of (I) 20% of the Target Number of Performance Units; and (II) 20% of the Target Number of Performance Units multiplied by the 2020 Applicable Percentage where the 2020 Applicable Percentage is determined under the 2020 Digital Revenue chart set forth above based on the Company’s actual Digital Revenues in 2020 through the date of the Change in Control (with the Company’s Target Digital Revenues for 2020 multiplied by a fraction whose numerator is the number of days in 2020 prior to the Change in Control and whose denominator is 365).

 

The payment of the above is subject to the Employee’s satisfaction of the service requirements, if any, specified in Section 13. In the event of a Change in Control the Maximum Amount shall not apply, and the Committee shall not have the authority to exercise negative discretion to reduce the amount of the award from the amount calculated above.

 

Code Section 162(m)

 

To the extent applicable, this Award is intended to comply with the requirements for satisfying with the performance-based compensation exception under Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m), and the provisions of this Award shall be interpreted and administered consistently with that intent.

 

Jan. 2018

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.2

 

2018 RSU Award Agreement for US employees

 

AWARD AGREEMENT

 

STOCK UNITS

 

The Gannett Board of Directors or the Executive Compensation Committee thereof (the “Committee”), as the case may be, has approved an award of Restricted Stock Units (referred to herein as “Stock Units”) to you under the Gannett Co., Inc. 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), as amended, as set forth below.

 

This Award Agreement and the enclosed Terms and Conditions effective as of January 1, 2018, constitute the formal agreement governing this award.

 

Please sign both copies of this Award Agreement to evidence your agreement with the terms hereof. Keep one copy and return the other to the undersigned. Please keep the enclosed Terms and Conditions for future reference. 

 

   
Employee: Location:
   
Grant Date: 1/1/18
   
Stock Unit Commencement Date: 1/1/18
   
Stock Unit Expiration Date: 1/1/21
   
Stock Unit Vesting Schedule: 33% of the Stock Units shall vest on 1/1/19*
  33% of the Stock Units shall vest on 1/1/20*
  34% of the Stock Units shall vest on 1/1/21*
   
Payment Date: 33% of the Stock Units shall be paid on 1/3/2019*
  33% of the Stock Units shall be paid on 1/3/2020*
  34% of the Stock Units shall be paid on 1/3/2021*

 

*  Subject to the attached “Terms and Conditions”, including that the Employee is continuously employed until such vesting dates and has not terminated employment on or before such vesting dates. Such dates are hereinafter referred to as the “Vesting Date” or “Payment Date” for the Stock Units that vest or are paid on such dates.

 

Number of Stock Units:

 

     
    Gannett Co., Inc.
       
    By:    
Employee’s Signature     David Harmon
      Chief People Officer

 

 

 

 

STOCK UNITS 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Under the 

Gannett Co., Inc. 

2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended

 

These Terms and Conditions, dated January 1, 2018, govern the grant of Restricted Stock Units (referred to herein as “Stock Units”) to the employee (the “Employee”) designated in the Award Agreement dated coincident with these Terms and Conditions. The Stock Units are granted under, and are subject to, the Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”) 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “Plan”). Terms used herein that are defined in the Plan or Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan or Award Agreement. If there is any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and the terms of the Plan, the Plan’s terms shall supersede and replace the conflicting terms herein.

 

1.        Grant of Stock Units . Pursuant to the provisions of (i) the Plan, (ii) the individual Award Agreement governing the grant, and (iii) these Terms and Conditions, the Company has granted to the Employee the number of Stock Units set forth on the applicable Award Agreement. Each vested Stock Unit shall entitle the Employee to receive from the Company one share of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) upon the earliest of the Employee’s termination of employment, a Change in Control (but only to the extent provided in Section 14) or the Payment Date, as defined below. The Employee shall not be entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock with respect to unvested Stock Units, and the Employee shall have no further rights with regard to a Stock Unit once the underlying share of Common Stock has been delivered with respect to that Stock Unit.

 

 

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2.        Payment Date . The Payment Date shall be the dates specified in the Award Agreement with respect to the Stock Units that vest on such date under the schedule set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

3.        Vesting Schedule . Subject to the special vesting rules set forth in Sections 7, 14 and 15, the Stock Units shall vest in accordance with the Vesting Schedule specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Employee is continuously employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries until the Vesting Dates specified in the Vesting Schedule and has not terminated employment on or before such dates. An Employee will not be treated as remaining in continuous employment if the Employee’s employer ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Company.

 

4.        No Dividend Equivalents . No dividend equivalents shall be paid to the Employee with regard to the Stock Units.

 

5.        Delivery of Shares . The Company shall deliver to the Employee a certificate or certificates, or at the election of the Company make an appropriate book-entry, for the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of vested Stock Units as soon as administratively practicable (but always by the 30th day) after the earliest of the Employee’s termination of employment, a Change in Control (but only to the extent provided in Section 14) or the Payment Date; provided that the number of shares shall be reduced by the value of all taxes which the Company is required by law to withhold by reason of such delivery. The Employee shall not be entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock with respect to unvested Stock Units, and the Employee shall have no further rights with regard to a Stock Unit once the underlying share of Common Stock has been delivered with respect to that Stock Unit.

 

 

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6.        Cancellation of Stock Units .

 

(a)       Termination of Employment . All Stock Units granted to the Employee that have not vested as of the date of the Employee’s termination of employment shall automatically be cancelled upon the Employee’s termination of employment. Unvested Stock Units shall also be cancelled in connection with an event that results in the Employee’s employer ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Company.

 

(b)      Forfeiture of Stock Units/Recovery of Common Stock . Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement are subject to the Company’s Clawback Policy, dated as of December 9, 2015, which may be amended from time-to-time with retroactive effect. In addition, the Company may assert any other remedies that may be available to the Company under applicable law.

 

7.        Death, Disability, Retirement . In lieu of the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Award Agreement, in the event that the Employee’s employment terminates on or prior to the Stock Unit Expiration Date by reason of termination of employment after attaining age 65, or termination of employment after both attaining age 55 and completing at least 5 years of service, the Employee shall become vested in a number of Stock Units equal to the product of (i) the total number of Stock Units in which the Employee would have become vested upon the Stock Unit Expiration Date set forth in the Award Agreement had the Employee’s employment not terminated, and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of full calendar months between the Stock Unit Commencement Date and the date that employment terminated, and the denominator of which shall be the number of full calendar months from the Stock Unit Commencement Date to the Stock Unit Expiration Date; provided such number of Stock Units so vested shall be reduced by the number of Stock Units that had previously become vested. In lieu of the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Award Agreement, in the event that the Employee’s employment terminates on or prior to the Stock Unit Expiration Date by reason of death or permanent disability (as determined under the Company’s

 

 

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Long Term Disability Plan), the Employee (or in the case of the Employee’s death, the Employee’s estate or designated beneficiary) shall be become fully vested in all of the Employee’s unvested Stock Units.

 

8.        Non-Assignability . Stock Units may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, whether by operation of law or otherwise, nor may the Stock Units be made subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

 

9.        Rights as a Shareholder . The Employee shall have no rights as a shareholder by reason of the Stock Units.

 

10.      Discretionary Plan; Employment . The Plan is discretionary in nature and may be suspended or terminated by the Company at any time. With respect to the Plan, (a) each grant of Stock Units is a one-time benefit which does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Stock Units, or benefits in lieu of Stock Units; (b) all determinations with respect to any such future grants, including, but not limited to, the times when the Stock Units shall be granted, the number of Stock Units, the Payment Dates and the Vesting Dates, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (c) the Employee’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to further employment with the Employee’s employer and shall not interfere with the ability of the Employee’s employer to terminate the Employee’s employment relationship at any time with or without cause; (d) the Employee’s participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the Stock Units are not part of normal and expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, redundancy, end of service payment, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits, or similar payments; and (f) the future value of the Stock Units is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty.

 

 

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11.      Effect of Plan and these Terms and Conditions . The Plan is hereby incorporated by reference into these Terms and Conditions, and these Terms and Conditions are subject in all respects to the provisions of the Plan, including without limitation the authority of the Executive Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) in its sole discretion to adjust awards and to make interpretations and other determinations with respect to all matters relating to the applicable Award Agreements, these Terms and Conditions, the Plan and awards made pursuant thereto. These Terms and Conditions shall apply to the grant of Stock Units made to the Employee on the date hereof and shall not apply to any future grants of Stock Units made to the Employee.

 

12.      Notices . Notices hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Company at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22107, and, if to the Employee, shall be addressed to the Employee at his or her address as it appears on the Company’s records.

 

13.      Successors and Assigns . The applicable Award Agreement and these Terms and Conditions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 7 hereof, to the estate or designated beneficiary of the Employee.

 

14.      Change in Control Provisions .

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms and Conditions, the following provisions shall apply to all Stock Units granted under the attached Award Agreement.

 

 

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(a)         Definitions .

 

As used in Article 15 of the Plan and in these Terms and Conditions, a “Change in Control” shall mean the first to occur of the following:

 

(i)       the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this Section, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one of its affiliates or (iv) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 14(a)(iii)(A), 14(a)(iii)(B) and 14(a)(iii)(C);

 

(ii)       individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

 

 

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(iii)       consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation or entity, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the

 

 

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time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv)      approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(b)      Acceleration Provisions . (i) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Stock Units are not continued or assumed (i.e., the Stock Units are not equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Stock Units that have not been cancelled or paid out shall become fully vested.

 

(A) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Stock Units are not continued or assumed and such vested Stock Units are not treated as deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and the regulations and guidance issued thereunder (“Section 409A”), as soon as administratively practicable on or following the effective date of the Change in Control (but in no event later than 30 days after such event), the Stock Units shall be paid out to the Employee.

 

(B) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Stock Units are not continued or assumed and such vested Stock Units are treated as deferred compensation under Section 409A, the vested Stock Units shall be paid out to the Employee as soon as administratively practicable on or following the effective date of the Change in Control (but in no event later than 30 days after such event); provided that the Change in Control also constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A, and such payout will not result in additional taxes under Section 409A. Otherwise, the vested Stock Units shall be paid out as soon as administratively practicable after the earlier of the Employee’s

 

 

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termination of employment or the applicable Payment Date for such Stock Units (but in no event later than 30 days after such events).

 

(ii)      In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Stock Units are continued or assumed (i.e., the Stock Units are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Stock Units shall not vest upon the Change in Control, provided that the Stock Units that are not subsequently vested and paid under the other provisions of this Award shall become fully vested in the event that the Employee has a “qualifying termination of employment” within two years following the date of the Change in Control. In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Stock Units are continued or assumed, vested Stock Units shall be paid out soon as administratively practicable after the earlier of the Employee’s termination of employment or the applicable Payment Date for such Stock Units (but in no event later than 30 days after such events).

 

A “qualifying termination of employment” shall occur if the Company involuntarily terminates the Employee without “Cause” or the Employee voluntarily terminates for “Good Reason”. For this purpose, “Cause” shall mean:

 

any material misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or its affiliate by the Employee;

 

unreasonable and persistent neglect or refusal by the Employee to perform his or her duties which is demonstrably willful and deliberate on the Employee’s part, which is committed in bad faith or without reasonable belief that such breach is in the best interests of the Company and which is not remedied in a reasonable period of time after receipt of written notice from the Company specifying such breach;

 

conviction of the Employee of a securities law violation or a felony involving moral turpitude; or

 

the Employee being found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission to have violated any Federal or State securities law.

 

For this purpose, “Good Reason” means the occurrence after a Change in Control of any of

 

 

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the following circumstances without the Employee’s express written consent, unless such circumstances are fully corrected within 90 days of the Notice of Termination described below:

 

the material diminution of the Employee’s duties, authorities or responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

a material reduction in the Employee’s base salary or target bonus opportunity as in effect on the date immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

the relocation of the Employee’s office from the location at which the Employee is principally employed immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control to a location 35 or more miles farther from the Employee’s residence immediately prior to the Change in Control, and recognizing that the Employee shall be expected to travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with the Employee’s business travel obligations prior to the Change in Control; or

 

the failure by the Company or its affiliate to pay any material compensation or benefits due to the Employee.

 

Any termination by the Employee for Good Reason shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination that (x) indicates the specific termination provision in the Award Agreement relied upon, and (y) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Employee’s employment under the provision so indicated. Such notice must be provided to the Company within ninety (90) days after the event that created the “Good Reason”.

 

(iii)       If in connection with a Change in Control, the Stock Units are assumed (i.e., the Stock Units are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Stock Units shall refer to the right to receive such cash and/or equity. An assumption of this Stock Unit award must satisfy the following requirements:

 

The converted or substituted award must be a right to receive an amount of cash and/or equity that has a value, measured at the time of such conversion or substitution, that is equal to the value of this Award as of the date of the Change in Control;

 

Any equity payable in connection with a converted or substituted award must be publicly traded equity securities of the Company, a successor company or their direct

 

 

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or indirect parent company, and such equity issuable with respect to a converted or substituted award must be covered by a registration statement filed with the Securities Exchange Commission that permits the immediate sale of such shares on a national exchange;

 

The vesting terms of any converted or substituted award must be substantially identical to the terms of this Award; and

 

The other terms and conditions of any converted or substituted award must be no less favorable to the Employee than the terms of this Award are as of the date of the Change in Control (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change in Control).

 

The determination of whether the conditions of this Section 14(b)(iii) are satisfied shall be made by the Committee, as constituted immediately before the Change in Control, in its sole discretion.

 

(c) Legal Fees. The Company shall pay all legal fees, court costs, fees of experts and other costs and expenses when incurred by Employee in connection with any actual, threatened or contemplated litigation or legal, administrative or other proceedings involving the provisions of this Section 14, whether or not initiated by the Employee. The Company agrees to pay such amounts within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Employee, provided that the Employee shall have submitted an invoice for such amounts at least 30 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and disbursements were incurred.

 

15.      Employment or Similar Agreements. The provisions of Sections 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 14 of these Terms and Conditions shall not be applied to or interpreted in a manner which would decrease the rights held by, or the payments owing to, an Employee under an employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement with the Company that pre-exists the Grant Date and contains specific provisions applying to Plan awards in the case of any change in control or similar event or termination of employment, and if there is any conflict between the terms of such employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement and the terms of

 

 

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Sections 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 14, the employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement shall control.

 

16.      Grant Subject to Applicable Regulatory Approvals . Any grant of Stock Units under the Plan is specifically conditioned on, and subject to, any regulatory approvals required in the Employee’s country. These approvals cannot be assured. If necessary approvals for grant or payment are not obtained, the Stock Units may be cancelled or rescinded, or they may expire, as determined by the Company in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

17.      Applicable Laws and Consent to Jurisdiction . The validity, construction, interpretation and enforceability of this Agreement shall be determined and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law. For the purpose of litigating any dispute that arises under this Agreement, the parties hereby consent to exclusive jurisdiction in Virginia and agree that such litigation shall be conducted in the courts of Fairfax County, Virginia or the federal courts of the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia.

 

18.      Section 409A . This Award is intended to either be exempt from or comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that no taxes under Section 409A are triggered, and shall be interpreted and administered in accordance with that intent (e.g., the definition of “termination of employment” (or similar term used herein) shall have the meaning ascribed to “separation from service” under Section 409A). If any provision of these Terms and Conditions would otherwise conflict with or frustrate this intent, the provision shall not apply. Notwithstanding any provision in this Award Agreement to the contrary and solely to the extent required by Section 409A, if the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and if delivery of shares is being made in connection with the Employee’s separation from service other than by reason of the Employee’s death, delivery of the shares shall be delayed until six months and one day after

 

 

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the Employee’s separation from service with the Company (or, if earlier than the end of the six-month period, the date of the Employee’s death). The Company shall not be responsible or liable for the consequences of any failure of the Award to avoid taxation under Section 409A.

 

2018 

US employees

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.3

  

Model 2018 TSR Award Agreement

 

AWARD AGREEMENT

 

PERFORMANCE SHARES

  

The Gannett Board of Directors or the Executive Compensation Committee thereof (the “Committee”), as the case may be, has approved your opportunity to receive Performance Shares (referred to herein as “Performance Shares”) under the Gannett Co., Inc. 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended, as set forth below.

  

This Award Agreement and the enclosed Terms and Conditions effective as of January 1, 2018, constitute the formal agreement governing this award.

  

Please sign both copies of this Award Agreement to evidence your agreement with the terms hereof. Keep one copy and return the other to the undersigned.

  

Please keep the enclosed Terms and Conditions for future reference.

 

 

 

Employee:   Location:
     
Grant Date:   1/1/18
     
Performance Period Commencement Date:   1/1/18
     
Performance Period End Date:   1/1/21
     
Performance Share Payment Date:   On a date specified by the Committee that is within the first 70 days of 2021
     
Target Number of Performance Shares:   _____*

 

*     The actual number of Performance Shares you may receive will be higher or lower depending on the Company’s performance versus certain designated companies and your continued employment with the Company, as more fully explained in the enclosed Terms and Conditions.

 

 

 

    Gannett Co., Inc.
       
    By:    
Employee’s Signature     David Harmon
      Chief People Officer

  

 

 

PERFORMANCE SHARES

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  Under the

  Gannett Co., Inc.

2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended

 

These Terms and Conditions, dated January 1, 2018, govern the right of the employee (the “Employee”) designated in the Award Agreement dated coincident with these Terms and Conditions to receive Performance Shares (referred to herein as “Performance Shares”). Generally, the Employee will not receive any Performance Shares unless the specified service and performance requirements set forth herein are satisfied. The Performance Shares are granted under, and are subject to, the Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”) 2015 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “Plan”). Terms used herein that are defined in the Plan shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan. If there is any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and the terms of the Plan, the Plan’s terms shall supersede and replace the conflicting terms herein.

 

1.        Grant of Performance Shares . Pursuant to the provisions of (i) the Plan, (ii) the individual Award Agreement governing the grant, and (iii) these Terms and Conditions, the Employee may be entitled to receive Performance Shares. Each Performance Share that becomes payable shall entitle the Employee to receive from the Company one share of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) upon the expiration of the Incentive Period, except as provided in Section 13. The actual number of Performance Shares an Employee will receive will be calculated in the manner described in these Terms and Conditions, including Exhibit A, and may be different than the Target Number of Performance Shares set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

 

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2.         Incentive Period . Except as otherwise provided in Section 13 below, the Incentive Period in respect of the Performance Shares shall commence on the Performance Period Commencement Date specified in the Award Agreement and end on the Performance Period End Date specified in the Award Agreement.

 

3.         No Dividend Equivalents . No dividend equivalents shall be paid to the Employee with regard to the Performance Shares.

 

4.        Delivery of Shares . The Company shall deliver to the Employee a certificate or certificates, or at the election of the Company make an appropriate book-entry, for the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Performance Shares that have been earned based on the Company’s performance during the Incentive Period as set forth in Exhibit A and satisfaction of the Terms and Conditions set forth herein, which number of shares shall be reduced by the value of all taxes which the Company is required by law to withhold by reason of such delivery. Except as provided in Sections 13 or 14, such delivery shall take place on the Performance Share Payment Date. An Employee shall have no further rights with regard to the Performance Shares once the underlying shares of Common Stock have been delivered.

 

5.         Forfeiture and Cancellation of Right to Receive Performance Shares .

 

(a)        Termination of Employment . Except as provided in Sections 6, 13, and 14, an Employee’s right to receive Performance Shares shall automatically be cancelled upon the Employee’s termination of employment (as well as an event that results in the Employee’s employer ceasing to be a subsidiary of the Company) prior to the Performance Period End Date, and in such event the Employee shall not be entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock in respect thereof.

 

 

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(b)        Forfeiture of Performance Shares/Recovery of Common Stock . Performance Shares granted under this Award Agreement are subject to the Company’s Clawback Policy, dated as of December 9, 2015, which may be amended from time-to-time with retroactive effect. In addition, the Company may assert any other remedies that may be available to the Company under applicable law.

 

6.        Death, Disability, Retirement . Except as provided in Sections 13 or 14 below, in the event that the employment of the Employee shall terminate prior to the Performance Period End Date by reason of death, permanent disability (as determined under the Company’s Long Term Disability Plan), termination of employment after attaining age 65, or termination of employment after both attaining age 55 and completing at least 5 years of service, the Employee (or in the case of the Employee’s death, the Employee’s estate or designated beneficiary) shall be entitled to receive at the Performance Share Payment Date the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the total number of shares in respect of such Performance Shares which the Employee would have been entitled to receive upon the expiration of the Incentive Period had the Employee’s employment not terminated, and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of full calendar months between the Performance Period Commencement Date and the date that employment terminated, and the denominator of which shall be the number of full calendar months from the Performance Period Commencement Date to the Performance Period End Date.

 

7.        Non-Assignability . Performance Shares may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, whether by operation of law or otherwise, nor may the Performance Shares be made subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

 

 

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8.        Rights as a Shareholder . The Employee shall have no rights as a shareholder by reason of the Performance Shares.

 

9.        Discretionary Plan; Employment . The Plan is discretionary in nature and may be suspended or terminated by the Company at any time. With respect to the Plan, (a) each grant of Performance Shares is a one-time benefit which does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Performance Shares, or benefits in lieu of Performance Shares; (b) all determinations with respect to any such future grants, including, but not limited to, the times when the Performance Shares shall be granted, the number of Performance Shares, and the Incentive Period, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (c) the Employee’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to further employment with the Employee’s employer and shall not interfere with the ability of the Employee’s employer to terminate the Employee’s employment relationship at any time with or without cause; (d) the Employee’s participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the Performance Shares are not part of normal and expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, redundancy, end of service payment, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits, or similar payments; and (f) the future value of the Performance Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty.

 

10.        Effect of Plan and these Terms and Conditions . The Plan is hereby incorporated by reference into these Terms and Conditions, and these Terms and Conditions are subject in all respects to the provisions of the Plan, including without limitation the authority of the Executive Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) in its sole discretion to make interpretations and other determinations with respect to all matters relating to the applicable Award Agreements, these Terms and Conditions, the Plan and awards

 

 

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made pursuant thereto. These Terms and Conditions shall apply to the grant of Performance Shares made to the Employee on the date hereof and shall not apply to any future grants of Performance Shares made to the Employee.

 

11.        Notices . Notices hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Company at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22107, and, if to the Employee, shall be addressed to the Employee at his or her address as it appears on the Company’s records.

 

12.        Successors and Assigns . The applicable Award Agreement and these Terms and Conditions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 6 hereof, to the estate or designated beneficiary of the Employee.

 

13.        Change in Control Provisions .

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms and Conditions, the following provisions shall apply to the right of an Employee to receive Performance Shares under the attached Award Agreement.

 

(a)        Definitions .

 

As used in Article 15 of the Plan and in these Terms and Conditions, a “Change in Control” shall mean the first to occur of the following:

 

(i)       the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then-

 

 

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outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this Section, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one of its affiliates, or (iv) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 13(a)(iii)(A), 13(a)(iii)(B) and 13(a)(iii)(C);

 

(ii)       individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

 

(iii)       consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities

 

 

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immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation or entity, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv)       approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(b)        Acceleration Provisions . In the event of a Change in Control, the number of Performance Shares payable to an Employee shall be calculated in accordance with the Change in Control rules set forth in Exhibit A, subject to the vesting rules set forth below.

 

 

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      (i)        In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Shares are not continued or assumed (i.e., the Performance Shares are not equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Performance Shares that have not been cancelled shall become fully vested and shall be paid out to the Employee as soon as administratively practicable on or following the effective date of the Change in Control (but in no event later than 30 days after such event), provided that the Change in Control also constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and the regulations and guidance issued thereunder (“Section 409A”), and such payout will not result in additional taxes under Section 409A. Otherwise, in the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Shares are not continued or assumed, the vested Performance Shares shall be paid out at the earlier of the Employee’s termination of employment or the Performance Share Payment Date.

 

      (ii)       In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Shares are continued or assumed (i.e., the Performance Shares are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Performance Shares shall not vest upon the Change in Control, provided that the Performance Shares that have not vested under the other provisions of this Award shall become fully vested in the event that the Employee has a “qualifying termination of employment” within two years following the date of the Change in Control. In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control in which the Performance Shares are continued or assumed, vested Performance Shares shall be paid out to the Employee at the earlier of the Employee’s

 

 

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termination of employment or the Performance Share Payment Date.

 

A “qualifying termination of employment” shall occur if the Company involuntarily terminates the Employee without “Cause” or the Employee voluntarily terminates for “Good Reason”. For this purpose, “Cause” shall mean:

 

any material misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or its affiliate by the Employee;

 

unreasonable and persistent neglect or refusal by the Employee to perform his or her duties which is demonstrably willful and deliberate on the Employee’s part, which is committed in bad faith or without reasonable belief that such breach is in the best interests of the Company and which is not remedied in a reasonable period of time after receipt of written notice from the Company specifying such breach;

 

conviction of the Employee of a securities law violation or a felony involving moral turpitude; or

 

the Employee being found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission to have violated any Federal or State securities law.

 

For this purpose, “Good Reason” means the occurrence after a Change in Control of any of the following circumstances without the Employee’s express written consent, unless such circumstances are fully corrected within 90 days of the Notice of Termination described below:

 

the material diminution of the Employee’s duties, authorities or responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

a material reduction in the Employee’s base salary or target bonus opportunity as in effect on the date immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

the relocation of the Employee’s office from the location at which the Employee is principally employed immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control to a location 35 or more miles farther from the Employee’s residence immediately prior to the Change in Control, and recognizing that the Employee shall be expected to travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with the Employee’s business travel obligations prior to the Change in Control; or

 

the failure by the Company or its affiliate to pay any material compensation or benefits due to the Employee.

 

Any termination by the Employee for Good Reason shall be communicated by a Notice

 

 

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of Termination that (x) indicates the specific termination provision in the Award Agreement relied upon, and (y) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Employee’s employment under the provision so indicated. Such notice must be provided to the Company within ninety (90) days after the event that created the “Good Reason”.

 

(iii)       If in connection with a Change in Control, the Performance Shares are assumed (i.e., the Performance Shares are equitably converted into, or substituted for, a right to receive cash and/or equity of a successor entity or its affiliate), the Performance Shares shall refer to the right to receive such cash and/or equity. An assumption of this Performance Share award must satisfy the following requirements:

 

The converted or substituted award must be a right to receive an amount of cash and/or equity that has a value, measured at the time of such conversion or substitution, that is equal to the value of this Award as of the date of the Change in Control;

 

Any equity payable in connection with a converted or substituted award must be publicly traded equity securities of the Company, a successor company or their direct or indirect parent company, and such equity issuable with respect to a converted or substituted award must be covered by a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that permits the immediate sale of such shares on a national exchange;

 

The vesting terms of any converted or substituted award must be substantially identical to the terms of this Award; and

 

The other terms and conditions of any converted or substituted award must be no less favorable to the Employee than the terms of this Award are as of the date of the Change in Control (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change in Control).

 

The determination of whether the conditions of this Section 13(b)(iii) are satisfied shall be made by the Committee, as constituted immediately before the Change in Control, in its sole discretion.

 

 

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(c)        Legal Fees. The Company shall pay all legal fees, court costs, fees of experts and other costs and expenses when incurred by Employee in connection with any actual, threatened or contemplated litigation or legal, administrative or other proceedings involving the provisions of this Section 13, whether or not initiated by the Employee. The Company agrees to pay such amounts within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Employee, provided that the Employee shall have submitted an invoice for such amounts at least 30 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and disbursements were incurred.

 

14.        Employment or Similar Agreements . The provisions of Sections 1, 4, 5, 6 and 13 of these Terms and Conditions shall not be applied to or interpreted in a manner which would decrease the rights held by, or the payments owing to, an Employee under an employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement with the Company that pre-exists the Grant Date and contains specific provisions applying to Plan awards in the case of any change in control or similar event or termination of employment, and if there is any conflict between the terms of such employment agreement, termination benefits agreement or similar agreement and the terms of Sections 1, 4, 5, 6 or 13, the employment agreement or termination benefits agreement shall control.

 

15.        Grant Subject to Applicable Regulatory Approvals . Any grant of Performance Shares under the Plan is specifically conditioned on, and subject to, any regulatory approvals required in the Employee’s country. These approvals cannot be assured. If necessary approvals for grant or payment are not obtained, the Performance Shares may be cancelled or rescinded, or they may expire, as determined by the Company in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

 

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16.        Applicable Laws and Consent to Jurisdiction . The validity, construction, interpretation and enforceability of this Agreement shall be determined and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law. For the purpose of litigating any dispute that arises under this Agreement, the parties hereby consent to exclusive jurisdiction in Virginia and agree that such litigation shall be conducted in the courts of Fairfax County, Virginia or the federal courts of the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia.

 

17.        Compliance with Section 409A . This Award is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that no taxes under Section 409A are triggered, and shall be interpreted and administered in accordance with that intent (e.g., the definition of “termination of employment” (or similar term used herein) shall have the meaning ascribed to “separation from service” under Section 409A). If any provision of these Terms and Conditions would otherwise conflict with or frustrate this intent, the provision shall not apply. Notwithstanding any provision in this Award Agreement to the contrary and solely to the extent required by Section 409A, if the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and if delivery of shares is being made in connection with the Employee’s separation from service other than by reason of the Employee’s death, delivery of the shares shall be delayed until six months and one day after the Employee’s separation from service with the Company (or, if earlier than the end of the six-month period, the date of the Employee’s death). The Company shall not be responsible or liable for the consequences of any failure of the Award to avoid taxation under Section 409A.

 

 

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Exhibit A

 

Performance Share Calculation

 

The number of Performance Shares that the Employee will be entitled to receive if the Employee satisfies the applicable service requirements will be calculated based on how the Company’s Total Shareholder Return compares to the Total Shareholder Return of the Comparator Companies during the Incentive Period (i.e., the Company’s Total Shareholder Return will be ranked against the Total Shareholder Return of the Comparator Companies). Specifically, the Committee shall calculate the number of Performance Shares that may be paid to the Employee by multiplying the Employee’s Target Number of Performance Shares by the applicable percentage determined as follows:

  

1. Calculate the Total Shareholder Return for the Company and each of the Comparator Companies from the first day of the Incentive Period to the applicable measurement date.

 

2. Calculate the percentile ranking of each Comparator Company (excluding the Company) based on its Total Shareholder Return during the applicable measurement period;

 

3. Determine the Company’s percentile ranking based on its Total Shareholder Return and the percentile rankings of the Comparator Companies with Total Shareholder Returns immediately above and below the Company using straight line interpolation; and

 

4. Calculate the Resulting Shares Earned percentage based on the Company’s percentile ranking and the below chart using straight line interpolation. The Resulting Shares Earned percentage is the applicable percentage used to determine the number of Performance Shares that have been earned.

  

Company’s Percentile in 3-Year TSR vs. Comparator Companies

Resulting Shares Earned (% of

Target)

Value of Each Share Earned
90 th or above 200% Each share earned is also impacted by share price change during the cycle
70 th 150%
50 th 100%
25 th 50%
<25 th 0%
Straight-line interpolation between points

  

For purposes of calculating the payout, the Company’s performance versus the Comparator Companies will be based on the average payout that would be made based on the Company’s cumulative Total Shareholder Return relative to the Comparator Companies at the end of each of the last 4 quarters of the Incentive Period.

 

 

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Other Rules :

 

1.        In the event that the price of a share of the Company’s Common Stock on the Performance Share Payment Date is more than 300% of the price of a share of the Company’s Common Stock on the Performance Period Commencement Date, the number of shares delivered under the Award will be reduced so the value of the Award does not exceed 300% of the price of a share of the Company’s Common Stock on the Performance Period Commencement Date multiplied by the number of Performance Shares earned. For example, if (i) the Company’s share price is $10 on the Performance Period Commencement Date, (ii) the Employee’s Target Number of Shares is 100, (iii) the Employee earns 100% of the Target Number of Shares (or 100 shares), and (iv) the value of such shares on the Performance Share Payment Date is $50, the number of the shares will be reduced because the value of the shares on the Performance Share Payment Date exceeds 300% of the value of the shares on the Performance Period Commencement Date. Specifically, the award to the Employee would be reduced to 60 shares (i.e., (100 shares x (300% x $10)/$50)).

 

2.        Comparator Companies that are involved in bankruptcy proceedings (and thus no longer traded on a national securities exchange) during the Incentive Period will remain in the group at -100% Total Shareholder Return.

 

3.        The following rules shall apply to Comparator Companies during the Incentive Period:

 

(a)       If a Comparator Company enters into or becomes subject to a definitive agreement to be acquired (whether by acquisition, merger, tender offer or otherwise) on or before the last day of the second year of the Incentive Period, the Comparator Company will be eliminated from the Total Shareholder Return calculations for the entire period. If, however, such an agreement is rescinded, revoked or abandoned by the end of the second year of the Incentive Period and no new agreement is entered into by the end of the second year, the Comparator Company will be taken into account unless it is subject to another rule set forth below.

 

(b)       If a Comparator Company is subject to a public announcement of a takeover attempt or enters into or is subject to a definitive agreement to be acquired in the third year of the Incentive Period, the Comparator Company will be fixed above or below Gannett using 30-trading day average prices for both companies up to the day before the announcement of the takeover attempt or definitive agreement. If fixed above Gannett, such Comparator Company will be placed at the top of the rankings of Comparator Companies, and if fixed below Gannett, such Comparator Company will be placed at the bottom of the rankings of Comparator Companies.

 

(c)       If a Comparator Company enters into or is subject to a definitive agreement to be acquired by Gannett or one of its subsidiaries, it will be eliminated from the Total Shareholder Return calculations for the entire measurement period.

 

Definitions :

  

“Total Shareholder Return” means a fraction whose numerator is the stock price change plus dividends paid on such stock (which are assumed to be reinvested in the stock) and whose

 

 

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denominator is the stock price on the Performance Period Commencement Date.

 

“Comparator Companies” means:

  

A.H. Belo Corp. Entercom Communications Corp. Graham Holdings Co.
Harte Hanks, Inc. IAC/Interactivecorp Lee Enterprises, Inc.
McClatchy Co. – CL A Meredith Corp. New Media Investment Group
New York Times Co. – CL A News Corp. Nexstar Media Group
Pandora Media, Inc. TEGNA Inc. Time, Inc.
Townsquare Media, Inc. Tronc, Inc. Wiley (John) & Sons – CL A
Yelp, Inc.    

  

The Committee, in its sole discretion, is responsible for making the above calculations.

 

Change In Control

 

In the event of a Change in Control to the Company and provided that the Employee’s right to receive Performance Shares has not previously been cancelled, the number of Performance Shares an Employee may be paid will be calculated based on the Company’s relative Total Shareholder Return positioning on the date of the Change in Control and there will be no four quarter averaging. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Change in Control occurs in the first twelve (12) months of the Incentive Period, the Employee will, instead, receive the Target Number of Performance Shares as set forth in the Employee’s Award Agreement; provided that the Employee’s right to receive Performance Shares has not previously been cancelled.

 

Code Section 162(m)

 

This Award is intended to comply with the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) and the provisions of this Award shall be interpreted and administered consistently with that intent. In that light, the following rules shall apply to the award:

 

(a) To the extent permitted by Code Section 162(m) and the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to adjust the number of Performance Shares that are payable under the Award Agreement, adjust the Total Shareholder Return calculations or alter the methodology for calculating the number of Performance Shares to take into account the effects of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, spin-off, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction.

 

(b) The aggregate grant with respect to awards of Performance Shares or Restricted Stock Units made in any one fiscal year to any one participant under the Plan may not exceed the value of five hundred thousand (500,000) Shares.

 

(c) Before any Performance Shares are paid to the Employee, the Committee will certify, in writing, the Company’s satisfaction of the pre-established performance target and the number of Performance Shares payable to the Employee.

  

Jan. 2018