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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 27, 2011

Registration No. 333-173381

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549



Amendment No. 3 to

Form S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  5072
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  20-5441563
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)



27727 Avenue Scott
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 775-7200

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the registrant's principal executive offices)

John G. Holland
General Counsel
27727 Avenue Scott
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 775-7200
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)



Copies to:

Rachel W. Sheridan
Jason M. Licht

Latham & Watkins LLP
555 11 th  Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 637-2200

 

Michael Kaplan
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-4000



Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

         If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  o

         If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

         If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

         If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer  o   Accelerated filer  o   Non-accelerated filer  ý   Smaller reporting company  o

          The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED                  , 2011

PROSPECTUS

            Shares

LOGO

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

Common Stock



        This is an initial public offering of the common stock of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. The selling stockholders are offering             shares of our common stock in this offering. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares held by the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders in this offering include                .

        We expect the public offering price to be between $        and $        per share. Currently, no public market exists for the shares. We will apply to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WAIR."

         Investing in our common stock involves risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 10 of this prospectus.

       
 
 
  Per Share
  Total
 

Public offering price

  $               $            
 

Underwriting discounts and commissions

  $               $            
 

Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders

  $               $            

 

        The selling stockholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional        shares from the selling stockholders on the same terms and conditions as set forth above if the underwriters sell more than        shares of common stock in this offering. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

        The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about        , 2011.



Barclays Capital   Morgan Stanley
BofA Merrill Lynch   J.P. Morgan   William Blair & Company



Baird   Citi   Credit Suisse
Deutsche Bank Securities   RBC Capital Markets   SMBC Nikko



                , 2011


GRAPHIC


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page

Prospectus Summary

  1

Risk Factors

  10

Forward-Looking Statements

  25

Use of Proceeds

  26

Dividend Policy

  27

Capitalization

  28

Dilution

  30

Selected Consolidated Financial Data

  32

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

  34

Industry Overview

  60

Business

  62

Management

  76

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

  82

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

  100

Principal and Selling Stockholders

  103

Description of Capital Stock

  106

Shares Eligible For Future Sale

  109

Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations For Non-U.S. Holders of Our Common Stock

  111

Underwriting

  115

Validity of Common Stock

  121

Experts

  121

Where You Can Find More Information

  121

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

  F-1



         We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. The selling stockholders are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted.



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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

        We obtained the industry, market and competitive position data used throughout this prospectus from our own internal estimates and research as well as from industry publications, research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, including the May 2010 and January 2011 publications of the Airline Monitor; the January 2011 report entitled "Business Jet Report" by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration; the March 2011 report entitled "Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)" by Forecast International; the November 2011 report entitled "Boeing Current Market Outlook, 2010-2029" by Boeing; the 2009 and 2010 publications of the "Statistical Databook and Industry Outlook" by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association; the October 2010 report entitled "Business Aviation Outlook" by Honeywell; and an independent research report that was prepared by Stax Inc. for our use in connection with this offering. Industry publications, studies and surveys generally state that they have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. We have not independently verified market and industry data from third-party sources. Estimates of historical growth rates in the markets where we operate are not necessarily indicative of future growth rates in such markets.


CERTAIN TRADEMARKS

        This prospectus includes trademarks, such as Wesco Aircraft® and the Wesco logo, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are our property and/or the property of our subsidiaries. This prospectus also contains trademarks, service marks, copyrights and trade names of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, our trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus may appear without the® or™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and tradenames.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

         This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read this entire prospectus and should consider, among other things, the matters set forth under "Risk Factors," "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and our financial statements and related notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this prospectus before making your investment decision. Unless otherwise noted in this prospectus, the term "Wesco Aircraft" means Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., our top-level holding company, and the terms "Wesco," "the Company," "we," "us," "our" and "our company" mean Wesco Aircraft and its subsidiaries, including Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., our primary domestic operating company, and Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd., our primary foreign operating company. References to "fiscal year" mean the year ending or ended September 30. For example, "fiscal year 2010" or "fiscal 2010" means the period from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

Our Company

        We are one of the world's largest distributors and providers of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry on an annual sales basis. Our services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, just-in-time, or JIT, delivery and point-of-use inventory management. We supply approximately 450,000 different stock keeping units, or SKUs, including hardware, bearings, tools and more recently, electronic components and machined parts. In fiscal 2010, sales of hardware represented 80% of our net sales, with highly engineered fasteners constituting 83% of that amount. We serve our customers under three types of arrangements: JIT contracts, which govern comprehensive outsourced supply chain management services; long term agreements, or LTAs, which set prices for specific parts; and ad hoc sales. JIT contracts and LTAs, which together comprised approximately 63% of our fiscal 2010 net sales, are multi-year arrangements that provide us with significant visibility into our future sales.

        Wesco was founded in 1953 by the father of our current chief executive officer and has a long history of consistent growth and profitability. We have grown our net sales at a 13.4% compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, over the past 20 years to $656.0 million in fiscal 2010. Our growth and profitability have been driven by our focus on customer service and our management's ability to make optimal inventory purchasing decisions through the use of our highly customized information technology, or IT, system. We believe that with more than 1,000 employees across 28 locations in 10 countries, we are well positioned to continue our track record of strong long-term growth and profitability.

        We believe we offer a compelling value proposition to both our customers and suppliers. Customers that utilize our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services are frequently able to realize significant benefits including: reduced inventory levels, fewer disruptions of production schedules, improved quality assurance and reduced administrative and overhead costs. Our more than 1,100 suppliers also derive several benefits from our scale, global reach and unique business model, including: access to over 7,200 customer accounts, improved manufacturing efficiency, reduced inventory levels, improved performance in meeting on-time-delivery targets to end customers and reduced administrative and overhead costs.

Industry Overview

        According to Stax, the global market for C class aerospace parts, which includes hardware, bearings, electronic components and machined parts for both commercial and military customers, was approximately $6.5 billion in 2010. Approximately $4.2 billion of this market flows through distributors.

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        The key trends and drivers of growth in our market include:

        Increased Demand for New Aircraft Production.     The original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, market for C class aerospace parts in 2010 was approximately $4.5 billion according to Stax, with approximately $2.7 billion of this total relating to sales to the commercial end market and $1.8 billion relating to the military end market. Increased passenger traffic volumes and the return to profitability of the global airline industry have renewed demand for commercial aircraft deliveries, which are forecasted by Airline Monitor to grow at a CAGR of approximately 4.5% over the next ten years. We also expect commercial aircraft production to be supplemented by increases in business and regional jet deliveries. Future military aerospace OEM demand is expected to be driven by increases in the production of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, or JSF. The JSF is a next-generation fighter that is designed for the U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force, as well as key U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom, Italy and The Netherlands.

        Increased Demand from the MRO Market.     According to Stax, the combined commercial and military maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, market represented approximately $2.0 billion of the total C class aerospace parts market in 2010. We expect commercial MRO providers to benefit from the same trends as those impacting the commercial OEM market, including increased revenue passenger miles, or RPMs, which will in turn drive growth in the commercial fleet and greater utilization of existing aircraft. We expect demand in the military MRO market to be driven by requirements to maintain aging military fleets, changes in the overall fleet size and the level of U.S. military activity overseas.

        Industry Consolidation.     We are one of the top two aerospace distribution companies by sales and, together with our largest competitor, accounted for approximately $1.4 billion, or 22%, of the approximately $6.5 billion C class aerospace parts market in 2010, of which approximately $656.0 million, or 10%, was attributable to us. The remainder of the market is highly fragmented, which creates significant opportunities for further consolidation. Several benefits typically accrue to distributors through consolidation, including efficiencies in leveraging costs over a larger revenue base, increased customer penetration facilitated by a larger product offering and a reduction in purchasing costs driven by larger volume-based discounts. We expect these benefits to support further consolidation in the industry.

        Globalization.     The manufacture of aircraft and aircraft structures is becoming more globalized, as nations such as China, India and the UAE invest heavily to develop their aerospace industries. In addition, many U.S. and European OEMs continue to expand their operations in international markets in order to benefit from labor cost savings as local businesses seek to partner with established global companies. These OEMs and subcontractors expect to receive the same quality parts and services in new markets that they receive in their home markets. We believe that these quality and service expectations and the overall growth rates in international aerospace markets present significant opportunities for global supply chain managers such as Wesco.

Our Competitive Strengths

        We believe our key competitive strengths include the following:

        Leader in Attractive Global Market.     We are one of the world's largest distributors and providers of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry on an annual sales basis. We believe we offer the world's broadest inventory of aerospace parts comprised of approximately 450,000 SKUs. In addition, we fill approximately 8,000 orders per work day and manage approximately 350,000 stocking bins throughout our customers' facilities. We believe that the scale of our global distribution network, our value-added services and the depth, breadth and dollar investment in our inventory provide us with a significant competitive advantage in an attractive market.

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        Compelling Value Proposition.     We offer a compelling value proposition to our customers by combining access to what we believe to be the world's broadest inventory of aerospace parts with our unique capabilities in comprehensive supply chain management. Our services can significantly improve on-time-delivery performance, enabling our customers to reduce their inventory while at the same time decreasing the frequency of production interruptions caused by part shortages. Aerospace companies that outsource to a supply chain manager like Wesco can reduce overhead and administrative costs relating to internal procurement, quality assurance, inventory stocking and other related personnel.

        Diverse Customer and Program Base.     We maintain strong relationships with over 7,200 active customers including major OEMs such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Cessna, Gulfstream, BAE Systems, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. We supply products to nearly every major Western aircraft in production, including the B-787, B-737, B-747, A-320, JSF and V-22. During fiscal 2010, no single customer or aircraft program represented more than 15% of our net sales. We have actively worked to transition our largest customers from ad hoc purchases to multi-year LTAs or comprehensive JIT supply chain management agreements, the latter two of which together represented approximately 63% of our fiscal 2010 net sales. By developing strong, long-term relationships with a diverse set of customers, we have significant visibility into our future sales.

        Superior Purchasing Capabilities and Supplier Relationships.     Our management is highly skilled in analyzing supply, demand, cost and pricing factors in order to make optimal inventory investment decisions, and we maintain close relationships with the leading suppliers in the industry. In particular, Precision Castparts Corp., or Precision Castparts, and Alcoa Fastening Systems supplied approximately 22% and 20%, respectively, of the products we purchased during fiscal 2010. As a result of our scale and the strength of our relationships, many of our suppliers offer us attractive volume-based price discounts. Our success in making optimal inventory purchasing decisions is driven by our management's deep understanding of our industry and is further facilitated by our highly customized IT system. Our superior inventory purchasing capabilities and strength of our supplier relationships have contributed substantially to what we believe are our industry-leading operating margins.

        Experienced Management Team with Significant Equity Ownership.     Our management team has extensive industry experience and company tenure. Our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers have an average of more than 20 years of experience with us and more than 30 years in our industry. In addition, our executive officers will own approximately        % of the common stock of the Company following this offering. We believe that this significant equity ownership aligns the interests of our executive officers with our stockholders.

Our Strategy for Continued Growth

        We intend to pursue the following strategies in order to continue to grow our business:

        Continued Focus on Operational Excellence.     We intend to further our existing customer relationships by continuing to invest in our highly customized IT system and providing best-in-class on-time delivery performance and quality assurance. We believe that by focusing on operational excellence, we will be able to maintain high customer satisfaction and industry-leading operating margins.

        Win New Business from Existing Customers.     We will continue our strategy of expanding our relationships with existing customers by transitioning them to our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services as well as expanding our programs to include additional customer sites and SKUs, and by introducing new supply chain solutions that minimize costs, improve productivity and lower inventory investment.

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        Expand Customer Base.     We plan to expand our customer base and have had significant success in winning business when competing distributors have been unable to meet customer service level requirements and in situations where customers have outsourced work that was previously performed internally. In addition, we will increase our focus on serving airlines and airline maintenance organizations.

        Further Expand into International Markets.     We have recently established a presence in international locations such as China, India and Saudi Arabia, and we intend to expand into other high growth regions such as Mexico to support new and existing customers. Our international expansion efforts will enable us to better reach new customers and more effectively serve our existing customer base as the manufacture of aircraft and aircraft structures continues to become more globalized.

        Selectively Pursue Strategic Acquisitions.     Our industry is highly fragmented and we believe that there are opportunities for continued consolidation. We believe that we are well positioned to expand our product offering and geographical footprint through strategic acquisitions.

Recent Developments

        On April 7, 2011, Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., our wholly owned, primary domestic operating subsidiary, entered into a new $765.0 million senior secured credit facility with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated, Key Bank, N.A. and Barclays Capital, as joint lead arrangers, which we refer to as our new senior secured credit facilities.

        The purpose of the refinancing was to extend the maturity dates under the term loans of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp.'s existing senior secured credit facilities, which we refer to as our old senior secured credit facilities, increase the borrowing capacity under our revolver and pay related fees and expenses. The new senior secured credit facilities consist of a (i) $150.0 million revolving credit facility, which we refer to as the new revolving facility, (ii) $265.0 million term loan A facility, which we refer to as the new term loan A facility, and (iii) $350.0 million term loan B facility, which we refer to as the new term loan B facility. Wesco Aircraft is a guarantor of the new senior secured credit facilities.

Risks Related to Our Business

        Investing in our common stock involves substantial risk. You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus prior to investing in our common stock. There are several risks related to our business that are described under "Risk Factors" elsewhere in this prospectus. Among these important risks are the following:

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Our Sponsor

        The Carlyle Group, or Carlyle, is a global alternative asset management firm with $107.4 billion of assets under management committed to 84 funds as of March 31, 2011. Carlyle invests across three segments—corporate private equity, real assets and global market strategies—in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, focusing on aerospace and defense, industrial, transportation, consumer and retail, energy and power, financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, technology and business services, and telecommunications and media. Since 1987, the firm has invested $74.9 billion of equity in 1,052 transactions. Carlyle employs more than 1,000 people in 21 countries. Representative Carlyle transactions include the acquisitions of The Hertz Corporation, the largest worldwide car rental brand, Booz Allen Hamilton, a provider of management and technology consulting services to the U.S. government in the defense, intelligence and civil markets, Kinder Morgan, an energy pipeline and storage company, and The Nielsen Company, an information and data measurement company.

        As of June 6, 2011, Carlyle, through Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC, owned approximately 83.8% of our outstanding common stock. Following the completion of this offering and assuming that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock, Carlyle will continue to own approximately      % of our outstanding common stock.

Company History

        Wesco Aircraft was incorporated in Delaware on July 21, 2006, as a holding company for Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., our wholly owned, primary domestic operating subsidiary, Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd., our primary foreign operating subsidiary, and certain other foreign operating subsidiaries, in connection with the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding stock of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wesco Aircraft Israel and the European entities of Flintbrook Ltd., Wesco Aircraft France and Wesco Aircraft Germany by Wesco Aircraft, which we refer to as the Carlyle Acquisition. Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., our primary domestic operating company, was incorporated in California on October 11, 1971 and Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd., our primary foreign operating company, was incorporated in the United Kingdom on October 19, 1984.

        Our principal executive offices are located at 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, CA 91355 and our telephone number is (661) 775-7200. Our Internet address is www.wescoair.com. The contents of our website are not part of this prospectus.

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The Offering

Common stock offered by the selling stockholders

              shares.

Selling stockholders

 

The selling stockholders in this offering include                . See "Principal and Selling Stockholders."

Common stock outstanding after this offering

 

            shares.

Option to purchase additional shares of common stock

 

The selling stockholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional        shares of common stock at the initial public offering price to cover overallotments, if any.

Use of proceeds

 

We will not receive any net proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders, including with respect to the underwriters' overallotment option. See "Use of Proceeds."

Proposed New York Stock Exchange symbol

 

"WAIR."

Risk factors

 

See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 10 of this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.

        The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after completion of this offering is based on            shares outstanding as of March 31, 2011 and excludes:

        Unless we specifically state otherwise, all information in this prospectus assumes:

        Concurrently with the amending and restating of our certificate of incorporation, the number of shares of our authorized common stock will be increased to 950,000,000 shares, and each share of common stock then outstanding, including the shares of our Class B common stock that will have been converted, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of common stock, will be split into                shares of common stock by way of a stock split. Unless we specifically state otherwise, the share information in this prospectus reflects the increase in the authorized number of our common stock and the stock split.

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Summary Historical Financial Data

        The following tables set forth our summary historical financial data for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and for the six month periods ended March 31, 2010 and 2011. Our summary historical income statement data for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2010 have been derived from our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our summary historical income statement data for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011 and our summary historical balance sheet data as of March 31, 2011 have been derived from our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus that, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments consisting only of normal, recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the unaudited interim period. Results for the six months ended March 31, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending September 30, 2011 or for any other period. The selected historical balance sheet data as of March 31, 2011 have been derived from our unaudited financial statements not included in this prospectus. The financial data set forth below are not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. This data should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the "Selected Consolidated Financial Data," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Capitalization" sections and our financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Consolidated statements of income:

                               

Net sales:

                               
 

North America

  $ 551,135   $ 557,874   $ 603,809   $ 283,285   $ 318,808  
 

Rest of the World

    112,623     102,796     95,342     47,259     57,527  
 

Intercompany eliminations

    (59,415 )   (47,983 )   (43,115 )   (19,633 )   (26,792 )
                       
   

Net sales

    604,343     612,687     656,036     310,911     349,543  

Gross profit:

                               
 

North America

    221,898     204,296     226,497     103,788     117,725  
 

Rest of the World

    42,143     39,733     34,167     17,265     19,523  
 

Intercompany eliminations

    (7,433 )   (5,742 )   (6,434 )   (3,214 )   (3,123 )
                       
   

Gross profit

    256,608     238,287     254,230     117,839     134,125  

Selling, general and administrative expenses:

                               
 

North America

    84,807     86,007     81,674     40,140     39,593  
 

Rest of the World

    20,951     17,888     18,241     9,185     10,288  
                       
   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    105,758     103,895     99,915     49,325     49,881  
                       

Income from operations

    150,850     134,392     154,315     68,514     84,244  

Interest expense, net

    (48,743 )   (37,707 )   (36,270 )   (18,214 )   (12,586 )

Other income (expense), net

    746     (376 )   (458 )   1,056     (177 )
                       

Income before provision for income taxes

    102,853     96,309     117,587     51,356     71,481  
                       

Provision for income taxes

    44,251     37,862     43,913     19,171     27,873  
                       

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674   $ 32,185   $ 43,608  
                       

Earnings per share data:

                               

Net income per share:

                               
   

Basic

  $ 6.22   $ 6.19   $ 7.32   $ 3.20   $ 4.33  
   

Diluted

  $ 6.02   $ 5.87   $ 7.28   $ 3.20   $ 4.24  

Weighted average shares outstanding:

                               
   

Basic

    9,420,433     9,440,596     10,063,237     10,063,237     10,065,678  
   

Diluted

    9,740,158     9,964,748     10,118,648     10,063,473     10,292,912  

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  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Consolidated balance sheet data:

                               
   

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 15,998   $ 11,406   $ 39,463   $ 24,056   $ 45,670  
   

Working capital(1)

    438,863     526,375     565,126     552,997     600,679  
   

Total assets

    1,173,620     1,254,812     1,279,012     1,266,090     1,300,286  
   

Total liabilities

    763,847     780,872     733,273     763,674     709,696  
   

Total stockholders' equity

    409,773     473,940     545,739     502,416     590,590  

Statements of Cash Flows Data:

                               
   

Net cash provided by operating activities

  $ 24,702   $ 1,266   $ 100,773   $ 31,117   $ 23,657  
   

Net cash used in investing activities

    (115,798 )   (4,135 )   (3,077 )   (1,325 )   (2,761 )
   

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    94,114     (1,720 )   (69,483 )   (16,471 )   (14,875 )

Other Financial and Operating Data:

                               
   

Capital expenditures

  $ (6,769 ) $ (4,135 ) $ (3,077 ) $ (1,325 ) $ (2,761 )
   

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

    184,060     156,985     166,467     75,857     89,047  
   

Adjusted Net Income(2)

    77,435     71,869     81,307     35,673     46,082  

(1)
Working capital is defined as our current assets minus our current liabilities.

(2)
We disclose Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income, which are non-GAAP measures our management uses to evaluate our business, because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. We believe these metrics are used in the financial community, and we present these metrics to enhance investors, understanding of our operating performance and cash flow. You should not consider Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income as an alternative to net income, determined in accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of operating performance, or as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities, determined in accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of our cash flow. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income are not measurements of financial performance under GAAP, and these metrics may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Adjusted EBITDA varies from (i) the measure "EBITDA" discussed in this prospectus under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities" and in our consolidated financial statements, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus, and (ii) the measure "Bonus EBITDA" discussed in this prospectus under "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" and in our consolidated financial statements, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have included Adjusted EBITDA rather than Bonus EBITDA because Adjusted EBITDA does not exclude all stock-based compensation expense and fees paid under the management agreement with TC Group, L.L.C., an affiliate of Carlyle (see "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions"), whereas Bonus EBITDA excludes these items as they are not items under the control of employees and therefore not used as measures in determining their compensation.

"Adjusted EBITDA" represents net income before: (i) income tax provision, (ii) net interest expense, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) amortization of inventory step-up, and (v) Carlyle Acquisition related non-cash stock-based compensation expense. The following table reconciles Net income to Adjusted EBITDA:

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674   $ 32,185   $ 43,608  

Income tax provision

    44,251     37,862     43,913     19,171     27,873  

Interest expense, net

    48,743     37,707     36,270     18,214     12,586  

Depreciation and amortization

    7,846     10,065     8,821     4,461     4,629  

Amortization of inventory step-up(a)

    11,418     3,861     2,200     1,032      

Carlyle Acquisition related non-cash stock-based compensation expense(b)

    13,200     9,043     1,589     794     351  
                       

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 184,060   $ 156,985   $ 166,467   $ 75,857   $ 89,047  

(a)
Represents the amortization of the fair value step-up of inventory associated with the Carlyle Acquisition and the acquisition of Airtechnics, Inc. included in cost of sales.

(b)
Reflects stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and stock options granted in connection with the Carlyle Acquisition. This adjustment excludes any remaining stock compensation expense unrelated to the Carlyle Acquisition of $500, $1,346, $921, $487 and $559 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009, 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Stock compensation expense in future periods may vary depending on the number of awards granted.

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    "Adjusted Net Income" represents net income before: (i) amortization of intangible assets, (ii) amortization of inventory step-up, (iii) amortization or write-off of deferred financing costs and original issue discount, or OID, (iv) Carlyle Acquisition related non-cash stock-based compensation expense and (v) the tax effect of items (i) through (iv) above calculated using an assumed effective tax rate. The following table reconciles Net income to Adjusted Net Income:

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674   $ 32,185   $ 43,608  

Amortization of intangible assets(a)

    3,391     5,763     4,119     2,136     1,848  

Amortization of inventory step-up(b)

    11,418     3,861     2,200     1,032      

Amortization of deferred financing costs(c)

    3,379     3,703     4,814     1,852     1,925  

Carlyle Acquisition related non-cash stock-based compensation expense(d)

    13,200     9,043     1,589     794     351  

Tax effect of above adjustments(e)

    (12,555 )   (8,948 )   (5,089 )   (2,326 )   (1,650 )
                       

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 77,435   $ 71,869   $ 81,307   $ 35,673   $ 46,082  

(a)
We include fixed asset depreciation expense in our presentation of Adjusted Net Income because fixed asset depreciation expense reflects recurring expenses associated with capital expenditures made in our business, whereas we exclude amortization of intangible assets from Adjusted Net Income because amortization of intangible assets is a result of historical, non-recurring transactions, including the Carlyle Acquisition and the acquisition of Airtechnics, Inc.

(b)
Represents the amortization of the fair value step-up of inventory associated with the Carlyle Acquisition and the acquisition of Airtechnics, Inc. included in cost of sales.

(c)
Represents the amortization of deferred financing costs associated with our term loans and revolving line of credit. Amortization of OID associated with our $765.0 million new senior secured credit facilities entered into on April 7, 2011 will be included in this adjustment in future periods.

(d)
Reflects stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and stock options granted in connection with the Carlyle Acquisition. This adjustment excludes any remaining stock compensation expense unrelated to the Carlyle Acquisition of $500, $1,346, $921, $487 and $559 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009, 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Stock compensation expense in future periods may vary depending on the number of awards granted.

(e)
Reflects taxes on adjustments at an assumed marginal tax rate of 40%.

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RISK FACTORS

         An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the following risks and other information contained in this prospectus before you decide whether to buy our common stock. If any of the events contemplated by the following discussion of risks should occur, our business, results of operations and financial condition could suffer significantly. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of the money you paid to buy our common stock. The following is a summary of all the material risks known to us.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We are directly dependent upon the condition of the aerospace industry, which is closely tied to global economic conditions, and if the volatility in the global financial markets were to result in a slowdown in the current economic recovery or a return to a recession, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted.

        Demand for the products and services we offer is directly tied to the delivery of new aircraft and aircraft utilization, which, in turn, is impacted by global economic conditions. Although the economy has exhibited signs of recovery, global financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruption for more than two years, which, at times, reached unprecedented levels as a result of the financial crisis affecting the banking system and participants in the global financial markets. Concerns over the tightening of the corporate credit markets, inflation, energy costs and the dislocation of the real estate and mortgage markets have contributed to the volatility in the global financial markets and, together with the global financial crisis, have created uncertainties for global economic conditions in the future. The aerospace industry is particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions. In 2009, RPMs on commercial aircraft declined due to the global recession. During the same period, the industry experienced declines in large commercial, regional jet and business jet deliveries. While demand for commercial and regional jets has recovered somewhat, business jet orders and deliveries have recovered more slowly. A slowdown in the current economic recovery or a return to a recession would negatively impact the aerospace industry, and could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Military spending, including spending on the products we sell, is dependent upon national defense budgets, and a reduction in military spending could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        During the year ended September 30, 2010, approximately 53% of our net sales were related to military aircraft. The military market is significantly dependent upon government budget trends, particularly the U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, budget. Future DoD budgets could be negatively impacted by several factors, including, but not limited to, a change in defense spending policy by the current and future presidential administrations and Congress, the U.S. Government's budget deficits, spending priorities, the cost of sustaining the U.S. military presence in overseas operations and possible political pressure to reduce U.S. Government military spending, each of which could cause the DoD budget to decline. A decline in U.S. military expenditures could result in a reduction in military aircraft production, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to unique business risks as a result of supplying equipment and services to the U.S. Government directly and as a subcontractor, which could lead to a reduction in our net sales from, or the profitability of our supply arrangements with, the U.S. Government.

        Companies engaged in supplying defense-related equipment and services to U.S. Government agencies are subject to business risks specific to the defense industry. We contract directly with the U.S. Government and as a subcontractor to customers contracting with the U.S. Government. These risks include the ability of the U.S. Government to unilaterally suspend us from receiving new contracts

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pending resolution of alleged violations of procurement laws or regulations, reduce the value of existing contracts and audit our contract-related costs and fees. In addition, most of our U.S. Government contracts and subcontracts can be terminated by the U.S. Government or the contracting party, as applicable, at its convenience. Termination for convenience provisions provide only for our recovery of costs incurred or committed, settlement expenses and profit on the work completed prior to termination.

        In addition, the U.S. Government may seek to review our costs to determine whether our pricing is "fair and reasonable." Such a review could be costly and time consuming for our management and could distract from our ability to effectively manage the business. As a result of such a review, we could be required to provide a refund to the U.S. Government or we could be asked to enter into an arrangement whereby our prices would be based on cost or the DoD could seek to pursue alternative sources of supply for our parts. Any of those occurrences could lead to a reduction in our net sales from, or the profitability of certain of our supply arrangements with, certain agencies and buying organizations of the U.S. Government.

        We are also subject to the federal False Claims Act, which provides for substantial civil penalties and treble damages where a contractor presents a false or fraudulent claim to the government for payment. Actions under the False Claims Act may be brought by the government or by other persons on behalf of the government (who may then share in any recovery).

We do not have guaranteed future sales of the products we sell and when we enter into JIT contracts and LTAs with our customers we generally take the risk of cost overruns, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and operating margins may be negatively affected if we purchase more products than our customers require, product costs increase unexpectedly or our contracts are terminated.

        Our JIT contracts and LTAs are long-term, fixed-price agreements with no guarantee of future sales volumes, and they may be terminated for convenience on short notice by our customers, often without meaningful penalties, provided that we are reimbursed for the cost of any inventory specifically procured for the customer. In addition, we purchase inventory based on our forecasts of anticipated future customer demand. As a result, we may take the risk of having excess inventory in the event that our customers do not place orders consistent with our forecasts. We also run the risk of not being able to pass along or otherwise recover unexpected increases in our product costs, including as a result of commodity price increases, which may increase above our established prices at the time we entered into the customer contract and established prices for parts we provide. In the event that we purchase more products than our customers require, product costs increase unexpectedly or our contracts are terminated, our business, financial condition, results of operations and operating margins could be negatively affected.

If we lose significant customers, significant customers materially reduce their purchase orders or significant programs on which we rely are delayed, scaled back or eliminated, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

        Our top ten customers for the year ended September 30, 2010 accounted for approximately 48% of our net sales. Boeing was our largest customer during fiscal 2010, accounting for approximately 15% of our net sales through purchases by its various divisions and subsidiaries. A reduction in purchasing by or loss of one of our larger customers for any reason, such as changes in manufacturing practices, loss of a customer as a result of the acquisition of such customer by a purchaser who does not fully utilize a distribution model or uses a competitor, in-sourcing by customers, a transfer of business to a competitor, an economic downturn, failure to adequately service our clients, decreased production or a strike, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        As an example of changes in manufacturing practices that could impact us, OEMs such as Boeing and Airbus are currently incorporating an increasing amount of composite materials in the aircraft they

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manufacture. Aircraft utilizing composite materials generally require the use of significantly fewer C class aerospace parts than new aircraft made of more traditional non-composite materials, although the parts used are generally higher priced than C class aerospace parts used in non-composite aircraft structures. As Boeing, Airbus and other customers increase their reliance on composite materials, they may materially reduce their purchase orders from us.

        As an example of the loss of a customer resulting from the acquisition of such customer by a purchaser that does not intend to fully utilize our distribution model, we were notified by Boeing of its intent to perform certain supply chain management functions in-house that we were providing at two facilities under JIT contracts that were awarded to us prior to these particular facilities being acquired by Boeing. In fiscal 2010, sales at these facilities accounted for approximately 5.8% of net sales.

        As an example of the potential loss of business due to customer in-sourcing, it is our understanding that Boeing is undertaking an initiative to cause its first and second tier suppliers to source certain Boeing-specific materials, including fasteners, directly from manufacturers, rather than through distributors such as us. If Boeing's initiative is broadly implemented, a portion of our sales to these Boeing suppliers, and consequently our business, financial condition and results of operations, could be adversely affected.

        While we believe that we have a diversified customer and aircraft program base, we expect to derive a significant portion of our net sales from certain aerospace programs in their early production stages. In particular, our future growth will be dependent, in part, upon our sales to various OEMs and subcontractors related to the Boeing 787 and the Lockheed Martin JSF. For example, we estimate that 10% of our net sales during fiscal 2010, which includes the 5.8% of net sales generated at the facilities acquired by Boeing that are referenced above, were derived from sales to a number of customers related to the Boeing 787 and that approximately 20% of the parts we held in inventory primarily pertained to the Boeing 787. If production of any of the programs we support is terminated or delayed, or if our sales to customers affiliated with these programs are reduced or eliminated, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We operate in a highly competitive market and our failure to compete effectively may negatively impact our results of operations.

        We operate in a highly competitive global industry and compete against a number of companies, including divisions of larger companies, some of which may have significantly greater financial resources than we do, and therefore may be able to adapt more quickly to changes in customer requirements than we can. Our competitors consist of both U.S. and foreign companies and range in size from divisions of large public corporations to small privately held entities. We believe that our ability to compete depends on superior customer service and support, on-time delivery, sufficient inventory availability, competitive pricing and effective quality assurance programs. In order to remain competitive, we may have to adjust the prices of some of the products and services we sell and continue investing in our procurement, supply-chain management and sales and marketing functions, the costs of which could negatively impact our results of operations.

        In addition, we face competition for our JIT and LTA customers from both competitors in our industry and the in-sourcing of supply-chain management by our customers themselves. If any of our JIT or LTA customers decides to in-source the services we provide or switch to one of our competitors, we would be adversely affected.

We may be unable to effectively manage our inventory as we grow, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        We have experienced rapid growth in recent periods and intend to continue to grow our business by increasing our product offerings and expanding our customer base. Due to the lead times required by our suppliers, we order products in advance of expected sales, the volume of which orders may be significant as a result of our growth strategy. Lead times generally range from several weeks up to two

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years, depending on industry conditions, which make it difficult to successfully manage our inventory as we plan for expected growth. For example, in 2009, our cash flows were negatively impacted as our suppliers continued filling orders that we had placed in anticipation of future sales, while orders from our customers slowed because the aerospace industry had entered a significant downturn. In the future, if we are unable to effectively manage our inventory as we attempt to grow our business, our cash flows may be negatively affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If suppliers are unable to supply us with the products we sell in a timely manner, in adequate quantities and/or at a reasonable cost, we may be unable to meet the demands of our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Our inventory is primarily sourced directly from manufacturing firms, and we depend on the availability of large supplies of the products we sell. Our largest supplier for the year ended September 30, 2010 was Precision Castparts. During fiscal 2010, approximately 22% of the products we purchased were from Precision Castparts and 20% were purchased from Alcoa Fastening Systems. In addition, our ten largest suppliers during fiscal 2010 accounted for approximately 58% of our purchases. These manufacturers may experience capacity constraints that result in their being unable to supply us with products in a timely manner, in adequate quantities and/or at a reasonable cost. Contributing factors to manufacturer capacity constraints include, among other things, industry or customer demands in excess of machine capacity, labor shortages and changes in raw material flows. Any significant interruption in the supply of these products or termination of our relationship with any of our suppliers could result in us being unable to meet the demands of our customers, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is highly dependent on complex information technology.

        The provision and application of IT is an increasingly critical aspect of our business. Among other things, our IT system must frequently interact with those of our customers, suppliers and logistics providers. Our future success will depend on our continued ability to employ an IT system that meets our customers' demands. The failure of the hardware or software that supports our IT system, including redundancy systems, could significantly disrupt our ability to service our customers and cause economic losses for which we could be held liable and which could damage our reputation.

        Our competitors may have or may develop IT systems that permit them to be more cost effective and otherwise better situated to meet customer demands than we are able to acquire or develop. Larger competitors may be able to develop or license IT systems more cost effectively than we can by spreading the cost across a larger revenue base, and competitors with greater financial resources may be able to acquire or develop IT systems that we cannot afford. If we fail to meet the demands of our customers or protect against disruptions of our IT system, we may lose customers, which could seriously harm our business and adversely affect our operating results and operating cash flow.

We may be unable to retain personnel who are key to our operations.

        Our success, among other things, is dependent on our ability to attract, develop and retain highly qualified senior management and other key personnel. Competition for key personnel is intense, and our ability to attract and retain key personnel is dependent on a number of factors, including prevailing market conditions and compensation packages offered by companies competing for the same talent. The inability to hire, develop and retain these key employees may adversely affect our operations.

There are risks inherent in international operations that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        While the majority of our operations are based in the United States, we have significant international operations, with facilities in Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Saudi Arabia,

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South Korea and the United Kingdom, and customers throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. For the years ended September 30, 2009 and 2010, 32% and 26%, respectively, of our net sales were derived from customers located outside the United States.

        Our international operations are subject to, without limitation, the following risks:

        In addition, fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies affect the dollar value of our net investment in foreign subsidiaries, with these fluctuations being included in a separate component of stockholders' equity. At September 30, 2010, we reported a cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment of approximately $4.4 million in stockholders' equity as a result of foreign currency adjustments, and we may incur additional adjustments in future periods. In addition, operating results of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars for purposes of our statement of operations at average monthly exchange rates. Moreover, to the extent that our net sales are not denominated in the same currency as our expenses, our net earnings could be materially adversely affected. For example, a portion of labor, material and overhead costs for our facilities in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy are incurred in British Pounds or Euros, but the related net sales are generally denominated in U.S. dollars. Changes in the value of the U.S. dollar or other currencies could result in material fluctuations in foreign currency translation amounts or the U.S. dollar value of transactions and, as a result, our net earnings could be materially adversely affected. For example, in fiscal 2009, the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to the British pound resulted in a negative impact of approximately $22.1 million. Although we at times engage in hedging transactions to manage or reduce our foreign exchange risk, our attempts to manage our foreign currency exchange risk may not be successful and, as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

        Our international operations also cause our business to be subject to the U.S. Export Control regime and similar regulations in other countries, in particular in the United Kingdom. In the United States, items of a commercial nature are generally subject to regulatory control by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security and to Export Administration Regulations, and other international trade regulations may apply as well. Additionally, we are not permitted to export some of the products we sell. In the future, regulatory authorities may require us to obtain export licenses or other export authorizations to export the products we sell abroad, depending upon the nature of items being exported, as well as the country to which the export is to be made. We cannot assure you that any of our applications for export licenses or other authorizations will be granted or approved. Furthermore, the export license and export authorization process is often time-consuming. Violation of export control regulations could subject us to fines and other penalties, such as losing the ability to

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export for a period of years, which would limit our sales and significantly hinder our attempts to expand our business internationally.

Our international operations require us to comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations of the U.S. government and various international jurisdictions, and our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Doing business on a worldwide basis requires us and our subsidiaries to comply with the laws and regulations of the U.S. government and various international jurisdictions, and our failure to successfully comply with these rules and regulations may expose us to liabilities. These laws and regulations apply to companies, individual directors, officers, employees and agents, and may restrict our operations, trade practices, investment decisions and partnering activities. In particular, our international operations are subject to U.S. and foreign anti-corruption laws and regulations, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA. The FCPA prohibits us from providing anything of value to foreign officials for the purposes of influencing official decisions or obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment, and requires companies to maintain adequate record-keeping and internal accounting practices to accurately reflect the transactions of the company. As part of our business, we deal with state-owned business enterprises, the employees and representatives of which may be considered foreign officials for purposes of the FCPA. In addition, some of the international locations in which we operate lack a developed legal system and have elevated levels of corruption. As a result of the above activities, we are exposed to the risk of violating anti-corruption laws.

        We are also subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulation, or ITAR. ITAR requires export licenses from the U.S. Department of State for products shipped outside the U.S. that have military or strategic applications. Violations of these legal requirements are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment, civil penalties, disgorgement of profits, injunctions, debarment from government contracts as well as other remedial measures. We have established policies and procedures designed to assist us and our personnel to comply with applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations. However, there can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will effectively prevent us from violating these regulations in every transaction in which we may engage, and such a violation could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

If any of our customers were to become insolvent or experience substantial financial difficulties, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

        If any of the customers with whom we do business becomes insolvent or experiences substantial financial difficulties we may be unable to timely collect amounts owed to us by such customers and may not be able to sell the inventory we have purchased for such customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. For example, during the year ended September 30, 2009, we wrote off a receivable of $2.4 million and inventory of approximately $1.8 million after one of our customers filed for bankruptcy protection. The majority of these write-offs were recorded as a reduction to receivable and inventory reserves taken during prior fiscal years.

We, our suppliers or our customers may experience damage to or disruptions at our or their facilities caused by natural disasters and other factors, which may result in our business, financial condition and results of operations being adversely affected.

        Several of our facilities or those of our suppliers and customers could be subject to a catastrophic loss caused by earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, fire, power loss, telecommunication and information systems failure or other similar events. Should insurance be insufficient to recover all such losses or should we be unable to reestablish our operations, or if our customers or suppliers were to experience material disruptions in their operations as a result of such events, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

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We are dependent on access to and the performance of third-party package delivery companies.

        Our ability to provide efficient distribution of the products we sell to our customers is an integral component of our overall business strategy. We do not maintain our own delivery networks, and instead rely on third-party package delivery companies. We cannot assure you that we will always be able to ensure access to preferred delivery companies or that these companies will continue to meet our needs or provide reasonable pricing terms. In addition, if the package delivery companies on which we rely experience delays resulting from inclement weather or other disruptions, we may be unable to maintain products in inventory and deliver products to our customers on a timely basis, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A significant labor dispute involving us or one or more of our customers or suppliers, or a labor dispute that otherwise affects our operations, could reduce our net sales and harm our profitability.

        Labor disputes involving us or one or more of our customers or suppliers could affect our operations. For example, a labor dispute affecting Boeing has contributed to delays in the Boeing 787 program and impacted the production of other aircraft platforms. If our customers or suppliers are unable to negotiate new labor agreements and our customers' or suppliers' plants experience slowdowns or closures as a result, our net sales and profitability could be negatively impacted.

        While our employees are not currently unionized, they may attempt to form unions in the future, and the employees of our customers, suppliers and other service providers may be, or may in the future be, unionized. We cannot assure you that there will not be any strike, lock out or material labor dispute with respect to our business or those of our customers or suppliers in the future that materially affects our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be materially adversely affected by high fuel prices.

        Fluctuations in the global supply of crude oil and the possibility of changes in government policies on the production, transportation and marketing of jet fuel make it impossible to predict the future availability and price of jet fuel. In the event there is an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other conflicts or significant disruptions in oil production or delivery in oil-producing areas or elsewhere, there could be reductions in the production or importation of crude oil and significant increases in the cost of jet fuel. If there were major reductions in the availability of jet fuel or significant increases in its cost, commercial airlines would face increased operating costs. Due to the competitive nature of the airline industry, airlines are often unable to pass on increases in fuel prices to customers by increasing fares. As a result, an increase in jet fuel could result in a decrease in net income from either lower margins or, if airlines increase ticket fares, less net sales from reduced airline travel. Decreases in airline profitability could decrease the demand for new commercial aircraft, resulting in delays of or reductions in deliveries of commercial aircraft that utilize the products we sell, and, as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Our financial results may fluctuate from period-to-period, making quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our business, financial condition and results of operations less reliable indicators of our future performance.

        There are many factors, such as the cyclical nature of the aerospace industry, fluctuations in our ad hoc sales, delays in major aircraft programs, downward pressure on sales prices and changes in the volume of our customers' orders, that could cause our financial results to fluctuate from period-to-period. For example, during the year ended September 30, 2010, approximately 37% of our net sales were derived from ad hoc sales. The prices we charge for ad hoc sales are typically higher than the prices under our JIT contracts or LTAs. However, ad hoc customers may not continue to purchase the same amount of products from us as they have in the past, so we cannot assure you that in any given year we will be able to generate similar net sales from our ad hoc customers as we did in the past. We are also actively working to transition customers from ad hoc purchases to multi-year LTAs or comprehensive JIT supply chain management agreements, which may also result in a reduction

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in ad hoc purchases. A significant diminution in our ad hoc sales in any given period could result in fluctuations in our financial results and operating margins. As a result of these factors, we believe that quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our financial results are not necessarily meaningful and that these comparisons cannot be relied upon as indicators of future performance.

Upon completion of this offering, we will continue to be controlled by Carlyle and its affiliates, whose interests in our business may be different than yours.

        The interests of Carlyle and its affiliates could conflict with yours. Upon completion of this offering, certain funds affiliated with Carlyle will own approximately          % and        % of our common stock, respectively, or approximately        % and      %, respectively, if the underwriters' overallotment option is exercised in full. As a result of this ownership, Carlyle will continue to have substantial influence over the outcome of votes on all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors, the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and approval of significant corporate transactions. Carlyle will also be able to take actions that have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company or discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares, which could prevent stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares. These actions may be taken even if other stockholders oppose them. Moreover, this concentration of stock ownership may make it difficult for stockholders to replace management and may also adversely affect the trading price for our common stock because investors often perceive disadvantages in owning stock in companies with controlling stockholders. In addition, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, Carlyle will continue to have certain rights to appoint directors to our board of directors following the consummation of this offering, and Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder, certain affiliates of Mr. Snyder and certain of our employees, which we collectively refer to as the Wesco Stockholders, are required to vote their shares in favor of such directors. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions." In addition, Carlyle and its affiliates may also in the future own businesses that directly compete with ours.

We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and, as a result, expect to qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

        Following the consummation of this offering, we expect that Carlyle will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we expect to be a "controlled company" within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange. Under these rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including:

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        Following this offering, we intend to utilize these exemptions if we continue to qualify as a "controlled company." For these purposes, as a result of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, the Wesco Stockholders and the affiliates of Carlyle that own shares will be treated as a "group," and therefore the Wesco Stockholders' shares will be included in determining whether we are a controlled company. If we utilize these exemptions we will not have a majority of independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees will not consist entirely of independent directors and such committees will not be subject to annual performance evaluations. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

We will incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a publicly traded company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance requirements and investor needs.

        As a publicly traded company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not previously incur. Although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty, they are likely to be material in amount. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and the New York Stock Exchange have imposed various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain appropriate levels of coverage.

If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired and investors' views of us could be harmed.

        The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal control over financial reporting to allow management and, to the extent required, our independent registered public accounting firm to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with auditor attestation of the effectiveness of our internal controls, beginning with our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012. If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identify deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of shares of our common stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the New York Stock Exchange, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.

        Our ability to successfully implement our business plan and comply with Section 404 requires us to be able to prepare timely and accurate financial statements. Any delay in the implementation of, or disruption in the transition to, new or enhanced systems, procedures or controls, may cause our operations to suffer and we may be unable to conclude that our internal control over financial

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reporting is effective and to obtain an unqualified report on internal controls from our auditors if required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Moreover, we cannot be certain that these measures would ensure that we implement and maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future. Even if we were to conclude, and our auditors were to concur, that our internal control over financial reporting provided reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S., or GAAP, because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect fraud or misstatements. This, in turn, could have an adverse impact on the trading price of our shares of common stock, and could adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets.

We are subject to health, safety and environmental laws and regulations, any violation of which could subject us to significant liabilities and penalties.

        We are subject to extensive and changing federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations establishing health, safety and environmental quality standards and may be subject to liability or penalties for violations of those standards. We are also subject to laws and regulations governing remediation of contamination at facilities currently or formerly owned or operated by us or to which we have sent hazardous substances or wastes for treatment, recycling or disposal. We may be subject to future liabilities or obligations as a result of new or more stringent interpretations of existing laws and regulations. In addition, we may have liabilities or obligations in the future if we discover any environmental contamination or liability at any of our facilities, or at facilities we may acquire.

Our reputation and/or our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected if one of the products we sell causes an aircraft to crash.

        We may be exposed to liabilities for personal injury, death or property damage as a result of the failure of a product we have sold. We typically agree to indemnify our customers against certain liabilities resulting from the products we sell. Although we may seek third party indemnification from our suppliers in the event of a product failure, we cannot guarantee that we will be successful in doing so and may ultimately be held liable. While we maintain liability insurance to protect us in these situations, our insurers may attempt to deny coverage or any coverage we have may not be adequate. We also may not be able to maintain insurance coverage in the future at an acceptable cost. Any liability for which third party indemnification is not available that is not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        In addition, a crash caused by one of the products we have sold could damage our reputation for selling quality products. We believe our customers consider safety and reliability as key criteria in selecting a provider of aircraft products and believe our reputation for quality assurance is a significant competitive strength. If a crash were to be caused by one of the products we sold, or if we were to otherwise fail to maintain a satisfactory record of safety and reliability, our ability to retain and attract customers may be materially adversely affected.

We sell products to a highly regulated industry and our business may be adversely affected if our suppliers or customers lose government approvals, if more stringent government regulations are enacted or if industry oversight is increased.

        The aerospace industry is highly regulated in the United States and in other countries. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, or the FAA, prescribes standards and other requirements for aircraft components in the U.S. and comparable agencies, such as the European Aviation Safety Agency, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau, regulate these matters in other countries. Our suppliers and customers must generally be certified by the FAA, the DoD and similar agencies in foreign countries. If any of our suppliers' government certifications are

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revoked, we would be less likely to buy such supplier's products, and, as a result, would need to locate a suitable alternate supply of such products, which we may be unable to accomplish on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If any of our customers' government certifications are revoked, their demand for the products we sell would decline. In each case, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

        In addition, if new and more stringent government regulations are adopted or if industry oversight increases, our suppliers and customers may incur significant expenses to comply with such new regulations or heightened industry oversight. In the case of our suppliers, these expenses may be passed on to us in the form of price increases, which we may be unable to pass along to our customers. In the case of our customers, these expenses may limit their ability to purchase products from us. In each case, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We may be unable to successfully consummate or integrate future acquisitions, which could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        We may consider future acquisitions, some of which could be material to us. Depending upon the acquisition opportunities available, we may need to raise additional funds through the capital markets or arrange for additional debt financing in order to consummate such acquisitions. We may be unable to raise the capital required for future acquisitions on satisfactory terms or at all, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may not be able to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our operations and may be unable to realize any anticipated benefits from future acquisitions, which failure to do so could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our total assets include substantial intangible assets, and the write-off of a significant portion of our intangible assets would negatively affect our financial results.

        Our total assets reflect substantial intangible assets. At September 30, 2010, goodwill and intangible assets, net represented approximately 47% of our total assets. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of acquired businesses over the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed resulting from acquisitions, including the Carlyle Acquisition. Intangible assets, net represents tradenames, customer backlogs, non-compete agreements and customer relationships. On at least an annual basis, we assess whether there has been an impairment in the value of goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets. If our testing identifies an impairment under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, the impairment charge we calculate would result in a charge to operating earnings. Any determination requiring the write-off of a significant portion of goodwill and unamortized identified intangible assets would negatively affect our results of operations and total capitalization, which could be material.

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and could harm our ability to react to changes to our business.

        We have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of March 31, 2011, our total long-term indebtedness outstanding under our old senior secured credit facilities was approximately $606.2 million, which was approximately 50.6% of our total capitalization.

        In addition, we may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. Although the new senior secured credit facilities contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of significant qualifications and exceptions, and the indebtedness incurred in compliance with these qualifications and exceptions could be substantial. If we incur additional debt, the risks associated with our substantial leverage would increase.

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        Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to investors. For example, it could:

        In addition, all of our debt under the new senior secured credit facilities bears interest at floating rates. Accordingly, in the event that interest rates increase, our debt service expense will also increase.

        Our substantial level of indebtedness increases the possibility that we may be unable to generate cash sufficient to pay, when due, the principal of, interest on or other amounts due in respect of our indebtedness. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will be available to us under the new senior secured credit facilities or otherwise in amounts sufficient to enable us to service our indebtedness. If we cannot service our debt, we will have to take actions such as reducing or delaying capital investments, selling assets, restructuring or refinancing our debt or seeking additional equity capital and cannot assure you that we will be successful in implementing any such actions or that any actions we take will allow us to stay in compliance with the terms of our indebtedness.

The terms of the new senior secured credit facilities and other debt instruments may restrict our current and future operations, particularly our ability to respond to changes or to take certain actions.

        The new senior secured credit facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and may limit our ability to engage in acts that may be in our long-term best interests. The new senior secured credit facilities include covenants restricting, among other things, our ability to:

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        In addition, the new senior secured credit facilities contain financial maintenance covenants, including a maximum leverage ratio covenant and a minimum interest coverage ratio covenant. A breach of any of these covenants could result in a default under the new senior secured credit facilities. If any such default occurs, the lenders under the new senior secured credit facilities may elect to declare all outstanding borrowings, together with accrued interest and other amounts payable thereunder, to be immediately due and payable. The lenders under the new first lien credit facility also have the right in these circumstances to terminate any commitments they have to provide further borrowings. In addition, following an event of default under the new senior secured credit facilities, the lenders under those facilities will have the right to proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure the debt, which includes our available cash. If the debt under the new senior secured credit facilities was to be accelerated, we cannot assure you that our assets would be sufficient to repay in full our debt.

Risks Related to our Common Stock

There is no existing market for our common stock, and we do not know if one will develop to provide you with adequate liquidity to sell our common stock at prices equal to or greater than the price you paid in this offering.

        Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our common stock. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our company will lead to the development of an active trading market on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise or how liquid that market might become. If an active trading market does not develop, you may have difficulty selling any of our common stock that you buy. The initial public offering price for the common stock will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. Consequently, you may not be able to sell our common stock at prices equal to or greater than the price you paid in this offering, or at all.

The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

        Volatility in the market price of our common stock may prevent you from being able to sell your common stock at or above the price you paid for your common stock. The market price of our common stock could fluctuate significantly for various reasons, including:

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        In addition, in the past two and a half years, the U.S. stock market has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. This volatility has had a significant impact on the market price of securities issued by many companies, including companies in our industry. The changes frequently appear to occur without regard to the operating performance of the affected companies. Hence, the price of our common stock could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with our company, and these fluctuations could materially reduce our share price and cause you to lose all or part of your investment. Further, in the past, market fluctuations and price declines in a company's stock have led to securities class action litigations. If such a suit were to arise, it could have a substantial cost and divert our resources regardless of the outcome.

If securities analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or if they downgrade our stock, the price of our stock could decline.

        The research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business may vary widely and may not predict accurate results, but will likely have an effect on the trading price of our common stock. If an industry analyst decides not to cover our company, or if an industry analyst decides to cease covering our company at some point in the future, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price to decline. We may be subject to greater risk of losing analyst coverage as a result of the size of this offering and the relative number of shares that will be available for trading in the public market. If an industry analyst downgrades our stock, our stock price would likely decline rapidly in response.

We have no plans to pay regular dividends on our common stock, so you may not receive funds without selling your common stock.

        We have no plans to pay regular dividends on our common stock. We generally intend to invest our future earnings, if any, to fund our growth. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, statutory and contractual restrictions applying to the payment of dividends and other considerations that our board of directors deems relevant. The new senior secured credit facilities also effectively limit our ability to pay dividends. Accordingly, you may have to sell some or all of your common stock in order to generate cash flow from your investment. You may not receive a gain on your investment when you sell your common stock and you may lose the entire amount of the investment.

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Provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law might discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our management and, as a result, depress the trading price of our common stock.

        Following this offering, we expect that our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will contain provisions that could discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or changes in our management that the stockholders of our company may deem advantageous. These provisions will:

        These anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and cause us to take corporate actions other than those you desire.

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could lower our share price, and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities may dilute your ownership in us and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

        We and our existing stockholders may sell additional shares of common stock in subsequent public offerings. We may also issue additional shares of common stock or convertible debt securities to finance future acquisitions. After the consummation of this offering, we will have 950,000,000 shares of common stock authorized and         shares of common stock outstanding. This number includes        shares that the selling stockholders are selling in this offering, which may be resold immediately in the public market. Of the remaining shares,          , or        % of our total outstanding shares, are restricted from immediate resale under the lock-up agreements between us, all of our directors, executive officers and stockholders and the underwriters described in "Underwriting," but may be sold into the market in the near future. These shares will become available for sale following the expiration of the lock-up agreements, which, without the prior consent of the representatives of the underwriters, is 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to compliance with the applicable requirements under Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act.

        We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of our common stock will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock (including sales pursuant to Carlyle's registration rights and shares issued in connection with an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale."

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate" and other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and trends and that do not relate to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements reflect management's good faith beliefs, reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to:

        We derive many of our forward-looking statements from our operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations are disclosed under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements as well as other cautionary statements that are made from time to time in our public communications. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this prospectus in the context of these risks and uncertainties.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        All of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus are being sold by the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders in this offering include                        . We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares in this offering, including from any exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option. For information about the selling stockholders, see "Principal and Selling Stockholders."

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DIVIDEND POLICY

        We have not paid dividends in the past and we do not intend to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. We intend to retain earnings, if any, for the future operation and expansion of our business and the repayment of debt. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our existing indebtedness effectively limits our ability to pay dividends and make distributions to our stockholders. For additional information on these limitations see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities—New Senior Secured Credit Facilities."

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our consolidated cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of March 31, 2011 on an actual basis and as adjusted basis giving effect to the following: (i) the adoption of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will be deemed effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement and will provide for authorized capital stock consisting of (1) 950,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and (2) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share, (ii) the conversion of shares of Class B common stock into shares of common stock, on a one-for-one basis, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will occur immediately prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, (iii) the effectuation of a    for    stock split with respect to our common stock, which will include the shares of Class B common stock that will have been converted, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of common stock, (iv) the exercise of stock options to purchase                   shares of common stock that will be sold by the selling stockholders in this offering, (v) our receipt of the proceeds of approximately $          from the exercise of stock options and the related tax benefit associated with such exercise and (vi) the payment of estimated offering expenses of approximately $          by us in connection with this offering.

        The information in this table should be read in conjunction with "Selected Consolidated Financial Data," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  March 31, 2011  
 
  Actual   As Adjusted  
 
  (unaudited; in thousands,
except share and per share
data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 45,670   $    
           

Long-term debt, less current portion:

             
 

First lien credit facility(1)

  $ 477,243   $    
 

Second lien credit facility(1)

    129,000        
           
   

Total long-term debt, less current portion

    606,243        

Capital lease obligations, less current portion

    1,725        

Total stockholders' equity:

             
 

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share: 1,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, actual; 50,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

   
    
   
    
 
 

Common stock, $0.001 par value per share: 19,000,000 shares authorized; 9,319,450 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 950,000,000 shares authorized,         shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

    9        
 

Class B common stock, $0.001 par value per share: 2,000,000 shares authorized; 126,039 shares issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

    1        
 

Additional paid-in capital

    330,166        
 

Retained earnings:

             
   

Beginning of period

    223,761        
   

Current period earnings

    43,608        
   

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (6,955 )      
           
   

Total stockholders' equity

    590,590        
           

Total capitalization

  $ 1,198,558   $    
           

(1)
On April 7, 2011, we entered into the new senior secured credit facilities. See "Prospectus Summary—Recent Developments." The proceeds of the new senior secured credit facilities were

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    used to repay the old senior secured credit facilities and pay certain related fees and expenses. For a description of the new senior secured credit facilities and the old senior secured credit facilities, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities."

        The table set forth above is based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2011. The actual column does not reflect:

        The as adjusted column does not reflect:

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DILUTION

        If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share and the net tangible book value per share after this offering.

        As of March 31, 2011, we had a negative net tangible book value of approximately $            , or $            per share. Net tangible book value per share represents total tangible assets less total liabilities divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding. After deducting estimated offering expenses payable by us in connection with this offering and our receipt of the proceeds from the exercise of stock options to purchase                   shares of common stock that will be sold by the selling stockholders in this offering, including the related tax benefit associated with such exercise, our net tangible book value as of March 31, 2011 would have been approximately $       million, or $      per share. This represents an immediate                        in net tangible book value of $      per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $      per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 
  Per Share

Assumed initial public offering price per share

   

Net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2011

   

Decrease in net tangible book value per share attributable to the exercise of stock options and estimated offering costs

   

Net tangible book value per share after this offering

   

Dilution per share to new investors

   

        The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2011, the total number of shares of common stock owned by existing stockholders and to be owned by new investors, the total consideration paid and the average price per share paid by our existing stockholders and to be paid by new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. The calculation below is based on an assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 
  Shares Purchased   Total Consideration    
 
 
  Average
Price Per
Share
 
 
  Number   Percent   Amount   Percent  
 
  (In thousands, other than shares and percentages)
 

Existing stockholders

                                  % $                               % $               

New investors

                                                                                      
                         
 

Total

                                  % $                               % $               
                         

        Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by all investors in this offering by $             million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and assuming that the number of shares offered by the selling stockholders, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million in the number of shares offered by the selling stockholders would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by all investors in this offering by $             million, at the assumed public offering price of $             per share, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming the assumed public offering price of $            per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

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        If the underwriters' overallotment option to purchase                        additional shares from the selling stockholders in this offering is exercised in full, the following will occur:

        The tables set forth above are based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2011, and do not reflect:

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        The selected income statement and other data for each of the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and the selected balance sheet data as of September 30, 2009 and 2010 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements that are included in this prospectus. The selected income statement and other data for the years ended September 30, 2006 and 2007 and the selected balance sheet data as of September 30, 2006, 2007 and 2008 have been derived from audited consolidated financial statements that are not included in this prospectus. The table below presents separately the period prior to the Carlyle Acquisition, or the Predecessor, on September 29, 2006 and the periods after the Carlyle Acquisition, or the Successor, to recognize the application of a different basis of accounting. Our selected historical income statement data for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011 and our selected historical balance sheet data as of March 31, 2011 have been derived from our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus that, in the opinion of management, include normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the unaudited interim period. The selected historical balance sheet data as of March 31, 2010 have been derived from our unaudited financial statements not included in this prospectus. Results for the six months ended March 31, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending September 30, 2011 or for any other period.

        The financial data set forth below are not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. This data should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Capitalization" sections and our financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

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  Successor  
 
  Predecessor    
   
   
   
  Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
 
  Year Ended September 30,  
 
  Year Ended
September 30,
2006(1)
 
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
  2007   2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Consolidated statements of income (loss):

                                           

Net sales:

                                           
 

North America

  $ 336,670   $ 416,899   $ 551,135   $ 557,874   $ 603,809   $ 283,285   $ 318,808  
 

Rest of the World

    68,033     89,888     112,623     102,796     95,342     47,259     57,527  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (27,071 )   (38,207 )   (59,415 )   (47,983 )   (43,115 )   (19,633 )   (26,792 )
                               
   

Net sales

    377,632     468,580     604,343     612,687     656,036     310,911     349,543  

Gross profit:

                                           
 

North America

    144,015     171,006     221,898     204,296     226,497     103,788     117,725  
 

Rest of the World

    22,412     36,698     42,143     39,733     34,167     17,265     19,523  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (2,746 )   (5,078 )   (7,433 )   (5,742 )   (6,434 )   (3,214 )   (3,123 )
                               
   

Gross profit

    163,681     202,626     256,608     238,287     254,230     117,839     134,125  

Selling, general and administrative expenses:

                                           
 

North America

    158,494     71,998     84,807     86,007     81,674     40,140     39,593  
 

Rest of the World

    16,599     18,320     20,951     17,888     18,241     9,185     10,288  
                               
   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    175,093 (2)   90,318     105,758     103,895     99,915     49,325     49,881  
                               

Income (loss) from operations

    (11,412 )   112,308     150,850     134,392     154,315     68,514     84,244  

Interest income (expense), net

    1,018     (55,817 )   (48,743 )   (37,707 )   (36,270 )   (18,214 )   (12,586 )

Other income (expense), net

    (11,318 )   (2,857 )   746     (376 )   (458 )   1,056     (177 )
                               

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

    (21,712 )   53,634     102,853     96,309     117,587     51,356     71,481  
                               

Provision for income taxes

    872     20,596     44,251     37,862     43,913     19,171     27,873  
                               
   

Net income (loss)

  $ (22,584 ) $ 33,038   $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674   $ 32,185   $ 43,608  
                               

Earnings per share data:

                                           

Net income per share:

                                           
   

Basic

        $ 3.52   $ 6.22   $ 6.19   $ 7.32   $ 3.20   $ 4.33  
   

Diluted

        $ 3.48   $ 6.02   $ 5.87   $ 7.28   $ 3.20   $ 4.24  

Weighted average shares outstanding:

                                           
   

Basic

          9,384,384     9,420,433     9,440,596     10,063,237     10,063,237     10,065,678  
   

Diluted

          9,487,710     9,740,158     9,964,748     10,118,648     10,063,473     10,292,912  

 
  Successor  
 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
 
  2006(3)   2007   2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  
 
   
   
   
   
   
  (unaudited)
 

Consolidated balance sheet data:

                                           
 

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 80,022   $ 12,863   $ 15,998   $ 11,406   $ 39,463   $ 24,056   $ 45,670  
 

Total assets

    1,017,416     987,228     1,173,620     1,254,812     1,279,012     1,266,090     1,300,286  
 

Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations(4)

    600,143     589,269     688,128     684,268     622,032     674,701     607,968  
 

Total stockholders' equity

    285,967     335,783     409,773     473,940     545,739     502,416     590,590  

(1)
The effective date of the Carlyle Acquisition was at the close of business on September 29, 2006, the last business day of the Predecessor's 2006 fiscal year. September 30, 2006 was a weekend day and, as a result, the successor did not conduct any operations on that day. Due to the immateriality of the one day period ended September 30, 2006, the successor has accounted for the commencement of its operations as of October 1, 2006.

(2)
Includes $72.6 million of compensation costs related to the Carlyle Acquisition.

(3)
The selected balance sheet data as of September 30, 2006 presents the financial position of the Successor after giving effect to the acquisition as a business combination, which resulted in a new valuation for our assets and liabilities and our subsidiaries based upon fair value as of the date of the acquisition.

(4)
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations excludes current portion.

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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

         The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, without limitation, those set forth in "Risk Factors," "Forward-Looking Statements" and other matters included elsewhere in this prospectus. The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus, as well as the information presented under "Selected Consolidated Financial Data."

Executive Overview

        We are one of the world's largest distributors and providers of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry on an annual sales basis. Our services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, JIT delivery and point-of-use inventory management. We supply approximately 450,000 different SKUs, including hardware, bearings, tools and more recently, electronic components and machined parts. In fiscal 2010, sales of hardware represented 80% of our net sales, with highly engineered fasteners constituting 83% of that amount. We serve our customers under three types of arrangements: JIT contracts, which govern comprehensive outsourced supply chain management services; LTAs, which set prices for specific parts; and ad hoc sales. JIT contracts and LTAs, which together comprised approximately 63% of our fiscal 2010 net sales, are multi-year arrangements that provide us with significant visibility into our future sales.

        Founded in 1953 by the father of our current CEO, Wesco has grown to serve over 7,200 customers in the commercial, military and general aviation sectors, including the leading OEMs and their subcontractors, through which we support nearly all major Western aircraft programs. We have grown our net sales at a 13.4% CAGR over the past 20 years to $656.0 million in fiscal 2010. We serve a large and growing global market, and believe that with more than 1,000 employees across 28 locations in 10 countries, we are well positioned to continue our track record of strong long-term growth and profitability.

        On September 29, 2006, 100% of the outstanding stock of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wesco Aircraft Israel and the European entities of Flintbrook Ltd., Wesco Aircraft France and Wesco Aircraft Germany were acquired by Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., which we refer to as the Carlyle Acquisition. The acquisition was completed in a leveraged transaction in which affiliates of Carlyle, the prior owner and certain employees of Wesco contributed the equity portion of the purchase price. The prior owner's and certain employees' investment represented a contribution of ownership in the predecessor company to the newly formed holding company. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 805, Business Combinations , the acquired assets and liabilities have been recorded at fair value for the interests acquired by new investors and at carryover basis for the continuing investors.

        On June 30, 2008, Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. acquired 100% of the outstanding stock of Airtechnics Inc., or Airtechnics, a distributor of electronic components for the aerospace industry, which we refer to as the Airtechnics Acquisition. The acquisition was funded through a provision in the old senior secured credit facilities (as defined below) that provided for additional borrowing under existing credit terms. Operating cash was also used by us to pay a portion of the purchase price and cover transaction fees and expenses. The assets and liabilities have been recorded at fair value for the interests we acquired.

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Recent Developments

        On April 7, 2011, Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. entered into a new $765.0 million senior secured credit facility with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated, Key Bank, N.A. and Barclays Capital, as joint lead arrangers, which we refer to as the new senior secured credit facilities.

        The purpose of the refinancing was to extend the maturity dates under the term loans of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp.'s existing senior secured credit facilities, which we refer to as the old senior secured credit facilities, increase the borrowing capacity under our revolver and pay related fees and expenses. The new senior secured credit facilities consist of a (i) $150.0 million revolving credit facility, which we refer to as the new revolving facility, (ii) $265.0 million term loan A facility, which we refer to as the new term loan A facility, and (iii) $350.0 million term loan B facility, which we refer to as the new term loan B facility. Wesco Aircraft is a guarantor of the new senior secured credit facilities.

        As a result of the refinancing, we will be recording a loss on extinguishment of debt in the amount of $7.1 million, consisting of write-offs of unamortized debt issuance costs and third party fees of $6.5 million and $0.6 million, respectively. The loss on extinguishment will be recorded as a component of interest expense, net in the consolidated statement of income during the nine months ended June 30, 2011. Additionally, $1.9 million of unamortized debt issuance costs will remain capitalized and new creditor fees associated with the April 7, 2011 refinancing in the amount of $12.5 million will be capitalized. These fees will be amortized over the term of the debt using the effective interest rate method.

Industry Trends Affecting Our Business

        We rely on demand for new commercial aircraft for a significant portion of our sales. Commercial aircraft demand is driven by many factors, including airline passenger volumes, airline profitability, the introduction of new aircraft models, general economic conditions and the aging life cycle of current fleets.

        During 2008 and 2009, our customers were impacted by the global recession and weak demand for air passenger travel, which resulted in significant losses for the global airline industry. According to Airline Monitor, during 2010, as the global economy began to recover, RPMs, a key measure of airline passenger volumes, grew approximately 5.5%. From 1990 to 2010, RPMs grew at 4.7% annually on average and are expected to grow at approximately 5.6% annually, on average, from 2010 to 2030, due to the economic recovery in developed economies, continued growth in emerging markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and the secular trend towards increased air travel globally. Increased passenger traffic volumes and the return to profitability of the global airline industry have renewed demand for commercial aircraft, particularly for more fuel efficient models, such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. According to Airline Monitor, annual deliveries of the Boeing 787 are projected to increase from 20 in 2011 to over 100 by 2014, and Airbus expects A350 deliveries to commence in 2013. Commercial MRO providers are expected to benefit from similar growth trends to those impacting the commercial OEM market, in particular, increased RPMs, which will in turn drive growth in the commercial fleet and greater utilization of existing aircraft.

        Growth in the commercial aerospace market is also expected to be aided by a recovery in business jet and regional jet deliveries. According to the FAA, business jet activity increased by over 11% in 2010 compared to 2009, and Honeywell projects that deliveries of business jets will increase from approximately 675 in 2010 to in excess of 1,000 in 2015. According to Airline Monitor, regional jet deliveries are expected to increase from approximately 135 in 2010 to 270 in 2015.

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        A significant portion of our sales are also reliant on demand for new military aircraft, which is primarily driven by government spending, the timing of military aircraft orders and evolving DoD strategies and policies. We believe the diversity of the military aircraft programs we service can help us mitigate the impact of program delays, changes or cancellations, through increased sales to other active programs that directly benefit from such delays, changes or cancellations. For example, we believe the delay in production of the Lockheed Martin JSF has resulted in an increase in our sales to manufacturers of the F-18. Going forward, we believe that our military aerospace business will be driven by increases in the production of the JSF, a program on which we believe our business is well positioned. According to Forecast International, deliveries of the JSF are expected to increase from 20 in 2011 to 98 by 2016.

        We also support customers in the military aerospace MRO market and believe that our presence in this market helps us mitigate the volatility of new military aircraft sales with sales to the aftermarket. We expect demand in the military MRO market to be driven by requirements to maintain aging military fleets, changes in the overall fleet size and the level of U.S. military activity overseas.

Other Factors Affecting Our Financial Results

        There are many factors, such as fluctuations in ad hoc sales, timing of aircraft deliveries, changes in selling prices and the volume or timing of customer orders, that can cause fluctuations in our financial results from quarter-to-quarter. To normalize for short-term fluctuations, we tend to look at our performance over several quarters or years of activity rather than discrete short-term periods. As such, it can be difficult to determine longer-term trends in our business based on quarterly comparisons.

        We will continue our strategy of seeking to expand our relationships with existing customers by transitioning them to our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services as well as expanding relationships with our existing JIT customers to include additional customer sites and additional SKUs. We believe this strategy serves to mitigate fluctuations in our net sales. However, we have recently been notified by Boeing of its intent to perform certain supply chain management functions in-house that we are currently providing at two Boeing facilities under JIT contracts that were awarded to us when these particular facilities were under different ownership. In fiscal 2010, sales under these contracts accounted for approximately 5.8% of our net sales. If any of our customers attempt to implement additional in-sourcing initiatives, it could have a negative effect on our strategy to mitigate fluctuations in our net sales. Additionally, although we derive a significant portion of our net sales from the building of new commercial and military aircraft, we have not typically experienced extreme fluctuations in our net sales when sales for an individual aircraft program decrease, which we believe is attributable to our diverse base of customers and programs. In addition, we believe our substantial sales under JIT contracts and LTAs help to mitigate fluctuations in our financial results, as JIT and LTA customers tend to have steadier purchasing patterns than ad hoc customers.

        We entered the electronic components business in 2008 after the Airtechnics Acquisition. As we continue to grow our electronics products group, or EPG, business, we expect that EPG sales as a percentage of our total net sales will increase. Gross profit margins on EPG products are lower than the gross profit margins on many of our other products, which we believe will result in a reduction in our overall gross profit margins as our EPG sales increase.

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        We believe that our strategy of growing our JIT and LTA sales and converting ad hoc customers into JIT and LTA customers will negatively affect our gross profit margins, as gross profit margins tend to be higher on ad hoc sales than they are in JIT and LTA-related sales. However, we believe any potential adverse impact on our gross profit margins is outweighed by the more stable long-term revenue stream attributable to JIT contracts and LTAs.

        Our JIT contracts and LTAs generally provide for fixed prices, which can expose us to risks if prices we pay to our suppliers rise due to increased raw material or other costs. However, we believe our expansive product offerings and inventories, our ad hoc sales and, where possible, our longer-term agreements with suppliers have enabled us to mitigate this risk.

        We believe our cash flows may be affected by fluctuations in our inventory that can occur over time. When we are awarded new programs, we generally increase our inventory to account for expected sales related to the new program, which often take time to materialize. As a result, if certain programs for which we have procured inventory are delayed, we may experience a more sustained inventory increase. For example, we increased our inventory in anticipation of deliveries of the Boeing 787, which have been significantly delayed.

        Inventory fluctuations may also be attributable to general industry trends. For example, as production in the global aerospace industry increases, we typically see an increase in demand from our customers and a delay in deliveries from our suppliers, which tends to result in a temporary inventory reduction and increased cash flow. However, when production in the aerospace industry decreases, our suppliers are able to catch up on our outstanding orders, while demand from our customers decreases, which tends to result in an increase in inventory levels and decreased cash flow. For example, in 2009, as a result of the global economic recession, production in the aerospace industry decreased, freeing up our suppliers to ship previously ordered products to us faster than expected. As a result, we experienced an inventory build of approximately $111.1 million during fiscal 2009. Although we have made, and continue to make, adjustments to our purchasing practices in order to mitigate the effect of inventory fluctuations on our cash flows, inventory fluctuations continue to occur and, as a result, will continue to impact our cash flows.

Segment Presentation

        We conduct our business through two reportable segments: North America and Rest of the World. We evaluate segment performance based on segment operating earnings or loss. Each segment reports its results of operations and makes requests for capital expenditures and acquisition funding to our chief operating decision-maker, or CODM. Our Chief Executive Officer serves as our CODM. Each operating segment has separate management teams and infrastructures dedicated to providing a full range of products and services to their respective customers.

Key Components of Our Results of Operations

        The following is a discussion of the key line items included in our financial statements for the periods presented below under the heading "Results of Operations." These are the measures that management utilizes to assess our results of operations, anticipate future trends and evaluate risks in our business.

        Our net sales include sales of C class aerospace parts, including hardware, bearings, electronic components, machined parts and installation tooling, and eliminate all intercompany sales. We also provide certain services to our customers, including quality assurance, kitting and JIT supply chain

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management. However, these services are generally performed in connection with the sale of our products, and as such, the price of such services is included in the price of the products delivered to customers. We do not account for these services as a separate element, as the services do not generally have stand-alone value and typically cannot be separated from the product element of the arrangement. There are no significant post-delivery obligations associated with these services.

        We sell products and services to our customers using three types of contractual arrangements: JIT supply chain management contracts, LTAs and individual ad hoc sales. In fiscal 2009 and 2010, we experienced a decrease in ad hoc sales due to a weakening aerospace market that resulted in customers reducing their on-hand inventory and our strategy of transitioning ad hoc sales to JIT contracts or LTAs in an effort to achieve a more predictable revenue stream. JIT contracts and LTAs typically run for three to five years. Under JIT contracts, customers commit to purchase specified parts from us at a fixed price, on an if-and-when needed basis, and we are responsible for maintaining high levels of stock availability of those parts. LTAs are essentially negotiated price lists for customers or individual customer sites that cover a range of pre-determined parts, purchased on an as-needed basis. Ad hoc customers purchase parts from us on an as-needed basis and are generally supplied out of our existing inventory. In addition, JIT and LTA customers often purchase parts that are not captured under their contract on an ad hoc basis.

        EPG was not fully integrated into our enterprise resource planning, or ERP, system until the middle of 2009. As a result, in the discussion of our results of operations, the discussion related to JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales as a percentage of net sales does not include EPG sales, other than for the comparison of the six months ended March 31, 2010 to the six months ended March 31, 2011. We expect that future discussions of our JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales will include EPG sales.

        The principal component of our cost of sales is product cost, which averaged approximately 93.2% of our total cost of sales for the three-year period ended September 30, 2010. The remaining components are freight and expediting fees, import duties, tooling repair charges, amortization of inventory step-up, inventory excess and obsolescence write-down, packaging supplies and physical inventory adjustment charges, which collectively averaged approximately 6.8% of our total cost of sales for the three-year period ended September 30, 2010.

        Product cost is determined by the current weighted average cost of each inventory item and is a function of many factors, including fluctuations in the price of raw materials, the effect of inflation, the terms of long-term agreements we negotiate with certain of our suppliers, the timing of bulk purchases that allow us to take advantage of price breaks from suppliers and general market trends that can result in increases or decreases in our suppliers' available production capacity. Although we cannot specifically quantify trends relating to the costs of our products in inventory, during fiscal 2009 and 2010, as a result of the economic downturn and its effect on the global aerospace industry, our suppliers' collective production capacity increased, which generally resulted in a decrease in per part prices and a corresponding decrease in our product costs. We expect that conditions within the aerospace industry will continue to improve, and as a result, that per part prices will increase as our suppliers' capacity becomes more limited. However, we believe the long-term agreements we have with certain of our suppliers and our ability to make opportunistic, large-scale product purchases will allow us to mitigate the impact of future per part price increases. In addition, we believe we will be able to further mitigate the impact of any such price increases on our results of operations by passing along the price increases to customers who are not a party to contracts with pre-negotiated price lists.

        Inventory write-down is calculated to estimate the amount of excess and obsolete inventory we currently have on-hand, based on historical and forecasted sell-through rates. We review inventory for

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excess and obsolescence write-down monthly and adjust the expense and future forecasted sell-through rates as necessary.

        Cost of sales, as a percentage of net sales, trended up during fiscal 2009 and 2010, as our ad hoc sales, as a percentage of net sales, declined. This occurred as a result of our strategy to transition more ad hoc sales to LTA and JIT sales, as well as the effect of the recession. Ad hoc sales typically have higher margins than LTA and JIT sales. Also, in 2009 we had the first full year impact of EPG sales after the Airtechnics Acquisition, which sales typically have lower margins than hardware sales.

        The principal components of our selling, general and administrative expenses are salaries, wages, benefits and bonuses paid to our employees; stock-based compensation; commissions paid to outside sales representatives, or OSRs; travel and other business expenses; training and recruitment costs; marketing, advertising and promotional event costs; rent; bad debt expense; professional services fees (including legal, audit and tax); and ordinary day-to-day business expenses. Depreciation and amortization expense is also included in selling, general and administrative expenses, and consists primarily of scheduled depreciation for leasehold improvements, machinery and equipment, vehicles, computers, software and furniture and fixtures. Depreciation and amortization also includes intangible amortization expense.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, have continued to decline as we have leveraged the fixed cost and labor component of our infrastructure while consolidated net sales have grown. We may experience an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses as a result of one-time costs associated with our initial public offering and ongoing costs associated with being a public company.

        Interest Expense, net.     Interest expense, net consists of the interest we pay on our short-term and long-term debt, fees on our revolver and our line-of-credit, deferred financing costs and the costs of hedging agreements, net of interest income.

        Other Income (Expense), net.     Other income (expense), net is primarily comprised of unrealized foreign exchange gain or loss associated with transactions denominated in currencies other than the respective functional currency of the reporting subsidiary.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

        The methods, estimates and judgments we use in applying our most critical accounting policies have a significant impact on the results we report in our financial statements. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an on-going basis. We base our estimates on historical experience and on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Our experience and assumptions form the basis for our judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may vary from what we anticipate, and different assumptions or estimates about the future could change our reported results. We believe the following accounting policies are the most critical in that they significantly affect our financial statements, and they require our most significant estimates and complex judgments.

        Our inventory is comprised solely of finished goods. Inventories are stated at the lower of weighted-average cost or market and in-bound freight-related costs are included as part of the cost of inventory held for resale. We record provisions, as appropriate, to write-down excess and obsolete

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inventory to estimated net realizable value. The process for evaluating excess and obsolete inventory often requires us to make subjective judgments and estimates concerning future sales levels, quantities and prices at which such inventories will be able to be sold in the normal course of business.

        Demand for our products can fluctuate significantly. Our estimates of future product demand may prove to be inaccurate, in which case we may have understated or overstated the write-down required for excess and obsolete inventories. In the future, if our inventories are determined to be overvalued, we would be required to recognize such costs in our cost of goods sold at the time of such determination. Likewise, if our inventories are determined to be undervalued, we may have over-reported our costs of goods sold in previous periods and would be required to recognize such additional operating income at the time such products are sold.

        Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired in a purchase business combination. In accordance with the provisions of ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other , goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets acquired in a business combination are not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently should an event occur or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired. Such events or circumstances may be a significant change in business climate, economic and industry trends, legal factors, negative operating performance indicators, significant competition, changes in strategy, or disposition of a reporting unit or a portion thereof. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level on July 1 of each year.

        Goodwill impairment testing is a two-step test. The first step identifies potential impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. For all periods presented, our reporting units are consistent with our operating segments. The estimates of fair value of a reporting unit are determined based on a discounted cash flow analysis and market earnings multiples. A discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgmental assumptions, including assumptions about future cash flows, growth rates and discount rates. These assumptions about future cash flows and growth rates are based on the forecast and long-term business plans of each operating segment. Discount rate assumptions are based on an assessment of the risk inherent in the future cash flows of the respective reporting units. If the fair value exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired and the second step of the test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit's goodwill exceeds its fair value, the second step measures the impairment loss, if any. The second step compares the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

        Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment, including the identification of reporting units, assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and/or goodwill impairment for each reporting unit.

        We reviewed the carrying value of our indefinite lived intangible assets by comparing such amount to its fair value and determined that the carrying amount did not exceed its respective fair value. During the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 the fair value of our reporting units was substantially in excess of the reporting units' carrying values. Additionally, the fair value of our indefinite lived intangible assets was substantially in excess of its carrying value. Accordingly, management believes there are no impairments as of September 30, 2010 related to either goodwill or the indefinite-lived intangible asset.

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        We recognize product and service revenue when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) title transfers to the customer, (iii) the sales price charged is fixed or determinable and (iv) collection is reasonably assured. In instances where title does not pass to the customer upon shipment, we recognize revenue upon delivery or customer acceptance, depending on the terms of the sales contract.

        In connection with the sale of our products, we often provide certain supply chain services. These services are provided exclusively in connection with the sale of products, and as such, the price of such services is generally included in the price of the products delivered to the customer. We do not account for these services as a separate element, as the services do not have stand-alone value and cannot be separated from the product element of the arrangement. There are no significant post-delivery obligations associated with these services.

        We also enter into sales rebates and profit sharing arrangements. Such customer incentives are accounted for as a reduction to gross sales and recorded based upon estimates at the time products are sold. These estimates are based upon historical experience for similar programs and products. We review such rebates and profit sharing arrangements on an ongoing basis and accruals are adjusted, if necessary, as additional information becomes available.

        Management provides allowances for credits and returns based on historic experience and adjusts such allowances as considered necessary. To date, such provisions have been within the range of management's expectations and the allowance established. Sales tax collected from customers is excluded from net sales in the accompanying consolidated statements of income.

        We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes . ASC 740, which requires the recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which these temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is established, when necessary, to reduce net deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Our foreign subsidiaries are taxed in local jurisdictions at local statutory rates.

        We account for all stock-based compensation awards to employees and members of our board of directors based upon their fair values as of the date of grant using a fair value method and recognize the fair value of each award as an expense over the requisite service period using the graded vesting method.

        For purposes of calculating stock-based compensation, we estimate the fair value of stock options using a Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model, which requires the use of certain subjective assumptions including expected term, volatility, expected dividend, risk-free interest rate, forfeiture rate and the fair value of our common stock. These assumptions generally require significant judgment.

        We estimate the expected term of employee options using the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual term. We derive our expected volatility from the historical volatilities of several unrelated public companies within our industry because we have little information on the volatility of the price of our common stock since we have no trading history. When making the selections of our industry peer companies to be used in the volatility calculation, we also consider the size and financial

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leverage of potential comparable companies. These historical volatilities are weighted based on certain qualitative factors and combined to produce a single volatility factor. Our expected dividend rate is zero, as we have never paid any dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate any dividends in the foreseeable future. We base the risk-free interest rate on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect at the time of grant for zero coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities approximately equal to each grant's expected life.

        We estimate our forfeiture rate based on an analysis of our actual forfeitures and will continue to evaluate the appropriateness of the forfeiture rate based on actual forfeiture experience, analysis of employee turnover behavior and other factors. Quarterly changes in the estimated forfeiture rate can have a significant effect on reported stock-based compensation expense, as the cumulative effect of adjusting the rate for all expense amortization is recognized in the period the forfeiture estimate is changed. If a revised forfeiture rate is higher than the previously estimated forfeiture rate, an adjustment is made that will result in a decrease to the stock-based compensation expense recognized in the consolidated financial statements. If a revised forfeiture rate is lower than the previously estimated forfeiture rate, an adjustment is made that will result in an increase to the stock-based compensation expense recognized in the consolidated financial statements.

        The following table summarizes the amount of non-cash stock-based compensation expense recognized in our statements of operations:

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months
Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  

Non-cash stock-based compensation

  $ 13,700   $ 10,389   $ 2,510   $ 1,281   $ 910  

        For the years ending September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2012, we expect to incur stock-based compensation expense of $1.9 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

        If factors change and we employ different assumptions, stock-based compensation expense may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the past. If there is a difference between the assumptions used in determining stock-based compensation expense and the actual factors that become known over time, we may change the input factors used in determining stock-based compensation costs for future grants. These changes, if any, may materially impact our results of operations in the period such changes are made. We expect to continue to grant stock options in the future, and to the extent that we do, our actual stock-based compensation expense recognized in future periods will likely increase.

    Significant Factors Used in Determining Fair Value of Our Common Stock

        The fair value of the common stock that underlies our stock options has historically been determined by management and approved by our board of directors based upon information available to it at the time of grant. The following table summarizes, by grant date, the number of stock options granted since October 1, 2009 and the associated per share exercise price, which was not less than the fair value of our common stock for each of these grants.

Grant Date
  Number of Options
Granted
  Exercise Price Per
Share of
Common Stock
  Estimated Fair
Value Per Share of
Common Stock
 

October 1, 2009

    7,557   $ 56.64   $ 36.39  

December 2, 2010

    30,500   $ 70.00   $ 55.00  

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        Because there has been no public market for our common stock, our management has determined the fair value of our common stock-based on an analysis of relevant factors, including the following:

        In addition, we have obtained periodic valuation studies from an independent third-party valuation firm. In performing its valuation analysis, the valuation firm engaged in discussions with management, analyzed historical and forecasted financial statements and reviewed our corporate documents. In addition, these valuation studies were based on a number of assumptions, including industry, general economic, market and other conditions that could reasonably be evaluated at the time of the valuation. Third-party valuations were performed as of September 30, 2009 and June 30, 2010 using generally accepted valuation methodologies.

Results of Operations

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(Dollars in thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  

Consolidated statements of income:

                               

Net sales:

                               
 

North America

  $ 551,135   $ 557,874   $ 603,809   $ 283,285   $ 318,808  
 

Rest of the World

    112,623     102,796     95,342     47,259     57,527  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (59,415 )   (47,983 )   (43,115 )   (19,633 )   (26,792 )
                       
   

Net sales

    604,343     612,687     656,036     310,911     349,543  

Gross profit:

                               
 

North America

    221,898     204,296     226,497     103,788     117,725  
 

Rest of the World

    42,143     39,733     34,167     17,265     19,523  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (7,433 )   (5,742 )   (6,434 )   (3,214 )   (3,123 )
                       
   

Gross profit

    256,608     238,287     254,230     117,839     134,125  

Selling, general and administrative expenses:

                               
 

North America

    84,807     86,007     81,674     40,140     39,593  
 

Rest of the World

    20,951     17,888     18,241     9,185     10,288  
                       
   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    105,758     103,895     99,915     49,325     49,881  
                       

Income from operations

    150,850     134,392     154,315     68,514     84,244  

Interest expense, net

   
(48,743

)
 
(37,707

)
 
(36,270

)
 
(18,214

)
 
(12,586

)

Other income (expense), net

    746     (376 )   (458 )   1,056     (177 )
                       

Income before provision for income taxes

    102,853     96,309     117,587     51,356     71,481  
                       

Provision for income taxes

    44,251     37,862     43,913     19,171     27,873  
                       
   

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674   $ 32,185   $ 43,608  
                       

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  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(as a % of total net sales; numbers have been rounded)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  

Consolidated statements of income:

                               

Net sales:

                               
 

North America

    91.2 %   91.1 %   92.0 %   91.1 %   91.2 %
 

Rest of the World

    18.6     16.8     14.5     15.2     16.5  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (9.8 )   (7.8 )   (6.6 )   (6.3 )   (7.7 )
                       
   

Net sales

    100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0  

Gross profit:

                               
 

North America

    36.7     33.3     34.5     33.4     33.7  
 

Rest of the World

    7.0     6.5     5.2     5.6     5.6  
 

Intercompany elimination

    (1.2 )   (0.9 )   (1.0 )   (1.0 )   (0.9 )
                       
   

Gross profit

    42.5     38.9     38.8     37.9     38.4  

Selling, general and administrative expenses:

                               
 

North America

    14.0     14.0     12.4     12.9     11.3  
 

Rest of the World

    3.5     2.9     2.8     3.0     2.9  
                       
   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    17.5     17.0     15.2     15.9     14.3  
                       

Income from operations

    25.0     21.9     23.5     22.0     24.1  

Interest expense, net

   
(8.1

)
 
(6.2

)
 
(5.5

)
 
(5.9

)
 
(3.6

)

Other income (expense), net

    0.1     (0.1 )   (0.1 )   0.3     (0.1 )
                       

Income before provision for income taxes

    17.0     15.7     17.9     16.5     20.4  
                       

Provision for income taxes

    7.3     6.2     6.7     6.2     8.0  
                       
   

Net income

    9.7 %   9.5 %   11.2 %   10.4 %   12.5 %
                       

Six Months Ended March 31, 2010 compared with the Six Months Ended March 31, 2011

        Consolidated net sales of $349.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $38.6 million, or 12.4%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales as a percentage of net sales represented 32%, 30% and 38%, respectively, for the six months ended March 31, 2011, as compared to 30%, 32% and 38%, respectively, for the six months ended March 31, 2010.

        Net sales of $318.8 million in our North America segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $35.5 million, or 12.5%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. JIT, LTA and ad hoc net sales increased by $12.5 million, $3.6 million and $13.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 as compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. The increase in JIT net sales was primarily due to accelerated sales of $10.5 million of inventory to two customers in connection with the completion of their sales contracts with us, approximately $8.0 million of which we originally expected to occur during the three months ended June 30, 2011, as well as new SKUs added to existing contracts. The increase in LTA net sales was primarily driven by a new contract signed in the third quarter of fiscal 2009 with one of our major customers, which generated $3.4 million of additional revenue during the six months ended March 31, 2011. $3.3 million of the increase in ad hoc net sales was related to the completion of a contract with one of our customers as mentioned above and the remaining $9.7 million was attributable to general growth across numerous customers as no new material contracts were added during the period.

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        Net sales of $57.5 million in our Rest of the World segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $10.2 million, or 21.7%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. JIT, LTA and ad hoc net sales increased by $8.8 million, $1.6 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The JIT increase primarily resulted from new long-term contracts entered into in the latter half of fiscal 2010, which accounted for $5.7 million in net sales and the conversion of ad hoc sales to JIT contracts. $1.1 million of the LTA growth resulted from strong demand in B-787 sales with subcontractors, who had reduced spending in prior periods. Ad hoc net sales improved, despite the JIT conversions, due to a strengthening in demand across our customer base, with customers replenishing inventories that declined during the recession.

        Consolidated gross profit of $134.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $16.3 million, or 13.8%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 38.4% for the six months ended March 31, 2011, compared to 37.9% for the six months ended March 31, 2010.

        Gross profit of $117.7 million in our North America segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $13.9 million, or 13.4%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales in our North America segment was 36.9% for the six months ended March 31, 2011 compared to 36.6% for the six months ended March 31, 2010. The increase in gross profit as a percentage of net sales was primarily driven by an additional $13.0 million of ad hoc sales for the six months ended March 31, 2011, which are typically higher margin sales, as well as a $12.5 million increase in JIT business with higher than average margins.

        Gross profit of $19.5 million in our Rest of the World segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $2.3 million, or 13%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales in our Rest of the World segment was 33.9% for the six months ended March 31, 2011 compared to 36.5% for the six months ended March 31, 2010. The lower gross profit percentage was primarily a result of changes in our sales mix. Overall, our ad hoc gross profit fell by $0.6 million as a result of fewer ad hoc purchases being made by the B-787 program. However, decreases in these higher margin sales were partially offset by increases in lower margin JIT and LTA sales, which generated margins of $2.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

        Total selling, general and administrative expenses of $49.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $0.6 million, or 1.1%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. However, total selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales during the six months ended March 31, 2011 decreased by 1.6% compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010, as we continued to leverage our existing infrastructure.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $39.6 million in our North America segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 decreased approximately $0.5 million, or 1.4%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. This decrease was primarily due to a $2.2 million recovery of bad debt, partially offset by $0.6 million, $0.5 million, $0.4 million and $0.2 million in higher payroll costs, depreciation, group insurance costs and professional service fees, respectively.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $10.3 million in our Rest of the World segment for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $1.1 million, or 12.0%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. The increase was primarily due to increased payroll costs of $0.8 million driven by an 11% increase in headcount to support new contracts.

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        Interest expense, net of $12.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 decreased approximately $5.6 million, or 30.9%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. This decrease was a result of a $66.0 million reduction in the outstanding debt balances of the old senior secured credit facilities stemming from the repayment of principal under these facilities, as well as a $4.7 million decrease in swap expense for the six months ended March 31, 2011 as compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010.

        Other expense, net of $0.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $1.2 million compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. This change was primarily due to unrealized foreign exchange losses associated with transactions denominated in currencies other than the respective functional currency of the reporting subsidiary.

        Provision for income taxes of $27.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011 increased approximately $8.7 million, or 45.4%, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. Our effective tax rate was 37.3% and 39.0% during the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively. The increase in provision for income taxes was primarily a result of a $20.1 million, or 39.2%, increase in pre-tax income from the six months ended March 31, 2011 as compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. Other items impacting our overall tax provision included a decrease in our effective tax rate in the U.S. for the six months ended March 31, 2010 related to the filing of an amended 2008 California return, which resulted in a $1.4 million refund.

        Due to the factors described above, we reported a net income of $43.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2011, compared to net income of $32.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2010. Net income as a percent of net sales increased 2.1% for the six months ended March 31, 2011, primarily due to an increase in gross profit as a percent of net sales and a decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales.

Year Ended September 30, 2009 compared with the Year Ended September 30, 2010

        Consolidated net sales of $656.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $43.3 million, or 7.1%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. Excluding EPG products, JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales as a percentage of net sales represented 34%, 34% and 32%, respectively, for the year ended September 30, 2010, as compared to 29%, 31% and 40%, respectively, for the year ended September 30, 2009.

        Net sales of $603.8 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $45.9 million, or 8.2%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. JIT and LTA net sales increased by $43.9 million and $42.0 million, respectively, while ad hoc and EPG net sales decreased by $9.6 million and $27.3 million, respectively, year over year. Approximately $21.0 million of the JIT increase was driven by increased sales relating to the B-787 program, $8.1 million by the addition of new sites for one of our major customers and $7.0 million by military programs such as the Chinook and V-22, while the remaining $7.8 million was attributable to general growth across numerous customers. $17.0 million of the LTA increase was due to a new contract for the F-18 program,

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$8.2 million related to the addition of new sites for one of our major customers and $5.1 million to other increases in military programs such as Chinook and V-22. The remaining $11.7 million was attributable to general growth across numerous customers. The decrease in ad hoc net sales was primarily driven by business shifting to JIT and LTA contract sales. The decrease in EPG net sales was due to the decline in the general aviation markets.

        Net sales of $95.3 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 decreased $7.5 million, or 7.3%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. JIT net sales increased by $4.4 million, while ad hoc and LTA net sales decreased by $9.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The reduction in ad hoc sales was attributed to a general market slowdown. JIT sales grew primarily due to $2.4 million of net sales related to the B-737 program, and $2.1 million related to growth in several of our military contracts. Other smaller increases in JIT net sales were driven primarily by the conversion of B-787 LTAs to JIT contracts in Italy.

        Consolidated gross profit of $254.2 million for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $15.9 million, or 6.7% compared to gross profit for the year ended September 30, 2009. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 38.8% for the year ended September 30, 2010 compared to 38.9% for the year ended September 30, 2009.

        Gross profit of $226.5 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $22.2 million, or 10.9%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales in our North America segment was 37.5% for the year ended September 30, 2010 compared to 36.6% for the year ended September 30, 2009. The increase in gross profit as a percentage of net sales was primarily driven by the $27.3 million decrease in EPG sales, which have lower margins than hardware sales.

        Gross profit of $34.2 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 decreased $5.6 million, or 14.0%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 35.8% for the year ended September 30, 2010 compared to 38.7% for the year ended September 30, 2009. The lower gross profit resulted from a $4.2 million decrease in higher margin ad hoc sales as well as a reduction in the average ad hoc gross profit percentage reducing the gross profit by $1.4 million. This was due to the general market decline. The increased JIT sales came at a reduced margin of $0.6 million, offsetting the margin lost from lower LTA sales of $0.5 million.

        Total selling, general and administrative expenses of $99.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2010 decreased $4.0 million, or 3.8%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009, as we leveraged our infrastructure to support sales growth.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $81.7 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 decreased $4.3 million, or 5.0%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. This decrease was primarily a result of a reduction in non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $7.9 million, which was predominantly associated with restricted stock units that became fully vested on September 30, 2009, and a $1.6 million decrease in amortization expense related to certain intangible assets becoming fully amortized. These deductions were partially offset by increases of $0.6 million and $0.2 million in depreciation and professional service fees, respectively, as well as an increase in payroll expenses of $4.3 million, which was primarily driven by a $3.5 million increase in bonus expense.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $18.2 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $0.4 million, or 2.0%, compared to the year ended

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September 30, 2009. This increase was primarily a result of increased payroll costs related to $0.4 million of additional bonus expense.

        Interest expense, net of $36.3 million for the year ended September 30, 2010 decreased $1.4 million, or 3.8%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. This decrease was primarily a result of principal debt payments of $67.4 million and a decrease in the average London Inter-Bank Offer Rate, or LIBOR, of 0.7% during the year ended September 30, 2010 as compared the year ended September 30, 2009. This was partially offset by $9.0 million in interest rate swap expense for the year ended September 30, 2010, an increase of $3.3 million as compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. We entered into our interest rate swap agreements midway through the year ended September 30, 2009 to hedge against interest rate fluctuations.

        Other expense, net of $0.5 million for the year ended September 30, 2010 increased $0.1 million, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. This change was primarily due to unrealized foreign exchange losses associated with transactions denominated in currencies other than the respective functional currency of the reporting subsidiary.

        Provision for income taxes of $43.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2010, increased $6.1 million, or 16.0%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. Our effective tax rate was 39.3% and 37.3% during the years ended September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively. The increase in the provision for income taxes was primarily a result of a $21.3 million, or 22.1%, increase in pre-tax income for the year ended September 30, 2010. Other items impacting the overall tax provision included a decrease in our effective tax rate in the U.S. for the year ended September 30, 2009 related to the filing of an amended 2008 California return, which resulted in a $1.4 million refund.

        Due to the factors described above, we reported a net income of $73.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2010, compared to net income of $58.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2009. Net income as a percent of net sales increased 1.7% for the year ended September 30, 2010 primarily due to a decrease in operating expenses as a percent of net sales as we continued to leverage our infrastructure to support sales growth.

Year Ended September 30, 2008 Compared with the Year Ended September 30, 2009

        Consolidated net sales of $612.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 increased $8.3 million, or 1.4%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. The U.S. dollar strengthened against the British pound from $0.51 to $0.65 from the year ended September 30, 2008 to the year ended September 30, 2009, impacting net sales negatively by $22.1 million on a consolidated basis. Without the negative foreign exchange impact, consolidated net sales would have increased by $30.4 million, or 5.0%, as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Excluding EPG products, JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales as a percentage of net sales represented 29%, 31% and 40%, respectively, for the year ended September 30, 2009, as compared to 26%, 27% and 47%, respectively, for the year ended September 30, 2008.

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        Net sales of $557.9 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 increased $6.7 million, or 1.2%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. EPG net sales increased by $60.2 million year over year as a result of the Airtechnics Acquisition. JIT and LTA net sales increased by $3.6 million and $10.2 million, respectively, while ad hoc net sales decreased by $55.8 million year over year. The increase in JIT net sales was primarily driven by increased sales relating to the B-787 platform. The increase in LTA net sales was primarily related to $10.4 million in increased sales to the military market, in part due to the startup of the JSF program. The decrease in ad hoc net sales was primarily due to the effect of the general economic decline across numerous customers as we did not lose any significant contracts during the period.

        Net sales of $102.8 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $9.8 million, or 8.7%, compared to net sales for the year ended September 30, 2008. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar impacted net sales negatively by $26.9 million. Without the negative foreign exchange impact, net sales in our Rest of the World segment would have increased by $17.1 million, or 15.2%, as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. JIT sales increased $11.4 million and LTA sales increased $3.5 million, which was primarily due to increased sales to the European military market, and ad hoc sales increased by $0.8 million, which was primarily due to general increases across our customer base as a result of longer lead times from manufacturers.

        Consolidated gross profit of $238.3 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased approximately $18.3 million, or 7.1% compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 38.9% for the year ended September 30, 2009, compared to 42.5% for the year ended September 30, 2008.

        Gross profit of $204.3 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $17.6 million, or 7.9%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales in our North America segment was 36.6% for the year ended September 30, 2009 compared to 40.3% for the year ended September 30, 2008. The decrease was primarily driven by a $60.2 million increase in EPG sales, which generally have lower margins than hardware sales, as well as a $55.8 million decrease in higher margin ad hoc sales.

        Gross profit of $39.7 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $2.4 million, or 5.7%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales in our Rest of the World segment was 38.7% for the year ended September 30, 2009 compared to 37.4% for the year ended September 30, 2008. The decline in gross profit of $2.4 million is primarily the result of an adverse foreign exchange impact of $8.8 million, partially offset by gross profit increases of $4.3 million, $0.9 million and $0.3 million for JIT, LTA and ad hoc sales, respectively.

        Total selling, general and administrative expenses of $103.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $1.9 million, or 1.8%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008, as we continued to leverage our infrastructure to support sales growth and implemented cost saving initiatives around our travel and entertainment policy.

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        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $86.0 million in our North America segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 increased $1.2 million, or 1.4%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. This increase was primarily a result of a $4.2 million increase in payroll costs and $1.2 million in group insurance costs during the year ended September 30, 2009. This increase was primarily due to a full year of increased headcount related to the Airtechnics Acquisition as compared to only three months of expense in the year ended September 30, 2008. Amortization expense increased by $2.8 million due to a full year of amortization expense related to the intangibles acquired during the Airtechnics Acquisition. Offsetting these increases was a $3.3 million decrease in non-cash stock compensation related to stock option expense, a $0.3 million reduction in travel related expenses and a $3.4 million decrease in bad debt expense for the year ended September 30, 2009 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. The decrease in bad debt expense was primarily due to a one-time charge taken in the year ended September 30, 2008 for two customers who filed for bankruptcy during the year.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses of $17.9 million in our Rest of the World segment for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $3.1 million, or 14.6%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. This decrease was primarily a result of the exchange rate change during the periods. The foreign exchange impact to the year ended September 30, 2009 was a $5.5 million reduction to selling, general and administrative expenses as compared to September 30, 2008. Without the foreign exchange impact selling, general and administrative expenses would have increased $2.8 million over the prior year. This increase was primarily due to $1.2 million related to a full year of operational expenses of a new branch office.

        Interest expense, net of $37.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $11.0 million, or 22.6%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. This decrease was primarily a result of a decrease in LIBOR rates during the year ended September 30, 2009 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. The average LIBOR rate for the year ended September 30, 2008 was 3.9%, which dropped to an average rate of 1.0% for the year ended September 30, 2009, reducing interest expense by $17.2 million. This decrease was offset by an increase in the interest rate swap expense of $3.7 million and a $100.0 million increase to the first lien debt under the old senior secured credit facilities on June 30, 2008, in conjunction with the Airtechnics Acquisition, which increased interest expense by $2.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Upon the maturity of our previous interest rate swaps, we entered into two interest rate swaps arrangements that expire in February and June 2012.

        Other expense, net was $0.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 compared to $0.7 million of income for the year ended September 30, 2008. This change was primarily due to unrealized foreign exchange losses associated with transactions denominated in currencies other than the respective functional currency of the reporting subsidiary.

        Provision for income taxes of $37.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2009 decreased $6.4 million, or 14.4%, compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. Our effective tax rate was 43.0% and 39.3% during the years ended September 30, 2008 and 2009, respectively. The decrease in provision for income taxes was primarily a result of a $6.5 million, or 6.4%, decrease in pre-tax income. Additionally, for the year ended September 30, 2009, we recognized a larger foreign tax credit than the

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prior year, resulting in an additional benefit of $0.8 million, which reduced the effective tax rate by almost 1.0%.

        Due to the factors described above, we reported a net income of $58.5 million for the year ended September 30, 2009, compared to net income of $58.6 million for the year ended September 30, 2008. Net income as a percent of net sales decreased 0.2% for the year ended September 30, 2009, primarily as a result of a 3.6% decrease in gross profit as a percent of net sales.

Supplemental Quarterly Financial Information

        The following table sets forth our historical unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of operations for each of the last eight quarters ended March 31, 2011. This unaudited quarterly information has been prepared on the same basis as our consolidated audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and includes all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, that we consider necessary to present fairly the financial information for the quarters presented. We have not historically experienced any significant seasonality with respect to our results of operations.

        The quarterly data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  Three Months Ended  
(Dollars in thousands)
  June 30,
2009
  September 30,
2009
  December 31,
2009
  March 31,
2010
  June 30,
2010
  September 30,
2010
  December 31,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 
 
  (unaudited)
 

Consolidated statements of income:

                                                 

Net sales

  $ 150,715   $ 150,680   $ 146,806   $ 164,105   $ 171,116   $ 174,009   $ 173,528   $ 176,015  
                                   

Gross profit

    56,878     53,758     54,643     63,197     68,240     68,150     66,699     67,426  
                                   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    24,079     25,904     24,758     24,568     24,968     25,621     25,388     24,493  
                                   

Income from operations

    32,799     27,854     29,885     38,629     43,272     42,529     41,311     42,933  
                                   

Interest expense, net

    (9,002 )   (10,628 )   (8,579 )   (9,635 )   (9,199 )   (8,857 )   (6,277 )   (6,309 )

Other income (expense), net

    (985 )   920     (41 )   1,098     (495 )   (1,020 )   516     (693 )
                                   

Income before provision for income taxes

    22,812     18,146     21,265     30,092     33,578     32,652     35,550     35,931  
                                   

Provision for income taxes

    9,188     6,925     7,194     11,978     12,121     12,620     13,880     13,993  
                                   
 

Net income

  $ 13,624   $ 11,221   $ 14,071   $ 18,114   $ 21,457   $ 20,032   $ 21,670   $ 21,938  
                                   

Liquidity and Capital Resources

    Overview

        We have historically funded our operations, debt payments, capital expenditures and discretionary funding needs from our cash from operations. We had total available cash and cash equivalents of approximately $24.1 million and $45.7 million as of March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively, and approximately $16.0 million, $11.4 million and $39.5 million as of September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010,

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respectively. In addition, as of March 31, 2011, we had no amounts outstanding under the old revolving facility.

        Following the completion of this offering, our primary sources of liquidity will continue to be cash flow from operations and available borrowings under our new revolving facility. Our primary uses of cash following this offering will be for:

    operating expenses;

    working capital requirements to fund the growth of our business;

    capital expenditures that primarily relate to IT equipment and our warehouse operations; and

    debt service requirements for borrowings under the new senior secured credit facilities.

        Generally, cash provided by operating activities has been adequate to fund our operations. Due to fluctuations in our cash flows and the growth in our operations, it may be necessary from time to time in the future to borrow under our new revolving facility to meet cash demands. We anticipate that cash provided by operating activities, cash and cash equivalents and borrowing capacity under our new revolving facility will be sufficient to meet our cash requirements for the next twelve months. As of March 31, 2011, we did not have any material capital expenditure commitments.

    Senior Secured Credit Facilities

    Old Senior Secured Credit Facilities

        As of March 31, 2011, our outstanding indebtedness under our old senior secured credit facilities was approximately $606.2 million. The old senior secured credit facilities consisted of a $625.0 million first lien credit facility, which we refer to as the old first lien credit facility, and a $150.0 million second lien credit facility, which we refer to as the old second lien credit facility. At the time of initial incurrence, the old first lien credit facility was comprised of a $450.0 million first lien term loan facility and a $75.0 million first lien revolving line of credit. On June 30, 2008, we modified the terms of the old first lien credit facility to include an additional $100.0 million of term loan borrowings thereunder to fund the Airtechnics Acquisition, bringing the old first lien term loan facility up to $550.0 million at such time. As of March 31, 2011, we had approximately $477.2 million outstanding under the old first lien credit facility.

        The interest rate on term loans under the old first lien credit facility was calculated using either Alternate Base Rate, or ABR (which is defined as Prime Rate plus an applicable margin rate of 1.25%), or Eurocurrency rate (defined as LIBOR plus an applicable margin rate of 2.25%), at our option. The interest rate on the term loans under the old first lien credit facility was 2.50% as of March 31, 2011.

        There were no outstanding borrowings under the old revolving facility as of March 31, 2011, or at any point during fiscal 2010 or the six months ended March 31, 2011. The annual commitment fees for the old revolving facility were approximately $0.3 million.

        As of March 31, 2011, we had approximately $129.0 million outstanding under the old second lien credit facility. The interest rate on the old second lien credit facility was calculated using ABR (defined as Prime Rate plus the applicable margin rate of 4.75%) or Eurocurrency rate (defined as LIBOR plus an applicable margin rate of 5.75%), at our option. The interest rate on the old second lien credit facility was 6.00% as of March 31, 2011.

        During the year ended September 30, 2010, we made repayments totaling approximately $60.4 million with respect to the term loans under the old first lien credit facility and $7.0 million with respect to the old second lien credit facility, inclusive of contractually scheduled payments.

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        Our subsidiary, Wesco Aircraft Europe Limited, has a £10.0 million (approximately $16.0 million based on the March 31, 2011 exchange rate) line of credit available that automatically renews annually on October 1, which we refer to as the UK Line of Credit. This line of credit bears interest based on the base rate plus an applicable margin of 1.15%. There were no outstanding borrowings under the UK Line of Credit as of March 31, 2011.

    New Senior Secured Credit Facilities

        Borrowings under the new revolving facility and new term loan A facility bear interest at the Eurocurrency rate plus the applicable margin or the ABR plus the applicable margin. Borrowings under the new term loan B facility bear interest at a rate equal to (A) the greater of (x) the Eurocurrency rate and (y) 1.25% or (B) the greater of (x) the ABR and (y) 1.25%, plus, in each case, the applicable margin.

        The applicable margin for the new revolving facility and the new term loan A facility is 3.00% for Eurocurrency loans and 2.00% for ABR loans for the six-month period after the closing of the new senior secured credit facilities, and thereafter the applicable margin will be based on our total net leverage ratio as determined in the most recently delivered financial statements, with the respective margins ranging from 2.25% to 3.25% for Eurocurrency loans and 1.25% to 2.25% for ABR loans. The applicable margin for the new term loan B facility is 3.00% for Eurocurrency loans and 2.00% for ABR loans for the period from the closing date of the new senior secured credit facilities until June 30, 2012, and thereafter the applicable margin will be based on our total net leverage ratio as determined in the most recently delivered financial statements, with the respective margins ranging from 2.75% to 3.00% for Eurocurrency loans and 1.75% to 2.00% for ABR loans.

        The new revolving facility and new term loan A facility each mature on April 7, 2016 and the new term loan B facility matures on April 7, 2017.

        The obligations under the new senior secured credit facilities are guaranteed by us and all of our direct and indirect, wholly owned, domestic restricted subsidiaries (subject to certain exceptions) and secured by a first lien on substantially all of our assets and the assets of our guarantor subsidiaries, including capital stock of subsidiaries (in each case, subject to certain exceptions).

        The new senior secured credit facilities contain customary negative covenants, including restrictions on our and our restricted subsidiaries' ability to merge and consolidate with other companies, incur indebtedness, grant liens or security interests on assets, make acquisitions, loans, advances or investments, pay dividends, sell or otherwise transfer assets, optionally prepay or modify terms of any junior indebtedness or enter into transactions with affiliates. The new senior secured credit facilities also require the maintenance of a net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio (as such ratio is defined in the new senior secured credit facilities) of less than 4.00 and a EBITDA-to-net cash interest expense ratio (as such ratio is defined in the new senior secured credit facilities) of no lower than 2.25. Had the new senior secured credit facilities been in effect as of March 31, 2011, our net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio would have been 3.11 and our EBITDA-to-net cash interest expense ratio would have been 7.21.

        The new senior secured credit facilities contain customary affirmative covenants, including delivery of financial and other information to the administrative agent, notice to the administrative agent upon the occurrence of certain material events, preservation of existence, payment of material taxes and other claims, maintenance of properties and insurance, maintenance of books and records, access to properties and records for inspection by administrative agent and lenders, further assurances and provision of additional collateral and guarantees.

        The new senior secured credit facilities provide that, upon the occurrence of certain events of default, the obligations thereunder may be accelerated and the lending commitments terminated. Such events of default include payment defaults to the lenders, material inaccuracies of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, cross-defaults to other material indebtedness, voluntary and involuntary bankruptcy proceedings, material money judgments, material ERISA events, certain change of control events and other customary events of default.

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    Cash Flows

        A summary of our operating, investing and financing activities are shown in the following table:

 
  Year Ended September 30,   Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
(In thousands)
  2008   2009   2010   2010   2011  

Consolidated statements of cash flows data:

                               

Net cash provided by operating activities

  $ 24,702   $ 1,266   $ 100,773   $ 31,117   $ 23,657  

Net cash used in investing activities

    (115,798 )   (4,135 )   (3,077 )   (1,325 )   (2,761 )

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    94,114     (1,720 )   (69,483 )   (16,471 )   (14,875 )

    Operating Activities

        Our operating activities generated $23.7 million of cash in the six months ended March 31, 2011, a decrease of $7.5 million, compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. This was primarily the result of a $14.8 million increase in the change in accounts receivable for the six months ended March 31, 2011 as compared to the six months ended March 31, 2010. This increase in accounts receivable was due to a $38.6 million, or 12.4%, increase in net sales for the six months ended March 31, 2011 as compared to March 31, 2010. We manage our accounts receivable collection risk by continually monitoring our accounts receivable aging, days sales outstanding and creditworthiness of our customers. From fiscal 2007 to present, our days sales outstanding has ranged from 50 days to 56 days, with fluctuations within this range resulting from a number of factors, including working days per period, sales volumes, market conditions and payment terms. Recently, our days sales outstanding has increased from 50 days outstanding for the year ended September 30, 2010 to 55 days outstanding for the six months ended March 31, 2011. However, excluding a $7.7 million receivable which was billed during September 2010 and received prior to September 30, 2010, our days sales outstanding for the year ended September 30, 2010 would have been 54 days. Additionally, approximately 19.3% of our net sales during the six months ended March 31, 2011 occurred in the month of March, which contributed to the increase in the accounts receivable balance for such period. From September 30, 2010 to March 31, 2011, we have not made any material changes to the payment terms we provide our customers. We believe that our days sales outstanding for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 will be consistent with historical levels.

        We provide for the possible inability to collect accounts receivable by recording an allowance for doubtful accounts. We reserve for an account when it is considered to be uncollectible. Reductions in the allowance may occur if we are successful in collecting on receivables which we had previously established an allowance against. Our allowance for doubtful accounts is based on historical experience, aging of accounts receivable and information regarding the creditworthiness of our customers. During the six months ended March 31, 2011, our accounts receivable greater than 60, 90 and 120 days outstanding was $2.7 million, $1.1 million, and $1.3 million respectively. Additionally, as of June 21, 2011, we have collected approximately 98% or $102.1 million of our March 31, 2011 accounts receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts. None of the remaining $2.5 million of our uncollected, unreserved receivable amounts from March 31, 2011 are past due. Based on our review of this aging, anticipated timing of collections, the amount of receivables that are past due and creditworthiness of our customers, we believe that our allowance for doubtful accounts is appropriate. Additionally, during the six months ended March 31, 2011, we recognized a one-time $2.2 million recovery of bad debt expense due to payment received at the conclusion of a contract for a doubtful account that we reserved during the year ended September 30, 2006. Our accounts receivable balance as a percentage of net sales was 30.7% and 29.9% for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011, respectively.

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        Our operating activities generated $100.8 million of cash in the year ended September 30, 2010, an increase of $99.5 million compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. This increase was primarily the result of a $112.7 million net decrease in the change in inventory for the year ended September 30, 2010 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2009. Net income also increased $15.2 million during the year ended September 30, 2010. This was offset by a $12.2 million increase in the net change in accounts receivable for the year ended September 30, 2009 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2010. This increase was primarily driven by a $43.3 million, or 7.1%, increase in net sales for the year ended September 30, 2010. The average days sales outstanding remained constant at 50 days for both the years ended September 30, 2009 and 2010. Our accounts receivable balance as a percentage of net sales was 13.6% and 13.6% for the years ended September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010, respectively.

        Our operating activities generated $1.3 million of cash in the year ended September 30, 2009, a decrease of $23.4 million compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. This decrease was primarily the result of a $52.4 million increase in the net change in inventory for the year ended September 30, 2009 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2008. This significant inventory increase was caused by increased supplier capacity that resulted in shorter lead times and faster shipments of our pre-existing orders. This was offset by a decrease of $15.6 million in accounts receivable driven by a five day decrease in days sales outstanding of 50 days for the year ended September 30, 2009, as compared to 55 days for the year ended September 30, 2008. Our accounts receivable balance as a percentage of net sales was 15.1% and 13.6% for the years ended September 30, 2008 and September 30, 2009, respectively. The 1.5% increase for fiscal 2008 compared with fiscal 2009 was primarily the result of increased net sales during the last two months of fiscal 2008.

        Our accounts receivable balance as a percentage of net sales may fluctuate from quarter-to-quarter. These fluctuations are primarily driven by changes, from quarter-to-quarter, in (i) the timing of sales and (ii) the current average days sales outstanding. The completion of customer contracts with accelerated payment terms can also contribute to these quarter-to-quarter fluctuations.

        Our allowance for doubtful accounts may also fluctuate from quarter-to-quarter. These fluctuations are primarily driven by changes in our accounts receivable balance, and can also be impacted by the repayment of amounts owed to us that had previously been categorized as bad debt.

    Investing Activities

        Our investing activities used $1.3 million and $2.8 million of cash in the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively, and $115.8 million, $4.1 million and $3.1 million in cash during the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively. These amounts were used for investments in various capital expenditures and to purchase property and equipment. In addition, during the year ended September 30, 2008, $109.0 million of cash was used in the Airtechnics Acquisition.

        Our purchases of property and equipment may vary from period to period due to the timing of the expansion of our business and the investment requirements to provide us with technology that allows us to better serve our customers.

    Financing Activities

        Our financing activities used $14.9 million of cash in the six months ended March 31, 2011. This amount primarily consisted of $14.0 million used to repay principal against the old second lien credit facility, and the remaining amount was used to make repayments under our capital lease obligations.

        Our financing activities used $16.5 million of cash in the six months ended March 31, 2010. This primarily consisted of $14.0 million used to repay principal against the old first lien credit facility,

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$1.4 million to make a required quarterly debt payment on our old senior secured credit facilities, $0.8 million to pay off the UK Line of Credit and $0.3 million to make repayments under our capital lease obligations.

        Our financing activities used $69.5 million of cash in the year ended September 30, 2010. This amount consisted of $67.4 million used to make repayments under the old senior secured credit facilities, $1.3 million used to make repayments under our capital lease obligations and $0.8 million used to make repayments under our UK Line of Credit.

        Our financing activities used $1.7 million of cash in the year ended September 30, 2009. This amount consisted of $0.7 million used to redeem vested stock options, $1.0 million used to make repayments under our capital lease obligations and less than $0.1 million used to make repayments under our UK Line of Credit, partially offset by less than $0.1 million in cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options.

        Our financing activities generated $94.1 million of cash in the year ended September 30, 2008. This amount consisted of $100.0 million in borrowings under the old first lien credit facility and $1.0 million in cash proceeds from the issuance of common stock, which was partially offset by approximately $2.4 million used to make repayments under our UK Line of Credit, $3.0 million used to pay certain financing fees associated with the Airtechnics Acquisition and $1.5 million used to make repayments under our capital lease obligations.

Contractual Obligations

        The following table is a summary of contractual cash obligations at September 30, 2010 (in thousands):

 
  Payments Due by Period  
 
  Less Than
1 Year
  1 - 3
Years
  3 - 5
Years
  More Than
5 Years
  Total  

Long-Term Debt Obligations(1)

  $   $ 477,243   $ 143,000   $   $ 620,243  

Capital Lease Obligations(2)

    1,577     1,676     99         3,352  

Operating Lease Obligations(3)

    3,629     6,314     4,395     7,166     21,504  

Purchase Obligations(4)

    193,696     2,565     110         196,371  
                       

Total

  $ 198,902   $ 487,798   $ 147,604   $ 7,166   $ 841,470  
                       

(1)
This line item includes our obligations under the old senior secured credit facilities. This line item does not reflect payment obligations for the new senior secured credit facilities. The payment obligations for the new senior secured credit facilities assuming an outstanding principal amount of $615.0 million, the balance as of April 7, 2011, the closing date of the new senior secured credit facilities, are $4,188, $35,156, $58,343 and $517,313 for the periods Less Than 1 Year, 1-3 Years, 3-5 Years and More Than 5 Years, respectively. These amounts assume no repayment of principal during such period and do not include interest payments required to be made under the old senior secured credit facilities and the new senior secured credit facilities, which bear interest at a variable rate. See "—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities—New Senior Secured Credit Facilities."

(2)
This line item includes our payment obligations under leases classified as a capital lease.

(3)
This line item includes any payment obligations under leases classified as an operating lease.

(4)
This line item includes our current open purchase orders with respect to the purchase of products and the estimated timing of the transaction.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        We are not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

        Changes to GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or the FASB, in the form of Accounting Standards Updates, or ASUs, to the FASB's ASC.

        We consider the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

        In January 2010, the FASB issued guidance that revised two disclosure requirements concerning fair value measurements and clarifies two others. It requires separate presentation of significant transfers into and out of Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy and disclosure of the reasons for such transfers. It will also require the presentation of purchases, sales, issuances and settlements within Level 3 on a gross basis rather than a net basis. The amendments also clarify that disclosures should be disaggregated by class of asset or liability and that disclosures about inputs and valuation techniques should be provided for both recurring and non-recurring fair value measurements. These new disclosure requirements will become effective for our financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2011, except for the requirement concerning gross presentation of Level 3 activity, which will become effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. Since we do not currently have any Level 3 fair value measurements, the adoption of this standard will not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

        In October 2009, the FASB issued guidance on revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables effective for our 2012 fiscal year, although early adoption is permitted. The guidance revises the criteria for separating, measuring, and allocating arrangement consideration to each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement. The guidance requires companies to allocate revenue using the relative selling price of each deliverable, which must be estimated since we do not have a history of selling the deliverable on a stand-alone basis or third-party evidence of selling price. We do not believe that the adoption of this guidance will significantly change the timing in which revenue is recorded as the pricing of our service components are included in the per unit price of the products delivered to the customer, which is solely contingent on the number of units sold. As a result, the revenue earned on the service element does not become fixed or determinable until delivery of the product has taken place.

        In June 2009, the FASB issued guidance to revise the approach to determine when a variable interest entity, or VIE, should be consolidated. The new consolidation model for VIEs considers whether we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIEs' economic performance and shares in the significant risks and rewards of the entity. The guidance on VIEs requires companies to continually reassess VIEs to determine if consolidation is appropriate and provide additional disclosures. We adopted the provisions of this VIE guidance at the beginning of fiscal year 2011, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

        Our exposure to market risk consists of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in interest rates and fluctuations in fuel prices.

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    Foreign Currency Exposure

    Currency translation

        During the year ended September 30, 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2011, approximately 15% and 17%, respectively, of our net sales were made by our foreign subsidiaries, and our total non-U.S. net sales represented approximately 26% and 29%, respectively, of our total net sales. As a result of these international operating activities, we are exposed to risks associated with changes in foreign exchange rates, principally exchange rates between the U.S. dollar, British pound and the Euro.

        The results of operations of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at the average exchange rate for each relevant period. This translation has no impact on our cash flow. However, as foreign exchange rates change, there are changes to the U.S. dollar equivalent of sales and expenses denominated in foreign currencies. Any adjustments resulting from the translation are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income on our statements of changes in stockholders' equity. We do not consider the risk associated with exchange rate fluctuations to be material to our financial condition or results of operations.

        A hypothetical 5% increase in the value of the British pound and the Euro relative to the U.S. dollar would have resulted in an increase in our net income of approximately $0.3 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, during fiscal 2010 and $0.2 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, during the six months ended March 31, 2011. A corresponding decrease would have resulted in a decrease in our net income of approximately $0.3 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, during fiscal 2010 and $0.2 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, during the six months ended March 31, 2011.

    Currency transactions

        Currency transaction exposure arises where actual sales and purchases are made by a company in a currency other than its own functional currency. During the year ended September 30, 2010, our subsidiary in the United Kingdom had sales in U.S. dollars and Euros of approximately $66.0 million and €8.2 million, respectively, and had purchases in U.S dollars and Euros of approximately $47.9 million and €8.7 million, respectively. During the six months ended March 31, 2011, our subsidiary in the United Kingdom had sales in U.S. dollars and Euros of approximately $40.8 million and €4.6 million, respectively, and had purchases in U.S. dollars and Euros of approximately $33.5 million and €7.1 million, respectively. To the extent possible, we structure arrangements where the purchase transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars in order to minimize near-term exposure to foreign currency fluctuations.

        From September 30, 2008 to September 30, 2009, the average value of the U.S. dollar strengthened against the British pound by $0.42 (from $1.97 to $1.55). From September 30, 2009 to September 30, 2010, the British pound stabilized against the dollar. From September 30, 2010 through March 31, 2011, the pound strengthened slightly against the dollar by $0.04 (from $1.55 to $1.59). A strengthening of the U.S. dollar means we realize a lesser amount of U.S. dollar revenue on sales that were denominated in British pounds. In fiscal 2009, the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to the British pound resulted in a negative impact of approximately $22.1 million in net sales as compared to the exchange rate during fiscal 2008 and resulted in a decrease of approximately $2.9 million in our net income in fiscal 2009. As a result of the stabilization of the value of the British pound against the U.S. dollar during fiscal 2010 and the slight weakening of the U.S. dollar during the six months ended March 31, 2011, currency transactions did not have a material impact on our financial results during those periods. A hypothetical 5% increase in the value of the British pound relative to the U.S. dollar would have resulted in an increase in our net income of approximately $0.3 million and $0.2 million during fiscal 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2011, respectively, attributable to our foreign

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currency transactions. A corresponding decrease would have resulted in a decrease in our net income of approximately $0.3 million and $0.2 million during fiscal 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2011, respectively.

        We have historically entered into currency forward and option contracts to limit exposure to currency rate changes and will continue to monitor our transaction exposure to currency rate changes. Gains and losses on these contracts are deferred until the transaction being hedged is finalized. As of March 31, 2011, we had no outstanding currency forward and option contracts.

    Interest Rate Risk

        Our principal interest rate exposure relates to the new senior secured credit facilities, which bear interest at a variable rate. See "—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities New Senior Secured Credit Facilities." If there is a rise in interest rates, our debt service obligations on the borrowings under the new senior secured credit facilities would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, which would affect our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. At our debt level and borrowing rates as of April 7, 2011, the closing date of the new senior secured credit facilities, annual cash interest expense, including fees under our new revolving facility, would have been approximately $24.4 million. If variable interest rates were to change by 1.0%, our interest expense would fluctuate approximately $6.2 million per year, without taking into account the effect of any hedging instruments or the minimum LIBOR requirement.

        We periodically enter into interest rate swap agreements to manage interest rate risk on our borrowing activities. Upon the maturity of our previous interest rate swap agreements, we entered into two interest rate swap agreements that expire in February and June 2012, respectively, which we refer to collectively as the Swaps. Each Swap converts the interest rate on approximately $200.0 million (notional amount) of our outstanding indebtedness from variable rates to a fixed interest rate. During the year ended September 30, 2010 and the six months ended March 31, 2011, we recorded a loss in the amount of approximately $2.6 million and a gain in the amount of $2.9 million, respectively, as a result of changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments. These gains and losses are recorded as a component of interest expense.

        We do not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes.

    Fuel Price Risk

        Our principal direct exposure to increases in fuel prices is as a result of potential increased freight costs caused by fuel surcharges or other fuel cost-driven price increases implemented by the third-party package delivery companies on which we rely. We estimate that our annual freight costs are approximately $2.5 million, and, as a result, we do not believe the impact of these potential fuel surcharges or fuel cost-driven price increases would have a material impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, increases in fuel prices may have an indirect material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, as such increases may contribute to decreased airline profitability and, as a result, decreased demand for new commercial aircraft that utilize the products we sell. See "Risk Factors—We may be materially adversely affected by high fuel prices." We do not use derivatives to manage our exposure to fuel prices.

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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

        According to Stax, the global market for C class aerospace parts, which includes hardware, bearings, electronic components and machined parts for both commercial and military customers, was approximately $6.5 billion in 2010. This market is generally segmented by end customer or sales channel. On a customer basis, OEMs and their subcontractors, which we refer to collectively as the OEM market, accounted for approximately $4.5 billion of sales and the remaining approximately $2.0 billion of sales was made to airlines and aftermarket MRO providers. On a sales channel basis, approximately $4.2 billion of all C class aerospace parts flow through distributors and approximately $2.2 billion of sales are made directly to end customers. The following charts provide additional information on the breakdown of the C class aerospace parts market as of 2010.

GRAPHIC


Source: Stax.

We believe that the key trends and drivers of growth in the aerospace parts distribution market include:

    Increased Demand for New Aircraft Production

        The OEM market for C class aerospace parts in 2010 was approximately $4.5 billion according to Stax, with approximately $2.7 billion of this total relating to sales of commercial aircraft and business jets. According to Airline Monitor, the global commercial aircraft fleet has grown approximately 4.5% per year over the last 20 years, exceeding global GDP growth of 3% per year over the same period. RPMs, a key measure of airline passenger volumes, grew approximately 5.5% in 2010 after having grown 4.7% annually, on average, from 1990 to 2010. RPMs are expected to grow at 5.6% annually, on average, from 2010 to 2030, due to the economic recovery in developed economies, continued growth in emerging markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and the secular trend towards increased air travel globally. Increased passenger traffic volumes and the return to profitability of the global airline industry have renewed demand for commercial aircraft, particularly for more fuel efficient models such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. According to Airline Monitor, annual deliveries of the Boeing 787 are projected to increase from 20 in 2011 to over 100 by 2014, and Airbus expects A350 deliveries to commence in 2013. Airline Monitor forecasts that overall commercial aircraft deliveries will grow at a CAGR of 4.5% over the next ten years. It further estimates that the commercial aircraft order backlog has grown at a CAGR of 8.2% since 2000 to approximately 8,100 planes as of December 31, 2010, which represents over five years of projected commercial aircraft deliveries. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, business jet deliveries, which are generally correlated with market indicators, including the earnings and price performance of the S&P 500, suffered a 23% decline on average from 2008 to 2010. According to the FAA, however, business jet activity increased by over 11% in 2010. We also expect commercial aircraft production to be supplemented by increases in business and regional jet deliveries.

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        According to Stax, the market for military C class aerospace parts was approximately $1.8 billion in 2010. Future military aerospace OEM demand is expected to be driven by increases in the production of the Lockheed Martin JSF. The JSF is a next-generation fighter that is designed for the U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force, along with key U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom, Italy and The Netherlands. According to Forecast International, production of the JSF is expected to increase from 20 in 2011 to 98 by 2016.

    Increased Demand from the MRO Market

        According to Stax, the combined commercial and military MRO market represented approximately $2.0 billion of the total C class aerospace parts market in 2010. We expect commercial MRO providers to benefit from the same trends as those impacting the commercial OEM market, including increased RPMs, which will in turn drive growth in the commercial fleet and greater utilization of existing aircraft. According to Boeing, RPM growth is forecasted to be particularly strong in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions, with annual growth projected to be 7.6% in China, 7.4% in South Asia, including India, and 7.1% in the Middle East from 2010 to 2019. The commercial MRO market may also benefit from directives or notifications announced by international industry regulators and trade associations. Such directives or notifications can serve to bolster required maintenance, and thus the demand for new and existing C class aerospace parts. We expect demand in the military MRO market to be driven by requirements to maintain aging military fleets, changes in the overall fleet size and the level of U.S. military activity overseas.

    Industry Consolidation

        We are one of the top two aerospace distribution companies by sales and, together with our largest competitor, accounted for approximately $1.4 billion, or 22%, of the approximately $6.5 billion C class aerospace parts market in 2010, of which approximately $656.0 million, or 10%, was attributable to us. The remainder of the market is highly fragmented, which creates significant opportunities for further consolidation. Several benefits typically accrue to distributors through consolidation, including efficiencies in leveraging costs over a larger revenue base, increased customer penetration facilitated by a larger product offering and a reduction in purchasing costs driven by larger volume-based discounts. We expect these benefits to support further consolidation in the industry.

    Globalization

        The manufacture of aircraft and aircraft structures is becoming more globalized, as nations such as China, India and the UAE invest heavily to develop their aerospace industries. In addition, many U.S. and European OEMs continue to expand their operations in international markets in order to benefit from labor cost savings as local businesses seek to partner with established global companies. These OEMs and subcontractors expect to receive the same quality parts and services in new markets that they receive in their home markets. We believe that these quality and service expectations and the overall growth rates in international aerospace markets present significant opportunities for supply chain managers such as Wesco.

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BUSINESS

Company Overview

        We are one of the world's largest distributors and providers of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry on an annual sales basis. Our services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, JIT delivery and point-of-use inventory management. We supply approximately 450,000 different SKUs, including hardware, bearings, tools and more recently, electronic components and machined parts. In fiscal 2010, sales of hardware represented 80% of our net sales, with highly engineered fasteners constituting 83% of that amount. We serve our customers under three types of arrangements: JIT contracts, which govern comprehensive outsourced supply chain management services; LTAs, which set prices for specific parts; and ad hoc sales. JIT contracts and LTAs, which together comprised approximately 63% of our fiscal 2010 net sales, are multi-year arrangements that provide us with significant visibility into our future sales.

        Founded in 1953 by the father of our current CEO, Wesco has grown to serve over 7,200 customers in the commercial, military and general aviation sectors, including the leading OEMs and their subcontractors, through which we support nearly all major Western aircraft programs. We have grown our net sales at a 13.4% CAGR over the past 20 years to $656.0 million in fiscal 2010. We serve a large and growing global market, and believe that with more than 1,000 employees across 28 locations in 10 countries, we are well positioned to continue our track record of strong long-term growth and profitability. The following charts illustrate the composition of our 2010 net sales based on our sales data or management estimates.

GRAPHIC

        We have invested in building an integrated, highly customized IT system that enables our purchasing and sales organization to make more informed decisions and our inventory management system to operate at maximum efficiency. Specifically, our customized IT system provides us visibility into inventory quantities, stocking locations and purchases across our customer base by individual SKU, enabling us to accurately fill approximately 8,000 orders per day and provide an exceptional level of customer service. The scalable nature of our IT system helps us improve productivity and financial performance as sales volume increases. We believe our customized IT system is a key competitive advantage and critical element in our unique business model that creates significant value for our customers and our suppliers.

        We believe that our success has been driven by our focus on customer service and our ability to offer tailored solutions to our customers. We believe customers that utilize our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services are frequently able to realize significant benefits including:

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        Our customers also benefit from the strong relationships we maintain with a diverse group of over 1,100 suppliers. We believe these suppliers in turn derive several benefits from our scale, global reach and unique business model, including:

We believe we are well positioned to continue our track record of strong growth by partnering with our suppliers to provide a compelling combination of value-added services to our customers.

Competitive Strengths

        We believe that our key competitive strengths include the following:

        Leader in Attractive Global Market.     We are one of the world's largest distributors and providers of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry on an annual sales basis. We believe we offer the world's broadest inventory of aerospace parts comprised of approximately 450,000 SKUs. In addition, we fill approximately 8,000 orders per work day and manage approximately 350,000 stocking bins throughout our customers' facilities. Stax estimates the market for the C class aerospace parts we offer at approximately $6.5 billion on an annual basis, and we expect that it will continue to grow, driven by a broad-based recovery in the delivery of new aircraft. This market is fragmented, and we estimate that we and our top competitor together account for approximately 22% of the market, with the balance served by smaller regional or local distributors, or directly by the parts manufacturers. We believe that the scale of our global distribution network, our value-added services and the depth, breadth and dollar investment in our inventory provide us with a significant competitive advantage in an attractive market.

        Compelling Value Proposition.     We offer a compelling value proposition to our customers by combining access to what we believe to be the world's broadest inventory of aerospace parts with our unique capabilities in comprehensive supply chain management. Our services can significantly improve on-time-delivery performance, enabling our customers to reduce their inventory while at the same time decreasing the frequency of production interruptions caused by part shortages. Due to the high levels of precision and engineering standards in the aerospace industry, our customers must ensure the highest levels of quality assurance. Many of our customers have chosen to outsource these critical quality assurance functions to us, relying on our rigorous inspection processes. Aerospace companies that do not outsource to a supply chain manager like Wesco can incur significant additional overhead and administrative costs relating to internal procurement, quality assurance, inventory stocking and other related personnel.

        Diverse Customer and Program Base.     We maintain strong relationships with over 7,200 active customers including major OEMs such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Cessna, Gulfstream, BAE Systems, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. We supply

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products to nearly every major Western aircraft in production, including the B-787, B-737, B-747, A-320, JSF and V-22. During fiscal 2010, no single customer or aircraft program represented more than 15% of our net sales. We have actively worked to transition our largest customers from ad hoc purchases to multi-year LTAs or comprehensive JIT supply chain management agreements, the latter two of which together represented approximately 63% of our fiscal 2010 net sales. By developing strong, long-term relationships with a diverse set of customers, we have significant visibility into our future sales.

        Superior Purchasing Capabilities and Supplier Relationships.     Our management is highly skilled in analyzing supply, demand, cost and pricing factors in order to make optimal inventory investment decisions, and we maintain close relationships with the leading suppliers in the industry. In particular, Precision Castparts and Alcoa Fastening Systems supplied approximately 22% and 20%, respectively, of the products we purchased during fiscal 2010. Our top 10 suppliers have been doing business with us for an average of more than 10 years. We believe that our business model allows our suppliers to smooth out production, improve their cash flow and reduce administrative cost. As a result of our scale and the strength of our relationships, many of our suppliers offer us attractive volume-based price discounts. Our success in making optimal inventory purchasing decisions is driven by our management's deep understanding of our industry and their skill in analyzing fundamental supply, demand, cost and pricing data. These decisions are facilitated by our highly customized IT system. Our superior inventory purchasing capabilities and the strength of our supplier relationships have contributed substantially to what we believe are our industry-leading operating margins.

        Experienced Management Team with Significant Equity Ownership.     Our management team has extensive industry experience and company tenure. Our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers have an average of more than 20 years of experience with us and more than 30 years in our industry. In addition, our executive officers will own approximately        % of the common stock of the Company following this offering. We believe that this significant equity ownership aligns the interests of our executive officers with our stockholders.

Our Strategy for Continued Growth

        We intend to pursue the following strategies in order to continue to grow our business:

        Continued Focus on Operational Excellence.     We have built strong relationships with our existing customers and suppliers through a relentless focus on operational excellence and improvement. We intend to continue providing our customers with best-in-class on-time delivery performance and quality assurance. We also intend to continue investing in our integrated, highly customized IT system and process automation technology. We believe that by focusing on operational excellence, we will be able to maintain high customer satisfaction and industry-leading operating margins.

        Win New Business from Existing Customers.     We will continue our strategy of expanding our relationships with existing customers by transitioning them to our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services as well as expanding our programs to include additional customer sites and SKUs. We are a key partner supplying fasteners and other C class parts to support the launch of new aircraft programs, such as the Boeing 787 and Lockheed Martin JSF. We will continue to support our customers in the launch of new aircraft programs by introducing new supply chain solutions that minimize costs, improve productivity, lower inventory investment and ensure a seamless supply of parts for new production and aftermarket support.

        Expand Customer Base.     We believe that our services and capabilities are attractive to potential new customers and plan to expand our customer base. We have had significant success in winning business when competing distributors have been unable to meet customer service level requirements and in situations where customers have outsourced work that was previously performed internally.

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Historically, we have focused our activities on the major OEMs and their subcontractors and less on airlines and airline maintenance organizations due to their tendency to order parts in smaller quantities with greater frequency, which makes them more costly to serve. We are in the process of adding a significant number of SKUs to an airline industry automated quoting system that we believe will provide us with a cost-effective way to penetrate this commercial MRO market that Stax estimates is approximately $950 million in size.

        Further Expand into International Markets.     We have recently established a presence in international locations such as China, India and Saudi Arabia, and we intend to expand into other high growth regions such as Mexico to support new and existing customers. Our international expansion efforts will enable us to better reach new customers and more effectively serve our existing customer base as the manufacture of aircraft and aircraft structures continues to become more globalized. We believe that we mitigate many of the risks associated with international expansion by entering into customer contracts before we establish a new stocking facility. Our international expansion efforts will enable us to better reach new customers and more effectively serve our existing customer base as the manufacture of aircraft and aircraft structures continues to become more globalized.

        Selectively Pursue Strategic Acquisitions.     Our industry is highly fragmented and we believe that there are opportunities for continued consolidation. In 2008, we acquired Airtechnics, which enabled us to expand our product offering to include electronic components, as well as gain additional customers. We believe that we are well positioned to expand our product offering and geographical footprint through strategic acquisitions. Consistent with this strategy, we continue to evaluate potential acquisition opportunities.

Our Products and Services

        We offer more than 450,000 different SKUs, consisting of C class aerospace hardware, bearings, electronic components and machined parts, which are generally priced below $350 per part. Stax estimates that C class parts typically contribute approximately 3.0% of the total cost of a large commercial aircraft. Many of the products we sell are highly engineered, precision parts that are specified for use in particular aircraft programs.

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        Our product categories include the following:

 
 
   
   
  Hardware
   
  Bearings
   
  Electronic
Components

   
  Machined Parts
and Other

   

  

  % of Total Market for C Class Aerospace Parts*       46%       26%       16%       12%    

  

  Wesco Fiscal 2010 Net Product Sales (in millions)       $527       $42       $70       $17    

  

  % of Wesco Fiscal 2010 Net Product Sales       80%       7%       11%       2%    

  

  Types of Products Offered      

•        Blind fasteners

•        Panel fasteners

•        Bolts and screws

•        Clamps

•        Hi lok pins and collars

•        Hose assemblies

•        Hydraulic fittings

•        Inserts

•        Lockbolts and collars

•        Nuts

•        Rivets

•        Springs

•        Valves

•        Washers

     

•        Airframe control bearings

•        Rod ends

•        Spherical bearings

•        Ball bearing rod ends

•        Roller bearings

•        Bushings
  
  
  
  
  
  
    

     

•        Connectors

•        Relays

•        Switches

•        Circuit breakers

•        Lighted products
  
  
  
  
  
  
    

     

•        Brackets

•        Milled parts

•        Shims

•        Stampings

•        Turned parts

•        Welded assemblies

•        Installation tooling
 
 
 
 
 
 
    

   

*    Source: Stax.

                                   

        Sales of C class aerospace hardware represented approximately 80% of our fiscal 2010 product sales. Fasteners are our largest product category, comprising approximately 83% of our hardware sales in fiscal 2010. Fasteners include a wide range of highly engineered aerospace parts that are designed to hold together two or more components, such as rivets (both blind and solid), bolts (including blind bolts), screws, nuts and washers. Many of these fasteners are designed for use in specific aircraft platforms and others can be used across multiple platforms. Materials used in the manufacture of these fasteners range from standard alloys, such as aluminum, steel or stainless steel, to more advanced materials, such as titanium, Inconel and Waspalloy.

        We began to offer aerospace bearings after acquiring the bearing distribution business of Kaman Industrial Technologies in 1999, which enabled us to support new customers and expand our product offering. Our product offering includes a variety of standard anti-friction products designed to both commercial and military aircraft specifications, such as airframe control bearings, rod ends, spherical bearings, ball bearing rod ends, roller bearings and bushings.

        In 2008, we acquired Wichita, Kansas-based Airtechnics, one of the largest distributors of aerospace electronic components in North America, which helped expand our product offering to our customer base. We offer highly reliable interconnect and electro-mechanical products, including connectors, relays, switches, circuit breakers and lighted products. We also offer value-added assembled products including mil-circular and rack and panel connectors and illuminated push button switches. We maintain large quantities of connector components in inventory, which allows us to respond quickly to customer orders. In addition, our lighted switch assembly operation affords customers same day service, including engraving capabilities in multiple languages.

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        Machined parts are designed for a specific customer and are assigned unique OEM-specific SKUs. The machined parts we distribute include laser cut or stamped brackets, milled parts, shims, stampings, turned parts and welded assemblies made of materials ranging from high-grade steel or titanium to nickel based alloys.

        We stock a full range of tools needed for the installation of our products, including air and hydraulic tools as well as drill motors, and we also offer factory authorized maintenance and repair services for these tools. In addition to selling these tools, we also rent or lease these tools to our customers.

        In addition to our traditional distribution services, we have developed innovative value-added services, such as quality assurance, kitting and JIT supply chain management for our customers.

        Our quality assurance, or QA, function is a key component of our service offering, with approximately 10% of our employees dedicated to this area. We believe we offer an industry-leading QA function as a result of our rigorous processes, sophisticated testing equipment and dedicated QA staff, and as evidenced by a comparison of our customers' aggregate rejection rate of the products we deliver, which was approximately 0.3% during fiscal 2010, to our rejection rate of the products we receive from our suppliers, which was approximately 3.2% during fiscal 2010.

        Our QA department inspects the inventory we purchase to ensure the accuracy and completeness of documentation. We also maintain an electronic copy of the relevant certifications for the inventory, which can include a manufacturer certificate of conformance, test reports, process certifications, material distributor certifications and raw material mill certifications. In addition, dimensional inspections are performed on all lots from suppliers that are not certified by our QA department, and all lots for our JIT customers undergo dimensional, and in some cases, structural inspections. For many of our customers, these inspections are conducted at our in-house laboratory, where we operate sophisticated testing equipment. Our industry-leading QA capabilities also allow our JIT customers to reduce the number of personnel dedicated to the QA function and reduce the delays caused by the rejection of improperly inspected parts.

        Kitting involves the packaging of an entire bill of materials or a complete "ship-set" of parts, which reduces the amount of time workers spend retrieving parts from storage locations. Kits can be customized in varying configurations and sizes and can contain up to several hundred different parts. All of our kits and components contain fully certified and traceable parts and are assembled by our full-service kitting department at our central stocking locations, or CSLs, or at our customer sites.

        JIT supply chain management involves the delivery of parts on an as-needed basis to the point-of-use at a customer's manufacturing line. JIT programs are designed to prevent excess inventory build-up and shortages and improve manufacturing efficiency. Each JIT contract requires us to maintain an efficient inventory tracking, analysis and replenishment program and is designed to provide high levels of stock availability and on-time delivery. We began offering JIT supply chain management services in 1993 as some OEMs began outsourcing certain support functions in an effort to cut costs at a time when defense spending was declining and the commercial aerospace industry was entering a

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cyclical downturn. Since that time, the popularity of our JIT programs has grown and we now support over 125 customer locations, including approximately 350,000 bins serviced worldwide. During fiscal 2010, our on-time delivery rate for JIT customers was over 99%. We believe customers that utilize our comprehensive JIT supply chain management services are frequently able to realize significant benefits including:

        Before signing a JIT contract, our customers typically experience outages of many SKUs and, in some cases, have up to a year's worth of inventory on hand. As part of our JIT programs, we generally assume the customer's existing inventory at the onset of the contract, immediately reducing their inventory on-hand and the associated management costs. Customer inventory is generally assumed on a consignment basis and is entered in our database in a distinct customer-specific "virtual warehouse." Software protocol in our IT system requires the system to first "look" to a customer's consigned inventory when parts replenishment is required. In many cases, we can sell this consigned inventory to our base of 7,200 active customers around the world, gradually drawing down the customer's inventory. As the consigned inventory for each SKU is exhausted, our stock of Wesco-sourced product is then used for replenishment. Due to the reliable nature of our services, our customers typically carry approximately 45 days worth of inventory in point-of-use bins instead of months or years worth of such products.

        Another key strength of our JIT program is our ability to utilize highly scalable and customizable point-of-use systems to develop an efficient supply chain management system and automated replenishment solution for any number of SKUs. In order to minimize inventory on hand, certain indicators are used to trigger the replenishment of product from a supplying location to the location of consumption. Our "Twin-Bin" system is an example of such an indicator. A JIT program designed around a Twin-Bin system utilizes a specially manufactured unit composed of two bins stacked on top of one another. In this system, a clear plastic bag, typically containing a 30-day supply of parts, is loaded in each bin. Production workers use all of the parts within the bottom bin before drawing a pullout slide between the two bins that drops the full plastic bag of parts from the top bin into the bottom bin. An empty top bin indicates the need to initiate replenishment of the parts and provides a clear visual management process on the manufacturing floor. All replenishment activity is done via hand-held scanners that transmit orders to our stocking locations.

Customer Contracts

        We sell parts to our customers under three types of arrangements: JIT supply chain management contracts, LTAs and ad hoc sales.

        JIT contracts are typically three to five years in length and are structured to supply the parts requirement for specific SKUs, production lines or facilities. Given our direct involvement with JIT customers, volume requirements and purchasing frequency under these contracts is highly predictable. Under JIT contracts, customers commit to purchase specified parts from us at a fixed

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price, on an if-and-when needed basis, and we are responsible for maintaining high levels of stock availability of those parts. JIT contracts typically contain termination for convenience provisions, which generally allow our customers to terminate their contracts on short notice without meaningful penalties, provided that we are reimbursed for the cost of any inventory specifically procured for the customer. JIT customers also often purchase parts from us that are not captured under their contracts on an ad hoc basis. Approximately 31% of our net sales during fiscal 2010 were generated from JIT contracts.

        Like JIT contracts, LTAs also typically run for three to five years. LTAs are essentially negotiated price lists for customers or individual customer sites that cover a range of pre-determined parts, purchased on an as-needed basis. The negotiated prices are typically tiered based on order size. LTAs generally obligate the customer to buy contracted SKUs from us and may obligate us to maintain stock availability for those parts. Once an LTA is in place, the customer is then able to place individual purchase orders with us for any of the contractually specified parts. LTAs typically contain termination for convenience provisions, which generally allow for our customers to terminate their contracts on short notice without meaningful penalties, provided that we are reimbursed for the cost of any inventory specifically procured for the customer. LTA customers also frequently purchase parts from us that are not captured under the pricing arrangement on an ad hoc basis. Approximately 32% of our net sales during fiscal 2010 were derived from our LTAs.

        Ad hoc customers purchase parts from us on an as-needed basis and are generally supplied out of our existing inventory. Typically, ad hoc orders are for smaller quantities of parts than those ordered under either JIT contracts or LTAs, and are often urgent in nature. Given our breadth and volume of inventory, it is not uncommon for our competitors to purchase parts from us on an ad hoc basis. In an environment of increasing aircraft production, parts shortages can become increasingly common for OEMs, subcontractors, MROs and distributors with less sophisticated forecasting abilities and procurement organizations. Approximately 37% of our net sales during fiscal 2010 were generated from ad hoc sales.

        Under each of the sales arrangements described above we typically warrant that the products we sell conform to the drawings and specifications that are in effect at the time of delivery in the applicable contract, and that we will replace defective or non-conforming products for a period of time that varies from contract to contract. The product manufacturer, in turn, typically indemnifies us for liabilities resulting from defective or non-conforming products. We do not accrue for warranty expenses as our claims related to defective and non-conforming products have been nominal to date.

        We believe that backlog is not a relevant measure of our business, given the long-term nature of our JIT contracts and LTAs with our customers.

Customers

        We sell to over 7,200 active customers worldwide. Boeing was our largest customer during fiscal 2010 and accounted for approximately 15% of our net sales. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of our net sales during fiscal 2010, and only three customers accounted for over 5% of our net sales during the same period, with each consisting of multiple independent programs. Our top 10 customers collectively accounted for 48% of our net sales during fiscal 2010.

        Approximately 87% of our fiscal 2010 net sales were derived from major OEMs, such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Cessna, Gulfstream, BAE Systems, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, and certain of their subcontractors. Government sales comprised roughly 5% of our net sales during fiscal 2010 and were derived from various military parts

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procurement agencies such as the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, or from defense contractors buying on their behalf. Aftermarket sales to airline-affiliated or independent MROs made up roughly 2% of our fiscal 2010 net sales. Airlines and airline maintenance organizations traditionally order parts in smaller quantities with greater frequency, making them more costly to serve. However, we are in the process adding a significant number of products to an airline industry automated quoting system that we believe will provide us with a cost-effective way to penetrate this commercial MRO market. We are currently targeting international airlines and aircraft maintenance centers that are assuming an expanded role within the MRO market. The balance of our net sales are to other distributors.

        We estimate that during fiscal 2010, approximately 53% of our net sales were derived from customers supporting military programs and approximately 47% of our net sales were derived from customers supporting commercial programs. Our customers are principally located in the United States, comprising approximately 74% of our net sales during fiscal 2010. We also service international customers in markets that include Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, China, South Korea and Australia.

Suppliers

        We source our inventory from over 1,100 suppliers, including Precision Castparts, Alcoa Fastening Systems, Amphenol Corporation, Lisi Aerospace and Monogram Aerospace Fasteners. During fiscal 2010, we purchased approximately 42% of our inventory from Precision Castparts and Alcoa Fastening Systems. Suppliers typically prefer to deal with a relatively small number of large and sophisticated distributors in order to improve machine utilization, reduce finished goods inventory and maintain pricing discipline. As a result of the scale of our operations and our long-standing relationships with many of our suppliers, we are often able to take advantage of significant volume-based discounts when purchasing inventory. Given our industry position, financial strength and philosophy of cooperation with suppliers, we believe we are in an excellent position to become a distributor for new product lines as they become available.

Procurement

        We consider our procurement expertise to be one of our principal competitive advantages. Our management is highly skilled in analyzing supply, demand, cost and pricing factors to make optimal inventory investment decisions and we maintain close relationships with the leading suppliers in the industry. In particular, Precision Castparts and Alcoa Fastening Systems supplied approximately 22% and 20%, respectively, of the products we purchased during fiscal 2010. Our strong understanding of the global aerospace industry is derived from our long-term relationships with major OEMs, subcontractors and suppliers. In addition, our direct insight into our customers' production rates often allows us to detect industry trends. Furthermore, our ability to forecast demand and place purchase orders with our suppliers well in advance of our customer requirements provides us with a distinct advantage in an industry where inventory availability is critical for customers that need specific parts within a stipulated timeframe to meet their own production and delivery commitments.

        We have created a structured procurement process that focuses on return on invested capital, or ROIC, and minimization of excess inventory, which helps us maintain what we believe are our industry-leading operating margins and parts availability. Prior to placing a purchase order, members of our supply chain organization analyze a "buy requisition," which is generated by our IT system. Buy requisitions provide several key pieces of information, including the amount of that SKU currently on-hand, a listing of all active customers that use the specific SKU, the quantities and rates at which the part has been consumed by these customers in the past, tiered pricing for various quantities at which the supplier offers price breaks and recent selling prices of various order sizes. Using the information obtained from the buy requisition, a Wesco employee then conducts an ROIC analysis to determine the expected payback period and margin on the specified inventory investment before

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making the final procurement decision. This calculated approach to inventory investment, combined with our unique market insight, has enabled us to generate and sustain industry-leading operating margins.

Operations

        We have developed a highly structured system in order to manage the receipt, processing and shipment of inventory. This system is based on an efficient warehouse layout, automated machinery, our customized IT system and hand-held scanners. The typical process that each lot of inventory undergoes is outlined below.

GRAPHIC

        Our warehouse operations are divided between CSLs and forward stocking locations, or FSLs. Our primary CSL is located at our global headquarters in Valencia, California. We also operate a CSL in Wichita, Kansas, which primarily serves our global EPG business, and a CSL in Clayton West, U.K., which primarily serves Europe, India and the Middle East. Our CSLs serve as the primary supply warehouses for most of our net sales and also house our procurement, customer service, document control, IT, material support and quality assurance functions. Our CSLs are supported by sales offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Italy and China.

        Complementing our CSLs and sales offices are FSLs. An FSL is a specialized stocking point for one or more JIT contracts located within a geographic region. FSLs are typically located either nearby or within a customer facility and are established to support large contracts. In certain instances, FSLs initially established to service a single customer are expanded to service other regional customers.

        All inventory enters our warehouses through a common receiving area. When shipments are received, each package is opened and the documentation is examined. If the documentation is missing or deficient, the shipment is either returned to the supplier or set aside in a designated holding area until accurate documentation is received. If the documentation is acceptable, a Wesco employee inputs the relevant information into our inventory management system, including the SKU, lot number, receipt date, quantity and unit cost.

        After a shipment has gone through receiving, it is then processed by the QA department. This department inspects the inventory we purchase to ensure the accuracy and completeness of documentation. We also maintain an electronic copy of the relevant certifications for the inventory, which can include a manufacturer certificate of conformance, test reports, process certifications, material distributor certifications and raw material mill certifications. In addition, dimensional inspections are performed on all lots from suppliers that are not certified by our QA department, and

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all lots for our JIT customers undergo dimensional, and in some cases, structural inspections. For many of our customers, these inspections are conducted at our in-house laboratory, where we operate sophisticated testing equipment.

        Inventory that passes the quality assurance inspection is placed on a conveyor to a staging area, where warehouse employees assign stocking locations to the parts. Upon arrival at the designated stocking location, an employee scans the bar code affixed to the lot of inventory and the bar code corresponding to the specific shelf location where the lot is to be placed. This stocking information is then transmitted wirelessly to our inventory management system.

        When we receive a purchase order from a customer, a notification is sent to the warehouse, where an employee uses a picker truck to retrieve the required part from its stocking location. Each picker truck is equipped with scales used to count the requested number of parts. Each different part type is then placed in a clear plastic bag and sealed. Labels are then generated using hand-held equipment and placed on the bags, and any required documentation is printed and placed along with the bags into color coded crates (crates are color coded based on order urgency so warehouse staff can effectively prioritize shipping requirements). The crates then travel on a conveyer system to the shipping area.

        Upon arriving in the shipping area, parts bags and related documentation are placed into boxes and sealed. The shipping clerk enters the order into a third-party shipping system, generating a label based on the shipping requirements for that customer (e.g., FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.). Once processed, the system uploads tracking numbers and freight costs, if applicable, and can send an automatic notification to a customer that their order has shipped, or automatically send documentation via e-mail to a freight forwarder to prepare shipments for export. A variety of shipping options are available (same day, overnight, etc.) depending on customer requirements. The picking and shipping processes are organized such that, if necessary, we are able to ship product on the same day a purchase order is received in order to satisfy urgent customer requirements.

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Properties

        Our global headquarters is located at 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, California 91355. As of March 31, 2011, we have a total of 28 administrative, sales and/or stocking facilities located in 10 countries, all of which are either leased or located at a customer site. The following table sets forth certain information regarding these facilities:

Region
  Location   Purpose   Facility Size (Sq. Feet)

North America

  Valencia, CA (Wesco headquarters)   Sales, CSL and Administrative   150,428

  Wichita, KS (EPG headquarters)   Sales, CSL and Administrative   67,500

  Auburn, WA   Sales and FSL   9,370

  Charleston, SC   FSL   22,159

  Charleston, SC   FSL*   <500

  Fort Worth, TX   Sales and FSL   40,000

  Glen Cove, NY   Sales   3,700

  Holbrook, NY   Sales   1,050

  Indianapolis, IN   FSL   10,800

  Mesa, AZ   Sales   3,648

  Nashville, TN   FSL*   7,200

  Orlando, FL   Sales   4,636

  West Chester, PA   FSL   3,227

  St. Louis, MO   FSL   10,750

  Mississauga, Ontario   Sales   2,164

  Lachine, Quebec   Sales and FSL   31,037

Rest of the World

  Clayton West, UK   Sales, CSL and Administrative   36,577

  Filton, UK   FSL*   2,200

  Bremen, Germany   Sales   2,508

  Blagnac, France   Sales and FSL   4,746

  Marcon, Italy   Sales   1,865

  Grottaglie, Italy   FSL*   10,500

  Tessera, Italy   FSL*   1,076

  Holon, Israel   FSL   5,381

  Busan, South Korea   FSL*   <500

  Shanghai, China   Sales   1,222

  Xi'An, China   FSL*   1,500

  Ta'if, Saudi Arabia   FSL*   1,264

*
Located at customer site.

Information Technology System

        Our scalable IT infrastructure is based on IBM servers and the Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, or JDE, ERP system. Our IT system provides a powerful, highly distributed computing environment that enables us to quickly scale on demand as business dictates. We also employ virtualization technology to increase system availability, reduce hardware and maintenance costs and respond efficiently to market dynamics. Our entire data services infrastructure runs 24/7 and is protected by network security technologies, an uninterrupted power supply and a backup diesel generator. Remote access to our systems is provided via separate, high speed connections. Our IT infrastructure supports our business critical applications, such as JDE, TRA/X Shipping, AIMS Warehouse Management, or AIMS, and Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI.

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        At the core of our IT system is our JDE ERP system. JDE covers the full lifecycle of our distribution process, including procurement, planning, supply chain management, sales and accounting. JDE is fully capable of interfacing to external business systems and we have developed additional functionality within JDE for JIT delivery and direct line feed of the products we sell. This functionality includes recognition of signals and actions to fill customer bins from hand-held scanners, min/max data or proprietary signals from a customer's ERP system. JDE also supports our EDI functionality, which allows our system to interface with customers and suppliers, regardless of technology, data format or connectivity.

        For our shipping logistics and export compliance support, we employ Precision Software's TRA/X. TRA/X enables us to ship globally while maintaining tracking numbers and rating information for each customer shipment. In addition, at several of our distribution facilities, we use Minerva's AIMS inventory management system in order to provide the best possible warehouse flow and cycle times. AIMS is tailored to fit our global warehouse operational needs and allows us to provide an expandable warehouse management system that can also incorporate transaction processing, work-in-progress and other manufacturing operations. AIMS interfaces with a broad range of material handling equipment, including horizontal and vertical carousels, conveyors, sorting equipment, pick systems and cranes.

Competition

        The industry in which we operate is highly competitive and fragmented. We believe the principal competitive factors in our industry include the ability to provide superior customer service and support, on-time delivery, sufficient inventory availability, competitive pricing and an effective quality assurance program. Our competitors include both U.S. and foreign companies, including divisions of larger companies, some of which have significantly greater financial resources than we do, and therefore may be able to adapt more quickly to changes in customer requirements than we can. We estimate that Wesco and BE Aerospace together comprised approximately 22% of the $6.5 billion global market for C class aerospace parts during 2010, of which approximately $656.0 million, or 10%, was attributable to us. Our next largest competitors include the Pentacon business of Anixter International and the Pattonair business of Umeco.

        In addition to facing competition for JIT customers from our primary competitors, JIT customers or potential JIT customers may also determine that it is more cost effective to establish or re-establish an in-house supply chain management system. Under these circumstances, we may be unable to sufficiently reduce our costs in order to provide competitive pricing while also maintaining acceptable operating margins.

Sales and Marketing

        As of March 31, 2011, we employed 226 sales personnel with an average of over 8 years of experience at Wesco. Our sales professionals as of that date were located in the following regions: 167 in the U.S., 45 in Europe and 14 in Canada. Our marketing efforts are continuing to expand into emerging markets, including a recent office opening in India. We believe that maintaining both inside and outside sales representatives who are extremely facile in the technical details of the products we sell provides a substantial competitive advantage over our smaller competitors. As of March 31, 2011, we had 207 inside sales representatives who provide access to our entire inventory, as well as technical expertise on the products we sell. In addition, as of March 31, 2011, we also had 19 OSRs worldwide who provide support at certain of our customer sites. The support provided by these OSRs includes making recommendations for the products best suited for specific applications, providing technical assistance with drilling and the installation of fasteners and troubleshooting issues relating to installation tooling. Our OSRs' hands-on expertise and access to the customer site allows them a unique opportunity to market additional products to our customers.

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Employees

        As of March 31, 2011, we employed 1,021 personnel worldwide, 102 of which were located at customer sites. We have 238 employees located outside of North America. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements with our employees.

Regulatory Matters

        Governmental agencies throughout the world, including the FAA in the United States, prescribe standards for aircraft components, including virtually all commercial airline and general aviation products, as well as regulations regarding the repair and overhaul of airframes and engines. Specific regulations vary from country to country, although compliance with FAA requirements generally satisfies regulatory requirements in other countries. In addition, the products we distribute must also be certified by aircraft and engine OEMs. If any of the material authorizations or approvals that allow us to supply products is revoked or suspended, then the sale of the related products would be prohibited by law, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        From time to time, the FAA or equivalent regulatory agencies in other countries propose new regulations or changes to existing regulations, which are usually more stringent than existing regulations. If these proposed regulations are adopted and enacted, we could incur significant additional costs to achieve compliance, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        We are also subject to government rules and regulations that include the FCPA, ITAR and the False Claims Act. See "Risk Factors—We are subject to unique business risks as a result of supplying equipment and services to the U.S. Government" and "—Our international operations require us to comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations of the U.S. government and various international jurisdictions."

Environmental Matters

        Although we are subject to various environmental regulations, we are not aware of any environmental issues that would be likely to have a materially adverse impact upon our business or financial condition.

Legal Proceedings

        We are involved in various legal matters that arise in the normal course of our business. We believe that the ultimate outcome of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. There can be no assurance, however, that such actions will not be material or adversely affect our business, financial position, and results of operations or cash flows.

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MANAGEMENT

Directors and Executive Officers

        The following table sets forth certain information regarding our executive officers and directors, as of the date of this prospectus:

Name
  Age   Position
  Randy J. Snyder     61   Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer
  Hal Weinstein     57   Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing
  Tommy Lee     63   Executive Vice President
  Gregory A. Hann     56   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  Alex Murray     41   Vice President of Global Operations
  Dayne A. Baird     35   Director
  Peter J. Clare     46   Director
  Paul E. Fulchino     64   Director
  John P. Jumper     66   Director
  Adam J. Palmer     38   Director
  Robert D. Paulson     65   Director
  David L. Squier     65   Director

         Randy J. Snyder has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since 1977 and has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2006.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Snyder should serve on our board of directors based upon his intimate knowledge of our operations and his role in leading our transition from a small niche distributor to the largest C class aerospace component distributor in the world and an authorized stocking distributor for all major aerospace hardware manufacturers worldwide.

         Hal Weinstein joined Wesco in 1983 and has served as the head of sales and marketing for the Company since 1988. Mr. Weinstein oversees our worldwide sales and marketing operations and is responsible for global marketing strategy, inclusive of advertising and website development and maintenance. He previously served as our Regional Sales Manager from 1983 to 1988. Prior to joining Wesco, Mr. Weinstein served as Director of Sales for Asset Financing International, an equipment leasing company based in Ridgefield, Connecticut, from 1981 to 1983.

         Tommy Lee joined Wesco in 1984 and has served as our Executive Vice President in charge of all of our operations, with special emphasis on procurement and supplier relations, since 1990. He previously served as our Vice President of Sales from 1984 to 1990. Mr. Lee has been actively involved in sales and management in the aerospace industry since 1967. Prior to joining Wesco, Mr. Lee worked for a Lockheed Martin Corporation-owned company from 1967 to 1971 and was the National Sales Manager for a major fastener distributor from 1971 to 1984.

         Gregory A. Hann has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since joining Wesco in 2009. Mr. Hann was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Transamerican Auto Parts, a privately held retailer and distributor of 4-wheel drive and off road vehicle parts, from 2007 to 2009, and the Chief Financial Officer of publicly traded Ducommun Incorporated, a manufacturer of aerospace structures, from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Hann is a certified public accountant.

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         Alex Murray joined Wesco in 2000 and has served as Vice President of Global Operations since 2010. He previously served as our Logistic Manager from 2000 to 2003, Director of Contract Business from 2003 to 2005, and EU Managing Director from 2005 to 2010. Prior to joining Wesco, Mr. Murray was employed by BAE Systems in various roles within the logistics, procurement, supply chain and quality organizations.

         Dayne A. Baird has been a member of our board of directors since 2010. Mr. Baird is a Vice President at Carlyle where he focuses on U.S. buyout opportunities in the aerospace, defense and government services sectors. Mr. Baird has been with Carlyle since 2003. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Baird worked in the mergers and acquisitions and global industrial groups of Lehman Brothers from 2000 to 2003, where he focused on transactions in the industrial, aerospace and defense sectors. Mr. Baird currently serves on the board of directors of ARINC Incorporated.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Baird should serve as a director because in addition to his demonstrated leadership as a Vice President of Carlyle, he brings valuable insight to our board of directors about the global aerospace and defense industries.

         Peter J. Clare has been a member of our board of directors since 2006. Mr. Clare is a Managing Director of Carlyle and has served as Co-head of the U.S. Buyout group since 2011. He previously served as the Deputy Head of the U.S. Buyout group and as the Head of the Global Aerospace and Defense sector team. Mr. Clare has been with Carlyle since 1992. He currently serves on the boards of directors of ARINC Incorporated, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, CommScope, Inc. and Sequa Corporation and previously served on the board of directors of Aviall, Inc., Avio SpA, Landmark Aviation, United Defense and Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Clare should serve as a director because in addition to his demonstrated leadership as a Managing Director of Carlyle and his extensive experience in private equity, he brings valuable insight to our board of directors about the global aerospace and defense industries. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of ARINC Incorporated, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, CommScope, Inc. and Sequa Corporation, Mr. Clare brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies.

         Paul E. Fulchino has been a member of our board of directors since 2008. From 2000 until his retirement in 2010, Mr. Fulchino served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviall, Inc., which became a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company on September 20, 2006. Mr. Fulchino had previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of BE Aerospace, Inc. from 1996 to 1999 and President and Vice Chairman of Mercer Management Consulting, Inc. from 1990 to 1996. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Global Technologies and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. and previously served on the board of directors of Aviall, Inc. and The Sports Authority, Inc.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Fulchino should serve as a director because in addition to his extensive experience in the aerospace MRO industry, he brings a unique perspective to our board of directors regarding the global aerospace industry. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of Global Technologies and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc., Mr. Fulchino brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies. Mr. Fulchino is a director nominee designated by Carlyle pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement described under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement."

         John P. Jumper has been a member of our board of directors since 2007. Mr. Jumper retired from the United States Air Force in 2005 after a distinguished 39-year military career. In his last position as Chief of Staff, he served as the senior military officer in the Air Force leading more than 700,000

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military, civilian, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve men and women. As Chief of Staff, he was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff providing military advice to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the President. In earlier assignments he served on the Joint Staff and as Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and Secretary Les Aspin. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Goodrich Corporation, Jacobs Engineering, and SAIC, as well as on the non-profit board of directors of the Air Force Village Charitable Foundation, the American Air Museum at Duxford, England, the George C. Marshall Foundation and the VMT Board of Visitors. Mr. Jumper previously served on the board of directors of Tech Team Global and Somanetics Corporation.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Jumper should serve as a director because in addition to his demonstrated leadership throughout his 39-year military career, he brings knowledge regarding the military aerospace industry. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of Goodrich Corporation, TechTeam Global, Jacobs Engineering, SAIC and Somanetics, Mr. Jumper brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies. Mr. Jumper is a director nominee designated by Carlyle pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement described under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement."

         Adam J. Palmer has been a member of our board of directors since 2006. Mr. Palmer is a Managing Director of Carlyle and has been the Head of the Global Aerospace and Defense sector team since 2011. Mr. Palmer joined Carlyle in 1996 as a member of the Aerospace, Defense and Government Services sector team. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Palmer was with Lehman Brothers focusing on mergers, acquisitions and financings for defense electronics and information services companies. He currently serves on the boards of directors of RPK Capital Management Group, LLC, Sequa Corporation and Triumph Group, Inc. and previously served on the board of directors of Landmark Aviation, Standard Aero, Ltd., U.S. Investigations Services, Inc. and Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Palmer should serve as a director because in addition to his demonstrated leadership as a Managing Director of Carlyle and his extensive experience in private equity and investment banking, he brings additional perspectives to our board of directors about the global aerospace and defense industries. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of RPK Capital Management Group, LLC, Sequa Corporation and Triumph Group, Inc., Mr. Palmer brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies.

         Robert D. Paulson has been a member of our board of directors since 2006. Mr. Paulson has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Aerostar Capital LLC, a private equity investment firm, since he founded the firm in 1997. Prior to founding Aerostar Capital, Mr. Paulson retired from McKinsey & Company, Inc., an international management consulting firm, where he had served as the Los Angeles Office Manager from 1982 to 1989, led the Global Aerospace and Defense Practice from 1985 to 1997, and was twice elected to McKinsey's board of directors. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Ducommun Inc., Nationwide Health Properties, Inc. and the Grand Teton Music Festival, and previously served on the board of directors of US Rentals Inc. and Forgings International, L.P.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Paulson should serve as a director because in addition to his extensive experience in the aerospace defense industry, corporate governance practices, private equity and consulting, he brings unique insights to our board of directors regarding the global aerospace and defense industries. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of Ducommun Inc. and Forgings International, LP, Mr. Paulson brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies.

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         David L. Squier has been a member of our board of directors since 2007. Mr. Squier retired from Howmet Corporation in October 2000, where he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for over eight years. Prior to his tenure as CEO of Howmet, Mr. Squier served in a number of senior management assignments at Howmet, including Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Squier was also a member of the board of directors of Howmet from 1987 until his retirement. Mr. Squier currently serves as an adviser to Carlyle. Mr. Squier currently serves on the board of directors of Sequa Corporation and previously served on the boards of directors of UCI International, Inc., Forged Metal, Inc. and Vought Aircraft Industries from 2003 to 2010.

        Our board of directors has concluded that Mr. Squier should serve as a director because in addition to his extensive industry experience and his current role as an advisor to Carlyle, he brings additional perspectives to our board of directors regarding the global aerospace and defense industries. In addition, as a result of his current service as a director of Sequa Corporation and prior experience with other companies, Mr. Squier brings valuable knowledge to our board of directors about the operations, compensation programs and corporate governance of other companies. Mr. Squier is a director nominee designated by Carlyle pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement described under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement."

Controlled Company

        For purposes of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, we expect to be a "controlled company" upon completion of this offering. Controlled companies under those rules are companies of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company. We expect that Carlyle will continue to control more than 50% of the combined voting power of our common stock upon completion of this offering and will continue to have the right to nominate a majority of the members of our board of directors for nomination for election and the voting power to elect such directors following this offering. For these purposes, as a result of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, the Wesco Stockholders and the affiliates of Carlyle which own shares, or the Carlyle Stockholders, will be treated as a "group," and therefore the Wesco Stockholders' shares will be included in determining whether we are a controlled company. Accordingly, we expect to be eligible to, and we intend to, take advantage of certain exemptions from corporate governance requirements provided in rules of the New York Stock Exchange. Specifically, as a controlled company, we would not be required to have (i) a majority of independent directors, (ii) a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors, (iii) a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors or (iv) an annual performance evaluation of the nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

Board Composition

        Our board of directors is currently composed of eight directors, including Mr. Snyder, our Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer.

        We entered into a stockholders agreement with the Wesco Stockholders and the Carlyle Stockholders on September 29, 2006, which stockholders agreement was subsequently amended on November 30, 2007 and April 17, 2008, or as amended, the Stockholders Agreement. Upon effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Stockholders Agreement will be amended and restated, which we refer to as the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement. Under the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, Carlyle Stockholders will have the right to nominate six board members and the Wesco Stockholders will have

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the right to nominate one board member. Our Board of Directors will be divided into three classes whose members will serve three-year terms expiring in successive years.

Board Committees

        Our board of directors directs the management of our business and affairs as provided by Delaware law and conducts its business through meetings of our board of directors and two standing committees: the audit committee and the compensation committee. Effective upon completion of this offering, our board of directors will also have a nominating and corporate governance committee.

        Our audit committee is responsible, among its other duties and responsibilities, for overseeing our accounting and financial reporting processes, the audits of our financial statements, the qualifications and independence of our independent registered public accounting firm, the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm. Our audit committee reviews and assesses the qualitative aspects of our financial reporting, our processes to manage business and financial risks and our compliance with significant applicable legal, ethical and regulatory requirements. Our audit committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of our independent registered public accounting firm. The charter of our audit committee will be available without charge on the investor relations portion of our website upon completion of this offering.

        Upon completion of this offering, the audit committee will consist of Messrs.             (chair),             and          . Our board of directors has determined that            is independent within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, and has also determined that Mr.             is an "audit committee financial expert," as such term is defined under the applicable regulations of the SEC.

        Our compensation committee is responsible, among its other duties and responsibilities, for reviewing and approving all forms of compensation to be provided to our executive officers and directors, establishing our general compensation policies and reviewing, approving and overseeing the administration of our employee benefits plans. Our compensation committee also periodically reviews management development and succession plans. The charter of our compensation committee will be available without charge on the investor relations portion of our website upon completion of this offering.

        Upon completion of this offering, the compensation committee will consist of Messrs.             (chair),           and          .

        Our nominating and corporate governance committee will have responsibility for, among other things: (1) recommending persons to be selected by our board of directors as nominees for election as directors; (2) recommending persons to be selected by our board of directors as members and chairperson for each committee of the board of directors; (3) analyzing and proposing for decision of the board of directors the governance policies of the Company; and (4) monitoring our performance in meeting our obligations with respect to professional ethics and integrity in internal and external matters and our principles of corporate governance. The charter of our nominating and corporate governance committee will be available without charge on the investor relations portion of our website upon completion of this offering.

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        Upon completion of this offering, the nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Messrs.                 (chair),                 and          .

        In addition, from time to time, other committees may be established under the direction of our board of directors when necessary to address specific issues.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        During fiscal 2010, our compensation committee consisted of Messrs. Fulchino, Jumper, Palmer and Squier. None of the members of our compensation committee is currently one of our officers or employees. During fiscal 2010, none of our executive officers served as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee, or other committee serving an equivalent function, of any entity that has one or more executive officers who serve as members of our board of directors or our compensation committee.

Code of Ethics

        We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers and directors. A copy of the code of ethics will be available on our website and will also be provided to any person without charge. Request should be made in writing to Director of Human Resources at 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, CA 91355.

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Executive Summary

        This Compensation Discussion and Analysis provides an overview and analysis of (i) the elements of our compensation program for our named executive officers, or NEOs, identified below, (ii) the material compensation decisions made under that program and reflected in the executive compensation tables that follow this Compensation Discussion and Analysis and (iii) the material factors considered in making those decisions. We intend to provide our NEOs with compensation that is significantly performance based. Our executive compensation program is designed to align executive pay with our performance on both short and long-term bases, link executive pay to specific, measurable results intended to create value for stockholders, and utilize compensation as a tool to assist us in attracting and retaining the high-caliber executives that we believe are critical to our long-term success.

        The primary elements of our executive compensation program and their corresponding objectives are summarized in the following table:

Compensation Element
  Objective

Base Salary

  To recognize performance of job responsibilities and as a necessary tool to attract and retain individuals with superior talent.

Annual performance-based compensation

  To promote our near-term performance objectives and reward individual contributions to the achievement of those objectives.

Discretionary long-term equity incentive awards

  To emphasize our long-term performance objectives, encourage the maximization of stockholder value and retain key executives by providing an opportunity to participate in the ownership of the Company.

Severance and change in control benefits

  To encourage the continued attention and dedication of key individuals and to focus the attention of key individuals when considering strategic alternatives.

Retirement savings (401(k))

  To provide an opportunity for tax-efficient savings and long-term financial security.

Other elements of compensation and perquisites

  To attract and retain talented executives in a cost-efficient manner by providing benefits with high perceived values at relatively low cost to us.

        To serve the foregoing objectives, our overall executive compensation program is generally designed to be flexible rather than formulaic. The compensation committee of our board of directors, or the compensation committee, has primary authority to determine and approve compensation decisions with respect to our NEOs. In alignment with the objectives set forth above, the compensation committee determines overall compensation, and its allocation among the elements described above, in reliance upon the judgment and general industry knowledge of its members obtained through years of service with comparably sized companies in our and similar industries.

        For the year ended September 30, 2010, our NEOs are Randy Snyder, our Chief Executive Officer, Greg Hann, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Hal Weinstein, our Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Tommy Lee, our Executive Vice President, and Alex Murray, our Vice President, Global Operations. Our compensation decisions for the NEOs in fiscal 2010 are discussed below in relation to each of the above-described elements of our compensation program. The

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below discussion is intended to be read in conjunction with the executive compensation tables and related disclosures that follow this Compensation Discussion and Analysis.

Compensation Overview

        Our overall executive compensation program is structured to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executive officers by paying them competitively, consistent with our success and their contribution to that success. We believe compensation should be structured to ensure that a significant portion of compensation opportunity will be related to factors that directly and indirectly influence stockholder value. Accordingly, we set goals designed to link each NEO's compensation to our performance. Consistent with our performance-based philosophy, we provide a base salary to our NEOs, significant incentive-based compensation, which includes variable cash awards under our annual incentive bonus program based on our financial and operational performance, as well as stock option and other equity and equity-based awards granted to our NEOs to align our NEOs' interests with our long-term performance.

        Total compensation for our NEOs has been allocated between cash and equity compensation taking into consideration the balance between providing short-term incentives and long-term investment in our financial performance to align the interests of management with stockholders. The variable annual incentive award and the equity awards are designed to ensure that total compensation reflects our overall success or failure and to motivate the NEOs to meet appropriate performance measures, thereby maximizing total return to stockholders. In anticipation of our initial public offering, we intend to adopt a new equity incentive plan, which we refer to as the "2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan."

Determination of Compensation Awards

        The compensation committee is provided with the primary authority to determine and approve the compensation awards available to our NEOs and is charged with reviewing our executive compensation policies and practices to ensure (i) adherence to our compensation philosophies and (ii) that the total compensation paid to our NEOs is fair, reasonable and competitive, taking into account our position within our industry and the level of expertise and experience of our NEOs in their positions. The compensation committee is primarily responsible for (i) determining each NEO's base salary and target bonus level (representing the bonus that may be awarded expressed as a percentage of base salary or as a dollar amount for the year), (ii) assessing the performance of the Chief Executive Officer and other NEOs for each applicable performance period and (iii) determining the amount of awards to be paid to our Chief Executive Officer and other NEOs under our annual incentive bonus program for each year, after taking into account any previously established target bonus levels and performance during the year, and the amount of any stock option or other equity or equity-based awards to be granted to our NEOs. To aid the compensation committee in making its determinations, our Chief Executive Officer provides recommendations annually to the compensation committee regarding the compensation of all officers, excluding himself. The performance of our senior executive management team is reviewed annually by the compensation committee and the compensation committee determines each NEO's compensation annually.

        In determining compensation levels for our NEOs, the compensation committee considers each NEO's unique position and responsibility and relies upon the judgment and industry experience of its members, including their knowledge of competitive compensation levels in our industry. We believe that our NEOs' base salaries should be competitive with salaries for executive officers in similar positions and with similar responsibilities in our marketplace and adjusted for financial and operating performance and previous work experience. In this regard, each NEO's current and prior compensation, including compensation paid by our predecessor or the NEO's prior employer, is considered as a base against which determinations are made as to whether increases are appropriate to retain the NEO in light of competition or in order to provide continuing performance incentives.

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        In making compensation determinations, the compensation committee historically has not made regular use of benchmarking or compensation consultants and historically has not referred to specific compensation survey data. Rather, in alignment with the considerations described above, the compensation committee determines the total amount of compensation for our NEOs, and the allocation of total compensation among each of our three main components of compensation, in reliance upon the judgment and general industry knowledge of its members obtained through years of service with comparably sized companies in our industry and other similar industries to ensure the attraction, development and retention of superior talent.

        We believe that direct ownership in our Company provides our NEOs with a strong incentive to increase the value of the Company and we therefore historically have encouraged equity ownership in the Company by NEOs and other employees through a variety of means, including direct stock ownership by NEOs and other employees, and the award of stock options and other equity-based interests that have been received by the NEOs. We believe that the equity ownership positions of our NEOs are substantial and therefore we have not implemented a formal policy with respect to requiring officers and directors to own our stock.

Base Compensation For 2010

        We set base salaries for our NEOs generally at a level we deem necessary to attract and retain individuals with superior talent, using the methodologies described above. Each year we determine base salary increases based upon the performance of the NEOs as assessed by the compensation committee, and for NEOs other than the Chief Executive Officer, in conjunction with recommendations made by the Chief Executive Officer. The compensation committee reviews and evaluates base salaries for our NEOs annually, but formulaic base salary increases are not provided to the NEOs.

        In fiscal 2009, the compensation committee determined to provide base salary increases to Messrs. Snyder, Weinstein, Lee and Murray to reward our continued superior performance through a period of economic uncertainty, to maintain their compensation at a fair, reasonable and competitive level and in recognition of the fact that they had not received base salary increases in several years. In addition, following the completion of the 2010 fiscal year, the compensation committee determined to adjust Mr. Hann's base salary, effective as of November 2, 2010, to reward Mr. Hann for our superior financial performance, to seek to ensure the retention of Mr. Hann as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and in recognition of the fact that Mr. Hann had not received a base salary increase since commencing employment with us in February 2009. The base salaries for our NEOs before and after these increases are set forth in the following table:

Name and Principal Position
  Base Salary
Before Increase ($)
  Base Salary
After Increase ($)
 

Randy Snyder

    600,000     650,000  

Greg Hann

    300,000     325,000  

Hal Weinstein

    300,000     325,000  

Tommy Lee

    270,000     315,000  

Alex Murray(1)

    147,814     186,546  

(1)
Base salary amounts for Mr. Murray, who is employed in the United Kingdom, are presented based on an assumed conversion ratio of pounds to dollars of 1.5809, which was the exchange rate in effect on September 30, 2010.

Annual Performance-Based Compensation For 2010

        We structure our compensation programs to reward NEOs based on our performance and the individual executive's contribution to that performance. NEOs are eligible to receive bonus

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compensation under our Management Annual Incentive Plan in the event certain specified corporate performance measures are achieved.

        This annual bonus program consists of cash awards based upon our achievement of performance goals determined by the compensation committee. Under the terms of the annual bonus plan, NEOs have target bonus amounts based upon a percentage of their base salaries as of the start of the applicable fiscal year, as follows: Mr. Snyder: 100%; Mr. Hann: 60%; Mr. Weinstein: 60%; Mr. Lee: 45%; and Mr. Murray: 40%. Our NEOs have the ability to earn more or less than their target bonus amounts for over performance or under performance, as determined with reference to the applicable performance goals. None of our NEOs has a guaranteed minimum annual performance bonus. The maximum and minimum portions of target awards, if any, payable under the plan may vary from year to year and are set at levels that we determine are necessary to maintain competitive compensation practices and properly motivate our NEOs by rewarding them for our annual performance and their contributions to that performance.

        Awards paid under the plan are based upon the level of achievement in relation to two Company-wide performance metrics: Bonus EBITDA and Bonus Cash Flow. For this purpose, "Bonus EBITDA" is defined generally as our earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation expense and amortization expense, equity compensation expense, management and transaction fees and extraordinary and non-recurring items. "Bonus Cash Flow" is generally defined as our net cash from operating activities less capital expenditures. These terms may differ from Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income presented elsewhere in this prospectus. We use Bonus EBITDA and Bonus Cash Flow as the primary performance metrics to determine the amount of awards paid under our annual bonus plan because the compensation committee believes that these metrics most directly correlate to the creation of value for our stockholders in relation to our financial performance over the annual performance period.

        For each performance year, the compensation committee assigns a target, minimum and maximum value to each performance metric. Minimum threshold goals must be met for performance metrics before awards may become payable under the plan. The maximum award (200% of target amounts) is payable only upon achievement of maximum-level performance for both metrics. Award amounts for performance between the baseline and maximum levels are determined at the beginning of the applicable performance period and depend upon the level of achievement for each metric relative to its assigned target value, in accordance with a pre-determined payout matrix. The board of directors makes final determinations of the amounts payable under the plan, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, after receipt of the applicable financial information. In addition, we, in our sole discretion, may adjust targets or awards to account for unusual events such as extraordinary transactions, asset dispositions and purchases, and mergers and acquisitions.

        The following chart sets forth the minimum, maximum and target values, and the performance achieved, for the performance metrics for the year ended September 30, 2010:

Performance Metric
  2010 Actual
($ MM)
  Minimum
($ MM)
  Target
($ MM)
  Maximum
($ MM)
 

Bonus EBITDA

    168.5     145.8     166.6     187.4  

Bonus Cash Flow

    97.7     59.6     79.5     109.3  

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        The following payout matrix sets forth an illustration of the payout levels in relation to the target bonus amounts that would apply under our annual bonus program under the range of possible performance scenarios, based on the minimum, target and maximum levels of performance as set forth above:

 
   
  Bonus Cash Flow vs. Target  
 
   
  < Minimum   75.0%   81.3%   87.5%   93.8%   100.0%   109.4%   118.75%   128.1%   137.5%  
      112.5%     0.0%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%     150.0%     162.5%     175.0%     187.5%     200.0%  
      109.4%     0.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%     150.0%     162.5%     175.0%     187.5%  
      106.3%     0.0%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%     150.0%     162.5%     175.0%  
Bonus     103.1%     0.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%     150.0%     162.5%  
                                               
EBITDA     100.0%     0.0%     50.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%     150.0%  
                                               
vs. Target     96.9%     0.0%     37.5%     50.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%     137.5%  
      93.8%     0.0%     25.0%     37.5%     50.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%     125.0%  
      90.6%     0.0%     12.5%     25.0%     37.5%     50.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%     112.5%  
      87.5%     0.0%     0.0%     12.5%     25.0%     37.5%     50.0%     62.5%     75.0%     87.5%     100.0%  
      < Minimum     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%     0.0%  

        Where actual performance falls in between the scenarios presented in the matrix above, the compensation committee uses the matrix as a guide in determining the appropriate percentage of the target bonus amounts to pay to our named executive officers. Therefore, for fiscal year 2010, where actual performance for Bonus EBITDA was approximately 101.1% of the target amount and actual performance for Bonus Cash Flow was approximately 122.9% of the target amount, the compensation committee determined that Messrs. Snyder, Hann, Weinstein and Lee were entitled to bonus payments in amounts equal to 135% of their target bonus amounts. In making its bonus determination for Mr. Murray, whose scope of responsibility primarily included our European operations, the compensation committee also considered the performance of these operations for fiscal year 2010. Because our business outside of North America underperformed relative to overall Company performance for fiscal year 2010, the compensation committee exercised its discretion under our annual bonus program to reduce the bonus payouts provided to our employees outside of North America, and, as a result, Mr. Murray did not receive a bonus at the same level as our other NEOs. Mr. Murray's cash bonus for fiscal year 2010 was reduced to 100% of his target bonus amount, which the compensation committee determined to be the appropriate level as a result of overall corporate level performance having exceeded the target amounts set forth above, and in order to promote a "one-Wesco" culture in relation to this success. The actual award amounts earned by our NEOs for 2010 are included in the "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" column of our Summary Compensation Table for 2010.

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Discretionary Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards

        We believe that providing a portion of our NEOs' total compensation in the form of equity-based awards encourages responsible and profitable growth, encourages executive retention, promotes a long-term focus and aligns executive and stockholder interests. Historically, rather than provide our NEOs with annual equity awards based upon short-term performance horizons, the compensation committee has determined to make larger, less frequent equity grants to our NEOs, generally with five year performance horizons, to better align the long-term interests of our NEOs with those of stockholders. None of our NEOs were granted equity-based awards during fiscal year 2010. Currently, with the exception of Mr. Hann, our NEOs hold equity incentive awards that consist of restricted stock and restricted stock units granted in September 2006 and/or stock options granted in May 2007. Mr. Hann holds stock options that we granted to him in February 2009 upon his commencement of employment with us. All of the stock options held by our NEOs have exercise prices that were equal to the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant or, with respect to Mr. Hann, the date the stock option was amended.

        Generally, stock options granted under our equity incentive plan expire ten years from the date of the grant and have vesting provisions that are designed to encourage an optionee's continued employment and to reward an optionee for our performance. Twenty-five percent of each NEO's options are time vesting options that vest and become exercisable in five equal annual installments (three equal annual installments for Mr. Hann) beginning on the first September 30 following the date of grant, subject to the optionee's continued service with us through the applicable vesting date. The remaining 75% of the options for each NEO are eligible to vest in five annual installments (three annual installments for Mr. Hann), subject to the optionee's continued employment with us and attainment by us of financial performance targets as follows: one-half of each performance vesting installment is eligible to vest following the close of the applicable fiscal year if we attain a pre-determined Bonus EBITDA target for the year, and the remaining one-half of each performance vesting installment is eligible to vest following the close of the applicable fiscal year if we attain a pre-determined Cash Flow target for the year. If we do not attain the relevant Bonus EBITDA or Bonus Cash Flow targets for a given fiscal year, but we attain at least 90% of such targets, the applicable portion of the performance vesting options remains eligible to vest in future years if cumulative Bonus EBITDA and cumulative Bonus Cash Flow targets are attained in those years. The Bonus Cash Flow and Bonus EBITDA goals were established at the time the options were granted and were intended to be challenging but reasonably attainable. The Bonus EBITDA and Bonus Cash Flow targets for stock option vesting purposes differ from the Bonus EBITDA and Bonus Cash Flow targets levels that apply under our Management Annual Incentive Plan because the option vesting targets were generally set at the time of each grant with a five-year time horizon (three years for Mr. Hann) while the Management Annual Incentive Plan targets are short term goals set annually at the beginning of each applicable fiscal year.

        For 2010, the Bonus Cash Flow and Bonus EBITDA targets for the NEOs' performance vesting options were $82.4 million and $180.3 million, respectively, and actual results with respect to Bonus Cash Flow and Bonus EBITDA for the year were $97.7 million and $168.5 million, respectively. As a result, the Bonus Cash Flow portion of the NEOs' performance vesting options vested, effective as of September 30, 2010. In addition, although we did not attain the Bonus EBITDA target that was previously established for performance option vesting for 2010, the compensation committee determined that the failure to attain the Bonus EBITDA target did not result from a lack of performance by our management team, but rather from a change in overall market conditions that were beyond management's control, and that due to the near achievement of the target in light of such factors, and our outperformance as compared to the Bonus Cash Flow target for the year, the Bonus EBITDA portion of the 2010 performance options would become vested, effective as of September 30, 2010.

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        Early in fiscal year 2010, the compensation committee determined that we had not attained the 2009 Bonus Cash Flow target of $63.2 million that had previously been established for purposes of performance option vesting and that actual results with respect to 2009 Bonus Cash Flow were less than 90% of the target. As a result, the 2009 Bonus Cash Flow portion of the performance options did not become vested at that time. However, in order to provide additional incentives for management to achieve strong company-wide financial performance in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, the compensation committee determined to provide an additional opportunity for the 2009 Bonus Cash Flow portion of the performance options to vest as follows: one-half of the 2009 Bonus Cash Flow portion of the performance options would vest following the end of fiscal year 2010 if we attained a supplemental Bonus Cash Flow target of $98.9 million for 2010 and the remaining one-half of the 2009 Bonus Cash Flow portion of the performance options would vest following the end of fiscal year 2011 if we attain a supplemental Bonus Cash Flow target for 2011 that is in excess of the Bonus Cash Flow target that applies to the regular 2011 Bonus Cash Flow portion of the performance options and that the compensation committee believes is a challenging supplemental Bonus Cash Flow goal for fiscal year 2011. Following the close of fiscal year 2010, the compensation committee determined that although the supplemental Bonus Cash Flow target for 2010 was not fully attained, the applicable portion of the performance options described above would become vested and exercisable effective as of September 30, 2010 due to the near achievement of such supplemental Bonus Cash Flow target. In addition, in October 2009, the compensation committee determined to amend the stock option that we granted to Mr. Hann upon his commencement of employment by decreasing the exercise price of such stock options to the then-current fair market value of our common stock and revising the applicable Bonus EBITDA and Bonus Cash Flow targets, in each case, to motivate and encourage Mr. Hann's strong performance, in consideration of the fact that the value of our stock and our performance projections were at an all-time high when Mr. Hann's options were originally granted and to make the exercise price of Mr. Hann's stock options consistent with the fair market value of our stock at the time of the amendment (and the same as the exercise price of options granted to other employees at such time) and to conform the performance targets applicable to Mr. Hann's options with those applicable to our other NEOs and other employees.

        In addition, in connection with the Carlyle Acquisition in 2006, our NEOs, other than our CEO, who were with us at that time received awards of restricted stock and restricted stock units that relate to our common stock in recognition of their longstanding service to the company over a period of many years and as a means of seeking to retain these employees through the imposition of vesting requirements on the awards. All of these shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units have fully vested and the restricted stock units will be settled on the earlier of September 28, 2012 or the date we experience a change in control. Additional information regarding the restricted stock units held by our NEOs is set forth below in the non-qualified deferred compensation table that follows this Compensation Discussion and Analysis. In determining the allocation of the historical equity and equity-based awards for our NEOs between stock options on the one hand and restricted stock and restricted stock units on the other, the compensation committee considered the different goals intended to be achieved through these different types of awards as well as each NEO's service with and position within the company. The allocation of awards between restricted stock and restricted stock units for the NEOs who received these awards was determined based upon the different tax treatment applicable to these two types of awards.

Defined Contribution Plans

        We have a Section 401(k) Savings/Retirement Plan, or the 401(k) Plan, to cover our eligible employees. The 401(k) Plan permits eligible employees to defer a portion of their annual compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. The employees' elective deferrals are immediately vested and non-forfeitable upon contribution to the 401(k) Plan. We provide matching contributions to the 401(k) Plan in an amount equal to fifty cents for each dollar of

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participant contributions, up to a maximum matching contribution of three percent of the participant's annual salary and subject to certain other limits. After a full year of employment with us, plan participants vest in the amounts contributed by us pro rata over the following five years, subject to their continued employment with us. Employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan the first day of the first calendar quarter following their completion of six full calendar months of employment with us.

        The 401(k) Plan is offered on a nondiscriminatory basis to all of our employees, including NEOs, who meet the eligibility requirements. The compensation committee believes that matching and other contributions provided by us to assist us in attracting and retaining talented employees and executives. The 401(k) Plan provides an opportunity for participants to save money for retirement on a tax-qualified basis and to achieve financial security, thereby promoting retention.

Employment and Severance Arrangements

        The compensation committee considers the maintenance of a sound management team to be essential to protecting and enhancing our best interests. To that end, we recognize that the uncertainty that may exist among management with respect to their "at-will" employment with us may result in the departure or distraction of management personnel to our detriment. Accordingly, the compensation committee determined that severance arrangements are appropriate for certain of our NEOs to encourage the continued attention and dedication of these members of our management and to allow them to focus on the value to stockholders of strategic alternatives without concern for the impact on their continued employment. Mr. Snyder, Mr. Hann, Mr. Weinstein and Mr. Murray have each entered into an agreement with us providing for severance benefits upon termination of employment.

        Mr. Snyder's employment agreement with us, dated July 23, 2006 and amended December 31, 2008, has an original three-year term and is extended automatically for successive one-year periods thereafter unless either party delivers notice within specified notice periods to terminate the agreement. Upon termination of Mr. Snyder's employment either by us without "cause," by Mr. Snyder for "good reason" or due to the non-extension of the employment term by us, subject to his timely executing a general release of claims against us, Mr. Snyder is entitled to receive thirty-six months of his base salary, payable in installments in accordance with our regular payroll practices, a prorated portion of his annual performance bonus for the year in which termination occurs, the accelerated vesting of any outstanding unvested options we granted to Mr. Synder pursuant to his employment agreement that are subject to time-based vesting conditions and reimbursement for the premium costs of continued medical, dental and vision coverages under COBRA for a period of eighteen months. Mr. Snyder's employment agreement prohibits him from competing with certain of our businesses or from soliciting our employees, customers or suppliers to terminate their employment or arrangements with us during the term of his employment and for 36 months following his termination. "Cause" is defined in Mr. Snyder's agreement to mean Mr. Snyder's (i) material failure to comply with a reasonable directive of the board of directors, (ii) willful misconduct, gross negligence or breach of a fiduciary duty that results in material harm to us or our affiliates, (iii) willful and material breach of his employment agreement, (iv) conviction, plea of no contest or imposition of unadjudicated probation for any felony or crime involving moral turpitude, (v) unlawful use or possession of illegal drugs on Company premises or while performing his duties or responsibilities to us or (vi) commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or misappropriation against us or our affiliates. "Good reason" is defined in Mr. Snyder's employment agreement to mean (a) a material reduction in duties or responsibilities, (b) a material reduction in base salary or annual target bonus opportunity, (c) a relocation of Mr. Snyder's principle place of employment by more than 25 miles, (d) our material breach of the agreement or (e) the failure of the Company, or any successor, following a change in control to reaffirm its obligations under the agreement or assume and comply with the agreement.

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        Pursuant to an agreement between Mr. Hann and us, dated January 22, 2009, which does not have a specified term, if we terminate Mr. Hann without "cause" or he resigns for "good reason," subject to his timely executing and not revoking a release of claims, Mr. Hann is entitled to payment of 12 months of his base salary, payable in installments in accordance with our regular payroll practices, and the right to continue his participation in one of our medical benefit plans for up to 12 months. For purposes of Mr. Hann's agreement, "cause" has substantially the same meaning as in Mr. Snyder's agreement, except that Mr. Hann's material breach of the agreement does not explicitly constitute cause. "Good reason" is defined in Mr. Hann's agreement to mean a material reduction in duties or responsibilities or a material reduction in his base salary.

        Mr. Weinstein's employment agreement with us, dated June 15, 2007 and amended December 31, 2008, has a perpetual term unless terminated by either party in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Upon termination of Mr. Weinstein's employment by us without "cause," subject to his timely executing a general release of claims against us, Mr. Weinstein is entitled to receive twelve months of his base salary, payable in installments in accordance with our regular payroll practices, and reimbursement for the premium costs of continued medical, dental and vision coverages under COBRA for a period of twelve months. Mr. Weinstein's employment agreement prohibits him from competing with certain of our businesses or from soliciting our employees, customers or suppliers to terminate their employment or arrangements with us during the term of his employment and for twelve months following his termination. "Cause" in Mr. Weinstein's agreement has the same meaning as in Mr. Snyder's agreement.

        Mr. Murray entered into an employment agreement with a subsidiary of the Company located in the United Kingdom. For simplicity, this subsidiary and its board of directors are referred to in this paragraph, respectively, as the company and the board. Mr. Murray's employment agreement, dated on March 24, 2011, has a perpetual term unless terminated by either party by giving not less than six months' written notice. The company may elect, however, to terminate Mr. Murray's employment without notice by paying Mr. Murray the amounts that would otherwise be paid to him during the notice period provided in his employment agreement. In addition, the company may terminate Mr. Murray's employment without notice or payment in the event that (i) the board reasonably believes Mr. Murray has committed a serious breach of his employment agreement, (ii) the board reasonably believes Mr. Murray has committed an act of gross or serious misconduct or willful neglect in the discharge of his duties, (iii) the board reasonably believes Mr. Murray has committed an act of fraud, dishonesty or other conduct tending to bring himself or the company into disrepute, (iv) Mr. Murray becomes prohibited by law from being or acting as a director of the company, (v) Mr. Murray is offered and refuses or fails to accept employment with the surviving entity following a merger or reorganization of the company on terms no less favorable than those in his employment agreement or (vi) Mr. Murray resigns as a director of the company other than at the request of the board. During his employment and for twelve months following his termination, Mr. Murray may not compete with certain businesses of the company or solicit certain employees, customers or potential customers of the company, in each case, without the company's consent, which may not be unreasonably withheld.

Other Elements of Compensation and Perquisites

        Our NEOs are eligible under the same plans as all other employees for medical, dental, vision and short-term disability insurance. In addition, we provide our NEOs with the personal use of Company automobiles and, for our U.S. based NEOs, dues related to golf club memberships which our NEOs use for both personal and professional purposes. We provide these benefits due to their relatively low cost and the high value they provide in attracting and retaining talented executives. Our NEOs do not receive any tax gross up in connection with our provision of these benefits.

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Summary Compensation Table for 2010

        The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the compensation paid to our NEOs for the year ended September 30, 2010.

Name and Principal Position
  Salary ($)   Non-Equity Incentive
Plan Compensation
($)(1)
  Option Awards
($)
  Bonus
($)
  All Other
Compensation ($)
  Total ($)  

Randy Snyder

    644,266     810,000               77,714 (4)   1,531,980  
 

Chief Executive Officer

                                     

Greg Hann

   
300,000
   
243,000
   
87,869

(2)
       
44,775

(5)
 
675,644
 
 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                                     

Hal Weinstein

   
322,133
   
243,000
         
20,000

(3)
 
51,793

(6)
 
636,926
 
 

Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing

                                     

Tommy Lee

   
309,885
   
164,025
   
         
46,511

(7)
 
520,421
 
 

Executive Vice President

                                     

Alex Murray(8)

   
157,497
   
59,126
   
         
18,673

(9)
 
235,386
 
 

Vice President, Global Operations

                                     

(1)
Represents the bonus amounts earned under our annual bonus program for fiscal the year ended September 30, 2010. For a discussion of the determination of these amounts, see "—Annual Performance-Based Compensation for 2010" above.

(2)
Amount shown represents the incremental fair value attributable to an amendment to Mr. Hann's outstanding stock options, as described above in "—Discretionary Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards." This amount has been calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 as of the date of such amendment. For information regarding the assumptions used when calculating this amount, refer to note 13 of our consolidated financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2010, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus.

(3)
Amount shown represents a discretionary bonus paid to Mr. Weinstein for his 2010 service, as determined by the compensation committee.

(4)
Includes $22,433 for country club membership dues and fees, $47,931 for use of Company automobile and $7,350 for 401(k) matching contribution. The cost for personal use of a company automoblile includes costs associated with the lease, gas, insurance and maintenance of such automobile.

(5)
Includes $16,910 for country club membership dues and fees, $20,515 for use of Company automobile and $7,350 for 401(k) matching contribution.

(6)
Includes $28,148 for country club membership dues and fees, $16,295 for use of Company automobile and $7,350 for 401(k) matching contribution.

(7)
Includes $20,864 for country club membership dues and fees, $18,297 for use of Company automobile and $7,350 for 401(k) matching contribution.

(8)
Amounts presented for Mr. Murray are based on an assumed conversion ratio of pounds to dollars of 1.5809, which was the exchange rate in effect on September 30, 2010.

(9)
Includes automobile allowance of $15,809 and $2,864 for supplemental medical benefits.

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Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2010

 
   
  Estimated Possible
Payouts Under Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Awards(1)
 
Name
  Grant Date   Target ($)   Maximum ($)  

Randy Snyder

    10/1/2009     600,000     1,200,000  

Greg Hann

    10/1/2009     180,000     360,000  

Hal Weinstein

    10/1/2009     180,000     360,000  

Tommy Lee

    10/1/2009     121,500     243,000  

Alex Murray

    10/1/2009     59,126     118,252  

(1)
Amounts shown reflect the possible payment amounts to our NEOs under our Management Annual Incentive Plan for fiscal year 2010. There are no applicable threshold level performance metrics. Payments under the plan were made to the NEOs in December 2010. The amounts actually paid to each NEO are set forth under "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" in the "Summary Compensation Table for 2010" above.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

        The following table provides information regarding the stock options held by our NEOs as of September 30, 2010.

Name
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options—
Exercisable (#)
  Number of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options—
Unexercisable (#)
  Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
  Option Exercise
Price ($)
  Option Expiration
Date
 

Randy Snyder

    166,666     10,929 (1)   40,984 (2)   37.12     5/17/2017  

Greg Hann

    39,618     5,465 (1)   20,491 (2)   56.64     1/29/2019  

Hal Weinstein

    83,334     5,465 (1)   20,491 (2)   37.12     5/17/2017  

Tommy Lee

    25,000     1,640 (1)   6,147 (2)   37.12     5/17/2017  

Alex Murray

    33,333     2,186 (1)   8,197 (2)   37.12     5/17/2017  

(1)
These options will become exercisable on September 30, 2011, subject to the NEO's continued service with us on such date.

(2)
These options will become exercisable on September 30, 2011, subject to the NEO's continued service with us on such date and our attainment of EBITDA, Cash Flow and supplemental Cash Flow targets for such year, as described in more detail above under "Discretionary Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards."

Options Exercised and Stock Vested in 2010

        None of our NEOs exercised options or became vested in shares of our common stock during the year ended September 30, 2010.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

        The following table provides details with respect to the outstanding restricted stock units held by our NEOs. Mr. Weinstein holds 146,676.21 restricted stock units, Mr. Lee holds 90,972.21 restricted stock units and Mr. Murray holds 8,701.69 restricted stock units. The restricted stock units were

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granted to each of the NEOs in September 2006 and became fully vested on September 29, 2009. Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive one share of our common stock, which will be distributed to the NEOs in the form of shares of our common stock on the first to occur of a change in control or September 28, 2012.

Name
  Plan Name   Executive
Contributions in
Last FY
($)
  Registrant
Contributions in
Last FY
($)
  Aggregate
Earnings in
Last FY
($)(1)
  Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distributions
($)
  Aggregate
Balance at
Last FYE
($)(2)
 

Hal Weinstein

  Restricted Stock Units             1,959,594         10,267,334  

Tommy Lee

  Restricted Stock Units             1,215,389         6,368,055  

Alex Murray

  Restricted Stock Units             116,255         609,118  

(1)
Reflects the change in value of the shares underlying the restricted stock units during fiscal year 2010.

(2)
Reflects the aggregate value of the shares underlying the restricted stock units as of September 30, 2010, based on a per share value of $70.00 as of such date.

Potential Payments upon Termination or Change-in-Control

        Each of Messrs. Snyder, Hann, Weinstein and Murray has an agreement that provides for severance benefits upon a termination of employment. See "—Employment and Severance Arrangements" above for a description of the employment and severance agreements with our NEOs. Assuming a termination of employment effective as of September 30, 2010 (i) by us without cause, (ii) due to our nonextension of the executive's employment term or (iii) due to the executive's resignation for good reason, each of our NEOs would have received the following severance payments and benefits:

Name
  Payment Type   Termination Without
Cause ($)
  Resignation for Good
Reason ($)
  Termination due to Non-
Extension of Term ($)
 

Randy Snyder

  Salary     1,950,000     1,950,000     1,950,000  

  Bonus     877,500     877,500     877,500  

  Option vesting(1)     359,346     359,346     359,346  

  Benefit continuation(2)     56,186     56,186     56,186  
                   

  Total     3,243,032     3,243,032     3,243,032  

Greg Hann

 

Salary

   
325,000
   
325,000
   
 

Hal Weinstein

 

Salary

   
325,000
   
   
 

  Benefit continuation(2)     27,011          
                   

  Total     352,011          

Alex Murray

 

Salary(3)

         
   
 

(1)
Represents accelerated vesting of time vesting options granted pursuant to Mr. Snyder's employment agreement. Value has been determined by multiplying the number of options vesting by the difference between the exercise price of the option and $70.00, the fair market value of one share of our common stock as of September 30, 2010.

(2)
Consists of continuation of group health benefits. The value of the health benefits was calculated using an estimate of the cost to us of such health coverage based upon past experience.

(3)
Mr. Murray is entitled to receive the amounts that would otherwise be paid to him during the notice period provided in his employment agreement if we elect to terminate his employment without notice.

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        Pursuant to the stock option agreements covering each NEO's stock options, in the event of certain transactions, which could include a change in control of the Company, generally that result in Carlyle liquidating at least 70% of its equity investment in the Company, (i) the exercisability of all shares underlying the time vesting options would be accelerated and (ii) to the extent certain performance thresholds are achieved for the year in which the transaction occurs, the exercisability of all shares underlying the performance vesting options that have not previously become eligible to vest would be accelerated. Assuming such a transaction occurred on September 30, 2010, the following table sets forth the amounts the NEOs would have received from such accelerated vesting:

Name
  Option Type   Number of Securities (#)   Value ($)(1)  

Randy Snyder

  Time Vesting     10,929     359,346  

  Performance Vesting     40,984     1,347,554  

  Total     51,913     1,706,900  

Greg Hann

 

Time Vesting

   
5,465
   
73,012
 

  Performance Vesting     20,491     273,760  

  Total     25,956     346,772  

Hal Weinstein

 

Time Vesting

   
5,465
   
179,689
 

  Performance Vesting     20,491     673,744  

  Total     25,956     853,433  

Alex Murray

 

Time Vesting

   
2,186
   
71,876
 

  Performance Vesting     8,197     269,517  

  Total     10,383     341,393  

Tommy Lee

 

Time Vesting

   
1,639
   
53,890
 

  Performance Vesting     6,148     202,146  

  Total     7,787     256,036  

(1)
Value has been determined by multiplying the number of options vesting by the difference between the exercise price of the option and $70.00, the fair market value of one share of our common stock as of September 30, 2010.

Compensation Risk

        We have analyzed the potential risks arising from our compensation policies and practices, and have determined that there are no such risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.

Director Compensation For 2010

        Directors who are our employees or employees of Carlyle (Messrs. Clare, Palmer, Snyder and Baird) receive no additional compensation for serving on our board of directors or its committees. For their services as an independent member of our board of directors, each of our "non-employee" directors (Messrs. Paulson, Squier, Jumper and Fulchino) receives an annual retainer of $50,000, which amount is payable in either cash or shares of our restricted common stock. For 2010 the compensation committee determined to pay the annual retainer 100% in shares of our common stock in order to more closely align the interests of our directors with those of our shareholders and to allow the directors to benefit from the potential for future appreciation in the value of common stock. The shares were fully vested upon grant and were granted to the non-employee directors after the completion of our 2010 fiscal year on December 15, 2010. The number of shares for the 2010 retainer was determined based on the fair market value of the shares at the start of the year, resulting in an award of 883 shares of our common stock as payment of the 2010 annual retainer. In addition, each of

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our non-employee directors received an option to purchase 725 shares of our common stock upon their commencement of service with us in fiscal year 2007 (2008, with respect to Mr. Fulchino). The options vest in five equal annual installments, with the first installment vesting on September 30, 2007 for Messrs. Paulson and Squier and September 30, 2008 for Messrs. Jumper and Fulchino.

        In 2010, we provided the following compensation to our independent directors:

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

Robert D. Paulson

        61,810      

David L. Squier

        61,810      

John P. Jumper

        61,810      

Paul E. Fulchino

        61,810      

(1)
Stock awards intended as 2010 director compensation were granted to Messrs. Paulson, Squier, Jumper and Fulchino on December 15, 2010. As of September 30, 2010, Mr. Paulson held outstanding options to purchase 580 shares of our common stock and each of Messrs. Squier, Jumper and Fulchino held outstanding options to purchase 725 shares of our common stock. All such options were fully vested as of September 30, 2010, except for one installment of 145 options for Messrs. Paulson and Squier and two installments each of 145 options for Messrs. Jumper and Fulchino, which options will vest on September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2012, as applicable, subject to the non-employee director's continued service with us through the applicable date.

Executive Compensation Plans

        The following are summaries of the short-term and long-term incentive compensation plans in which our executive officers may participate following the consummation of this offering.

2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan

        Our board of directors has adopted and our stockholders have approved a 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, or the 2011 Plan, which will be effective as of the day prior to the consummation of this offering. As of the effective date of the 2011 Plan, no new awards will be granted under our prior equity incentive plan, which we sometimes refer to as the Prior Plan, but our prior equity incentive plan will continue to govern our prior equity incentive awards, as described under "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Discretionary Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards," outstanding as of such date.

        The principal purpose of the 2011 Plan is to attract, retain and engage selected employees, consultants and directors through the granting of stock-based compensation awards. The material terms of the 2011 Plan are summarized below.

        Eligibility and Administration.     Employees, consultants and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries will be eligible to receive awards under the 2011 Plan. Our compensation committee will administer the 2011 Plan unless our board of directors assumes authority for administration. The compensation committee may delegate its duties and responsibilities as plan administrator to subcommittees comprised of our directors and/or officers, subject to certain limitations. Our full board of directors will administer the 2011 Plan with respect to awards to non-employee directors.

        Subject to the express terms and conditions of the 2011 Plan, the plan administrator has the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under the plan, prescribe all forms for use with the plan and adopt, amend and/or rescind rules for the administration of the plan. The plan

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administrator also sets the terms and conditions of all awards under the plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.

        Limitation on Awards and Shares Available.     Initially, the aggregate number of shares of our common stock available for issuance pursuant to awards granted under the 2011 Plan will be                        . This number will be adjusted due to the following shares becoming eligible to be used or, as applicable, used again for grants under the 2011 Plan:

From and after the effective date of the 2011 Plan, we will no longer issue awards under the Prior Plan.

        Shares granted under the 2011 Plan may be treasury shares, authorized but unissued shares, or shares purchased in the open market. The payment of dividend equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding awards will not be counted against the shares available for issuance under the 2011 Plan.

        Awards.     The 2011 Plan provides for the grant of stock options (including non-qualified stock options, or NQSOs, and incentive stock options, or ISOs), restricted stock, dividend equivalents, stock payments, restricted stock units, or RSUs, performance awards, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, and other equity-based awards, or any combination thereof. Awards under the 2011 Plan will generally be set forth in award agreements, which will detail the terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. Awards will generally be settled in shares of our common stock, but the plan administrator may provide for cash settlement of any award. A brief description of each award type follows.

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        Certain Transactions.     The plan administrator has broad discretion to equitably adjust the provisions of the 2011 Plan and the terms and conditions of existing and future awards, including with respect to the aggregate number and type of shares subject to the 2011 Plan and awards granted pursuant to the 2011 Plan, to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits and/or facilitate necessary or desirable changes in the event of certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, such as stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and other corporate transactions. In the event of a change in control where the acquiror does not assume or replace awards granted under the 2011 Plan, such awards will be subject to accelerated vesting so that 100% of such awards will become vested and exercisable or payable, as applicable, prior to the consummation of the change in control transaction and, if not exercised or paid, will terminate upon consummation of the

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transaction. The administrator may also provide for the acceleration, cash-out, termination, assumption, substitution or conversion of awards in the event of a change in control or certain other unusual or nonrecurring events or transactions. A change in control is defined in the 2011 Plan to mean (i) the acquisition by a person or group of more than 50% of the total combined voting power of our outstanding securities, (ii) during any consecutive two-year period, the replacement of a majority of our incumbent directors with directors whose election was not supported by at least two-thirds of our incumbent directors, (iii) a merger, consolidation, reorganization or business combination or the sale of substantially all of our assets, in each case, other than a transaction that results in our voting securities before such transaction continuing to represent or being converted into a majority of the voting securities of the surviving entity and after which no person or group owns a majority of the combined voting power of the surviving entity or (iv) our stockholders approving a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

        Transferability, Repricing and Participant Payments.     With limited exceptions for estate planning, domestic relations orders, certain beneficiary designations and the laws of descent and distribution, awards under the 2011 Plan are generally non-transferable prior to vesting and are exercisable only by the participant. The price per share of a stock option or SAR may not be decreased and an underwater stock option or SAR may not be replaced or cashed out without stockholder approval. With regard to tax withholding, exercise price and purchase price obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2011 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, a "market sell order" or such other consideration as it deems suitable.

        Amendment and Termination.     Our board of directors may terminate, amend or modify the 2011 Plan at any time and from time to time. However, we must generally obtain stockholder approval to increase the number of shares available under the 2011 Plan (other than in connection with certain corporate events, as described above) or to the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation (including any applicable stock exchange rule).

        Expiration Date.     The 2011 Plan will expire on, and no option or other award may be granted pursuant to the 2011 Plan after, the tenth anniversary of the date the 2011 Plan was approved by our board of directors, which approval was obtained on June 6, 2011. Any award that is outstanding on the expiration date of the 2011 Plan will remain in force according to the terms of the 2011 Plan and the applicable award agreement.

Incentive Plan

        Our board of directors has adopted an incentive plan, which we refer to as the Incentive Plan, under which we will provide cash incentives to our executive officers and other key employees following the consummation of this offering. The purpose of the Incentive Plan is to enable the Company and its subsidiaries to attract, retain, motivate and reward the best qualified executive officers and key employees by providing them with the opportunity to earn competitive compensation directly linked to the Company's performance. The material terms of the Incentive Plan are summarized below.

        Administration.     The Incentive Plan is administered by our compensation committee, which may delegate its authority under the Incentive Plan to any of its duly constituted subcommittees.

        Performance Criteria.     The compensation committee may establish the performance objective or objectives that must be satisfied in order for a participant to receive an award under the Incentive Plan or may make discretionary payments from the plan. Performance objectives under the Incentive Plan may be based upon the relative or comparative achievement of performance criteria, whether in absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more similarly situated companies or a published index covering the performance of a number of companies, as determined by the

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compensation committee for the applicable performance period, which performance criteria may include: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; operating earnings; net earnings; income; earnings before interest and taxes; total shareholder return; return on the Company's assets; increase in the Company's earnings or earnings per share; revenue; revenue growth; share price performance; return on invested capital; operating income; pre- or post-tax income; net income; economic value added; profit margins; cash flow; improvement in or attainment of expense or capital expenditure levels; improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; return on equity; debt reduction; gross profit; market share; cost reductions; workforce satisfaction and diversity goals; workplace health and safety goals; product quality goals; employee retention; customer satisfaction; customer retention; completion of key projects and strategic plan development and/or implementation; job profit or performance against a multiplier. Performance objectives may be established on a company-wide basis or with respect to one or more business units, divisions, subsidiaries or products, or with respect to an individual. The compensation committee may exclude any or all extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items and the cumulative effects of accounting changes from performance objectives for a performance period and may also adjust performance objectives in its discretion.

        Payment.     Payment of awards will be made as soon as practicable after the compensation committee certifies that one or more of the applicable performance criteria have been attained or determines the payable amount of an award. The compensation committee will determine whether an award will be paid in cash, stock (including restricted stock or restricted stock units) or other awards under the 2011 Plan, or in a combination of cash, stock and other awards, and may impose whatever additional conditions on such shares or other awards as it deems appropriate, including conditioning the vesting of such shares or other awards on the performance of additional service.

        Maximum Award; Discretion.     The maximum award amount payable to a participant in cash per fiscal year under the Incentive Plan is $5.0 million. The compensation committee may, in its discretion, increase, reduce or eliminate awards otherwise payable under the Incentive Plan for any reason.

        Termination of Employment.     Unless otherwise determined by the compensation committee in its discretion, any participant whose employment terminates will forfeit all rights to any and all unpaid awards under the Incentive Plan.

        Forfeiture; Disgorgement.     If we are required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, and a participant knowingly or grossly negligently engaged in the misconduct or knowingly or grossly negligently failed to prevent the misconduct, or if the participant is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, then the participant must forfeit and disgorge any awards received during the twelve months following the filing of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement and any other awards earned based on the materially non-complying financial reporting. In addition, any award paid to a current or former executive officer during the three-year period preceding the date on which the restatement is required, based on erroneous data, must be forfeited and disgorged to us to the extent the award is in excess of what would have been paid to the officer under the restated data. Participants must also forfeit and disgorge any awards to the extent required by applicable law or regulations in effect on or after the effective date of the plan.

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Management Agreement

        On September 29, 2006, Wesco Aircraft entered into a management agreement, or the Management Agreement, with TC Group, L.L.C., or TC Group, an affiliate of Carlyle, to provide certain financial, strategic advisory and consultancy services. Under the Management Agreement, we are obligated to pay TC Group an annual management fee of $1.0 million and to pay or reimburse TC Group for certain out-of-pocket expenses. We incurred expenses of approximately $1.2 million, $1.0 million and $1.1 million for the years ending September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively, related to the Management Agreement. The Management Agreement will terminate at such time as TC Group or one or more of its affiliates no longer collectively control, in the aggregate, at least 15% of Wesco Aircraft, or such earlier date as Wesco Aircraft and TC Group may mutually agree. Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Management Agreement will be amended and restated in order to substitute TC Group with Carlyle Investment Management, L.L.C.

Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement

        In connection with the Carlyle Acquisition, on September 29, 2006, we entered into a stockholders agreement with Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC, Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder, certain affiliates of the Snyder family and members of management who hold restricted shares of common stock or options to purchase common stock. We refer to Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC as the Carlyle Stockholders and Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder and the affiliates of the Snyder family collectively as the Wesco Stockholders. The stockholders agreement was amended on November 30, 2007 and further amended on April 17, 2008. Upon effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the stockholders agreement will be amended and restated.

        Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, our board of directors will consist of eight members, with the Carlyle Stockholders having the right to nominate six of the members of the board of directors, the Wesco Stockholders having the right to nominate one of the members of the board of directors and the board of directors having the right to nominate one of the members of the board of directors. The number of board members that the Carlyle Stockholders are entitled to nominate will be reduced (i) to four directors if the Carlyle Stockholders hold less than 40% of our common stock, (ii) to three directors if the Carlyle Stockholders hold less than 25% of our common stock, (iii) to two directors if the Carlyle Stockholders hold less than 15% of our common stock and (iv) to one director if the Carlyle Stockholders hold less than 10% of our common stock. The Carlyle Stockholders' rights under the board of directors nomination provisions of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement will terminate at such time as they hold less than 5% of our common stock. The Wesco Stockholders' rights under the board of directors nominations provisions of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement will also terminate at such time as the they hold less than 5% of our common stock. In addition, for so long as Randy Snyder remains involved with our business, Mr. Snyder must be the Wesco Stockholders' nominee. However, at such time as Mr. Snyder is no longer involved with our business, the Wesco Stockholders may nominate another director, provided that such nominee is deemed qualified to serve on the board of directors of a public company.

        The Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement will contain restrictions on the transfer of our equity securities by the stockholders, as well as drag-along rights. In the event that we register any of our common stock following our initial public offering, these stockholders will also have the right to require us to use our best efforts to include the securities held by them, subject to certain limitations, including as determined by the underwriters, and will have the right to cause us to effect registrations

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of shares on their behalf. The Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement will also require us to indemnify the stockholders in connection with any such registration of our securities.

        The Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement will terminate upon a sale or change in control of the Company or the approval of the Company and its stockholders who are parties to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement.

Operating Leases

        We lease several office and warehouse facilities under operating lease agreements, or the Operating Lease Agreements, from entities affiliated with or controlled by Randy J. Snyder, who serves as our Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer and is also a minority stockholder of Wesco Aircraft. Rent expense on these facilities was approximately $1.7 million, $1.7 million and $1.7 million for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively (see Note 4 to our condensed consolidated financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus). The Operating Lease Agreements expire by their terms between June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2020.

Purchase of Term Loan

        On June 30, 2008, Merrill Lynch Asset Management, or Merrill Lynch, on behalf of entities controlled by Randy J. Snyder, who serves as our Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer and is also a minority stockholder of Wesco Aircraft, purchased approximately $50.0 million of our outstanding indebtedness. For the years ending September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, total interest paid to the entities controlled by Mr. Snyder related to the debt was approximately $0.6 million, $1.6 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Mr. Snyder sold the outstanding indebtedness he held as of January 2011 and no longer has an ownership interest in any of our outstanding indebtedness.

Related Party Transaction Policy

        Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to adopt a written statement of policy for the evaluation of and the approval, disapproval and monitoring of transactions involving us and "related persons." For the purposes of the policy, "related persons" will include our executive officers, directors and director nominees or their immediate family members, or stockholders owning five percent or more of our outstanding common stock.

        Our related person transactions policy will require:

        In connection with the review and approval or ratification of a related person transaction:

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        In addition, the related person transaction policy provides that the audit committee, in connection with any approval or ratification of a related person transaction involving a non-employee director or director nominee, should consider whether such transaction would compromise the director or director nominee's status as an "independent," "outside," or "non-employee" director, as applicable, under the rules and regulations of the SEC, the applicable listing exchange and the Internal Revenue Code.

        All related party transactions described in this section occurred prior to adoption of this policy, and as such, these transactions were not subject to the approval and review procedures described above.

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

        We had 9,445,489 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 6, 2011, assuming a one-to-one conversion of shares of Class B common stock to common stock and prior to the    for    stock split described elsewhere in this prospectus, which were owned by 35 stockholders. As of June 6, 2011, certain affiliates of Carlyle own approximately 83.8% of our common stock.

        The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of June 6, 2011, and as adjusted to reflect the shares of our common stock offered hereby, by:

        The amounts and percentages of shares beneficially owned are reported on the basis of SEC regulations governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a "beneficial" owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are not deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing any other person's percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest.

        The following table assumes a one-to-one conversion of shares of Class B common stock to common stock and does not give effect to the      for       stock split described elsewhere in this prospectus. Except as otherwise indicated in these footnotes, each of the beneficial owners listed has, to our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of capital stock and the

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business address of each such beneficial owner is c/o Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, CA 91355.

 
   
   
   
  Shares Beneficially
Owned After this
Offering
 
 
  Shares Beneficially
Owned Prior to this
Offering
   
  Excluding
Exercise of
Overallotment
  Including
Exercise of
Overallotment
 
 
  Shares to be
Sold in this
Offering
 
Name of Beneficial Owner
  Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent  

TCG Holdings, L.L.C.(1)

    7,914,983     83.8 %                 %           %

Randy J. Snyder(2)

    1,571,133     16.3 %                 %           %

Hal Weinstein(3)

    97,539     1.0                 *           *  

Tommy Lee(4)

    33,810     *                 *           *  

Gregory Hann(5)

    39,618     *                 *           *  

Alex Murray(6)

    34,175     *                 *           *  

Dayne A. Baird

        *                 *           *  

Peter J. Clare

        *                 *           *  

Paul E. Fulchino(7)

    9,575     *                 *           *  

John P. Jumper(8)

    5,688     *                 *           *  

Adam J. Palmer

        *                 *           *  

Robert D. Paulson(9)

    5,680     *                 *           *  

David L. Squier(10)

    5,680     *                 *           *  
 

All executive officers and directors as a group (12 persons)

    1,802,898     18.4 %                 %           %

*
Denotes less than 1.0% of beneficial ownership.

(1)
Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC is the record holder of 7,914,983 shares of our common stock. Carlyle Partners IV, L.P. is the managing member of Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC. TC Group IV, L.P. is the sole general partner of Carlyle Partners IV, L.P. TC Group IV Managing GP, L.L.C. is the sole general partner of TC Group IV, L.P. TC Group, L.L.C. is the sole managing member of TC Group IV Managing GP, L.L.C. TCG Holdings, L.L.C. is the managing member of TC Group, L.L.C. Accordingly, Carlyle Partners IV, L.P., TC Group IV, L.P., TC Group IV Managing GP, L.L.C., TC Group, L.L.C. and TCG Holdings, L.L.C. each may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock owned of record by Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC. TCG Holdings, L.L.C. is managed by a three person managing board, and all board action relating to the voting or disposition of these shares requires approval of a majority of the board. William E. Conway, Jr., Daniel A. D'Aniello and David M. Rubenstein are managing members of TCG Holdings, L.L.C. and, in such capacity, may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by TCG Holdings, L.L.C. Such individuals expressly disclaim any such beneficial ownership. The principal address and principal offices of TCG Holdings, L.L.C. is c/o The Carlyle Group, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 220 South, Washington, D.C. 20004-2505.

(2)
Includes 1,404,467 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Snyder and the right to acquire up to 166,666 additional shares.

(3)
Includes 14,205 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Weinstein and the right to acquire up to 83,334 additional shares.

(4)
Includes 8,810 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Lee and the right to acquire up to 25,000 additional shares.

(5)
Consists of the right to acquire up to 39,618 additional shares.

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(6)
Includes 842 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Murray and the right to acquire up to 33,333 additional shares.

(7)
Includes 9,140 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Fulchino and the right to acquire up to 435 additional shares.

(8)
Includes 5,253 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Jumper and the right to acquire up to 435 additional shares.

(9)
Includes 5,245 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Paulson and the right to acquire up to 435 additional shares.

(10)
Includes 5,100 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Squier and the right to acquire up to 580 additional shares.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

         The following is a description of our capital stock and the material provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as each is anticipated to be in effect upon the closing of this offering, and other agreements to which we and our stockholders are parties. The following is only a summary and is qualified by applicable law and by the provisions of the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and other agreements, copies of which are available as set forth under the caption entitled "Where You Can Find More Information."

General

        Prior to the effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our authorized capital stock includes the following: (i) 21,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, which shares are divided into two classes, consisting of 19,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and 2,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. Upon effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our authorized capital stock will consist of the following: (i) 950,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. The rights and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to any series of preferred stock that we may issue in the future.

        As of June 6, 2011, 9,445,489 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding and were owned by 35 stockholders.

Common Stock

        Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. There will be no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock will be able to elect all of the directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director. Under the amended and restated certificate of incorporation, subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of preferred stock, holders of common stock will be entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividend payments. The new senior secured credit facilities impose restrictions on our ability to declare dividends on our common stock. All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable, and the shares of common stock to be issued upon completion of this offering will be fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of common stock have no preferences or rights of conversion, exchange, pre-emption or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in our assets that are remaining after payment or provision for payment of all of our debts and obligations and after liquidation payments to holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock, if any.

Preferred Stock

        The preferred stock, if issued, would have priority over the common stock with respect to dividends and other distributions, including the distribution of our assets upon liquidation. Unless required by law or by any stock exchange on which our common stock may be listed, our board of directors will have the authority without further stockholder authorization to issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to determine the designations, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations or restrictions of each series. Although we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock, the issuance of shares of preferred stock, or the issuance of rights to purchase such shares, could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to the

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holders of common stock, could adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of the common stock, and could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us or an unsolicited acquisition proposal.

Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement

        Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, Carlyle will continue to have certain rights to appoint directors to our board of directors. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions."

Limitations on Directors' Liability

        We expect that our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will contain provisions indemnifying our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors that may, in some cases, be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained under Delaware law.

        In addition, as permitted by Delaware law, we expect that our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that no director will be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. The effect of this provision is to restrict our rights and the rights of our stockholders in derivative suits to recover monetary damages against a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except that a director will be personally liable for:

        This provision does not affect a director's liability under the federal securities laws.

        To the extent that our directors, officers and controlling persons are indemnified under the provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, Delaware law or contractual arrangements against liabilities arising under the Securities Act, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws that May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect

        Certain provisions that we expect will be contained our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that are summarized below may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider to be in its best interests, including attempts that might result in a premium being paid over the market price for the shares held by stockholders.

        Among other things, we expect that our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will:

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        The foregoing provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of the board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management.

Delaware Takeover Statute

        Subject to certain exceptions, Section 203 prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any "business combination" with any "interested stockholder" for a period of three years following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless: (i) prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; (ii) on consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (a) by persons who are directors and also officers and (b) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or (iii) on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2 / 3 % of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

        In our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we will elect not to be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, as permitted under and pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of Section 203.

Listing

        We will apply to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WAIR."

Transfer Agent and Registrar

        We have appointed American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC as the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

        Upon the completion of this offering, we will have outstanding          shares of common stock, assuming the issuance and sale of                   shares of common stock in this offering upon the exercise of vested stock options by the selling stockholders at a weighted average exercise price of $        per share, and assuming that the underwriters have not exercised their overallotment option. Of these shares,            shares of common stock will be freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act by persons other than "affiliates," as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Generally, the balance of our outstanding common stock are "restricted securities" within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, subject to the limitations and restrictions that are described below. common stock purchased by our affiliates will be "restricted securities" under Rule 144. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rules 144 or 701 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Lock-Up Agreements

        In connection with this offering, we, all of our directors and executive officers and holders of our common stock will agree with the underwriters to enter into lock-up agreements described in "Underwriting," pursuant to which          shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering will be restricted from immediate resale in accordance with the terms of such lock-up agreements.

Rule 144

        In general, under Rule 144 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, beginning 90 days after the consummation of this offering, a person (or persons whose common stock is required to be aggregated), who is an affiliate, and who has beneficially owned our common stock for at least six months is entitled to sell in any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

        Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. An "affiliate" is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with an issuer.

        Under Rule 144, a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months (including the holding period of any prior owner other than an affiliate), would be entitled to sell those shares subject only to availability of current public information about us, and after beneficially owning such shares for at least 12 months, would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of shares without restriction. To the extent that our affiliates sell their common stock, other than pursuant to Rule 144 or a registration statement, the purchaser's holding period for the purpose of effecting a sale under Rule 144 commences on the date of transfer from the affiliate.

Rule 701

        In general, under Rule 701 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us in reliance on Rule 701 in

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connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of this offering, or who purchased shares from us after that date upon the exercise of options granted before that date, are eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance upon Rule 144. If such person is not an affiliate, such sale may be made subject only to the manner of sale provisions of Rule 144. If such a person is an affiliate, such sale may be made under Rule 144 without compliance with the holding period requirement, but subject to the other Rule 144 restrictions described above.

S-8 Registration Statement

        In conjunction with this offering, we are filing a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act, which will register up to            shares of common stock underlying stock options or restricted stock awards or reserved for issuance under our equity incentive plans. That registration statement will become effective upon filing, and          shares of common stock covered by such registration statement are eligible for sale in the public market immediately after the effective date of such registration statement, subject to the lock-up agreements described above.

Registration Rights

        Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, we have granted the Carlyle Stockholders and the Wesco Stockholders the right to cause us, in certain instances, at our expense, to file registration statements under the Securities Act covering resales of our common stock held by them or to piggyback on such registration statements in certain circumstances. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions." These shares will represent approximately        % of our outstanding common stock after this offering, or        % if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full. These shares also may be sold under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, depending on their holding period and subject to restrictions in the case of shares held by persons deemed to be our affiliates.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR
NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

        The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering. This discussion is not a complete analysis of all the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences relating thereto, nor does it address any tax consequences arising under any state, local or non-U.S. tax laws or any other U.S. federal tax laws, including U.S. federal estate and gift tax laws. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, all as in effect as of the date of this offering. These authorities may change, or be subject to differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect, resulting in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS with respect to the matters discussed below, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a contrary position regarding the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our common stock, or that any such contrary position would not be sustained by a court.

        This summary is limited to non-U.S. holders that purchase our common stock issued pursuant to this offering and that hold our common stock as a "capital asset" within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of that holder's particular circumstances. This discussion also does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders subject to special rules under the U.S. federal income tax laws, including, without limitation:

         THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF ACQUIRING, OWNING AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS AND ANY OTHER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS (INCLUDING THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS).

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Definition of Non-U.S. Holder

        For purposes of this discussion, a non-U.S. holder is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a "U.S. person" or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any of the following:

        If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership or member in such other entity generally will depend on the status of the partner or member, upon the activities of the partnership or such other entity, and upon certain determinations made at the partner or member level. Accordingly, partnerships and such other entities that hold our common stock and the partners in such partnerships and the members in such other entities are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the specific U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

Distributions on our Common Stock

        As described in the section entitled "Dividend Policy," we have not paid a dividend on our common stock in the past and do not anticipate paying dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If, however, we make cash or other property distributions on our common stock, such distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and will first be applied against and reduce a holder's adjusted tax basis in the common stock, but not below zero. Any remaining amounts will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the common stock and will be treated as described under the section entitled "—Dispositions of our Common Stock" below.

        Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable tax treaty) of the gross amount of the dividends. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must furnish a valid IRS Form W-8BEN (or applicable successor form) certifying such holder's qualification for the reduced rate. This certification must be provided to us or our paying agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. Non-U.S. holders that do not timely provide us or our paying agent the required certification, but that qualify for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty.

        If a non-U.S. holder holds our common stock in connection with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and dividends paid on the common stock are effectively connected with such holder's U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States), the non-U.S. holder

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will generally be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. To claim the exemption, the non-U.S. holder must furnish a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form) to us or our paying agent prior to the payment of such dividends.

        Any dividends paid on our common stock that are effectively connected with a non-U.S. holder's U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable tax treaty) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. holders should consult any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Dispositions of our Common Stock

        Subject to the discussions below regarding backup withholding and foreign accounts, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of our common stock unless:

        Unless an applicable tax treaty provides otherwise, gain described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on an net income basis at the regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable tax treaty) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. holders should consult any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

        Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat 30% rate (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) but may be offset by U.S. source capital losses (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the U.S.), provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

        With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we are not currently and do not anticipate becoming a USRPHC for United States federal income tax purposes. However, because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our United States real property interests relative to the fair market value of our other trade or business assets and our non-United States real property interests, there can be no assurance that we are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our common stock will not be subject to tax if such class of stock is "regularly traded," as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and such non-U.S. holder owned, actually or constructively, five percent (5%) or less of such class of our stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period

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ending on the date of the sale or exchange or the non-U.S. holder's holding period for such stock. We expect our common stock to be "regularly traded" on an established securities market. If gain on the sale or other taxable disposition of our stock were subject to taxation under the third bullet point above, the non-U.S. holder would be subject to regular United States federal income tax with respect to such gain in generally the same manner as a United States person.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

        We must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. holder the amount of dividends on our common stock paid to such holder, the name and address of the recipient, and the amount of any tax withheld with respect to those dividends. These information reporting requirements apply in certain circumstances even if no withholding was required, such as where the dividends were effectively connected with the holder's conduct of a U.S. trade or business or withholding was eliminated by an applicable tax treaty. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Backup withholding, however, generally will not apply to payments of dividends to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock provided the non-U.S. holder furnishes the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI, or certain other requirements are met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a United States person that is not an exempt recipient.

        Unless a non-U.S. holder complies with certification procedures to establish that it is not a United States person, information returns may be filed with the IRS in connection with, and the non-U.S. holder may be subject to backup withholding on the proceeds from, a sale or other disposition of our common stock. The certification procedures described in the previous paragraph will satisfy these certification requirements as well.

        Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Tax Relating to Foreign Accounts

        An additional withholding tax will apply to certain types of payments made after December 31, 2012 to "foreign financial institutions" (as specially defined under the applicable rules) and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax will be imposed on dividends on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a foreign financial institution or to a foreign non-financial entity after such date, unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations or (ii) the foreign non-financial entity either certifies it does not have any substantial United States owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner. If the payee is a foreign financial institution, it must enter into an agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain United States persons or United States-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent it from complying with these reporting and other requirements. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding these rules.

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UNDERWRITING

        Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC ("Morgan Stanley") are acting as representatives of the underwriters and joint book-running managers of this offering. Under the terms of an underwriting agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each of the underwriters named below has severally agreed to purchase from the selling stockholders the respective number of common stock shown opposite its name below:

Underwriter
  Number of Shares  

Barclays Capital Inc. 

       

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

       

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

       

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                      Incorporated

       

William Blair & Company, L.L.C. 

       

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

       

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

       

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

       

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

       

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

       

SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited

       
       
 

Total

       
       

        The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters' obligation to purchase shares of common stock depends on the satisfaction of the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement including:

Commissions and Expenses

        The following table summarizes the underwriting discounts and commissions the selling stockholders will pay to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares. The underwriting fee is the difference between the initial price to the public and the amount the underwriters pay to the selling stockholders for the shares.

 
  No Exercise   Full Exercise  

Per share

  $     $    

Total

  $     $    

        The representatives of the underwriters have advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price on the cover of this prospectus and to selected dealers, which may include the underwriters, at such offering price less a

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selling concession not in excess of $        per share. After the offering, the representatives may change the offering price and other selling terms. Sales of shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

        The expenses of the offering that are payable by us and the selling stockholders are estimated to be $        (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions). We have agreed to pay expenses incurred by the selling stockholders in connection with the offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commission.

Option to Purchase Additional Shares

        The selling stockholders have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of            shares at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. This option may be exercised if the underwriters sell more than            shares in connection with this offering. To the extent that this option is exercised, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase its pro rata portion of these additional shares based on the underwriter's underwriting commitment in the offering as indicated in the table at the beginning of this Underwriting Section.

Lock-Up Agreements

        We and all of our directors, executive officers and holders of our common stock have agreed that, subject to certain exceptions, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley, we and they will not, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock beneficially owned (including, without limitation, shares of common stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by us or them in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and shares of common stock that may be issued upon exercise of any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock) or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus. In addition, we have agreed not to file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock during the 180-day restricted period.

        The 180-day restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be extended if:

in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or occurrence of a material event, unless such extension is waived in writing by Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

        Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley, in their sole discretion, may release the common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice. When determining whether or not to release common stock and other securities from lock-up agreements, Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley will consider, among other factors,

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the holder's reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares of common stock and other securities for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.

Offering Price Determination

        Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be negotiated between the representatives and us. In determining the initial public offering price of our common stock, the representatives will consider:

        An active trading market for the shares may not develop. It is also possible that after the offering the shares will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

Indemnification

        We and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

        The representatives may engage in stabilizing transactions, short sales and purchases to cover positions created by short sales, and penalty bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the common stock, in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

    Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

    A short position involves a sale by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase in the offering, which creates the syndicate short position. This short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares involved in the sales made by the underwriters in excess of the number of shares they are obligated to purchase is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase by exercising their option to purchase additional shares. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in their option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters may close out any short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares and/or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through their option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

    Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.

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    Penalty bids permit the representatives to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

        These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock. As a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

        Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the common stock. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make representation that the representatives will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

        A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters and/or selling group members participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter or selling group member, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of shares for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the representatives on the same basis as other allocations.

        Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter's or selling group member's web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by an underwriter or selling group member is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter or selling group member in its capacity as underwriter or selling group member and should not be relied upon by investors.

New York Stock Exchange Listing

        We will apply to list our shares of common stock for quotation on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WAIR."

Discretionary Sales

        The underwriters have informed us that they do not intend to confirm sales to discretionary accounts that exceed 5% of the total number of shares offered by them.

Stamp Taxes

        If you purchase shares of common stock offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.

Relationships

        Certain of the underwriters and/or their affiliates have engaged, and may in the future engage, in commercial and investment banking transactions with us in the ordinary course of their business, including as our arrangers, lenders and agents under the old senior secured credit facilities and the new senior secured credit facilities for which they have received, and expect to receive, customary

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compensation and expense reimbursement. For example, affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as arrangers, lenders and, in the case of affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, agents, under the new senior secured credit facilities. In addition, affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as lenders and, in the case of Barclays Capital Inc. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, agents, under the old senior secured credit facilities. For a description of these facilities, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity of Capital Resources—Senior Secured Credit Facilities."

        SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited is not a U.S. registered broker-dealer and, therefore, intends to participate in the offering outside of the United States and, to the extent that the offering is within the United States, as facilitated by an affiliated U.S. registered broker-dealer, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. ("SMBC Nikko-SI"), as permitted under applicable law. To that end, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited and SMBC Nikko-SI have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SMBC Nikko-SI provides certain advisory and/or other services with respect to this offering. In return for the provision of such services by SMBC Nikko-SI, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited will pay to SMBC Nikko-SI a mutually agreed fee.

Selling Restrictions

    European Economic Area

        In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, referred to as a "Relevant Member State") an offer to the public of any shares of our common stock may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any shares of our common stock may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:

    (a)
    to any legal entity that is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

    (b)
    to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

    (c)
    in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of shares of our common stock shall result in a requirement for the publication by us or any underwriter of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

        For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer to the public" in relation to any shares of our common stock in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of our common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any shares of our common stock, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State, and the expression "2010 PD Amending Directive" means Directive 2010/73/EU.

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    United Kingdom

        Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

    (a)
    it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the shares of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

    (b)
    it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the shares of our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

    Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

        The shares of common stock may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares of common stock or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

        Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the issuer or the shares of common stock has been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of the shares of common stock will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, and the offer of shares of common stock has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares of common stock.

    Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

        This offering memorandum relates to an exempt offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This offering memorandum is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with exempt offers. The DFSA has not approved this offering memorandum nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the offering memorandum. The securities to which this offering memorandum relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this offering memorandum you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Relationship with Solebury Capital LLC

        Pursuant to an engagement agreement, we retained Solebury Capital LLC, or Solebury, a FINRA member, to provide certain financial consulting services (which do not include underwriting services) in connection with this offering. We agreed to pay Solebury, only upon successful completion of this offering, a fee of $400,000 and, at our sole discretion, an additional potential incentive fee of $200,000. In determining whether we elect to award any or all of the incentive fee, we will consider the level of,

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and our satisfaction with, the services provided by Solebury throughout the initial public offering process. We also agreed to reimburse Solebury for reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses up to a maximum of $50,000 without our prior written consent and have provided indemnification of Solebury pursuant to the engagement agreement. Solebury's services include advice with respect to selection of underwriters for this offering, deal structuring, fee and economics recommendations, distribution strategy recommendations and preparation of presentation materials. Solebury is not acting as an underwriter and has no contact with any public or institutional investor on behalf of the Company or the underwriters. In addition, Solebury will not underwrite or purchase any of our common stock in this offering or otherwise participate in any such undertaking.


VALIDITY OF COMMON STOCK

        The validity of the shares being sold in this offering will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington, District of Columbia. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York.


EXPERTS

        The financial statements as of September 30, 2009 and 2010 and for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2010 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

        References to the independent research report prepared by Stax, Inc. in connection with this offering have been included in this prospectus in reliance on the report, given on the authority of Stax, Inc.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1, including exhibits, schedules and amendments filed with the registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act, covering the common stock being offered hereby. This prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement and the related exhibits and schedules, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us and the common stock we propose to sell in this offering, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. With respect to statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document, reference is made to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.

        You may inspect a copy of the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement without charge at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You can receive copies of these documents upon payment of a duplicating fee by writing to the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. You can also inspect our registration statement on this web site.

        Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act pursuant to Section 13 thereof. Our filings with the SEC (other than those exhibits specifically incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part) are not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 
  Page  

Audited Consolidated Financial Statements:

       
 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    F-2  
 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

    F-3  
 

Consolidated Statements of Income

    F-4  
 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity and Comprehensive Income

    F-5  
 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

    F-6  
 

Notes to Audited Consolidated Financial Statements

    F-7  

Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements:

       
 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

    F-34  
 

Consolidated Statements of Income

    F-35  
 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

    F-36  
 

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

    F-37  

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

        In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and the related consolidated statements of income, stockholders' equity and comprehensive income, and cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Wesco Holdings, Inc.) and its subsidiaries (the "Company") at September 30, 2009 and 2010, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2010 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Los Angeles, California
December 22, 2010

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

September 30, 2009 and 2010

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 
  2009   2010  

Assets

             

Current assets

             
 

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 11,406   $ 39,463  
 

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $5,631 and $6,236 in 2009 and 2010

    83,200     89,427  
 

Inventories

    486,876     483,442  
 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    9,176     6,581  
 

Deferred income taxes

    23,558     33,138  
           
   

Total current assets

    614,216     652,051  

Property and equipment, net

   
20,561
   
20,173
 

Deferred financing costs, net

    15,144     10,329  

Goodwill

    506,066     504,841  

Intangible assets, net

    95,314     89,998  

Other assets

    3,511     1,620  
           
   

Total assets

  $ 1,254,812   $ 1,279,012  
           

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

             

Current liabilities

             
 

Line of credit

  $ 813   $  
 

Accounts payable

    61,033     59,183  
 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    14,199     20,888  
 

Income taxes payable

    5,262     5,500  
 

Long-term debt—current portion

    5,528      
 

Capital lease obligations—current portion

    1,006     1,354  
           
   

Total current liabilities

    87,841     86,925  

Long-term debt

   
682,097
   
620,243
 

Capital lease obligations

    2,171     1,789  

Deferred income taxes

    7,605     23,927  

Other liabilities

    1,158     389  
           
   

Total liabilities

    780,872     733,273  

Commitments and contingencies

             

Stockholders' equity

             
 

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share: 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding

         
 

Common stock, class A, $0.001 par value per share: 19,000,000 shares authorized; 9,319,450 shares issued and outstanding

    9     9  
 

Class B convertible redeemable common stock, $0.001 par value per share:
2,000,000 shares authorized; 121,083 and 121,083 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively

    1     1  
 

Additional paid-in capital

    326,746     329,256  
 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (2,903 )   (7,288 )
 

Retained earnings

    150,087     223,761  
           
   

Total stockholders' equity

    473,940     545,739  
           
   

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 1,254,812   $ 1,279,012  
           

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

For the Years Ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Net sales

  $ 604,343   $ 612,687   $ 656,036  

Cost of sales

    347,735     374,400     401,806  
               
   

Gross profit

    256,608     238,287     254,230  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    105,758     103,895     99,915  
               
   

Income from operations

    150,850     134,392     154,315  

Interest expense, net

    (48,743 )   (37,707 )   (36,270 )

Other income (expense), net

    746     (376 )   (458 )
               
   

Income before provision for income taxes

    102,853     96,309     117,587  
               

Provision for income taxes

    44,251     37,862     43,913  
               
     

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674  
               

Net income per share:

                   
 

Basic

  $ 6.22   $ 6.19   $ 7.32  
               
 

Diluted

  $ 6.02   $ 5.87   $ 7.28  
               

Weighted average shares outstanding:

                   
 

Basic

    9,420,433     9,440,596     10,063,237  
 

Diluted

    9,740,158     9,964,748     10,118,648  

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity and Comprehensive Income

For the Years Ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 
   
   
  Class B
Convertible
Redeemable
Common Stock
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Class A
Common Stock
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
   
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
   
   
   
 
 
  Additional
Paid-In
Capital
  Retained
Earnings
  Total
Stockholders'
Equity
  Comprehensive
Income
 
 
  Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  

Balance, October 1, 2007

    9,319,450   $ 9     87,479   $ 1   $ 302,409   $ 325   $ 33,038   $ 335,782   $ 33,363  

Sale of common stock

            6,887         306             306        

Exercise of stock options

            17,656         655             655        

Stock-based compensation

            4,312         13,700             13,700        

Net income

                            58,602     58,602     58,602  

Other comprehensive income

                                                       
 

Foreign currency translation adjustment

                        728         728     728  
                                       

Total comprehensive income

                                                  $ 59,330  
                                                       

Balance, September 30, 2008

    9,319,450   $ 9     116,334   $ 1   $ 317,070   $ 1,053   $ 91,640   $ 409,773        

Exercise of stock options

            437         16             16        

Stock-based compensation

            4,312         10,389             10,389        

Redemption of vested stock options

                    (729 )           (729 )      

Net income

                            58,447     58,447     58,447  

Other comprehensive income

                                                       
 

Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax

                        (3,956 )       (3,956 )   (3,956 )
                                       

Total comprehensive income

                                                  $ 54,491  
                                                       

Balance, September 30, 2009

    9,319,450   $ 9     121,083   $ 1   $ 326,746   $ (2,903 ) $ 150,087   $ 473,940        

Stock-based compensation

                    2,510             2,510        

Net income

                            73,674     73,674     73,674  

Other comprehensive income

                                                       
 

Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax

                        (4,385 )       (4,385 )   (4,385 )
                                       

Total comprehensive income

                                                  $ 69,289  
                                                       

Balance, September 30, 2010

    9,319,450   $ 9     121,083   $ 1   $ 329,256   $ (7,288 ) $ 223,761   $ 545,739        
                                         

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

For the Years Ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010

(In thousands)

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Cash flows from operating activities

                   

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities

                   
 

Amortization of intangible assets

    3,391     5,763     4,119  
 

Depreciation

    4,455     4,302     4,702  
 

Amortization of deferred financing costs

    3,379     3,703     4,814  
 

Bad debt and sales return reserve

    4,561     254     607  
 

Non-cash foreign currency exchange

    (600 )   364     242  
 

Non-cash stock-based compensation

    13,700     10,389     2,510  
 

Change in fair value of derivative

        4,102     2,558  
 

Deferred income tax provision

    3,836     14,024     6,741  
 

Changes in assets and liabilities

                   
   

Accounts receivable

    (11,162 )   4,429     (7,795 )
   

Income taxes receivable

    (63 )   7     (45 )
   

Inventories

    (58,749 )   (111,136 )   1,593  
   

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    (4,636 )   (959 )   4,448  
   

Accounts payable

    11,011     9,073     (1,099 )
   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    34     (3,446 )   3,423  
   

Income taxes payable

    (3,057 )   1,950     281  
               
     

Net cash provided by operating activities

    24,702     1,266     100,773  
               

Cash flows from investing activities

                   

Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired

    (109,029 )        

Purchases of property and equipment

    (6,769 )   (4,135 )   (3,077 )
               
     

Net cash used in investing activities

    (115,798 )   (4,135 )   (3,077 )
               

Cash flows from financing activities

                   

Net repayments under line of credit

    (2,394 )   (23 )   (796 )

Proceeds/(Repayments) of long-term debt

    100,000         (67,382 )

Financing fees

    (3,024 )        

Redemption of vested stock options

        (729 )    

Repayment of capital lease obligations

    (1,445 )   (984 )   (1,305 )

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

    977     16      
               
     

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    94,114     (1,720 )   (69,483 )
               

Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

    118     (3 )   (156 )
               
     

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

    3,136     (4,592 )   28,057  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

    12,862     15,998     11,406  
               

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

  $ 15,998   $ 11,406   $ 39,463  
               

      Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information (see Note 16)

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 1. Organization and Business

        Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. is a distributor and provider of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry. The Company's services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, just-in-time, or JIT delivery, and point-of-use inventory management.

        In addition to the central stocking facilities, the Company uses a network of forward-stocking locations to service its customers in a JIT and/or ad hoc manner. There are over 15 stocking locations around the world with concentrations in North America and Europe. In addition to product fulfillment, the Company also provides comprehensive supply chain management services for selected customers. These services include procurement and just-in-time inventory management and delivery services.

        On September 29, 2006, 100% of the outstanding stock of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wesco Aircraft Israel and the European entities of Flintbrook Ltd., Wesco Aircraft France and Wesco Aircraft Germany were acquired by the Company. The acquisition was completed in a leveraged transaction in which affiliates of The Carlyle Group invested approximately 85% of the total voting equity in the Company and the prior owner of the Company contributed the remaining 15% of the total voting equity invested. The prior owner's investment represented a contribution of ownership in the predecessor company to the newly formed holding company. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 805, Business Combinations , the acquired assets and liabilities have been recorded at fair value for the interests acquired by new investors and at carryover basis for the continuing investors.

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

        The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wesco Aircraft Europe Limited, Flintbrook Limited, Wesco Aircraft Germany GmbH, Wesco Aircraft France SAS, Wesco Aircraft Israel Ltd, and Wesco Aircraft Italy SRL. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

        The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, receivable valuations and sales returns, inventory valuations of excess and obsolete inventories, the useful lives of long-lived assets including property, equipment and intangible assets, annual goodwill impairment assessment, income taxes and contingencies. Actual results could differ from such estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

        The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities from date of purchase by the Company of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

Accounts Receivable

        Accounts receivable consist of amounts owed to the Company by customers. The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of the financial condition of its customers, monitors collections and payments from customers, and generally does not require collateral. Accounts receivable are generally due within 30 to 60 days. The Company provides for the possible inability to collect accounts receivable by recording an allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company reserves for an account when it is considered to be uncollectible. The Company estimates its allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical experience, aging of accounts receivable and information regarding the creditworthiness of its customers. To date, losses have been within the range of management's expectations. If the estimated allowance for doubtful accounts subsequently proves to be insufficient, additional allowances may be required.

        The Company's allowance for doubtful accounts activity consists of the following:

 
  Balance at
Beginning of Period
  Changes to
Cost and
Expense
  Write-offs   Balance at
End of Period
 

Allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2008

  $ 3,333   $ 4,500   $   $ 7,833  

Allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2009

    7,833     169     (2,371 )   5,631  

Allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2010

    5,631     605         6,236  

Inventories

        The Company's inventory is comprised solely of finished goods. Inventories are stated at the lower of weighted-average cost or market. In-bound freight-related costs are included as part of the cost of inventory held for resale. The Company records provisions, as appropriate, to write-down excess and obsolete inventory to estimated net realizable value. The process for evaluating excess and obsolete inventory often requires the Company to make subjective judgments and estimates concerning future sales levels, quantities and prices at which such inventories will be able to be sold in the normal course of business.

        Incorrect estimates of future sales may cause the actual results to differ from the estimates at the time such inventories are disposed or sold.

        During the years ended September 30, 2009 and 2010, the Company maintained approximately 22% and 20%, respectively, of its inventory in parts that are primarily used in Boeing 787 aircraft. To date, Boeing has experienced a number of delays in completion of this aircraft. As such, there is a risk that the Company will not be able to realize some portion of this investment.

Property and Equipment

        Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated amortization and depreciation, computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each asset. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the remaining lease term or the estimated useful life of

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)


the assets. Expenditures for repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred, and expenditures for major renewals and improvements are capitalized. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is reflected in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. The useful lives and lease terms for depreciable assets are as follows:

Leasehold improvements   3 - 15 years
Machinery and equipment   5 - 7 years
Furniture and fixtures   7 years
Vehicles   5 years
Computer & Software   3 - 5 years

Impairment of Long Lived Assets

        The Company assesses potential impairments of its long-lived assets in accordance with the provisions of ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment . An impairment review is performed whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Factors considered by the Company include, but are not limited to: significant underperformance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results; significant changes in the manner of use of the acquired assets or the strategy for the overall business; and significant negative industry or economic trends. The Company has determined that its asset group for impairment testing is comprised of the assets and liabilities of each of its reporting units as this is the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. The Company has identified customer relationships as the primary asset because it is the principle asset from which the reporting units derive their cash flow generating capacity and has the longest remaining useful life. The recoverability is assessed by comparing the carrying value of the assets group to the undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by these assets. Impairment losses are measured as the amount by which the carrying values of the primary assets exceed their fair values. To date, the Company has not recognized an impairment charge related to the write-down of long-lived assets.

Deferred Financing Costs

        Deferred financing costs are amortized using the effective interest method over the term of the related credit arrangement and are included in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. Amortization of deferred financing costs was $3,379, $3,703 and $4,814, respectively, for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010. At September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010, accumulated amortization of deferred financing cost amounted to $10,695 and $15,509, respectively.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

        Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of the acquired businesses over the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed resulting from the acquisition. In accordance with the provisions of ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other , goodwill and indefinitely lived intangible assets acquired in a purchase business combination are not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently should an event occur or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired. Such events or circumstances may be a significant change in business climate,

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)


economic and industry trends, legal factors, negative operating performance indicators, significant competition, changes in strategy or disposition of a reporting unit or a portion there of. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level on July 1 of each year.

        Goodwill impairment testing is a two-step test. The first step identifies potential impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired and the second step of the test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit's goodwill exceeds its fair value, the second step measures the impairment loss, if any. The second step compares the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

        Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment, including the identification of reporting units assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is estimated using a combination of market earnings multiples and discounted cash flow methodologies. This requires significant judgments including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth of the Company's business, the useful life over which cash flows will occur and determination of the Company's weighted average cost of capital. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and/or goodwill impairment for each reporting unit.

        Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortized but tested annually on July 1 st for impairment or more often if events or circumstances change that would create a triggering event. The Company has one indefinite-lived intangible asset, its trademark. The valuation of the trademark was derived from an income approach by which the relief from royalty method was applied valuing the savings as cash flow. The relief from royalty method requires assumptions to be made concerning forecasted net sales, a discount rate, and a royalty rate. The underlying concept of the relief from a royalty method is that the value of the trademark can be estimated by determining the cost savings the Company achieves by not having to license the trademark. Changes in projections or estimates, a deterioration of operating results and the related cash flow effect or a significant increase in the discount rate or decrease is the royalty rate could decrease the estimated fair value and result in impairments.

        During the year ended September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010, the decrease in goodwill was due to foreign currency translation effect of $1,178 and $1,225, respectively.

Lease Receivable

        Lease receivable comprises direct-financing lease and maintenance arrangements for tools leased to various customers. These agreements typically have terms of five years and are generally collateralized by a security interest in the underlying assets. The current portion of lease receivables is approximately $2,047 and $1,631 at September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively, and recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets. The non-current portion is approximately $3,076 and $1,187 at

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)


September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively, and is recorded in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

        The Company's financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and payable, accrued and other current liabilities and line of credit. The carrying amounts of these instruments approximate fair value because of their short-term maturities. The fair value of the long-term debt instruments are determined using current applicable rates for similar instruments as of the balance sheet date. The carrying amounts and fair value of the debt instruments as of September 30, 2010 were as follows:

 
  Carrying Value   Fair Value  

$550,000 term loan

  $ 477,243   $ 467,064  

$150,000 term loan

  $ 143,000   $ 139,924  

Comprehensive Income

        ASC 220, Comprehensive Income , establishes guidelines for the reporting and display of comprehensive income and its components in financial statements. Comprehensive income generally represents all changes in stockholders' equity, except those resulting from investments by or distributions to stockholders. The Company's comprehensive income includes foreign currency translation adjustments and is included in the consolidated statements of stockholders' equity and comprehensive income.

Revenue Recognition

        The Company recognizes hardware and service revenue when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) title transfers to the customer, (iii) the sales price charged is fixed or determinable and (iv) collection is reasonably assured.

        In connection with the sales of its products, the Company often provides certain supply chain management programs. These services are provided exclusively in connection with the sales of products, and as such, the price of such services is generally included in the price of the products delivered to the customer. The Company does not account for these services as a separate element, as the services do not have stand-alone value and cannot be separated from the product element of the arrangement. Additionally, the Company does not present service revenues apart from product revenues, as the service fees represent less than 5% of the Company's consolidated net sales. There are no significant post-delivery obligations associated with these services.

        The Company also enters into sales rebates and profit sharing arrangements. Such customer incentives are accounted for as a reduction to gross sales and recorded based upon estimates at the time products are sold. These estimates are based upon historical experience for similar programs and products. The Company reviews such rebates and profit sharing arrangements on an ongoing basis and accruals are adjusted, if necessary, as additional information becomes available.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

        Management provides allowances for credit losses and returns based on historic experience and adjusts such allowances as considered necessary. To date, such allowances have been within the range of management's expectations.

        In connection with the Company's JIT supply chain management programs, the Company at times assumes customer inventory on a consignment basis. This consigned inventory remains the property of the customer but is managed and distributed by the Company. The Company earns a fixed fee per unit on each shipment of the consigned inventory; such amounts represent less than 1% of consolidated revenues.

        The Company leases certain equipment under its tool leasing program. Such arrangements represent direct-financing leases under which the Company recognizes revenue over the lease term using consistent rates of return. Since the revenue earned under these leasing arrangements represents less than 1% of the Company's consolidated revenues, the sales earned from such arrangements are included in net sales within the consolidated statements of income and are not presented separately as financing income.

Shipping and Handling Costs

        The Company records revenue for shipping and handling billed to its customers. Shipping and handling revenues were approximately $2,080, $1,418 and $1,031 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

        Shipping and handling costs are included in cost of sales. Total shipping and handling costs were approximately $3,752, $4,033 and $4,009 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Income Taxes

        The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes . ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which these temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is established, when necessary, to reduce net deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. The Company's foreign subsidiaries are taxed in local jurisdictions at local statutory rates. The Company intends to reinvest all earnings of foreign subsidiaries.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Vendors

        The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in bank deposit accounts which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk from cash and cash equivalents.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

        The Company purchases its products on credit terms from vendors located throughout North America and Europe. For the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company made approximately 12%, 13% and 22%, respectively, of its purchases from Precision Castparts Corporation and the amounts payable to this vendor was approximately 10% and 17% of accounts payable at September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company made approximately 18%, 19% and 20% respectively, of its purchases from Alcoa Fastening Systems and the amounts payable to this vendor were approximately 12% and 18% of amounts payable at September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively. The majority of the products the Company sells are available through multiple channels and, therefore, the Company does not consider that its risk related to any vendor relationship is material.

        For the years ending September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company derived approximately 10%, 11% and 15%, respectively, of its recorded sales from The Boeing Company and the accounts receivable balance associated with this customer was approximately 6% and 11% at September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Foreign Currency Translation

        The financial statements of the foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. Dollars in accordance with ASC 830, Foreign Currency Matters . The financial statements of foreign subsidiaries and affiliates where the local currency is the functional currency are translated into U.S. Dollars using exchange rates in effect at the year-end for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates during the year for results of operations. The adjustment resulting from translating the financial statements of such foreign subsidiaries is reflected as a separate component of stockholders' equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are reported as other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of income. For the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, foreign currency transaction gains and (losses) were approximately $610, $(486) and $(651), respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

        The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation . ASC 718 requires all stock-based awards to employees and directors to be recognized as stock-based compensation expense based upon their fair values on the date of grant. In March 2005, the Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") No. 107, Share-Based Payment , which provides guidance regarding the interaction of ASC 718 and certain SEC rules and regulations. The Company has applied the provision of SAB No. 107 in its adoption of ASC 718.

        ASC 718 requires companies to estimate the fair value of stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense during the requisite service periods. The Company has estimated the fair value for each award as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes model considers, among other factors, the expected life of the award and the expected volatility of the Company's stock price. The Company recognizes the stock-based compensation expense using the graded vesting method over the requisite service periods, which is generally a vesting term of 5 years. Stock options typically have a term of 10 years. The stock options

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)


granted had an exercise price equal to the estimated fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date.

Net Income Per Share

        Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. At September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, 412,394, 595,051 and 219,107 shares, respectively, of restricted stock and stock options issued to employees were unvested and, therefore, excluded from the calculation of basic earnings per share for each of the fiscal years ended on those dates. Diluted net income per share includes the dilutive effect of both outstanding stock options and restricted shares, calculated using the treasury stock method. Assumed proceeds from the in-the-money options include the windfall tax benefits, net of shortfalls, calculated under the "as-if" method as prescribed by ASC 718.

 
  September 30,  
 
  2008   2009   2010  
 
  (In thousands, except share and
per share data)

 

Net income

  $ 58,602   $ 58,447   $ 73,674  
               

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

    9,420,433     9,440,596     10,063,237  

Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock awards/units

    319,725     524,152     55,411  
               

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

    9,740,158     9,964,748     10,118,648  
               

Basic net income per share

  $ 6.22   $ 6.19   $ 7.32  
               

Diluted net income per share

  $ 6.02   $ 5.87   $ 7.28  
               

        Shares of common stock equivalents of 18,489, 76,188 and 61,325 for fiscal 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively, were excluded from the diluted calculation due to their anti-dilutive effect.

Note 3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

        Changes to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") in the form of Accounting Standards Updates ("ASUs") to the FASB's ASC.

        The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations.

        In October 2009, the FASB issued guidance on revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables effective for the Company's 2012 fiscal year, although early adoption is permitted. The guidance revises the criteria for separating, measuring and allocating arrangement consideration to each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement. The guidance requires companies to allocate revenue using the relative selling price of each deliverable, which must be estimated if the Company does not have a history of

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)


selling the deliverable on a stand-alone basis or third-party evidence of selling price. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will significantly change the timing in which revenue is recorded as the pricing of its service components are included in the per unit price of the products delivered to the customer that is solely contingent on the number of units sold. As a result, the revenue earned on the service element does not become fixed or determinable until delivery of the product has taken place.

        In June 2009, the FASB issued guidance to revise the approach to determine when a variable interest entity ("VIE") should be consolidated. The new consolidation model for VIEs considers whether the Company has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and shares in the significant risks and rewards of the entity. The guidance on VIEs requires companies to continually reassess VIEs to determine if consolidation is appropriate and provide additional disclosures. The guidance is effective for the Company's 2011 fiscal year. The Company is assessing the potential effect of this guidance will have on its financial statements.

        In January 2010, the FASB issued guidance that revised two disclosure requirements concerning fair value measurements and clarifies two others. It requires separate presentation of significant transfers into and out of Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy and disclosure of the reasons for such transfers. It will also require the presentation of purchases, sales, issuances and settlements within Level 3 on a gross basis rather than a net basis. The guidance also clarifies that disclosures should be disaggregated by class of asset or liability and that disclosures about inputs and valuation techniques should be provided for both recurring and non-recurring fair value measurements. These new disclosure requirements will become effective for the Company's financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2011, except for the requirement concerning gross presentation of Level 3 activity, which will become effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. Since this guidance is only related to financial statement disclosures, there will be no impact to the Company's financial results as a result of the adoption of this guidance.

Note 4. Related Party Transactions

        The Company entered into a management agreement with The Carlyle Group to provide certain financial, strategic advisory and consultancy services. Under this management agreement, the Company is obligated to pay The Carlyle Group, or a designee thereof, an annual management fee of $1,000 plus fees and expenses associated with company-related meetings. The Company incurred expense of approximately $1,202, $1,008 and $1,070 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively, related to this management agreement. These amounts were paid to The Carlyle Group during the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

        The Company leases several office and warehouse facilities under operating lease agreements from entities controlled by the Company's CEO. Rent expense on these facilities was approximately $1,688, $1,689 and $1,709 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively (see Note 14).

        On June 30, 2008, the Company's CEO purchased $50,000 of the total debt outstanding. For the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, total interest paid to the minority stockholder related to the debt was approximately $647, $1,635 and $1,222, respectively.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 5. Property and Equipment, net

        Property and equipment, net, consist of the following:

 
  2009   2010  

Leasehold improvements

  $ 9,516   $ 9,775  

Machinery and equipment

    9,148     11,403  

Vehicles

    695     713  

Computer and software

    7,528     9,485  

Furniture and fixtures

    2,782     2,453  

Construction in progress

    175      
           

    29,844     33,829  

Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization

    (9,283 )   (13,656 )
           
 

Property and equipment, net

  $ 20,561   $ 20,173  
           

        At September 30, 2009 and 2010, property and equipment included assets of approximately $3,927 and $5,196, respectively, acquired under capital lease arrangements. Accumulated amortization of assets acquired under capital leases was approximately $1,080 and $2,237 as of September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

        Depreciation and amortization expense for property and equipment was approximately $4,455, $4,302 and $4,702 during the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively (including amortization expense of approximately $1,337, $2,158 and $1,157 on assets acquired under capital leases for 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively).

Note 6. Intangible Assets, net

        As of September 30, 2009 and 2010, the gross amounts and accumulated amortization of intangible assets is as follows:

 
  2009   2010  
 
  Gross
Amount
  Accumulated
Amortization
  Gross
Amount
  Accumulated
Amortization
 

Customer relationships (12 to 20 year life)

  $ 65,962   $ (9,599 ) $ 64,560   $ (12,832 )

Trademarks (5 years to indefinite life)

    39,332     (1,500 )   39,332     (1,500 )

Backlog (2 year life)

    1,150     (719 )   1,150     (1,150 )

Non-compete agreements (4 year life)

    1,000     (312 )   1,000     (562 )
                   
 

Total intangible assets

  $ 107,444   $ (12,130 ) $ 106,042   $ (16,044 )
                   

F-16


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 6. Intangible Assets, net (Continued)

        Estimated future amortization expense at September 30, 2010 is as follows:

2011

  $ 3,763  

2012

    3,701  

2013

    3,513  

2014

    3,513  

2015

    3,513  

Thereafter

    35,285  
       

  $ 53,288  
       

        In addition to its amortizing intangibles, the Company assigned an indefinite life to the Wesco Aircraft trademark. As of September 30, 2010, the trademark had a carrying value of $37,832. Amortization expense included in the accompanying statements of operations for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was $3,391, $5,763 and $4,119, respectively.

Note 7. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

        Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following:

 
  2009   2010  

Accrued compensation and related expenses

  $ 4,610   $ 8,392  

Accrual for commissions

    933     956  

Accrued professional fees

    626     778  

Fair value of the interest rate swap

    4,102     6,660  

Unearned revenue

    867     633  

Accrued customer rebates

    1,631     2,146  

Accrued taxes (property, sales and use)

    582     954  

Accrued interest

    216     76  

Other accruals

    632     293  
           
 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

  $ 14,199   $ 20,888  
           

Note 8. Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company entered into an interest rate swap arrangement in order to manage its net exposure to interest rate changes on the Company's long-term debt. Interest rate swap contracts involve the exchange of floating rate interest payment obligations for fixed interest rate payments without the exchange of the underlying principal amounts. The Company accounts for this arrangement pursuant to the provisions of ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging . ASC 815 establishes accounting and reporting standards requiring that every derivative instrument be recorded in the balance sheet as either an asset or liability measured at fair value and that any changes in fair value be recognized currently in earnings unless specific hedge accounting criteria are met. The Company's interest rate swap arrangement is not designated as a hedge pursuant to ASC 815 and, accordingly, the Company reflects the change in fair value of the interest rate swap in the consolidated statements of operations as part of interest expense.

F-17


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 8. Derivative Financial Instruments (Continued)

        These arrangements also contain an element of risk in that the counterparties may be unable to meet the terms of such arrangements. In the event the parties required to deliver commitments are unable to fulfill their obligations, the Company could potentially incur significant additional costs by replacing the positions at then current market rates. The Company manages its risk of exposure by limiting counterparties to those banks and institutions deemed appropriate by management. The Company considers its own risk of non-performance to be limited. Upon the maturity of its previous interest rate swaps, the Company entered into two interest rate swaps arrangements, which expire in February and June 2012. Each interest rate swap converts the interest rate on approximately $200,000 (notional amount) of its outstanding debt from variable rates to a fixed interest rate. The swap agreements have fixed the LIBOR component of the term debt to interest rates of 1.77% and 1.96%.

        The following table includes the notional amounts and fair value of derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010:

 
  September 30, 2009   September 30, 2010  
 
  Notional
Amount
  Fair Value   Notional
Amount
  Fair Value  

Swap contracts

  $ 400,000   $ (4,102 ) $ 400,000   $ (6,660 )

        During the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company recorded losses in the amount of $0, $4,102 and $2,558, respectively, as a result of changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments. These losses are recorded as a component of interest expense.

Note 9. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

        Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. To determine fair value, the Company primarily utilizes reported market transactions and discounted cash flow analyses. On October 1, 2008, the Company adopted the FASB's new fair value model that establishes a fair value hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques into three broad levels whereby the highest priority is given to Level 1 inputs and the lowest to Level 3 inputs. The three broad categories are:

Level 1:   Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2:

 

Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3:

 

Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

        The Company makes use of observable market-based inputs to calculate fair value, in which case the measurements are classified within Level 2. If quoted or observable market prices are not available,

F-18


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 9. Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Continued)


fair value is based upon internally developed models that use, where possible, current market-based parameters such as interest rates, yield curves and currency rates. These measurements are classified within Level 3.

        Fair value measurements are classified according to the lowest level input or value-driver that is significant to the valuation. A measurement may therefore be classified within Level 3 even though there may be significant inputs that are readily observable.

        The guidance on fair value measurements expanded the definition of fair value to include the consideration of nonperformance risk. Nonperformance risk refers to the risk that an obligation (either by a counterparty or us) will not be fulfilled. For financial assets traded in an active market (Level 1), the nonperformance risk is included in the market price. For certain other financial assets and liabilities (Level 2 and 3), the Company's fair value calculations have been adjusted accordingly.

        Where available, the Company utilizes quoted market prices or observable inputs rather than unobservable inputs to determine fair value.

        The valuation techniques used and key assumptions made to estimate the fair value of financial instruments measured at fair value are:

Derivative Financial Instruments

        Exchange-traded derivative financial instruments are valued based on quoted market prices and classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. Derivative financial instruments that are traded on an index are valued based on direct or indirect prices and classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy. If quoted market prices or other observable inputs are not available, fair value is based on unobservable inputs and classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

        The following tables set forth assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2009 and 2010, categorized by input level within the fair value hierarchy:

 
  Fair Value Measurements Using  
 
  Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
  Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

September 30, 2009

                   

Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis

                   
 

Derivative financial instruments

      $ (4,102 )    

 

 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

September 30, 2010

                   

Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis

                   
 

Derivative financial instruments

      $ (6,660 )    

F-19


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 9. Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Continued)

        The fair value of our derivative financial instruments was estimated using the net present value of a series of cash flows on both the cap and floor components of the interest rate collars. These cash flows were based on yield curves that take into account the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity and market-based parameters such as interest rates and volatility. The Company incorporates nonperformance risk by adjusting the present value of each liability position utilizing an estimation of its credit risk.

Note 10. Long-Term Debt

        Long-term debt consists of the following at:

 
  September 30,  
 
  2009   2010  

$550,000 term loan, bearing interest based on Alternate Base Rate ("ABR") (defined as Prime Rate plus the applicable margin rate of 1.25%) or Eurodollar (defined as London Inter-Bank Offer Rate ("LIBOR") rates plus the applicable margin rate of 2.25%), at the option of the Company. The term loan is payable quarterly equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of $550,000 with the final payment due on September 29, 2013. Interest rate was 2.51% at September 30, 2010. 

  $ 537,625   $ 477,243  

$150,000 term loan, bearing interest based on ABR (defined as Prime Rate plus the applicable margin rate of 4.75%) or Eurodollar rate (defined as LIBOR rates plus an applicable margin rate of 5.75%), at the option of the Company. The entire balance is due on March 28, 2014. Interest rate was 6.01% at September 30, 2010. 

   
150,000
   
143,000
 
           

    687,625     620,243  

Less: current portion

    (5,528 )    
           
 

Long-term debt

  $ 682,097   $ 620,243  
           

        Aggregate maturities of long-term debt as of September 30, 2010 are as follows:

Years Ended September 30,

       

2011

  $  

2012

     

2013

    477,243  

2014

    143,000  
       

  $ 620,243  
       

        During year ended September 30, 2010, the Company made prepayments totaling approximately $61,854, exclusive of contractually scheduled payments, on its $550,000 and $150,000 term loans. In accordance with the loan agreement, $61,854 was applied to the Company's regular quarterly payments of $1,382 in 2011, 2012 and 2013, with the excess applied to the Company's balloon payment. As of September 30, 2010, the Company had prepaid all required quarterly payments.

F-20


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 10. Long-Term Debt (Continued)

        As part of the loan agreement, the Company had a $75,000 revolving line of credit that expires on September 28, 2012. The applicable margin for the revolving facility is determined based on the ratio of the Company's EBITDA, as defined in the loan agreement, for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters and ranges between 0.75% and 1.50% for the ABR Loans and range between 1.75% and 2.50% for the Eurodollar Loans. There was no outstanding borrowing under this line of credit as of September 30, 2010 or at any point during fiscal year 2010. Annual commitment fees for this line of credit approximate $281.

        In October 2008, the administrative and collateral agent under the Company's revolving line of credit, Lehman Commercial Paper Inc. ("LCPI"), filed for bankruptcy. LCPI is a lender under the Company's revolving credit facility with a commitment of approximately $20,000. As a result of LCPI's actions, the Company's availability to access these funds is at risk. The Company does not expect that LCPI's potential inability to fund this commitment would have a material adverse impact on its liquidity.

        The Company's subsidiary, Wesco Aircraft Europe Limited, has available a £10,000 ($15,800 based on the September 30, 2010 exchange rate) line of credit that automatically renews annually on October 1. The line of credit bears interest based on the base rate plus an applicable margin of 1.15%. The net outstanding borrowing under this line of credit was £511 ($813) and zero as of September 30, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

        Under the terms and definitions of the credit agreements, the Company is required to maintain a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio not to exceed 4.5, an EBITDA-to-net interest expense ratio greater than 2.25, and capital expenditures not to exceed $10,000 per year. The credit agreement also restricts the Company from incurring certain additional indebtedness, payment of dividends and sale of substantial assets, and limits certain investments. The Company was in compliance with these covenants at September 30, 2010.

        Borrowings under these credit facilities are collateralized by all of the assets of the Company.

Note 11. Income Taxes

        Income before provision for income taxes for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 included the following:

 
  2008   2009   2010  

U.S. income

  $ 88,978   $ 81,446   $ 108,846  

Foreign income

    13,875     14,863     8,741  
               
 

Total

  $ 102,853   $ 96,309   $ 117,587  
               

F-21


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 11. Income Taxes (Continued)

        The components of the Company's income tax provision for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 are as follows:

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Current provision

                   

Federal

  $ 27,262   $ 12,228   $ 28,692  

State and local

    5,440     4,808     4,724  

Foreign

    7,700     6,789     3,755  
               
   

Subtotal

    40,402     23,825     37,171  
               

Deferred provision (benefit)

                   

Federal

    3,177     12,313     5,415  

State and local

    670     1,776     1,336  

Foreign

    2     (52 )   (9 )
               
   

Subtotal

    3,849     14,037     6,742  
               
 

Provision for income taxes

  $ 44,251   $ 37,862   $ 43,913  
               

        Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes.

        The Company's deferred income tax assets consist of the following at September 30, 2009 and 2010:

 
  2009   2010  

Deferred tax assets

             

Inventories

  $ 9,759   $ 17,701  

Reserves and other accruals

    3,876     4,654  

Compensation accruals

    9,923     10,783  
           
 

Total deferred tax assets

    23,558     33,138  

Deferred tax liabilities, net

             

Property and equipment

    (2,704 )   (3,442 )

Goodwill and intangible assets

    (9,637 )   (26,230 )

Stock options

    4,460     5,219  

Deferred financing costs

    276     526  
           
 

Total deferred tax liabilities, net

    (7,605 )   (23,927 )
           
 

Net deferred tax assets

  $ 15,953   $ 9,211  
           

F-22


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 11. Income Taxes (Continued)

        The following deferred tax balances are included in the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2009 and 2010:

 
  2009   2010  

Current deferred tax assets

  $ 23,558   $ 33,138  

Non-current deferred tax liabilities

    (7,605 )   (23,927 )
           
 

Net deferred tax assets

  $ 15,953   $ 9,211  
           

        The Company believes its net deferred tax assets are more likely than not to be realized based on historical and projected taxable income levels.

        The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various state jurisdictions, and various non-U.S. jurisdictions. The earliest tax year still subject to examination by a significant taxing jurisdiction is September 30, 2006.

        The undistributed earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries, which amount to $29,384, are considered to be indefinitely reinvested. Accordingly, no provision for federal or state and local taxes or foreign withholding taxes has been provided on such undistributed earnings.

        The Company adopted the provision of Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes during the year ended September 30, 2008. As a result of adoption, the Company did not identify any material positions that would not meet the more likely than not recognition threshold. As of September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010, there are no uncertain tax positions.

        A reconciliation of the Company's provision for income taxes from applying the domestic federal statutory tax rate of 35% to actual income tax expense is as follows for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010:

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Provision for income taxes using the domestic federal statutory rate

  $ 36,043     35.00 % $ 33,543     35.00 % $ 41,155     35.00 %

State taxes, net of tax benefit

    3,972     3.90     4,279     4.47     3,989     3.39  

Nondeductible items

    1,218     1.20     1,365     1.42     1,309     1.11  

Other

    3,563     3.50     26     0.03     (704 )   (0.60 )

Foreign income tax not taxed at the Federal rate

    1,455     1.40     1,405     1.47     572     0.45  

Foreign tax credit

    (2,000 )   (1.90 )   (2,756 )   (2.88 )   (2,408 )   (2.05 )
                           

Actual provision for income taxes

  $ 44,251     43.10 % $ 37,862     39.51 % $ 43,913     37.30 %
                           

Note 12. Stockholders' Equity

        The various classes of stock differ primarily with respect to the voting and conversion rights. Only common stock—Class A shares have voting rights. Class B convertible redeemable common stock automatically converts to Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis immediately prior to a merger or consolidation of the Company in which the holders of the Class A common stock cease to hold

F-23


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 12. Stockholders' Equity (Continued)


more than 50% of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction or upon the sale of substantially all the assets of the Company.

Note 13. Stock-Based and Other Compensation Arrangements

        The Company's Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") provides for the issuance of stock options, restricted stock awards, and restricted stock units to certain employees, directors, and consultants to purchase shares of the Company's Class B convertible redeemable common stock. These awards are subject to call rights by the Company upon the occurrence of certain events, including employee separation. Awards that are called by the Company are valued at fair market value, as determined by the Company's Board of Directors. The aggregate number of shares that can be issued under this plan is 1,700,000 shares.

        Additionally, the Company adopted a Stock Purchase Plan that provides an opportunity for key employees, directors and consultants to purchase shares of Class B convertible redeemable common stock. The aggregate number of shares that can be issued under this plan is 150,000 shares. Shares purchased under the plan are purchased at fair value on the date of purchase. As of September 30, 2010, 33,827 shares have been issued.

Stock Options

        The Company's stock options typically vest over 5 years on the basis of continuous employment and financial performance of the Company, as further defined below. Of the total options granted, 25% are time-based options and 75% represent performance-based options. Vested shares are exercisable at any time until the earlier of a change in control or approximately 10 years from the date of the option grant. Certain vesting restrictions may apply in the year of change of control. The stock options granted had an exercise price equal to the estimated fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date.

Continuous Employment Conditions

        At September 30, 2010, the Company has outstanding 212,158 time-based stock options under the Plan, which will vest on the basis of continuous employment with the Company. Most of the time-based options vest in 20% increments over a period of 5 years. In case of a liquidity event, all the time-vesting options shall become fully vested and exercisable prior to the effective date of the first liquidity event. A liquidity event includes a sale, transfer or disposition of the equity securities of the Company held by all of the principal stockholders such that following such a transaction the total number of equity shares held by all of the principal stockholders is less than 30% of the total number of shares held at the effective date of acquisition of the Company, or a sale, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the assets of the Company.

Performance Conditions

        At September 30, 2010, the Company had outstanding 628,209 performance-based stock options (the "performance options") under the Plan to employees and directors. Most performance options vest in 20% increments over 5 years and become exercisable on the last day of each fiscal year, or

F-24


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 13. Stock-Based and Other Compensation Arrangements (Continued)


within 120 days after, if the following conditions are met: (i) if Bonus EBITDA for the applicable year equals or exceeds the financial results target for the applicable year, then 10% of the performance options shall become vested and exercisable; and (ii) if Bonus Cash Flow for the applicable year equals or exceeds the Bonus Cash Flow target for the applicable year, then the remaining 10% of the performance options shall become vested and exercisable.

        If the Bonus EBITDA for the applicable year is less than the target set for the year but at least 90% of the Bonus EBITDA target through the end of such applicable year, then that portion of the performance options shall become exercisable on the last day of the fiscal year following the missed target year (the "Bonus EBITDA cumulative catch up year") or within 120 days thereafter if: (i) Bonus EBITDA equals or exceeds the Bonus EBITDA target for the cumulative catch up year and (ii) the cumulative Bonus EBITDA equals or exceeds the cumulative Bonus EBITDA target for the cumulative catch up year.

        If the Bonus Cash Flow for the applicable year is less than the Bonus Cash Flow target for the year but at least 90% of the Bonus Cash Flow target through the end of such applicable year, then that portion of the performance options shall become exercisable on the last day of the fiscal year following the Bonus Cash Flow missed year (the "Bonus Cash Flow cumulative catch up year") or within 120 days thereafter if: (i) Bonus Cash Flow equals or exceeds the Bonus Cash Flow target for the Bonus Cash Flow cumulative catch up year and (ii) the cumulative Bonus Cash Flow equals or exceeds the cumulative Cash Flow target for the Bonus Cash Flow cumulative catch up year.

        In case of a liquidity event, the following shall automatically become vested and exercisable in full prior to the effective date of such liquidity event: performance options that have not yet, as of such liquidity event, become eligible for yearly performance-based vesting, if and only if the cumulative Bonus EBITDA and the cumulative Bonus Cash Flow for the fiscal year in which liquidity event occurs equals or exceeds the cumulative Bonus EBITDA target and cumulative Bonus Cash Flow target for the fiscal year in which such liquidity event occurs.

        The Board of Directors of the Company has the sole discretion to accelerate the vesting of any portion of the time or performance-based options, which otherwise does not vest pursuant to the Plan provisions.

        During the year ended September 30, 2009, the Company's Bonus Cash Flows did not meet the performance condition targets necessary to entitle such awards to vest. The Bonus cash flow performance target was not waived by the Board of Directors which precluded the remaining performance based options to vest during fiscal year 2009. These unvested awards are subject to cumulative catch up provisions that will enable such awards to vest if the Company's cash flows during fiscal years 2010 and 2011 meet defined thresholds. The Company has determined that it is probable that this performance condition will be achieved and has not reduced the compensation expense recorded in the current year even though the vesting requirement was not met. During fiscal year 2010 the Company was deemed to have met the cumulative catch up provisions, which allowed such awards to vest.

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Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 13. Stock-Based and Other Compensation Arrangements (Continued)

        During the year ended September 30, 2010, the Company did not meet the 2010 EBITDA target that was established for performance option vesting; however, the compensation committee determined that the failure to achieve the EBITDA target did not result from a lack of performance but rather from a change in overall market conditions that were beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, the compensation committee allowed the EBITDA portion of the 2010 performance options to vest, effective as of September 30, 2010. The Company determined that this change constituted a stock option modification; however, since the awards were probable of vesting prior to the modification and did not affect any other terms of the awards other than accelerating vesting, no additional compensation expense was incurred.

        The following table sets forth the summary of options activity under the plan for:

 
  Outstanding Options  
 
  Number of
Shares
  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life
(in years)
  Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value(1)
 

September 30, 2008

    904,523   $ 37.52     8.1   $ 7,756,985  
                   

Granted

    65,574   $ 64.96              

Exercised

    (437 )   37.12              

Forfeited options

    (116,386 )   37.20              
                       

September 30, 2009

    853,274   $ 39.77     7.3   $ 3,665,100  
                   

Granted

    7,557   $ 56.64              

Forfeited options

    (20,464 )   43.92              
                       

September 30, 2010

    840,367   $ 39.41     6.3   $ 13,229,671  
                   

(1)
Aggregate intrinsic value is calculated on the difference between our closing stock price at year end and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in-the-money options and represents the pre-tax amount that would have been received by the option holders, had they all exercised all their options on the fiscal year end date.

        For the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company recorded $5,795 and $2,404 and $2,310, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to these options that is included within selling, general and administrative expenses. At September 30, 2010, the unrecognized stock-based compensation related to these options was approximately $1,182 and is expected to be recognized through September 30, 2014.

Restricted Stock Awards and Units

        During the year ending September 30, 2006, the Company issued, 57,845 Restricted Stock Awards ("RSAs") with a total fair value of $2,147 that were granted to certain key employees. RSAs represent a share of Class B convertible redeemable common stock. At September 30, 2007, these RSAs were fully vested.

F-26


Table of Contents


Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 13. Stock-Based and Other Compensation Arrangements (Continued)

        Concurrent with Carlyle's acquisition of Wesco, 622,704 Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") with a total fair value of $23,115 were granted to certain employees. RSUs represent the right to receive a share of restricted Class B convertible redeemable common stock. RSUs are subject to a 3-year continuous employment vesting starting September 30, 2006 through September 30, 2009. All 622,704 RSUs vested on September 30, 2009. During the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company recorded $7,705, $7,705 and $0, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to the vested portion of these RSUs. As of September 30, 2010, the shares of common stock underlying the RSUs have not been issued to the employees; such shares will be issued on the earlier of September 28, 2012 or the occurrence of a change in control. Accordingly, the underlying 622,704 shares of common stock have not been included in the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity and Comprehensive Income or Consolidated Balance Sheets as issued and outstanding. Such shares have been included in the basic weighted average shares outstanding as of September 30, 2009 based on their vesting.

        During the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Company granted 4,312, 4,312 and 3,532, respectively, of Class B convertible redeemable shares to its directors and recorded stock-based compensation expense of approximately $200, $280 and $200 respectively. The RSAs and RSUs do not contain any redemption provisions that are not within the Company's control. Accordingly, these equity awards have been classified within stockholders' equity.

Stock-Based Compensation

        The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718. The Company currently uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of the stock options. The determination of the fair value of stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model is affected by the Company's stock price as well as assumptions regarding complex and subjective variables. These variables include the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, risk-free interest rate and expected dividends.

        The Company estimated expected volatility based on historical data of comparable public companies. The expected term, which represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding, is estimated based on guidelines provided in SAB No. 110 and represents the average of the vesting tranches and contractual terms. The risk-free rate assumed in valuing the options is based on the U.S. Treasury rate in effect at the time of grant for the expected term of the option. The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future and, therefore, used an expected dividend yield of zero in the option pricing model. Compensation expense is recognized only for those options expected to vest with forfeitures estimated based on the Company's historical experience and future expectations. Stock-based compensation awards are amortized on a graded vesting method over the requisite service periods of the awards, which are generally the vesting periods.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 13. Stock-Based and Other Compensation Arrangements (Continued)

        The weighted average assumptions used to value the option grants are as follows:

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Expected life (in years)

    6.48     5.83     6.46  

Volatility

    50.81 %   52.65 %   50.17 %

Risk free interest rate

    3.51 %   2.04 %   3.17 %

Dividend yield

             

        The weighted average fair value per option at the grant date for options issued during fiscal 2008, 2009 and 2010 was $22.45, $15.97 and $13.37, respectively.

Note 14. Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Leases

        The Company leases office and warehouse facilities (certain of which are from related parties), and warehouse equipment under various non-cancelable operating leases that expire at various dates through December 31, 2020. Certain leases contain escalation clauses based on the Consumer Price Index. The Company is also committed under the terms of certain of these operating lease agreements to pay property taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance costs.

        Future minimum rental payments as of September 30, 2010 are as follows:

 
  Third
Party
  Related
Party
  Total  

Year Ending September 30,

                   

2011

  $ 1,920   $ 1,709   $ 3,629  

2012

    1,630     1,709     3,339  

2013

    1,266     1,709     2,975  

2014

    664     1,709     2,373  

2015

    313     1,709     2,022  

Thereafter

    14     7,152     7,166  
               

  $ 5,807   $ 15,697   $ 21,504  
               

        Total rent expense for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was $3,201, $3,891 and $3,863, respectively.

Capital Lease Commitments

        The Company leases certain equipment under capital lease agreements that require minimum monthly payments that expire at various dates through November 2012.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 14. Commitments and Contingencies (Continued)

        Future minimum lease payments as of September 30, 2010 are as follows:

2011

  $ 1,577  

2012

    1,401  

2013

    275  

2014

    79  

2015

    20  
       

    3,352  

Less: interest

    (209 )
       
 

Total

  $ 3,143  
       

Purchase Orders

        As of September 30, 2010, the Company has open inventory purchase orders in the amount of $196,371.

Litigation

        The Company is involved in various legal matters that arise in the normal course of its business. Management, after consulting with outside legal counsel, believes that the ultimate outcome of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. There can be no assurance, however, that such actions will not be material or adversely affect the Company's business, financial position, and results of operations or cash flows.

Note 15. Employee Benefit Plan

        The Company maintains a 401(k) defined contribution plan and a retirement saving plan for the benefit of its eligible employees. All full-time employees who have completed at least six months of service and are at least 21 years of age are eligible to participate in the plans. Eligible employees may elect to contribute up to 60% of their eligible compensation. Contributions by the Company were $637, $687 and $725 during the years ending September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 16. Supplemental Cash Flow Information

 
  2008   2009   2010  

Cash payments for:

                   

Interest paid

  $ 43,359   $ 28,371   $ 23,350  
               

Income taxes paid

  $ 43,469   $ 22,028   $ 38,335  
               

Schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:

                   

Property and equipment acquired pursuant to capital leases

  $ 310   $ 3,624   $ 1,270  
               

Property and equipment disposed of pursuant to termination of capital leases

  $   $ (1,266 ) $  
               

Liabilities assumed in connection with acquisition

  $ 9,513   $   $  
               

Note 17. Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)

        Summarized unaudited quarterly financial data for quarters ended December 31, 2008 through September 30, 2010 is as follows:

Quarter Ended:
  December 31, 2008   March 31, 2009   June 30, 2009   September 30, 2009  

Net sales

  $ 153,386   $ 157,906   $ 150,715   $ 150,680  

Gross profit

    62,696     64,955     56,878     53,758  

Income from operations

    35,811     37,928     32,799     27,854  

Net income

    15,237     18,365     13,624     11,221  

Basic net income per share(1)

  $ 1.61   $ 1.95   $ 1.44   $ 1.19  

Diluted net income per share(1)

  $ 1.54   $ 1.85   $ 1.37   $ 1.12  

 

Quarter Ended:
  December 31, 2009   March 31, 2010   June 30, 2010   September 30, 2010  

Net sales

  $ 146,806   $ 164,105   $ 171,116   $ 174,009  

Gross profit

    54,643     63,197     68,240     68,150  

Income from operations

    29,885     38,629     43,272     42,529  

Net income

    14,071     18,114     21,457     20,032  

Basic net income per share(1)

  $ 1.40   $ 1.80   $ 2.13   $ 1.99  

Diluted net income per share(1)

  $ 1.40   $ 1.80   $ 2.13   $ 1.95  

(1)
Net income per share calculations for each quarter are based on the weighted average diluted shares outstanding for that quarter and may not total to the full year amount.

Note 18. Segment Reporting

        The Company is organized based on geographical location. The Company's reportable segments are comprised of North America and the Rest of the World.

        The Company evaluates segment performance based on segment operating earnings or loss. Each segment reports its results of operations and makes requests for capital expenditures and acquisition funding to the Company's chief operating decision-maker ("CODM"). The Company's Chief Executive

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 18. Segment Reporting (Continued)


Officer ("CEO") serves as CODM. Each operating segment has separate management teams and infrastructures dedicated to providing a full range of products and services to their customers.

        The following table presents net sales and other financial information by business segment:

 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2008  
 
  North
America
  Rest of the
World
  Intercompany
Elimination
  Consolidated  

Net sales

  $ 551,135   $ 112,623   $ (59,415 ) $ 604,343  

Gross profit

    221,898     42,143     (7,433 )   256,608  

Income from operations

    137,091     15,429     (1,670 )   150,850  

Interest expense, net

    (48,118 )   (625 )   (— )   (48,743 )

Provision for income taxes

    39,273     4,978         44,251  

Total assets

    1,106,850     87,963     (21,193 )   1,173,620  

Goodwill

    498,200     7,866         506,066  

Capital expenditures

    5,785     984         6,769  

Depreciation and amortization

    6,284     1,562         7,846  

 

 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2009  
 
  North
America
  Rest of
the World
  Intercompany
Elimination
  Consolidated  

Net sales

  $ 557,874   $ 102,796   $ (47,983 ) $ 612,687  

Gross profit

    204,296     39,733     (5,742 )   238,287  

Income from operations

    118,289     15,762     341     134,392  

Interest expense, net

    (37,328 )   (379 )   (— )   (37,707 )

Provision for income taxes

    33,179     4,683         37,862  

Total assets

    1,178,558     92,645     (16,391 )   1,254,812  

Goodwill

    498,199     7,867         506,066  

Capital expenditures

    3,701     434         4,135  

Depreciation and amortization

    8,948     1,117         10,065  

 

 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010  
 
  North
America
  Rest of
the World
  Intercompany
Elimination
  Consolidated  

Net sales

  $ 603,809   $ 95,342   $ (43,115 ) $ 656,036  

Gross profit

    226,497     34,167     (6,434 )   254,230  

Income from operations

    144,823     10,002     (510 )   154,315  

Interest expense, net

    (35,505 )   (765 )   (— )   (36,270 )

Provision for income taxes

    41,314     2,599         43,913  

Total assets

    1,225,195     97,624     (43,807 )   1,279,012  

Goodwill

    498,199     6,642         504,841  

Capital expenditures

    2,867     210         3,077  

Depreciation and amortization

    7,861     960         8,821  

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 18. Segment Reporting (Continued)

Geographic Information

        The Company operated principally in three geographic areas, North America, Europe and emerging markets, such as Asia, Pacific Rim and the Middle East.

        Net sales by geographic area, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were as follows:

 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30,  
 
  2008   2009   2010  
 
  Sales   % of
Sales
  Sales   % of
Sales
  Sales   % of
Sales
 

North America

  $ 499,873     82.7 % $ 519,840     84.8 % $ 569,099     86.7 %

Europe

    103,435     17.1     92,211     15.1     86,376     13.2  

Asia, Pacific Rim, Middle East and other

    1,035     0.2     636     0.1     561     0.1  
                           

  $ 604,343     100.0 % $ 612,687     100.0 % $ 656,036     100.0 %
                           

        The Company determines the geographic area based on where the sale was originated from. Export sales from North America to customers in foreign countries amounted to $93, $103 and $84 for the years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

        Long-lived assets by geographic area, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were as follows:

 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30,  
 
  2008   2009   2010  

North America

  $ 15,900   $ 18,315   $ 18,338  

Europe

    2,800     2,246     1,835  

Asia, Pacific Rim, Middle East and other

             
               

  $ 18,700   $ 20,561   $ 20,173  
               

Note 19. Subsequent Events (unaudited)

        The Company has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through June 27, 2011, which is the date the financial statements were available to be issued.

        During January 2011, the Company's CEO sold $44,384 of the Company's total outstanding debt. Subsequent to the sale, the Company's CEO has no ownership interest in the Company's debt.

        On April 7, 2011, the Company completed a refinancing of its existing debt facilities for the purpose of extending the maturity dates under the term loans, increasing its borrowing capacity under the revolver and paying related fees and expenses. The Company did not increase their outstanding indebtedness as a result of the refinancing. The new senior secured credit facilities consist of a (i) $150,000 revolving credit facility, (ii) $265,000 term loan A facility and (iii) $350,000 in term loan B facility.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

Note 19. Subsequent Events (unaudited) (Continued)

        Borrowings under the new revolving facility and new term loan A bear interest at the Eurocurrency rate plus the applicable margin or the ABR plus the applicable margin. Borrowings under the new term loan B facility bear interest at a rate equal to (A) the greater of (x) the Eurocurrency rate and (y) 1.25% or (B) the greater of (x) the ABR and (y) 1.25% plus, in each case, the applicable margin.

        The new revolving facility and new term loan A facility each mature on April 7, 2016 and the new term loan B facility matures on April 7, 2017. The new senior secured credit facilities require maintenance of a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio and an EBITDA-to-net cash interest expense ratio.

        As a result of the refinancing, the Company will be recording a loss on extinguishment of debt in the amount of $7,129, consisting of write-offs of unamortized debt issuance costs and third party fees of $6,542 and $587, respectively. The loss on extinguishment will be recorded as a component of interest expense, net in the consolidated statement of income during the nine months ended June 30, 2011. Additionally, $1,864 of unamortized debt issuance costs will remain capitalized and new creditor fees associated with the April 7, 2011 refinancing in the amount of $12,546 will be capitalized. These fees will be amortized over the term of the debt using the effective interest rate method.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

 
  September 30,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 

Assets

             

Current assets

             
 

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 39,463   $ 45,670  
 

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $6,236 at September 30, 2010 and $3,977 at March 31, 2011

    89,427     104,626  
 

Inventories

    483,442     485,935  
 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    6,581     9,521  
 

Deferred income taxes

    33,138     30,810  
           
   

Total current assets

    652,051     676,562  

Property and equipment, net

   
20,173
   
21,723
 

Deferred financing costs, net

    10,329     8,404  

Goodwill

    504,841     504,935  

Intangible assets, net

    89,998     88,235  

Other assets

    1,620     427  
           
   

Total assets

  $ 1,279,012   $ 1,300,286  
           

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

             

Current liabilities

             
 

Accounts payable

  $ 59,183   $ 54,734  
 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    20,888     17,532  
 

Income taxes payable

    5,500     1,539  
 

Capital lease obligations—current portion

    1,354     2,078  
           
   

Total current liabilities

    86,925     75,883  

Long-term debt

   
620,243
   
606,243
 

Capital lease obligations

    1,789     1,725  

Deferred income taxes

    23,927     25,845  

Other liabilities

    389      
           
   

Total liabilities

    733,273     709,696  

Commitments and contingencies

             

Stockholders' equity

             
 

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share: 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding

         
 

Common stock, class A, $0.001 par value per share: 19,000,000 shares authorized; 9,319,450 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011

    9     9  
 

Class B convertible redeemable common stock, $0.001 par value per share: 2,000,000 shares authorized; 121,083 and 126,039 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011, respectively

    1     1  
 

Additional paid-in captial

    329,256     330,166  
 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (7,288 )   (6,955 )
 

Retained earnings

    223,761     267,369  
           
   

Total stockholders' equity

    545,739     590,590  
           
   

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 1,279,012   $ 1,300,286  
           

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

 
  Six Months Ended  
 
  March 31,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 

Net sales

  $ 310,911   $ 349,543  

Cost of sales

    193,072     215,418  
           
   

Gross profit

    117,839     134,125  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    49,325     49,881  
           
   

Income from operations

    68,514     84,244  

Interest expense, net

    (18,214 )   (12,586 )

Other income (expense), net

    1,056     (177 )
           
   

Income before provision for income taxes

    51,356     71,481  

Provision for income taxes

    19,171     27,873  
           
     

Net income

  $ 32,185   $ 43,608  
           

Net income per share:

             
 

Basic

  $ 3.20   $ 4.33  
           
 

Diluted

  $ 3.20   $ 4.24  
           

Weighted average shares outstanding:

             
 

Basic

    10,063,237     10,065,678  
 

Diluted

    10,063,473     10,292,912  

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

 
  Six Months Ended  
 
  March 31,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 

Cash flows from operating activities

             

Net income

  $ 32,185   $ 43,608  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities

             
 

Amortization of intangible assets

    2,136     1,848  
 

Depreciation

    2,325     2,781  
 

Amortization of deferred financing costs

    1,852     1,925  
 

Bad debt and sales returns reserve

    562     (40 )
 

Non-cash foreign currency exchange

    (634 )   14  
 

Non-cash stock-based compensation

    1,281     910  
 

Change in fair value of derivative

    1,738     (2,887 )
 

Deferred income tax provision

    2,930     4,249  
 

Changes in assets and liabilities

             
   

Accounts receivable

    30     (14,803 )
   

Income taxes receivable

    (14 )   (1,671 )
   

Inventories

    350     (2,597 )
   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    2,355     (166 )
   

Accounts payable

    (18,917 )   (4,728 )
   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    1,033     (924 )
   

Income taxes payable

    1,905     (3,862 )
           
     

Net cash provided by operating activities

    31,117     23,657  
           

Cash flows from investing activities

             

Purchases of property and equipment

    (1,325 )   (2,761 )
           
     

Net cash used in investing activities

    (1,325 )   (2,761 )
           

Cash flows from financing activities

             

Net repayments under line of credit

    (816 )    

Repayments of long-term debt

    (15,382 )   (14,000 )

Repayment of capital lease obligations

    (273 )   (875 )
           
     

Net cash used in financing activities

    (16,471 )   (14,875 )
           

Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

    (671 )   186  
           
     

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

    12,650     6,207  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

    11,406     39,463  
           

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

  $ 24,056   $ 45,670  
           

See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 1. Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

        The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (referred to herein as the "Company" or in the first person notations "we," "us" and "our") and its wholly owned subsidiaries prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. The financial statements presented herein have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm, but include all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for fair statement of the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the period. However, these results are not necessarily indicative of results for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions for the reporting periods covered by the financial statements. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent liabilities. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.

        Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements in accordance with GAAP have been omitted pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this offering.

Note 2. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

        Changes to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") in the form of Accounting Standards Updates ("ASUs") to the FASB's Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC").

        The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

        In October 2009, the FASB issued guidance on revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables effective for the Company's 2012 fiscal year, although early adoption is permitted. The guidance revises the criteria for separating, measuring, and allocating arrangement consideration to each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement. The guidance requires companies to allocate revenue using the relative selling price of each deliverable, which must be estimated if the Company does not have a history of selling the deliverable on a stand-alone basis or third-party evidence of selling price. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will significantly change the timing in which revenue is recorded as the pricing of its service components are included in the per unit price of the products delivered to the customer, which is solely contingent on the number of units sold. As a result, the revenue earned on the service element does not become fixed or determinable until delivery of the product has taken place.

        In June 2009, the FASB issued guidance to revise the approach to determine when a variable interest entity ("VIE") should be consolidated. The new consolidation model for VIEs considers, whether the Company has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIEs' economic performance and shares in the significant risks and rewards of the entity. The guidance on

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 2. Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)


VIEs requires companies to continually reassess VIEs to determine if consolidation is appropriate and provide additional disclosures. The Company adopted the provisions of this VIE guidance at the beginning of fiscal year 2011, and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

        In January 2010, the FASB issued guidance revised two disclosure requirements concerning fair value measurements and clarifies two others. It requires separate presentation of significant transfers into and out of Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy and disclosure of the reasons for such transfers. It will also require the presentation of purchases, sales, issuances and settlements within Level 3 on a gross basis rather than a net basis. The guidance also clarifies that disclosures should be disaggregated by class of asset or liability and that disclosures about inputs and valuation techniques should be provided for both recurring and non-recurring fair value measurements. These new disclosure requirements will become effective for the Company's financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2011, except for the requirement concerning gross presentation of Level 3 activity, which will become effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. Since the Company doesn't currently have any Level 3 fair value measurements, the adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Note 3. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

        The Company's financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and payable, accrued and other current liabilities, and line of credit. The carrying amounts of these instruments approximate fair value because of their short-term maturities. The fair value of the long-term debt instruments are determined using current applicable rates for similar instruments as of the balance sheet date. The carrying amounts and fair value of the debt instruments as of March 31, 2011 were as follows:

 
  Carrying Value   Fair Value  

$550,000 term loan

  $ 477,243   $ 477,241  

$150,000 term loan

  $ 129,000   $ 129,000  

Note 4. Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company enters into an interest rate swap arrangement in order to manage its net exposure to interest rate changes on the Company's long-term debt. Interest rate swap contracts involve the exchange of floating rate interest payment obligations for fixed interest rate payments without the exchange of the underlying principle amounts. The Company accounts for this arrangement pursuant to the provisions of ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging . ASC 815 establishes accounting and reporting standards requiring that every derivative instrument be recorded in the balance sheet as either an asset or liability measured at fair value and that any changes in fair value be recognized currently in earnings unless specific hedge accounting criteria are met. The Company's interest rate swap arrangement is not designated as a hedge pursuant to ASC 815 and, accordingly, the Company reflects the change in fair value of the interest rate swap in the consolidated statements of operations as part of interest expense.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 4. Derivative Financial Instruments (Continued)

        These arrangements also contain an element of risk in that the counterparties may be unable to meet the terms of such arrangements. In the event the parties to deliver commitments are unable to fulfill their obligations, the Company could potentially incur significant additional costs by replacing the positions at then current market rates. The Company manages its risk of exposure by limiting counterparties to those banks and institutions deemed appropriate by management. Upon the maturity of its previous interest rate swaps, the Company entered into two interest rate swaps arrangements that expire in February and June 2012. Each interest rate swap converts the interest rate on approximately $200,000 (notional amount) of its outstanding debt from variable rates to a fixed interest rate. The swap agreements have fixed the LIBOR component of the term debt to 1.77% and 1.96%.

        Exchange-traded derivative financial instruments are valued based on quoted market prices and classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. Derivative financial instruments that are traded on an index are valued based on direct or indirect prices and classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy. If quoted market prices or other observable inputs are not available, fair value is based on unobservable inputs, including assumptions of market activity and general market conditions, and classified within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

        The following table includes the notional amounts and fair value of derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011:

 
   
  September 30, 2010   March 31, 2011  
 
  Balance Sheet
Location
  Notional
Amount
  Fair
Value
  Notional
Amount
  Fair
Value
 

Swap Contracts

  Accrued Expenses   $ 400,000   $ (6,660 ) $ 400,000   $ (3,773 )

        During the six months ended March 31, 2010, the Company recorded losses in the amount of $1,738 as a result of changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments. During the six months ended March 31, 2011, the Company recorded earnings in the amount of $2,887 as a result of changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments. These changes are recorded as a component of interest expense.

        The Company classifies assets and liabilities in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following table sets forth assets and liabilities

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 4. Derivative Financial Instruments (Continued)


measured at fair value as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011, categorized by input level within the fair value hierarchy:

 
  Fair Value Measurements Using  
 
  Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
  Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

September 30, 2010

                   

Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis

                   
 

Derivative financial instruments

      $ (6,660 )    

 

 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

March 31, 2011

                   

Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis

                   
 

Derivative financial instruments

      $ (3,773 )    

        The fair value of our derivative financial instruments is estimated using the net present value of a series of cash flows on both the cap and floor components of the interest rate collars. These cash flows are based on yield curves that take into account the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity and market-based parameters such as interest rates and volatility. We incorporated nonperformance risk by adjusting the present value of each liability position utilizing an estimation of our credit risk.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 5. Long-Term Debt

        Long-term debt consists of the following at:

 
  September 30,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 

$550,000 term loan, bearing interest based on Alternate Base Rate ("ABR") (defined as Prime Rate plus the applicable margin rate of 1.25%) or Eurodollar (defined as London Inter-Bank Offer Rate ("LIBOR") rates plus the applicable margin rate of 2.25%), at the option of the Company. The term loan is payable quarterly equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of $550,000 with the final payment due on September 29, 2013. Interest rate was 2.50% at March 31, 2011. 

  $ 477,243   $ 477,243  

$150,000 term loan, bearing interest based on ABR (defined as Prime Rate plus the applicable margin rate of 4.75%) or Eurodollar (defined as London Inter-Bank Offer Rate ("LIBOR") rates plus the applicable margin rate of 5.75%), at the option of the Company. The entire balance is due March 28, 2014. Interest rate was 6.00% at March 31, 2011. 

   
143,000
   
129,000
 
           

    620,243     606,243  
 

Less: current portion

         
           
   

Long-term debt

  $ 620,243   $ 606,243  
           

        During the six months ended March 31, 2011, the Company made prepayments totaling approximately $14,000 on its $150,000 term loan. In accordance with the loan agreement, $14,000 was applied to the Company's balloon payment. As of March 31, 2011, the Company has prepaid all required quarterly payments.

        As part of the loan agreement, the Company had a $75,000 revolving line of credit that expires on September 28, 2012. The applicable margin for the revolving facility is determined based on the ratio of the Company's EBITDA, as defined in the loan agreement, for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters and ranges between 0.75% and 1.50% for the ABR Loans and range between 1.75% and 2.50% for the Eurodollar Loans. There was no outstanding borrowing under this line of credit as of March 31, 2011 or at any point during fiscal 2011. Annual commitment fees for this line of credit approximate $281.

        In October 2008, the administrative and collateral agent under the Company's revolving line of credit, Lehman Commercial Paper Inc. ("LCPI"), filed for bankruptcy. LCPI is a lender under the Company's revolving credit facility with a commitment of approximately $20,000. As a result of LCPI's actions, the Company's availability to access these funds is at risk. The Company does not expect that LCPI's potential inability to fund this commitment would have a material adverse impact on its liquidity.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 5. Long-Term Debt (Continued)

        The Company's subsidiary, Wesco Aircraft Europe Limited, has available a £10,000 ($16,000 based on the March 31, 2011 exchange rate) line of credit, subject to certain cash balance requirements as defined in the line of credit agreement, that automatically renews annually on October 1. The line of credit bears interest based on the bank based rate plus an applicable margin of 1.15%. The net outstanding borrowing under this line of credit was £0 ($0) as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011.

        Under the terms and definitions of the First Lien Credit Agreement as of March 31, 2011, the Company is required to maintain a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio not to exceed 4.0, an EBITDA-to-net interest expense ratio greater than 2.50, and capital expenditures not to exceed $10,000 per year. The credit agreement also restricts the Company from incurring certain additional indebtedness, payment of dividends, sale of substantial assets, and limits certain investments. The Company was in compliance with these covenants at March 31, 2011.

        Borrowings under these credit facilities are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the Company.

Note 6. Comprehensive Income

        Comprehensive income consists of the following:

 
  Six Months Ended
March 31,
 
 
  2010   2011  

Net income

  $ 32,185   $ 43,608  

Foreign exchange translation adjustment

    (4,990 )   333  
           

Total comprehensive income

  $ 27,195   $ 43,941  
           

Note 7. Net Income Per Share

        Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share includes the dilutive effect of both outstanding stock options and restricted shares, calculated using the treasury stock method. Assumed proceeds from in-the-money options include windfall tax

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 7. Net Income Per Share (Continued)


benefits, net of shortfalls, calculated under the "as-if" method as prescribed by ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Option Compensation .

 
  Six Months Ended
March 31, 2010
  Six Months Ended
March 31, 2011
 
 
  (In thousands, except share and
per share data)

 

Net income

  $ 32,185   $ 43,608  
           

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

    10,063,237     10,065,678  

Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock awards/units

    236     227,234  
           

Dilutive weighted average shares outstanding

    10,063,473     10,292,912  
           

Basic net income per share

  $ 3.20   $ 4.33  
           

Diluted net income per share

  $ 3.20   $ 4.24  
           

        There were no shares of common stock equivalents for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011, respectively, which were not included in the diluted calculation due to their anti-dilutive effect.

Note 8. Segment Reporting

        The Company is organized based on the geographical location. The Company's reportable segments are comprised of the North America and Rest of the World.

        The Company evaluates segment performance based on segment operating earnings or loss. Each segment reports its results of operations and makes requests for capital expenditures and acquisition funding to the Company's chief operating decision-maker ("CODM"). The Company's Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") serves as CODM. Each operating segment has separate management teams and infrastructures dedicated to providing a full range of products and services to their customers.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 8. Segment Reporting (Continued)

        The following table presents net sales and operating income by business segment:

 
  Six Months Ended March 31, 2010  
 
  North
America
  Rest of
the World
  Intercompany
Elimination
  Consolidated  

Net sales

  $ 283,285   $ 47,259   $ (19,633 ) $ 310,911  

Gross profit

    103,788     17,265     (3,214 )   117,839  

Income from operations

    63,648     5,133     (267 )   68,514  

Interest expense, net

    (17,788 )   (426 )   (— )   (18,214 )

Provision for income taxes

    17,652     1,519         19,171  

Total assets

    1,216,082     93,852     (43,844 )   1,266,090  

Goodwill

    498,200     6,332         504,532  

Capital expenditures

    1,295     30         1,325  

Depreciation and amortization

    3,945     516         4,461  

 

 
  Six Months Ended March 31, 2011  
 
  North
America
  Rest of
the World
  Intercompany
Elimination
  Consolidated  

Net sales

  $ 318,808   $ 57,527   $ (26,792 ) $ 349,543  

Gross profit

    117,725     19,523     (3,123 )   134,125  

Income from operations

    78,133     5,805     306     84,244  

Interest expense, net

    (12,216 )   (370 )   (— )   (12,586 )

Provision for income taxes

    26,276     1,597         27,873  

Total assets

    1,240,977     107,472     (48,163 )   1,300,286  

Goodwill

    498,200     6,735         504,935  

Capital expenditures

    2,547     214         2,761  

Depreciation and amortization

    4,141     488         4,629  

Geographic Information

        The Company operated principally in three geographic areas, the North America, Europe and emerging markets, such as Asia, Pacific Rim and the Middle East.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 8. Segment Reporting (Continued)

        Net sales by geographic area, for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011 were as follows:

 
  Six Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2010   2011  
 
  Sales   % of
Sales
  Sales   % of
Sales
 

North America

  $ 267,831     86.1 % $ 296,754     84.9 %

Europe

    42,805     13.8     52,452     15.0  

Asia, Pacific Rim, Middle East and other

    275     0.1     337     0.1  
                   
 

Total net sales

  $ 310,911     100.0 % $ 349,543     100.0 %
                   

        The Company determines the geographic area based on where the sale was originated from. Export sales from North America to customers in foreign countries amounted to $38 and $49 for the six months ended March 31, 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Note 9. Supplemental Cash Flow Information

 
  Six Months Ended  
 
  March 31,
2010
  March 31,
2011
 

Schedule of non-cash investing activities

             

Property and equipment acquired pursuant to capital leases

 
$

1,219
 
$

1,536
 
           

Note 10. Subsequent Events

        The Company has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through June 27, 2011, which is the date the financial statements were available to be issued.

        On April 7, 2011, the Company completed a refinancing of its existing debt facilities for the purpose of extending the maturity dates under the term loans, increasing its borrowing capacity under the revolver and paying related fees and expenses. The new senior secured credit facilities consist of a (i) $150,000 revolving credit facility, (ii) $265,000 term loan A facility and (iii) $350,000 term loan B facility.

        Borrowings under the new revolving facility and new term loan A bear interest at the Eurocurrency rate plus the applicable margin or the ABR plus the applicable margin. Borrowings under the new term loan B facility bear interest at a rate equal to (A) the greater of (x) the Eurocurrency rate and (y) 1.25% or (B) the greater of (x) the ABR and (y) 1.25% plus, in each case, the applicable margin.

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Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. & Subsidiaries

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note 10. Subsequent Events (Continued)

        The new revolving facility and new term loan A facility each mature on April 7, 2016 and the new term loan B facility matures on April 7, 2017. The new senior secured credit facilities require maintenance of a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio and an EBITDA-to-net cash interest expense ratio.

        As a result of the refinancing, the Company will be recording a loss on extinguishment of debt in the amount of $7,129, consisting of write-offs of unamortized debt issuance costs and third party fees of $6,542 and $587, respectively. The loss on extinguishment will be recorded as a component of interest expense, net in the consolidated statement of income during the nine months ended June 30, 2011. Additionally, $1,864 of unamortized debt issuance costs will remain capitalized and new creditor fees associated with the April 7, 2011 refinancing in the amount of $12,546 will be capitalized. These fees will be amortized over the term of the debt using the effective interest rate method.

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GRAPHIC


Table of Contents

         Through and including                        , 2011 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the obligation of dealers to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

                    Shares

LOGO

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

Common Stock



PROSPECTUS



Barclays Capital   Morgan Stanley
BofA Merrill Lynch   J.P. Morgan   William Blair & Company



Baird   Citi   Credit Suisse
Deutsche Bank Securities   RBC Capital Markets   SMBC Nikko



                        , 2011


Table of Contents


PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

        The actual and estimated expenses in connection with this offering, all of which will be borne by us, are as follows:

SEC Registration Fee

  $ 34,830  

FINRA Filing Fee

    30,500  

Printing Expense

    *  

Legal Fees

    *  

Accounting Fees

    *  

Blue Sky Fees

    *  

New York Stock Exchange Listing Fees

    *  

Transfer Agent Fee

    *  

Miscellaneous

    *  
       

Total

  $    
       

*
To be filed by amendment.

Item 14.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers

        Reference is made to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, which enables a corporation in its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director for violations of the director's fiduciary duty, except (1) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, which provides for liability of directors for unlawful payments of dividends of unlawful stock purchase or redemptions or (4) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.

        Reference is also made to Section 145 of the DGCL, which provides that a corporation may indemnify any person, including an officer or director, who was or is, or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of such corporation, by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Company's best interest and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any officer or director in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against the expenses that such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.

        We expect that our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this registration statement will provide that our directors will not be personally liable to the Company

II-1


Table of Contents


or its stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breach of their fiduciary duties. However, nothing contained in such provision will eliminate or limit the liability of directors (1) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

        Our amended and restated bylaws provides for indemnification of the officers and directors to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

        In addition, we intend to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors and executive officers containing provisions, which are in some respects broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the DGCL. The indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors and to advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

        The proposed form of Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement provides for indemnification by the underwriters of the registrant and its officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise.

Item 15.    Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

        The information presented in this Item 15 does not give effect to the        for        stock split being executed concurrently with the effectiveness of this registration statement. Since March 31, 2008, we have granted to our directors, officers and employees options to purchase an aggregate of 171,547 shares of our common stock with per share exercise prices ranging from $46.40 to $70.00 under our amended and restated equity incentive plan, which we refer to as the existing equity incentive plan.

        Since March 31, 2008, we have issued to our directors, officers and employees an aggregate of 17,948 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $37.12 pursuant to exercises of options granted under our existing equity incentive plan.

        Since March 31, 2008, we have issued to certain of our officers an aggregate of 5,387 shares of our common stock for aggregate consideration of $249,956.80 pursuant to our stock purchase plan.

        Since March 31, 2008, we have issued to certain of our directors an aggregate of 15,012 restricted stock awards in lieu of payment of an aggregate of $927,344.30 in fees for their service as directors pursuant to our existing equity incentive plan.

        Unless otherwise stated, the sales of the above securities were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder, or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Acts as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering or pursuant to benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of securities in each of these transactions represented their intention to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were affixed to the share certificates and instruments issued in such transactions.

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Table of Contents

Item 16.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

    (a)
    Exhibits

EXHIBIT
NO.
  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
  1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 

3.1

**

Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

3.2

**

Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

4.1

**

Form of Stock Certificate.

 

5.1

**

Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.

 

10.1

**

Credit Agreement, by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.), Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Barclays Bank PLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of America, N.A. and the lenders party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2011.

 

10.2

**

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.), Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Barclays Bank PLC and the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2011.

 

10.3

**

Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.4

**

Management Annual Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.5

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Randy Snyder, dated as of July 23, 2006.

 

10.6

**

Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Randy Snyder, dated as of December 31, 2008.

 

10.7

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.) and Gregory Hann, dated as of January 22, 2009.

 

10.8

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Hal Weinstein, dated as of June 15, 2007.

 

10.9

**

Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Hal Weinstein, dated as of December 31, 2008.

 

10.10

**

Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.11

**

Form of Non-qualified Stock Option Agreement for Independent Directors under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.12

**

Form of Amended and Restated Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

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Table of Contents

EXHIBIT
NO.
  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
  10.13 ** Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Independent Directors under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.14

**

Form of Amended and Restated Management Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Carlyle Investment Management, L.L.C.

 

10.15

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft France, SAS and WAFR, LLC, dated as of August 1, 2005.

 

10.16

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Avenue Scott, LLC, dated as of October 1, 2004.

 

10.17

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and WATX Properties, LLC, dated as of January 1, 2004.

 

10.18

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Europe Ltd. and Snyder Family Living Trust, dated as of January 1, 2006.

 

10.19

**

Engagement Agreement by and between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.) and Solebury Capital LLC, dated as of January 20, 2011.

 

10.20

 

Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement.

 

10.21

**

Service Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd and Alexander Murray, dated as of March 24, 2011.

 

10.22

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan.

 

10.23

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan.

 

10.24

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Restricted Stock Agreement.

 

10.25

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Restricted Stock Unit Agreement.

 

10.26

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Stock Option Agreement.

 

10.27

**

Form of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. Indemnification Agreement.

 

21.1

**

List of Subsidiaries.

 

23.1

**

Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

23.3

**

Consent of Stax Inc.

 

24.1

**

Powers of Attorney (included in the signature pages).

**
Previously filed.
    (b)
    Financial Statement Schedules

        Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

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Item 17.    Undertakings

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of us in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

        We hereby undertake that:

    (i)
    for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

    (ii)
    for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-5


Table of Contents


SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Valencia, state of California, on June 27, 2011.

    WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ RANDY J. SNYDER

Randy J. Snyder
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President
and Chief Executive Officer

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and as of the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE
 
TITLE
 
DATE

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ RANDY J. SNYDER

  Randy J. Snyder
Chairman of the Board of Directors,
President and Chief Executive Officer
  June 27, 2011

/s/ GREGORY A. HANN


 

Gregory A. Hann
Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

J. Shawn Trogdon
Global Controller

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

Dayne A. Baird
Director

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

Peter J. Clare
Director

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

Paul E. Fulchino
Director

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

John Jumper
Director

 

June 27, 2011

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURE
 
TITLE
 
DATE

 

 

 

 

 
*

  Adam J. Palmer
Director
  June 27, 2011

*


 

Robert D. Paulson
Director

 

June 27, 2011

*


 

David L. Squier
Director

 

June 27, 2011


* By:

 

/s/ RANDY J. SNYDER

Randy J. Snyder
Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NO.
  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
  1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 

3.1

**

Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

3.2

**

Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

4.1

**

Form of Stock Certificate.

 

5.1

**

Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.

 

10.1

**

Credit Agreement, by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.), Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Barclays Bank PLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of America, N.A. and the lenders party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2011.

 

10.2

**

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.), Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Barclays Bank PLC and the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2011.

 

10.3

**

Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.4

**

Management Annual Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.5

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Randy Snyder, dated as of July 23, 2006.

 

10.6

**

Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Randy Snyder, dated as of December 31, 2008.

 

10.7

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.) and Gregory Hann, dated as of January 22, 2009.

 

10.8

**

Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Hal Weinstein, dated as of June 15, 2007.

 

10.9

**

Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Hal Weinstein, dated as of December 31, 2008.

 

10.10

**

Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.11

**

Form of Non-qualified Stock Option Agreement for Independent Directors under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.12

**

Form of Amended and Restated Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.13

**

Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Independent Directors under Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.)

 

10.14

**

Form of Amended and Restated Management Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. and Carlyle Investment Management, L.L.C.

Table of Contents

EXHIBIT
NO.
  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
  10.15 ** Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft France, SAS and WAFR, LLC, dated as of August 1, 2005.

 

10.16

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and Avenue Scott, LLC, dated as of October 1, 2004.

 

10.17

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. and WATX Properties, LLC, dated as of January 1, 2004.

 

10.18

**

Lease Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Europe Ltd. and Snyder Family Living Trust, dated as of January 1, 2006.

 

10.19

**

Engagement Agreement by and between Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc.) and Solebury Capital LLC, dated as of January 20, 2011.

 

10.20

 

Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement.

 

10.21

**

Service Agreement between Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd and Alexander Murray, dated as of March 24, 2011.

 

10.22

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan.

 

10.23

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan.

 

10.24

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Restricted Stock Agreement.

 

10.25

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Restricted Stock Unit Agreement.

 

10.26

 

Form of 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan Stock Option Agreement.

 

10.27

**

Form of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. Indemnification Agreement.

 

21.1

**

List of Subsidiaries.

 

23.1

**

Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

23.3

**

Consent of Stax Inc.

 

24.1

**

Powers of Attorney (included in the signature pages).

**
Previously filed.



Exhibit 1.1

 

[ · ] Shares

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE

 

FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

 

[ · ], 2011

 



 

[ · ], 2011

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

c/o

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

 

745 Seventh Avenue

 

 

New York, New York 10019

 

 

 

c/o

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

1585 Broadway

 

 

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC (the “ Carlyle Selling Stockholder ”), Randy J. Snyder and certain stockholders affiliated with Mr. Snyder named in Schedule I hereto (collectively, the “ Snyder Selling Stockholders ”) and certain other stockholders of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), named in Schedule I hereto (the “ Other Selling Stockholders ,” and together with the Carlyle Selling Stockholders and the Snyder Selling Stockholders, the “ Selling Stockholders ”) hereby severally agree to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “ Underwriters ”), an aggregate of [ · ] shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “ Firm Shares ”), with each Selling Stockholder selling the amount set forth opposite its name in Schedule I hereto.

 

The Selling Stockholders also agree to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [ · ] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Additional Shares ”) if and to the extent that you, as managers of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “ Shares .” The shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company are hereinafter referred to as the “ Common Stock .”  The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-173381), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), is hereinafter referred to as the “ Registration Statement ”; the final prospectus in the form first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is hereinafter referred to as the “ Prospectus .” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional

 



 

shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “ Rule 462 Registration Statement ”), then any reference herein to the term “ Registration Statement ” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “ free writing prospectus ” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; “ preliminary prospectus ” means each preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; “ broadly available road show ” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person; “ Time of Sale Prospectus ” means the preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Time of Sale (as defined below) together with the pricing information and free writing prospectuses, if any, in each case identified in Schedule III hereto; and “ Time of Sale ” means [ · ] [a.m.][p.m.] (New York time) on the date of this Agreement or, if the Time of Sale Prospectus is amended or supplemented by the Company subsequent to the Time of Sale and prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), such time and date the Underwriters first re-confirm the sale of the Shares.

 

1.          Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)   The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)   (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement complies and the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the Time of Sale did not and, at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the

 

2



 

statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 11(c) hereof.

 

(c)   The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

(d)   The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”) or a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,

 

3



 

to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(e)   Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company or a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(f)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(g)   The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(h)   The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock, including the Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares was not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(i)    The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not violate or breach: (i) any provision of applicable law; (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, as amended and restated as of the date hereof; (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iv) any applicable judgment, order or decree of any federal, state, local, international or foreign governmental authority, or any court, administrative or regulatory agency or commission or other governmental authority (each a “ Governmental Entity ”), having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except with respect to clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), for any such violation or breach which would not have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or

 

4



 

qualification with, any such Governmental Entity is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except for (i) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or foreign countries or the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”) in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders, (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications, waivers, amendments or termination as will have been obtained or made as of the Time of Sale and (iii) where the failure to obtain or make any such consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(j)    There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(k)   There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, other than proceedings disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus or proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect and would not have a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(l)    Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(m)  The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(n)   The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environmental Laws ”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in

 

5



 

compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(o)   There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company, or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, in each case, other than as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(p)   Neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor any director or executive officer thereof, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries, has made any unlawful offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and, to the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, the Company and its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

 

(q)   The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and, to the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Anti-Money Laundering Laws ”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or

 

6



 

governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(r)    (i) The Company represents that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or executive officer thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“ Person ”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is (A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“ OFAC ”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “ Sanctions ”) or (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan and Syria) except to the extent permitted by OFAC. (ii) The Company represents and covenants that for the past five years, it and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

(s)   Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

 

(t)    The Company and its subsidiaries do not own any real property and the Company and its subsidiaries have good title to all personal property owned by them, in each case, that is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or such liens, encumbrances and defects that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as

 

7



 

would not have a Material Adverse Effect and subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization and moratorium laws, and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditor’s rights and general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

(u)   The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them except where lack of ownership or possession of such rights would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing, which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)   No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent except where such dispute would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors or customers that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes in good faith to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business except where such failure to renew or obtain similar coverage would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)    The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations, and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their businesses except where failure to obtain such certificates, authorizations, and permits would not reasonable be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization, or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8



 

(y)   The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“ U.S. GAAP ”) and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses).

 

(z)    (i) The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have established and maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed about the Company and its subsidiaries in the reports the Company will file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective to a reasonable level of assurance to perform the functions for which they were established.

 

(aa) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any of its equity securities or any other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for its equity securities during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure

 

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to file or pay would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had, nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which if determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(cc) The statistical and market-related data included under the captions “Prospectus Summary,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Business” in the most recent preliminary prospectus included in the Time of Sale Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

(dd) The statements made in the Time of Sale Prospectus under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Business,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents in all material respects.

 

(ee) Each pension, profit sharing, welfare plan and other plan which is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”) for which the Company or any member of its “ Controlled Group ” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each a “ Plan ”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; and none of the Company or any subsidiary has incurred any liability for any prohibited transaction or accumulated funding deficiency or any complete or partial withdrawal liability with respect to any Plan; except in each case, as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ff)   PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Time of Sale Prospectus, whose report appears in the Time of Sale Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in

 

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Section 6(h) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereof.

 

(gg) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company, the Company has not been advised of (i) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Company and each of its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries.

 

(hh) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(ii)   The Shares have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

(jj)   The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the Time of Sale Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

 

(kk) Other than in connection with this Agreement and the Company’s engagement letter with Solebury Capital LLC, dated as of January 20, 2011, there is no investment banker, financial advisor, broker, finder or other intermediary which has been retained by, or is authorized to act on behalf of, the Company or any its subsidiaries which might be entitled to any fee or commission from the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(ll)   Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is party to any contract containing covenants that would limit in any material respect the ability of the Company or any of its

 

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subsidiaries to (i) engage in any line of business or (ii) compete with any person in any market or line of business.

 

(mm)       To the knowledge of the Company, there is no outstanding allegation of improper or illegal activities arising from any government audit or non-audit review, including without limitation, by the Defense Contract Audit Agency, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or work performed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that would have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no pending civil or criminal penalties or administrative sanctions arising from a government audit or non-audit review of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or work performed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments, fines, or suspension or debarment from doing business with any the United States Government or any agency thereof that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

2.     Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders .  Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters (except to the extent the applicability of any representation and warranty is limited to the Snyder Selling Stockholders and/or the Other Selling Stockholders, in which case such representation and warranty shall be limited to the Snyder Selling Stockholders and/or the Other Selling Stockholders, as applicable) that:

 

(a)   This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.

 

(b)   (i) The execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not violate any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Selling Stockholder (if such Selling Stockholder is an entity), or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or such violations as would not reasonably be expected to impair in any material respect the ability of such Selling Stockholder to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(ii) The execution and delivery by such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder of, and the performance

 

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by such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, the Custody Agreement signed by such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Custodian, relating to the deposit of the Shares to be sold by such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder (the “ Custody Agreement ”) will not violate any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder (if such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder is an entity), or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder of its obligations under the Custody Agreement, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or such violations as would not reasonably be expected to impair in any material respect the ability of such Snyder Selling Stockholder or Other Selling Stockholder to fulfill its obligations under the Custody Agreement.

 

(iii) The execution and delivery by such Other Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by such Other Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, the Power of Attorney appointing certain individuals as such Other Selling Stockholder’s attorneys-in-fact to the extent set forth therein, relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement (the “ Power of Attorney ”) will not violate any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Other Selling Stockholder (if such Other Selling Stockholder is an entity), or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Other Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Other Selling Stockholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Other Selling Stockholder of its obligations under the Power of Attorney of such Other Selling Stockholder, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or such violations as would not reasonably be expected to impair in any material respect the ability of such Other Selling Stockholder to fulfill its obligations under the Power of Attorney.

 

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(c)   Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “ UCC ”) in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement, if applicable, and the Power of Attorney, if applicable, and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

 

(d)   (i) In the case of each Snyder Selling Stockholder and each Other Selling Stockholder, the Custody Agreement has been duly authorized (if such Snyder Selling Stockholder or such Other Selling Stockholder is an entity), executed and delivered by such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder and is a valid and binding agreement of such Snyder Selling Stockholder and such Other Selling Stockholder.

 

(ii)  In the case of each Other Selling Stockholder, the Power of Attorney has been duly authorized (if such Other Selling Stockholder is an entity), executed and delivered by such Other Selling Stockholder and is a valid and binding agreement of such Other Selling Stockholder.

 

(e)   Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“ Cede ”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be successfully asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several

 

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Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

 

(f)    Such Selling Stockholder is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(g)   (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, at the Time of Sale and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(g) are limited to statements or omissions made in reliance upon information relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of (A) the legal name, address and the number of shares of Common Stock owned by such Selling Stockholder, and (B) the other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) which appear in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the “ Selling Stockholder Information ”).

 

(h)   The sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder does not violate any of the Company’s internal policies regarding the sale of stock by its affiliates.

 

(i)    Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (other than the Company and the Underwriters) has used or referred to any free writing prospectus relating to the Shares.

 

(j)    Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (other than, if applicable, the Company and the Underwriters) has taken and will not take, directly or indirectly,

 

15



 

any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

3.     Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from each Selling Stockholder, at $             a share (the “ Purchase Price ”), that proportion of the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Selling Stockholder which the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine).

 

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, Additional Shares up to          at the Purchase Price. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice to the Company (with a courtesy copy of such notice delivered to Latham & Watkins LLP) not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least two business days after the written notice is given unless notice is given prior to the closing date for the Firm Shares and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “ Option Closing Date ”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.  Additional Shares will be purchased from the Selling Stockholders in a pro rata fashion based on the proportion of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Selling Stockholder to the total number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine).

 

The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby agree that, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley”) on behalf of the Underwriters which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, they will not, during the period ending 180 days after the

 

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date of the Prospectus (the “ 180-day restricted period ”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

 

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder; (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or exercise of options or warrants outstanding as of the date of this Agreement; (c) issuances pursuant to the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ employee stock incentive or other benefit plans existing on the date of this Agreement, and in each case of (b) and (c), as disclosed in the Registration Statement; (d) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition by the Company of the securities, business, property or other assets of another person or entity, or pursuant to any employee benefit plans assumed by the Company in connection with any such acquisition, provided that such issuance shall not exceed 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock outstanding, on a fully-diluted basis, immediately prior to the consummation of the offering of the Firm Shares; (e) transactions by a Selling Stockholder relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the public offering of the Shares, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions; (f) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock by a Selling Stockholder; provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the 180-day restricted period and no filing or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the 180-day restricted period (as the same may be extended) by a Selling Stockholder or the Company as a result of the establishment of any such plan; (g) transfers by a Selling Stockholder of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock by bona fide gift, will or intestacy; (h) distributions by a Selling Stockholder of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to general or limited partners, members or stockholders of the Selling Stockholder and partnerships or limited liability companies for the benefit of the immediate family of the Selling Stockholder and

 

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the partners and members of which are only the Selling Stockholder and the immediate family of the Selling Stockholder; (i) distributions by the Selling Stockholder of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the Selling Stockholder or the immediate family of the Selling Stockholder; or (j) dispositions by the Selling Stockholder of shares of Common Stock to the Company (A) to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the exercise of options to purchase Common Stock or (B) in connection with the rights of the Company to cause the Selling Stockholder to sell shares of Common Stock in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided that in the case of any transaction, transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (g), (h) or (i), (1) each recipient, donee, distributee, trustee or transferee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and (2) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period (other than a Form 5 required to be filed within the 45 calendar days following September 30, 2011 and filed during such 45 calendar day period or thereafter).  Each Selling Stockholder consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of any Shares held by such Selling Stockholder except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event unless such extension is waived in writing by Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters. The Company shall promptly notify Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley of any earnings release, material news or material event that may give rise to an extension of the 180-day restricted period.

 

4.     Terms of Public Offering. The Company and the Selling Stockholders are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Selling Stockholders are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[ · ] a share (the “ Public Offering Price ”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[ · ] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[ · ] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

5.     Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Selling Stockholder shall be made to such Selling Stockholder in Federal

 

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funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters through the facilities of the Depositary Trust Company (“ DTC ”) at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [ · ], 2011, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [ · ], 2011, as shall be designated by you in writing. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “ Closing Date .”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to each Selling Stockholder in Federal funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters [through the facilities of DTC] at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [ · ], 2011, as shall be designated by you in writing.

 

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters.

 

6.     Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Selling Stockholders to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [ · ] [a.]/[p.][m.] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 

(a)   Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date,

 

(i)    there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any public notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

 

(ii)   there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of

 

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the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(b)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(c)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by each of the Carlyle Selling Stockholders, the Snyder Selling Stockholders and by one or more attorneys in fact on behalf of each of the Other Selling Stockholders, to the effect that the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that such Selling Stockholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

(d)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by each of the Carlyle Selling Stockholders, the Snyder Selling Stockholders and by one or more attorneys in fact on behalf of each of the Other Selling Stockholders, stating that such Selling Stockholder has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and, to its knowledge, (A) (i) the Registration Statement, as of the date it became effective, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus, as of the Time of Sale, and (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the Closing Date, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading and (B) since the date the Registration Statement became effective, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus that has not been so set forth.

 

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The certificate may be limited to statements or omissions made in reliance upon information relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

 

(e)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each applicable Option Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, outside counsel for the Company and the Carlyle Selling Stockholder, dated the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(f)    The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each applicable Option Closing Date an opinion of the General Counsel of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(g)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each applicable Option Closing Date an opinion of counsel for each of the Snyder Selling Stockholders and the Other Selling Stockholders, dated the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(h)   The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each applicable Option Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

 

(i)    The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

(j)    The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and all stockholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of

 

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Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

 

(k)   The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(l)    No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each free writing prospectus required to be filed by the Company by Rule 433 under the Securities Act shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of a free writing prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 7(c) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley.

 

(m)  The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

 

7.          Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)   To furnish to you, without charge, six copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

 

(b)   Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you

 

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a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(c)   To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.

 

(d)   Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

(e)   If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (as applicable) and, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (as applicable) and, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(f)    If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances

 

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when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (as applicable) and, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (as applicable) and, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(g)   To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.

 

(h)   To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(i)    If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the lock-up letter substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major new service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

8.          Covenants of the Selling Stockholders .  Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

Each Selling Stockholder will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“ IRS ”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.

 

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9.          Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Stockholders in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other costs of, and the Company’s fees or expenses in connection with, the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of or, used by, the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum not to exceed $25,000, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA in an amount not to exceed $35,000, (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics (other than fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters), fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company (other than representatives of the Underwriters) and any such consultants, and half the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show by the Company or the Underwriters with the prior written approval of the Company, with the other half of such cost to be paid by the Underwriters, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution,” and Section 12 entitled

 

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“Termination” below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Company and Selling Stockholders may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.

 

10.        Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

 

11.        Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act (take together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being

 

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understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 11(c) hereof.

 

(b)   Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above in connection with the offering of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder; provided, however , that each Selling Stockholder shall be liable only the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon or in conformity with Selling Stockholder Information. The liability of each Selling Stockholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) of the Shares sold (the “ Net Proceeds ”) by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement.

 

(c)   Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), or the Prospectus or any amended or thereto (ii) with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) (taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d)

 

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under the Securities Act (take together with the Time of Sale Prospectus), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of any Underwriter: [(i) the concession figure appearing in the [first] sentence of the [fourth] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” (ii) the information in the [eighteenth] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” relating to sales to discretionary accounts and (iii) the information contained in the [twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth] paragraphs  under the caption “Underwriting” relating to stabilization transactions.]

 

(d)   In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “ indemnified party ”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “ indemnifying party ”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company,

 

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its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Selling Stockholders and all persons, if any, who control any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either such Section. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company.  In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholders and such control persons of any Selling Stockholders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the persons named as attorneys-in-fact for the Selling Stockholders under the Powers of Attorney. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(e)   To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying

 

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party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholders and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company or the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (e) and paragraph (f) below, the liability of each Selling Stockholder under the contribution agreement contained in these paragraphs shall be limited to an amount equal to the Net Proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder less any amounts that such Selling Shareholder is obligated to pay under paragraph (b) above.

 

(f)     The Selling Stockholders, the Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares

 

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underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. The Selling Stockholders’ and the Company’s obligations in paragraph (e) above and this paragraph (f) to contribute are several in proportion to the Net Proceeds received by such person or entity.

 

(g)    The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder or person controlling the Selling Stockholder, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

 

(h)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the aggregate liability of each Selling Stockholder under such Selling Stockholder’s representations and warranties contained in Section 2 hereof, under any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and under the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 11, the reimbursement obligations under Section 13 or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement shall not exceed the Net Proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder.

 

12.         Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade or other relevant exchanges, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States or other relevant jurisdictions shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse

 

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and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

13.    Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 13 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company, or the Selling Stockholders. In any such case either you, the Company or the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

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If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any the Company or the Selling Stockholders shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company and the Selling Stockholders will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

 

14.         Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

 

(b)         The Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, any Selling Stockholder or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company and the Selling Stockholders only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company and each Selling Stockholder waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

15.         Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

16.         Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

17.         Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

18.         Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax:  (646) 834-8133), with a

 

33



 

copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 11, to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019; and in the case of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, California, 91355, Attention: Chief Financial Officer and with copies to 27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, California, 91355, Attention: General Counsel and Latham & Watkins LLP, 555 Eleventh Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004, Attention: Rachel Sheridan.

 

34



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

35



 

Accepted as of the date hereof

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and
the several Underwriters named in
Schedule II hereto

 

By:

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

By:

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

36


 

SCHEDULE I

 

Selling Stockholder

 

Number of Firm Shares
To Be Sold

 

 

 

 

 

[NAMES OF SELLING STOCKHOLDERS]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total:

 

 

 

 

I-1



 

SCHEDULE II

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Firm Shares
To Be Purchased

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

 

 

 

William Blair and Company, L.L.C.

 

 

 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

 

 

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

 

 

 

Total:

 

 

 

 

II-1



 

SCHEDULE III

 

1.                                        Preliminary Prospectus issued [date]

 

2.                                        [Any free writing prospectuses filed by the Company under Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act to be identified]

 

3.                                        [Any free writing prospectus containing a description of terms that does not reflect final terms, if the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include a pricing sheet, to be indentified]

 

4.                                        [Any orally communicated pricing information to be included on Schedule III if a pricing term sheet is not used (price per share/number of shares)]

 

III-1



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

 

 

 

, 2011

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

c/o

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

 

745 Seventh Avenue

 

 

New York, New York 10019

 

 

 

c/o

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

1585 Broadway

 

 

New York, New York 10036

 

The undersigned understands that Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives (the “ Representatives ”) of the several underwriters (together with the Representatives, the “ Underwriters ”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) with Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and the selling stockholders named therein (the “ Selling Stockholders ”), providing for the public offering (the “ Public Offering ”) by the Underwriters, of shares (the “ Shares ”) of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “ Common Stock ”).

 

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days (the “ restricted period ”) after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “ Prospectus ”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to shares of

 

A-1



 

Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, (b) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock; provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the restricted period and no filing or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period (as the same may be extended as provided herein) by the undersigned or the Company as a result of the establishment of any such plan, (c) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock by bona fide gift, will or intestacy, (d) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to general or limited partners, members or stockholders of the undersigned and partnerships or limited liability companies for the benefit of the immediate family of the undersigned and the partners and members of which are only the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned, (e) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned or (f) dispositions of shares of Common Stock to the Company (A) to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the exercise of options to purchase Common Stock or (B) in connection with the rights of the Company to cause the undersigned to sell shares of Common Stock in effect on the date hereof; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (c), (d) or (e), (1) each donee, distributee, trustee or transferee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this agreement and (2) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period (other than a Form 5 required to be filed within the 45 calendar days following September 30, 2011 and filed during such 45 calendar day period or thereafter). For the purposes of this agreement, “ immediate family ” shall include any spouse, or any lineal ancestor or descendent, niece, nephew, adopted child, or sibling of him or her or of such spouse, niece, nephew or adopted child. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending upon expiration of the restricted period (as the same may be extended as provided herein), make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

A-2



 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in writing in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.  Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release.  The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

If:

 

(1)           during the last 17 days of the restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or

 

(2)           prior to the expiration of the restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the restricted period;

 

the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.

 

The undersigned shall not engage in any transaction that may be restricted by this agreement during the 34-day period beginning on the last day of the initial restricted period unless the undersigned requests and receives prior written confirmation from the Company that the restrictions imposed by this agreement have expired.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

 

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

A-3



 

This agreement shall lapse and become null and void if (i) prior to entering into the Underwriting Agreement, the Company notifies the Representatives in writing that the Company does not intend to proceed with the offering of the Shares through the Representatives, (ii) the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Representatives have not entered into the Underwriting Agreement on or before December 31, 2011, or (iii) for any reason the Underwriting Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined therein).

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Name)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Address)

 

A-4



 

EXHIBIT B

 

[FORM OF PRESS RELEASE]

 

B-1




Exhibit 10.20

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

 

This Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of [                    ], 2011 by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Wesco Holdings, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Falcon ”), the trusts listed as Snyder Trusts on the signature pages hereof (the “ Snyder Trusts ”), and each other person listed as a Stockholder on the signature pages hereof or who from time to time may execute and deliver a counterpart signature page and become a party hereto.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company entered into a Stockholders Agreement, dated September 29, 2006, with certain of its stockholders as of that date (the “ Original Agreement ”);

 

WHEREAS, the Company is proposing to consummate an initial public offering of its capital stock (the “ Initial Public Offering ”);

 

WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 11(j) of the Original Agreement, the Company, Falcon and the Snyder Trusts desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as provided herein; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Stockholders desire to enter into this Agreement to provide for certain matters with respect to the ownership and transfer of the Common Stock now held of record or beneficially by, or hereafter acquired by, the Stockholders.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.                             DEFINITIONS:

 

(a)                                   As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings set forth below.

 

Adverse Disclosure ” shall mean public disclosure of material non-public information which, in the Board of Directors’ good faith judgment, after consultation with independent outside counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement filed with the Commission by the Company so that such Registration Statement would not be materially misleading; (ii) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing of such Registration Statement; and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not disclosing publicly.

 



 

Affiliate ” means, when used with respect to a specified Person, another Person that, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Person specified.

 

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.

 

Carlyle Majority ” means Carlyle Stockholders who, in the aggregate, hold more than 51% of the Common Stock held by all Carlyle Stockholders.

 

Carlyle Management Agreement ” means that certain Management Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2006, by and between the Company and TC Group, L.L.C., as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Carlyle Stockholders ” means (i) Falcon and (ii) any Affiliate of Carlyle Partners IV, L.P. or CP IV Coinvestment, L.P. which is issued Common Stock or becomes the beneficial owner of any Common Stock or is Transferred any Common Stock by any other Person.

 

Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including all amendments thereto, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of the date hereof.

 

Common Stock ” means the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, together with each class of security into which such common stock may be converted or for which such common stock may be exercised or exchanged.

 

Common Stock Equivalents ” means securities or rights that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for (a) shares of Common Stock or (b) any other securities or rights that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock.

 

Company Sale ” means any transaction or series of transactions as a result of which one or more Affiliated Persons or a “group” of Persons (within the meaning of Section 13(d) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) (other than, in each case, the Stockholders and their Affiliates) acquires (i) equity securities of the Company possessing the voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company or its successor(s) (whether such transaction is effected by merger, consolidation, recapitalization, sale or transfer of the Company’s equity or otherwise, but excluding any Exempt Transfers) or (ii) all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Exempt Transfer ” means:

 

(i)                                      a Transfer of Common Stock by Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder, their lineal descendants, or trusts solely for the benefit of any of the foregoing to any foundation established by such Persons that qualifies as a charitable organization under Internal Revenue Code Sections

 

2



 

170(c), 2055(a) and 2522(a), provided that such foundation is controlled by Randy Snyder if he is alive, or Susan Snyder if Randy Snyder is not alive, or Susan Snyder’s designee or legal successor if she is not alive, and the parties who control such foundation sign this Agreement on behalf of the foundation and further agree for the term of this Agreement not to Transfer any shares of Common Stock to any Person other than a return of such Common Stock to such transferor Wesco Stockholder or pursuant to Sections 4 , 5 or 7 ;

 

(ii)                                   a Transfer of Common Stock from a Wesco Stockholder which is a trust to the grantor or settlor of such trust or to a beneficiary of such trust provided that the transferee in any such Transfer is Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder, their lineal descendants, spouses of their lineal descendants or trusts solely for the benefit of the foregoing (collectively, the “ Snyder Family ”);

 

(iii)                                a Transfer of Common Stock between or among Wesco Stockholders that are members of the Snyder Family or from a Wesco Stockholder that is a member of the Snyder Family to a trust for the sole benefit of members of the Snyder Family;

 

(iv)                               a Transfer of Common Stock by any Wesco Stockholder by gift to, or for the benefit of, members of such Wesco Stockholder’s Immediate Family or one or more trusts established for the sole benefit of the transferring Wesco Stockholder or members of such Wesco Stockholder’s Immediate Family, provided that the transferring Wesco Stockholder at all times and through all subsequent Transfers (other than pursuant to Sections 4 , 5 or 7 ) retains the sole and exclusive right to vote and dispose of any Common Stock transferred to such person or trust;

 

(v)                                  a Transfer of Common Stock by any deceased Wesco Stockholder by will or intestate succession to such Wesco Stockholder’s heirs, executors, administrators, testamentary trustees, legatees or beneficiaries;

 

(vi)                               a Transfer of Common Stock by a Wesco Stockholder to his or her spouse pursuant to a judgment or settlement related to such Wesco Stockholder’s divorce;

 

(vii)                            at any time after a Qualified Public Offering, a Transfer of Common Stock by a Stockholder to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated thereunder; or

 

(viii)                         a Transfer to the Company with respect to which all obligations herein (including those with respect to the Tag-Along Right) have been observed and performed.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) no Transfer shall be permitted pursuant to clauses (ii) , (iv) , (v)  and (vi)  to any of (i) the Seller Entities, (ii) the Snyder Family or (iii) any other Person who, by giving effect to such Transfer, would cause Wesco U.S. as “new target” within the meaning of Section 197(f)(9) of the Code to be related to Wesco U.S. as “old target” within the meaning of Section 197(f)(9) of the Code, without first obtaining the prior written consent of the Carlyle Majority, which may be withheld in its sole discretion if the Carlyle Majority are advised by their counsel that giving effect to the proposed Transfer, when considered together with the pre-existing stock ownership, would either cause or may create any risk that the anti-churning rules of Section 197(f)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code would apply to disallow or reduce any

 

3



 

depreciation or amortization benefits otherwise available to Holdco, the Surviving Entity or any of the Wesco Entities or any successor entities thereto, and (y) in no event shall any Transfer of Common Stock be effective (and any such attempted Transfer shall be null and void ab initio and of no further force or effect without any action of any party) if it has the effect of causing the anti-churning rules of Section 197(f)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code to disallow or reduce any depreciation or amortization benefits otherwise available to Holdco, the Surviving Entity or any of the Wesco Entities or any successor entities thereto.  Terms used in this paragraph but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Stock Purchase and Exchange Agreement and Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated July 23, 2006, by and among the Company, Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Falcon and the other parties set forth on the signature pages thereof.

 

Governmental Authority ” means any United States, foreign, supra-national, federal, state, provincial, local or self-regulatory governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency, division, body, organization or commission or any judicial or arbitral body.

 

Immediate Family ” means, with respect to any natural person, (a) the spouse of such natural person and (b) such natural person’s, and his or her spouse’s, respective grandparents, parents, siblings, children or descendants, whether by blood, marriage or adoption.

 

Independent Director ” shall mean an individual that is independent within the meaning of “independent director” under the Exchange Act and the New York Stock Exchange rules or the rules of such other national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading.

 

IPO Date ” means the date on which the Company consummates a Qualified Public Offering.

 

Necessary Action ” shall mean, with respect to a specified result, all actions (to the extent such actions are permitted by law and, in the case of any action by the Company that requires a vote or other action on the part of the Board of Directors, to the extent such action is consistent with the fiduciary duties that the Directors may have in such capacity) necessary to cause such result, including (i) voting or providing a written consent or proxy with respect to the shares of Common Stock, (ii) causing the adoption of stockholders’ resolutions and amendments to the organizational documents of the Company, (iii) executing agreements and instruments, and (iv) making, or causing to be made, with governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities, all filings, registrations or similar actions that are required to achieve such result.

 

Parties ” means the Stockholders and the Company.

 

Permitted Transferee ” means any Person to which any Stockholder Transfers his, her or its Common Stock pursuant to an Exempt Transfer, other than a Transfer described in clause (vii ) of the definition thereof.

 

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited partnership, general partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company, joint venture, association, company, trust or other organization, or any Governmental Authority.

 

4



 

Qualified Public Offering ” means an underwritten public offering of Common Stock by the Company pursuant to an effective registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission (other than on Forms S-4 or S-8 or successors to such forms) under the Securities Act, pursuant to which the aggregate offering price of the Common Stock sold in such offering is equal to or greater than $50 million.

 

Registrable Common Stock ” means the Common Stock, other than shares of Common Stock (a) sold by a Stockholder in a transaction that does not constitute an Exempt Transfer and in which the Stockholder’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned, (b) sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, (c) sold in a transaction exempt from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(1) thereof (including transactions under Rule 144, or a successor thereto, promulgated under the Securities Act) so that all transfer restrictions and restrictive legends with respect thereto, if any, are removed upon the consummation of such sale, or (d) that can be sold by the Stockholder in question within ninety (90) days in the manner described in clause (c)  above.

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Shelf Registration Statement ” shall mean a Registration Statement of the Company filed with the Commission on either (i) Form S-3 (or any successor form or other appropriate form under the Securities Act) or (ii) if the Company is not permitted to file a Registration Statement on Form S-3, an evergreen Registration Statement on Form S-1 (or any successor form or other appropriate form under the Securities Act), in each case for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission) covering the shares of Registrable Common Stock, as applicable.

 

Stockholders ” means the Carlyle Stockholders and the Wesco Stockholders, collectively.

 

Third Party Purchaser ” means any Person other than a Stockholder or their Permitted Transferees who purchases or intends to purchase Common Stock from any Stockholder or their Permitted Transferees.

 

Transfer ” means sell, transfer, convey, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of or encumber.

 

Vested Options ” means any options to acquire Common Stock now or hereafter issued by the Company pursuant to one or more equity or stock option plans adopted by the Board of Directors that are, at the time in question, exercisable in accordance with their terms (including any options which become exercisable as a result of or upon the consummation of any transaction giving rise to any relevant right hereunder).

 

Wesco Majority ” means Wesco Stockholders who, in the aggregate, hold more than 51% of the Common Stock held by all Wesco Stockholders.

 

5



 

Wesco Stockholders ” means (i) Randy Snyder, Susan Snyder and trusts or foundations holding shares of Common Stock that are established by Randy Snyder or Susan Snyder or for the benefit of the Snyder Family, and in each case that are a party hereto, (ii) the other Stockholders from time to time designated as “Wesco Stockholders” on the signature pages hereto and (iii) any Permitted Transferee of the Persons listed in clause (i)  or (ii) .

 

(b)                                  The following terms have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below:

 

Term

 

Section

Agreement

 

Preamble

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement

 

7(e)

Bring-Along Notice

 

4(b)

Bring-Along Right

 

4(a)

Carlyle Stockholder

 

Preamble

Commission

 

7(e)

Company

 

Preamble

Demand Registration

 

7(a)

Demand Suspension

 

7(a)

Demanding Stockholder

 

7(a)

Falcon

 

Preamble

FINRA

 

7(c)

Initial Public Offering

 

Recitals

Original Agreement

 

Recitals

Other Registering Holders

 

7(b)

Prospectus

 

7(e)

purchaser representative

 

6(a)

Registering Stockholder

 

7(b)

Registration Statement

 

7(e)

Sale Notice

 

5(b)

Snyder Trusts

 

Preamble

Stockholder

 

Preamble

Tag-Along Notice

 

5(c)

Tag-Along Right

 

5(a)

Tag-Along Stockholders

 

5(a)

Third Party Terms

 

4(b)

WKSI

 

7(e)

 

(c)                                   Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (i) words of any gender include each other gender; (ii) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively; (iii) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement; (iv) the term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement; (v) the word “including” shall mean “including, without limitation”, and (vi) the word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive.

 

(d)                                  References to agreements and other documents shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments and other modifications thereto.

 

6



 

(e)                                   References to statutes shall include all regulations promulgated thereunder and references to statutes or regulations shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending or replacing the statute or regulation.

 

(f)                                     The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against either Party.

 

SECTION 2.                             BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

(a)                                   Nomination .  The Board of Directors shall consist of eight (8) Directors; provided that, within one (1) year of the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Initial Public Offering, the Board of Directors shall be expanded to add an additional Independent Director and the Company and the Stockholders shall take all Necessary Actions to increase the size of the Board of Directors to add such Independent Director.  The Company will not decrease or otherwise increase the number of Directors without the consent of the Carlyle Stockholders constituting a Carlyle Majority (so long as the Carlyle Stockholders hold in the aggregate five percent (5%) or more of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock) and the Wesco Stockholders constituting a Wesco Majority (so long as the Wesco Stockholders hold in the aggregate five percent (5%) or more of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock).  The Company and the Stockholders shall take all Necessary Actions to cause the Board of Directors to consist of members designated as follows:

 

(i)                                      six (6) nominees designated by the Carlyle Stockholders constituting a Carlyle Majority (the “ Carlyle Directors ”); provided that (A) the number of Carlyle Directors to be designated by Carlyle shall be reduced to four (4) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than forty percent (40%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, (B) the number of Carlyle Directors to be designated by Carlyle shall be reduced to three (3) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than twenty five percent (25%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, (C) the number of Carlyle Directors to be designated by Carlyle shall be reduced to two (2) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than fifteen percent (15%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, (D) the number of Carlyle Directors to be designated by Carlyle shall be reduced to one (1) Director at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than ten percent (10%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock and (E) the Carlyle Stockholders shall have no right to designate any members of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 2(a)(i)  at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than five percent (5%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock;

 

(ii)                                   one (1) nominee designated by the Wesco Stockholders constituting a Wesco Majority; provided that the Wesco Stockholders shall have no right to designate any members of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 2(a)(ii)  at such time as the Wesco Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than five percent (5%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock; and provided , further , that, so long as Randy Snyder is employed by or engaged as a consultant by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, such nominee shall be Randy Snyder, and at such time as Randy Snyder is no longer employed or engaged by the

 

7



 

Company or any of its subsidiaries, such nominee must be deemed in the reasonable judgment of the Board of Directors to be qualified to serve on the board of a public company; and

 

(iii)                                each additional nominee designated by the Board of Directors or a committee designated by the Board of Directors.

 

The Company shall cause the individuals designated in accordance with Section 2(a)  to be nominated for election to the Board of Directors, shall solicit proxies in favor thereof, and at each meeting of the stockholders of the Company at which directors of the Company are to be elected, shall recommend that the stockholders of the Company elect to the Board of Directors each such individual nominated for election at such meeting.

 

(b)                      Voting Agreement .  At each election of Directors held after the date hereof (or each written consent in lieu thereof), each Stockholder agrees to vote all shares of Common Stock entitled to vote in the election of directors owned or held of record by such Stockholder, and to take any other Necessary Actions, to elect (or to execute such written consent consenting to the election of) the nominees designated pursuant to subsection (a)  above.  The voting agreements contained herein are coupled with an interest and may not be revoked or amended except as set forth in this Agreement.

 

(c)                       Removal .  If Stockholders representing a Carlyle Majority or a Wesco Majority, as the case may be, provide written notice to each other Stockholder entitled to vote in the election of Directors indicating that such Stockholders desire to remove a Director previously designated by a Carlyle Majority or Wesco Majority, as the case may be, then such Director shall be removed, and each Stockholder hereby agrees to vote all shares of Common Stock owned or held of record by such Stockholder to effect such removal.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Director designated by a Carlyle Majority or a Wesco Majority shall be removed, with or without cause, without the prior written consent of a Carlyle Majority or a Wesco Majority, respectively.

 

(d)                      Vacancies .  If a vacancy is created on the Board of Directors at any time by the death, disability, retirement, resignation or removal (with or without cause) of a Director nominated pursuant to Sections 2(a)(i)  or 2(a)(ii) , the Carlyle Majority or the Wesco Majority, as the case may be, who previously designated such Director shall be entitled to designate a replacement Director to fill such vacancy (subject to any consent rights set forth in subsection (a)(iii)  above), and each Stockholder then entitled to vote in the election of Directors hereby agrees to vote all voting shares of Common Stock owned or held of record by it for the individual designated to fill such vacancy by the Carlyle Majority or Wesco Majority, as the case may be; provided , that such designee may not previously have been a Director who was removed for cause.

 

SECTION 3.                             PROHIBITIONS ON TRANSFERS

 

Except as approved by the Carlyle Majority and the Wesco Majority, no Wesco Stockholder shall Transfer or enter into any binding commitment to Transfer any shares of Common Stock except (i) in compliance with the terms of Sections 4 , 5 or 7 hereof or (ii) pursuant to an Exempt Transfer.  It shall be a condition to any Transfer pursuant to the preceding clause (ii)

 

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that (a) the Permitted Transferee (and any trustee(s) of any trust that is a Permitted Transferee) shall agree to become a party to this Agreement as a “Stockholder” for all purposes hereof and shall complete, execute and deliver to the Company a signature page in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto acknowledging that such Permitted Transferee agrees to be bound by the terms hereof (except in the case of a Transfer of Common Stock pursuant to a transaction set forth in clause (v)  or (vii)  of the definition of Exempt Transfer) and (b) such Transfer is either exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable securities laws of any state or that such registration requirements have been complied with.  Any attempted Transfer of any Common Stock not in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 shall be null and void and neither the Company nor any transfer agent of such Common Stock shall give any effect to such attempted Transfer in violation hereof.

 

SECTION 4.                             BRING-ALONG RIGHTS

 

(a)                                   In connection with any proposed Company Sale, the Carlyle Stockholders shall have the right (a Bring-Along Right ”), but not the obligation, to cause all, but not less than all, Wesco Stockholders to tender for purchase to the Third Party Purchaser in such Company Sale, a number of shares of Common Stock (including Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Vested Options) equaling the amount derived by multiplying (i) the total number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be purchased by the Third Party Purchaser by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock held by such Wesco Stockholder (which shall, for the purpose of this Section 4(a) , be deemed to include all Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all Vested Options held by such Wesco Stockholder and any restricted shares of Common Stock held by such Wesco Stockholder) and the denominator of which is the total number of then outstanding shares of Common Stock (which shall, for the purpose of this Section 4(a) , be deemed to include all Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all Vested Options then outstanding and all restricted shares of Common Stock then outstanding).

 

(b)                                  Any Carlyle Stockholder that elects to exercise its Bring-Along Right shall so notify each of the Wesco Stockholders pursuant to a written notice (each, a “ Bring-Along Notice ”) delivered to the Wesco Stockholders at least twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which the Carlyle Stockholder expects the proposed Company Sale that triggered such Bring-Along Right to be consummated.  Each Bring-Along Notice shall set forth: (i) the name of the Third Party Purchaser and the amount of Common Stock proposed to be purchased by such Third Party Purchaser, (ii) the proposed amount and form of consideration and the terms and conditions of payment offered by the Third Party Purchaser and a summary of any other material terms pertaining to the Transfer (“ Third Party Terms ”), together with a copy of any written documents constituting the offer or proposal of the Third Party Purchaser and (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock and/or Vested Options that such Wesco Stockholder is required to sell pursuant to the Bring-Along Right; provided , however , that the aggregate consideration payable for Vested Options sold to a Third Party Purchaser pursuant to the Bring-Along Right shall be (i) the aggregate consideration payable with respect to the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Vested Options, minus (ii) the aggregate exercise price payable upon the exercise of such Vested Options.  The terms and conditions applicable to such purchase and sale of any shares of Common Stock and Vested Options purchased from any Wesco Stockholder pursuant to this Section 4 shall otherwise be the same

 

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as the terms and conditions applicable to such Carlyle Stockholders, including the timing of purchase, sale and payment.

 

(c)                                   Upon the receipt of a Bring-Along Notice, each Stockholder shall be obligated to sell the number of shares of Common Stock and Vested Options required to be sold by such Stockholder as set forth in the Bring-Along Notice on the Third Party Terms, on the terms and subject to the conditions generally applicable to all Stockholders selling to the Third Party Purchaser in connection with such transaction(s) and subject to the consummation of such transaction(s) in accordance with their terms.

 

(d)                                  At the closing of the Transfer to any Third Party Purchaser pursuant to this Section 4 , the Third Party Purchaser shall remit to each Stockholder the consideration for the Common Stock and Vested Options to be sold by such Stockholder (less any portion of the consideration to be escrowed or otherwise held back in accordance with the Third Party Terms; provided , however , that such escrow or hold back is pro rata among all Stockholders and other parties selling securities in such transaction), against delivery by such Stockholder of the certificates (if any) representing such Common Stock, duly endorsed for Transfer or with duly executed stock powers or similar instruments, and such other instruments of Transfer or acknowledgments of cancellation of any Vested Options to be sold by such Stockholder, in each case, as may be reasonably requested by the Third Party Purchaser and the Company, and the compliance by such Stockholder with any other conditions to closing generally applicable to all Stockholders selling Common Stock in such transaction; provided , no such condition shall require such Stockholder to undertake or agree to bear joint and several liability with any other party thereto or to bear more than such Stockholder’s proportionate share of any indemnification obligations.

 

SECTION 5.                             TAG-ALONG RIGHTS

 

(a)                                   In the event that a Carlyle Stockholder proposes to Transfer all or any portion of the Common Stock then held by such Carlyle Stockholder to a Third Party Purchaser, other than pursuant to an Exempt Transfer, each of the Snyder Trusts and their respective Permitted Transferees (collectively, the “ Tag-Along Stockholders ”) shall have the right (the “ Tag-Along Right ”) to sell in their discretion up to the same percentage of such Tag-Along Stockholder’s Common Stock as all Carlyle Stockholders are proposing to sell in such a transaction by requesting that such Third Party Purchaser purchase from such Tag-Along Stockholder up to the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number derived by multiplying (i) the total number of shares of Common Stock that the proposed Third Party Purchaser(s) have agreed or committed to purchase by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock owned by such Tag-Along Stockholder (other than shares issuable upon the exercise of Vested Options of such Tag-Along Stockholder, but including unvested restricted shares of Common Stock held by such Stockholder if the proposed Transfer would constitute a Company Sale and including any shares to be issued upon any exercise of Vested Options conditioned upon the consummation of the Transfer), and the denominator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding (other than shares issuable upon the exercise of then-outstanding Vested Options, but including unvested restricted shares of Common Stock then outstanding if the proposed Transfer would constitute a Company Sale and including any shares issuable upon the exercise of Vested Options conditioned upon the

 

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consummation of such Transfer).  Any shares of Common Stock purchased from Tag-Along Stockholders pursuant to this Section 5(a)  shall be purchased upon the same terms and conditions (including timing of purchase and payment) as such proposed Transfer by such Carlyle Stockholder.

 

(b)                                  If any Carlyle Stockholder proposes to make a Transfer triggering the Tag-Along Right, such Carlyle Stockholder shall send a written notice (each, a “ Sale Notice ”) to all of the Snyder Trusts and their respective Permitted Transferees at least twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which such Carlyle Stockholder expects to consummate such Transfer.  Each Sale Notice shall set forth the Third Party Terms applicable to the proposed Transfer, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock the Wesco Stockholder to whom the Sale Notice is delivered is entitled to sell pursuant to the Tag-Along Right and the anticipated closing date of the Transfer, and shall be accompanied by a copy of any written documents reflecting the terms and conditions agreed to by the Carlyle Stockholder and the Third Party Purchaser.

 

(c)                                   Each Tag-Along Stockholder that desires to exercise the Tag-Along Right shall deliver a written notice (each, a “ Tag-Along Notice ”) to that effect to the Carlyle Stockholder proposing to sell Common Stock within ten (10) Business Days following receipt of the Sale Notice from such Carlyle Stockholder.  The Tag-Along Notice shall state the number of shares of Common Stock (not to exceed the amount determined in accordance with Section 5(a) ) that such Tag-Along Stockholder proposes to include in such Transfer to the Third Party Purchaser, and shall constitute the Tag-Along Stockholder’s binding agreement to sell its shares on the terms and subject to the conditions as are specified in or accompany the Sale Notice.  If the Third Party Purchaser does not purchase the specified number of shares of Common Stock from the Tag-Along Stockholders on the same terms and conditions as specified in the Sale Notice and at the same time as the Third Party Purchaser purchases Common Stock from such Carlyle Stockholder, then such Carlyle Stockholder shall not be entitled to sell any shares of Common Stock to the proposed Third Party Purchaser in the proposed Transfer unless such Carlyle Stockholder or its designee substantially concurrently purchases from each such Tag-Along Stockholder the number of shares of Common Stock of such Tag-along Stockholder as is specified in the Tag-Along Notice, on the Third Party Terms.

 

(d)                                  At the closing of the Transfer to any Third Party Purchaser pursuant to this Section 5 , the Third Party Purchaser shall remit to each Tag-Along Stockholder the consideration for the Common Stock of such Tag-Along Stockholder sold pursuant hereto (less any such consideration to be escrowed or otherwise held back in accordance with the Third Party Terms; provided , however , that such escrow or hold back is pro rata among all sellers of Common Stock participating in such transaction), against delivery by such Tag-Along Stockholder of certificates (if any) representing such Common Stock, duly endorsed for Transfer or with duly executed stock powers or similar instruments, or such other instrument of Transfer of such Common Stock as may be reasonably requested by the Third Party Purchaser and the Company, and the compliance by such Stockholder with any other conditions to closing generally applicable to all Stockholders selling Common Stock in such transaction; provided that no such condition shall require such Stockholder to undertake or agree to bear joint and several liability with any other party thereto or to bear more than such Stockholder’s proportionate share of any indemnification obligations.

 

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(e)                                   If any Transfer described in a Tag-Along Notice has not been consummated in accordance with the terms set forth in the Tag-Along Notice within one hundred and eighty (180) days after the expiration of the ten (10) Business Day election period specified in Section 5(c) , or if the terms of such proposed Transfer have been modified in any material respect from those set forth in the Tag-Along Notice, such Transfer may not be completed without first providing a new Tag-Along Notice to the Snyder Trusts and their respective Permitted Transferees and allowing another opportunity for such Stockholders to elect to exercise their Tag-Along Right set forth in this Section 5 .

 

SECTION 6.                             COOPERATION

 

(a)                                   If the Company or any Carlyle Stockholder enters into any negotiation with respect to any transaction which could give rise to the issuance of Securities (as defined in the Securities Act) to a Stockholder for which Rule 506 (or any similar rule then in effect) promulgated under the Securities Act may be available, each such Stockholder shall, if requested by the Company, appoint for such Stockholder a “ purchaser representative ” (as such term is defined in Rule 501 of the Securities Act) reasonably acceptable to the Company to advise such Stockholder in connection with such transaction.  If such purchaser representative is designated by the Company, the Company shall pay the fees and expenses of such purchaser representative, but if any Stockholder appoints another purchaser representative, such Stockholder shall be responsible for the fees and expenses of the purchaser representative so appointed.

 

(b)                                  Subject to Section 7(d) , each of the Stockholders agrees that in any transaction in which such Stockholder sells some or all of the Common Stock and/or Vested Options held by such Stockholder (pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise, and whether structured as a sale of equity, merger, recapitalization, sale of assets or otherwise), such Stockholder shall bear his, her or its pro-rata portion of the costs of such transaction (based upon the percentage that the number of shares of Common Stock that are sold for such Stockholder in such transaction bears to the total number of shares of Common Stock that are sold in such transaction) to the extent such costs are incurred for the benefit of all holders of Common Stock and are not otherwise paid by the Company or the acquiring party.

 

(c)                                   If any action by the Wesco Stockholders is required in connection with any transaction giving rise to a Tag-Along Right or a Bring-Along Right, a Qualified Public Offering or any Company Sale, each Wesco Stockholder shall take such actions as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the Carlyle Stockholders in connection therewith, so long as the Company and the Carlyle Stockholders are then in compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the Carlyle Stockholders take the same or equivalent action as is being requested of the Wesco Stockholders.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Wesco Stockholder agrees that he, she or it (i) shall consent to and raise no objections against such transaction, (ii) shall execute any Common Stock purchase agreement, merger agreement or other agreement in reasonably customary form entered into with the Third Party Purchaser with respect to such transaction memorializing the definitive Third Party Terms of such transaction and any ancillary agreement with respect thereto, so long as such agreements do not place disproportionate costs, expenses, risks or potential liability on the Wesco Stockholders as compared to any other Stockholders, (iii) shall vote the Common Stock held by such Wesco

 

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Stockholder in favor of such transaction, (iv) shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its Director nominee to vote in favor of such transaction (including without limitation by removal or replacement of any such Director) and (v) shall refrain from the exercise of dissenters’ appraisal rights with respect to such transaction.

 

SECTION 7.                             REGISTRATION RIGHTS

 

(a)                                   Demand Registrations .

 

(i)                                      The Carlyle Stockholders shall have the right on any six (6) occasions, and the Snyder Trusts (and their Permitted Designees) shall have the right on any two (2) occasions, to make a written request to the Company for registration with the Commission, under and in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act, of all or part of the Common Stock held of record and beneficially by such Stockholder (a “ Demand Registration ” and the Stockholder exercising such right, the “ Demanding Stockholder ”).  The Demanding Stockholder may request that the Company register such Common Stock on an appropriate form, including a Shelf Registration Statement and, if the Company is a WKSI, an automatic shelf registration statement.  Within thirty (30) days after receipt of a request for a Demand Registration, the Company shall file a registration statement relating to such Demand Registration (a “ Demand Registration Statement ”) and shall use its best efforts to cause such Demand Registration Statement to promptly (but in any event within 180 days of receipt of the written request for a Demand Registration) be declared effective under the Securities Act; provided that, to the extent the Company will be a WKSI at the time such Demand Registration Statement is filed with the Commission, the Company shall file such Demand Registration Statement within five (5) business days after receipt of a request for a Demand Registration.  The Company shall not be obligated to file a Demand Registration Statement under this Section 7(a) unless the aggregate purchase price of the securities to be included in the requested Demand Registration (determined by reference to the offering price on the cover of the registration statement proposed to be filed) is greater than $25,000,000.

 

(ii)                                   If any Demand Registration is an underwritten registration and the managing underwriter or underwriters determine that the aggregate amount of securities proposed to be sold in such Demand Registration exceeds the maximum amount of securities that may be sold without having a material adverse effect on the success of the offering, including without limitation the selling price and other terms of such offering, the Company will include in such registration, (i)  first , the number of securities requested by the Demanding Stockholder to be included in such Demand Registration that, in the opinion of such managing underwriter(s), can be sold and (ii)  second , only if all securities referred to in clause (i) have been included in such Demand Registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such Demand Registration.

 

(iii)                                If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Demand Registration Statement at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Demanding Stockholder(s), delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, the Demand Registration Statement (a “ Demand Suspension ”); provided , however , that the Company shall not be permitted to exercise a Demand Suspension (i) more than once during

 

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any twelve (12) month period or (ii) for a period exceeding thirty (30) days on any one occasion.  In the case of a Demand Suspension, the Stockholders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus in connection with any sale or purchase, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Common Stock, upon receipt of the notice referred to above.  The Company shall immediately notify the Demanding Stockholder(s) upon the termination of any Demand Suspension, amend or supplement the Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any untrue statement or omission and furnish to the Demanding Stockholder(s) such numbers of copies of the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as the Demanding Stockholder(s) may request.  The Company agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Demand Registration Statement, if required by the registration form used by the Company for the Demand Registration or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or as may be requested by the Demanding Stockholder(s).

 

(b)                                  Piggyback Registrations .  If the Company at any time after the IPO Date proposes to register under the Securities Act any shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (other than in connection with a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 7(a) ), whether or not for sale for its own account, on a form and in a manner which would permit registration of the Common Stock held by a Stockholder for sale to the public under the Securities Act, the Company shall give written notice of the proposed registration to each Stockholder not later than thirty (30) days prior to the filing thereof.  Each Stockholder shall have the right to request that all or any part of his or its Registrable Common Stock be included in such registration.  Each Stockholder can make such a request by giving written notice to the Company within ten (10) Business Days (or, if the Company is a WKSI at such time, five (5) Business Days) after the giving of such notice by the Company (any Stockholder giving the Company a notice requesting that the Registrable Common Stock owned by it be included in such proposed registration being hereinafter referred to in this Section 7 as a “ Registering Stockholder ”); provided , however , that if the registration is an underwritten registration and the managing underwriters of such offering determine that the aggregate amount of securities of the Company which the Company, all Registering Stockholders and all other stockholders of the Company entitled to register securities on a pari passu basis with the Registering Stockholders in connection with such offering (“ Other Registering Holders ”) propose to include in such registration statement exceeds the maximum amount of securities that may be sold without having a material adverse effect on the success of the offering, including without limitation the selling price and other terms of such offering, the Company will include in such registration, (i)  first , the securities which the Company proposes to sell, (ii)  second , the Common Stock of any holders with registration rights that are senior to the rights of the Registering Stockholders hereunder and (iii)  third , the Registrable Common Stock of such Registering Stockholders and the Registrable Common Stock to be sold for the account of Other Registering Holders pro rata among all such Registering Stockholders and any such Other Registering Holders, taken together, on the basis of the relative percentage of Registrable Common Stock owned by all Registering Stockholders and such Other Registering Holders who have requested that securities owned by them be so included (it being further agreed and understood, however, that such underwriters shall have the right to eliminate entirely the participation of the Registering Stockholders in such registration if such underwriters eliminate entirely the participation in such registration of all such Other Registering Holders).

 

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Registrable Common Stock proposed to be registered and sold pursuant to an underwritten offering for the account of any Registering Stockholder shall be sold to the prospective underwriters selected or approved by the Company and on the terms and subject to the conditions of one or more underwriting agreements negotiated between the Company and the prospective underwriters.  The Company may withdraw any registration statement at any time before it becomes effective, or postpone or terminate the offering of securities, without obligation or liability to any Registering Stockholder.

 

(c)                                   Holdback Agreements .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7 , each Stockholder agrees that he, she or it will not (and it shall be a condition to the rights of each Stockholder under this Section 7 that such Stockholder does not) offer for public sale any Common Stock during a period not to exceed sixty (60) days prior to and one-hundred and eighty (180) days (but subject to extension as may be required to comply with Rule 2711 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”)) after the effective date of any registration statement filed by the Company in connection with an underwritten public offering (except as part of such underwritten registration or as otherwise permitted by such underwriters), but only if so required by the underwriters in an underwritten offering and if each Carlyle Stockholder participating in the offering also agrees to and does comply with such requirement.

 

(d)                                  Expenses .  Except as otherwise required by state securities or blue sky laws or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, all expenses, disbursements and fees incurred by the Company and the Stockholders in connection with any registration under this Section 7 shall be borne by the Company (including the fees and expenses of one legal firm to represent the Stockholders participating in any such registration), except that the following expenses shall be borne by the Stockholder incurring the same:  (i) the costs and expenses of counsel to such Stockholder to the extent such Stockholder retains its own independent counsel; (ii) discounts, commissions, fees or similar compensation owing to underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers or other reasonable compensation paid to other industry professionals, to the extent relating to the distribution or sale of such Stockholder’s securities; (iii) transfer taxes with respect to the securities sold by such Stockholder; and (iv) other expenses incurred by such Stockholder and incidental to the sale and delivery of the securities to be sold by such Stockholder.

 

(e)                                   Registration Procedures .  In connection with any registration of Registrable Common Stock under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will consult with each Registering Stockholder whose Common Stock is to be included in any such registration concerning the form of underwriting agreement (and shall provide to such Registering Stockholder the form of underwriting agreement prior to the Company’s execution thereof) and shall provide to such Registering Stockholder and its representatives such other documents (including correspondence with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) with respect to the registration statement and the related securities offering) as such Registering Stockholder shall reasonably request in connection with its participation in such registration.  The Company will furnish each Registering Stockholder whose Registrable Common Stock is registered thereunder and each underwriter, if any, with a copy of the registration statement and all amendments thereto and will supply each such Registering Stockholder and each underwriter, if any, with copies of any prospectus forming a part of such registration statement (including a preliminary prospectus and all amendments and

 

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supplements thereto, the “ Prospectus ”), in such quantities as may be reasonably requested for the purposes of the proposed sale or distribution covered by such registration.  The Company shall not, however, be required to maintain the registration statement effective or to supply copies of a prospectus for a period beyond (i) ninety (90) days after the effective date of such registration statement, in the case of a firm commitment, underwritten public offering or (ii) one hundred and eighty (180) days after the effective date of such registration statement, if the public offering is not firmly underwritten (or such lesser time as may be necessary for the selling stockholders to sell the registered shares under the effective registration statement) and, at the end of such period, the Company may deregister any securities covered by such registration statement and not then sold or distributed; provided , however , that such ninety (90) day and one hundred and eighty (180) day periods shall be tolled for any period during which the Registering Stockholders participating in the registration are unable to (or requested by the Company or the underwriter not to) sell their Registrable Common Stock due to some defect or omission in the registration statement or as a result of any stop order issued, or any action, investigation or proceeding undertaken by the Commission or any applicable Governmental Authority.  In the event that the Company prepares and files with the Commission a registration statement on any appropriate form under the Securities Act (a “ Registration Statement ”) providing for the sale of Registrable Common Stock held by any Registering Stockholder pursuant to its obligations under this Section 7 , the Company will:

 

(i)                                      upon filing a Registration Statement or any Prospectus related thereto, furnish to the Registering Stockholders whose Registrable Common Stock are covered by such Registration Statement and the underwriters, if any, copies of all such documents;

 

(ii)                                   prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period referenced in subparagraph (d)  above; cause the related Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to such Prospectus;

 

(iii)                                promptly notify the Registering Stockholders and the managing underwriters, if any, and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such advice in writing, (A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission or any state securities commission for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for additional information, (C) of the issuance by the Commission or any state securities commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (D) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Common Stock for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, and (E) of the existence of any fact which results in a Registration Statement, a

 

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Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference containing an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

(iv)                               use its reasonable best efforts to promptly obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement;

 

(v)                                  if requested by the managing underwriters or a Registering Stockholder, promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the managing underwriters or the Registering Stockholders holding a majority of the Registrable Common Stock being sold by Registering Stockholders agree should be included therein relating to the sale of such Registrable Common Stock, including without limitation information with respect to the amount of Registrable Common Stock being sold to such underwriters, the purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriters and with respect to any other terms of the underwritten (or best efforts underwritten) offering of the Registrable Common Stock to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

 

(vi)                               furnish to such Registering Stockholder and each managing underwriter at least one signed copy of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits (including those incorporated by reference);

 

(vii)                            deliver to such Registering Stockholders and the underwriters, if any, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such persons or entities may reasonably request;

 

(viii)                         prior to any public offering of Registrable Common Stock, register or qualify or cooperate with the Registering Stockholders, the underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of such Registrable Common Stock for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Registering Stockholder or underwriter reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Common Stock covered by the applicable Registration Statement; provided , however , that the Company will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so required to be qualified or to take any action which would subject it to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

 

(ix)                                 cooperate with the Registering Stockholders and the managing underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Common Stock to be sold pursuant to such Registration Statement and not bearing any restrictive legends, and enable such Registrable Common Stock to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing

 

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underwriters may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Common Stock to the underwriters;

 

(x)                                    if any fact described in subparagraph (iii)(E)  above exists, promptly prepare and file with the Commission a supplement or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Common Stock being sold thereunder, such Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

(xi)                                 cause all Registrable Common Stock covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;

 

(xii)                              provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Common Stock included in such Registration Statement, not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement;

 

(xiii)                           enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company) and take all such other reasonable actions in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Common Stock;

 

(xiv)                          make available for inspection by a representative of the Registering Stockholders whose Registrable Common Stock is being sold pursuant to such Registration Statement, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to a Registration Statement, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Registering Stockholders or underwriter, all financial and other records and any pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company reasonably requested by such representative, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement; provided , however , that any records, information or documents that are designated by the Company in writing as confidential shall be kept confidential by such persons or entities unless disclosure of such records, information or documents is required by court or administrative order; and

 

(xv)                             otherwise use reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and relevant state securities commissions, and make generally available to the Registering Stockholders earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of any 12-month period (or ninety (90) days, if such period is a fiscal year) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Registrable Common Stock of such Registering Stockholder is sold to underwriters in an underwritten offering, or, if not sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of a Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said 12-month period.

 

18



 

To the extent the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (a “ WKSI ”) at the time any Demand Registration is submitted to the Company, and such Demand Registration requests that the Company file an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (an “ Automatic Shelf Registration Statement ”) on Form S-3, the Company shall file an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement which covers those shares of Registrable Common Stock which are requested to be registered.  If the Company does not pay the filing fee covering the shares of Registrable Common Stock at the time the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company agrees to pay such fee at such time or times as the shares of Registrable Common Stock are to be sold.  If the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement has been outstanding for at least three (3) years, at the end of the third year the Company shall refile a new Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering the shares of Registrable Common Stock.  If at any time when the Company is required to re-evaluate its WKSI status the Company determines that it is not a WKSI, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to refile the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 and, if such form is not available, Form S-1 and keep such registration statement effective during the period during which such registration statement is required to be kept effective.

 

(f)                                     Conditions to Stockholder Rights; Indemnification by Stockholder .  It shall be a condition of each Registering Stockholder’s rights hereunder to have Registrable Common Stock owned by it registered that:

 

(i)                                      such Registering Stockholder shall cooperate with the Company in all reasonable respects by supplying information and executing documents relating to such Registering Stockholder or the securities of the Company owned by such Registering Stockholder to the extent required to be included in any public filing required to be made with the Commission in connection with such registration;

 

(ii)                                   such Registering Stockholder shall enter into such undertakings and take such other action relating to the conduct of the proposed offering which the Company or the underwriters may reasonably request as being necessary to ensure compliance with federal and state securities laws and the rules or other requirements of FINRA or otherwise to effectuate the offering, provided that the Carlyle Stockholders do the same; and

 

(iii)                                such Registering Stockholder shall execute and deliver an agreement to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act), and each person or entity, if any, who controls such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, against such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including reimbursement for legal and other expenses) to which such underwriter or controlling person or entity may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, in such manner as is customary for registrations of the type then proposed and, in any event, at least equivalent in scope to indemnities given by the Company in connection with such registration, but only with respect to information furnished in writing by such Registering Stockholder in its capacity as a Registering Stockholder specifically for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus in connection with such registration and with respect to such Registering Stockholder’s failure to deliver Prospectuses as required

 

19



 

under the Securities Act; provided , however , that in no event shall such obligation require any Registering Stockholder to agree to provide indemnification in excess of the net amount of proceeds from the sale of shares of Registrable Common Stock that are actually received by such Registering Stockholder.

 

(g)                                  Indemnification by Company .  In the event of any registration under the Securities Act of any Registrable Common Stock of Registering Stockholders pursuant to this Section 7 , the Company shall execute and deliver an agreement in customary scope and substance to indemnify and hold harmless each Registering Stockholder disposing of such Registrable Common Stock and any underwriter participating in such disposition against such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including reimbursement for legal and other expenses) to which such Registering Stockholder and any such underwriter may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, in such manner as is customary in underwriting agreements for registrations of the type then proposed.

 

(h)                                  Rule 144 .  The Company covenants that it will timely file all periodic and current reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder, such that at all times while the Company is subject to such filing and reporting requirements, the requirement of Rule 144 that adequate information regarding the Company be publicly available through the making of such requisite filings shall at all time be satisfied.  Upon the request of any Registering Stockholder, the Company will deliver to such Registering Stockholder a written statement confirming that it has complied with such requirements and any such other statements and information as reasonably may be requested by the Stockholder in determining the availability of Rule 144 to such Stockholder.

 

(i)                                      Priority .  Without the prior written consent of a Carlyle Majority and a Wesco Majority, the Company shall not grant any Stockholder registration rights that are prior in right to the registration rights granted to the Stockholders hereunder.  Subject to the foregoing and notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7 , the Company may, without the consent of the Parties, grant registration rights senior to the rights of the Parties pursuant to this Section 7 in connection with any bona fide investment or financing transaction negotiated at arm’s length by the Company.

 

SECTION 8.                             MISCELLANEOUS

 

(a)                                   Legends .  All certificates representing shares of Common Stock issued to or acquired by any of the Stockholders prior to the execution of this Agreement bear the following legend:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT AND SUCH LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS THEREOF.”

 

20


 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY ARE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER AGREEMENTS SET FORTH IN A STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE INITIAL HOLDER HEREOF DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 29, 2006. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT SHALL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE ISSUER TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.”

 

Upon the execution of this Agreement, in addition to any other legend that the Company may deem advisable under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, all certificates, if any, representing shares of capital stock of the Company issued by the Company to any of the Stockholders shall bear the following legend, and the shares represented by such certificates shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this Agreement:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT AND SUCH LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS THEREOF.”

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY ARE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER AGREEMENTS SET FORTH IN AN AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE INITIAL HOLDER HEREOF DATED AS OF [                    ], 2011. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT SHALL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE ISSUER TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.”

 

(b)                                  Successors, Assigns and Transferees .  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective legal representatives, heirs, legatees, successors, and permitted assigns (including, without limitation, successors to the Company, whether by merger or otherwise) and any other transferee of the Common Stock and shall also apply to any Common Stock acquired by the Stockholders after the date hereof.

 

(c)                                   Specific Performance .  Each Party, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to specific performance of each other Party’s obligations under this Agreement. The Company, the Carlyle Stockholders and the Wesco Stockholders agree that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by any of them of the provisions of this Agreement and each hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

21



 

(d)                                  Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Delaware.

 

(e)                                   Interpretation .  The headings of the Sections contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the Parties and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

(f)                                     Notices .  All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given and received when delivered by overnight courier or hand delivery, when sent by telecopy, or five days after mailing if sent by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) postage prepaid, to the Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for any Party as shall be specified by like notices, provided that notices of a change of address shall be effective only upon receipt thereof).

 

If to the Company, at:

 

Wesco Aicraft Holdings, Inc.
27727 Avenue Scott
Valencia, California 91355
Telecopier:  (661) 295-1340
Attention:  Randy Snyder

 

With a copy to Falcon, at the address given below.

 

If to Falcon, at:

 

Carlyle Partners IV, L.P.
c/o TC Group, L.L.C.

1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 220 South

Washington, DC 20004-2505

Telecopier:  (202) 347-9250

Attention:  Adam J. Palmer

 

If to the Snyder Family, to:

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.
27727 Avenue Scott
Valencia, California 91355
Telecopier:  (661) 295-1340
Attention:  Randy Snyder

 

Or such other address for a trustee as may be specified on the signature page(s) hereto.

 

If to any other Stockholders, to the address set forth on the signature pages hereto.

 

22



 

(g)                                  Recapitalization, Exchange, Etc. Affecting the Company’s Equity Securities .  The provisions of this Agreement shall apply, to the full extent set forth herein, with respect to any and all Common Stock of the Company or any successor or assign of the Company (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets, conversion to a corporation or otherwise) that may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of, the Common Stock and shall be appropriately adjusted for any dividends, splits, reverse splits, combinations, recapitalizations, and the like occurring after the date hereof.  This Agreement shall also apply to any Common Stock acquired by the Stockholders at any time hereafter, whether as a result of exercising Vested Options, the vesting of restricted stock or otherwise without any further action by such Stockholder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any other provision contained herein, this Agreement will terminate upon the later of (i) the consummation of a Company Sale and (ii) such date as neither the Carlyle Stockholders nor the Wesco Stockholders in the aggregate hold five percent (5%) or more of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

(h)                                  Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed by facsimile signature and in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(i)                                      Severability .  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstances, is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be in any way impaired thereby.

 

(j)                                      Amendment .  This Agreement may be amended and any provision hereof waived only by written document signed by each of the Parties; provided , however , that (i) a Wesco Majority may agree to amend this Agreement or grant a waiver of any term hereof on behalf of all Wesco Stockholders to the extent their rights and obligations are not disproportionately adversely affected relative to those of such Wesco Majority and (ii) a Carlyle Majority may agree to amend this Agreement or grant a waiver of any term hereof on behalf of all Carlyle Stockholders to the extent their rights and obligations are not disproportionately adversely affected relative to those of such Carlyle Majority.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time hereafter, Permitted Transferees or other Persons acquiring shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof may be made parties hereto and treated as “Stockholders” for all purposes hereunder by executing a counterpart signature page in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, which signature page shall be countersigned by the Company and shall be attached to this Agreement and become a part hereof without any further action of any other Party hereto.

 

(k)                                   Tax Withholding .  The Company shall be entitled to require payment in cash or deduction from other compensation payable to a Stockholder of any sums required by federal, state or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise, repurchase or cancellation of any Common Stock or any option to purchase Common Stock.

 

(l)                                      Management Agreement .  The Stockholders acknowledge and agree that the Carlyle Management Agreement shall remain in effect until amended, restated or otherwise modified or terminated pursuant to its terms.

 

23



 

(m)                                Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement .  Upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement relating to the Initial Public Offering, the Original Agreement shall thereupon be deemed to be amended and restated as hereinabove set forth as fully and with the same effect as if the amendments and restatements made hereby were originally set forth in the Original Agreement, but such amendments and restatements shall not operate so as to render invalid or improper any action heretofore taken under the Original Agreement.

 

[ Signature pages follow ]

 

24



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Gregory Hann

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer and Executive

 

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

FALCON AEROSPACE HOLDINGS, LLC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Peter J. Clare

 

Its:

President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Justin Henry Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Randy Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Justin Henry Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Susan Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Joshua Jack Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Randy Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Joshua Jack Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Susan Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Todd Ian Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Randy Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 


 

 

Todd Ian Snyder Exempt Trust U/T Susan Snyder 2005 Grantor Trust, dated December 31, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

By:

Michael Neri, Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Randy Snyder 2009 Extended Family Trust, dated March 9, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Susan Snyder 2009 Extended Family Trust, dated March 9, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

MICHAEL W. ALLEN

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

MICHAEL BATTENFIELD

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

MORRIS BENOUN

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

HAN SUN CHO

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

VICTORIA J. CONNER

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

GREGORY DIETZ

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

STEPHEN GOLD

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 


 

 

 

 

JAMES E. GRASON

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

SHERYL KNIGHTS

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

TOMMY LEE

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

ALEX MURRAY

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

JOHN F. SEGOVIA

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

CHAD WALLACE

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

BRUCE WEINSTEIN

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

DANA L. WILKIN

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

PAUL E. FULCHINO

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

KATHY DERASMO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRANK DERASMO

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 


 

 

 

 

JOHN JUMPER

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

George and Lisa Hess Trust dated October 1, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

George Hess

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Lisa Hess

 

Title:

Trustee

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Kuntz-Wright Family Revocable Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Mark J. Kuntz

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Kimberly Lloyd Wright

 

Title:

 

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

ROBERT D. PAULSON

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Weinstein Living Trust dated September 21, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Hal R. Weinstein

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Cynthia Weinstein

 

Title:

Trustee

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

Wright Family Trust dated August 29, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Trevor J. Wright

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Jean L. Wright

 

Title:

Trustee

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

DAVID L. SQUIER

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

JOHN CHALARIS

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

 

 

 

SHIRLEY WARNER

 

[Signature Page to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

SIGNATURE PAGE
TO THE
STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

 

By execution of this signature page,                                                                               hereby agrees to become a party to, be bound by the obligations of and receive the benefits of that certain Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement dated as of [June] [    ], 2011 by and among Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and certain other parties named therein, as amended from time to time thereafter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted:

 

 

 

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

[Exhibit A to Amended & Restated Stockholders Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.22

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
INCENTIVE PLAN

(Effective as of October 1, 2010)

 

SECTION 1.   PURPOSE

 

The purposes of the Plan are to enable the Company and its Subsidiaries to attract, retain, motivate and reward the best qualified executive officers and key employees by providing them with the opportunity to earn competitive compensation directly linked to the Company’s performance.

 

SECTION 2.   DEFINITIONS

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following words as used in the Plan shall have the meanings ascribed to each below, it being understood that masculine, feminine and neuter pronouns are used interchangeably and that each comprehends the others.

 

(a)     “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(b)     “ Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee or subcommittee of the Board or the Compensation Committee as the Board or Compensation Committee shall designate from time to time.

 

(c)     “ Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and such other class of stock into which such common stock is hereafter converted or exchanged.

 

(d)     “ Company ” means Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

(e)     “ Equity Incentive Plan ” means the Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

(f)      “ Participant ” means ( i ) each executive officer of the Company and ( ii ) each other employee of the Company or a Subsidiary whom the Committee designates as a participant under the Plan.

 

(g)     “ Performance Period ” means each fiscal year or another period as designated by the Committee.

 

(h)     “ Plan ” means this Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as may hereafter be amended from time to time.

 

(i)      “ Subsidiary ” means any business entity in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, and any other business organizations, regardless of form, in which the Company possesses, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total combined equity interests.

 

SECTION 3.   AWARDS

 

(a)     Performance Criteria . The Committee may establish the performance objective or objectives that must be satisfied in order for a Participant to receive an award for a Performance Period or may make discretionary payments from the Plan. Performance objectives may be based upon the relative or comparative achievement of performance criteria, whether in absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more similarly situated companies or a published index covering the performance of a number of companies, as determined by the Committee for the applicable performance period, which

 



 

performance criteria may include: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; operating or net earnings or income (per- or post-tax); earnings before interest and taxes; total shareholder return; return on the Company’s assets; increase in the Company’s earnings or earnings per share; revenue; revenue growth; share price performance; return on invested capital; economic value added; profit margins; cash flow; improvement in or attainment of expense or capital expenditure levels; improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; return on equity; debt reduction; gross profit; market share; cost reductions; workforce satisfaction and diversity goals; workplace health and safety goals; product quality goals; employee retention; customer satisfaction; customer retention; completion of key projects and strategic plan development and/or implementation; job profit or performance against a multiplier.  Performance objectives may be established on a Company-wide basis or with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Subsidiaries or products, or with respect to an individual.   When establishing performance objectives for a Performance Period, the Committee may exclude any or all “extraordinary items,” including, without limitation, the charges or costs associated with restructurings of the Company or any Subsidiary, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, capital gains and losses, dividends, share repurchase, other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative effects of accounting changes.  The Committee may also adjust the performance objectives for any Performance Period in its discretion, including in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Company, changes in applicable tax laws or accounting principles, or such other factors as the Committee may determine.

 

(b)     Maximum Amount Payable . The maximum aggregate amount of cash that may be paid to any one Participant during any fiscal year of the Company under the Plan with respect to one or more awards payable in cash shall be US $5,000,000.

 

(c)     Termination of Employment . Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, if a Participant’s employment terminates for any reason prior to the date on which the award is paid hereunder, such Participants shall forfeit all rights to any and all awards that have not yet been paid under the Plan.

 

(d)     Discretion . Notwithstanding anything else contained in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee shall have the right, in its absolute discretion, ( i ) to increase, reduce or eliminate the amount otherwise payable to any Participant under the Plan based on individual performance or conduct or any other factors that the Committee, in its discretion, shall deem appropriate and ( ii ) to establish rules or procedures that have the effect of limiting the amount payable to each Participant to an amount that is less than the maximum amount otherwise authorized under Section 3(b).

 

(e)     Form of Payment . Notwithstanding any other provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee shall have the right, in its discretion, to grant any award in cash, in shares of the Company’s Common Stock under the Equity Incentive Plan, in other awards under the Equity Incentive Plan or in any combination thereof, based on individual performance or any other criteria that the Committee deems appropriate. For the avoidance of doubt, awards paid other than in cash shall not be subject to the limitation set forth in Section 3(b).

 

SECTION 4.   PAYMENT

 

Payment of any award amount from the Plan shall be made to each Participant as soon as practicable after the Committee determines the amount of any such award amount, which payment shall be made no later than the time period required for the award amount to be considered a “short term deferral” for purposes of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Section 409A”), unless such award amount is intended as deferred compensation for purposes as Section 409A.  The Committee shall determine whether any bonus payable under the Plan is payable in cash, in shares of Common Stock (including, but not limited to, restricted common stock or restricted stock units) or other awards under the Equity Incentive Plan, or in any combination thereof. The Committee shall have the right to impose whatever conditions it deems appropriate with respect to the award of shares of Common Stock or other awards,

 

2



 

including conditioning the vesting of such shares or other awards on the performance of additional service.

 

SECTION 5.   GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

(a)     Administration . The Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Plan.  The Committee shall establish the performance objectives for any fiscal year or other Performance Period determined by the Committee in accordance with Section 3 and determine whether such performance objectives have been obtained. The Committee may prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the administration of the Plan and make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration and interpretation of the Plan. Any authority exercised by the Committee under the Plan shall be exercised by the Committee in its sole discretion. Determinations, interpretations or other actions made or taken by the Committee under the Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons.

 

(b)     Delegation by the Committee . All of the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Committee specified in this Plan may be exercised and performed by the Committee or any duly constituted committee thereof to the extent authorized by the Committee to exercise and perform such powers, duties and responsibilities, and any determination, interpretation or other action taken by such committee shall have the same effect hereunder as if made or taken by the Committee.

 

(c)     Tax Withholding . The Company shall have the power to withhold, or to require the Participant to remit to the Company, an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy all U.S. federal, state, local and any non-U.S. withholding tax or other governmental tax, charge or fee requirements in respect of any payment under the Plan.

 

(d)     No Guarantee of Employment . Nothing in the Plan shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate any Participant’s employment at any time, or confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or retention of the Company.

 

(e)     Unfunded Plan; Plan Not Subject to ERISA . The Plan is an unfunded plan and Participants shall have the status of unsecured creditors of the Company. The Plan is not intended to be subject to the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

(f)      Freedom of Action . Nothing in the Plan shall be construed as limiting or preventing the Company or any of its affiliates from taking any action that it deems appropriate or in its best interest (as determined in its sole and absolute discretion) and no Participant (or person claiming by or through a Participant) shall have any right relating to the diminishment in the value of any award or any associated return as a result of any such action. The foregoing shall not constitute a waiver by a Participant of the terms and provisions of the Plan.

 

(g)     Forfeiture of Award Amounts .

 

(i)   Forfeiture for Financial Reporting Misconduct . If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance by the Company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, ( x ) with respect to any Participant who either knowingly or grossly negligently engaged in the misconduct or knowingly or grossly negligently failed to prevent the misconduct as determined by the Committee or is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, such Participant shall forfeit and disgorge to the Company any award amounts ( A ) received during the twelve (12)-month period following the filing of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement or ( B ) earned based on the

 

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materially non-complying financial reporting, and ( y ) with respect to any Participant who is a current or former executive officer of the Company (as defined under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) who received incentive compensation under the Plan during the three-year period preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare such accounting restatement, based on erroneous data, in excess of what would have been awarded or paid to such Participant under such accounting restatement, such Participant shall forfeit and disgorge to the Company such excess incentive compensation.

 

(ii)  Forfeiture under Applicable Laws or Regulations . In addition to forfeiture for the reasons specified in subsection (i) of this Section 5(g), the Participant shall forfeit and disgorge to the Company any award amounts to the extent required by applicable law or regulations in effect on or after the effective date of the Plan.

 

(h)     Amendment or Alteration . The Board or the Committee may at any time amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan.

 

(i)      Severability . The holding of any provision of this Plan to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction shall not affect any other provision of this Plan, which shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(j)      Assignment . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5(j), this Plan shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, representatives, successors and assigns. Neither this Plan nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable by the Participant, his beneficiaries, or legal representatives; provided that nothing in this Section 5(j) shall preclude the Participant from designating a beneficiary to receive any benefit payable hereunder upon his death, or the executors, administrators or other legal representatives of the Participant or his estate from assigning any rights hereunder to the person or persons entitled thereunto. This Plan shall be assignable by the Company to a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Company; to any corporation, partnership or other entity that may be organized by the Company, its general partners or its Participants as a separate business unit in connection with the business activities of the Company or Participants; or to any corporation, partnership or other entity resulting from the reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, partnership or other entity, or any corporation, partnership, or other entity to or with which all or any portion of the Company’s business or assets may be sold, exchanged or transferred.

 

(k)     No Attachment . Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this Plan shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge or hypothecation, or to execution, attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any such action shall be null, void and of no effect.

 

(l)      Headings . The Section headings appearing in this Plan are used for convenience of reference only and shall not be considered a part of this Plan or in any way modify, amend, or affect the meaning of any of its provisions.

 

(m)    Rules of Construction . Whenever the context so requires, the use of the masculine gender shall be deemed to include the feminine and vice versa, and the use of the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa. That this Plan was drafted by the Company shall not be taken into account in interpreting or construing any provision of this Plan.

 

(n)     Governing Law . This Plan and its enforcement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.

 

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Exhibit 10.23

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

2011 EQUITY INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the “ Plan ”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), by linking the individual interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders.  The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

 

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

 

2.1            Administrator ” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 11.  With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan that have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 11.6, or that the Board has assumed, the term “Administrator” shall refer to such person(s) or the Board unless such delegation has been revoked or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.

 

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

 

2.3            Applicable Law ” shall mean the applicable provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any other federal, state or foreign corporate, securities or tax or other laws, rules, requirements or regulations, the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded and any other applicable law.

 

2.4            Automatic Exercise Date ” shall mean, with respect to an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, the last business day of the applicable Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term that was initially established by the Administrator for such Option or Stock Appreciation Right ( e.g. , the last business day prior to the tenth anniversary of the date of grant of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Option or Stock Appreciation Right initially

 



 

had a ten-year Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term, as applicable); provided that with respect to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that has been amended pursuant to this Plan so as to alter the applicable Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term, “Automatic Exercise Date” shall mean the last business day of the applicable Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term that was initially established by the Administrator for such Option or Stock Appreciation Right as amended.

 

2.5            Award ” shall mean an Option, a Restricted Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, a Performance Award, a Dividend Equivalents award, a Stock Payment award or a Stock Appreciation Right, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan (collectively, “ Awards ”).

 

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

 

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

 

2.8            Carlyle Stockholders ” shall mean (i) Falcon Aerospace Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and (ii) any affiliate of Carlyle Partners IV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, or CP IV Coinvestment, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, which is issued Common Stock or becomes the beneficial owner of any Common Stock or is transferred any Common Stock by any other Person.

 

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

 

(a)            A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than any of the Snyder Family Members or any trust established for the benefit of any Snyder Family Members, the Carlyle Stockholders or the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

 

(b)            During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section 2.9(a) or Section 2.9(c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)            After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided , however , that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.9(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or

 

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

 

In addition, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award must also constitute a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5) to the extent required by Section 409A.

 

The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.

 

2.10          Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

2.11          Committee ” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board, appointed as provided in Section 11.1.

 

2.12          Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2.16          Dividend Equivalent ” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 8.2.

 

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

 

2.18          Effective Date ” shall mean the day prior to the Public Trading Date.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(a)            If the Common Stock is listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select Market), national market system or automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a share of Common Stock on the date in question, the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(b)            If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid

 

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and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a share of Common Stock on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a share of Common Stock on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2.28          Non-Qualified Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.29          Option ” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 5.  An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided , however , that Options granted to Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

 

2.30          Option Term ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.6.

 

2.31          Performance Award ” shall mean a stock bonus award, performance award or other incentive award granted under Section 8.1.

 

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

 

(a)            The Performance Criteria that shall be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; operating or net earnings or income (pre- or post-tax); earnings before interest and taxes; total shareholder return; return on the Company’s assets; increase in the Company’s earnings or earnings per share; revenue; revenue growth; share price performance; return on invested capital; economic value added; profit margins; cash flow; improvement in or attainment of expense or capital expenditure levels; improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; return on equity; debt reduction; gross profit; market share; cost reductions; workforce satisfaction and

 

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diversity goals; workplace health and safety goals; product quality goals; employee retention; customer satisfaction; customer retention; completion of key projects and strategic plan development and/or implementation; job profit or performance against a multiplier.

 

(b)            The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, adjust the Performance Criteria for any Performance Period for such factors as the Administrator may determine, including, without limitation, in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Company or changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards.

 

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

 

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

 

2.35          Performance Stock Unit ” shall mean a Performance Award awarded under Section 8.1 which is denominated in units of value including dollar value of shares of Common Stock.

 

2.36          Permitted Transferee ” shall mean, with respect to a Holder, any “family member” of such Holder, as defined under the instructions to use the Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act, or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator after taking into account Applicable Law.

 

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

 

2.38          Prior Plan ” shall mean the Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., as such plan may be amended from time to time.

 

2.39          Prior Plan Award ” shall mean an award outstanding under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date.

 

2.40          Public Trading Date ” shall mean the first date upon which Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

 

2.41          Restricted Stock ” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article 6 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture or repurchase.

 

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2.42          Restricted Stock Units ” shall mean the right to receive Shares awarded under Article 7.

 

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

 

2.44          Shares ” shall mean shares of Common Stock.

 

2.45          Snyder Family Members ” shall mean Randy J. Snyder, Susan Snyder and any of their lineal descendents.

 

2.46          Stock Appreciation Right ” shall mean a stock appreciation right granted under Article 9.

 

2.47          Stock Appreciation Right Term ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.4.

 

2.48          Stock Payment ” shall mean (a) a payment in the form of Shares, or (b) an option or other right to purchase Shares, as part of a bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, awarded under Section 8.3.

 

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

 

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

 

2.51          Termination of Service ” shall mean:

 

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

 

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

 

(c)            As to an Employee, the time when the employee-employer relationship between a Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, including,

 

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without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement; but excluding terminations where the Holder simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

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

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

3.1            Number of Shares .

 

(a)            Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.1(b) and Section 12.2, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan is 650,000.(1)  From and after the Effective Date, no awards shall be granted under the Prior Plan; however, any Prior Plan Award shall continue to be subject to the terms and conditions of the Prior Plan.

 

(b)            To the extent all or a portion of an Award is forfeited, expires or lapses for any reason, or is settled for cash without the delivery of Shares to the Holder, any Shares subject to such Award or portion thereof, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, lapse or cash settlement, shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan.  Any Shares repurchased by or surrendered to the Company pursuant to Section 6.4 so that such Shares are returned to the Company shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan.  The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

(c)            To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan.

 


(1)  The number of Shares will be automatically and correspondingly adjusted to account for any stock split or other similar transaction occurring in connection with the initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock.

 

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3.2            Stock Distributed .  Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury Common Stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

GRANTING OF AWARDS

 

4.1            Participation .  The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom an Award shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan.  No Eligible Individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.

 

4.2            Award Agreement .  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for such Award, which may include the term of the Award, the provisions applicable in the event of the Holder’s Termination of Service, and the Company’s authority to unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.  Award Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

4.3            Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons .  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

4.4            At-Will Employment; Voluntary Participation .  Nothing in the Plan or in any Award Agreement shall confer upon any Holder any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Director or Consultant for, the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and any Subsidiary, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Holder at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.  Participation by each Holder in the Plan shall be voluntary and nothing in the Plan shall be construed as mandating that any Eligible Individual shall participate in the Plan.

 

4.5            Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards .  Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other Award granted pursuant to the Plan.  Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.

 

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ARTICLE 5.

 

OPTIONS

 

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

 

5.2            Option Exercise Price .  The exercise price per Share subject to each Option shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code), unless determined otherwise by the Administrator.  In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code).

 

5.3            Option Vesting .

 

(a)            The period during which the right to exercise, in whole or in part, an Option vests in the Holder shall be set by the Administrator and the Administrator may determine that an Option may not be exercised in whole or in part for a specified period after it is granted.  Such vesting may be based on service with the Company or any Subsidiary or any other criteria, including Performance Goals or Performance Criteria, selected by the Administrator.  At any time after grant of an Option, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the period during which an Option vests.

 

(b)            No portion of an Option which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in the Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option.  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option, the portion of an Option which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire thirty (30) days following such Termination of Service.

 

5.4            Manner of Exercise .  All or a portion of an exercisable Option shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

 

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

 

(b)            Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law.  The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take whatever additional actions it deems

 

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appropriate to effect such compliance including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars;

 

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

 

(d)            Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes to the stock administrator of the Company for the shares with respect to which the Option, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by Section 10.1 and 10.2.

 

5.5            Partial Exercise .  An exercisable Option may be exercised in whole or in part.  However, an Option shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional shares unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of shares.

 

5.6            Option Term .  The term of each Option (the “ Option Term ”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided , however , that the Option Term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted, or five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder.  The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Holder has the right to exercise the vested Options, which time period may not extend beyond the last day of the Option Term.  Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder or the first sentence of this Section 5.6, the Administrator may extend the Option Term of any outstanding Option, and may extend the time period during which vested Options may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Holder, and may amend any other term or condition of such Option relating to such a Termination of Service.

 

5.7            Expiration of Option Term:  Automatic Exercise of In-The-Money Options .  Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) or as otherwise directed by an Option Holder in writing to the Company, each Option outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with an exercise price per share that is less than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of such date shall automatically and without further action by the Option Holder or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date.  In the discretion of the Administrator, payment of the exercise price of any such Option shall be made pursuant to Section 10.1(b) or 10.1(c) and the Company or any Subsidiary shall deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 10.2.  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, this Section 5.7 shall not apply to an Option if the Holder of such Option experiences a Termination of Service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date.  For the avoidance of doubt, no Option with an exercise price per share that is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Automatic Exercise Date shall be exercised pursuant to this Section 5.7.

 

5.8            Qualification of Incentive Stock Options .  No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who is not an Employee of the Company or any subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) of the Company.  No person who qualifies as a Greater

 

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Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.  Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan may be modified by the Administrator, with the consent of the Holder, to disqualify such Option from treatment as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code.  To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Holder during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any subsidiary or parent corporation thereof (each as defined in Section 424(f) and (e) of the Code, respectively), exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code.  The rule set forth in the preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the Fair Market Value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted.

 

5.9            Notification Regarding Disposition .  The Holder shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two years from the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) such Option to such Holder, or (b) one year after the transfer of such shares to such Holder.

 

ARTICLE 6.

 

RESTRICTED STOCK

 

6.1            Award of Restricted Stock .

 

(a)            The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate.

 

(b)            The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock; provided , however , that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value, if any, of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.  In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock.

 

6.2            Rights as Stockholders .  Subject to Section 6.4, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Holder shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said shares, subject to the restrictions in each individual Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the shares; provided , however , that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the Shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 6.3.

 

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6.3            Restrictions .  All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by Holders thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall, in the terms of each individual Award Agreement, be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide.  Such restrictions may include, without limitation, restrictions concerning voting rights and transferability and such restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times and pursuant to such circumstances or based on such criteria as selected by the Administrator, including, without limitation, criteria based on the Holder’s duration of employment, directorship or consultancy with the Company, Performance Goals or Performance Criteria selected by the Administrator or other criteria selected by the Administrator.  By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the Award Agreement.  Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, Restricted Stock may not be sold or encumbered until all restrictions are terminated or expire.

 

6.4            Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock .  Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, (i) if no price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration, and (ii) if a price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Holder the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Holder for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the Award Agreement.

 

6.5            Certificates for Restricted Stock .  Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator shall determine.  Certificates or book entries evidencing shares of Restricted Stock must include an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.  The Company may, in its sole discretion, (a) retain physical possession of any stock certificate evidencing shares of Restricted Stock until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and/or (b) require that the stock certificates evidencing shares of Restricted Stock be held in custody by a designated escrow agent (which may but need not be the Company) until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and that the Holder deliver a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to such Restricted Stock.

 

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

 

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ARTICLE 7.
RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

7.4            Maturity and Payment .  At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the Holder (if permitted by the applicable Award Agreement); provided that, except as expressly set forth in an applicable Award Agreement, the maturity date relating to each Restricted Stock Unit shall not occur following the later of (a) the 15 th  day of the third month following the end of the calendar year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests; or (b) the 15 th  day of the third month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests.  On the maturity date, the Company shall, subject to Section 10.4, transfer to the Holder one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited, or in the sole discretion of the Administrator, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such shares on the maturity date or a combination of cash and Common Stock as determined by the Administrator.

 

7.5            No Rights as a Stockholder .  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a Holder of Restricted Stock Units shall possess no incidents of ownership with respect to the Shares represented by such Restricted Stock Units, unless and until the such Shares are transferred to the Holder pursuant to the terms of this Plan and the Award Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 8.

 

PERFORMANCE AWARDS, DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS, STOCK PAYMENTS

 

8.1            Performance Awards .  The Administrator is authorized to grant Performance Awards, including Awards of Performance Stock Units and other Awards determined in the Administrator’s discretion from time to time, to any Eligible Individual.  The value of Performance Awards, including Performance Stock Units, may be linked to the attainment of Performance Goals or other specific criteria, whether or not objective, determined by the Administrator, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods and in such amounts as may be determined by the Administrator.

 

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8.2            Dividend Equivalents .  Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator based on dividends declared on the Common Stock during the period between the date an Award is granted to a Holder and the date such Award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the Administrator.  Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional shares of Common Stock by such formula and at such time and subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be determined by the Administrator.

 

8.3            Stock Payments .  The Administrator is authorized to make Stock Payments to any Eligible Individual.  The number or value of shares of any Stock Payment shall be determined by the Administrator and may be based upon one or more Performance Goals or any other specific criteria, including service to the Company or any Subsidiary, determined by the Administrator.  Shares underlying a Stock Payment which is subject to a vesting schedule or other conditions or criteria set by the Administrator will not be issued until those conditions have been satisfied.  Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, a Holder of a Stock Payment shall have no rights as a Company stockholder with respect to such Stock Payment until such time as the Stock Payment has vested and the Shares underlying the Award have been issued to the Holder.  Stock Payments may, but are not required to, be made in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees or other cash compensation otherwise payable to such Eligible Individual.

 

8.4            Term .  The term of a Performance Award, Dividend Equivalent award and/or Stock Payment award shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

8.5            Purchase Price .  The Administrator may establish the purchase price of a Performance Award or shares distributed as a Stock Payment award; provided , however , that value of the consideration shall not be less than the par value of a Share, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.

 

ARTICLE 9.

 

AWARD OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

9.1            Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights .

 

(a)            The Administrator is authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine consistent with the Plan.

 

(b)            A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Holder (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per share of the Stock Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose.  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the exercise price per Share subject to each Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted.

 

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9.2            Stock Appreciation Right Vesting .

 

(a)            The period during which the right to exercise, in whole or in part, a Stock Appreciation Right vests in the Holder shall be set by the Administrator and the Administrator may determine that a Stock Appreciation Right may not be exercised in whole or in part for a specified period after it is granted.  Such vesting may be based on service with the Company or any Subsidiary, or any other criteria selected by the Administrator.  At any time after grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the period during which a Stock Appreciation Right vests.

 

(b)            No portion of a Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Stock Appreciation Right.  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, the portion of a Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire thirty (30) days following such Termination of Service.

 

9.3            Manner of Exercise .  All or a portion of an exercisable Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the stock administrator of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

 

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

 

(b)            Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law.  The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take whatever additional actions it deems appropriate to effect such compliance; and

 

(c)            In the event that the Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercised by any person or persons other than the Holder, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right.

 

9.4            Stock Appreciation Right Term .  The term of each Stock Appreciation Right (the “ Stock Appreciation Right Term ”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided , however , that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted.  The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Holder has the right to exercise a vested Stock Appreciation Right, which time period may not extend beyond the expiration date of the Stock Appreciation Right Term applicable to such Stock Appreciation Right.  Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder

 

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or the first sentence of this Section 9.4, the Administrator may extend the Stock Appreciation Right Term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Holder, and may amend any other term or condition of such Stock Appreciation Right relating to such a Termination of Service.

 

9.5            Payment .  Payment of the amounts payable with respect to Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Article 9 shall be in cash, Shares (based on Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Administrator.

 

9.6            Expiration of Stock Appreciation Right Term:  Automatic Exercise of In-The-Money Stock Appreciation Rights .  Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) or as otherwise directed by a Stock Appreciation Right Holder in writing to the Company, each Stock Appreciation Right outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with an exercise price per share that is less than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of such date shall automatically and without further action by the Stock Appreciation Right Holder or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date.  In the discretion of the Administrator, the Company or any Subsidiary shall deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 10.2.  Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, this Section 9.6 shall not apply to a Stock Appreciation Right if the Holder of such Stock Appreciation Right experiences a Termination of Service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date.  For the avoidance of doubt, no Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price per share that is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Automatic Exercise Date shall be exercised pursuant to this Section 9.6.

 

ARTICLE 10.

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

 

10.1          Payment .  The Administrator shall determine the methods by which payments by any Holder with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash or check, (b) Shares (including, in the case of payment of the exercise price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Award) held for such period of time as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences, in each case, having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Holder has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, or (d) any other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator.  The Administrator shall also determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Holders.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Holder who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any

 

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Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment, with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

10.2          Tax Withholding .  The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Holder to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Holder’s FICA or employment tax obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Holder arising as a result of the Plan.  The Administrator may in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement withhold, or allow a Holder to elect to have the Company withhold, Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares).  Except as determined otherwise by the Administrator, the number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

 

10.3          Transferability of Awards .

 

(a)            Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.3(b):

 

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

 

(ii)            No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of the Holder or his successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 10.3(a)(i); and

 

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

 

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(b)            Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option to any one or more Permitted Transferees, subject to the following terms and conditions:  (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Holder (other than the ability to further transfer the Award); and (iii) the Holder and the Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (C) evidence the transfer.

 

(c)            Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), a Holder may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Holder and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Holder’s death.  A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Holder, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator.  If the Holder is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Holder’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner.  If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Holder, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Holder’s will or the laws of descent and distribution.  Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Holder at any time; provided that the change or revocation is filed with the Administrator prior to the Holder’s death.

 

10.4          Conditions to Issuance of Shares .

 

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

 

(b)            All Share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law.  The Administrator may place legends on any Share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

10.5          Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions .  Pursuant to its general authority to determine the terms and conditions applicable to Awards under the Plan, the Administrator shall have the right to provide, in an Award Agreement or otherwise, or to require a Holder to agree by separate written or electronic instrument, that:

 

(a)            (i) Any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Holder upon any receipt or exercise of the Award, or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award, must be paid to the Company, and (ii) the Award shall terminate and any unexercised portion of the Award (whether or not vested) shall be forfeited, if (x) a Termination of Service occurs prior to a specified date, or within a specified time period following receipt or exercise of the Award, or (y) the Holder at any time, or during a specified time period, engages in any activity in competition with the Company, or which is inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, as further defined by the Administrator or (z) the Holder incurs a Termination of Service for “cause” (as such term is defined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, or as set forth in a written agreement relating to such Award between the Company and the Holder); and

 

(b)            All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Holder upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 11.

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

11.1          Administrator .  The Committee (or another committee or a subcommittee of the Board assuming the functions of the Committee under the Plan) shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein) and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors appointed by and holding office at the pleasure

 

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of the Board, each of whom is intended to qualify as both a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule and an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded; provided that any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 11.1 or otherwise provided in any charter of the Committee.  Except as may otherwise be provided in any charter of the Committee, appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment.  Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board.  Vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and, with respect to such Awards, the terms “Administrator” and “Committee” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (b) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 11.6.

 

11.2          Duties and Powers of Committee .  It shall be the duty of the Committee to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions.  The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan and the Award Agreement, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are not inconsistent therewith, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend any Award Agreement; provided that the rights or obligations of the Holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Award Agreement are not affected adversely by such amendment, unless the consent of the Holder is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Section 12.10 or Section 10.5(b).  Any such grant or award under the Plan need not be the same with respect to each Holder.  Any such interpretations and rules with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code.  In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule or any regulations or rules issued thereunder or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

 

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

 

11.4          Authority of Administrator .  Subject to the Company’s Bylaws, the Committee’s Charter and any specific designation in the Plan, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

 

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(a)            Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;

 

(b)            Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to Eligible Individuals;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(k)            Accelerate wholly or partially the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Award or portion thereof at any time after the grant of an Award, subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects and Section 12.2(d).

 

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

 

11.6          Delegation of Authority .  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 11; provided , however , that in no event shall

 

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an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant awards to, or amend awards held by, the following individuals:  (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (b) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided , further , that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under Applicable Law.  Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Board may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee.  At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 11.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board and the Committee.

 

11.7          Prohibition on Repricing .  Subject to Section 12.2, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (i) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per share, or (ii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares.  Subject to Section 12.2, the Administrator shall have the authority, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, to amend any outstanding Award to increase the price per share or to cancel and replace an Award with the grant of an Award having a price per share that is greater than or equal to the price per share of the original Award.

 

ARTICLE 12.

 

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

12.1          Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan .  Except as otherwise provided in this Section 12.1, the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board or the Committee.  However, without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after the action by the Administrator, no action of the Administrator may, except as provided in Section 12.2, increase the limit imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of shares which may be issued under the Plan or amend Section 11.7 to remove the stockholder approval requirements set forth in such Section.  Except as provided in Section 12.10, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Holder, impair any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides.  No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and in no event may any Award be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the date the Plan is first adopted by the Board.

 

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

 

(a)            In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the Administrator shall make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (i)

 

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the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitation in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued under the Plan ); (ii) t he number and kind of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii)  the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.

 

(b)            In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 12.2(a) or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of changes in Applicable Law or accounting principles, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Holder’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:

 

(i)             To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 12.2 the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion having an aggregate value not exceeding the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;

 

(ii)            To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

 

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

 

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

 

24



 

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

 

(c)            In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 12.2(a) or 12.2(b) , the Administrator shall equitably adjust each outstanding Award, which adjustments may include adjustments to the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, the grant of new Awards to Participants, and/or the making of a cash payment to Participants, as the Administrator deems appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring.  The adjustments provided under this Section 12.2(c) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Holder and the Company; provided that whether an adjustment is equitable shall be determined in the discretion of the Administrator.

 

(d)            In the event that the successor corporation in a Change in Control refuses to assume or substitute for an Award upon the Change in Control, such Award shall become fully vested and, if applicable, exercisable and all forfeiture restrictions on such Award shall lapse as of immediately prior to the consummation of such Change in Control.  If an Award is exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator shall notify the Holder that the Award shall be fully exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of such notice, contingent upon the occurrence of the Change in Control, and the Award shall terminate upon the expiration of such period.

 

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

 

(f)             No adjustment or action described in this Section 12.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code.  Furthermore, no such adjustment or action shall be authorized to the extent such adjustment or action would result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 unless the Administrator determines that the Award is not to comply with such exemptive conditions.

 

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

 

(h)            No action shall be taken under this Section 12.2 which shall cause an Award to fail to comply with Section 409A of the Code or the Treasury Regulations thereunder, to the extent applicable to such Award.

 

25



 

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

 

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

 

12.4          No Stockholders Rights .  Except as otherwise provided herein, a Holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to shares of Common Stock covered by any Award until the Holder becomes the record owner of such shares of Common Stock.

 

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

 

12.6          Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans .  The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Subsidiary.  Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary:  (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (b) except as otherwise provided in the final sentence of Section 3.1(a), to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

12.7          Compliance with Laws .  The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law (including but not limited to margin requirements), and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith.  Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

12.8          Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act .  The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the

 

26



 

event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

 

12.9          Governing Law .  The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.

 

12.10        Section 409A .  To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Administrator may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under such Section.

 

12.11        No Rights to Awards .  No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Holders or any other persons uniformly.

 

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

 

12.13        Indemnification .  To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law, each member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or

 

27



 

Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

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

 

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

 

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Exhibit 10.24

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
2011 EQUITY INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

RESTRICTED STOCK GRANT NOTICE

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), pursuant to its 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, as amended from time to time (the “ Plan ”), hereby grants to the holder listed below (“ Participant ”) the number of shares of Restricted Stock (the “ Shares ”) set forth below.  The Shares are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Restricted Stock Grant Notice (the “ Grant Notice ”) and the Restricted Stock Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Agreement ”) and the Plan, which are incorporated herein by reference.  Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in the Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

Participant:

 

 

 

 

 

Grant Date:

 

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Shares of
Restricted Stock:

 

 

 

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

 

[To be specified in individual agreements]

 

By his or her signature, and the Company’s signature below, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Agreement and the Grant Notice. Participant has reviewed the Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Notice in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing the Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, the Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

PARTICIPANT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

Print Name:

 

 

Print Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK GRANT NOTICE

 

RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the Grant Notice to which this Agreement is attached, the Company has granted to Participant the number of Shares set forth in the Grant Notice.

 

ARTICLE I.

 

GENERAL

 

1.1                                  Defined Terms .  Capitalized terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings specified in the Plan or the Grant Notice.

 

1.2                                  Incorporation of Terms of Plan .  The Shares issued to Participant pursuant to the Grant Notice are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

ARTICLE II.

 

ISSUANCE OF SHARES

 

2.1                                  Issuance of Shares .  In consideration of Participant’s past and/or continued employment with or service to the Company or a Subsidiary and for other good and valuable consideration, effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “ Grant Date ”), the Company has granted to Participant the number of Shares set forth in the Grant Notice, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Plan.

 

2.2                                  Issuance Mechanics .  As of the Grant Date, the Company shall issue the Shares in the form of Common Stock (“ Stock ”) to Participant and shall (a) cause a stock certificate or certificates representing such shares of Stock to be registered in the name of Participant, or (b) cause such shares of Stock to be held in book-entry form.  If a stock certificate is issued, it shall be delivered to and held in custody by the Company and shall bear the restrictive legends required by Section 5.1.  If the shares of Stock are held in book-entry form, then such entry will reflect that the shares are subject to the restrictions of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III.

 

FORFEITURE AND TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS

 

3.1                                  Forfeiture Restriction .  Subject to the provisions of Section 3.2 below, in the event of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason, including as a result of Participant’s death or disability, all of the Unreleased Shares (as defined below) shall thereupon be forfeited immediately and without any further action by the Company (the “ Forfeiture Restriction ”), except as otherwise provided in a written agreement between Participant and the Company.  Upon the occurrence of such forfeiture, the Company shall become the legal and beneficial owner of the Unreleased Shares and all rights and interests therein or relating thereto, and the Company shall have the right to retain and transfer to its own name the number of Unreleased Shares being forfeited by Participant.  The Unreleased Shares shall be held by the Company in accordance with Section 3.3 until the Shares are forfeited as provided in this Section 3.1, until such Unreleased Shares are fully released from the Forfeiture Restriction as provided in

 

A-1



 

Section 3.2 or until such time as this Agreement is no longer in effect.  Participant hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Company, or such other person designated by the Administrator, to transfer any Unreleased Shares that are forfeited pursuant to this Section 3.1 from Participant to the Company.

 

3.2                                  Release of Shares from Forfeiture Restriction .  The Shares shall be released from the Forfeiture Restriction in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice.  Any of the Shares which, from time to time, have not yet been released from the Forfeiture Restriction are referred to herein as “ Unreleased Shares .” In the event any of the Unreleased Shares are released from the Forfeiture Restriction, any Retained Distributions (as defined below) paid on such Unreleased Shares shall be promptly paid by the Company to Participant.  As soon as administratively practicable following the release of any Shares from the Forfeiture Restriction, the Company shall, as applicable, either deliver to Participant the certificate or certificates representing such Shares in the Company’s possession belonging to Participant, or, if the Shares are held in book-entry form, then the Company shall remove the notations indicating that the shares are subject to the restrictions of this Agreement.  Participant (or the beneficiary or personal representative of Participant in the event of Participant’s death or incapacity, as the case may be) shall deliver to the Company any representations or other documents or assurances as the Company or its representatives deem necessary or advisable in connection with any such delivery.

 

3.3                                  Escrow .

 

(a)                                   The Unreleased Shares shall be held by the Company until such Unreleased Shares are forfeited as provided in Section 3.1, until such Unreleased Shares are fully released from the Forfeiture Restriction as provided in Section 3.2 or until such time as this Agreement is no longer in effect.  Participant shall not retain physical custody of any certificates representing Unreleased Shares issued to Participant.  Participant, by acceptance of this Award, shall be deemed to appoint, and does so appoint, the Company and each of its authorized representatives as Participant’s attorney(s)-in-fact to effect any transfer of forfeited Unreleased Shares (and Retained Distributions, if any, paid on such forfeited Unreleased Shares) to the Company as may be required pursuant to the Plan or this Agreement, and to execute such representations or other documents or assurances as the Company or such representatives deem necessary or advisable in connection with any such transfer.  To the extent allowable by Applicable Law, the Company, or its designee, shall not be liable for any act it may do or omit to do with respect to holding the Shares in escrow and while acting in good faith and in the exercise of its judgment.

 

(b)                                  The Company will retain custody of all cash dividends and other distributions (“ Retained Distributions ”) made or declared with respect to Unreleased Shares (and such Retained Distributions will be subject to the Forfeiture Restriction and the other terms and conditions under this Agreement that are applicable to the Shares) until such time, if ever, as the Unreleased Shares with respect to which such Retained Distributions shall have been made, paid or declared shall have become vested pursuant to the Grant Notice.  Retained Distributions that were made or declared in cash will be deemed reinvested in notional shares of Stock such that upon release and distribution of such Retained Distributions to Participant as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, Participant shall be entitled to receive on the date of such distribution or release an amount of cash or the number of whole shares of Stock or a combination thereof, as determined by the Administrator, the aggregate fair value of which shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the notional shares of Stock to which such released Retained Distributions relate.  Any Retained Distributions with respect to Unreleased Shares shall be forfeited in the event such Unreleased Shares are forfeited.

 

3.4                                  Rights as Stockholder .  Except as otherwise provided herein, upon issuance of the Shares by the Company, Participant shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject

 

A-2



 

to the restrictions herein, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares.

 

ARTICLE IV.

 

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

 

4.1                                  Representation .  Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with his or her own tax advisors the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.  Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Shares.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the Shares or the Participant’s sale of shares of Stock.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

 

4.2                                  Section 83(b) Election .  If Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), to be taxed with respect to the Shares as of the date of transfer of the Shares rather than as of the date or dates upon which Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, Participant shall deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly upon filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

4.3                                  Tax Withholding .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement:

 

(a)                                   The Company and its Subsidiaries have the authority to deduct or withhold, or require Participant to remit to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary, an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the employee portion of any FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising pursuant to this Agreement.  The Company and its Subsidiaries may withhold or Participant may make such payment in one or more of the forms specified below:

 

(i)                                      by cash or check made payable to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises;

 

(ii)                                   by the deduction of such amount from other compensation payable to Participant;

 

(iii)                                with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of the Shares, with the consent of the Administrator, by requesting that the Company and its Subsidiaries withhold a net number of vested Shares having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(iv)                               with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of the Shares, with the consent of the Administrator, by tendering to the Company vested shares of Stock having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the

 

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withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(v)                                  with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of the Shares, through the delivery of a notice that Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to those Shares that are then becoming vested and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises in satisfaction of such withholding taxes; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary at such time as may be required by the Administrator, but in any event not later the settlement of such sale;or

 

(vi)                               in any combination of the foregoing.

 

(b)                                  With respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the Shares, in the event Participant fails to provide timely payment of all sums required pursuant to Section 4.3(a), the Company shall have the right and option, but not the obligation, to treat such failure as an election by Participant to satisfy all or any portion of Participant’s required payment obligation pursuant to Section 4.3(a)(ii) or Section 4.3(a)(iii) above, or any combination of the foregoing as the Company may determine to be appropriate. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any certificate representing the Shares to Participant or his or her legal representative unless and until Participant or his or her legal representative shall have paid or otherwise satisfied in full the amount of all federal, state, local and foreign taxes applicable with respect to the taxable income of Participant resulting from the vesting of the Shares or any other taxable event related to the Shares.

 

(c)                                   In the event any tax withholding obligation arising in connection with the Shares will be satisfied under Section 4.3(a)(iii), then the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on Participant’s behalf a whole number of shares of Stock from those Shares that are then becoming vested as the Company determines to be appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding obligation and to remit the proceeds of such sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises.  Participant’s acceptance of this Award constitutes Participant’s instruction and authorization to the Company and such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this Section 4.3(c), including the transactions described in the previous sentence, as applicable.  The Company may refuse to deliver any certificate representing the Shares to Participant or his or her legal representative until the foregoing tax withholding obligations are satisfied.

 

Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Shares, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Shares.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the Shares or the subsequent sale of the Shares.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure this Award to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

 

ARTICLE V.

 

RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS AND STOP-TRANSFER ORDERS

 

5.1                                  Legends .  The certificate or certificates representing the Shares, if any, shall bear the following legend (as well as any legends required by the Company’s charter and Applicable Law):

 

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE IN FAVOR OF THE COMPANY AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF A RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE STOCKHOLDER, A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.

 

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5.2                                  Refusal to Transfer; Stop-Transfer Notices .  The Company shall not be required (a) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Agreement or (b) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such Shares shall have been so transferred.  Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

 

5.3                                  Removal of Legend .  After such time as the Forfeiture Restriction shall have lapsed with respect to the Shares, and upon Participant’s request, a new certificate or certificates representing such Shares shall be issued without the legend referred to in Section 5.1 and delivered to Participant.  If the Shares are held in book entry form, the Company shall cause any restrictions noted on the book form to be removed.

 

ARTICLE VI.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

6.1                                  Administration .  The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement as are consistent therewith and to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules.  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons.  To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law, no member of the Committee or the Board will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made with respect to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

6.2                                  Shares Not Transferable .  The Shares and Retained Distributions may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner unless and until the Forfeiture Restrictions have lapsed.  No Unreleased Shares or Retained Distributions or any interest or right therein or part thereof shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of Participant or his or her successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect.

 

6.3                                  Adjustments .  The Administrator may accelerate the vesting of all or a portion of the Unreleased Shares in such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, may determine.  Participant acknowledges that the Shares are subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and Section 12.2 of the Plan.

 

6.4                                  Notices .  Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal office, and any notice to be given to Participant shall be addressed to Participant at Participant’s last address reflected on the Company’s records.  By a notice given pursuant to this Section 6.4, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party.  Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

 

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6.5                                  Titles .  Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

6.6                                  Governing Law .  The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern the interpretation, validity, administration, enforcement and performance of the terms of this Agreement regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of conflicts of laws.

 

6.7                                  Conformity to Securities Laws .  Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Law, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and state securities laws and regulations.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Shares are granted, only in such a manner as to conform to Applicable Law.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

6.8                                  Amendment, Suspension and Termination .  To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board , provided that, except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the Shares in any material way without the prior written consent of Participant.

 

6.9                                  Successors and Assigns .  The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company.  Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 6.2 and the Plan, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

6.10                            Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons .  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Shares, the Grant Notice and this Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

6.11                            Not a Contract of Employment .  Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall confer upon Participant any right to continue to serve as an employee or other service provider of the Company or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

 

6.12                            Entire Agreement .  The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

6.13                            Section 409A .  This Award is not intended to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (together with any Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the date hereof, “ Section 409A ”).  However,

 

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notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, if at any time the Administrator determines that this Award (or any portion thereof) may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator shall have the right in its sole discretion (without any obligation to do so or to indemnify Participant or any other person for failure to do so) to adopt such amendments to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, as the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate for this Award either to be exempt from the application of Section 409A or to comply with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

6.14                            Agreement Severable .  In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

6.15                            Limitation on Participant’s Rights .  Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided.  This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and shall not be construed as creating a trust.  Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets.  Participant shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the Award.

 

6.16                            Counterparts .  The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

 

6.17                            Broker-Assisted Sales .  In the event of any broker-assisted sale of shares of Stock in connection with the payment of withholding taxes as provided in Section 4.3(a)(iii) or Section 4.3(a)(v): (A) any shares of Stock to be sold through a broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the tax withholding obligation arises or as soon thereafter as practicable; (B) such shares of Stock may be sold as part of a block trade with other participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (C) Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (D) to the extent the proceeds of such sale exceed the applicable tax withholding obligation, the Company agrees to pay such excess in cash to Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (E) Participant acknowledges that the Company or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price, and that the proceeds of any such sale may not be sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation; and (F) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation, Participant agrees to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s withholding obligation.

 

*                                          *                                          *

 

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Exhibit 10.25

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
2011 EQUITY INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), pursuant to its 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, as amended from time to time (the “ Plan ”), hereby grants to the holder listed below (“ Participant ”) the number of Restricted Stock Units (the “ RSUs ”) set forth below.  The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (the “ Grant Notice ”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Agreement ”) and the Plan, which are incorporated herein by reference.  Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in the Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

Participant:

 

 

 

 

 

Grant Date:

 

 

 

 

 

Number of RSUs:

 

 

 

 

 

Type of Shares Issuable:

 

Common Stock of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.

 

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

 

[To be specified in individual agreements]

 

By his or her signature, and the Company’s signature below, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Agreement and the Grant Notice.  Participant has reviewed the Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Notice in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing the Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan.  Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, the Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

PARTICIPANT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

Print Name:

 

 

Print Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the Grant Notice to which this Agreement is attached, the Company has granted to Participant the number of RSUs set forth in the Grant Notice.

 

ARTICLE I.

 

GENERAL

 

1.1                                  Defined Terms .  Capitalized terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings specified in the Plan or the Grant Notice.

 

1.2                                  Incorporation of Terms of Plan .  The RSUs and the shares of Common Stock (“ Stock ”) to be issued to Participant hereunder (“ Shares ”) are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

ARTICLE II.

 

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

 

2.1                                  Award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents .

 

(a)                                   In consideration of Participant’s past and/or continued employment with or service to the Company or a Subsidiary and for other good and valuable consideration, effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “ Grant Date ”), the Company has granted to Participant the number of RSUs set forth in the Grant Notice, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Notice, the Plan and this Agreement, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 12.2 of the Plan.  Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share or, at the option of the Company, an amount of cash as set forth in Section 2.3(b), in either case, at the times and subject to the conditions set forth herein.  However, unless and until the RSUs have vested, Participant will have no right to the payment of any Shares subject thereto.  Prior to the actual delivery of any Shares, the RSUs will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable only from the general assets of the Company.

 

(b)                                  The Company hereby grants to Participant an Award of Dividend Equivalents with respect to each RSU granted pursuant to the Grant Notice for all ordinary cash dividends which are paid to all or substantially all holders of the outstanding shares of Stock between the Grant Date and the date when the applicable RSU is distributed or paid to Participant or is forfeited or expires.  The Dividend Equivalents for each RSU shall be equal to the amount of cash which is paid as a dividend on one share of Stock.  All such Dividend Equivalents shall be credited to Participant and be deemed to be reinvested in additional RSUs as of the date of payment of any such dividend based on the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on such date.  Each additional RSU which results from such deemed reinvestment of Dividend Equivalents granted hereunder shall be subject to the same vesting, distribution or payment, adjustment and other provisions which apply to the underlying RSU to which such additional RSU relates.

 

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2.2                                  Vesting of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents .

 

(a)                                   Subject to Participant’s continued employment with or service to the Company or a Subsidiary on each applicable vesting date and subject to the terms of this Agreement, the RSUs shall vest in such amounts and at such times as are set forth in the Grant Notice.  Each additional RSU which results from deemed reinvestments of Dividend Equivalents pursuant to Section 2.1(b) hereof shall vest whenever the underlying RSU to which such additional RSU relates vests.

 

(b)                                  In the event Participant incurs a Termination of Service, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator or as set forth in a written agreement between Participant and the Company, Participant shall immediately forfeit any and all RSUs and Dividend Equivalents granted under this Agreement which have not vested or do not vest on or prior to the date on which such Termination of Service occurs, and Participant’s rights in any such RSUs and Dividend Equivalents which are not so vested shall lapse and expire.

 

2.3                                  Distribution or Payment of RSUs .

 

(a)                                   Participant’s RSUs shall be distributed in Shares (either in book-entry form or otherwise) or, at the option of the Company, paid in an amount of cash as set forth in Section 2.3(b), in either case, as soon as administratively practicable following the vesting of the applicable RSU pursuant to Section 2.2, and, in any event, within sixty (60) days following such vesting.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay a distribution or payment in settlement of RSUs if it reasonably determines that such payment or distribution will violate Federal securities laws or any other Applicable Law, provided that such distribution or payment shall be made at the earliest date at which the Company reasonably determines that the making of such distribution or payment will not cause such violation, as required by Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii), and provided further that no payment or distribution shall be delayed under this Section 2.3(a) if such delay will result in a violation of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(b)                                  In the event that the Company elects to make payment of Participant’s RSUs in cash, the amount of cash payable with respect to each RSU shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day immediately preceding the applicable distribution or payment date set forth in Section 2.3(a).  All distributions made in Shares shall be made by the Company in the form of whole Shares, and any fractional share shall be distributed in cash in an amount equal to the value of such fractional share determined based on the Fair Market Value as of the date immediately preceding the date of such distribution.

 

2.4                                  Conditions to Issuance of Certificates .  The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for any Shares prior to the fulfillment of all of the following conditions:  (A) the admission of the Shares to listing on all stock exchanges on which such Shares are then listed, (B) the completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any state or federal law or under rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other governmental regulatory body, which the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable, and (C) the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any state or federal governmental agency that the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable.

 

2.5                                  Tax Withholding .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement:

 

(a)                                   The Company and its Subsidiaries have the authority to deduct or withhold, or require Participant to remit to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary, an amount sufficient to satisfy

 

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applicable federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the employee portion of any FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising pursuant to this Agreement.  The Company and its Subsidiaries may withhold or Participant may make such payment in one or more of the forms specified below:

 

(i)                                      by cash or check made payable to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises;

 

(ii)                                   by the deduction of such amount from other compensation payable to Participant;

 

(iii)                                with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the distribution of the RSUs, with the consent of the Administrator, by requesting that the Company and its Subsidiaries withhold a net number of vested shares of Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the RSUs having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(iv)                               with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the distribution of the RSUs, with the consent of the Administrator, by tendering to the Company vested shares of Stock having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(v)                                  with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the distribution of the RSUs, through the delivery of a notice that Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to shares of Stock then issuable to Participant pursuant to the RSUs, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises in satisfaction of such withholding taxes; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary at such time as may be required by the Administrator, but in any event not later than the settlement of such sale; or

 

(vi)                               in any combination of the foregoing.

 

(b)                                  With respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the RSUs, in the event Participant fails to provide timely payment of all sums required pursuant to Section 2.5(a), the Company shall have the right and option, but not the obligation, to treat such failure as an election by Participant to satisfy all or any portion of Participant’s required payment obligation pursuant to Section 2.5(a)(ii) or Section 2.5(a)(iii) above, or any combination of the foregoing as the Company may determine to be appropriate. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any certificate representing shares of Stock issuable with respect to the RSUs to Participant or his or her legal representative unless and until Participant or his or her legal representative shall have paid or otherwise satisfied in full the amount of all federal, state, local and foreign taxes applicable with respect to the taxable income of Participant resulting from the vesting or settlement of the RSUs or any other taxable event related to the RSUs.

 

(c)                                   In the event any tax withholding obligation arising in connection with the RSUs will be satisfied under Section 2.5(a)(iii), then the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on Participant’s behalf a whole number of shares from those shares of Stock then issuable to Participant pursuant to the RSUs as the Company

 

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determines to be appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding obligation and to remit the proceeds of such sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises.  Participant’s acceptance of this Award constitutes Participant’s instruction and authorization to the Company and such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this Section 2.5(c), including the transactions described in the previous sentence, as applicable.  The Company may refuse to issue any shares of Stock in settlement of the RSUs to Participant until the foregoing tax withholding obligations are satisfied, provided that no payment shall be delayed under this Section 2.5(c) if such delay will result in a violation of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(d)                                  Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the RSUs, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the RSUs.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the RSUs or the subsequent sale of Shares.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the RSUs to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

 

2.6                                  Rights as Stockholder .  Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book-entry form) will have been issued and recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account).  Except as otherwise provided herein, after such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to such Shares, including, without limitation, the right to receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.

 

ARTICLE III.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

3.1                                  Administration .  The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement as are consistent therewith and to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules.  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons.  To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law, no member of the Committee or the Board will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made with respect to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

3.2                                  RSUs Not Transferable .  The RSUs may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, unless and until the Shares underlying the RSUs have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed.  No RSUs or any interest or right therein or part thereof shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of Participant or his or her successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by the preceding sentence.

 

3.3                                  Adjustments .  The Administrator may accelerate the vesting of all or a portion of the RSUs in such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, may determine.  Participant acknowledges that the

 

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RSUs and the Shares subject to the RSUs are subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and Section 12.2 of the Plan.

 

3.4                                  Notices .  Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal office, and any notice to be given to Participant shall be addressed to Participant at Participant’s last address reflected on the Company’s records.  By a notice given pursuant to this Section 3.4, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party.  Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

 

3.5                                  Titles .  Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

3.6                                  Governing Law .   The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern the interpretation, validity, administration, enforcement and performance of the terms of this Agreement regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of conflicts of laws.

 

3.7                                  Conformity to Securities Laws .  Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and state securities laws and regulations.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the RSUs are granted, only in such a manner as to conform to Applicable Law.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

3.8                                  Amendment, Suspension and Termination .  To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board , provided that, except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the RSUs in any material way without the prior written consent of Participant.

 

3.9                                  Successors and Assigns .  The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company.  Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 3.2 and the Plan, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

3.10                            Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons .  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the RSUs (including RSUs which result from the deemed reinvestment of Dividend Equivalents), the Dividend Equivalents, the Grant Notice and this Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

3.11                            Not a Contract of Employment .  Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall confer upon Participant any right to continue to serve as an employee or other service provider of the Company

 

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or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

 

3.12                            Entire Agreement .  The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

3.13                            Section 409A .  This Award is not intended to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (together with any Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the date hereof, “ Section 409A ”).  However, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, if at any time the Administrator determines that this Award (or any portion thereof) may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator shall have the right in its sole discretion (without any obligation to do so or to indemnify Participant or any other person for failure to do so) to adopt such amendments to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, as the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate for this Award either to be exempt from the application of Section 409A or to comply with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

3.14                            Agreement Severable .  In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

3.15                            Limitation on Participant’s Rights .  Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided.  This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and shall not be construed as creating a trust.  Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets.  Participant shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents.

 

3.16                            Counterparts .  The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

 

3.17                            Broker-Assisted Sales .  In the event of any broker-assisted sale of shares of Stock in connection with the payment of withholding taxes as provided in Section 2.5(a)(iii) or Section 2.5(a)(v): (A) any shares of Stock to be sold through a broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the tax withholding obligation arises or as soon thereafter as practicable; (B) such shares of Stock may be sold as part of a block trade with other participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (C) Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (D) to the extent the proceeds of such sale exceed the applicable tax withholding obligation, the Company agrees to pay such excess in cash to Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (E) Participant acknowledges that the Company or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price, and that the proceeds of any such sale may not be sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation; and (F) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation, Participant agrees to pay immediately upon demand to

 

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the Company or its Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s withholding obligation.

 

*                                          *                                          *

 

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Exhibit 10.26

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
2011 EQUITY INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE

 

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the “ Company ”), pursuant to its 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, as amended from time to time (the “ Plan ”), hereby grants to the holder listed below (“ Participant ”), an option to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock (“ Stock ”) set forth below (the “ Option ”).  The Option is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Stock Option Grant Notice (the “ Grant Notice ”) and the Stock Option Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Agreement ”) and the Plan, which are incorporated herein by reference.  Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in the Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

Participant:

 

 

 

 

 

Grant Date:

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Price per Share:

 

$

 

 

 

Total Exercise Price:

 

$

 

 

 

Total Number of Shares
Subject to the Option:

 

              shares

 

 

 

Expiration Date:

 

 

 

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

 

[To be specified in individual agreements]

 

 

 

Type of Option:

 

Non-Qualified Stock Option

 

By his or her signature and the Company’s signature below, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Agreement and the Grant Notice.  Participant has reviewed the Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Notice in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing the Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan.  Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, the Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

WESCO AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.

 

PARTICIPANT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

Print Name:

 

 

Print Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

EXHIBIT A

TO STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE

 

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the Grant Notice to which this Agreement is attached, the Company has granted to Participant an Option under the Plan to purchase the number of shares of Stock set forth in the Grant Notice.

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

GENERAL

 

1.1                                  Defined Terms .  Capitalized terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings specified in the Plan or the Grant Notice.

 

1.2                                  Incorporation of Terms of Plan .  The Option is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and in the Grant Notice and the Plan, which are incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GRANT OF OPTION

 

2.1                                  Grant of Option .  In consideration of Participant’s past and/or continued employment with or service to the Company or a Subsidiary and for other good and valuable consideration, effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “ Grant Date ”), the Company has granted to Participant the Option to purchase any part or all of an aggregate of the number of shares of Stock set forth in the Grant Notice, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Notice, the Plan and this Agreement, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 12.2 of the Plan.

 

2.2                                  Exercise Price .  The exercise price per share of the shares of Stock subject to the Option (the “ Exercise Price ”) shall be as set forth in the Grant Notice.

 

2.3                                  Consideration to the Company .  In consideration of the grant of the Option by the Company, Participant agrees to render faithful and efficient services to the Company or any Subsidiary.  Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement shall confer upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

PERIOD OF EXERCISABILITY

 

3.1                                  Commencement of Exercisability .

 

(a)                                   Subject to Sections 3.2, 3.3, 5.9 and 5.14 hereof, the Option shall become vested and exercisable in such amounts and at such times as are set forth in the Grant Notice.

 



 

(b)                                  No portion of the Option which has not become vested and exercisable at the date of Participant’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become vested and exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator or as set forth in a written agreement between the Company and Participant.

 

3.2                                  Duration of Exercisability .  The installments provided for in the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice are cumulative.  Each such installment which becomes vested and exercisable pursuant to the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice shall remain vested and exercisable until it becomes unexercisable under Section 3.3 hereof.

 

3.3                                  Expiration of Option .  The Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after the first to occur of the following events:

 

(a)                                   The expiration date set forth in the Grant Notice;

 

(b)                                  Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, in the event of Participant’s Termination of Service other than for Cause or by reason of Participant’s death or disability, the expiration of three (3) months from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service;

 

(c)                                   Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of one (1) year from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of Participant’s death or disability; or

 

(d)                                  Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, upon Participant’s Termination of Service for Cause.

 

As used in this Agreement, “ Cause ” shall mean (a) the Board’s determination that Participant failed to substantially perform his or her duties (other than any such failure resulting from Participant’s disability); (b) the Board’s determination that Participant failed to carry out, or comply with any lawful and reasonable directive of the Board or Participant’s immediate supervisor; (c) Participant’s conviction, plea of no contest, plea of nolo contendere , or imposition of unadjudicated probation for any felony, indictable offense or crime involving moral turpitude; (d) Participant’s unlawful use (including being under the influence) or possession of illegal drugs on the Company’s (or any of its Subsidiaries’) premises or while performing Participant’s duties and responsibilities; or (e) Participant’s commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, misconduct, or breach of fiduciary duty against the Company of any of its Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Participant is a party to a written employment or consulting agreement with the Company (or its Subsidiary), then “ Cause ” shall be as such term is defined in the applicable written employment or consulting agreement.

 

3.4                                  Tax Withholding .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement:

 

(a)                                   The Company and its Subsidiaries have the authority to deduct or withhold, or require Participant to remit to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary, an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the employee portion of any FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising pursuant to this Agreement.  The Company and its Subsidiaries may withhold or Participant may make such payment in one or more of the forms specified below:

 

(i)                                      by cash or check made payable to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises;

 

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(ii)                                   by the deduction of such amount from other compensation payable to Participant;

 

(iii)                                with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the exercise of the Option, with the consent of the Administrator, by requesting that the Company withhold a net number of shares of Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Option having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(iv)                               with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the exercise of the Option, with the consent of the Administrator, by tendering to the Company shares of Stock having a then current Fair Market Value not exceeding the amount necessary to satisfy the withholding obligation of the Company and its Subsidiaries based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes;

 

(v)                                  with respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the exercise of the Option, through the delivery of a notice that Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to shares of Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises in satisfaction of such withholding taxes; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary at such time as may be required by the Administrator, but in any event not later than the settlement of such sale; or

 

(vi)                               in any combination of the foregoing.

 

(b)                                  With respect to any withholding taxes arising in connection with the Option, in the event Participant fails to provide timely payment of all sums required pursuant to Section 3.4(a), the Company shall have the right and option, but not the obligation, to treat such failure as an election by Participant to satisfy all or any portion of Participant’s required payment obligation pursuant to Section 3.4(a)(ii) or Section 3.4(a)(iii) above, or any combination of the foregoing as the Company may determine to be appropriate.  The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any certificate representing shares of Stock issuable with respect to the exercise of the Option to Participant or his or her legal representative unless and until Participant or his or her legal representative shall have paid or otherwise satisfied in full the amount of all federal, state, local and foreign taxes applicable with respect to the taxable income of Participant resulting from the exercise of the Option or any other taxable event related to the Option.

 

(c)                                   In the event any tax withholding obligation arising in connection with the Option will be satisfied under Section 3.4(a)(iii) above, then the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on Participant’s behalf a whole number of shares from those shares of Stock that are issuable upon exercise of the Option as the Company determines to be appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding obligation and to remit the proceeds of such sale to the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises.  Participant’s acceptance of this Award constitutes Participant’s instruction and authorization to the Company and such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this Section 3.4(c), including the transactions described in the previous sentence, as applicable.  The Company may refuse to issue any shares of Stock to Participant until the foregoing tax withholding obligations are satisfied.

 

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(d)                                  Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Option, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of Stock.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

EXERCISE OF OPTION

 

4.1                                  Person Eligible to Exercise .  During the lifetime of Participant, only Participant may exercise the Option or any portion thereof.  After the death of Participant, any exercisable portion of the Option may, prior to the time when the Option becomes unexercisable under Section 3.3 hereof, be exercised by Participant’s personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Participant’s will or under the then applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

4.2                                  Partial Exercise .  Subject to Section 5.2, any exercisable portion of the Option or the entire Option, if then wholly exercisable, may be exercised in whole or in part at any time prior to the time when the Option or portion thereof becomes unexercisable under Section 3.3 hereof.

 

4.3                                  Manner of Exercise .  Subject to Section 5.7 of the Plan, the Option, or any exercisable portion thereof, may be exercised solely by delivery to the Secretary of the Company (or any third party administrator or other person or entity designated by the Company), during regular business hours, of all of the following prior to the time when the Option or such portion thereof becomes unexercisable under Section 3.3 hereof:

 

(a)                                   An exercise notice in a form specified by the Administrator, stating that the Option or portion thereof is thereby exercised, such notice complying with all applicable rules established by the Administrator;

 

(b)                                  The receipt by the Company of full payment for the shares of Stock with respect to which the Option or portion thereof is exercised, in such form of consideration permitted under Section 4.4 hereof that is acceptable to the Administrator;

 

(c)                                   The payment of any applicable withholding tax in accordance with Section 3.4;

 

(d)                                  Any other written representations or documents as may be required in the Administrator’s sole discretion to effect compliance with Applicable Law; and

 

(e)                                   In the event the Option or portion thereof shall be exercised pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof by any person or persons other than Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option.

 

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the right to specify all conditions of the manner of exercise, which conditions may vary by country and which may be subject to change from time to time.

 

4.4                                  Method of Payment .  Payment of the exercise price shall be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Participant:

 

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(a)                                   Cash or check;

 

(b)                                  With the consent of the Administrator, surrender of shares of Stock (including, without limitation, shares of Stock otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option) held for such period of time as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences and having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof;

 

(c)                                   Through the delivery of a notice that Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to shares of Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator, but in any event not later than the settlement of such sale; or

 

(d)                                  Any other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator.

 

4.5                                  Conditions to Issuance of Stock .  The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any shares of Stock purchased upon the exercise of the Option or portion thereof prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions: (A) the admission of such shares of Stock to listing on all stock exchanges on which such Stock is then listed, (B) the completion of any registration or other qualification of such shares of Stock under any state or federal law or under rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other governmental regulatory body, which the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable, (C) the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any state or federal governmental agency which the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable, (D) the receipt by the Company of full payment for such shares of Stock, which may be in one or more of the forms of consideration permitted under Section 4.4 hereof, and (E) the receipt of full payment of any applicable withholding tax in accordance with Section 3.4 by the Company or its Subsidiary with respect to which the applicable withholding obligation arises.

 

4.6                                  Rights as Stockholder .  Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any shares of Stock purchasable upon the exercise of any part of the Option unless and until certificates representing such shares of Stock (which may be in book-entry form) will have been issued and recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account).  No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date of such issuance, recordation and delivery, except as provided in Section 12.2 of the Plan. Except as otherwise provided herein, after such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to such shares of Stock, including, without limitation, the right to receipt of dividends and distributions on such shares.

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

5.1                                  Administration .  The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement as are consistent therewith and to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules.  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons.

 

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To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law, no member of the Committee or the Board will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made with respect to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

5.2                                  Whole Shares .  The Option may only be exercised for whole shares of Stock.

 

5.3                                  Option Not Transferable .  Subject to Section 4.1 hereof, the Option may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, unless and until the shares of Stock underlying the Option have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such shares of Stock have lapsed.  Neither the Option nor any interest or right therein or part thereof shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of Participant or his or her successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by the preceding sentence.

 

5.4                                  Adjustments .  The Administrator may accelerate the vesting of all or a portion of the Option in such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, may determine.  In addition, upon the occurrence of certain events relating to the Stock contemplated by Section 12.2 of the Plan (including, without limitation, an extraordinary cash dividend on such Stock), the Administrator shall make such adjustments as the Administrator deems appropriate in the number of shares of Stock subject to the Option, the exercise price of the Option and the kind of securities that may be issued upon exercise of the Option. Participant acknowledges that the Option is subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and Section 12.2 of the Plan.

 

5.5                                  Notices .  Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal office, and any notice to be given to Participant shall be addressed to Participant at Participant’s last address reflected on the Company’s records.  By a notice given pursuant to this Section 5.5, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party.  Any notice which is required to be given to Participant shall, if Participant is then deceased, be given to the person entitled to exercise the Option pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof by written notice under this Section 5.5.  Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

 

5.6                                  Titles .  Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

5.7                                  Governing Law .  The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern the interpretation, validity, administration, enforcement and performance of the terms of this Agreement regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of conflicts of laws.

 

5.8                                  Conformity to Securities Laws .  Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities laws and regulations.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Option is granted and may be exercised, only in such a manner as to conform to Applicable Law.  To the

 

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extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

5.9                                  Amendment, Suspension and Termination .  To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board, provided that, except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the Option in any material way without the prior written consent of Participant.

 

5.10                            Successors and Assigns .  The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company.  Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 5.3 and the Plan, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

5.11                            Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons .  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Option, the Grant Notice and this Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

5.12                            Not a Contract of Employment .  Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall confer upon Participant any right to continue to serve as an employee or other service provider of the Company or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

 

5.13                            Entire Agreement .  The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

5.14                            Section 409A .  This Award is not intended to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (together with any Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the date hereof, “ Section 409A ”).  However, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, if at any time the Administrator determines that this Award (or any portion thereof) may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator shall have the right in its sole discretion (without any obligation to do so or to indemnify Participant or any other person for failure to do so) to adopt such amendments to the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement, or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, as the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate for this Award either to be exempt from the application of Section 409A or to comply with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

5.15                            Agreement Severable .  In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

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5.16                            Limitation on Participant’s Rights .  Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided.  This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and shall not be construed as creating a trust.  Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets.  Participant shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the Option, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Stock as a general unsecured creditor with respect to options, as and when exercised pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

5.17                            Counterparts .  The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

 

5.18                            Broker-Assisted Sales .  In the event of any broker-assisted sale of shares of Stock in connection with the payment of withholding taxes as provided in Section 3.4(a)(v) or Section 3.4(c) or the payment of the exercise price as provided in Section 4.4(c): (A) any shares of Stock to be sold through a broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the tax withholding obligation or exercise of the Option, as applicable, occurs or arises, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (B) such shares of Stock may be sold as part of a block trade with other participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (C) Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (D) to the extent the proceeds of such sale exceed the applicable tax withholding obligation or exercise price, the Company agrees to pay such excess in cash to Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (E) Participant acknowledges that the Company or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price, and that the proceeds of any such sale may not be sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation or exercise price; and (F) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation, Participant agrees to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its Subsidiary with respect to which the withholding obligation arises, an amount sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s withholding obligation.

 

*                                          *                                          *

 

A-8


 



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Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

        We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-1 of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. of our report dated December 22, 2010 relating to the financial statements of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Wesco Holdings, Inc.), which appears in such Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Los Angeles, California
June 27, 2011




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