SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
Washington, DC 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): January 17, 2011
HFF, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or Organization)
  001-33280
(Commission File Number)
  51-0610340
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
 
One Oxford Centre
301 Grant Street, Suite 600
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
(412) 281-8714

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s
Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1.01 ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
SIGNATURE
EXHIBIT INDEX

 


 

Item 1.01   Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Adoption of Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plans of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. and HFF Securities L.P.
On January 17, 2011, following the approval of the board of directors of HFF, Inc. (the “Company”), Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. (“HFF LP”) and HFF Securities L.P. (“HFF Securities” and together with HFF LP, the “Operating Partnerships”), each an operating partnership of the Company, adopted the Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan and the HFF Securities L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan (each an “Amended Profit Participation Bonus Plan”), respectively. The terms and conditions of each Amended Profit Participation Bonus Plan are substantially similar to those previously in effect, except that each Amended Profit Participation Bonus Plan now provides that the board of directors of the Company, or any appropriate committee thereof, may elect to pay up to one-third of the profit participation bonuses payable under the Amended Profit Participation Bonus Plans in the form of equity-based awards pursuant to the HFF, Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (or any other compensation plan adopted by the Company under which equity securities of the Company are authorized).
The foregoing description of each Amended Profit Participation Bonus Plan is only a summary, does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan and the HFF Securities L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan, copies of which are filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2 of this report, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.
Adoption of HFF, Inc. Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan
On January 17, 2011, the Company adopted the HFF, Inc. Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan (the “Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan”). The purpose of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan is to encourage and reward firm-wide collaboration and broad stewardship and to promote the financial success of the Company and the Operating Partnerships.
Firm Profit Pool Calculation. For each calendar year, if the Company achieves a 17.5% or greater Adjusted Operating Income Margin, a bonus pool will be funded by a percentage of the Company’s Adjusted Operating Income beyond predefined Adjusted Operating Income Margin thresholds. The bonus pool will be equal to the sum of:
    15% of the Adjusted Operating Income, if any, greater than that required to reach a 17.5% Adjusted Operating Income Margin but less that that required to reach an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 20.0%, plus
 
    17.5% of the Adjusted Operating Income, if any, greater than that required to reach a 20.0% Adjusted Operating Income Margin but less that that required to reach an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 22.5%, plus
 
    20% of the Adjusted Operating Income, if any, greater than that required to reach a 22.5% Adjusted Operating Income Margin but less that that required to reach an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 25.0%, plus
 
    22.5% of the Adjusted Operating Income, if any, greater than that required to reach a 25.0% Adjusted Operating Income Margin but less that that required to reach an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 27.5%, plus
 
    25.0% of the Adjusted Operating Income, if any, greater than that required to reach a 27.5% Adjusted Operating Income Margin.

 


 

For purposes of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, “Adjusted Operating Income” means the Company’s net operating income adjusted for interest income and expense and other income (including, without limitation, that relating to the sale of servicing rights, securitization profits under the Company’s Freddie Mac Program Plus Seller Servicer line of business and trading profits under the Company’s arrangements regarding Federal National Mortgage Association loans), all as determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). For purposes of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, “Adjusted Operating Income Margin” means Adjusted Operating Income as a percentage of the Company’s revenue, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.
Allocation of Bonus Pool. Members of the Executive and Leadership Committees (or any similar committees established in the future) established by the Company, the Operating Partnerships or any other affiliate of the Company are eligible to participate in and receive a bonus payment under the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan (a “Profit Participation Bonus”) with respect to services performed during the calendar year. The Company’s chief executive officer, John H. Pelusi, Jr., and two of the Company’s directors, Mark D. Gibson and Joe B. Thornton, Jr., are members of the Executive Committee and are eligible for Profit Participation Bonuses. The Company’s chief financial officer, Gregory R. Conley, the Company’s chief operating officer, Nancy O. Goodson, and one of the Company’s directors, John P. Fowler, are ad hoc members of the Executive Committee and are also eligible for such bonuses.
Payment of Profit Participation. Subject to any applicable federal, state, local or other withholding taxes, Profit Participation Bonuses will be paid within 30 days of the date on which the bonus pool is calculated by the Company’s chief financial officer or his or her designee. The board of directors of the Company, or an appropriate committee thereof, may elect to pay up to two-thirds of the Profit Participation Bonuses payable under the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan in the form of equity-based awards pursuant to the HFF, Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (or any other compensation plan adopted by the Company under which equity securities of the Company are authorized).
Administration. The Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan will be administered by the chief executive officer of the Company, provided that any Profit Participation Bonuses to be paid to any executive officers of the Company must be approved in advance by the board of directors of the Company or an appropriate committee thereof. Any action of the chief executive officer in administering the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan will be final, conclusive and binding on all persons. Subject to the provisions of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, the chief executive officer has the authority to:
    determine the effect upon the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan and the Profit Participation Bonuses, if any, of any stock dividend, recapitalization, forward stock split or reverse stock split, reorganization, division, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or share exchange, extraordinary or unusual cash distribution or other similar corporate transaction or event;
 
    construe and interpret the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan and to make all other determinations, including determinations as to the eligibility of any employee, as he or she may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan;
 
    correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan;
 
    adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as, in his or her opinion, may be advisable in the administration of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan;
 
    require any person to furnish such reasonable information as requested for the purpose of the proper administration of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan as a condition to receiving any benefits under the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan; and
 
    prepare and distribute information explaining the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan to employees.

 


 

The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the chief executive officer, each of its directors, officers, employees, affiliates and/or agents and the chief financial officer (or his or her designee) from any liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by such persons as a result of any act or omission to act in connection with the performance of the chief executive officer’s or chief financial officer’s duties under the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law, other than such liabilities, costs and expenses as may result from the gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or criminal acts of such persons.
Amendment or Termination of Plan. The Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan may only be amended or terminated through a writing executed by the Company’s board of directors or any appropriate committee thereof.
The foregoing description of the Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan is only a summary, does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the HFF, Inc. Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 of this report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
         
  10.1    
Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.
  10.2    
HFF Securities L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.
  10.3    
HFF, Inc. Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.

 


 

Signature
     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.
         
  HFF, INC.
 
 
Dated: January 21, 2011  By:   /s/ Gregory R. Conley    
    Gregory R. Conley   
    Chief Financial Officer   

 


 

         
EXHIBIT INDEX
         
Exhibit Number   Description
  10.1    
Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.
  10.2    
HFF Securities L.P. Amended and Restated Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.
  10.3    
HFF, Inc. Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan, adopted January 17, 2011.

 

Exhibit 10.1
HOLLIDAY FENOGLIO FOWLER, L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED PROFIT PARTICIPATION BONUS PLAN
Adopted: January 17, 2011
     1.  Purpose . This Profit Participation Bonus Plan (the “Plan”) is established to attract, retain and provide incentives to employees, and to promote the financial success, of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (the “Company”). Capitalized terms shall have the meanings defined herein.
     2.  Effective Date . The Plan is effective as provided herein.
     3.  Applicability of Plan to Designated Offices . The Plan shall apply to each separate office and/or line of business in each office of the Company (each, an “Office”) designated by the Managing Member of the Company (the “Managing Member”).
     4.  Office Bonus Pool Calculation .
          (a) Calculation of Office Bonus Pool . With respect to each Office to which the Plan applies and for each calendar year (a “Plan Year”), if a fourteen and one-half percent (14.5%) or greater Profit Margin (as defined below) is generated by such Office, as determined by the Managing Member in accordance with the terms herein, then an amount equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the Adjusted Operating Income (as defined below) generated by such Office, as determined by the Managing Member in accordance with the terms herein, shall comprise the “Office Bonus Pool” for such Office.
               (i) For purposes of the Plan, Profit Margin means the Net Operating Income (as defined below) of such Office as a percentage of the revenue of such Office, all as determined in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applied on a consistent basis “GAAP”).
               (ii) For purposes of the Plan, Net Operating Income means net operating income (using the same revenue and cost accounts as used in preparing the Company’s audited financial statements) of such Office, which includes allocations for overhead expenses and servicing expenses, if applicable, plus any gain on sale of mortgage servicing rights and securitization compensation from the securitization of any Freddie Mac loans which the Company services.
               (iii) For purposes of the Plan, Adjusted Operating Income means the Net Operating Income of such Office adjusted for depreciation and amortization.
          (b) Timing of Calculation . The amount of the Office Bonus Pool, if any, for each Office to which the Plan applies shall be calculated as soon as reasonably practicable following the closing of the books and records of the Company in accordance with GAAP in respect of the applicable Plan Year (or on such later date determined by the Managing Member)

 


 

(the “Determination Date”) by the Chief Financial Officer of HFF, Inc. or his or her designee (the “Chief Financial Officer”).
          (c) No Adjustment . The Office Bonus Pool shall not be adjusted based on any information that becomes available at any time following the Determination Date, absent fraud, accounting irregularities, willful misconduct, gross negligence or manifest error. The Office Bonus Pool calculation performed on the Determination Date shall take in account all relevant information available on that Determination Date.
          (d) Special Rule for Certain Offices .
               (i)  Default Rule . For any Office in which both investment sales employees and debt employees are employed, the investment sales group and the debt group shall be treated for all purposes under the Plan as separate Offices and the head of each such group (each, a “Group Head”) shall be treated for all purposes under the Plan as an Office Head.
               (ii)  Election by Group Heads . Notwithstanding Section 4(d)(i) of the Plan, the Group Heads in any Office at which both investment sales employees and debt employees are employed may, prior to the beginning of a Plan Year, jointly elect (after consultation with the Managing Member) to treat the investment sales group and the debt group at such Office as a single Office for all purposes under the Plan by providing a joint notice of such election to the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee.
     5.  Allocation of Office Bonus Pool .
          (a) Individual Eligibility . Each full-time or part-time employee of the Company is eligible to receive a bonus payment under the Plan (a “Profit Participation Bonus”) with respect to services performed during a Plan Year.
          (b) Allocation . For each Plan Year, each Office Head, in consultation with the Managing Member, shall select the recipients of Profit Participation Bonuses and shall determine the allocation of the Office Bonus Pool among such recipients (“Allocation Plan”).
          (c) Submission of Allocation Plan . Each Office Head shall submit the Allocation Plan for the Plan Year to the Chief Financial Officer prior to the Determination Date.
          (d) Termination of Employment . Except as otherwise provided in an individual’s employment agreement with the Company, if any, no individual shall be eligible to receive a Profit Participation Bonus if the Company does not employ him or her on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to the eligible individuals. Whether an individual is employed by the Company on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to the eligible individuals shall be determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Managing Member.
     6.  Payment of Profit Participation Bonus .
          (a) Subject to any applicable federal, state, local or other withholding taxes, Profit Participation Bonuses shall be paid in accordance with each Office’s Allocation Plan within thirty (30) days following the Determination Date, or, if determined by the Managing

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Member with respect to any Office, on or before March 15 of the year following the Plan Year with respect to which the Profit Sharing Bonus was earned.
          (b) The Board of Directors of HFF, Inc., or any appropriate committee thereof, may elect in its sole discretion to pay up to one-third (1/3) of the Profit Participation Bonuses in the form of equity-based awards pursuant to the HFF, Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (or any other compensation plan adopted by HFF, Inc. under which equity securities of HFF, Inc. are authorized); provided that any amounts of the Profit Participation Bonuses that are not paid in the form of such equity-based awards shall be paid in cash; provided , further , notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, that any such equity-based awards shall comply in form with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and any such cash payments shall be paid on or before March 15 of the year following the Plan Year with respect to which the Profit Sharing Bonus was earned.
     7.  Administration .
          (a) Managing Member . The Plan shall be administered by the Managing Member; provided that any Profit Participation Bonuses to be paid to any executive officers of HFF, Inc. must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors of HFF, Inc. or any appropriate committee thereof. Except as otherwise provided herein, any action of the Managing Member in administering the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, any employee and any persons claiming rights from or through employees of the Company.
          (b) Powers of the Managing Member . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Managing Member shall have full and final authority in his or her discretion (i) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all other determinations, including determinations as to the eligibility of any employee to a benefit hereunder, as he or she may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, (ii) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, (iii) to adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as, in his or her opinion, may be advisable in the administration of the Plan, (iv) to require any person to furnish such reasonable information as requested for the purpose of the proper administration of the Plan as a condition to receiving any benefits under the Plan, and (v) to prepare and distribute information explaining the Plan to employees.
          (c) Delegation . The Managing Member may delegate all or any portion of his or her duties, responsibilities and powers under the Plan to the chief operating officer, chief financial officer, any Office Head or Group Head, or any other employee of the Company as the Managing Member deems appropriate. The Managing Member may revoke any such allocation or delegation at any time for any reason with or without prior notice.
          (d) Indemnification . The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Managing Member, each of his or her affiliates and/or agents and the Chief Financial Officer of HFF, Inc. (or his or her designee) (each, a “Managing Member Indemnitee” and collectively the “Managing Member Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by the Managing Member Indemnitees as a result of any act or omission to act in connection with the performance of the Managing Member’s or the Chief Financial Officer of

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HFF, Inc.’s duties, responsibilities and obligations under the Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law, other than such liabilities, costs and expenses as may result from the gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or criminal acts of a Managing Member Indemnitee.
          (e) Payment of Administrative Expenses . All reasonable expenses incurred in administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
     8.  Recapitalization . The Managing Member shall determine, in his or her sole and absolute discretion, the effect upon the Plan and the Profit Participation Bonuses payable hereunder, if any, of any stock dividend, recapitalization, forward stock split or reverse stock split, reorganization, division, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or share exchange, extraordinary or unusual cash distribution or other similar corporate transaction or event.
     9.  Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries . No right or other interest of an employee under the Plan shall be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to, or in favor of, or subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such employee to, any party, other than the Company, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or assigned or transferred by such employee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Managing Member may, in his or her sole and absolute discretion, provide that rights or other interests of an employee under the Plan are transferable, without consideration, to immediate family members (i.e., children, grandchildren or spouse), to trusts for the benefit of such immediate family members and to partnerships in which such family members are the only partners. The Managing Member may attach to such transferability feature such terms and conditions as he or she deems advisable. In addition, an employee may, in the manner established by the Managing Member, designate a beneficiary (which may be a person or a trust) to receive any payment under the Plan upon the death of the Participant. A beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any employee shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan, except as otherwise determined by the Managing Member, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Managing Member.
     10.  No Right to Future Employment . Nothing in this Plan, nor any Profit Participation Bonus awarded under this Plan, shall confer on any employee or other person any right to be continued in the employ of, be employed by, or enter into or maintain any other relationship with, the Company, or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or other relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason.
     11.  No Right to Continued Participation . An employee’s receipt of a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan for a Plan Year shall not confer upon such employee the right to receive a Profit Participation Bonus, or any particular amount of a Profit Participation Bonus, in any subsequent Plan Year.
     12.  Funding . The Plan shall be entirely unfunded at all times and no provision shall be made with respect to segregating assets of the Company for payment of any benefit hereunder at any time. No employee or other person shall have any interest in any particular assets of the Company by reason of the right to receive a benefit under the Plan and any such employee or

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other person shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to any rights under the Plan.
     13.  Amendment or Termination of Plan . The Plan may only be amended or terminated through a writing executed by each limited partner and general partner of the Company.
     14.  Successors . The Plan shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Company and its successors and assigns and upon any person acquiring, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and the successor shall be substituted for the Company under this Plan.
     15.  Section 409A . To the extent determined necessary or advisable by the Managing Member in his or her sole discretion, Profit Participation Bonus awards hereunder shall be interpreted to the extent possible to comply with the provisions of section 409A of the Code (or avoid application of such Code section), to the extent applicable.
     16.  Headings . The titles and headings used in the Plan are intended for convenience only and shall not be construed as in any way affecting or modifying the text of this Plan, which text shall control.
     17.  Governing Law . The obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
     18.  Data Protection . By receiving a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan, an employee consents to the collection, processing, transmission and storage by the Company, in any form whatsoever, of any data of a professional or personal nature which is necessary for the purposes of administering the Plan.

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Exhibit 10.2
HFF SECURITIES L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED PROFIT PARTICIPATION BONUS PLAN
Adopted: January 17, 2011
     1.  Purpose . This Profit Participation Bonus Plan (the “Plan”) is established to attract, retain and provide incentives to employees, and to promote the financial success, of HFF Securities, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company”). Capitalized terms shall have the meanings defined herein.
     2.  Effective Date . The Plan is effective as provided herein.
     3.  Applicability of Plan to Designated Offices . The Plan shall apply to each separate office and/or line of business in each office of the Company (each, an “Office”) designated by Holliday GP Corp., a Delaware corporation and the General Partner of the Company (the “General Partner”).
     4.  Office Bonus Pool Calculation .
          (a) Calculation of Office Bonus Pool . With respect to each Office to which the Plan applies and for each calendar year (a “Plan Year”), if a fourteen and one-half percent (14.5%) or greater Profit Margin (as defined below) is generated by such Office, as determined by the General Partner in accordance with the terms herein, then an amount equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the Adjusted Operating Income (as defined below) generated by such Office, as determined by the General Partner in accordance with the terms herein, shall comprise the “Office Bonus Pool” for such Office.
               (i) For purposes of the Plan, Profit Margin means the Net Operating Income (as defined below) of such Office as a percentage of the revenue of such Office, all as determined in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applied on a consistent basis (“GAAP”).
               (ii) For purposes of the Plan, Net Operating Income means net operating income (using the same revenue and cost accounts as used in preparing the Company’s audited financial statements) of such Office, which includes allocations for overhead expenses and servicing expenses, if applicable, plus any gain on sale of mortgage servicing rights and securitization compensation from the securitization of any Freddie Mac loans which the Company services.
               (iii) For purposes of the Plan, Adjusted Operating Income means the Net Operating Income of such Office adjusted for depreciation and amortization.
          (b) Timing of Calculation . The amount of the Office Bonus Pool, if any, for each Office to which the Plan applies shall be calculated as soon as reasonably practicable following the closing of the books and records of the Company in accordance with GAAP in

 


 

respect of the applicable Plan Year (or on such later date determined by the General Partner) (the “Determination Date”) by the Chief Financial Officer of HFF, Inc. or his or her designee (the “Chief Financial Officer”).
          (c) No Adjustment . The Office Bonus Pool shall not be adjusted based on any information that becomes available at any time following the Determination Date, absent fraud, accounting irregularities, willful misconduct, gross negligence or manifest error. The Office Bonus Pool calculation performed on the Determination Date shall take in account all relevant information available on that Determination Date.
          (d) Special Rule for Certain Offices .
               (i)  Default Rule . For any Office in which both investment sales employees and debt employees are employed, the investment sales group and the debt group shall be treated for all purposes under the Plan as separate Offices and the head of each such group (each, a “Group Head”) shall be treated for all purposes under the Plan as an Office Head.
               (ii)  Election by Group Heads . Notwithstanding Section 4(d)(i) of the Plan, the Group Heads in any Office at which both investment sales employees and debt employees are employed may, prior to the beginning of a Plan Year, jointly elect (after consultation with the General Partner) to treat the investment sales group and the debt group at such Office as a single Office for all purposes under the Plan by providing a joint notice of such election to the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee.
     5.  Allocation of Office Bonus Pool .
          (a) Individual Eligibility . Each full-time or part-time employee of the Company is eligible to receive a bonus payment under the Plan (a “Profit Participation Bonus”) with respect to services performed during a Plan Year.
          (b) Allocation . For each Plan Year, each Office Head, in consultation with the General Partner, shall select the recipients of Profit Participation Bonuses and shall determine the allocation of the Office Bonus Pool among such recipients (“Allocation Plan”).
          (c) Submission of Allocation Plan . Each Office Head shall submit the Allocation Plan for the Plan Year to the Chief Financial Officer prior to the Determination Date.
          (d) Termination of Employment . Except as otherwise provided in an individual’s employment agreement with the Company, if any, no individual shall be eligible to receive a Profit Participation Bonus if the Company does not employ him or her on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to the eligible individuals. Whether an individual is employed by the Company on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to the eligible individuals shall be determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner.
     6.  Payment of Profit Participation Bonus .
          (a) Subject to any applicable federal, state, local or other withholding taxes, Profit Participation Bonuses shall be paid in accordance with each Office’s Allocation Plan

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within thirty (30) days following the Determination Date, or, if determined by the General Partner with respect to any Office, on or before March 15 of the year following the Plan Year with respect to which the Profit Sharing Bonus was earned.
          (b) The Board of Directors of HFF, Inc., or any appropriate committee thereof, may elect in its sole discretion to pay up to one-third (1/3) of the Profit Participation Bonuses in the form of equity-based awards pursuant to the HFF, Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (or any other compensation plan adopted by HFF, Inc. under which equity securities of HFF, Inc. are authorized); provided that any amounts of the Profit Participation Bonuses that are not paid in the form of such equity-based awards shall be paid in cash; provided , further , notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, that any such equity-based awards shall comply in form with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and any such cash payments shall be paid on or before March 15 of the year following the Plan Year with respect to which the Profit Sharing Bonus was earned.
     7.  Administration .
          (a) General Partner . The Plan shall be administered by the General Partner; provided that any Profit Participation Bonuses to be paid to any executive officers of HFF, Inc. must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors of HFF, Inc. or any appropriate committee thereof. Except as otherwise provided herein, any action of the General Partner in administering the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, any employee and any persons claiming rights from or through employees of the Company.
          (b) Powers of the General Partner . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the General Partner shall have full and final authority in its discretion (i) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all other determinations, including determinations as to the eligibility of any employee to a benefit hereunder, as he or she may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, (ii) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, (iii) to adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as, in his or her opinion, may be advisable in the administration of the Plan, (iv) to require any person to furnish such reasonable information as requested for the purpose of the proper administration of the Plan as a condition to receiving any benefits under the Plan, and (v) to prepare and distribute information explaining the Plan to employees.
          (c) Delegation . The General Partner may delegate all or any portion of its duties, responsibilities and powers under the Plan to the chief operating officer, chief financial officer, any Office Head or Group Head, or any other employee of the Company as the General Partner deems appropriate. The General Partner may revoke any such allocation or delegation at any time for any reason with or without prior notice.
          (d) Indemnification . The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the General Partner, each of its directors, officers, employees, affiliates and/or agents and the Chief Financial Officer of HFF, Inc. (or his or her designee) (each, a “General Partner Indemnitee” and collectively the “General Partner Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by the General Partner Indemnitees as a result of any act or omission to act in

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connection with the performance of the General Partner’s or the Chief Financial Officer of HFF, Inc.’s duties, responsibilities and obligations under the Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law, other than such liabilities, costs and expenses as may result from the gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or criminal acts of a General Partner Indemnitee.
          (e) Payment of Administrative Expenses . All reasonable expenses incurred in administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
     8.  Recapitalization . The General Partner shall determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, the effect upon the Plan and the Profit Participation Bonuses payable hereunder, if any, of any stock dividend, recapitalization, forward stock split or reverse stock split, reorganization, division, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or share exchange, extraordinary or unusual cash distribution or other similar corporate transaction or event.
     9.  Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries . No right or other interest of an employee under the Plan shall be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to, or in favor of, or subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such employee to, any party, other than the Company, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or assigned or transferred by such employee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the General Partner may, in its sole and absolute discretion, provide that rights or other interests of an employee under the Plan are transferable, without consideration, to immediate family members (i.e., children, grandchildren or spouse), to trusts for the benefit of such immediate family members and to partnerships in which such family members are the only partners. The General Partner may attach to such transferability feature such terms and conditions as he or she deems advisable. In addition, an employee may, in the manner established by the General Partner, designate a beneficiary (which may be a person or a trust) to receive any payment under the Plan upon the death of the Participant. A beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any employee shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan, except as otherwise determined by the General Partner, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the General Partner.
     10.  No Right to Future Employment . Nothing in this Plan, nor any Profit Participation Bonus awarded under this Plan, shall confer on any employee or other person any right to be continued in the employ of, be employed by, or enter into or maintain any other relationship with, the Company, or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or other relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason.
     11.  No Right to Continued Participation . An employee’s receipt of a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan for a Plan Year shall not confer upon such employee the right to receive a Profit Participation Bonus, or any particular amount of a Profit Participation Bonus, in any subsequent Plan Year.
     12.  Funding . The Plan shall be entirely unfunded at all times and no provision shall be made with respect to segregating assets of the Company for payment of any benefit hereunder at any time. No employee or other person shall have any interest in any particular assets of the Company by reason of the right to receive a benefit under the Plan and any such employee or

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other person shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to any rights under the Plan.
     13.  Amendment or Termination of Plan . The Plan may only be amended or terminated through a writing executed by each limited partner and general partner of the Company.
     14.  Successors . The Plan shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Company and its successors and assigns and upon any person acquiring, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and the successor shall be substituted for the Company under this Plan.
     15.  Section 409A . To the extent determined necessary or advisable by the General Partner in its sole discretion, Profit Participation Bonus awards hereunder shall be interpreted to the extent possible to comply with the provisions of section 409A of the Code (or avoid application of such Code section), to the extent applicable.
     16.  Headings . The titles and headings used in the Plan are intended for convenience only and shall not be construed as in any way affecting or modifying the text of this Plan, which text shall control.
     17.  Governing Law . The obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
     18.  Data Protection . By receiving a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan, an employee consents to the collection, processing, transmission and storage by the Company, in any form whatsoever, of any data of a professional or personal nature which is necessary for the purposes of administering the Plan.

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Exhibit 10.3
HFF, INC.
FIRM PROFIT PARTICIPATION BONUS PLAN
Adopted: January 17, 2011
     1.  Purpose . This Firm Profit Participation Bonus Plan (the “Plan”) is established to encourage and reward firm-wide collaboration and broad stewardship and to promote the financial success of HFF, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its operating partnerships (the “Operating Partnerships”), HFF Securities, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and Holiday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P., a Texas limited partnership. Capitalized terms shall have the meanings defined herein.
     2.  Effective Date . The Plan is effective as provided herein.
     3.  Firm Profit Pool Calculation .
          (a) Calculation of Firm Profit Pool . For each calendar year (a “Plan Year”), if a seventeen and one-half percent (17.5%) or greater AOI Margin (as defined below) is achieved by the Company, as determined by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer (the “Chief Financial Officer”) in accordance with the terms herein, then the following amounts, as determined by the Chief Financial Officer in accordance with the terms herein, shall comprise the “Firm Profit Pool”.
               (i) If the AOI Margin is greater than seventeen and one-half percent (17.5%) and less than or equal to twenty percent (20%), then the Firm Profit Pool shall be an amount equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the AOI greater than such seventeen and one-half percent (17.5%) and less than or equal to such twenty percent (20%).
               (ii) If the AOI Margin is greater than twenty percent (20%) and less than or equal to twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%), then the Firm Profit Pool shall be an amount equal to the sum of (A) seventeen and one-half percent (17.5%) of the AOI greater than such twenty percent (20%) and less than or equal to such twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) plus (B) the amount of the Firm Profit Pool calculated in accordance with Section 3(a)(i) above.
               (iii) If the AOI Margin is greater than twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) and less than or equal to twenty-five percent (25%), then the Firm Profit Pool shall be an amount equal to the sum of (A) twenty percent (20%) of the AOI greater than such twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) and less than or equal to such twenty-five percent (25%) plus (B) the amount of the Firm Profit Pool calculated in accordance with Sections 3(a)(i) and 3(a)(ii) above.
               (iv) If the AOI Margin is greater than twenty-five percent (25%) and less than or equal to twenty-seven and one-half percent (27.5%), then the Firm Profit Pool shall be an amount equal to the sum of (A) twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) of the AOI

 


 

greater than such twenty-five percent (25%) and less than or equal to such twenty-seven and one-half percent (27.5%) plus (B) the amount of the Firm Profit Pool calculated in accordance with Sections 3(a)(i), 3(a)(ii) and 3(a)(iii) above.
               (v) If the AOI Margin is greater than twenty-seven and one-half percent (27.5%), then the Firm Profit Pool shall be an amount equal to the sum of (A) twenty-five percent (25%) of the AOI greater than such twenty-seven and one-half percent (27.5%) plus (B) the amount of the Firm Profit Pool calculated in accordance with Sections 3(a)(i), 3(a)(ii), 3(a)(iii) and 3(a)(iv) above.
          (b) AOI and AOI Margin . For purposes of the Plan, Adjusted Operating Income or AOI means the Company’s net operating income adjusted for interest income and expense and other income (including, without limitation, that relating to the sale of servicing rights, securitization profits under the Company’s Freddie Mac Program Plus Seller Servicer line of business and trading profits under the Company’s arrangements regarding Federal National Mortgage Association loans), all as determined in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applied on a consistent basis (“GAAP”). For purposes of the Plan, AOI Margin means AOI as a percentage of the Company’s revenue, all as determined in accordance in GAAP.
          (c) Timing of Calculation . The amount of the Firm Profit Bonus Pool shall be calculated as soon as reasonably practicable following the closing of the books and records of the Company in accordance with GAAP in respect of the applicable Plan Year (or on such later date determined by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (the “Chief Executive Officer”)) (the “Determination Date”) by the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee.
          (d) No Adjustment . The Firm Profit Pool shall not be adjusted based on any information that becomes available at any time following the Determination Date, absent fraud, accounting irregularities, willful misconduct, gross negligence or manifest error. The Firm Bonus Pool calculation performed on the Determination Date shall take in account all relevant information available on that Determination Date.
     4.  Allocation of Firm Bonus Pool .
          (a) Eligibility . Members of the Executive and Leadership Committees (or any similar committees established in the future) established by the Company, the Operating Partnerships or any other affiliates of the Company shall be eligible to participate in the Plan and receive a bonus payment under the Plan (a “Profit Participation Bonus”) with respect to services performed during a Plan Year.
          (b) Termination of Employment . Except as otherwise provided in an individual’s employment agreement with the Company or the Operating Partnerships, if any, no individual shall be eligible to receive a Profit Participation Bonus if the Company or the Operating Partnership, as the case may be, does not employ him or her on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to the eligible individuals. Whether an individual is employed by the Company or the Operating Partnerships on the date that the Profit Participation Bonus is paid to

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the eligible individuals shall be determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Chief Executive Officer.
     5.  Payment of Profit Participation Bonus .
          (a) Subject to any applicable federal, state, local or other withholding taxes, Profit Participation Bonuses shall be paid within thirty (30) days following the Determination Date.
          (b) The Board of Directors of the Company, or any appropriate committee thereof, may elect in its sole discretion to pay up to two-thirds (2/3) of the Profit Participation Bonuses in the form of equity-based awards pursuant to the HFF, Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (or any other compensation plan adopted by HFF, Inc. under which equity securities of HFF, Inc. are authorized); provided that any amounts of the Profit Participation Bonuses that are not paid in the form of such equity-based awards shall be paid in cash; provided , further , notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, that any such equity-based awards shall comply in form with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and any such cash payments shall be paid on or before March 15 of the year following the Plan Year with respect to which the Profit Sharing Bonus was earned.
     6.  Administration .
          (a) Chief Executive Officer . The Plan shall be administered by the Chief Executive Officer; provided that any Profit Participation Bonuses to be paid to any executive officers of the Company must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors of the Company or any appropriate committee thereof. Except as otherwise provided herein, any action of the Chief Executive Officer in administering the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, any employee and any persons claiming rights from or through employees of the Company.
          (b) Powers of the Chief Executive Officer . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Chief Executive Officer shall have full and final authority in his or her discretion (i) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all other determinations, including determinations as to the eligibility of any employee to a benefit hereunder, as he or she may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, (ii) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, (iii) to adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as, in his or her opinion, may be advisable in the administration of the Plan, (iv) to require any person to furnish such reasonable information as requested for the purpose of the proper administration of the Plan as a condition to receiving any benefits under the Plan, and (v) to prepare and distribute information explaining the Plan to employees.
          (c) Indemnification . The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Chief Executive Officer, each of its directors, officers, employees, affiliates and/or agents and the Chief Financial Officer (or his or her designee) (each, a “Company Indemnitee” and collectively the “Company Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by the Company Indemnitees as a result of any act or omission to act in connection with the performance of the Chief Executive Officer’s or the Chief Financial

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Officer’s duties, responsibilities and obligations under the Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law, other than such liabilities, costs and expenses as may result from the gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or criminal acts of a Company Indemnitee.
          (d) Payment of Administrative Expenses . All reasonable expenses incurred in administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
     7.  Recapitalization . The Chief Executive Officer shall determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, the effect upon the Plan and the Profit Participation Bonuses payable hereunder, if any, of any stock dividend, recapitalization, forward stock split or reverse stock split, reorganization, division, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or share exchange, extraordinary or unusual cash distribution or other similar corporate transaction or event.
     8.  Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries . No right or other interest of an employee under the Plan shall be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to, or in favor of, or subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such employee to, any party, other than the Company, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or assigned or transferred by such employee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Chief Executive Officer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, provide that rights or other interests of an employee under the Plan are transferable, without consideration, to immediate family members (i.e., children, grandchildren or spouse), to trusts for the benefit of such immediate family members and to partnerships in which such family members are the only partners. The Chief Executive Officer may attach to such transferability feature such terms and conditions as he or she deems advisable. In addition, an employee may, in the manner established by the Chief Executive Officer, designate a beneficiary (which may be a person or a trust) to receive any payment under the Plan upon the death of the Participant. A beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any employee shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan, except as otherwise determined by the Chief Executive Officer, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Chief Executive Officer.
     9.  No Right to Future Employment . Nothing in this Plan, nor any Profit Participation Bonus awarded under this Plan, shall confer on any employee or other person any right to be continued in the employ of, be employed by, or enter into or maintain any other relationship with, the Company, or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or other relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason.
     10.  No Right to Continued Participation . An employee’s receipt of a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan for a Plan Year shall not confer upon such employee the right to receive a Profit Participation Bonus, or any particular amount of a Profit Participation Bonus, in any subsequent Plan Year.
     11.  Funding . The Plan shall be entirely unfunded at all times and no provision shall be made with respect to segregating assets of the Company for payment of any benefit hereunder at any time. No employee or other person shall have any interest in any particular assets of the Company by reason of the right to receive a benefit under the Plan and any such employee or

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other person shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to any rights under the Plan.
     12.  Amendment or Termination of Plan . The Plan may only be amended or terminated through a writing executed by the Company’s Board of Directors or any appropriate committee thereof.
     13.  Successors . The Plan shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Company and its successors and assigns and upon any person acquiring, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and the successor shall be substituted for the Company under this Plan.
     14.  Section 409A . To the extent determined necessary or advisable by the Chief Executive Officer in its sole discretion, Profit Participation Bonus awards hereunder shall be interpreted to the extent possible to comply with the provisions of section 409A of the Code (or avoid application of such Code section), to the extent applicable.
     15.  Headings . The titles and headings used in the Plan are intended for convenience only and shall not be construed as in any way affecting or modifying the text of this Plan, which text shall control.
     16.  Governing Law . The obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
     17.  Data Protection . By receiving a Profit Participation Bonus under the Plan, an employee consents to the collection, processing, transmission and storage by the Company, in any form whatsoever, of any data of a professional or personal nature which is necessary for the purposes of administering the Plan.

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