UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

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

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): August 15, 2007

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware

 

1-8207

 

95-3261426

(State or Other Jurisdiction

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

of Incorporation)

 

 

 

 

 

2455 Paces Ferry Road, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30339

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

( 770) 433-8211

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

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

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

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

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

 




TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

 

3

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

3

Signature

 

4

Exhibit Index

 

5

 

2




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

(d)           On August 15, 2007, the Board of Directors of the Company elected Mr. Armando Codina as a director of the Company on the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Codina was also appointed to serve as a member of the Board’s Leadership Development and Compensation Committee (“LDCC”) and IT Advisory Council.  Mr. Codina will participate in the standard non-employee director compensation arrangements described in the Company’s 2007 proxy statement as amended by the Board on August 16 as follows. On August 16, the Board reduced the Company match under the Board’s charitable contributions program from $100,000 to $10,000 per calendar year beginning in 2008 and eliminated director fees for attending Board, Board committee and annual shareholder meetings held after August 16.

(e)           On August 16, 2007, the LDCC amended The Home Depot FutureBuilder Restoration Plan, The Home Depot, Inc. Non-Employee Directors’ Deferred Stock Compensation Plan, and The Home Depot Deferred Compensation Plan For Officers (the “Officer Plan”) to comply with requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.  The LDCC also amended the Officer Plan to eliminate the fixed interest crediting rate.  Effective January 1, 2008, participants will elect to invest their account balances among an array of mutual funds and earnings will be based on fund returns.

Item 9.01.     Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1

 

The Home Depot Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers

10.2

 

The Home Depot FutureBuilder Restoration Plan

10.3

 

The Home Depot, Inc. Non-Employees Directors’ Deferred Stock Compensation Plan

99.1

 

Press Release of The Home Depot, Inc. dated August 16, 2007

 

3




SIGNATURE

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

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jack A. VanWoerkom

 

 

 

Name:

Jack A. VanWoerkom

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, Secretary and

 

 

 

General Counsel

 

Date:  August 20, 2007

4




EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1

 

The Home Depot Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers

10.2

 

The Home Depot FutureBuilder Restoration Plan

10.3

 

The Home Depot, Inc. Non-Employees Directors’ Deferred Stock Compensation Plan

99.1

 

Press Release of The Home Depot, Inc. dated August 16, 2007

 

5



Exhibit 10.1

THE HOME DEPOT
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR OFFICERS

(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008)




THE HOME DEPOT
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR OFFICERS
(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008)

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Page

SECTION 1.      ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF PLAN

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1.1

 

Establishment of Plan

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1.2

 

Purpose of Plan

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.      DEFINITIONS

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.1

 

Account

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.2

 

Administrative Committee

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.3

 

Base Compensation

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

Bonus Compensation

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.5

 

Board

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2.6

 

Change in Control

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

2.7

 

Code

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.8

 

Committee

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.9

 

Company

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.10

 

Deductible

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.11

 

Distribution Date

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.12

 

Disability or Disabled

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.13

 

Effective Date

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.14

 

Eligible Employee

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

2.15

 

Election Period

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

2.16

 

Hardship

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

2.17

 

Non-Section 409A Account

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

2.18

 

Participant

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

2.19

 

Participating Company

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

2.20

 

Performance-Based Compensation

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

2.21

 

Plan

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

2.22

 

Plan Year

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

2.23

 

Related Company

 

6

 

  




 

2.24

 

Retirement Date

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

2.25

 

Section 409A Account

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

2.26

 

Separation from Service

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

2.27

 

Specified Employee

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.      PARTICIPATION AND DEFERRALS

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

3.1

 

Eligibility

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

3.2

 

Commencement of Participation

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

3.3

 

Deferral Elections

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

3.4

 

No Deferrals from Severance

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

3.5

 

Revocation/Modification of Deferral Elections

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

3.6

 

Discretionary Contributions

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4.      VESTING AND ADMINISTRATION OF ACCOUNTS

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

4.1

 

Vesting

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

4.2

 

Credits/Debts to Account

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

4.3

 

Account Earnings

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

4.4

 

Ownership and Investment of Accounts

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

4.5

 

Establishment of Rabbi Trust

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.      DISPOSITION OF PARTICIPANT SECTION 409A ACCOUNTS

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

5.1

 

Application

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

5.2

 

Distribution Elections

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

5.3

 

Distribution Date

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

5.4

 

Form of Distribution

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

5.5

 

Hardship Distributions

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

5.6

 

Disability Distributions

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

5.7

 

Death Distributions

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

5.8

 

Disposition of Account on Plan Termination

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

5.9

 

Distributions Causing Loss of Compensation Deduction

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

5.10

 

Limited Delay in Payment

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

5.11

 

Tax Withholding

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

5.12

 

Distributions to HD Supply Participants

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.      DISPOSITION OF PARTICIPANT NON-SECTION 409A ACCOUNTS

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

6.1

 

Application

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

6.2

 

Definitions

 

13

 

ii




 

6.3

 

Distribution Elections

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

6.4

 

Distribution Date

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

6.5

 

Form of Distribution

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

6.6

 

Hardship Distributions

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

6.7

 

In-Service Distributions With Penalty

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

6.8

 

Disability Distributions

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

6.9

 

Death Distributions

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

6.10

 

Disposition of Account on Plan Termination

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

6.11

 

Accounting Method For Distributions

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

6.12

 

Distributions Causing Loss of Compensation Deduction

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

6.13

 

Tax Withholding

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

6.14

 

Distributions to HD Supply Participants

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 7.      PLAN ADMINISTRATION

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

7.1

 

Administrative Committee

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

7.2

 

Administrative Committee Action

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

7.3

 

Plan Rules and Regulations

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

7.4

 

Determinations by Administrative Committee

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

7.5

 

Plan Records

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 8.      CLAIM AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

8.1

 

Claims Procedure

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

8.2

 

Review Procedure

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

8.3

 

Procedures Applying To Both Claims and Review Procedures

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.      PARTICIPATION BY RELATED COMPANIES

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

9.1

 

Participation by Related Company

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

9.2

 

Withdrawal of a Related Company

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

9.3

 

Obligation of Participating Company

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 10.      MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

10.1

 

Amendment or Termination

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

10.2

 

Participant’s Rights Unsecured

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

10.3

 

Nontransferability/Nonalienability

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

10.4

 

Participant Obligation to Furnish Information

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

10.5

 

No Right of Employment

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.6

 

Plan Expenses

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.7

 

Offsets

 

24

 

iii




 

10.8

 

Severability

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.9

 

Enforceability

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.10

 

Limitation of Actions

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.11

 

Governing Law

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

10.12

 

Presumed Competency

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

10.13

 

Forfeiture of Unclaimed Benefits

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

10.14

 

Code §409A

 

25

 

iv




THE HOME DEPOT

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR OFFICERS

(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008)

SECTION 1.

ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF PLAN

1.1            Establishment of Plan .  The Committee adopted the Plan effective March 1, 2002.  The Plan is amended and restated, as set forth herein, effective January 1, 2008, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

1.2            Purpose of Plan .  The purpose of the Plan is to provide Eligible Employees an opportunity to defer to a future date the receipt of base and bonus compensation for services performed for the Participating Company.  The Plan is intended to constitute, and shall be administered to qualify as, a “top hat” plan exempt from the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, pursuant to Labor Regulation Section 2520.104-23 and shall be maintained strictly for a select group of management or highly compensated employees as contemplated by said regulation.

SECTION 2.

DEFINITIONS

2.1            Account ” means the Participant’s bookkeeping account established on the Company’s records showing the amount of the Participant’s Base Compensation and Bonus Compensation deferred pursuant to the Participant’s election and any notional earnings accrued thereon.

2.2            Administrative Committee ” means the committee appointed to administer the Plan, consisting of the Vice President-Performance Systems, Vice President-Benefits and the Vice President-Treasurer of Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., as may be modified as provided by Section 7.1.

2.3            Base Compensation ”  means the Participant’s base rate of compensation (including regular compensation, holiday, vacation, personal and sick pay) payable for services performed for the Participating Company for the Plan Year, as adjusted to reflect increases and decreases to the base rate during the Plan Year.

2.4            Bonus Compensation ”  means the Participant’s bonus or incentive compensation payable for services performed for the Participating Company for the Plan Year, including any signing bonus and any incentive compensation payable to the Participant pursuant to The Home Depot, Inc. Long-Term Performance Incentive Plan or The Home Depot, Inc. Management Incentive Plan.

2.5            Board ” means the Company’s Board of Directors.

1




2.6            Change in Control ”  means a change of control event of the Company as described in Code Section 409A and guidance issued thereunder, which provides that a change in control event occurs upon the change in ownership or effective control, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company, as follows:

(a)            Change in Ownership .  A change in ownership of the Company shall occur on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with stock held by such person or group constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company.  However, if any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company, the acquisition of additional stock by the same persons or persons is not considered to cause a change in the ownership of the Company or to cause a change in the effective control of the Company.  An increase in the percentage of stock owned by any one person, or persons acting as a group, as a result of a transaction in which the Company acquires its stock in exchange for property will be treated as an acquisition of stock for purposes of this section.  This subsection applies only when there is a transfer of stock (or issuance of stock) and stock remains outstanding after the transaction.

(b)            Change in Effective Control .  A change in the effective control of the Company shall occur on (i) the date any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) ownership of stock of the Company possessing thirty percent (30%) or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; or (ii) the date a majority of the members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12)-month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board before the date of the appointment or election.

(c)            Change in the Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Company’s Assets .  A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets shall occur on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than forty percent (40%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately before such acquisition or acquisitions.  For this purpose, gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.  A change in control does not occur when there is a transfer to a related entity, as described in the Treasury Regulations under Code Section 409A.

2




This Section 2.5 shall be subject to and interpreted in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations and other guidance describing a “change in control event” for purposes of Code Section 409A.

2.7            Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2.8            Committee ” means the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee of the Board.

2.9            Company ” means The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation, with corporate offices at 2455 Paces Ferry Road, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia  30339-4024.

2.10          Deductible ”  means a distribution of Base Compensation or Bonus Compensation and earnings thereon for which the Participating Company is entitled to a compensation tax deduction.

2.11          Distribution Date ”  means the earliest of the following events: (1) a calendar year elected by the Participant that is after the Plan Year for which the deferrals are made; (2) the Participant’s Separation from Service for any reason (including death or Disability) before the Participant’s Retirement Date; (3) the January 1 next following the Participant’s Retirement Date or, if elected by the Participant, the January 1 next following the one (1)-year anniversary of the Participant’s Retirement Date; or (4) if elected by the Participant, the date of a Change in Control.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a distribution to a Specified Employee on account of Separation from Service, the Distribution Date shall be the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service or in the case of clause (3) above, the later of (i) the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service or (ii) the applicable January 1.

2.12          Disability ” or “ Disabled ” means a Participant (1) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months; (2)  is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Participant’s employer; or (3) is determined to be totally disabled by the Social Security Administration.

2.13          Effective Date ”  means January 1, 2008.

2.14          Eligible Employee ” means an employee of a Participating Company who: (1) is an executive officer of the Participating Company (Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Division President), a corporate level officer of a Participating Company as defined by the Company’s HR-Compensation Department; and (2) is part of a select group of management or highly compensated employees of the Participating Company within the meaning of Labor Regulation Section 2520.104-23.

3




2.15          Election Period ”  means the period established by the Administrative Committee during which Participant deferral and distribution elections must be made in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A.  The Election Period for Base Compensation and for Bonus Compensation that does not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall end no later than the last day of the Plan Year immediately preceding the Plan Year in which such Base Compensation or Bonus Compensation is earned, and the Election Period for Bonus Compensation qualifying as Performance-Based Compensation shall end no later than six (6) months before the end of the fiscal year or other period in which the Performance-Based Compensation is earned; provided, that the Eligible Employee is employed continuously from the later of the beginning of the performance period or the date the performance criteria are established through the date an election is made to defer such Performance-Based Compensation and the amount of such Performance-Based Compensation has not become readily ascertainable as of the date the election is made; and further provided, however, that the Election Period with respect to the first Plan Year in which an Eligible Employee is eligible to participate in the Plan may, to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A, end no later than thirty (30) days after the Eligible Employee first becomes eligible under the Plan and shall apply only to compensation earned after such election is made. A former Eligible Employee who again becomes an Eligible Employee shall be treated as newly eligible to make deferrals under the Plan within thirty (30) days upon return to eligible status if: (i) the former Eligible Employee has received distribution of the full amount of his or her Account balance attributable to deferral contributions and on or before the last such distribution was not eligible to make deferral contributions for periods after the last distribution payment; or (ii) the former Eligible Employee has not been eligible to make deferral contributions at any time during the twenty-four (24)-month period ending on the date he or she again becomes an Eligible Employee.  In addition, if an Eligible Employee is or was eligible to participate in another plan that is aggregated with the elective deferral portion of the Plan under Code Section 409A, participation in such plan shall be treated as participation in the Plan for purposes of determining whether the Eligible Employee is treated as newly eligible under the Plan.  Except in the case of the first Plan Year in which an Eligible Employee is eligible to participate in the Plan, including a former Eligible Employee who is treated as newly eligible to make deferrals, the effective date of elections to defer Base or Bonus Compensation shall be the first day of the calendar year following such election and in the case of an election to defer Performance-Based Compensation, such election shall be effective with respect to Performance-Based Compensation payable after the end of the applicable performance period.

2.16          Hardship ”  has the same meaning as “unforeseeable emergency” under Code Section 409A and means a severe financial hardship to the Participant resulting from an illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, the Participant’s beneficiary, or the Participant’s dependent (as defined in Code Section 152, without regard to Sections 152(b)(1), (b)(2), and (d)(1)(B)); loss of the Participant’s property due to casualty (including the need to rebuild a home following damage to a home not otherwise covered by insurance, for example, not as a result of a natural disaster); or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant.  For example, the imminent foreclosure of or eviction from the

4




Participant’s primary residence may constitute a hardship.  In addition, the need to pay for medical expenses, including nonrefundable deductibles, as well as for the costs of prescription drug medication, may constitute a hardship.  Finally, the need to pay for the funeral expenses of a spouse, a beneficiary, or a dependent (as defined in Code Section 152, without regarding to Section 152(b)(1), (b)(2), and (d)(1)(B)) may also constitute a hardship.  Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the purchase of a home and the payment of college tuition are not hardships.  Whether a Participant is faced with a hardship is to be determined based on the relevant facts and circumstances of each case.

2.17          Non-Section 409A Account ” means the portion of a Participant’s Account that was earned and vested, within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as of December 31, 2004, including earnings on such amounts.

2.18          Participant ” means an Eligible Employee who has made a deferral election under the Plan and any former Eligible Employee who has an amount credited to an Account for his or her benefit under the Plan.

2.19          Participating Company ” means all Related Companies that participate in the Plan in accordance with Section 9.

2.20          Performance-Based Compensation ” means any bonus, award or other compensation, the amount of which, or the entitlement to which, is contingent on the satisfaction of pre-established organizational or individual performance criteria relating to a performance period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months.  For such bonus or award to be performance-based with respect to a Participant’s deferral election with respect to such bonus or award, the following requirements must be met: (i) the performance criteria must be established in writing no later than ninety (90) days after the beginning of the applicable “performance period”; (ii) the outcome of the performance criteria must be substantially uncertain when the criteria are established; (iii) no bonus or award, or portion of any bonus or award, that will be paid either regardless of performance, or based upon a level of performance that is substantially certain to be met at the time the criteria are established, shall be considered Performance-Based Compensation; (iv) Performance-Based Compensation shall not include payments based upon subjective performance criteria unless: (a) the subjective performance criteria are bona fide and relate to the Participant’s performance, the performance of a group of employees that includes the Participant, or the performance of a business unit for which the Participant provides services (which may include the entire organization); and (b) the determination that any subjective performance criteria have been met is not made by the Participant or a family member of the Participant (as defined in Code Section 267(c)(4), applied as if the family of an individual includes the spouse of any member of the family), or a person under the effective control of the Participant or such a family member, and no amount of the compensation of the person making such determination is effectively controlled in whole or in part by the Participant or such a family member.  A performance-based bonus that otherwise meets the above criteria may provide for payment regardless of satisfaction of the performance criteria upon the Participant’s death, disability (defined as a medically determinable physical or mental impairment resulting in the Participant’s inability to

5




perform the duties of his or her position or any substantially similar position, where such impairment can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six (6) months), or a change in control event (as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i)).  Any amount that actually becomes payable upon such events without regard to the satisfaction of the performance criteria will not be considered Performance-Based Compensation.

2.21          Plan ” means The Home Depot Deferred Compensation Plan For Officers (formerly known as the Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers) as described herein and as amended from time to time.

2.22          Plan Year ”  means the calendar year.

2.23          Related Company ”  means any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Code Section 414(b) that includes the Company, or is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Code Section 414(c), or is part of an affiliated service group within the meaning of Code Section 414(m) that includes the Company.

2.24          Retirement Date ”  means the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service on or after the Participant’s attainment of age sixty (60).

2.25          Section 409A Account ”  means the portion of a Participant’s Account that was not earned and vested, within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as of December 31, 2004.

2.26          Separation from Service ”  means the date that the Participant separates from service within the meaning of Code Section 409A.  Generally, a Participant separates from service if the Participant dies, retires, or otherwise has a termination of employment with the Company, determined in accordance with the following:

(a)            Leaves of Absence .  The employment relationship is treated as continuing intact while the Participant is on military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence if the period of such leave does not exceed six (6) months, or, if longer, so long as the Participant retains a right to reemployment with the Company under an applicable statute or by contract.  A leave of absence constitutes a bona fide leave of absence only if there is a reasonable expectation that the Participant will return to perform services for the Company.  If the period of leave exceeds six (6) months and the Participant does not retain a right to reemployment under an applicable statute or by contract, the employment relationship is deemed to terminate on the first date immediately following such six (6)-month period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a leave of absence is due to any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six (6) months, where such impairment causes the Participant to be unable to perform the duties of his or her position of employment or any substantially similar position of employment, a twenty-nine (29)-month period of absence shall be substituted for such six (6)-month period.

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(b)            Status Change .  Generally, if a Participant performs services both as an employee and an independent contractor, such Participant must separate from service both as an employee, and as an independent contractor pursuant to standards set forth in Treasury Regulations, to be treated as having a separation from service.  However, if a Participant provides services to the Company as an employee and as a member of the Board, the services provided as a director are not taken into account in determining whether the Participant has a separation from service as an employee for purposes of this plan.

(c)            Termination of Employment .  Whether a termination of employment has occurred is determined based on whether the facts and circumstances indicate that the Company and the Participant reasonably anticipated that no further services would be performed after a certain date or that the level of bona fide services the Participant would perform after such date (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) would permanently decrease to no more than twenty (20) percent of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding thirty-six (36)-month period (or the full period of services to the Company if the Participant has been providing services to the Company less than thirty-six (36) months).  Facts and circumstances to be considered in making this determination include, but are not limited to, whether the Participant continues to be treated as an employee for other purposes (such as continuation of salary and participation in employee benefit programs), whether similarly situated service providers have been treated consistently, and whether the Participant is permitted, and realistically available, to perform services for other service recipients in the same line of business.  For periods during which a Participant is on a paid bona fide leave of absence and has not otherwise terminated employment as described above, for purposes of this paragraph (c) the Participant is treated as providing bona fide services at a level equal to the level of services that the Participant would have been required to perform to receive the compensation paid with respect to such leave of absence.  Periods during which a Participant is on an unpaid bona fide leave of absence and has not otherwise terminated employment are disregarded for purposes of this subsection (c) (including for purposes of determining the applicable thirty-six (36)-month (or shorter) period).

(d)            Service with Affiliates .  For purposes of determining whether a separation from service has occurred under the above provisions, the “Company” shall include the Company and all entities that would be treated as a single employer with the Company under Code Section 414(b) or (c), but substituting “at least 50 percent” instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in applying such rules.

2.27          Specified Employee ”  is an employee who on the date of his or her Separation from Service is a “specified employee” within the meaning given such term under Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder applying the default criteria, provided that the exclusion of foreign compensation paid to certain non-resident aliens under Treasury Regulations Section 1.415(c)-2(g)(ii) shall apply in determining an employee’s

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compensation.  The foregoing definition shall apply with respect to all nonqualified deferred compensation plans, within the meaning of Code Section 409A, maintained by the Company or any Related Company.

SECTION 3.

PARTICIPATION AND DEFERRALS

3.1            Eligibility . Eligible Employees may participate in the Plan as provided in Section 3.2.  The Administrative Committee shall communicate a summary of the terms and conditions of the Plan to Eligible Employees, in writing, as soon as administratively practicable after they become eligible.   An Eligible Employee generally shall be eligible to commence participation in the Plan upon completing thirty (30) days of employment with a Participating Company in an eligible position as defined in Section 2.13, provided that the Administrative Committee may permit an individual to defer a signing bonus or similar payment prior to the date the individual commences employment with the Participating Company.

3.2            Commencement of Participation .  An Eligible Employee shall commence participation in the Plan upon the effectiveness of the Participant’s first Deferral Election made in accordance with Section 3.3.

3.3            Deferral Elections . An Eligible Employee may elect during the applicable Election Period, in writing on forms approved by the Administrative Committee, to defer the receipt of a designated percentage of Base Compensation per payroll period that is earned and payable after the effective date of such election, a designated percentage of Bonus Compensation per payroll period that is earned and payable after the effective date of such election and a designated percentage of Performance-Based Compensation that is payable after the effective date of such election and have such amount credited to the Participant’s Account pursuant to the terms of the Plan.  The Participant shall make a separate deferral election for Base, Bonus and Performance-Based Compensation deferrals for each Plan Year.  The minimum deferral each for Base, Bonus and Performance-Based Compensation for any payroll period is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) divided by the number of the Participant’s remaining payroll periods for the Plan Year over which the deferral will be made.  The maximum deferral is fifty percent (50%) of Base Compensation and one hundred percent (100%) of Bonus and/or Performance-Based Compensation per payroll period.  In no event may a Participant defer Base, Bonus or Performance-Based  Compensation for any payroll period to the extent the Participant has no Base, Bonus or Performance-Based Compensation for such payroll period or to the extent the Participant’s Base, Bonus or Performance-Based Compensation is insufficient after satisfaction of payroll deductions under Code Section 401(k), Code Section 125, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) withholding, and applicable state, local or foreign tax withholding, in which case the Participant’s Base, Bonus and Performance-Based Compensation deferral shall be accordingly adjusted by the Administrative Committee for such payroll period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, deferrals under this Plan are made before any elective deferrals into the Participating Company’s qualified retirement plans.  Deferrals shall be deemed to be made first from

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Base, Bonus or Performance-Based Compensation that is deductible to the Company and its affiliates before nondeductible Base, Bonus or Performance-Based Compensation.

3.4            No Deferrals from Severance .  Deferral elections shall not apply to severance or other amounts payable after a Participant’s Separation from Service.

3.5            Revocation/Modification of Deferral Elections .  Deferral elections may not be revoked or modified by the Participant after the Election Period.  The Administrative Committee in its discretion may cancel a deferral election if permitted under Code Section 409A (such as upon disability or Hardship), provided that the Participant shall not be provided an election with respect to such cancellation.

3.6            Discretionary Contributions . The Participating Company may make a discretionary contribution, such as a signing bonus, to the Plan to be credited to the Account of a designated Participant, to vest and to be distributed to the Participant at such times and in such manner as determined by the Company.  The Administrative Committee shall communicate, in writing, to the Participant any special vesting and distribution provisions that apply to a discretionary contribution.

SECTION 4.

VESTING AND ADMINISTRATION OF ACCOUNTS

4.1            Vesting .  Base Compensation and Bonus Compensation credited to a Participant’s Account, and notional earnings thereon, shall be one hundred percent (100%) vested and non-forfeitable at all times; provided, however, that the Company may provide for a discretionary contribution made pursuant to Section 3.6 to vest over such period and in such installments as determined by the Company.

4.2            Credits/Debts to Account .  Base Compensation and Bonus Compensation deferred under this Plan pursuant to the Participant’s election in accordance with Section 3.3 shall be credited to the Participant’s Account as soon as administratively practical after the date the deferrals would otherwise have been payable to the Participant in accordance with the Participating Company’s normal payroll practices.

4.3            Account Earnings .  Amounts credited to a Participant’s Account shall be credited with notional earnings as determined by the Administrative Committee.  Each Participant may direct the manner in which his or her Account shall be deemed invested among one or more investment funds selected from time to time by the Administrative Committee.  The Administrative Committee shall have complete discretion to adopt and revise procedures relating to Participant investment directions and may change, add or remove investment funds in any prospective manner it deems appropriate.

4.4            Ownership and Investment of Accounts .  Subject to Section 10.2, amounts credited to a Participant’s Account may be deemed invested in any investment vehicles or assets as may be selected by the Administrative Committee in its discretion.  The Participating

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Company shall be the owner of all amounts credited to Participant Accounts until paid to the Participant pursuant to Section 5 or Section 6.

4.5            Establishment of Rabbi Trust . The Administrative Committee shall establish and fully fund an irrevocable grantor trust to provide itself a source of funds to satisfy its liability to Participants and their beneficiaries under the Plan.  The Participating Company shall make cash contributions to the trust as soon as administratively practical after payroll deductions are made and as soon as administratively practical after the end of the Plan Year for notional earnings credited to Participant Accounts for the Plan Year.  The Participating Company shall be the sole owner of the assets of the trust and trust assets shall be subject to the claims of the Participating Company’s general creditors.  The sole interest of the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiaries to the assets of the trust shall be as a general creditor of the Participating Company.

SECTION 5.

DISPOSITION OF PARTICIPANT SECTION 409A ACCOUNTS

5.1            Application .  The provisions of this Section 5 shall apply solely to a Participant’s Section 409A Account, and all references herein to a Participant’s “Account” shall mean the Participant’s Section 409A Account.  The disposition of a Participant’s Non-Section 409A Account shall be made in accordance with Section 6.

5.2            Distribution Elections .  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, amounts credited to a Participant’s Account for each Plan Year shall be paid to the Participant in accordance with the Participant’s distribution election.  The Participant shall make a separate distribution election for: (1) deferrals of Base Compensation and Bonus Compensation made each Plan Year and notional earnings thereon; (2) deferrals of Performance-Based Compensation made each Plan Year and notional earnings thereon;  (3) Disability distributions pursuant to Section 5.6; and (4) death distributions pursuant to Section 5.7.  Distribution elections shall be in writing on forms approved by the Administrative Committee and shall specify a Distribution Date in accordance with Section 5.3, shall specify the form of distribution in accordance with Section 5.4, and shall be filed with the Administrative Committee during the Election Period.  A Participant may make a one (1) time change to his or her distribution election to elect a later Distribution Date in accordance with Section 5.3 and may make a one (1) time change to his or her distribution election to change the form of the distribution in accordance with Section 5.4; provided, however, that an election to defer payment or change the form of distribution shall be effective only if (i) the election is made at least twelve (12) months before the Participant’s elected Distribution Date, and (ii) the Participant elects a new Distribution Date that is no less than five (5) years later than the original Distribution Date.

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5.3            Distribution Date . Distribution shall commence to the Participant, in the form elected by the Participant in accordance with Section 5.4, upon the Distribution Date.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution is to be made to a Specified Employee on account of Separation from Service, the Distribution Date shall be the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service or in the case of clause (3) of Section 2.10, the later of (i) the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service or (ii) the applicable January 1.

5.4            Form of Distribution . Vested amounts credited to a Participant’s Account shall, at the Participant’s election, be payable to the Participant in a single sum cash payment or in substantially equal annual cash installments over not more than ten (10) years, provided that installments may not be elected with respect to distributions upon a Change in Control.  Annual installment payments shall be calculated by dividing the Account balance by the remaining annual installments to be made.  Notwithstanding the Participant’s election as to the time and form of payment, if the Participant Separates from Service before his or her Retirement Date for any reason other than death or Disability, then the Participant’s entire Account (including any amounts with respect to which installment payments have previously commenced) shall be paid to the Participant in a single sum cash payment upon the Participant’s Separation from Service or, with respect to a Specified Employee, upon the date that is first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service.  In addition, the Administrative Committee may direct in writing prior to the date of payment to accelerate the payment of a Participant’s Account, provided that (i) the payment results in the payment of the Participant’s entire interest in the Plan and all other arrangements required to be aggregated with the Plan under Code Section 409A (generally other arrangements providing for nonqualified elective deferrals), and (ii) the total payments do not exceed the applicable dollar limit under Code Section 402(g)(1)(B).

5.5            Hardship Distributions .  In the event of a request by the Participant for distribution due to Hardship, and a finding by the Administrative Committee that a Hardship exists, such distribution shall be paid to the Participant in a single sum cash payment upon the occurrence of the Hardship.  Notwithstanding the foregoing: (1) payment shall be limited to the amount reasonably necessary to satisfy the Hardship, and (2) payment shall not be made to the extent that the Hardship is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Participant’s assets, to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause several financial hardship, or by cessation of deferrals under this Plan.  Any decision of the Administrative Committee with respect to the application of the provisions of this section shall have a presumption of correctness, and the burden shall be on the Participant to rebut such presumption by a preponderance of the evidence.  The Participant shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to present any and all evidence on his or her behalf.

5.6            Disability Distributions .  If a Participant becomes Disabled before the Participant’s Retirement Date, vested amounts credited to the Participant’s Account shall be distributed to the Participant, in accordance with the Participant’s Disability distribution election in accordance with Sections 5.3 and 5.4.  Any decision of the Administrative

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Committee with respect to the application of the provisions of this section shall have a presumption of correctness, and the burden shall be on the Participant to rebut such presumption by a preponderance of the evidence.  The Participant shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to present any and all evidence on his or her behalf.

5.7            Death Distributions .  If a Participant dies before distribution of all the amounts credited to the Participant’s Account, any vested amounts remaining in the Participant’s Account shall be distributed to the deceased Participant’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries in the form specified by the Participant in accordance with Sections 5.3 and 5.4.  If distributions have already commenced before the Participant’s death, the Participant’s designated beneficiary will continue to receive payments according to the same schedule as had been made to the Participant before his or her death.  All beneficiary designations shall be in writing on forms approved by the Administrative Committee and shall be filed with the Administrative Committee.  A Participant may, at any time, revoke or change any beneficiary designation by filing a new written designation with the Administrative Committee.  If there is no effective beneficiary designation filed with the Administrative Committee at the time of the Participant’s death, distribution of amounts otherwise payable to the deceased Participant under the Plan shall be paid to the personal representative of the Participant’s estate as a part of the Participant’s estate in accordance with Section 5.3.  (As required by Code Section 409A, the form of payment to a Beneficiary may not vary based on the identity of the Beneficiary.)  If a beneficiary designated by the Participant to receive the Participant’s benefits shall survive the Participant but die before receiving all distributions hereunder, the balance thereof shall be paid in a single sum cash distribution to such deceased beneficiary’s estate in a single sum distribution as soon as administratively practical after the beneficiary’s death.  The Administrative Committee, upon making a reasonable effort to ascertain the identity of the proper beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any amounts payable pursuant to these provisions shall be entitled to rely on information reasonably available to it, and upon making any payments provided herein to any beneficiary believed in good faith by the Administrative Committee to be entitled thereto, shall have no further liability to any person for such payments.

5.8            Disposition of Account on Plan Termination .  Upon termination of the Plan, distribution of vested Accounts shall be made at the time designated by the Committee in accordance with the applicable requirements under Code Section 409A.

5.9            Distributions Causing Loss of Compensation Deduction . Notwithstanding the Participant’s distribution election, the Administrative Committee may delay a distribution to the extent that it reasonably anticipates that the distribution, if made as scheduled, would cause the Participant to have compensation from the Company and its affiliated companies for any year that is nondeductible by the Company and its affiliated companies pursuant to Code Section 162(m).  Any distribution not made because of this limitation shall be distributed (1) in the first subsequent year in which the deduction would not be barred by the application of Code Section 162(m) or (2) during the period beginning with the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service and ending on the later of (i) the last day of the Company’s taxable year in which the Participant’s Separation from Service occurs or (ii) the fifteenth day of the third month following the

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date of the participant’s Separation from Service.  In case of a Specified Employee, all references in the preceding sentence to the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service shall be deemed to be the date that is six (6) months after the Participant’s Separation from Service.

5.10          Limited Delay in Payment .  Where the Plan provides that a payment will be made upon a specified date or event, actual payment shall be made no later than the latest date permitted under Section 409A and the regulations thereunder (generally the later of the end of the calendar year in which the specified payment date occurs, or the fifteenth day of the third calendar month after the calendar month in which the specified payment date occurs).

5.11          Tax Withholding .  The Administrative Committee shall deduct from distributions under the Plan any federal, state or local tax withholding or other taxes or charges that the Participating Company is required to deduct under applicable law.  The Participating Company shall be entitled to deduct from other compensation payable to the Participant, any employment or other tax required to be withheld as amounts are deferred under the Plan and the Participating Company may adjust the Participant’s deferral election to cover required tax withholdings.

5.12          Distributions to HD Supply Participants .  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Account of each HD Supply Participant (as hereinafter defined) shall be distributed in a single payment as soon as practicable after January 1, 2008, and in no event later than December 31, 2008.  Distribution shall be made under this Section 5.12 without regard to whether the Participant has incurred a Separation from Service.  An “HD Supply Participant” shall mean a Participant who, during 2007, ceases to be an employee of the Controlled Group as a result of the Company’s sale of its HD Supply line of business.

SECTION 6.
DISPOSITION OF PARTICIPANT NON-SECTION 409A ACCOUNTS

6.1            Application .  The provisions of this Section 6 shall apply solely to a Participant’s Non-Section 409A Account, and all references herein to a Participant’s “Account” shall mean the Participant’s Non-Section 409A Account.  The disposition of a Participant’s Section 409A Account shall be made in accordance with Section 5.

6.2            Definitions .  The following definitions shall apply under this Section 6 in lieu of or in addition to the definitions set forth in Section 2.

(a)   “ Change in Control ” means a change in control of the Company of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act as in effect at the time of such change in control, provided that such a change in control shall be deemed to have occurred at such time as (1) any “person” (as that term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) (2) of the Exchange Act), is or becomes the “beneficial owner,” directly or indirectly, of

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securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the combined voting power for election of directors of the then outstanding securities of the Company or any successor of the Company; (2) during any period of two (2) consecutive years or less, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the board of directors of the Company cease, for any reason, to constitute at least a majority of the board, unless the election or nomination for election of each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the period; (3) the stockholders of the Company approve any merger or consolidation as a result of which the common stock of the Company shall be changed, converted or exchanged (other than a merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) or any liquidation of the Company or any sale or other disposition of fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets or earning power of the Company; or (4)  the stockholders of the Company approve any merger or consolidation to which the Company is a party as a result of which the persons who were stockholders of the Company immediately before the effective date of the merger or consolidation shall have beneficial ownership of less than fifty-five percent (55%) of the combined voting power for election of directors of the surviving corporation following the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

(b)   “ Distribution Date ” means the earliest of the following events: (1) a year elected by the Participant that is after the Plan Year for which the deferrals are made; (2) the Participant’s Employment Termination for any reason (including death and Disability) before the Participant’s Retirement Date; (3) the Participant’s Retirement Date or, if elected by the Participant, the Participant’s Retirement Date plus one (1) year; or (4) if elected by the Participant, the date of a Change in Control.

(c)   “ Disability or Disabled ” means a physical or mental condition of the Participant which results in the Participant receiving benefits under the Participating Company’s long term disability insurance plan, or in the event that the Participant is not participating in the Participating Company’s long term disability insurance plan, means a physical or mental condition which in the judgment of the Administrative Committee, based on medical reports and other evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Committee, prevents the Participant from satisfactorily performing Participant’s usual duties for the Participating Company or duties of such other job or position which the Participating Company makes available to the Participant and for which the Participant is qualified by reason of training, education or experience.

(d)   “ Employment Termination ” means the date that the Participant ceases to perform services for the Participating Company and is no longer on the Participating Company’s active payroll; provided, however, that a Participant shall not be treated as having terminated employment with the Participating Company for purposes of this Section 6 if, concurrently with or immediately after such termination, the Participant is employed by a subsidiary or affiliate of the Participating Company.

(e)   “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(f)   “ Hardship ” means a severe financial hardship to the Participant resulting from a sudden and unexpected illness or accident of the Participant or the Participant’s

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dependent (as defined in Code Section 152(a)) loss of the Participant’s property due to casualty or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the Participant’s control.  The need to send a Participant’s child to college or the desire to purchase a home are not considered unforeseeable emergencies that qualify as a “hardship.”  After the Participant’s death, the phrase “Participant’s beneficiary” shall be substituted for the word “Participant” in the first sentence of this Section 6.2(f).

(g)   “ Nondeductible ” means a distribution of Base Compensation or Bonus Compensation and earnings thereon for which the Participating Company would not be entitled to a compensation tax deduction.

(h)   “ Nondeductible Compensation ” means Base Compensation or Bonus Compensation that in the year deferred is nondeductible by the Company and its affiliated companies pursuant to Code Section 162(m).

6.3            Distribution Elections .  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, amounts credited to a Participant’s Account for each Plan Year shall be paid to the Participant in accordance with the Participant’s distribution election.  The Participant shall make a separate distribution election for: (1) deferrals made each Plan Year and notional earnings thereon; (2) Disability distributions pursuant to Section 6.8; and (3) death distributions pursuant to Section 6.9.  Distribution elections shall be in writing on forms approved by the Administrative Committee and shall specify a Distribution Date in accordance with Section 6.4, shall specify the form of distribution in accordance with Section 6.5, and shall be filed with the Administrative Committee during the Election Period.  A Participant may make a one (1) time change to his or her distribution election to elect a later Distribution Date in accordance with Section 6.4 and may make a one (1) time change to his or her distribution election to change the form of the distribution in accordance with Section 6.5; provided, however, that only the most recent election that is at least twelve (12) months from the Participant’s elected Distribution Date shall control (or the Participant’s first distribution election if Participant has less than twelve (12) months of Plan participation); any distribution election that is changed within twelve (12) months of the Distribution Date shall be ignored.

6.4            Distribution Date .  Distribution shall commence to the Participant, in the manner elected by the Participant in accordance with Section 6.5, during the month of December of the year of the Distribution Date for in-service distributions (other than pursuant to Section 6.7) and as soon as administratively practical after the next January 1 following the Distribution Date for all other distributions.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Disability, Hardship, Change in Control and in-service distributions pursuant to Section 6.7 shall be made as soon as administratively practical following the approval by the Administrative Committee of the Disability, Hardship distribution or the occurrence of a Change in Control or a request for an in-service distribution pursuant to Section 6.7.

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6.5            Form of Distribution .  Vested amounts credited to a Participant’s Account shall, at the Participant’s election, be payable to the Participant in a single sum cash payment or in substantially equal annual cash installments over not more than ten (10) years.  Annual installment payments shall be calculated by dividing the Account balance by the remaining annual installments to be made.  Notwithstanding the Participant’s distribution election, payment shall be made to the Participant in a single sum cash distribution in accordance with Section 6.4 if: (1) the vested amount credited to the Participant’s Account as of the Participant’s Distribution Date is Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or less; or (2) the Participant’s employment with the Participating Company terminates for any reason other than death or Disability before the Participant’s Retirement Date; or (3) the Participant has elected a distribution in connection with a Change in Control.  In the event the Participant’s employment with the Participating Company terminates for any reason other than death or Disability before the Participant’s Retirement Date and the Participant is receiving distributions under the Plan, such distributions shall be accelerated and paid to the Participant in a single sum cash distribution.

6.6            Hardship Distributions .  In the event of a request by the Participant, or by the Participant’s beneficiary after the Participant’s death, for distribution due to Hardship, and a finding by the Administrative Committee that a Hardship exists, deferrals pursuant to Section 3.3 shall cease for a period of twelve (12) months beginning on the January 1 next following the date of a Hardship distribution pursuant to this section and vested amounts credited to the Participant’s Account shall be paid to the Participant in a single sum cash payment as soon as administratively practicable after the date of the Hardship.  Notwithstanding the foregoing: (1) payment shall be limited to the amount reasonably necessary to satisfy the Hardship, and (2) payment shall not be made to the extent that the Hardship is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Participant’s assets, to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause several financial hardship, or by cessation of deferrals under this Plan.  Any decision of the Administrative Committee with respect to the application of the provisions of this section shall have a presumption of correctness, and the burden shall be on Participant to rebut such presumption by a preponderance of the evidence.  The Participant shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to present any and all evidence on his or her behalf.

6.7            In-Service Distributions With Penalty .  A Participant may request, on forms approved by the Administrative Committee, a minimum distribution of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) and a maximum distribution of one hundred percent (100%) of the Participant’s vested total Account balance at any time for any reason, provided that the Participant shall forfeit to the Participating Company ten percent (10%) of the amount of the requested distribution.  Said distribution shall be paid to the Participant in a single sum distribution as soon as administratively practical after receipt by the Administrative Committee of the Participant’s signed and completed distribution request form.  All deferrals pursuant to Section 3.3 shall cease for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of a distribution pursuant to this Section 6.7.

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6.8            Disability Distributions .  If a Participant becomes Disabled before the Participant’s Retirement Date, vested amounts credited to the Participant’s Account shall be distributed to the Participant, in accordance with the Participant’s Disability distribution election in accordance with Sections 6.4 and 6.5.  Any decision of the Administrative Committee with respect to the application of the provi­sions of this section shall have a presumption of correctness, and the burden shall be on Participant to rebut such presumption by a preponderance of the evidence.  The Participant shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to present any and all evidence on his or her behalf.

6.9            Death Distributions .  If a Participant dies before distribution of all the amounts credited to the Participant’s Account, any vested amounts remaining in the Participant’s Account shall be distributed to the deceased Participant’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries in the form specified by the Participant in accordance with Sections 6.4 and 6.5.  If distributions have already commenced before the Participant’s death, the Participant’s designated beneficiary will continue to receive payments according to the same schedule as had been made to the Participant before his or her death.  All beneficiary designations shall be in writing on forms approved by the Administrative Committee and shall be filed with the Administrative Committee.  A Participant may, at any time, revoke or change any beneficiary designation by filing a new written designation with the Administrative Committee.  If there is no effective beneficiary designation filed with the Administrative Committee at the time of the Participant’s death, distribution of amounts otherwise payable to the deceased Participant under the Plan shall be paid in a single sum cash distribution to the personal representative of the Participant’s estate as a part of the Participant’s estate in accordance with Section 6.4.  If a beneficiary designated by the Participant to receive the Participant’s benefits shall survive the Participant but die before receiving all distributions hereunder, the balance thereof shall be paid in a single sum cash distribution to such deceased beneficiary’s estate in a single sum distribution as soon as administratively practical after your beneficiary’s death. The Administrative Committee, upon making a reasonable effort to ascertain the identity of the proper beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any amounts payable pursuant to these provi­sions shall be entitled to rely on information reasonably available to it, and upon making any payments provided herein to any beneficiary believed in good faith by the Administrative Committee to be entitled thereto, shall have no further liability to any person for such payments.

6.10          Disposition of Account on Plan Termination .  Upon termination of the Plan, distribution of vested Accounts shall be made, at the time and in the form elected by the Participant, according to the distribution election on file with the Administrative Committee at the time of such termination.

6.11          Accounting Method For Distributions .  Distributions shall be made first, in descending order, from the portion of the Participant’s Account earning the highest rate of notional earnings.  For portions of Participant’s Account earning the same rate of notional earnings, distribution shall made first from the oldest such Account in chronological order (first in-first out method).  Debits and offsets shall be made first, in descending order, from the Nondeductible portion of the Participant’s Account earning the highest

17




rate of notional earnings and then, in descending order, from the Deductible portion of the Participant’s Account earnings the highest rate of notional earnings.

6.12          Distributions Causing Loss of Compensation Deduction .  Notwithstanding the Participant’s distribution election, no distribution shall be made to the extent the distribution would cause the Participant to have compensation from the Company and its affiliated companies for any year in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) and that is nondeductible by the Company and its affiliated companies pursuant to Code Section 162(m).  Any distribution not made because of this limitation shall be distributed in the first subsequent year in which the distribution would not cause the loss of the Company’s or its affiliated companies’ compensation tax deduction.  This section shall not apply to: (1) Nondeductible Compensation; (2) death distributions pursuant to Section 6.9; (2) Disability distributions pursuant to Section 6.8; (3) in-service distributions pursuant to Section 6.6; (4) Hardship Distributions pursuant to Section 6.6; (5) Change in Control distributions; and (6) distributions made with respect to compensation deferred for the 2002 Plan Year, including earnings thereon.

6.13          Tax Withholding .  The Administrative Committee shall deduct from distributions under the Plan any federal, state or local tax withholding or other taxes or charges that the Participating Company is required to deduct under applicable law.  The Participating Company shall be entitled to deduct from other compensation payable to the Participant, any employment or other tax required to be withheld as amounts are deferred under the Plan and the Participating Company may adjust the Participant’s deferral election to cover required tax withholdings.

6.14          Distributions to HD Supply Participants .  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Account of each HD Supply Participant (as hereinafter defined) shall be distributed in a single payment as soon as practicable after January 1, 2008, and in no event later than December 31, 2008.  Distributions shall be made under this Section 6.14 without regard to whether the Participant has incurred a Separation from Service.  An “HD Supply Participant” shall mean a Participant who, during 2007, ceases to be an employee of the Controlled Group as a result of the Controlling Company’s sale of its HD Supply line of business.

18




SECTION 7.
PLAN ADMINISTRATION

7.1            Administrative Committee . The Plan shall be administered by the Administrative Committee. A Participant who is also a member of the Administrative Committee shall not participate in any decision involving an election made by him or her or relating in any way to his or her individual rights, duties and obligations as a Participant under the Plan (other than decisions that affect all Participants). The Administrative Committee shall appoint and remove its members and fill vacancies in the Administrative Committee, and appoint or employ agents to assist it in administration of the Plan.  Each member of the Administrative Committee shall serve until such member resigns, or is removed or replaced, or until such member’s employment with the Company and its affiliates terminates, whichever is sooner.  Whenever a member of the Administrative Committee ceases to be a member for any reason, the remaining members will serve as the Administrative Committee until further action by the Administrative Committee.

7.2            Administrative Committee Action .  A majority of the Administrative Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  All actions taken by the Administrative Committee at a meeting shall be by the vote of a majority of those present at such meeting but any action may be taken by the Administrative Committee without a meeting upon written consent signed by all of the members of the Administrative Committee.

7.3            Plan Rules and Regulations .  The Administrative Committee may from time to time establish rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan and adopt standard forms for such matters as elections, beneficiary designations and applications for benefits, provided such rules and forms are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

7.4            Determinations by Administrative Committee .  All determinations of the Administrative Committee, including, but not limited to, all questions of construction and interpretation, shall be final, binding and conclusive on all parties and the Committee shall have complete discretion in making such determinations.

7.5            Plan Records .  The Administrative Committee shall be responsible for maintaining books and records for the Plan.

SECTION 8.
CLAIM AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

8.1            Claims Procedure .  Any person who believes he or she is being denied rights or benefits under the Plan may file a written claim with the Administrative Committee, containing the claimant’s name, mailing address, telephone number and a detailed description of the claim or dispute.  The Administrative Committee shall notify the claimant of its decision if a claim is denied in whole or part.  The notification will be given within ninety (90) days (forty-five (45) days for disability benefit claims) after the claim is filed, or within one hundred-eighty (180) days (seventy-five (75) days for disability claims) if special

19




circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim (in the case of disability claims due to matters beyond the Plan’s control) and written notice of the extension, the circumstances requiring the extension and the date the Administrative Committee expects to make its decision is given to the claimant within the initial ninety (90) day period (forty-five (45) day period for disability claims).  A notification of a claim denial shall be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant and shall contain: (1) specific reasons for the denial, (2) specific reference to Plan provisions on which the decision is based, (3) a description of any necessary additional material or information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why it is necessary, and (4) information as to the steps to be taken and time limits for submitting a request for review, including a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA Section 502(a) after an adverse benefit determination on review.  The processing of a disability benefit claim may be extended an additional thirty (30) days beyond the first thirty (30)-day extension if written notice of the extension, the circumstances requiring the extension and the date the Plan expects to make its decision is given to the claimant before the expiration of the first thirty (30)-day extension.  In the case of any extension of time for processing a disability benefit claim, the notice of extension shall explain the standards on which entitlement to a benefit is based, the unresolved issues that prevent a decision on the claim and the additional information needed to resolve those issues and the claimant shall be afforded at least forty-five (45) days within which to provide the specified information.

8.2            Review Procedure :

(a)           General Procedures . Within 60 days (one hundred-eighty (180) days for disability benefit claims) of receipt by the claimant of the written notice of denial of the claim, the claimant may file an appeal of an adverse benefit determination with the Administrative Committee for a full and fair review of the denied claim.  The claimant may submit written comments, documents, records and other information relating to the claim.  Upon request, the claimant shall be provided, free of charge, reasonable access to and copies of all documents, records and other information relevant to the claim.  The review decision shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the claimant relating to the claim without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.  In the event of an adverse benefit determination on review, the Administrative Committee shall provide access to, and copies of, relevant documents, records and other information.

(b)           Disability Claims .  The following special rules apply to review decisions on disability benefit claims: (1) the review shall not afford deference to the initial adverse benefit determination and shall be conducted by an appropriate named Plan fiduciary who is neither the individual who made the adverse benefit determination that is the subject of the appeal nor the subordinate of such individual; (2) in deciding an appeal of any adverse benefit determination that is based in whole or in part on a medical judgment, the appropriate named fiduciary shall consult with a healthcare professional who has appropriate training and

20




experience in the field of medicine involved in the medical judgment and who is neither an individual who was consulted in connection with the adverse benefit determination that is the subject of the appeal nor the subordinate of any such individual; and (3) the review decision shall identify the medical or vocational experts whose advice was obtained on the Plan’s behalf in connection with a claimant’s adverse benefit determination, without regarding to whether the advice was relied upon in making the benefit determination.

(c)           Period For Review Decision .  The Administrative Committee shall make its review decision within sixty (60) days (forty-five (45) days for disability benefit claims) after the receipt of the claimant’s request for review, unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case the sixty (60)-day period (forty-five (45)-day period for disability benefit claims) may be extended to one hundred-twenty (120) days (ninety (90) for disability benefit claims).  The Administrative Committee shall notify the claimant in writing of any extension before the end of the initial sixty (60)-day period forty-five (45)-day period for disability benefit claims), explaining the circumstances requiring the extension and the date the Plan expects to make the determination on review.

(d)           Decisions By Administrative Committee .  Benefit determinations by the Administrative Committee, if the Administrative Committee holds regularly scheduled meetings at least quarterly, shall be made no later than the date of the meeting after the Plan’s receipt of a request for review.  If the request for review is filed within thirty (30) days preceding the date of such meeting, the benefit determination may be made by no later than the date of the second meeting after the Plan’s receipt of the request for review. If special circumstances require a further extension of time for processing, a benefit determination shall be made not later than the third meeting of the Administrative Committee after the Plan’s receipt of the request for review.  The Administrative Committee shall provide the claimant with written notice of any extension, describing the special circumstances and the date as of which the benefit determination will be made, before the commencement of the extension.  The Administrative Committee shall notify the claimant of the benefit determination not later than five (5) days after the benefit determination is made.

(e)           Review Decision . An adverse benefit determination on review shall set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant: (1) the specific reason or reasons for the adverse determination; (2) reference to the specific plan provisions on which the benefit determination is based; (3) a statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant to the claimant’s claim for benefits; and (4) a statement describing the claimant’s right to bring an action under ERISA Section 502(a).

21




8.3            Procedures Applying To Both Claims and Review Procedures :

(a)           Method of Notification .  Notice of the Administrative Committee’s adverse benefit determination may be by written or electronic notification.  Any electronic notification shall comply with the standards imposed by 29 CFR 2520.104b-1(c)(1)(i), (iii) and (iv).

(b)           When Claim or Appeal Deemed Filed .  A claim or appeal shall be considered filed when received by the Administrative Committee regardless of whether all the information necessary to make a benefit determination accompanies the filing.

(c)           Tolling of Period for Making Decision .  If a time period is extended because of the claimant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide a claim, the period for making the benefit determination shall be tolled from the date notification of the extension is sent to the claimant until the date the claimant responds to the request for additional information.

(d)           Relevant Documents .  A document, record or other information shall be considered relevant to a claim if it: (1) was relied upon in making the benefit determination, (2) was submitted, considered or generated in making the benefit determination, regardless of whether it was relied upon in making the benefit determination, or (3) demonstrates compliance with the administrative processes and safeguards required in making the benefit determination.

(e)           Disability Claims .  If an internal rule, guideline, protocol, or other similar criterion is relied upon in making an adverse claim or review determination, either the specific rule, guideline, protocol, or other similar criterion, or a statement that such a rule, guideline, protocol, or other similar criterion was relied upon in making the adverse determination shall be stated in the claim and review decisions and that a copy of such rule, guideline, protocol, or other criterion will be provided free of charge to the claimant upon request.

SECTION 9.
PARTICIPATION BY RELATED COMPANIES

9.1            Participation by Related Company .  Unless otherwise designated by the Administrative Committee, each Related Company shall be a Participating Company in the Plan as to its Eligible Employees.  Participating Companies shall be subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan.

9.2            Withdrawal of a Related Company .  The Administrative Committee may at any time, in its sole discretion, determine that a Participating Company shall no longer participate in the Plan and may direct that the Participating Company withdraw from the Plan, provided that (i) the withdrawal of a Participating Company shall not affect deferral elections made with respect to the Plan Year in which the Participating Company withdraws from the

22




Plan, and (ii) such withdrawal shall not affect the timing of distributions of amounts previously deferred under the Plan.

9.3            Obligation of Participating Company .  Each Participating Company shall make all payments required to be made under the Plan or provided to or on behalf of the Participants employed by such Participating Company, and the liability for making such payments and providing such benefits shall be the sole and exclusive obligation of such Participating Company.  Each Participating Company shall pay all fees and reimburse all expenses to the Company as required by the Company and as agreed to by the parties in connection with the administration of this Plan.

SECTION 10.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

10.1          Amendment or Termination .  The Company reserves the right to amend, modify, terminate or discontinue the Plan at any time by appropriate action taken by the Committee, provided, however, that no such action shall reduce the amounts then credited to any Account of any Participant except for reductions necessitated by the claims of the Participating Company’s general creditors as contemplated by Section 10.2, Plan expenses contemplated by Section 10.6 and offsets contemplated by Section 10.7.  Distributions of Section 409A Accounts shall be made upon termination of the Plan (including any partial termination relating to a specified group of Participants) only to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A.

10.2          Participant’s Rights Unsecured .  The Participating Company shall remain the owner of amounts deferred under the Plan.  The Participant and the Participant’s beneficiary have only the Participating Company’s unsecured promise to pay.  The rights accruing to the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiary are those of an unsecured general creditor of the Participating Company.  Any contract, policy or other asset which the Participating Company may utilize to assure itself of the funds to make payment shall not serve in any way as security to the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary for the Participating Company’s obligations under the Plan. Accounts established under the Plan are for bookkeeping purposes only and shall not be considered to create a fund for the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary.

10.3          Nontransferability/Nonalienability .  No right of any Participant or Participant’s beneficiary to receive any Plan payment shall be subject to alienation, transfer, sale, assignment, pledge, attachment, garnishment or encumbrance of any kind.  Any attempt to alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge or otherwise encumber any such payments whether presently or thereafter payable shall be void.

10.4          Participant Obligation to Furnish Information .  Each person entitled to receive a Plan payment, whether a Participant, a duly designated beneficiary, a guardian or otherwise, shall provide the Administrative Committee with such information as it may from time to time deem necessary or in its best interest in administering the Plan.  Any such person shall also furnish the Administrative Committee with such documents, evidence, data or

23




other information as the Administrative Committee may from time to time deem necessary or advisable.

10.5          No Right of Employment .  The Plan shall not be deemed to constitute a contract of employment between a Participant and the Participating Company, nor shall any Plan provision restrict the right of the Participating Company to discharge a Participant, or restrict the right of a Participant to terminate his or her employment.

10.6          Plan Expenses .  Unless paid by the Participating Company, expenses of administering the Plan shall be paid by the Participants, except as otherwise provided herein, and shall be debited among Participant Accounts in proportion to the Participant’s Account balance to total Account balances.

10.7          Offsets .  As a condition to eligibility to participate in the Plan, each Participant consents to the deduction from amounts otherwise payable under the Plan to the Participant and the Participant beneficiaries all amounts owed by the Participant to the Participating Company and the Participating Company and its affiliates to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law; provided, however that no amounts shall be offset against a Participant’s Section 409A Account prior to the date on which the offset amounts would otherwise be distributed under the Plan unless (i) the offset relates to a debt incurred in the ordinary course of the relationship between the Participant and a Participating Company, (ii) the entire amount offset in any calendar year does not exceed $5,000, and (iii) the offset is made at the same time and in the same amount as the debt otherwise would have been due and collected by the Participating Company.

10.8          Severability .   The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision in this Plan shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision and the Plan shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provision had never been in the Plan.

10.9          Enforceability .   The Plan shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Participating Company and Participants and their respective legal representatives, successors and assigns.

10.10        Limitation of Actions .  No lawsuit with respect to any benefit payable or other matter arising out or relating to the Plan may be brought before exhaustion of the claim and review procedures set forth in Section 8 and any lawsuit must be filed no later than one (1) year after a claim is denied or be forever barred.

10.11        Governing Law .  The Plan shall be construed, administered and governed in all respects under and by the applicable laws of the State of Georgia. By participating in the Plan, the Participant irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Georgia and of any federal court located in Northern District of Georgia in connection with any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Plan, any document or instrument delivered pursuant to or in connection with the Plan.

24




10.12        Presumed Competency .  Every person receiving or claiming payments under the Plan shall be conclusively presumed to be mentally competent until the date on which the Administrative Committee receives a written notice in a form and manner acceptable to the Administrative Committee that such person is incompetent and that a guardian, conservator or other person legally vested with the interest of his or her estate has been appointed.  In the event a guardian or conservator of the estate or any person receiving or claiming payments under the Plan shall be appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, payments under the Plan may be made to such guardian or conservator provided that the proper proof of appointment and continuing qualification is furnished in a form and manner acceptable to the Administrative Committee.  Any such payments so made shall be a complete discharge of any liability or obligation of Participating Company or the Administrative Committee regarding such payments.

10.13        Forfeiture of Unclaimed Benefits .  Each Participant shall keep the Administrative Committee informed of his or her current address and the current address of his or her beneficiary.  The Administrative Committee shall not be obligated to search for the whereabouts of any person.  If the Administrative Committee is unable to locate any person to whom a payment is due under the Plan or a distribution payment check is not presented for payment, such payment shall be irrevocably forfeited two (2) years after the date on which the payment was first due.  Forfeited payments shall be returned to the source of the payment ( e.g., if benefits are funded through contributions by the Participating Company from its general assets, the forfeited payment shall be returned to the Participating Company; if the forfeited benefit payment is made from trust funds, the forfeited payment shall revert to the trust from which the payment was made).

10.14        Code §409A .  The plan is intended to comply with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A with respect to a Participant’s Section 409A Account hereunder, and shall be interpreted and administered to the extent possible in a manner consistent with the foregoing statement of intent.

Executed this              day of August, 2007 but effective January 1, 2008 except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Timothy A. Crow

 

 

Executive Vice President—Human Resources

 

25



Exhibit 10.2

THE HOME DEPOT

FUTUREBUILDER RESTORATION PLAN

(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008)




THE HOME DEPOT

FUTUREBUILDER RESTORATION PLAN

On this 16 th  day of August, 2008, The Home Depot, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Controlling Company”), hereby amends and restates The Home Depot FutureBuilder Restoration Plan (the “Plan”).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A.            Background .  The Plan initially was adopted effective as of January 1, 1994 and was amended and restated effective December 31, 1998.  The Plan, as set forth in this document, is an amendment and restatement and continuation of the Plan as previously in effect. This restatement generally is effective as of January 1, 2008.

B.            General Purpose .  The Controlling Company sponsors The Home Depot FutureBuilder (“FutureBuilder”), a 401(k) and stock ownership plan qualified under Code §§ 401(a) and 4975(e)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  The primary purpose of the Plan is to provide additional retirement income to certain key executive employees of the Controlling Company and its affiliates that are participating companies in the Plan, in order to reduce the impact of certain provisions of the Code that limit the maximum benefits that may accrue under FutureBuilder.  In particular, the Controlling Company intends for the Plan to at least partially offset the effects of the Section 401(a)(17) Limitation, by providing the amount of supplemental retirement income specified in the Plan.

C.            Purpose of this Restatement .  The primary purpose of this amendment and restatement of the Plan is to incorporate amendments made to the Plan since the previous restatement and to amend the Plan to comply with the applicable requirements of Code § 409A.

D.            Type of Plan .  The Plan constitutes an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan that benefits certain designated employees who are within a select group of key management or highly compensated employees.

STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT

To amend and restate the Plan with the purposes and goals as hereinabove described, the Controlling Company hereby sets forth the terms and provisions as follows:




Table of Contents

 

Page

Article I DEFINITIONS

 

1

1.1

 

“Account”

 

1

1.2

 

“Active Participant”

 

1

1.3

 

Administrative Committee”

 

1

1.4

 

“Allocation Date”

 

1

1.5

 

“Beneficiary”

 

1

1.6

 

“Board”

 

1

1.7

 

“Code”

 

1

1.8

 

“Code § 409A Account”

 

1

1.9

 

“Company”

 

1

1.10

 

“Company Stock”

 

1

1.11

 

“Compensation”

 

1

1.12

 

“Controlled Group”

 

2

1.13

 

“Controlling Company”

 

2

1.14

 

“Disability”

 

2

1.15

 

“Eligible Employee”

 

2

1.16

 

“Employee”

 

2

1.17

 

“ERISA”

 

2

1.18

 

“FutureBuilder”

 

2

1.19

 

“FutureBuilder Compensation”

 

2

1.20

 

“Participant”

 

2

1.21

 

“Participating Company”

 

2

1.22

 

“Plan”

 

2

1.23

 

“Plan Year”

 

2

1.24

 

“Section 401(a)(17) Limitation”

 

3

1.25

 

“Separation from Service”

3

 

 

(a)

Leaves of Absence

3

 

 

(b)

Status Change

3

 

 

(c)

Termination of Employment

3

 

 

(d)

Service with Affiliates

4

1.26

 

“Specified Employee”

4

1.27

 

“Stock Unit”

 

4

1.28

 

“Surviving Spouse”

 

4

1.29

 

“Trust or Trust Agreement”

 

4

1.30

 

“Trustee”

 

4

1.31

 

“Trust Fund”

 

5

Article II ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

5

2.1

 

Eligibility

 

5

 

i




 

2.2

 

Cessation of Eligibility and Participation

 

5

Article III contributions AND ACCOUNTS

 

5

3.1

 

Annual Benefit Allocation

 

5

3.2

 

Crediting of Stock Units

 

5

3.3

 

Participant Accounts

5

 

 

(a)

Establishment of Accounts

5

 

 

(b)

Nature of Contributions and Accounts

6

 

 

(c)

Account Balance

6

 

 

(d)

Cash Dividends

6

 

 

(e)

Adjustments for Stock Dividends and Splits

6

 

 

(f)

Value of Account

6

 

 

(g)

Value of Company Stock

7

3.4

 

Vesting

7

3.5

 

Notice to Participant of Account Balances

 

7

3.6

 

Good Faith Valuation Binding

 

7

3.7

 

Errors and Omissions in Accounts

 

7

Article IV PAYMENT OF ACCOUNT BALANCES

 

7

4.1

 

Benefit Payments

 

7

4.2

 

Form of Distribution

 

8

4.3

 

Beneficiary Designation

8

 

 

(a)

General

8

 

 

(b)

No Designation or Designee Dead or Missing

8

4.4

 

Taxes

8

4.5

 

Unclaimed Benefits

 

8

4.6

 

Distributions to HD Supply Participants

 

9

Article V CLAIMS

 

9

Article VI SOURCE OF FUNDS; TRUST

 

9

6.1

 

Source of Funds

 

9

6.2

 

Trust

 

9

Article VII ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

 

10

7.1

 

Action

 

10

7.2

 

Rights and Duties

 

10

7.3

 

Compensation, Indemnity and Liability

 

11

Article VIII AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

11

8.1

 

Amendments

 

11

8.2

 

Termination of Plan

 

11

Article IX MISCELLANEOUS

 

12

9.1

 

Taxation

 

12

9.2

 

No Employment Contract

 

12

9.3

 

Headings

 

12

9.4

 

Gender and Number

 

12

9.5

 

Assignment of Benefits

 

12

9.6

 

Legally Incompetent

 

12

 

ii




 

9.7

 

Plan Expenses

 

12

9.8

 

Offsets

 

12

9.9

 

Severability

 

13

9.10

 

Governing Law

 

13

 

iii




Article I

DEFINITIONS

For purposes of the Plan, the following terms, when used with an initial capital letter, shall have the meaning set forth below unless a different meaning plainly is required by the context.

1.1            Account means, with respect to a Participant or Beneficiary, the total dollar amount, value and/or number of Stock Units evidenced by the last balance posted in accordance with the terms of the Plan to the account record established for such Participant or Beneficiary.

1.2            Active Participant means an Eligible Employee who (i) remains employed with the Company, all other members of the Controlled Group and any other company that the Administrative Committee designates for purposes of the Plan as an affiliate of the Company, through the end of the Plan Year and (ii) completes such forms and provides such data, if any, as may be required by the Administrative Committee as a precondition of participation in the Plan.

1.3            Administrative Committee means the administrative committee of FutureBuilder, or such other committee as shall be appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

1.4            Allocation Date means, with respect to a Plan Year, the January 31 immediately following such Plan Year.

1.5            Beneficiary means, with respect to a Participant, the persons designated or otherwise determined in accordance with Section 4.3 to receive any death benefits that may be payable under the Plan upon the death of the Participant.

1.6            Board means the Board of Directors of the Controlling Company.  In the event the Plan provides that the Controlling Company shall act, such action shall be taken by the Board unless the Board has authorized and directed the Administrative Committee or other person or entity to act in its stead.

1.7            Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

1.8            Code § 409A Account means the portion of a Participant or Beneficiary’s Account that is subject to Code § 409A (generally all amounts that accrue or become vested after December 31, 2004), as determined in accordance with regulations or other official guidance issued under Code § 409A.

1.9            Company means, collectively, the Controlling Company and each of the other Participating Companies.

1.10          Company Stock means the $.05 par value per share voting common stock of the Controlling Company.

1.11          Compensation means “benefit compensation” as defined under FutureBuilder  for a Plan Year, determined without regard to the Section 410(a)(17) Limitation.




1.12          Controlled Group means all of the companies that are either (i) members of the same controlled group of corporations (within the meaning of Code § 414(b)), or (ii) under common control (within the meaning of Code § 414(c)), with the Controlling Company.

1.13          Controlling Company means The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Atlanta, Georgia.

1.14          Disability means the Participant’s disability as provided under the terms of FutureBuilder.

1.15          Eligible Employee means, for a Plan Year, an individual: (i) who is a member of a select group of highly compensated or key management Employees of the Company; and (ii) who has satisfied the service requirements to be eligible to receive matching contributions under FutureBuilder for such Plan Year; and (iii) whose FutureBuilder Compensation exceeds the Section 401(a)(17) Limitation.  The Administrative Committee shall determine, from time to time and in its sole discretion, which Employees satisfy said criteria and such determination shall be binding.

1.16          Employee means an individual who is considered an employee of the Company  for purposes of FutureBuilder.

1.17          ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

1.18          FutureBuilder means The Home Depot FutureBuilder, a 401(k) and employee stock ownership plan qualified under Code §§ 401(a) and 4975(e)(7) and sponsored by the Controlling Company, and all amendments thereto.

1.19          FutureBuilder Compensation means the actual amount of benefit compensation taken into account under FutureBuilder for a Plan Year, after excluding amounts in excess of the Section 401(a)(17) Limitation.

1.20          Participant means any individual who has been admitted to, and has not been removed from, participation in the Plan pursuant to the provisions of Article II.

1.21          Participating Company means, individually, the Controlling Company and each of its affiliates that is a participating company in FutureBuilder, unless the Board or Administrative Committee has specifically excluded such a company from participation in the Plan.

1.22          Plan means The Home Depot FutureBuilder Restoration Plan as contained herein and all amendments hereto.  The Plan is intended to be an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan covering certain designated Employees who are within a select group of key management or highly compensated Employees.

1.23          Plan Year means the 12-consecutive-month period ending on December 31 of each year.

2




1.24          Section 401(a)(17) Limitation means the limitation imposed under Code § 401(a)(17) that establishes, subject to cost-of-living adjustments, a maximum amount of compensation that can be taken into account for any year under a retirement plan qualified under Code § 401(a).

1.25          Separation from Service means the date that the Participant separates from service within the meaning of Code § 409A.  Generally, a Participant separates from service if the Participant dies, retires, or otherwise has a termination of employment with the Company, determined in accordance with the following:

(a)            Leaves of Absence .  The employment relationship is treated as continuing intact while the Participant is on military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence if the period of such leave does not exceed six (6) months, or, if longer, so long as the Participant retains a right to reemployment with the Company under an applicable statute or by contract.  A leave of absence constitutes a bona fide leave of absence only if there is a reasonable expectation that the Participant will return to perform services for the Company.  If the period of leave exceeds six (6) months and the Participant does not retain a right to reemployment under an applicable statute or by contract, the employment relationship is deemed to terminate on the first date immediately following such six-month period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a leave of absence is due to any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six (6) months, where such impairment causes the Participant to be unable to perform the duties of his or her position of employment or any substantially similar position of employment, a twenty-nine (29) month period of absence shall be substituted for such six (6) month period.

(b)            Status Change .  Generally, if a Participant performs services both as an Employee and an independent contractor, such Participant must separate from service both as an Employee, and as an independent contractor pursuant to standards set forth in Treasury regulations or other official guidance, to be treated as having a Separation from Service.  However, if a Participant provides services to the Company as an Employee and as a member of the Board of Directors, the services provided as a director are not taken into account in determining whether the Participant has a Separation from Service as an Employee for purposes of this Plan.

(c)            Termination of Employment .  Whether a termination of employment has occurred is determined based on whether the facts and circumstances indicate that the Company and the Participant reasonably anticipated that no further services would be performed after a certain date or that the level of bona fide services the Participant would perform after such date (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) would permanently decrease to no more than twenty percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding thirty-six (36)-month period (or the full period of services to the Company if the Participant has been providing services to the Company less than 36 months).  Facts and circumstances to be considered in making this determination include, but are not limited to, whether the Participant continues to be treated as an Employee for other purposes

3




(such as continuation of salary and participation in employee benefit programs), whether similarly situated service providers have been treated consistently, and whether the Participant is permitted, and realistically available, to perform services for other service recipients in the same line of business.  For periods during which a Participant is on a paid bona fide leave of absence and has not otherwise terminated employment as described above, for purposes of this paragraph (c) the Participant is treated as providing bona fide services at a level equal to the level of services that the Participant would have been required to perform to receive the compensation paid with respect to such leave of absence.  Periods during which a Participant is on an unpaid bona fide leave of absence and has not otherwise terminated employment are disregarded for purposes of this subsection (c) (including for purposes of determining the applicable 36-month (or shorter) period).

(d)            Service with Affiliates .  For purposes of determining whether a Separation from Service has occurred under the above provisions, the “Company” shall include the Controlling Company and all entities that would be treated as a single employer with the Controlling Company under Code § 414(b) or (c), but substituting “at least 50 percent” instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in applying such rules.

1.26          Specified Employee has the meaning given such term under Code § 409A and the regulations thereunder, provided that the exclusion of foreign compensation paid to certain non-resident aliens under Treasury Regulations § 1.415(c)-2(g)(ii) shall apply in determining an employee’s compensation.  The foregoing definition shall apply with respect to all nonqualified deferred compensation plans, within the meaning of Code § 409A, maintained by any member of the Controlled Group.

1.27          Stock Unit means an accounting entry on a Participating Company’s books, that is equal in value at any time to the current fair market value of one share of Company Stock, and that represents an unsecured obligation of the Participating Company to pay that amount to a Participant in accordance with the terms of the Plan.  A Stock Unit shall not carry any voting, dividend or other similar rights and shall not constitute an option or any other right to acquire any equity securities of the Company.

1.28          Surviving Spouse means, with respect to a Participant, the person who is treated as married to such Participant under the laws of the state in which the Participant resides.  The determination of a Participant’s Surviving Spouse shall be made as of the date of such Participant’s death.

1.29          Trust or Trust Agreement means the separate agreement or agreements between the Participating Companies and the Trustee governing the creation of the Trust Fund, and all amendments thereto.

1.30          Trustee means the party or parties so designated from time to time pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement.

4




1.31          Trust Fund means the total amount of Company Stock, cash and other property held by the Trustee (or any nominee thereof) at any time under the Trust Agreement.

Article II

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

2.1            Eligibility .  Each Eligible Employee for a Plan Year shall be eligible to participate in the Plan for such Plan Year.

2.2            Cessation of Eligibility and Participation .  An individual who ceases to satisfy any of the criteria that qualified the individual as an Active Participant at any time during the Plan Year shall cease participation in the Plan; provided, such individual shall remain an inactive Participant in the Plan until the earlier of (i) the date the full value of the individual’s Account (if any) is forfeited and/or paid in accordance with the terms of the Plan, or (ii) the date the individual again becomes an Eligible Employee and qualifies under Section 2.1 to actively participate in the Plan.  During the time that an Employee is an inactive Participant in the Plan, the individual’s Account shall continue to be adjusted for cash dividends and changes in Company Stock as provided in Sections  3.3(d) and (e).

Article III

contributions AND ACCOUNTS

3.1            Annual Benefit Allocation .  For each Plan Year, each Active Participant shall have credited to such Active Participant’s Account an amount equal to the product of (i) the maximum percentage rate of matching contributions under FutureBuilder for such Plan Year; and (ii) the Active Participant’s Compensation for such Plan Year in excess of the Section  401(a)(17) Limitation.

3.2            Crediting of Stock Units .  The amount determined pursuant to Section 3.1 for an Active Participant for a Plan Year shall be credited to the Active Participant’s Account as of the Allocation Date for such Plan Year and shall be expressed in terms of whole and fractional Stock Units. The number of Stock Units credited to an Active Participant’s Account for a Plan Year shall be determined by dividing (i) the amount determined for the Active Participant in Section  3.1 for such Plan Year, by (ii) the per share fair market value of Company Stock on the Allocation Date for such Plan Year.

3.3            Participant Accounts .

(a)            Establishment of Accounts .  The Administrative Committee shall establish and maintain an Account on behalf of each Participant.  Each Account shall be credited with the amount of Stock Units described in Section 3.2.  Each Participant Account shall be maintained until

5




the value thereof has been forfeited or paid to or on behalf of such Participant or the Participant’s Beneficiary.

(b)            Nature of Contributions and Accounts .  The Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Account shall be represented solely by bookkeeping entries, and no monies or other assets shall actually be set aside for such Participant.  Except as provided in Article VI, all payments to a Participant under the Plan shall be made from the general assets of the Company.  The Administrative Committee or the Board shall allocate the total liability to pay benefits under the Plan among the Participating Companies in such manner and amount as the Administrative Committee or the Board (as applicable) in its sole discretion deems appropriate.  Any assets which may be acquired by a Participating Company in anticipation of its obligations under the Plan shall be part of the general assets of such Participating Company.  A Participating Company’s obligation to pay benefits under the Plan constitutes a mere promise of such Participating Company to pay such benefits, and a Participant or Beneficiary shall be and remain no more than an unsecured, general creditor of such Participating Company.

(c)            Account Balance .  Participant’s accrued benefit under the Plan at any time shall be equal to the value of the Participant’s Account balance; provided, as described in Section 3.4 and Article IV, only the portion of a Participant’s Account balance that is vested shall be payable to the Participant.

(d)            Cash Dividends .  For Stock Units that have been credited to a Participant’s Account on or before a record date for Company Stock cash dividends and that remain credited to the Participant’s Account through the corresponding dividend payment date, the Administrative Committee shall credit to such Participant’s Account a dollar amount equal to the amount of cash dividends that would have been paid on the Participant’s Stock Units if each Stock Unit constituted one share of Company Stock.  Such dollar amount then will be converted into a number of Stock Units equal to the number of full and fractional shares of Company Stock that could have been purchased, at fair market value on the dividend payment date, with such dollar amount.

(e)            Adjustments for Stock Dividends and Splits .  In the event of any subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares of Company Stock, by reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split or otherwise, or in the event of the payment of a stock dividend on Company Stock, or in the event of any other increase or decrease in the number of outstanding shares of Company Stock, other than the issuance of shares for value received by the Company or the redemption of shares for value, the number of Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Account shall be adjusted upward or downward, as the case may be, to reflect the subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares.  The amount of increase or decrease in the number of Stock Units in such event will be equal to the adjustment that would have been made if each Stock Unit credited to a Participant’s Account immediately before the event constituted one share of Company Stock.

(f)             Value of Account .  The value of a Participant’s Account as of any date shall be equal to the product of (i) the number of Stock Units credited to the Participant’s Account as of

6




such date (as determined in accordance with the preceding subsections), and (ii) the per share fair market value of Company Stock on such date.

(g)            Value of Company Stock .  For all purposes under the Plan for which the value of Company Stock must be determined as of any particular date, the fair market value per share of Company Stock on such date shall be the closing price of Company Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on such date or, if there were no sales on such date, the closing price on the nearest preceding date in which sales occurred. If, for any reason, the fair market value per share of Company Stock cannot be ascertained or is unavailable for a particular date, the fair market value of Company Stock on such date shall be determined as of the nearest preceding date on which the fair market value can be ascertained pursuant to the terms hereof.

3.4            Vesting .  Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Account for Plan Years beginning before January 1, 1998, shall vest in accordance with the provisions applicable to the vesting of ESOP Contributions under FutureBuilder.  Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Account for Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 1998, shall vest in accordance with the provisions applicable to the vesting of matching contributions under FutureBuilder.

3.5            Notice to Participant of Account Balances .  At least once for each Plan Year, the Administrative Committee shall cause a written statement of a Participant’s Account balance to be distributed to the Participant.

3.6            Good Faith Valuation Binding .  In determining the value of the Accounts, the Administrative Committee shall exercise its best judgment, and all such determinations of value (in the absence of bad faith) shall be binding upon all Participants and their Beneficiaries.

3.7            Errors and Omissions in Accounts .  If an error or omission is discovered in the Account of a Participant or in the amount credited to a Participant’s Account, the Administrative Committee, in its sole discretion, shall cause appropriate, equitable adjustments to be made as soon as administratively practicable following the discovery of such error or omission.

Article IV

PAYMENT OF ACCOUNT BALANCES

4.1            Benefit Payments .  If a Participant’s employment with the Company, all other members of the Controlled Group and any other company that the Administrative Committee designates for purposes of the Plan as an affiliate of the Company, terminates for any reason including the Participant’s death, the Participant (or the Beneficiary or Beneficiaries designated by such Participant in the Participant’s latest beneficiary designation form filed with the Administrative Committee) shall be entitled to receive a distribution of the vested number of Stock Units credited to the Participant’s Account, determined as of the date on which the distribution is processed.  Such distribution shall be made as soon as administratively practicable after the Plan Year in which the

7




Participant terminates employment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.1, all amounts in a Participant’s Code § 409A Account shall be distributed as soon as practicable after the first day of the Plan Year following the Plan Year in which the Participant’s death or Separation from Service occurs, and in no event later than the last day of such Plan Year; provided, however, that no distribution of such amounts on account of a Specified Employee’s Separation from Service shall be made earlier than six (6) months after the date of such Separation from Service, unless the Participant dies during such six-month period.

4.2            Form of Distribution .  The benefit payable to a Participant (or the Participant’s Beneficiary or Beneficiaries) under Section 4.1 shall be paid in a single payment in the form of a number of shares of Company Stock equal to the whole number of Stock Units credited to the Participant’s Account, with any fractional Stock Unit being paid, at its fair market value as if it were a fractional share of Company Stock, in a single-sum, cash payment.

4.3            Beneficiary Designation .

(a)            General .  Participants shall designate and from time to time may redesignate their Beneficiaries in such form and manner as the Administrative Committee may determine.

(b)            No Designation or Designee Dead or Missing .  In the event that: (i) a  Participant dies without designating a Beneficiary; or (ii) the Beneficiary designated by a Participant is not surviving when a payment is to be made to such person under the Plan, and no contingent Beneficiary has been designated; or (iii) the Beneficiary designated by a Participant cannot be located by the Administrative Committee within one (1) year from the date benefits are to be paid to such person, then, in any of such events, the Beneficiary of such Participant with respect to any benefits that remain payable under the Plan shall be the Participant’s Surviving Spouse, if any, and if not, the estate of the Participant.

4.4            Taxes .  If the whole or any part of any Participant’s or Beneficiary’s benefit hereunder shall become subject to any estate, inheritance, income or other tax which the Company (or its agent) shall be required to pay or withhold, the Company (or its agent, as applicable) shall have the full power and authority (i) to withhold and pay such tax out of any monies or other property in its hand for the account of the Participant or Beneficiary whose interests hereunder are so affected and/or (ii) to require the Participant or Beneficiary to pay to the Company (or its agent, as applicable), in cash or cash equivalent, the amount of any such tax.  Before making any payment, the Company (or its agent, as applicable) may require such releases or other documents from any lawful taxing authority as it shall deem necessary.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provision of this Section 4.4, such withholding from a Participant’s Code § 409A Account shall be made only to the extent permitted under Code § 409A and the regulations thereunder.

4.5            Unclaimed Benefits In the event a Participant or Beneficiary becomes entitled to a distribution from the Plan and the Administrative Committee is unable to locate such Participant or Beneficiary (after such diligent efforts as the Administrative Committee in its sole discretion deems

8




appropriate) by the last day of the Plan Year in which payment is to be made to the Participant or Beneficiary under this Article IV, the full Account of the Participant or Beneficiary shall be deemed abandoned and forfeited as the last day of such Plan Year, and no person shall be entitled to any payment in respect of such Account.

4.6            Distributions to HD Supply Participants .  Notwithstanding Section 4.1 or anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Account of each Participant who, during 2007, ceases to be an Employee of the Controlled Group as a result of the Controlling Company’s sale of its HD Supply line of business shall be distributed in a single payment as soon as practicable after January 1, 2008, and in no event later than December 31, 2008.  Distributions shall be made under this Section 4.5 without regard to whether the Participant has incurred a Separation from Service.

Article V

CLAIMS

The claim and review procedures set forth in Section 7 of The Home Depot Deferred Compensation Plan, including the limitation on the period for filing lawsuits with respect to benefits or other matters relating to the Plan, shall apply for purposes of claims under this Plan.

Article VI

SOURCE OF FUNDS ; TRUST

6.1            Source of Funds . Except as provided in this Section and Section 6.2, each Participating Company shall provide the benefits described in the Plan from the general assets of such Participating Company.  In any event, each Participating Company ultimately shall have the obligation to pay all benefits due to Participants and Beneficiaries under the Plan to the extent liability therefor has been allocated hereunder to such Participating Company.  A Participating Company may, but shall not be required to, establish a Trust and may pay over funds from time to time to such Trust (as described in Section 6.2), and, to the extent that funds in such Trust allocable to the benefits payable under the Plan by such Participating Company are sufficient, the Trust assets shall be used to pay such benefits.  If such Trust assets are not sufficient to pay all such benefits due under the Plan, then such Participating Company shall have the obligation, and the Participant or Beneficiary, who is due such benefits, shall look to such Participating Company to provide such benefits.  The Administrative Committee or the Board shall allocate the total liability to pay benefits under the Plan among the Participating Companies in such manner and amount as the Administrative Committee or the Board (as applicable) in its sole discretion deems appropriate.

6.2            Trust .  Participating Company may transfer all or any portion of the funds necessary to fund benefits accrued hereunder to the Trustee to be held and administered by the Trustee pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement.  Each transfer into the Trust Fund shall be irrevocable as long as such Participating Company has any liability or obligations under the Plan to pay benefits, such that

9




the Trust property is in no way subject to use by such Participating Company; provided, it is the intent of such Participating Company that the assets held by the Trust are and shall remain at all times subject to the claims of the general creditors of such Participating Company.  No Participant or Beneficiary shall have any interest in the assets held by the Trust or in the general assets of any Participating Company other than as a general, unsecured creditor.  Accordingly, no Participating Company shall grant a security interest in the assets held by the Trust in favor of the Participants, Beneficiaries or any creditor.

Article VII

ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

7.1            Action .  Action of the Administrative Committee may be taken with or without a meeting of committee members; provided, action shall be taken only upon the vote or other affirmative expression of a majority of the committee members qualified to vote with respect to such action.  If a member of the committee is a Participant or Beneficiary, the member shall not participate in any decision which solely affects the member’s own benefit under the Plan.  For purposes of administering the Plan, the Administrative Committee shall choose a secretary who shall keep minutes of the committee’s proceedings and all records and documents pertaining to the administration of the Plan.  The secretary may execute any certificate or any other written direction on behalf of the Administrative Committee.

7.2            Rights and Duties .  The Administrative Committee shall administer the Plan and shall have all powers and discretion necessary to accomplish that purpose.

(a)            To construe, interpret and administer the Plan;

(b)            To make determinations required by the Plan, and to maintain records regarding Participants’ and Beneficiaries’ benefits hereunder;

(c)            To compute and certify to the Company the amount and kinds of benefits payable to Participants and Beneficiaries, and to determine the time and manner in which such benefits are to be paid;

(d)            To authorize all disbursements by the Company pursuant to the Plan;

(e)            To maintain all the necessary records of the administration of the Plan;

(f)             To make and publish such rules for the regulation of the Plan as are not inconsistent with the terms hereof;

(g)            To delegate to other individuals or entities from time to time the performance of any of its duties or responsibilities hereunder; and

10




(h)            To hire agents, accountants, actuaries, consultants and legal counsel to assist in operating and administering the Plan.

The Administrative Committee shall have the complete and final discretionary authority to construe and interpret the Plan, to decide all questions of eligibility for benefits and to determine the amount of such benefits, and its decisions on such matters shall be binding and conclusive on all parties.

7.3            Compensation, Indemnity and Liability .  The Administrative Committee and its members shall serve as such without bond and without compensation for services hereunder.  All expenses of the Administrative Committee shall be paid by the Company.  No member of the committee shall be liable for any act or omission of any other member of the committee, nor for any act or omission on his own part, excepting his own willful misconduct.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Committee and each member thereof against any and all expenses and liabilities, including reasonable legal fees and expenses, arising out of his membership on the committee, excepting only expenses and liabilities arising out of his own willful misconduct.

Article VIII

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

8.1            Amendments .  The Controlling Company, through action of the Board or the Administrative Committee, shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to amend the Plan in whole or in part at any time and from time to time; provided, the Administrative Committee may not amend the Plan to increase the level of benefits hereunder without Board approval.  Any amendment shall be in writing and executed by a duly authorized officer of the Controlling Company or a member of the Administrative Committee.  An amendment to the Plan may modify its terms in any respect whatsoever, and may include, without limitation, a permanent or temporary freezing of the Plan such that the Plan shall remain in effect with respect to existing Account balances without permitting any new contributions; provided, no such action may reduce the amount already credited to a Participant’s Account without the affected Participant’s written consent.  All Participants and Beneficiaries shall be bound by such amendment.

8.2            Termination of Plan .  The Controlling Company expects to continue the Plan but reserves the right to discontinue and terminate the Plan at any time, for any reason.  Any action to terminate the Plan shall be taken by the Board in the form of a written Plan amendment executed by a duly authorized officer of the Controlling Company.  If the Plan is terminated, each Participant shall become one hundred percent (100%) vested in his Account which shall be distributed in a single payment of Company Stock and cash, in the manner prescribed in Section 4.2, as soon as practicable after the date the Plan is terminated; provided, however, that Code § 409A Accounts shall be distributed in accordance with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix) so long as the requirements of such section are satisfied, otherwise, such Code Section 409A Accounts shall continue to be distributed in accordance with Article IV.  The amount of any such distribution shall be determined

11




as of the date such termination distribution is to be processed.  Such termination shall be binding on all Participants and Beneficiaries.

Article IX

MISCELLANEOUS

9.1            Taxation .  It is the intention of the Company that the benefits payable hereunder shall not be deductible by the Company nor taxable for federal income tax purposes to Participants or Beneficiaries until such benefits are paid by the Company, or the Trust, as the case may be, to such Participants or Beneficiaries.  When such benefits are so paid, it is the intention of the Company that they shall be deductible by the Company under Code § 162.

9.2            No Employment Contract .  Nothing herein contained is intended to be nor shall be construed as constituting a contract or other arrangement between the Company and any Participant to the effect that the Participant will be employed by the Company for any specific period of time.

9.3            Headings .  The headings of the various articles and sections in the Plan are solely for convenience and shall not be relied upon in construing any provisions hereof.  Any reference to a section shall refer to a section of the Plan unless specified otherwise.

9.4            Gender and Number .  Use of any gender in the Plan will be deemed to include all genders when appropriate, and use of the singular number will be deemed to include the plural when appropriate, and vice versa in each instance.

9.5            Assignment of Benefits .  The right of a Participant or Beneficiary to receive payments under the Plan may not be anticipated, alienated, sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, encumbered, attached or garnished by creditors of such Participant or Beneficiary, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and then only to the extent permitted under the terms of the Plan.

9.6            Legally Incompetent .  The Administrative Committee, in its sole discretion, may direct that payment be made on behalf of an incompetent or disabled person, whether because of minority or mental or physical disability, to the guardian of such person or to the person having custody of such person, without further liability on the part of the Company for the amount of such payment to the person on whose account such payment is made.

9.7            Plan Expenses .   Unless paid by the Participating Company, expenses of administering the Plan shall be paid by the Participants, except as otherwise provided herein, and shall be debited among Participant Accounts in proportion to the Participant’s Account balance to total Account balances.

9.8            Offsets .   As a condition to eligibility to participate in the Plan, each Participant consents to the deduction from amounts otherwise payable under the Plan to the Participant and the

12




Participant’s Beneficiaries all amounts owed by the Participant to the Participating Company and the Participating Company and its affiliates to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

9.9            Severability .   The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision in this Plan shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision and the Plan shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provision had never been in the Plan.

9.10          Governing Law .  The Plan shall be construed, administered and governed in all respects in accordance with applicable federal law (including ERISA) and, to the extent not preempted by federal law, in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia.  If any provisions of this instrument shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be fully effective.

9.11          Code §409A .  The plan is intended to comply with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A with respect to a Participant’s Section 409A Account hereunder, and shall be interpreted and administered to the extent possible in a manner consistent with the foregoing statement of intent.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Controlling Company has caused the amended and restated Plan to be executed by its duly authorized officer on the                  day of August, 2007.

 

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Timothy M. Crow

 

 

Executive Vice President—Human Resources

 

13



Exhibit 10.3

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTORS’ DEFERRED

STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN

As Amended and Restated

Effective January 1, 2008




THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTORS’ DEFERRED

STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Page

Article I INTRODUCTION

 

1

1.1

 

Establishment

 

1

1.2

 

Purpose

 

1

Article II DEFINITIONS

 

1

2.1

 

“Board”

 

1

2.2

 

“Code”

 

1

2.3

 

“Committee”

 

1

2.4

 

“Company”

 

1

2.5

 

“Deferral Date”

 

1

2.6

 

“Deferral Election”

 

1

2.7

 

“Director”

 

1

2.8

 

“Effective Date”

 

1

2.9

 

“Fair Market Value”

 

1

2.10

 

“Fees”

 

2

2.11

 

“Nonemployee Director”

 

2

2.12

 

“Non-Section 409A Account”

 

2

2.13

 

“Participant”

 

2

2.14

 

“Secretary”

 

2

2.15

 

“Section 409A Account”

 

2

2.16

 

“Shares”

 

2

2.17

 

“Stock Units”

 

2

2.18

 

“Stock Unit Account”

 

2

2.19

 

“Termination of Service”

 

2

Article III SHARES AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN

 

2

Article IV ELIGIBILITY

 

3

Article V DEFERRAL ELECTIONS IN LIEU OF CASH PAYMENTS

 

3

5.1

 

Timing of Election

 

3

5.2

 

Effect and Duration of Election

 

3

5.3

 

Form of Election

 

3

5.4

 

Establishment of Stock Unit Account

 

3

5.5

 

Crediting of Dividend Equivalents

 

4

Article VI SETTLEMENT OF STOCK UNITS

 

4

6.1

 

Timing of Payment

 

4

6.2

 

Payment Options

 

4

6.3

 

Payment Upon Death of a Participant

 

5

 




 

Article VII ADMINISTRATION

 

5

Article VIII UNFUNDED STATUS

 

5

8.1

 

General

 

5

8.2

 

Trust

 

5

Article IX DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY

 

5

Article X ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS

 

6

Article XI GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

6

11.1

 

No Stockholder Rights Conferred

 

6

11.2

 

Plan Amendment

 

6

11.3

 

Plan Termination

 

6

11.4

 

Compliance With Laws And Obligations

 

6

11.5

 

Limitations on Transferability

 

6

11.6

 

Limitations of Actions

 

7

11.7

 

Governing Law

 

7

 




Article I
INTRODUCTION

1.1            Establishment .  The Home Depot, Inc. (the “Company”) has established The Home Depot, Inc. Nonemployee Directors’ Deferred Stock Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) for those directors of the Company who are not employees of the Company.  The Plan allows Nonemployee Directors to defer the receipt of cash compensation and to receive such deferred compensation in the form of Shares of common stock of the Company.

1.2            Purpose .  The Plan is intended to advance the interests of the Company and its Stockholders by providing a means to attract and retain qualified persons to serve as Nonemployee Directors and to promote ownership by Nonemployee Directors of a greater proprietary interest in the Company, thereby aligning such Directors’ interests more closely with the interests of Stockholders of the Company.

Article II
DEFINITIONS

2.1            Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.2            Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2.3            Committee ”means the Board or a committee appointed to administer the Plan under Article IV.

2.4            Company means The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.

2.5            Deferral Date means the date on which a Nonemployee Director defers Fees under the Plan.

2.6            Deferral Election means a written election to defer Fees under the Plan.

2.7            Director means any individual who is a member of the Board.

2.8            Effective Date means January 1, 2008, the effective date of the amendment and restatement of the Plan.

2.9            Fair Market Value means the closing price for the Shares reported on a consolidated basis on the New York Stock Exchange on the relevant date or, if there were no sales on such date, the closing price on the nearest preceding date on which sales occurred.

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2.10          Fees means all or part of any retainer or meeting fees payable in cash to a Nonemployee Director in his or her capacity as a Director.  Fees shall not include any expenses paid directly or through reimbursement.

2.11          Nonemployee Director means a Director who is not an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  For purposes of the Plan, an employee is an individual whose wages are subject to the withholding of federal income tax under Code Section 3401.

2.12          Non-Section 409A Account means the portion of a Participant’s Stock Unit Account that was earned and vested, within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as of December 31, 2004, and is therefore not subject to Code Section 409A.

2.13          Participant means a Nonemployee Director who defers Fees under Article V of the Plan.

2.14          Secretary means the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.

2.15          Section 409A Account means the portion of a Participant’s Stock Unit Account that was not earned and vested, within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as of December 31, 2004.

2.16          Shares means shares of the common stock of the Company, par value $.05 per share.

2.17          Stock Units means the credits to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account under Article V of the Plan, each of which represents the right to receive one Share upon settlement of the Stock Unit Account.

2.18          Stock Unit Account means the bookkeeping account established by the Company pursuant to Section 5.4.

2.19          Termination of Service means termination of service as a Director for any reason other than death; provided, however, that with respect to a Participant’s Section 409A Account, Termination of Service shall have the same meaning given the term “Separation from Service” under Code Section 409A and Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h).

Article III
SHARES AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN

As of the original effective date of the Plan, the maximum number of Shares approved for distribution in settlement of Stock Unit Accounts under the Plan was 500,000 Shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Article X.  Such Shares may include authorized but unissued Shares, treasury shares or Shares that have been reacquired by the Company.

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Article IV
ELIGIBILITY

Each person who is a Nonemployee Director shall be eligible to defer Fees in accordance with Article V of the Plan.  If any Nonemployee Director subsequently becomes an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, but does not incur a Termination of Service, such Director shall continue as a Participant with respect to Fees previously deferred, but shall cease eligibility with respect to all future Fees, if any, earned while an employee.

Article V
DEFERRAL ELECTIONS IN LIEU OF CASH PAYMENTS

5.1            Timing of Election .  Each Nonemployee Director may make a Deferral Election on or before the last day of a calendar year to defer Fees with respect to services performed (or performed in part) during the next following calendar year.  In addition, any person who is first appointed a Nonemployee Director on or after the Effective Date may, within 30 days after the date he first becomes a Nonemployee Director, make a Deferral Election with respect to Fees for services performed after the date of the Deferral Election.  A Nonemployee Director who does not make a Deferral Election when first eligible to do so may make a Deferral Election at any time before the first day of any subsequent calendar year to be effective for Fees for services performed in such subsequent calendar year.

5.2            Effect and Duration of Election .  A Deferral Election shall apply to Fees payable with respect to services performed after the date such election is made and shall be deemed to be continuing and applicable to all Fees payable in subsequent calendar years, unless the Participant revokes or modifies such election by filing a new election form before the first day of any subsequent calendar year, effective for all Fees for services performed on or after the first day of such calendar year.  Except as permitted under Code Section 409A, Deferral Elections shall be irrevocable during the calendar year with respect to which the Deferral Election is made.

5.3            Form of Election .  A Deferral Election shall be made in a manner satisfactory to the Committee in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A.  Generally, a Deferral Election shall be made by completing and filing the specified election form with the Secretary or his or her designee within the period described in Section 5.1 or Section 5.2.

5.4            Establishment of Stock Unit Account .  The Company shall establish a Stock Unit Account for each Participant.  All Fees deferred pursuant to this Article V shall be credited to the Participant’s Stock Unit Account as of the Deferral Date and converted to Stock Units.  The number of Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account as of a Deferral Date shall equal the amount of the deferred Fees divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on such Deferral Date, with fractional units calculated to three decimal places.  Fractional Stock Units shall be credited cumulatively, but any fractional Stock Unit in a Participant’s Stock Unit Account at the time of a distribution under Article VI shall be converted into cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a corresponding fractional Share on the date of distribution.

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5.5            Crediting of Dividend Equivalents .  As of each dividend payment date with respect to Shares, each Participant shall have credited to his or her Stock Unit Account a dollar amount equal to the amount of cash dividends that would have been paid on the number of Shares equal to the number of Stock Units credited to the Participant’s Stock Unit Account as of the close of business on the record date for such dividend.  Such dollar amount shall then be converted into a number of Stock Units equal to the number of whole and fractional Shares that could have been purchased with such dollar amount at Fair Market Value on the dividend payment date.

Article VI
SETTLEMENT OF STOCK UNITS

6.1            Timing of Payment .

(a)            Section 409A Accounts .  A Participant’s Section 409A Account shall in all events be distributed or begin to be distributed on the first day of the second calendar month immediately following the month in which the Participant incurs a Termination of Service.

(b)            Non-Section 409A Accounts .  A Participant shall receive or begin receiving a distribution of his or her Non-Section 409A Account either (i) on or as soon as administratively feasible after the first day of the second calendar month immediately following the month in which the Participant incurs a Termination of Service, or (ii) if the Participant has made an election to defer payment in accordance with this Section, on or as soon as administratively feasible after January 1 of the year immediately following the date on which the Participant incurs a Termination of Service.  A Participant must deliver an election to defer the distribution or commencement of distribution of his or her Non-Section 409A Account to the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee at least 5 months before the date on which the Participant incurs a Termination of Service.

6.2            Payment Options .

(a)            Forms of Distribution .  A Deferral Election filed under Article V shall specify whether the Participant’s Stock Unit Account subject to such Deferral Election is to be settled by delivering to the Participant the number of Shares equal to the number of whole Stock Units then credited to the Participant’s Stock Unit Account, in either (i) a lump sum, or (ii) substantially equal annual installments over a period not to exceed 5 years.  Any fractional Stock Unit credited to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account at the time of a distribution shall be paid in cash at the time of such distribution.

(b)            Modifications .  A Participant may not change the manner in which the Participant has elected that his or her Section 409A Account is to be distributed.  A Participant may change the manner in which his or her Non-Section 409A Account is distributed by delivering a new election form to the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee at least 5 months before the date on which the Participant incurs a Termination of Service.

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6.3            Payment Upon Death of a Participant .  If a Participant dies before the entire balance of his or her Stock Unit Account has been distributed, the balance of the Participant’s Stock Unit Account shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the Participant under Article IX.  Such payment shall be made in a lump sum as soon as administratively feasible after the Participant’s death, provided that the Participant’s Section 409A Account shall be distributed on the first day of the second calendar month immediately following the month in which the Participant dies.

Article VII
ADMINISTRATION

The Plan shall be administered by the Board or such other committee as may be designated by the Board.  The Committee shall have the complete and final discretionary authority to determine the benefits to which any Participant or beneficiary may be entitled, to make factual findings with respect to claims for benefits, and to make all other determinations it deems necessary or advisable for administering the Plan, subject to the express provisions of the Plan.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Director who is a Participant under the Plan shall participate in any determination relating solely or primarily to his or her own Shares, Stock Units or Stock Unit Account.

Article VIII
UNFUNDED STATUS

8.1            General .  The interest of each Participant in any Fees deferred under the Plan (and any Stock Units or Stock Unit Account relating thereto) shall be that of a general creditor of the Company.  Stock Unit Accounts, and Stock Units credited thereto, shall at all times be maintained by the Company as bookkeeping entries evidencing unfunded and unsecured general obligations of the Company.  Except as provided in Section 8.2, no money or other assets shall be set aside for any Participant.

8.2            Trust .  To the extent determined by the Board, the Company may transfer funds necessary to fund all or part of the payments under the Plan to a trust; provided, the assets held in such trust shall remain at all times subject to the claims of the general creditors of the Company.  No Participant or beneficiary shall have any interest in the assets held in such trust or in the general assets of the Company other than as a general, unsecured creditor.  Accordingly, the Company shall not grant a security interest in the assets held by the trust in favor of any Participant, beneficiary or creditor.

Article IX
DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY

Each Participant may designate, on a form provided by the Committee, one or more beneficiaries to receive payment of the Participant’s Stock Unit Account in the event of such Participant’s death.  The Company may rely upon the beneficiary designation last filed with the Committee, provided that such form was executed by the Participant or his or her legal representative and filed with the Committee prior to the Participant’s death.  If a Participant has not designated a

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beneficiary, or if the designated beneficiary is not surviving when a payment is to be made to such person under the Plan, the beneficiary with respect to such payment shall be the Participant’s surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse, the Participant’s estate.

Article X
ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS

In the event any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, exchange of shares or other securities of the Company, stock split or reverse split, or similar corporate transaction or event affects Shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Board or Committee to be appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants’ rights under the Plan, then the Board or Committee shall, in a manner that is proportionate to the change to the Shares and is otherwise equitable, adjust the number or kind of Shares to be delivered upon settlement of Stock Unit Accounts under Article VI.

Article XI
GENERAL PROVISIONS

11.1          No Stockholder Rights Conferred .  Nothing contained in the Plan will confer upon any Participant or beneficiary any rights of a Stockholder of the Company, unless and until Shares are in fact issued or transferred to such Participant or beneficiary in accordance with Article VI.

11.2          Plan Amendment .  The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, extend, or terminate the Plan without the consent of Stockholders or Participants; provided, no action taken without the consent of an affected Participant may materially impair the rights of such Participant with respect to any Stock Units credited to his or her Stock Unit Account at the time of such change or termination.

11.3          Plan Termination .  Unless earlier terminated by action of the Board, the Plan will remain in effect until such time as no Shares remain available for delivery under the Plan and the Company has no further rights or obligations under the Plan.

11.4          Compliance With Laws And Obligations .  The Company will not be obligated to issue or deliver Shares in connection with the Plan in a transaction subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other federal or state securities law, any requirement under any listing agreement between the Company and any national securities exchange or automated quotation system or any other laws, regulations, or contractual obligations of the Company, until the Company is satisfied that such laws, regulations and other obligations of the Company have been complied with in full.  Certificates representing Shares delivered under the Plan will be subject to such restrictions as may be applicable under such laws, regulations and other obligations of the Company.

11.5          Limitations on Transferability .  Stock Units and any other right under the Plan will not be transferable by descent and distribution (or to a designated beneficiary in the event of a

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Participant’s death).  Stock Units and other rights under the Plan may not be pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered, and shall not be subject to the claims of creditors of any Participant.

11.6          Limitations of Actions .  Any lawsuit with respect to any benefit payable or other matter arising out of or relating to the Plan must be filed no later than one (1) year after the time the claim arises or be forever barred.

11.7          Governing Law .  The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any agreement hereunder shall be determined in accordance with the State of Georgia.

11.8          Code §409A .  The plan is intended to comply with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A with respect to a Participant’s Section 409A Account hereunder, and shall be interpreted and administered to the extent possible in a manner consistent with the foregoing statement of intent.

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Exhibit 99.1

 

THE HOME DEPOT DECLARES SECOND QUARTER DIVIDEND OF 22.5 CENTS;

NAMES ARMANDO CODINA TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ATLANTA, August 16, 2007 — The Home Depot ® , the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced that its board of directors declared a second quarter cash dividend of 22.5 cents per share.  The dividend is payable on September 13 to shareholders of record on the close of business on August 30.

This is the 82nd consecutive quarter the Company has paid a cash dividend and reflects the board’s continued commitment to creating shareholder value.  Since 2002, the Company has returned $20.6 billion to shareholders through $4.1 billion in dividends paid and $16.5 billion in share repurchases.  Since the inception of its share repurchase program in 2002, the Company has repurchased 454 million shares, which is 19 percent of its outstanding shares.

New Board Member

The Home Depot today announced the appointment of Armando Codina, 60, to its board of directors.  Mr. Codina is the President and CEO of Flagler Development Group, a commercial real estate firm in Florida which is a subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. (FECI).  FECI was acquired in July of this year by funds managed by Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $36 billion in assets under management.  At the time of the acquisition, Mr. Codina was the largest private shareholder of FECI, having sold his 26-year-old predecessor firm, the Codina Group, to FECI in April 2006.  Prior to establishing the Codina Group, Mr. Codina was president of Professional Automated Services, Inc., a firm created in 1970 to provide data processing services to physicians.

“We are extremely pleased to have a business leader and entrepreneur of the caliber of Armando Codina join our board of directors,” said Frank Blake, chairman & CEO of The Home Depot. “He brings enormous financial, operational and strategic expertise to the board and to our business.”

With today’s appointment, The Home Depot’s board consists of 12 members, with 11 of them being outside directors.

The Home Depot ®  is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,202 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2006, The Home Depot had sales of $90.8 billion and earnings of $5.8 billion. The Company employs approximately 364,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

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For more information, contact:

 

Financial Community

News Media

Diane Dayhoff

Paula Drake

Sr. Vice President of Investor Relations

Sr. Public Relations Manager

770-384-2666

770-384-3439

diane_dayhoff@homedepot.com

paula_drake@homedepot.com