def14a
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 |
Lindsay Corporation
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LINDSAY CORPORATION
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
January 28, 2008
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Lindsay Corporation (the Company) will be held at the
Companys corporate offices at 2707 North 108th Street, Suite 102, Omaha, Nebraska, on
Monday, January 28, 2008, at 8:30 a.m., Central Standard Time, for the following purposes:
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To elect two (2) directors for terms ending in 2011. |
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(2) |
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To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent auditor for the
Company for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2008. |
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(3) |
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To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or
any adjournment or adjournments thereof. |
A Proxy Statement setting forth important information with respect to the election of
directors and the ratification of the appointment of independent auditors is enclosed with this
Notice of Annual Meeting.
Only stockholders holding shares of the Companys common stock of record at the close of
business on December 4, 2007 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.
Stockholders, whether or not they expect to be present at the Annual Meeting, are requested to sign
and date the enclosed proxy, which is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors, and return it
promptly in the envelope enclosed for that purpose. Any person giving a proxy has the power to
revoke it at any time prior to the Annual Meeting, and stockholders who are present at the Annual
Meeting may withdraw their proxies and vote in person.
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By Order of the Board of Directors
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/s/ David B. Downing
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David B. Downing, Secretary |
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Omaha, Nebraska
December 20, 2007
IMPORTANT: THE PROMPT RETURN OF PROXIES WILL SAVE THE COMPANY THE EXPENSE OF FURTHER SOLICITATION
FOR PROXIES TO ENSURE A QUORUM AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.
LINDSAY CORPORATION
PROXY STATEMENT
for
2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies for use at
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Lindsay Corporation (the Company) to be held on Monday,
January 28, 2008 at the time and place and for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Only record holders of the Companys common stock at the close of
business on December 4, 2007 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
The accompanying proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company and is
revocable at any time before it is exercised by written notice of revocation delivered to the
Secretary of the Company or by filing a later-dated proxy with him. Furthermore, stockholders who
are present at the Annual Meeting may withdraw their proxies and vote in person. All shares of the
Companys common stock represented by properly executed and unrevoked proxies will be voted by the
Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the directions given therein. Where no
instructions are indicated, proxies will be voted FOR each of the proposals set forth in this
Proxy Statement for consideration at the Annual Meeting. Shares of common stock entitled to vote
and represented by properly executed, returned and unrevoked proxies will be considered present at
the Annual Meeting for purposes of establishing a quorum, including shares with respect to which
votes are withheld, abstentions are cast or there are broker nonvotes.
The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 2707 North 108th Street, Suite
102, Omaha, Nebraska 68164.
This Proxy Statement and the proxy cards are first being mailed to stockholders on or about
December 20, 2007.
Voting Securities and Beneficial Ownership
Thereof by Principal Stockholders,
Directors and Officers
At the record date, there were 11,796,835 shares of the Companys common stock issued and
outstanding. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote upon each matter to be voted on at
the Annual Meeting. Stockholders do not have the right to cumulate votes with respect to the
election of directors.
The following table sets forth, as of December 4, 2007, the beneficial ownership of the
Companys common stock by each director, by each nominee to become a director, by each of executive
officers named in the Summary Compensation Table (the Named Executive Officers), and by all
current executive officers and directors of the Company as a group. The shares beneficially owned
by executive officers and directors of the Company represent approximately 0.7% of the total shares
outstanding on the record date and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors
believes that all of these shares will be present at the Annual Meeting and will be voted FOR
each proposal being considered at the Annual Meeting. In addition, executive officers and
directors are deemed to beneficially own shares which they may acquire upon the exercise of vested
stock options or options that will vest within 60 days of the record date. These shares are not
outstanding and may not be voted at the Annual Meeting. The following table also sets forth the
beneficial ownership of the Companys common stock by each other stockholder believed by the
Company to beneficially own more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Companys common stock
based on a review of a Schedule 13G filed by Mr. Gary D. Parker reflecting Mr. Parkers beneficial
ownership as of December 31, 2006 as well as an additional report obtained from a third-party
market analyst reviewing Schedule 13F reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for
the quarter ending September 30, 2007 with respect to the Companys common stock.
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Number of Shares |
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Percent |
Name |
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Beneficially Owned(1) |
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of Class |
Directors and Executive Officers |
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Howard G. Buffett, Director |
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50,215 |
(2) |
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* |
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Michael N.
Christodolou, Director and Chairman of the Board |
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50,343 |
(2) |
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* |
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Larry H. Cunningham, Director |
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45,035 |
(2) |
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* |
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J. David McIntosh, Director |
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39,911 |
(2) |
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* |
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Michael C. Nahl, Director |
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25,799 |
(2) |
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* |
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William F. Welsh II, Director |
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49,973 |
(2) |
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* |
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Richard W.
Parod, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer |
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355,533 |
(2) |
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2.9 |
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David B.
Downing, Chief Financial Officer, Treasury, Secretary, Senior Vice PresidentFinance |
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12,170 |
(2) |
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* |
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Owen S.
Denman, Chief Executive OfficerBarrier Systems, Inc. |
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9,854 |
(2) |
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* |
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Samir A. Haidar, Vice PresidentInternational |
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7,000 |
(2) |
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* |
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Barry A.
Ruffalo, PresidentNorth American Irrigation |
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360 |
(2) |
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* |
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All current
executive officers and directors as a group (12 persons) |
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648,144 |
(2) |
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5.5 |
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Other Stockholders |
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Powershares
Capital Management, LLC (3) |
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1,087,267 |
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9.2 |
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Pictet Asset Management SA(4) |
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1,050,100 |
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8.9 |
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Keeley Asset Management (5) |
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910,000 |
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7.7 |
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Wellington
Management Co LLP (6) |
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669,400 |
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5.7 |
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Barclays
Global Investors, N.A. (7) |
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656,172 |
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5.6 |
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Mellon
Capital Management (8) |
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648,593 |
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5.5 |
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Gary D.
Parker (9) |
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613,041 |
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5.2 |
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Represents less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Companys common stock. |
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Each stockholder not shown as being a part of a group owns all outstanding shares
directly and has sole voting and investment power over such shares, or shares such power with
a spouse. The number of shares shown for stockholders reporting ownership as part of a group
represents the total number of shares over which any member of the group has sole or shared
voting or investment power. |
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Includes 32,396, 47,584, 37,460, 32,398, 23,286, 37,460, 326,500, 14,566, 0, 7,000,
0 and 559,850 shares which may be acquired currently or within 60 days of December 4, 2007
pursuant to the exercise of options by Messrs. Buffett, Christodolou, Cunningham, McIntosh,
Nahl, Welsh, Parod, Downing, Denman, Haidar, Ruffalo and the current executive officers and
directors as a group, respectively. |
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301 West Roosevelt, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. |
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60 Route Des Acacias, Geneva 73, Switzerland. |
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401 South LaSalle Street, Suite 1201, Chicago, Illinois 60605. |
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75 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109. |
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45 Fremont Street, San Francisco, California 94105. |
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One Mellon Center, Room 1365, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258. |
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6272 Country Club Drive, Columbus, Nebraska 68601. Mr. Parker is a former Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Excludes 45,566 shares held by Mr. Parkers
spouse, Joanne E. Parker, for which he disclaims beneficial ownership. |
2
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership
Reporting Compliance
The rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission require the Company to disclose the
identity of directors and executive officers and of beneficial owners of more than 10% of the
Companys common stock who did not file on a timely basis reports required by Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Based solely on review of copies of those reports received by the
Company, or written representations from reporting persons, the Company believes that all
directors, executive officers and 10% beneficial owners complied with all filing requirements
applicable to them during the Companys fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, except for late Form 4
Statements of Changes in Beneficial Ownership for Owen Denman and Randy Hester (both due November
3, 2006, filed November 29, 2006) and Samir Haidar (due December 5, 2006, filed February 1, 2007).
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Companys Bylaws require that the Board of Directors is to be divided into three classes
that are elected to the Board on a staggered basis for three year terms. At the Annual Meeting,
the terms of two directors will terminate and stockholders will be voting on nominees to fill these
two positions. Accordingly, the Board of Directors, upon recommendations made by the Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committee, has nominated Michael N. Christodolou and J. David McIntosh to
serve as directors for terms ending in 2011. Messrs. Christodolou and McIntosh are each current
directors of the Company and Mr. Christodolou serves as Chairman of the Board. Both Messrs.
Christodolou and McIntosh have expressed an intention to serve, if elected, and the Board of
Directors knows of no reason why either of them might be unavailable to continue to serve, if
elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between Messrs. Christodolou and McIntosh and
any other person pursuant to which they were nominated to serve on the Board of Directors.
The election of a director requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares present
in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote. Consequently, votes
withheld and broker nonvotes with respect to the election of directors will have no impact on the
election of directors. Proxies submitted pursuant to this solicitation will be voted, unless
specified otherwise, for the election of Messrs. Christodolou and McIntosh. If either of Messrs.
Christodolou or McIntosh is unable to serve, the shares represented by all valid proxies will be
voted for the election of such substitute nominee as the Corporate Governance and Nomination
Committee may recommend to the Board of Directors.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF MESSRS. CHRISTODOLOU
AND MCINTOSH AS DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY WITH TERMS ENDING IN 2011.
3
Board of Directors and Committees
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the directors of the Company.
The Board of Directors has determined that each of Messrs. Christodolou, McIntosh, Cunningham,
Buffett, Welsh and Nahl are independent directors of the Company under the listing standards
adopted by the New York Stock Exchange. All members of the Board of Directors have held the
positions with the companies (or their predecessors) set forth under Principal Occupation for at
least five years, unless otherwise indicated.
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Principal |
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Director |
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Occupation |
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Since |
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Expire |
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NOMINEES |
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Michael N.
Christodolou
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46 |
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Founder and Manager of
Inwood Capital
Management, L.L.C.
(1)
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1999 |
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2008 |
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J. David McIntosh
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64 |
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Retired Executive Vice
President of The Toro
Company (2)
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2002 |
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2008 |
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DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE |
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Larry H. Cunningham
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63 |
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Retired Senior Vice President,
Corporate Affairs for Archer Daniels Midland Company (3) |
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2000 |
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2009 |
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Richard W. Parod
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54 |
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President and Chief
Executive Officer of
Lindsay Corporation (4) |
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2000 |
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2009 |
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Howard G. Buffett
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53 |
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President of Buffett
Farms and President of
the Howard G. Buffett
Foundation (5)
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1995 |
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2010 |
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William F. Welsh II
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66 |
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Retired Chairman of
Election Systems &
Software, Inc. (6)
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2001 |
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2010 |
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Michael C. Nahl
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65 |
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Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial
Officer of Albany
International Corp. (7)
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2003 |
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2010 |
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Mr. Christodolou founded Inwood Capital Management, LLC in May 2000. From
1988 to 1999, Mr. Christodolou was employed by Barbnet Investment Co., formerly Taylor & Co., an
investment consulting firm providing services to certain entities associated with members of the
Bass family of Fort Worth, Texas. |
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Mr. McIntosh served as Group Vice President of Professional and International
Business Divisions of The Toro Company from 1996 until August 1998 when he was appointed Executive
Vice President. Mr. McIntosh had been employed by The Toro Company for 26 years prior to retiring
on January 31, 2002. Mr. McIntosh currently serves on the Board of Directors for Health Tech
Solutions, Inc. and was also Chairman of StylePointe, LLC from 2004 until July 2007. |
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Prior to joining Archer Daniels Midland Company in 1993, Mr. Cunningham was employed
by A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company from 1965 to 1990. Mr. Cunningham has served on the Board of
Trustees for Millikin University and the James Millikin Trust. |
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Prior to joining the Company in April of 2000, Mr. Parod was the Vice President and
General Manager of Toro Irrigation, a division of The Toro Company, from 1997 to March 2000. From
1993 to 1997, he was an executive officer of James Hardie Irrigation, serving as President from
1994 to 1997. |
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Mr. Buffett has served for the past five years as President of Buffett Farms and
President of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Mr. Buffett is also a director of Berkshire
Hathaway, Inc. |
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From 1995 to 2002, Mr. Welsh was President and Chief Executive Officer of Election
Systems & Software, Inc. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Welsh served as Chairman of Election Systems &
Software. Mr. Welsh was a director of Election Systems & Software prior to his retirement in 2003.
He is also Chairman and a director of Ballantyne of Omaha, Inc as well as a member of its
compensation committee. |
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Mr. Nahl joined Albany International Corp. in 1981 as Group Vice President,
Corporate, served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1983 to 2005 and was
appointed to his current position in 2005. Mr. Nahl is a director of GrafTech International Ltd.
and serves on the Regional Advisory Board of JP Morgan Chase & Co. |
Information regarding executive officers of the Company is found in the Companys Annual
Report which has been supplied with this Proxy Statement.
4
Corporate Governance
The Board of Directors operates pursuant to the provisions of the Companys certificate of
incorporation and Bylaws as well as a set of Corporate Governance Principles which address a number
of items, including the qualifications for serving as a director, the responsibilities of directors
and board committees and the compensation of directors. The Company has adopted a Code of Ethical
Conduct that applies to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate
Controller, as required by Section 406 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. Additionally, the Company
maintains a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for all persons associated with the Company,
including its directors, officers and employees, that complies with the listing standards adopted
by the New York Stock Exchange. Both of these codes and the Companys Corporate Governance
Principles are available on the Companys website at
http://www.lindsay.com and are available in
print to any stockholder who submits a request in writing to the Secretary of the Company.
The Board of Directors conducts its business through meetings and actions taken by written
consent in lieu of meetings. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the Board of Directors
held five meetings. Each director attended 100% of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of
the committees of the Board of Directors on which he served during fiscal 2007.
The Companys independent directors normally meet in executive session at each regularly
scheduled Board meeting. The Chairman of the Board, currently Mr. Christodolou, an independent
director, serves as the presiding director at each executive session of the independent directors.
The Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.
Audit Committee. The primary purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of
Directors in the oversight of (i) the integrity of the Companys financial statements, (ii) the
Companys compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (iii) the independent auditors
qualifications and independence, and (iv) the performance of the Companys internal audit function.
The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, compensating and evaluating the Companys
independent auditor. Specific functions performed by the Audit Committee include reviewing
periodically with independent auditors the performance of the services for which they are engaged,
reviewing the scope of the annual audit and its results, reviewing the Companys annual financial
statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor,
reviewing the scope and results of the Companys internal auditing function, and reviewing the
adequacy of the Companys internal accounting controls with management and auditors. The Audit
Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors which is available on
the Companys website at http://www.lindsay.com and is available in print to any stockholder who
submits a request in writing to the Secretary of the Company.
The Audit Committee is comprised of Directors Welsh (Chairman), Christodolou, McIntosh and
Nahl, each of whom has been determined to be independent by the Board of Directors under the rules
of the Securities and Exchange Commission and under the listing standards adopted by the New York
Stock Exchange. In addition, the Board of Directors has determined that each of Messrs.
Christodolou, Nahl and Welsh qualify as an audit committee financial expert under the rules of
the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee held eleven meetings during fiscal
2007.
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee reviews and approves the Companys
compensation policies, benefit plans, employment agreements, salary levels, bonus payments, and
awards pursuant to the Companys management incentive plans for its executive officers and other
employees reporting directly to the Companys Chief Executive Officer. It also reviews
compensation for directors and recommends changes to the Board. The Compensation Committee is
specifically responsible for determining the compensation of the Companys Chief Executive Officer
and conducts an annual performance evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer. The Companys Chief
Executive Officer makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding the compensation
paid to executive officers and those employees who report directly to him. However, the final
authority for setting those executive officers compensation rests with the Compensation Committee.
The Compensation Committee has the discretion to delegate specific responsibilities to the
Committee Chair, any other
5
Committee member(s) or subcommittees as the Compensation Committee may establish from time to time.
The Compensation Committee periodically retains an independent outside compensation consulting
firm, Mercer Human Resource Consulting, to assist and advise it on particular matters. Mercer
Human Resource Consulting is engaged directly by the Compensation Committee, but its fees are paid
by the Company. The nature and scope of Mercers engagement with respect to the Compensation
Committees decisions regarding executive and director compensation during fiscal 2007 are
described under Compensation Discussion and Analysis found later in this Proxy Statement.
The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors
which is available on the Companys website at
http://www.lindsay.com and is available in print to
any stockholder who submits a request in writing to the Secretary of the Company. The charter
meets the requirements of the listing standards adopted by the New York Stock Exchange. The
Compensation Committee is comprised of Directors Cunningham (Chairman), Christodolou, McIntosh and
Welsh, each of whom has been determined to be independent by the Board of Directors under the
listing standards adopted by the New York Stock Exchange. The Committee held eleven meetings
during fiscal 2007.
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. The Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Board of Directors of persons to serve
as directors of the Company and as chairmen and members of committees of the Board of Directors and
for reviewing and recommending changes in the general Corporate Governance Principles of the
Company. It also oversees the annual evaluation by the Board of Directors to determine whether the
Board and its committees are functioning effectively. The Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors which is available on
the Companys website at http://www.lindsay.com and is available in print to any stockholder who
submits a request in writing to the Secretary of the Company.
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee identifies nominees to serve as a director
of the Company primarily through suggestions made by directors, management and stockholders. The
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will consider director nominees for next years
annual meeting recommended by stockholders which are submitted in writing, complete with
biographical and business experience information regarding the nominee, to the Secretary of the
Company by August 30, 2008. Candidates for directors are evaluated based on their independence,
character, judgment, diversity of experience, financial or business acumen, ability to represent
and act on behalf of all stockholders, and the needs of the Board. The Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee uses the same criteria to evaluate its own nominees for director as it does
for persons nominated by Company stockholders.
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is comprised of Directors Christodolou
(Chairman), Buffett, Cunningham and Welsh, each of whom has been determined to be independent by
the Board of Directors under the listing standards adopted by the New York Stock Exchange. The
Committee held three meetings during fiscal 2007.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Compensation Philosophy and Overview. The overall goal of the Companys compensation policy
is to maximize stockholder value by attracting, retaining and motivating the executive officers
that are critical to its long-term success. The Boards Compensation Committee (the Committee)
believes that executive compensation should be designed to promote both the short-term and
long-term economic goals of the Company. Accordingly, an important component of the Committees
compensation philosophy is to closely align the financial interests of the Companys executive
officers with those of the Companys stockholders. To that end, the Committee has determined that
the total compensation program for executive officers should consist of the following components:
|
|
|
Base salaries to reflect responsibility, experience, tenure and performance of key
executives, as well as the scarcity of executives for key positions; |
|
|
|
|
Annual cash incentive awards to reward performance against short-term corporate,
business unit and/or individual objectives;
|
6
|
|
|
Long-term incentive compensation to emphasize longer-term strategic objectives and
align the interests of executives with those of stockholders; and |
|
|
|
|
Other benefits as appropriate to be competitive in the market place. |
It is the intent of the Committee that executive salaries, target annual incentive opportunities
and target long-term incentive values be set at the median of manufacturing and general industry
companies of similar size to the Company (measured by annual revenues) for comparable positions,
based on available survey data.
The Committee retained Mercer Human Resource Consulting (Mercer) to provide research,
analysis and recommendations to the Committee regarding executives and directors compensation for
fiscal 2007. Among other things, Mercer provided the Committee with compensation survey
information to aid it in establishing the competitive market for the Companys executive positions.
The Committee requests such a survey approximately every three years in order to verify that its
executive compensation plans are comparable to those paid by similar companies. The benchmarking
survey included compensation data from two published survey sources, the 2005 Mercer Americas
Executive Remuneration Database and the 2005/2006 Watson Wyatt Report on Top Management
Compensation, which Mercer considered to be the best sources of compensation data for use by the
Committee. Whenever possible, Mercer used reported market data for companies with annual revenues
in the range of one-half to two times those of the Company. In total, over 120 companies were
included in the benchmarking survey, 10 of which are also listed in the S&P Construction, Farm
Machinery and Heavy Truck Index used in the Stock Performance Graph included in the Companys
Annual Report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007.
In addition to reviewing the compensation of executive officers against the competitive
market, the Committee also considers recommendations from the Companys President and Chief
Executive Officer regarding the total compensation for executive officers. The Committee also
considered the historical compensation of each executive officer, from both a total compensation
and a component by component basis, in setting the fiscal year 2007 compensation for the executive
officers.
The Committee is of the view that awards of annual and long-term incentive compensation
awarded to executive officers should be adjusted in the event of restatements of the Companys
financial results. Accordingly, the Committee has adopted a policy that allows recoupment or
repayment of annual and long-term compensation payments made to executive officers during the three
years preceding the restatement of Company financial statements to the extent such payments
exceeded the amounts that would have been payable based on the restated financial results.
Conversely, the policy allows for additional payments to the extent the amounts paid as annual and
long-term incentive payments received in the three years preceding a restatement of Company
financial statements was less than the amounts that would have been payable based on the restated
financial results.
2007 Executive Compensation Program. The Companys fiscal year 2007 compensation program for
its executive officers, consisting of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation
Table included in this Proxy Statement, consisted of four basic components, which are (i) base
salary, (ii) annual cash incentive awards, (iii) long-term incentive compensation and (iv) other
employee benefits. The purposes of each of these components of executive compensation, and the
manner in which compensation for fiscal 2007 under these components was determined by the Committee
for executive officers are as follows:
Base Salary. Base salaries are designed to provide executive officers with a minimum level of
compensation that is commensurate with the executive officers individual responsibility,
experience, tenure and general performance of duties. Base salaries levels are also subject to
competitive pressures faced by the Company for attracting and retaining qualified executives to
fill key positions in the different geographic regions where the Companys executives reside.
Approximately every three years, the Committee considers compensation survey information regarding
base salary levels for executive officers with comparable positions and responsibilities in similar
companies in order to maintain base salaries at competitive levels. In general, the Committee
evaluates each executive officers base salary on an annual basis to determine if an increase from
the prior years base salary is justified based on these criteria and considerations. In the cases
of Richard Parod and Owen Denman, base salaries were initially established by the terms of their
employment agreements and are subject to annual increases as determined by the Committee.
7
At its meeting on October 20, 2006, the Committee established the base salaries for each of
the Named Executive Officers except for Mr. Ruffalo who joined the company in March 2007. With
respect to the base salaries of Named Executive Officers other than Mr. Parod, the Committee
considered both the recommendations of Mr. Parod for salary adjustments as well as the survey data
presented by Mercer. Mr. Parod primarily made his recommendations for salary adjustments based on
the Mercer report. The Committee also took note that the recommended salaries were consistent with
its policy of establishing base salary levels for its executive officers at levels that approximate
the median salaries paid to persons holding comparable positions by manufacturing and general
industry companies with annual revenues similar to those of the Company. The Committee noted that
the survey information indicated that Mr. Downings base salary was at a 15% premium to the median
for chief financial officers employed by the companies included in the survey. The Committee
determined that setting Mr. Downings base salary at this level was appropriate because he also
performs the responsibilities of a chief administrative officer for the Company in addition to his
role as Chief Financial Officer. For Mr. Ruffalo, the Committee considered the recommendation of
Mr. Parod and discussed Mercer survey data related to the position in setting the base salary.
With respect to Mr. Parod, the Committee considered the information from the Mercer survey, the
Companys performance and Mr. Parods personal performance and concluded that an increase in his
base salary of approximately 10% was appropriate.
Annual Cash Incentive Awards. The Company paid annual cash incentive awards to its executive
officers under a Management Incentive Plan that was adopted by the Committee for fiscal 2007
(the 2007 MIP). The Company used annual cash payments under the 2007 MIP primarily to encourage
its executive officers to achieve specific short-term financial goals of the Company generally and,
in some cases, for performance of specific operational duties or achievement of the Companys
financial results in certain market segments. In addition, a portion of the annual cash incentives
is designated to reward individual performance objectives of each executive officer participating
in the 2007 MIP. The Committee adopted the 2007 MIP and established the financial and individual
goals for executive officers under the 2007 MIP during the first quarter of fiscal 2007.
The financial performance component accounted for 80% of each Named Executive Officers
potential annual cash incentive. This component consisted of two subcomponents: operating income
and average working capital to sales. Operating income for purposes of the 2007 MIP was calculated
using the Companys Consolidated Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007
and then subtracting the operating income resulting from any acquisitions made during fiscal 2007.
Average Working Capital to sales was defined to include two key components of working capital:
average month end inventories plus average month end accounts receivables divided by fiscal 2007
operating revenues as reported on the Companys Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year
ended August 31, 2007, net of any effect of acquisitions made during fiscal 2007. This component
was designed as a measure of the Companys utilization of its working capital. The average working
capital to sales subcomponent is calculated using the average of an entire 12 months worth of
information in order to reduce any distortion caused by the seasonal nature of the Companys
business. The Committee chose to use operating income as the primary financial performance measure
for determining annual cash incentive awards under the 2007 MIP because it considered this to be
the financial measure over which the Named Executive Officers had the greatest influence, it
closely aligned the interests of officers with the creation of shareholder value and it was easy
for management and stockholders to understand. Accordingly, this component was assigned a
weighting of 80% by the Committee, while the achievement of goals for average working capital to
sales was assigned a weighting of 20% by the Committee. Considering the manufacturing nature of
the Companys business, the Committee felt that correlating 20% of the financial performance
component to average working capital to sales would motivate the Named Executive Officers to
properly manage receivables and inventory in relationship to sales.
In general, the Committee seeks to establish target levels for financial performance goals
which are equivalent to goals reflected in the Companys annual budget for the relevant fiscal year
as approved by the Board of Directors, at least in years when the budget anticipates an increase in
the financial performance measure over the previous fiscal year. The 2007 operating income target
established by the Committee was $23.7 million, which corresponds to the budgeted amount for fiscal
2007. The 2007 target for average working capital to sales was 27.8%, which was also the
percentage reflected in the Companys fiscal 2007 operating budget. As noted above, the target
figures for operating income and working capital to sales both disregard any income contributed
from acquisitions made during fiscal 2007.
The Committee also approved the use of individual performance objectives to determine a
portion of the
8
annual cash incentives under the 2007 MIP, usually 20%. These individual
performance objectives were approved by the Committee, based on recommendations by Mr. Parod, for
each Named Executive Officer according to their respective area of responsibility. Unlike the
financial performance measures described above, which the Committee viewed as short-term
performance measures, the individual performance objectives were designed to focus on goals or
initiatives that will create longer-term value for the Company. Depending on the officer, these
performance objectives relate to areas such as safety, customer service, market share, on-time
delivery, cost reduction and product development. Some of these individual performance objectives
are objective and depend upon the accomplishment of specific, measurable goals such as cost
reduction, sales requirements or manufacturing efficiency ratios. Others are subjective in nature,
such as performance objectives tied to the development of management personnel or the creation and
implementation of new sales and distribution networks.
The 2007 MIP establishes a target cash incentive amount for each Named Executive Officer
(each a Target Bonus). The Target Bonus for each Named Executive Officer was 35% of his
respective base salary, except for Mr. Parod whose Target Bonus was set at 60%. In each case, a
Target Bonus represents the total bonus a Named Executive Officer was entitled to receive if he had
achieved 100% of the target levels under the financial performance component and individual
performance component established for such Named Executive Officer under the 2007 MIP.
Under the 2007 MIP, a Named Executive Officer could earn a portion of his Target Bonus if he
achieved at least a threshold level of performance for any of the financial or individual
performance components. Separate calculations were performed to determine the amount of bonus
earned under the financial performance component and the individual performance component, and
those two components are then added together to determine the final bonus awarded to a Named
Executive Officer. The financial performance component is calculated according to a scale that
provides varying percentage payouts for threshold, intermediate, target and maximum
performance levels. If the Company fails to meet the threshold performance level, then that
Named Executive Officer will receive no bonus under the Company financial performance component.
The following performance levels trigger the following percentage awards (calculated as a
percentage of the Target Bonus available under the financial performance component):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
Percentage of Target Bonus |
|
|
Operating |
|
Working Capital |
|
Available for Financial |
|
|
Income (80%) |
|
to Sales (20%) |
|
Performance Component |
Threshold |
|
$11.9 million |
|
33.2% |
|
|
15 |
% |
Intermediate |
|
$17.8 million |
|
30.5% |
|
|
75 |
% |
Target |
|
$23.7 million |
|
27.8% |
|
|
100 |
% |
Maximum |
|
$35.6 million |
|
24.3% |
|
|
200 |
% |
Likewise, the bonus awarded under the individual performance component is calculated according
to a scale providing the following percentage awards (calculated as a percentage of the Target
Bonus available under the individual performance component):
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of Target Bonus Available for |
Performance Level |
|
Individual Component |
Does not meet objectives |
|
0% |
Meets some objectives |
|
50% |
Meets most objectives |
|
75% |
Meets all objectives |
|
100% |
Exceeds objectives |
|
150% |
Significantly exceeds objectives |
|
200% |
Both the financial and individual performance component calculations offer reduced bonuses for
performances that fall short of the desired target level in order to provide constant motivation
during down cycles. By doing so, the Committee hoped to partially counteract the cyclical nature
of the Companys business.
9
Likewise, the receipt of an award under one component is not contingent upon meeting a certain
performance standard under the other component. For example, an executive who has met all of his
individual performance objectives would still receive a bonus payment under the individual
component even if the Company failed to meet the threshold financial performance objectives.
Conversely, an executive who has failed to meet any of the individual performance objectives could
still receive a bonus under the Company financial performance component. If any sort of unplanned
event should arise, the 2007 MIP gives the Committee the discretion to change the rules, standards
or procedures affecting a Named Executive Officers bonus payouts under the plan. The following
example demonstrates how a hypothetical executive officers annual cash incentive payment was
calculated under the 2007 MIP:
An officer receiving a base salary of $200,000 would be eligible for a Target Bonus of $70,000 (35%
of his base salary). $56,000 of that amount would be attributable to the Companys financial
performance component (80% of the Target Bonus), whereas $14,000 of that amount would be
attributable to the officers individual performance component (20% of the Target Bonus). If the
Company generated Operating Income of $23.7 million, an average Working Capital to Sales ratio of
30.5%, and the officer exceeded all of his personal performance objectives, he would receive a
total bonus of $74,200, calculated as follows:
Company Financial Performance Component: $44,800A + $8,400B = $53,200
A Operating Income Subcomponent: $56,000 * 0.80 *1.00 performance multiplier
B Average Working Capital to Sales Subcomponent: $56,000 * 0.20 *0.75 performance
multiplier
Individual Performance Component: $14,000 X 150% performance multiplier = $21,000
Total Bonus Awarded: $53,200 + $21,000 = $74,200.
During fiscal 2007, for purposes of the 2007 MIP, the Company recorded Operating Income of
$23.1 million and Average Working Capital to Sales of 31.3%. Both of these figures were adjusted
to subtract operating income from acquisitions made during fiscal 2007. As a result, the Financial
Performance Component of the annual incentive payments made to the Named Executive Officers was
based on Operating Income at the $23.1 million level for a performance multiplier of 98% times 80%
and on Average Working Capital at the 31.3% level for a performance multiplier of 58% times 20%.
At its meeting on October 15, 2007, the Committee verified the attainment of these measures used
for the Financial Performance Component of the 2007 MIP. In addition, after the conclusion of
fiscal 2007, Mr. Parod recommended scores to the Committee for each Named Executive Officer under
the Individual Performance Component of the 2007 MIP. The Committee then discussed and approved
those scores, determining that the Named Executive Officers were entitled to performance
multipliers under the Individual Performance Component of the 2007 MIP ranging from 97% to 108%.
Long Term Incentive Compensation. The long term incentive component is designed to reward the
achievement of longer-term strategic objectives and align the financial interests of the Companys
executive officers with those of the Companys stockholders. For fiscal 2007, the Committee
decided to use a combination of Performance Stock Units (PSUs) and Restricted Stock Units
(RSUs) awarded in tandem in order to provide the Companys Named Executive Officers with long
term incentive compensation. Both PSUs and RSUs were granted pursuant to the Companys 2006
Long-Term Incentive Plan which was approved by the stockholders at the Companys annual stockholder
meeting in 2006, except for the cash RSUs granted to Mr. Haidar described in the next paragraph.
PSUs represent a right to receive a certain dollar amount at a specified time in the future payable
in common stock, cash or a combination thereof if certain performance objectives have been met
during the specified performance period leading up to the payout of the PSU. PSUs are, therefore,
designed to reward achievement of specific performance objectives over this period.
RSUs represent a right to receive a certain number of shares of the Companys common stock at
a specified time in the future, but are not conditioned upon achieving any specific performance
objectives, and are only payable if the recipient remains employed by the Company at the end of the
period leading up to the payout of the RSU.
10
RSUs are designed primarily to encourage retention of
executive officers and key employees. RSUs may also be paid in cash or a combination of shares and
cash. Both the PSUs and RSUs awarded to Named Executive Officers for fiscal 2007 also provided the
Named Executive Officers with special cash dividend equivalents which entitle
them to receive any special cash dividend (i.e. other than regular quarterly dividends) paid
by the Company while the PSUs and RSUs are outstanding. The Committee has adopted a policy
regarding the timing of grants of PSUs and RSUs to employees which generally provides that such
grants will be made on an annual basis during the first quarter or at the beginning of the second
quarter of the fiscal year and at least two business days after the Company has filed its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the prior fiscal year. Consistent with the Committees policy regarding
PSU and RSU awards made to new hires, Barry Ruffalo was awarded RSUs during fiscal 2007 but not
awarded PSUs. The Committee plans to award both PSUs and RSUs to Mr. Ruffalo during fiscal 2008.
Additionally, during fiscal 2007 the Committee chose to grant an award to Samir Haidar consisting
entirely of cash RSUs. These cash RSUs contain the same vesting provisions and substantive terms
as the standard RSUs, except the cash RSUs are payable in cash instead of common stock. This was
done to avoid foreign tax and securities law issues associated with Mr. Haidars status as a
foreign employee.
The PSUs and RSUs have a three-year vesting period. The PSUs awarded during fiscal 2007 will
not become realizable until fiscal 2010. At that point, depending upon the Companys performance
over the three-year period, the PSUs will either convert into Company common stock or become
worthless. The RSUs awarded during fiscal 2007 will ratably vest over the same three-year
performance period, with one third of the RSUs converting into Company common stock on November 1
in each fiscal year following the grant date, provided that the Named Executive Officers continue
their employment with the Company. The Committee selected a three-year performance period because
measuring performance over a long period would be less affected by cyclical variations in the
Companys business and one-time events. The Committee felt that a three-year period was commonly
used by similar companies for this reason. The Committee plans to make subsequent grants of PSUs
and RSUs that will also feature three-year performance periods. The Committee has granted PSUs and
RSUs in fiscal 2008 that will become fully realizable in fiscal 2011 and plans to grant additional
PSUs and RSUs in fiscal 2009 that will become fully realizable in fiscal 2012. The Committee hopes
that this will create a layering effect that will provide constant motivation and alignment of
executive and shareholder interests extending into the future. The Committee formulates a target
long-term incentive award amount for each Named Executive Officer and then awards 70% of that award
amount in the form of PSUs and the other 30% in the form of RSUs. The Committee hopes that a
complement award of PSUs and RSUs in such proportions will create an optimal mix that
simultaneously promotes sustained long-term performance, goal alignment and retention.
The Committee selected PSUs and RSUs for long term incentive awards instead of stock options
because the expense under generally accepted accounting principles associated with grants of stock
options was thought to be greater than the perceived value of options to the recipients. Also
using shares as opposed to options to make awards reduces the number of shares required to deliver
equivalent value to the recipients. However, the Committee took note that PSU target awards and
RSU awards count against the total shares available under the 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan at a
two to one ratio whereas options count against the total shares available on a one to one ratio.
Although the Committee uses equity-based compensation in connection with the long-term
incentive portion of the Companys executive compensation program, neither the Committee nor the
Company have adopted any stock ownership guidelines or policies for its Named Executive Officers
and, accordingly, the Committee does not consider such guidelines in connection with establishing
the levels of equity-based compensation awarded to the Companys Named Executive Officers.
The specific terms of the PSU and RSU grants made to the Named Executive Officers for fiscal
2007 are as follows:
PSUs Awards. Based on the recommendation of Mercer, the Committee determined that 70% of the
long-term incentive award granted to each Named Executive Officer (other than Messrs. Ruffalo and
Haidar) would consist of PSUs. Each PSU awarded in fiscal 2007 has a three-year performance period
running though the end of fiscal 2009 (i.e. August 31, 2009) and will vest on November 1st of
fiscal 2010. Based primarily on Mercers recommendation, the Committee chose Revenue Growth and
Return on Net Assets (RONA) as the performance measures to be used to determine PSU payouts for
the three-year performance period. The Committee considered several performance measures,
including measures that were tied to the Companys stock price or the
11
accomplishment of specific
performance objectives. The Committee decided against using stock price as a performance measure
because it felt that such a plan would be susceptible to distortion from the cyclical nature of the
Companys business. Likewise, the Committee decided against the use of other performance
objectives because of the difficulty in correlating such objectives to stockholder value.
Ultimately, the Committee chose to correlate PSU payouts to Revenue Growth and RONA because it
determined that there was a reasonable relationship between these performance measures and
stockholder value. Additionally, these performance measures could be easily quantified and
calculated for the purposes of determining whether the Company had met the necessary performance
requirements. The Committee assigned equal weighting to Revenue Growth and RONA for purposes of
determining PSU payouts in order to drive profitable growth and focus on appropriate asset
management. Additionally, the Committee was concerned that considering RONA alone would allow
Named Executive Officers to unnecessarily dispose of assets in order to manage the denominator and
inflate the Companys RONA and thereby increase their PSU awards. To prevent such an occurrence,
the Committee decided to weight RONA and Revenue Growth equally. Although the Committee feels that
Revenue Growth and RONA reasonably approximate the connection between executive performance and
shareholder value, future developments could possibly prompt the Committee to tailor subsequent PSU
and RSU awards according to different performance measures.
Revenue Growth is the average annual percentage increase in the Companys consolidated
operating revenues for each year during the applicable period. Accordingly, if the Company had
year over year growth in its consolidated operating revenues of 13%, 6% and 17% during a three-year
performance period, the Revenue Growth for purposes of PSU payouts for that performance period
would be the average of the individual year increases or 12%. RONA was calculated in the following
manner:
Net Income
Average*Total
Assets (Average*Current Liabilities + Average*Current Portion of Long-Term Debt)
|
|
|
* |
|
- These averages will be computed using the beginning and ending amounts of Total Assets, Current
Liabilities, and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt for the applicable fiscal year. |
For the purposes of calculating Revenue Growth and RONA, any acquisitions made by the Company and
revenues or expenses associated with such acquisitions are excluded in the fiscal year of the
acquisition, but will be fully included during every year thereafter.
The Committee has established the following three-year average performance measures and
conversion percentages for Revenue Growth and RONA for the PSUs awarded in fiscal 2007:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue Growth |
|
RONA |
Threshold |
|
|
6 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
Target |
|
|
14 |
% |
|
|
11 |
% |
Maximum |
|
|
17 |
% |
|
|
14 |
% |
The Committee selected target performance measures that were within the range of the long term
target financial performance goals communicated from Lindsay to the stockholders by Mr. Parod in
the 2006 Annual Report. The Committee attempted to establish threshold and maximum performance
levels that would appropriately reward the Named Executive Officers for exceptional performance,
while also providing them with continued motivation in the event that market factors or down
periods make it impossible to meet target performance levels. If the Company fails to meet the
Threshold performance level for either Revenue Growth or RONA over the three-year performance
period, then there will be no PSU payout at the end of the performance period, even if the other
factor achieves the Threshold or higher level.
At the Threshold level for both performance measures each PSU will convert into one-half share
of stock, and this ratio increases to one share of stock if the Target level is achieved for both
performance measures and two
12
shares of stock if the Maximum level is achieved for both performance
measures. The Committee determined that the payout ratio of 2 to 1 used at the Maximum level for
both performance measures was appropriate because it believed the Maximum levels were aggressive
goals that would be difficult to achieve. As a result, the number of shares each PSU will convert
into based on varying achievements of the performance levels for Revenue Growth and RONA are set
forth in the following matrix:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RONA |
REVENUE GROWTH |
|
Threshold |
|
Target |
|
Maximum |
Maximum |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
|
1.4142 |
|
|
|
2.00 |
|
Target |
|
|
0.7071 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
|
1.4142 |
|
Threshold |
|
|
0.50 |
|
|
|
0.7071 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
The Committee is also entitled to adjust the conversion calculation in order to reduce (but
not increase) the amount of stock awarded to take into account any unanticipated events including,
but not limited to, extraordinary or nonrecurring items, changes in tax laws, changes in generally
accepted accounting principles, impacts of discontinued operations and restatements of prior period
financial results.
The following is an example of how the payout of PSUs would be calculated for a hypothetical
executive officer who received a total award of 1,000 PSUs in fiscal 2007.
Assume that the Company achieves Revenue Growth of 13% in 2007, 14% in 2008 and 15% in 2009. This
results in a 14% average three-year Revenue Growth for the relevant performance period, which meets
the Target performance level for Revenue Growth. Assume that the Company achieved RONA of 8% in
2007, 9% in 2008 and 10% in 2009. This results in a 9% average three-year RONA for the performance
period, which meets the Threshold performance level for RONA. Accordingly, the executives 1,000
PSUs will convert into 707 shares of common stock.
In the event of a change in control of the Company, the PSUs will convert into an amount of
Company common stock that is pro-rated to account for the amount of time the Named Executive
Officers held the PSUs prior to the change of control transaction and will be paid out as if the
Company had achieved a probable or expected level of revenue growth or RONA. If any of the
Companys financial statements are restated as the result of errors, omissions or fraud, for any
fiscal year during the three-year performance period, such restated results will be used to
recalculate any PSU conversions made at the expiration of the performance period.
RSU Awards. The Committee determined that the remaining 30% of each Named Executive Officers
long-term incentive award should consist of RSUs. The RSUs awarded in fiscal 2007 vest according
to a three-year schedule, with one-third of the RSUs vesting on November 1st of each fiscal year
following the fiscal year of their award contingent upon the Named Executive Officers continued
employment with the Company (the RSUs awarded to Mr. Ruffalo will also vest annually on each
November 1st, however the total duration of their term will be less than three years because Mr.
Ruffalo was hired mid-year during fiscal 2007 and received his RSUs in March of 2007). Upon
vesting, each RSU converts into a share of the Companys common stock, except for the cash RSUs
granted to Mr. Haidar which will be settled in cash based on the fair market value of the Companys
common stock on the applicable vesting date. Accordingly, if a Named Executive Officer received
600 RSUs for fiscal 2007 and remained employed with the Company, 200 of those RSUs would convert
into 200 shares of common stock on November 1, 2007. Another 200 RSUs would convert to stock on
November 1, 2008, and then the final 200 RSUs would convert to stock on November 1, 2009.
Additionally, the RSUs will fully vest upon a change in control of the Company.
In determining the number of PSUs and RSUs granted to the Named Executive Officers for fiscal
2007, the Committee first established a dollar value of the total PSUs and RSUs to be awarded to
each Named Executive Officer assuming they achieved target performance levels for the PSUs. The
initial dollar value for Mr. Parod
13
was set at $460,000. The Committee determined this amount by
considering the value of other compensation available to Mr. Parod and then calculating the amount
of PSUs and RSUs that would be necessary to provide him with a total compensation package which
reflected the median of total compensation paid to individuals holding similar positions for
similar companies. The dollar values of PSUs and RSUs granted to the Named Executive Officers
other than Mr. Parod were based on initial recommendation made to the Committee by Mr. Parod. In
each case, the dollar value was divided by the closing sale price of the Companys common stock on
the grant date ($34.07 as of December 1, 2006) to convert the dollar value into a total number of
stock units initially awarded to each Named
Executive Officer. Of these total stock units, 70% were designated as PSUs and 30% were
designated as RSUs. While the dollar value of PSUs was based upon a payout ratio of 1 to 1, the
actual PSU payout ratio may be as low as 0 to 1 if the Company fails to meet the threshold
performance level for either performance measure. Alternatively, the PSU payout ratio may be as
high as 2 to 1 if the Company meets or exceeds the maximum performance level for both performance
measures.
In January 2007, the Committee reevaluated its awards of PSUs to certain executive officers,
including Mr. Denman. Mr. Parod had asked the Committee to reconsider the award of PSUs to these
officers because it was likely that each of them would retire from the Company prior to the
expiration of the three-year performance period associated with the PSUs and, accordingly, the PSUs
would have no value to them. The Committee took this recommendation under advisement and at a
meeting later in January the Committee cancelled the PSUs granted to Mr. Denman and replaced them
with additional RSUs having an equivalent value as of the grant date. Each of the RSUs has a
three-year ratable vesting schedule beginning on November 1, 2007.
Other Employee Benefits. The Company also provides certain other benefits to its Named
Executive Officers in the normal course of business as appropriate to be competitive with market
practice. In addition to this standard benefits package, a personal automobile is provided to Mr.
Parod according to the terms of his employment agreement. The benefits provided to the Named
Executive Officers are generally those which are available to all employees of the Company, such as
participation in Company sponsored health and dental insurance, life insurance and disability
benefits. The Company and employee participants share in the cost of these programs. The Company
also maintains a qualified 401(k) retirement plan to which the Company makes matching contributions
corresponding to employee contributions. The Companys Named Executive Officers are eligible to
participate in each of these employee benefit plans. Additionally, during fiscal 2007 the Company
paid certain moving expenses on behalf of Mr. Ruffalo. These expenses consisted of costs incurred
to assist with the sale of his primary residence and customary relocation expenses.
Termination Payments. The Company does not provide its Named Executive Officers with any
parachute or other compensation that is triggered by a change in control of the Company except
that all stock options issued to the Named Executive Officers, as well as to other employees of the
Company, are subject to immediate vesting in connection with a change of control transaction.
Also, in the event of a change in control any outstanding PSUs will convert into a pro-rated amount
of Company common stock dependent upon the amount of time that the Named Executive Officers held
the PSUs prior to the change in control. Any outstanding RSUs will fully vest upon a change in
control.
The Company has entered into employment agreements with Richard Parod, Owen Denman and Barry
Ruffalo which do provide for certain additional compensation to them if their employment with the
Company is terminated without cause. In the case of Mr. Parod, he will be entitled to receive a
lump sum payment equal to two times his annual salary and target bonus in effect on his termination
date. In the case of Mr. Denman, he will be entitled to continue to receive an amount equal to his
then current salary for a period of one year from the date of such termination or, if shorter, the
then current term of his employment agreement. In the case of Mr. Ruffalo, he will be entitled to
receive six months of salary. These provisions were specifically negotiated between the Company
and Messrs. Parod, Denman and Ruffalo at the time they joined the Company and were considered
necessary in order to attract and retain them and are designed to provide these executive officers
with cash to provide for their living expenses in situations where their employment was not
terminated voluntarily or for cause.
Tax Considerations. The current federal tax law imposes an annual, individual limit of $1
million on the deductibility of the Companys compensation payments to the chief executive officer
and to the four most highly compensated executive officers other than the chief executive officer.
Specified compensation is excluded for this purpose, including performance-based compensation,
provided that certain conditions are satisfied. The Committee
14
has determined to preserve, where
practicable, the deductibility of all compensation payments to the Companys executive officers.
However, Mr. Parods taxable compensation for 2007 exceeded Section 162(m)s $1.0 million
threshold. As a result, the Company was unable to deduct $1.3 million of the officer compensation
paid to Mr. Parod.
15
Executive Compensation
The following table sets forth information regarding all forms of compensation earned by the Companys Named Executive Officers during the last
three fiscal years. Other than Mr. Ruffalo, each Named Executive Officer was employed by the Company during all of fiscal 2007. Mr. Ruffalo
joined the Company in March 2007.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
Option |
|
Incentive Plan |
|
All other |
|
|
Name and Principal |
|
|
|
|
|
Salary |
|
Bonus |
|
Awards |
|
Awards |
|
Compensation |
|
Compensation |
|
Total |
Position |
|
Year |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($)
(4) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
Richard W. Parod |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
411,023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
452,182 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
226,700 |
|
|
|
17,827 |
(5) |
|
|
1,107,732 |
|
President and Chief |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
378,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
153,658 |
(1) |
|
|
183,024 |
|
|
|
395,206 |
|
|
|
6,849 |
|
|
|
1,117,237 |
|
Executive Officer |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
362,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
229,779 |
|
|
|
43,035 |
|
|
|
7,388 |
|
|
|
642,452 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David B. Downing |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
253,692 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
157,269 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
84,000 |
|
|
|
11,554 |
(6) |
|
|
506,515 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer,
Senior Vice President- |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
220,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,616 |
(1) |
|
|
30,504 |
|
|
|
135,366 |
|
|
|
7,885 |
|
|
|
419,371 |
|
Finance, Secretary and
Treasurer |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
210,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
153,186 |
|
|
|
15,729 |
|
|
|
51,365 |
|
|
|
430,280 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Owen S. Denman |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
216,740 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
157,083 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
53,650 |
|
|
|
3,265 |
(7) |
|
|
430,738 |
|
CEOBarrier Systems, |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
49,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
67,500 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
117,000 |
|
Inc. |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Samir A. Haidar |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
205,846 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58,976 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
325,422 |
|
Vice President- |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
169,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,780 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,711 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
212,629 |
|
International |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
161,797 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,039 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
185,836 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barry A. Ruffalo |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
103,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47,093 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
31,400 |
|
|
|
122,077 |
(8) |
|
|
304,070 |
|
President North |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
American Irrigation |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
These awards consist of both restricted stock units and performance stock
units granted under the Companys 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The restricted stock units vest
33 1/3% per year over three years and the performance stock units cliff vest on November 1
following the end of their three year performance period. The amount shown equals the grant date
fair value of the Companys common stock multiplied by the total number of restricted stock units
and performance stock units awarded. |
|
(2) |
|
These awards consist entirely of restricted stock units granted under the
Companys 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These restricted stock units vest 33 1/3% per year over
three years. The amount shown equals the grant date fair value of the Companys common stock
multiplied by the actual number of restricted stock units awarded. |
|
(3) |
|
These awards consists of cash restricted stock units that provide a contingent
right to receive a cash payment equal to the fair value of the Companys common stock multiplied by
the number of cash restricted stock units that vest on each applicable vesting date. The cash
restricted stock units vest 33 1/3% per year over three years. The amount shown equals the grant
date fair value of the Companys common stock multiplied by the actual number of cash restricted
stock units awarded. |
|
(4) |
|
These amounts represent annual cash incentive awards received under the
Companys Management Incentive Plan for each fiscal year. |
|
(5) |
|
Consists of $4,812 in defined contributions and matching contributions to the
Companys defined contribution profit-sharing and 401(k) plan for calendar year 2007, $1,575 in
premiums for supplemental life insurance for fiscal 2007 and $11,440 representing the fair market
value of the use of a Company vehicle. |
|
(6) |
|
Consists of $10,730 in defined contributions and matching contributions to
the Companys defined contribution profit-sharing and 401(k) plan for calendar year 2007 and $824
in premiums for supplemental life insurance for fiscal 2007. |
|
(7) |
|
Consists of $3,265 in defined contributions and matching contributions to the
Companys defined contribution profit-sharing and 401(k) plan for calendar year 2007. |
|
(8) |
|
Consists of $2,919 in defined contributions and matching contributions to the
Companys defined contribution profit-sharing and 401(k) plan for calendar year 2007, $79,158 for
relocation expenses and associated employment taxes related to the nondeductible portion of Mr.
Ruffalos relocation expenses and a $40,000 signing bonus paid to Mr. Ruffalo in conjunction with
the commencement of his employment with the Company. |
16
The following table sets forth information concerning each grant of an award made to the
Companys Named Executive Officers during the last completed fiscal year under the Companys 2006
Long-Term Incentive Plan.
GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS
|
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|
All Other |
|
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|
|
|
Option |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All other |
|
Awards: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
of Non- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
Number |
|
|
|
|
|
Grant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity |
|
Estimated Future Payouts Under |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awards: |
|
of |
|
Exercise |
|
date fair |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Incentive |
|
Non-Equity Incentive Plan |
|
Estimated Future Payouts Under |
|
Number |
|
Securities |
|
or Base |
|
value of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plan |
|
Awards |
|
Equity Incentive Plan Awards |
|
of Shares |
|
Under- |
|
Price of |
|
stock and |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Units |
|
Thres- |
|
|
|
|
|
Maxi- |
|
Thres- |
|
|
|
|
|
Maxi- |
|
of Stock |
|
lying |
|
Option |
|
option |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Approval |
|
Granted |
|
hold |
|
Target |
|
mum |
|
hold |
|
Target |
|
mum |
|
or Units |
|
Options |
|
Awards |
|
awards |
Name |
|
Grant Date |
|
Date |
|
(#) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
(#) |
|
(#) |
|
(#) |
|
(#) |
|
(#) |
|
($/Sh) |
|
($/Sh) |
Richard W. Parod |
|
|
12/01/2006 |
|
|
|
11/21/2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,776 |
(1) |
|
|
13,502 |
(1) |
|
|
22,953 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
34.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David B.
Downing |
|
|
12/01/2006 |
|
|
|
11/21/2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,052 |
(1) |
|
|
4,696 |
(1) |
|
|
7,983 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
34.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Owen S. |
|
|
12/01/2006 |
|
|
|
11/21/2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,409 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
34.07 |
|
Denman |
|
|
1/29/2007 |
|
|
|
1/29/2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,689 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
30.36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Samir A.
Haidar |
|
|
12/01/2006 |
|
|
|
11/21/2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,761 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barry A.
Ruffalo |
|
|
03/22/2007 |
|
|
|
3/16/2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,530 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
31.36 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
These awards consist of both restricted stock units and performance stock
units granted in fiscal 2007 under the Companys 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These restricted
stock units vest 33 1/3% per year over three years and the performance stock units cliff vest in
fiscal 2010. The amounts shown equal the aggregate number of shares of common stock into which the
restricted stock units may convert if Messrs. Parod and Downing maintain their employment with the
Company for the entire vesting period and into which performance stock units will convert if
certain threshold, target and maximum performance objectives are met. |
|
(2) |
|
These awards consist entirely of restricted stock units granted in fiscal 2007
under the Companys 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These restricted stock units vest 33 1/3% per
year over three years. The amounts shown equal the number of shares of common stock into which the
restricted stock units may convert if Messrs. Denman and Ruffalo maintain their employment with the
Company for the entire vesting period. |
|
(3) |
|
As a foreign employee, Mr. Haidar received an award entirely in the form of cash
restricted stock units. Upon vesting, each cash restricted stock unit converts into the right to
receive a cash payment equal to the fair market value of one share of common stock on the
applicable vesting date. These cash restricted stock units vest 33 1/3% per year over three years.
The amount shown equals the number of shares of common stock that will be used to determine the
cash payment to Mr. Haidar if he maintains his employment with the Company for the entire vesting
period. |
17
The following table sets forth information concerning unexercised options, stock that has not vested and equity incentive plan awards for each of the Companys Named Executive
Officers that were outstanding as of the end of the last completed fiscal year.
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Option Awards |
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Stock Awards |
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Equity |
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Equity |
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Incentive Plan |
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Equity |
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Incentive Plan |
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Awards: |
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Incentive Plan |
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Awards: |
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Market or |
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Awards: |
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Number of |
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Payout Value |
|
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Number of |
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Numbers of |
|
Number of |
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
|
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Market Value |
|
Unearned |
|
of Unearned |
|
|
Securities |
|
Securities |
|
Securities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Number of |
|
of Shares or |
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Shares, Units |
|
Shares, Units |
|
|
Underlying |
|
Underlying |
|
Underlying |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
Shares or |
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Units of Stock |
|
or Other |
|
or Other |
|
|
Unexercised |
|
Unexercised |
|
Unexercised |
|
Option |
|
|
|
|
|
Units of Stock |
|
That Have |
|
Rights That |
|
Rights That |
|
|
Options |
|
Options |
|
Unearned |
|
Exercise |
|
Option |
|
That Have |
|
Not Been |
|
Have Not |
|
Have Not |
|
|
(#) |
|
(#) |
|
Options |
|
Price |
|
Expiration |
|
Not Vested |
|
Vested |
|
Vested |
|
Vested |
Name |
|
Exercisable |
|
Unexercisable |
|
(#) |
|
($) |
|
Date |
|
(#) |
|
($) |
|
(#) |
|
($)(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.00 |
|
|
|
3/8/2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,454 |
(1) |
|
|
221,051 |
|
Richard W. |
|
|
250,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.00 |
|
|
|
3/8/2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,051 |
(1) |
|
|
164,187 |
|
Parod |
|
|
36,000 |
|
|
|
9,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21.52 |
|
|
|
4/24/2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,451 |
(2) |
|
|
383,049 |
|
|
|
|
27,000 |
|
|
|
18,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25.77 |
|
|
|
4/22/2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,000 |
|
|
|
13,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.29 |
|
|
|
8/15/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,500 |
|
|
|
18,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19.33 |
|
|
|
11/8/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David B. |
|
|
4,500 |
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.70 |
|
|
|
8/30/2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
909 |
(1) |
|
|
36,842 |
|
Downing |
|
|
6,000 |
|
|
|
9,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.29 |
|
|
|
8/15/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,409 |
(1) |
|
|
57,106 |
|
|
|
|
750 |
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19.33 |
|
|
|
11/8/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,287 |
(2) |
|
|
133,222 |
|
Owen S. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,000 |
(1) |
|
|
81,060 |
|
Denman |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,409 |
(1) |
|
|
57,107 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,689 |
(1) |
|
|
149,515 |
|
Samir A. Haidar |
|
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18.50 |
|
|
|
4/27/2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
666 |
(3) |
|
|
26,993 |
|
|
|
|
2,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.50 |
|
|
|
5/3/2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,761 |
(3) |
|
|
71,373 |
|
Berry A. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,530 |
(1) |
|
|
62,011 |
|
Ruffalo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
These awards consist of restricted stock units granted under the Companys
2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These restricted stock units vest 33 1/3% per year, ratably vesting
on each November 1 following the end of the fiscal year of their respective grant date. |
|
(2) |
|
These awards consist of performance stock units granted under the Companys 2006
Long-Term Incentive Plan. These performance stock units cliff vest on November 1 following the end
of their respective three year performance period. Each performance stock unit converts into one
share of common stock if target levels of performance are achieved, but may ultimately convert into
a larger or smaller amount of stock depending upon actual performance achieved over the relevant
three-year performance period. |
|
(3) |
|
These awards consist of cash restricted stock units. The cash restricted stock
units vest in the same manner as the restricted stock units described in footnote (1) above.
However, upon vesting, each one of the cash restricted stock units converts into the right to
receive a cash payment equal to the market value of one share of Company common stock on the
vesting date. |
|
(4) |
|
The payout value of unearned shares or cash restricted stock units reflected in the
above table has been estimated by multiplying the grant date fair value of the Companys common
stock by the target number of unvested shares or cash restricted stock units. |
18
The following table sets forth information concerning exercised options and vesting of stock awards for
each of the Companys Named Executive Officers as of the end of the last completed fiscal year.
OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Option Awards |
|
Stock Awards(1) |
|
|
Number of Shares |
|
Value Realized on |
|
Number of Shares |
|
Value Realized on |
|
|
Acquired on Exercise |
|
Exercise |
|
Acquired on Vesting |
|
Vesting |
Name |
|
(#) |
|
($) |
|
(#) |
|
($) |
Richard W. Parod |
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
1,424,949 |
|
|
|
2,728 |
|
|
$ |
87,405 |
|
David B. Downing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
455 |
|
|
$ |
14,578 |
|
Owen S. Denman |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
$ |
32,040 |
|
Samir A. Haidar |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
334 |
(2) |
|
$ |
10,701 |
(2) |
Barry A. Ruffalo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
With the exception of Mr. Haidar, these awards consist of the portion of
restricted stock units granted during fiscal 2006 that vested and converted into shares of Company
common stock during fiscal 2007. The value realized upon vesting was calculated by multiplying the
number of vesting restricted stock units by the $32.04 closing price of the Companys common stock
on the November 1, 2006 vesting date. |
|
(2) |
|
Mr. Haidars award consisted of the portion of cash restricted stock units granted
during fiscal 2006 that vested and converted into the right to receive a cash payment during fiscal
2007. The value realized upon vesting was calculated by multiplying the number of vesting cash
restricted stock units by the $32.04 closing price of the Companys common stock on the November 1,
2006 vesting date. |
Pension Benefits
The Company does not provide for any defined benefit and actuarial pension plans for its Named
Executive Officers. Accordingly no tabular disclosure is being provided under this heading.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
The Company does not provide for any deferred compensation arrangements for its Named
Executive Officers. Accordingly no tabular disclosure is being provided under this heading.
Report of the Compensation Committee
On Executive Compensation
The Companys Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion
and Analysis contained in this Proxy Statement with management. Based on the Committees review of
and the discussions with management with respect to the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the
Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be
included in this Proxy Statement and in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended August 31, 2007 for filing with the SEC.
Larry H. Cunningham, Chairman
Michael N. Christodolou
J. David McIntosh
William F. Welsh II
Compensation of Directors
Directors who are not employees of the Company began fiscal 2007 receiving annual retainers of
$24,000, plus $1,200 per day for attending meetings (including teleconference meetings of four
hours or more) of the Board of Directors and $600 per day for other teleconference meetings of the
Board of Directors or for attending any separate meetings of committees of the Board of Directors.
Effective February 1, 2007, the Compensation Committee
19
increased the retainer paid to outside directors from $24,000 to $25,000 and increased the
payment for attending meetings (including teleconference meetings of four hours or more) from
$1,200 per day to $1,400 per day. Coincident with that increase, the Compensation Committee also
increased the fee paid for teleconference meetings of the Board of Directors of less than four
hours and for all other separate meetings of committees of the Board of Directors from $600 to
$800.
In addition, the Chairman of the Board of Directors began fiscal 2007 receiving $12,000 per
year for serving in that capacity. The Compensation Committee increased that amount to $16,000
effective February 1, 2007. The Chairman of the Audit Committee is paid $8,000 per year for
serving as such Chairman. The Chairman of the Compensation Committee began fiscal 2007 receiving
$4,000 per year for serving as such Chairman. The Compensation Committee increased that amount to
$6,000, effective February 1, 2007, in consideration of the increased demands placed on the
Compensation Committee Chairman due to the changes in the Companys incentive plans during fiscal
2007. Directors are reimbursed for expenses they incur in attending meetings.
Additionally, each non-employee director receives an annual grant of restricted stock units
with an award value of $35,000 with the award being made on the date of the Annual Meeting. The
number of restricted stock units to be awarded is based on the closing price of the Companys
common stock on the grant date, and the restricted stock units are payable in shares of common
stock under the 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2006 Plan). Accordingly on January 29, 2007,
each of Messrs. Buffett, Christodolou, Cunningham, McIntosh, Nahl and Welsh received an award of
1,153 restricted stock units. The restricted stock units vested on November 1, 2007.
The following table sets forth the compensation paid to the Companys directors in fiscal 2007. Mr. Parod also serves as a
director, but his compensation is discussed within the various tables included within the Compensation Discussion and Analysis
contained within this proxy statement.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pension |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value and |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Equity |
|
Nonqualified |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees Earned |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Incentive |
|
Deferred |
|
|
|
|
|
|
or Paid in |
|
|
|
|
|
Option |
|
Plan |
|
Compensation |
|
All Other |
|
|
|
|
Cash |
|
Stock Awards |
|
Awards |
|
Compensation |
|
Earnings |
|
Compensation |
|
Total |
Name |
|
($) |
|
($)(1) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) |
Howard G. Buffett |
|
|
30,984 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
65,984 |
|
Michael N. Christodolou |
|
|
56,384 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
91,384 |
|
Larry H. Cunningham |
|
|
41,951 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,951 |
|
J. David McIntosh |
|
|
40,984 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
75,984 |
|
Michael C. Nahl |
|
|
37,184 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
72,184 |
|
William F. Welsh II |
|
|
50,384 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
85,384 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
These awards consist of restricted stock units granted in fiscal 2007 under
the Companys 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These restricted stock units vested on November 1,
2007. |
Compensation Committee Interlocks
and Insider Participation
During fiscal 2007, there were no compensation committee interlocks and no insider
participation in compensation decisions that were required to be reported under the rules and
regulations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
20
Report of the Audit Committee
The following report of the Audit Committee shall not be deemed to be soliciting material or
to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall this report be incorporated by
reference into any filing made by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
The Audit Committee is comprised of William F. Welsh II (as Chairman), Michael N.
Christodolou, J. David McIntosh and Michael C. Nahl, each of whom is an independent director of the
Company under the rules adopted by Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock
Exchange.
The Companys management is responsible for the preparation of the Companys financial
statements and for maintaining an adequate system of internal controls and processes for that
purpose. KPMG LLP (KPMG) acts as the Companys independent auditors and they are responsible for
conducting an independent audit of the Companys annual financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards and issuing a report on the results of their audit. The
Audit Committee is responsible for providing independent, objective oversight of both of these
processes.
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the year
ended August 31, 2007 with management of the Company and with representatives of KPMG. Our
discussions with KPMG also included the matters required by Statement on Auditing Standard No. 61.
In addition, the Audit Committee reviewed the independence of KPMG. We have discussed KPMGs
independence with them and have received written disclosures and a letter from KPMG regarding their
independence as required by Independence Standards Board Standards No. 1.
Based on the reviews and discussions described above, the Audit Committee has recommended to
the full board of directors that the audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended
August 31, 2007 be included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
William F. Welsh II, Chairman
Michael N. Christodolou
J. David McIntosh
Michael C. Nahl
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
KPMG LLP, the Companys independent auditor since 2001, has been appointed by the Audit
Committee as the independent auditor for the Company and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year
ending August 31, 2008. This appointment is being presented to the stockholders for ratification.
The ratification of the appointment of the independent auditor requires the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting
and entitled to vote. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against ratification.
Broker nonvotes will not be considered shares entitled to vote with respect to ratification of the
appointment and will not be counted as votes for or against the ratification.
If stockholders fail to ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether to retain KPMG LLP, but may
ultimately decide to retain them. Any decision to retain KPMG LLP or another independent
registered public accounting firm will be made by the Audit Committee and will not be resubmitted
to stockholders. In addition, even if stockholders ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP, the Audit
Committee retains the right to appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm
for fiscal 2008 if it determines that it would be in the Companys best interests.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE
APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLP AS THE COMPANYS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31,
2008.
Representatives of KPMG LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will be
provided an opportunity to make a statement and to respond to appropriate inquiries from
stockholders.
21
Accounting Fees and Services
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees for professional services rendered by KPMG
for each of the last two fiscal years:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Category of Fee |
|
Fiscal 2007 |
|
Fiscal 2006 |
Audit Fees (1)
|
|
$ |
912,000 |
|
|
$ |
739,000 |
|
Audit-Related Fees (2)
|
|
$ |
21,500 |
|
|
$ |
14,000 |
|
Tax Fees (3)
|
|
$ |
104,500 |
|
|
$ |
34,000 |
|
All Other Fees (4)
|
|
$ |
96,500 |
|
|
$ |
189,000 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Audit fees consist of the audit of the Companys 2007 and 2006 annual financial
statements and review of the Companys quarterly financial statements during 2007 and 2006. |
|
(2) |
|
Audit-related fees were for audits of the Companys employee benefit plans. |
|
(3) |
|
Tax fees were for tax compliance. |
|
(4) |
|
All other fees were for financial due diligence of acquisition targets. |
As provided in its Charter, the Audit Committee must pre-approve all services provided to the
Company by its independent auditors. The Audit Committee approved all services provided by KPMG
LLP to the Company in fiscal 2007 and determined that the services listed above did not adversely
affect KPMG LLPs independence in providing audit services.
SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Stockholder proposals submitted for presentation at the Annual Meeting must be received by the
Secretary of the Company at its home office no later than December 31, 2007. Stockholder proposals
submitted for presentation at the Annual Meeting received after that date will be considered
untimely. Such proposals must set forth (i) a brief description of the business desired to be
brought before the annual meeting and the reason for conducting such business at the annual
meeting, (ii) the name and address of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the class and
number of shares of the Companys common stock beneficially owned by such stockholder and (iv) any
material interest of such stockholder in such business. Nominations for directors may be submitted
by stockholders by delivery of such nominations in writing to the Secretary of the Company by
December 31, 2007. Only stockholders of record as of December 4, 2007 are entitled to bring
business before the Annual Meeting or make nominations for directors.
In order to be included in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy relating to its
next annual meeting, stockholder proposals must be submitted by August 30, 2008 to the Secretary of
the Company at its principal executive offices. The inclusion of any such proposal in such proxy
material shall be subject to the requirements of the proxy rules adopted under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
OTHER MATTERS
Management does not intend to bring before the Annual Meeting any matters other than those
disclosed in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and it does not know of any business
which persons, other than management, intend to present at the Annual Meeting. The enclosed proxy
for the Annual Meeting confers discretionary authority on the Board of Directors to vote on any
matter properly presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting if the Company did not receive
written notice of the matter on or before November 12, 2007.
The Company will bear the cost of soliciting proxies. To the extent necessary, proxies may be
solicited by directors, officers and employees of the Company in person, by telephone or through
other forms of communication, but such persons will not receive any additional compensation for
such solicitation. The Company will reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries for reasonable expenses incurred by them in
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sending proxy materials to the
beneficial owners of the Companys shares. In addition to solicitation by mail, the Company will
supply banks, brokers, dealers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries with proxy materials
to enable them to send a copy of such materials by mail to each beneficial owner of shares of the
Companys common stock which they hold of record and will, upon request, reimburse them for their
reasonable expenses in so doing.
Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with the Chairman of the Board of
Directors, the Chairman of the Audit, Compensation or Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee, or any individual Director by sending a letter to the attention of the appropriate
person (which may be marked as confidential) addressed to the Secretary of the Company. All
communications received by the Secretary will be forwarded to the appropriate Board member. In
addition, it is the policy of the Board of Directors that the Companys Directors shall attend, and
will generally be available to discuss stockholder concerns at, the Annual Meeting of Stockholders,
whenever possible. All Board members attended last years annual meeting.
The Companys Annual Report, including the Form 10-K and financial statements filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is being mailed, together with this Proxy
Statement, to all stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. However, the Annual Report
is not to be considered part of this proxy solicitation material.
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By Order of the Board of Directors
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/s/ David B. Downing |
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David B. Downing, Secretary |
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Omaha, Nebraska
December 20, 2007 |
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LINDSAY CORPORATION
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LINDSAY CORPORATION FOR USE
ONLY AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 28, 2008 AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENT
THEREOF.
The undersigned hereby authorizes the Board of Directors of Lindsay Corporation (the
Company), or any successors in their respective positions, as proxy, with full powers of
substitution, to represent the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to
be held at the Companys corporate office, 2707 North 108th Street, Suite 102, Omaha,
Nebraska, on Monday, January 28, 2008, at 8:30 a.m., Central Standard Time, and at any adjournment
of said meeting, and thereat to act with respect to all votes that the undersigned would be
entitled to cast, if then personally present, in accordance with the instructions below and on the
reverse hereof.
This proxy is revocable and the undersigned may revoke it at any time prior to the Annual
Meeting by giving written notice of such revocation to the Secretary of the Company. Should the
undersigned be present and want to vote in person at the Annual Meeting or at any adjournment
thereof, the undersigned may revoke this proxy by giving written notice of such revocation to the
Secretary of the Company on a form provided at the meeting. The undersigned hereby acknowledges
receipt of a Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company called for January 28, 2008,
the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and the Companys 2007 Annual Report to Stockholders
prior to the signing of this proxy.
(continued and to be signed on the reverse hereof)
THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE
UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ELECTION OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR AND FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG AS
THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR.
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1. ELECTION OF
DIRECTOR.
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Michael N. Christodolou
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FOR the nominee
listed at left for term to
expire in 2011
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o
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to
vote for the nominee listed at
left |
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J. David McIntosh
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o
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FOR the nominee
listed at left for term to
expire in 2011
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o
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to
vote for the nominee listed at
left |
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2. AUDITOR. Ratification of the appointment of KPMG
LLP as the independent auditor for the fiscal year
ending August 31, 2008.
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o For
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Against
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o
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Abstain |
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3. To vote, in its discretion, upon any other business that may
properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof
which management did not have written notice of on November 12, 2007. |
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Address Change? Mark Box o indicate changes below: |
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Signature(s) in Box
Please sign exactly as name appears on this proxy. When shares
are held by joint tenants, both should sign. When signing as
attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please
give your full title. If a corporation, please sign in full
corporate name by authorized officer. If a partnership, please
sign in partnership name by authorized person. |
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PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY
CARD PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. |
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