PROPOSAL 3
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE COMPANY’S
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR 2020
Gray’s independent registered public accounting firm is appointed annually by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee examines a number of factors when selecting a firm, including the qualifications, staffing considerations, and the independence and quality controls of the firms considered. The Audit Committee has appointed RSM US LLP as Gray’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements and our internal control over financial reporting for the year ending December 31, 2020. RSM US LLP has served as Gray’s independent registered public accounting firm since 2006 and is considered by management to be well-qualified.
Shareholder ratification of the selection of RSM US LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm is not required but is being presented to our shareholders as a matter of good corporate practice. Notwithstanding shareholder ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a new independent registered public accounting firm if the Audit Committee believes that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Should the shareholders not ratify the selection of RSM US LLP as Gray’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2020 under this proposal, it is contemplated that the appointment of RSM US LLP for 2020 will nevertheless be permitted to stand unless the Audit Committee, on reconsideration, finds other compelling reasons for making a change.
Representatives of RSM US LLP are expected to be present at the 2020 Annual Meeting and, if present, will be given the opportunity to make a statement, if they desire, and to respond to appropriate questions.
Fees
The fees billed by RSM US LLP for 2019 and 2018 were as follows:
|
|
2019
($)
|
|
|
2018
($)
|
|
Audit fees (1)
|
|
$
|
1,701,234
|
|
|
$
|
1,045,325
|
|
Audit-related fees (2)
|
|
|
77,519
|
|
|
|
79,235
|
|
Tax fees
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
All other fees (3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
87,675
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
1,778,753
|
|
|
$
|
1,212,235
|
|
(1)
|
Audit fees include fees and expenses for the audit of the Company’s financial statements and internal control over financial reporting and fees for quarterly reviews of our reports on Form 10-Q.
|
(2)
|
Audit related fees were fees and expenses for audits of our employee benefit plans.
|
(3)
|
All other fees were for services provided in connection with various financing activities.
|
All audit related services, tax services and other non-audit services provided to the Company by RSM US LLP must be, and all such services and the expenses related to such services in 2019 and 2018 were, pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which also concluded that the provision of such services was compatible with the maintenance of RSM US LLP’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions.
In accordance with its written charter, the Audit Committee reviews and discusses with RSM US LLP, on a periodic basis, any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent registered public accounting firm and pre-approves all audit and permitted non-audit services (including the fees and terms thereof) to be performed for us by our independent registered public accounting firm.
The Board recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2020.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
We have adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to all of our directors, executive officers and employees. If any waiver of this Code of Ethics is granted to an executive officer, the waiver will be disclosed in a SEC filing on Form 8-K. Our Code of Ethics and the written charters of our Audit Committee, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Compensation Committee, as well as our Corporate Governance Principles, are available on our website at www.gray.tv in the Investor Relations section under the subheading Governance Documents. All such information is also available in print to any shareholder upon request by telephone at (404) 266-8333.
After considering all applicable regulatory requirements and assessing the materiality of each director’s relationship with us, our Board has affirmatively determined that the following directors are independent in accordance with Sections 303A.02(a) and (b) of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) listing standards and the standards set forth in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “IRC”) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”): Messrs. Boger, Elder, Garcia, Hare, McTear and Newton. In making its independence determinations, the Board considered the following relationships between the Company and its directors, entities associated with directors, or members of their immediate families:
|
●
|
Mr. Howell’s status as an executive officer and his family relationships with Mrs. Howell and Mrs. Harriett Robinson, a director emeritus of the Company who is Mr. Howell’s mother-in-law and Mrs. Howell’s mother, and who, together with Mr. and Mrs. Howell, beneficially owns in excess of 38.1% of the outstanding combined voting power of common stock and Class A common stock;
|
|
●
|
Mr. LaPlatney’s status as an executive officer of the Company; and
|
|
●
|
Mrs. Howell’s family relationships with Mr. Howell and Mrs. Robinson.
|
Gray encourages interested parties to communicate with its Board. Any interested party who wishes to communicate with the Board or with any particular director, including any independent director, may send a letter to our Corporate Secretary, Gray Television, Inc., 4370 Peachtree Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30319, which communications will be forwarded to the Board by the Company’s Corporate Secretary. Any communication should indicate that you are an interested party and clearly specify that such communication is intended to be made to the entire Board or to one or more particular directors.
The Board does not have a formal policy with respect to attendance at annual meetings of shareholders, but the Board has historically held a regularly scheduled meeting in connection with each annual meeting of the shareholders, and directors are expected to attend. All director nominees who were then serving as directors of the Company attended the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
In accordance with Section 303A.03 of the NYSE listing standards, the independent non-management directors meet in executive sessions without management or non-independent directors present on a periodic basis. These meetings were held four times during 2019. Mr. Newton, as Lead Independent Director of the Board, presided over these meetings.
Consistent with our belief that our leadership structure should reflect the best interests of the Company and our shareholders, we have not adopted a written policy with regard to whether or not the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board should be held by separate individuals. Rather, we believe that the Board should remain free to determine the Company’s oversight and leadership structure from time to time based upon the availability of qualified and competent candidates. Beginning in April 2016, in light of, among other things, the Company’s significant growth and related increase in operational complexity, the desire to ensure effective communication between management and the Board, to provide strong and consistent leadership through a unified voice for the Company, and to help ensure that the Chief Executive Officer understands and can effectively and efficiently oversee the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the Board, the Board appointed Mr. Howell to the additional role of Chairman of the Board, and then as Executive Chairman in 2019, and appointed Mr. Newton, who is an independent director, to serve in the newly created role of Lead Independent Director of the Board. As Lead Independent Director, Mr. Newton, who also serves on each committee of the Board, among other things:
|
●
|
presides over Board meetings in the absence of the Executive Chairman;
|
|
●
|
presides over executive sessions of the independent directors;
|
|
●
|
serves as a liaison between the independent directors and the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer;
|
|
●
|
coordinates with the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in developing and approving agendas, schedules, and materials for Board meetings; and
|
|
●
|
is available for consultation with significant shareholders.
|
With respect to potential transactions with related parties required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, the Audit Committee charter provides that the Audit Committee must review and approve such transactions in advance after full disclosure of the nature and extent of the related party’s interest in any such transaction. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for a description of such related party transactions since the beginning of 2019 or that are currently proposed.
Management of the Company is responsible for the Company’s day-to-day risk management, and the Board serves in an oversight role, including with respect to risk management. The Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling this risk management oversight function. The Audit Committee and management of the Company periodically review the Company’s policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including major financial risk exposures and the internal controls and procedures in place to manage such risks. In addition, the Audit Committee and the Board consider risk-related matters on an on-going basis in connection with deliberations regarding specific transactions and issues.
Board Committees and Membership
The Board held five meetings during 2019. During 2019, each of the directors attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board and meetings of all committees of the Board on which such director served.
Our Board has the following committees: the Audit Committee, the Executive Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Executive Committee is authorized between meetings of the Board, to manage and direct our affairs, except as otherwise provided by law or as otherwise directed by the Board. All actions by the Executive Committee are subject to revision and alteration by the Board, provided that no rights of third parties shall be affected by any such revision or alteration. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Boger, Howell and Newton.
The purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in its oversight of the integrity of the Company’s financial statements; the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; and the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditor. The Audit Committee held four meetings during 2019. The current members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Boger, Elder, Hare and Newton (as Chairman). The Board has affirmatively determined that each of Mr. Elder and Mr. Hare is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined under applicable SEC rules. The identification of each of Mr. Elder and Mr. Hare as an audit committee financial expert does not impose on him any duties, obligations or liabilities that are greater than the duties, obligations and liabilities imposed on the other members of the Audit Committee. The Board has determined that all members of the Audit Committee are independent in accordance with NYSE and SEC rules governing audit committee member independence. The report of the Audit Committee is set forth in this proxy statement under the heading “Report of Audit Committee.”
The purpose of the Compensation Committee is to carry out the overall responsibility of the Board relating to executive officer compensation. In carrying out this purpose, the Compensation Committee has the responsibility to, among other things, establish and review the overall compensation philosophy of the Company; review and approve our goals and objectives relevant to the CEO’s and other executive officers’ compensation; and evaluate the performance of the CEO and other executive officers in light of established goals and objectives and, based on such evaluation, determine and approve compensation of the CEO and other executive officers. The Compensation Committee also administers the Company’s various equity incentive plans. The Compensation Committee held six meetings in 2019. The current members of the Compensation Committee are Messrs. Boger (as Chairman), Garcia and Newton. The Board has affirmatively determined that all members of the Compensation Committee are independent, in accordance with NYSE, SEC and IRC rules governing independence. The report of the Compensation Committee is set forth in this proxy statement under the heading “Report of Compensation Committee.”
The purpose of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to shareholders by identifying individuals qualified to become directors of the Company, recommending candidates to the Board for all directorships, developing and recommending to the Board an applicable set of corporate governance principles, and overseeing the evaluation of the Board and management. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held three meetings in 2019. The current members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are Messrs. Boger, Hare (as Chairman) and Newton. The Board has determined that all members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent in accordance with NYSE and SEC rules governing nominating committee independence. In recommending candidates to the Board for nomination as directors, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee strives to identify individuals who bring a unique perspective to Gray’s leadership and contribute to the overall diversity of our Board. Although the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not adopted a specific written diversity policy for nominations, we believe that a diversity of experience, gender, race, ethnicity and age contributes to effective governance for the benefit of our shareholders. In practice, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers such characteristics together with the other qualities considered necessary by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, such as requisite judgment, skill, integrity and experience. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not assign a particular weight to these individual factors. Rather, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee looks for a mix of factors that, when considered along with the experience and credentials of the other candidates and existing directors, will provide shareholders with a diverse and experienced Board. Historically, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not determined a need to use a recruiting firm to assist with this process.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider recommendations for director nominees submitted by shareholders. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s evaluation of candidates recommended by our shareholders does not differ materially from its evaluation of candidates recommended from other sources. Shareholders wishing to recommend director candidates for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may do so by writing to our Corporate Secretary, giving the candidate’s name, biographical data, qualifications and all other information that is required to be disclosed under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. The foregoing information should be forwarded to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, c/o Corporate Secretary, Gray Television, Inc., 4370 Peachtree Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30319.
STOCK OWNERSHIP
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Class A common stock and our common stock as of March 9, 2020 by (i) any person who is known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5.0% of our Class A common stock or our common stock, (ii) our current directors (all of whom are also nominees for director), (iii) each current executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table below and (iv) all current directors, director nominees, and current executive officers as a group. For purposes of this table, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if he or she has or shares the power to vote or to direct the voting of such security, or the power to dispose or to direct the disposition of such security. Accordingly, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities that such person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of within 60 days. Except as otherwise indicated, the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them. The information as to beneficial ownership has been furnished by the respective persons listed in the following table. The percentages of each class are based on 7,048,006 shares of Class A common stock and 92,726,807 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 9, 2020. Shares underlying outstanding stock options exercisable within 60 days of such date are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of calculating the percentage owned by such holder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined
Voting Power
of Common
Stock and
Class A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
|
Class A Common Stock
|
|
|
Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
Common
|
|
|
|
Beneficially Owned (GTNA)
|
|
|
(GTN)
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
Name
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
Richard L. Boger
|
|
|
16,383
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
32,438
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
T. L. Elder
|
|
|
25,060
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
33,696
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Luis A. Garcia
|
|
|
6,917
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
11,068
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Richard B. Hare
|
|
|
9,607
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
11,958
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.(1)
|
|
|
2,241,473
|
|
|
|
31.8
|
%
|
|
|
1,709,575
|
|
|
|
1.8
|
%
|
|
|
14.8
|
%
|
Robin R. Howell(2)
|
|
|
2,241,473
|
|
|
|
31.8
|
%
|
|
|
1,709,575
|
|
|
|
1.8
|
%
|
|
|
14.8
|
%
|
Howell W. Newton
|
|
|
22,195
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
56,491
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney(3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
359,304
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Paul H. McTear
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
33,088
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Harriett J. Robinson(4)
|
|
|
4,736,762
|
|
|
|
67.2
|
%
|
|
|
1,635,486
|
|
|
|
1.8
|
%
|
|
|
30.0
|
%
|
Kevin P. Latek(5)
|
|
|
53,517
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
437,602
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
James C. Ryan(6)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
451,235
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Robert L. Smith(7)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
193,268
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
*
|
|
Atlantic American Corporation(8)
|
|
|
880,272
|
|
|
|
12.5
|
%
|
|
|
106,000
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
Dimensional Fund Advisors, LP(9)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
7,050,506
|
|
|
|
7.6
|
%
|
|
|
4.3
|
%
|
BlackRock, Inc.(10)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
6,716,160
|
|
|
|
7.2
|
%
|
|
|
4.1
|
%
|
Darsana Capital Partners LP(11)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
8,000,000
|
|
|
|
8.6
|
%
|
|
|
4.9
|
%
|
FMR, LLC(12)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
5,616,457
|
|
|
|
6.1
|
%
|
|
|
3.4
|
%
|
Associated Entities of Retirement Systems of Alabama(13)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
7,126,750
|
|
|
|
7.7
|
%
|
|
|
4.4
|
%
|
All current directors, director nominees and executive officers as a group (13 persons)(14)
|
|
|
6,112,914
|
|
|
|
86.7
|
%
|
|
|
4,132,709
|
|
|
|
4.4
|
%
|
|
|
39.9
|
%
|
(1)
|
Includes: (a) 81,635 shares of Class A common stock and 36,913 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Howell’s wife or children directly, as to which shares he disclaims beneficial ownership; (b) 999,000 shares of Class A common stock; (c) 832,500 shares of common stock held in trusts for the benefit of his children, as to which shares he disclaims beneficial ownership; (d) 500 shares of Class A common stock owned by his children as to which shares he disclaims beneficial ownership; and (e) 6,841 shares of common stock held through his 401(k) plan. Also includes options to purchase 153,062 shares of common stock, which are currently exercisable, and 480,042 restricted shares of Class A common stock as to which Mr. Howell has voting, but not dispositive, power, and 140,657 restricted shares of common stock, as to which Mr. Howell has voting, but not dispositive, power.
|
(2)
|
Includes: (a) an aggregate of 1,160,338 shares of Class A common stock and 687,100 shares of common stock owned directly by Mrs. Howell’s husband or held through his 401(k) plan (including the 480,042 restricted shares of Class A common stock and 140,657 restricted shares of common stock included in note (1) above); (b) options to purchase 153,062 shares of common stock held Mrs. Howell’s husband, which are currently exercisable; (c) 500 shares of Class A common stock owned by her children; and (d) 999,000 shares of Class A common stock and 832,500 shares of common stock held in trusts for the benefit of her children. Mrs. Howell disclaims beneficial ownership of all such securities. In addition, this excludes shares beneficially held by Mrs. Robinson as trustee for the benefit of Mrs. Howell, as to which Mrs. Howell has no voting or dispositive power.
|
(3)
|
Includes 162,075 restricted shares of common stock as to which Mr. LaPlatney has voting, but not dispositive power.
|
(4)
|
Includes an aggregate of 2,188,180 shares of Class A common stock and 942,250 shares of the common stock held by various trusts for the benefit of Mrs. Robinson’s daughters or grandchildren, with respect to which Mrs. Robinson serves as trustee. Mrs. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership of all such securities. Also, this includes an aggregate of 1,540,115 shares of Class A common stock and 251,000 shares of common stock owned by certain entities controlled by Mrs. Robinson. The address for Mrs. Robinson is 4370 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30319.
|
(5)
|
Includes options to purchase 64,286 shares of common stock, which are currently exercisable and 187,404 restricted shares of common stock as to which Mr. Latek has voting, but not dispositive, power.
|
(6)
|
Includes: (a) 7,117 shares of common stock held through his 401(k) plan; (b) options to purchase 57,398 shares of common stock, which are currently exercisable; and (c) 178,086 restricted shares of common stock as to which Mr. Ryan has voting, but not dispositive, power.
|
(7)
|
Includes: (a) 69 shares of common stock held through his 401(k) plan; and (b) 138,373 restricted shares of common stock as to which Mr. Smith has voting, but not dispositive, power.
|
(8)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on December 18, 2019 by Atlantic American Corporation. Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, owns directly 880,272 shares of Class A Common Stock. The address of Atlantic American Corporation is 4370 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.
|
(9)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 12, 2020 by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP as an investment advisor or investment manager. The address of Dimensional Fund Advisors LP is Building One, 6300 Bee Cave Road, Austin, Texas 78746.
|
(10)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 5, 2020 by BlackRock, Inc. The address of BlackRock, Inc. is 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.
|
(11)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 14, 2019 by Darsana Master Fund LP. The address of Darsana Master Fund LP is 40 West 57th Street, 15th Floor, New York, New York 10019.
|
(12)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 7, 2020 by FMR, LLC. The address of FMR, LLC is 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
|
(13)
|
This information is based solely on Gray’s review of a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 24, 2020 by Retirement Systems of Alabama and the RSA Entities (as defined below). Represents (i) 4,158,670 shares of Common Stock held of record by Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama (“TRS”), (ii) 2,968,080 shares of common stock held of record by Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama (“ERS”) (which includes and administers the Judicial Retirement Fund) (together with TRS, the “RSA Entities”). The address for each of the RSA Entities is c/o Retirement Systems of Alabama, P.O. Box 302150, Montgomery AL 36130-2150.
|
(14)
|
Includes: (a) options to purchase 274,746 shares of common stock, which are currently exercisable, (b) 480,042 restricted shares of Class A common stock and 847,776 restricted shares of common stock, as to which the directors and executive officers have voting, but not dispositive, power and (c) shares held by Mrs. Robinson, director emeritus.
|
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Named Executive Officers
The following discussion is focused primarily on the Company’s compensation philosophy, policies and programs as they relate to, and amounts paid or payable to, our executive officers for their services during 2019. Those executive officers consist of the following individuals, who are referred to as our “named executive officers” or the “NEOs”:
Name
|
|
Executive
Officer Since
|
|
Age
|
|
Positions
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
2000
|
|
58
|
|
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer(1)
|
Donald P. ( "Pat" ) LaPlatney
|
|
2019
|
|
60
|
|
President and Co-Chief Executive Officer(1)
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
1998
|
|
59
|
|
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
2012
|
|
49
|
|
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Development Officer and Secretary
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
2018
|
|
57
|
|
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Local Media
|
(1)
|
Effective January 2, 2019, Mr. Howell’s title became Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. LaPlatney became President and Co-Chief Executive Officer.
|
Philosophy and Elements of Compensation Program
The goals of our executive compensation program are to attract, retain, motivate and reward our executive officers. We believe that the most appropriate executive compensation program is one that is competitive, yet conservatively designed, and that aligns long-term compensation with the creation of shareholder value and good corporate governance.
Our executive compensation program design reflects the following best practices:
What We Do
|
|
What We Don’t Do
|
■ Provide pay opportunities that are appropriate to the size of the Company;
■ Disclose financial performance metrics and goals used in our incentives programs;
■ Provide only limited perquisites;
■ Maintain meaningful executive stock ownership and retention guidelines;
■ Annually review the risk profile of compensation programs and maintain risk mitigators;
■ Provide moderate change-in-control protection;
■ Require double-trigger vesting on long-term equity awards;
■ Maintain a clawback policy allowing recovery of cash or equity-based compensation upon a material financial restatement;
■ Retain an independent compensation consultant engaged by, and who reports directly to, the Compensation Committee; and
■ Align pay with performance, as a majority of compensation is performance-based.
|
■ Pay dividends or dividend equivalents on unearned equity awards;
■ Allow repricing or backdating of stock options without shareholder approval;
■ Provide excise tax gross ups;
■ Allow executive officers to hedge Company stock;
■ Provide special supplemental executive retirement programs; and
■ Provide tax gross-ups on perquisites.
|
|
|
|
|
The overall compensation program for our executive officers is designed to provide the Compensation Committee with the flexibility to offer a combination of cash (fixed and incentive-based) and equity-based compensation opportunities in order to retain, motivate and reward our executive officers, as well as to align their interests with those of our shareholders. To accomplish these goals, the Compensation Committee strives to achieve an appropriate level of compensation in order to:
|
●
|
motivate the executive officers to deliver superior performance in the short-term by providing competitive base salary increases, and annual incentive opportunities based upon satisfying specific achievements;
|
|
●
|
align the interests of the executive officers with the long-term interests of our shareholders through the grant of equity-based compensation that offers market-competitive, long-term compensation opportunities, with the potential for above-market compensation in extraordinary circumstances;
|
|
●
|
provide upside and downside risk aligned with other shareholders through meaningful executive stock ownership;
|
|
●
|
provide an overall compensation package that promotes executive retention and is aligned with the defined target market position; and
|
|
●
|
in exceptional circumstances, reward extraordinary performance with special one-time awards.
|
The primary components of our executive compensation and benefit programs are summarized in the following table:
Program Element
|
|
|
Purpose/Objective
|
Fixed
|
Base Salary
|
|
■
|
Provide a base level of compensation that is competitive in relation to the responsibilities of each executive’s position in order to attract and retain the talent needed to successfully manage our business and execute our strategies, and reward individual performance
|
At Risk
|
Annual Non-Equity Incentive Opportunity
Long-Term Equity Incentive Opportunity
|
|
■
|
Promote the achievement of the Company’s annual financial goals
|
|
■
|
Align the interests of executives with those of our shareholders
|
|
■
|
Motivate and reward executives based upon our success in delivering superior value to our shareholders
|
|
■
|
Retain the executive talent necessary to successfully manage our business and execute our strategies
|
Benefits
|
Retirement Programs
|
|
■
|
Reward employees for saving for retirement and provide a competitive level of benefits consistent with market
|
|
Perquisites
|
|
■
|
Provide limited additional benefits consistent with competitive practices
|
|
|
|
■
|
Increase efficiencies and allow more productive use of NEOs’ time and therefore greater focus on company-related activities
|
|
Post-Termination
Compensation and Benefits
|
|
■
|
Attract and retain high-quality executives by providing a reasonable level of financial stability in the event of involuntary termination
|
Overview of 2019 Performance and Compensation
Actual compensation paid in and for 2019 was intended to reward a number of significant achievements during the year that the Committee believes resulted from not only the extraordinary strategic undertakings by senior management, but also their operational successes, all of which continue to contribute to building long-term value for the Company’s shareholders, including, but not limited to the following:
|
●
|
achieving record annual revenue of $2.1 billion, which was nearly double that of 2018, including record revenue in each quarter of 2019;
|
|
●
|
ranking first among television broadcast affiliate groups in portfolio quality based upon station rankings in audience ratings;
|
|
●
|
ranking first among publicly-traded television broadcast affiliate groups in broadcast and political revenue per television household according to the most recent data available;
|
|
●
|
completing the merger with, and successfully integrating, Raycom Media, Inc. (“Raycom”), effectuating Gray’s transformation from a small, regional broadcaster to a leading media company with nationwide scale based on highly-rated stations with exceptional talent in attractive markets (the “Raycom Merger”);
|
|
●
|
extensive investment in multiple material acquisition transaction opportunities (that were eventually and prudently suspended by the Company); and
|
|
●
|
further strengthening our operational efficiency, including through achieving approximately $85 million in revenue and cost synergies following the Raycom Merger, as well as reducing our net leverage and strengthening our balance sheet through our financial performance and voluntary pre-payments totaling $200 million on the term loan outstanding under our senior credit facility, using cash from operations.
|
As a result of these and other accomplishments by management throughout 2019, the annual non-equity incentive compensation program paid out at 140% of target for all NEOs, including the CEO.
A majority of total compensation in 2019 (base salary, non-equity incentive compensation paid and long-term equity incentive awards granted) is considered “at risk”, meaning that the compensation is tied to stock price volatility or would only be earned by the Company or the individual meeting annual performance goals. The composition of “at risk” pay in 2019 for the NEOs was as follows:
Compensation Framework: How We Make Decisions
Role of the Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee of the Board maintains responsibility for establishing, reviewing and implementing our overall executive compensation philosophy. The Compensation Committee also administers our executive compensation programs through the development, evaluation and implementation of director and officer compensation plans, policies and arrangements; the approval of the compensation of each of our named executive officers; and establishing the compensation of our Board. The Compensation Committee consists of three members of our Board, Messrs. Boger (as Chairman), Garcia and Newton. The Board has affirmatively determined that all members of the Compensation Committee are independent in accordance with applicable NYSE, SEC and IRC rules governing independence.
Role of the Independent Compensation Consultant
In evaluating, developing and implementing a compensation framework, policies and awards, the Compensation Committee works closely with an independent compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee directly hires, and has sole authority to terminate, the compensation consultant and to determine the terms and conditions of their engagement. The compensation consultant reports directly to the Compensation Committee.
In 2019, the Compensation Committee continued to work with Meridian Compensation Consultants, LLC (“Meridian”), a leading compensation consulting firm, as its compensation consultant to advise the Compensation Committee in connection with the development and ongoing implementation of Gray’s compensation philosophy, policies and practices, including through:
|
●
|
striving to ensure an appropriate benchmarking of compensation for each executive based on his role, as compared to market data for similar roles within the Company’s peer group, including an annual review, and updates where appropriate to that peer group, described below;
|
|
●
|
establishing goals under the Company’s annual non-equity incentive compensation program based on achievement of defined quantitative financial metrics, as well as qualitative goals and objectives established in the first quarter of the fiscal year;
|
|
●
|
evaluating developments at the Company, in the television broadcast industry and the economy to ensure the Company’s incentive compensation program operates effectively and provides appropriate compensation and retention incentives to the executives; and
|
|
●
|
applying appropriately updated methodologies and market data in making incentive compensation decisions, all as described below.
|
The Compensation Committee takes steps to monitor and manage the independence of its compensation consultant, and as part of that process annually reviews the role and responsibilities of the compensation consultant and considers the six independence factors established by the SEC related to conflicts of interest. As a result of the policies and procedures in place with respect to the compensation consultant, the Compensation Committee believes that the compensation consultant is able to provide candid, direct and objective advice to the Compensation Committee that is not influenced by management. Meridian does not have a relationship with, nor in 2019 did it provide any services to, the Company or the Compensation Committee other than in connection with the engagement as described above. As a result, the Compensation Committee believes that Meridian is fully independent for purposes of serving as the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant.
Role of Executive Officers
At the request of the Compensation Committee, Mr. Howell, the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, often participates in meetings of the Compensation Committee to provide input and answer questions related to management, business objectives and the performance of Gray and its executive officers. Mr. Howell presents individual pay recommendations for each of the NEOs, other than himself, and provides updates to the Committee on individual and Company performance as it relates to incentive plan progress. Neither Mr. Howell nor any other employee of the Company is present when the Compensation Committee meets in executive session to make executive officer compensation decisions.
Mr. Latek and Mr. Ryan may also participate in Compensation Committee meetings at the request of the Committee from time to time to provide input and recommendations for consideration of elements of program design and factors to be considered in establishing incentive compensation objectives.
Consideration of Say-On-Pay Vote and Related Matters
Since the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Act, Gray’s shareholders have been given the right to vote to approve, on an advisory, non-binding basis, the compensation of Gray’s NEOs at specified intervals. At Gray’s 2017 Annual Meeting, the shareholders approved a proposal providing that the shareholders would continue to vote on such compensation every three years. Consequently, Gray’s shareholders will be provided the opportunity to vote to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of Gray’s NEOs at the 2020 Annual Meeting. See “Proposal 2 - Advisory Approval of Executive Compensation.”
Since the last say-on-pay vote in 2017, the Compensation Committee engaged Meridian to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of our executive compensation program structure and governance processes and has continually reviewed the goals, elements and operation of our compensation programs. These affirmative efforts by the Compensation Committee have resulted in the following changes:
What We Heard
|
How We Responded
|
Concerns over discretionary bonus payouts despite failure to meet performance thresholds under the program
|
■
|
Reviewed annual non-equity incentive program design relative to peers to better understand the competitive landscape
|
■
|
Redesigned annual non-equity incentive program to include qualitative factors that have typically been rewarded for outside of the program formula on a discretionary basis
|
■
|
Added an individual performance multiplier (beginning in 2018) to enable differentiation based on individual contributions
|
Lack of transparency in proxy disclosure related to annual incentive program performance
|
■
|
Enhanced our Compensation Discussion and Analysis disclosure to help readers better understand the compensation program features, rationale for metric selection, impact of prospective changes made and are able to tie overall business strategy to pay results
|
Lack of performance-vesting criteria on equity grants
|
■
|
Added performance vesting criteria to the long-term incentive equity award for the CEO (and for our Co-CEO starting in 2019)
|
No risk mitigators in place
|
■
|
Adopted stock ownership guidelines for executive officers and directors to promote stock ownership and ensure alignment with shareholders
|
■
|
Adopted a clawback policy for bonus or incentive payments in the event that a restatement adversely impacts performance metrics or targets used to determine payouts of incentive awards, in order to mitigate compensation-related risks
|
■
|
Adopted an anti-hedging policy that prohibits directors and executive officers from engaging in derivative or hedging transactions involving the Company’s securities
|
■
|
Moved from single trigger to double trigger change-in-control vesting restrictions for equity awards to motivate the executives to maximize the deal value for the longer term
|
Other governance items of interest
|
■
|
Implemented a change-in-control severance plan (which excludes excise tax gross-ups) given industry consolidation and a desire to maintain continuity of executive team in the event of such a transaction
|
■
|
Revised compensation benchmarking peer group to include companies that more closely align to the broadcasting industry
|
We value our shareholders’ input, and our goal is to continue to enjoy strong shareholder support for our compensation programs by designing our compensation programs to support our overall compensation philosophy and to align with the creation of shareholder value. The Compensation Committee is committed to continuing to seek investor feedback on executive compensation issues and to design and implement compensation programs that not only serve to attract, incent and retain its key executive officers but also serve the long-term interests of our shareholders.
Determining Competitive Practices
The Compensation Committee, with the assistance of Meridian, has established, and evaluates the compensation policies and practices of, a peer group for purposes of determining appropriate compensation structure, types and amounts for our executive officers. Specifically, for 2019, the Compensation Committee used the peer group for relevant executive compensation comparisons such as market valuations of similar positions, and benchmarked certain compensation amounts and opportunities for each executive officer to market data for executives performing similar roles at peer group companies.
Following an analysis by the Compensation Committee, with the assistance of its compensation consultant and executive officers, in late 2018 the Committee used the following compensation peer group to develop benchmarking data for each of the executive officers:
AMC Networks Inc.
|
Lee Enterprises Inc.
|
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
|
The E.W. Scripps Company
|
IAC/InterActive Corp
|
TEGNA, Inc.
|
Entercom Communications Corp.
|
Meredith Corporation
|
Tribune Media Company
|
Entravision Communications Corp.
|
The New York Times Company
|
Tribune Publishing Company
|
Gannett Co., Inc.
|
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
|
Urban One, Inc.
|
|
Pandora Media Inc.
|
Yelp Inc.
|
|
|
|
As part of the Committee’s ongoing review and analysis of the members of the peer group, in late 2019 the Compensation Committee determined to modify the peer group to account for the increased size and scale of the Company after completing the Raycom Merger, as well as the continuing consolidation within the broadcasting industry. As a result, for compensation decisions for 2020, the Compensation Committee modified the peer group to remove the following companies: Entravision Communications Corp., Lee Enterprises Inc., Pandora Media Inc., Tribune Media Company, and Urban One, Inc.
The Compensation Committee believes that the use of peer group benchmarking for executive compensation determination is appropriate and provides data relevant in helping the Compensation Committee execute on its philosophy.
Process for Establishing Executive Officer Total Compensation
Peer group data is one of many inputs used by the Compensation Committee when establishing pay levels for the Company’s NEOs. In establishing NEO compensation levels for 2019, the Compensation Committee with input from the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (with respect to the other executive officers) and its independent compensation consultant, considered and evaluated historical and expected executive performance, peer group compensation metrics, internal pay equity considerations and a competitive market study prepared by the compensation consultant.
Compensation Decisions Made for 2019
Base Salary
The base salary element of our executive compensation program provides each NEO with a fixed amount of annual cash compensation, intended to ensure an appropriate amount of financial certainty. Salaries for the NEOs are generally subject to annual review and adjustment by the Compensation Committee based on the size and complexity of the Company and its operations, the scope of each individual executive’s role, the knowledge and experience of the individual executive, the competitiveness of the executive’s total compensation as compared to the peer group, the performance of the incumbent and other factors.
Consistent with its practice of making initial compensation decisions for a fiscal year in the first quarter of each year, the Compensation Committee approved our NEOs’ base salaries for 2019 at its meeting in February 2019. At that time, and after consideration of the factors described above, the Compensation Committee approved the following base salary increases for the NEOs to more closely align with the competitive market and desired pay positioning, and to reward for individual performance contributions from the prior year:
Name
|
|
2018
Base Salary
($)
|
|
|
2019
Base Salary
($)
|
|
|
% Increase
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
|
1,113,600
|
|
|
|
1,180,416
|
|
|
|
6.0%
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
|
684,834
|
|
|
|
725,924
|
|
|
|
6.0%
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
|
720,565
|
|
|
|
763,799
|
|
|
|
6.0%
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
|
609,500
|
|
|
|
646,070
|
|
|
|
6.0%
|
|
The Compensation Committee expects to continue to monitor the named executive officers’ base salaries, and make adjustments from time to time as appropriate.
Annual Non-Equity Incentive Compensation Program
The objective of our annual non-equity incentive compensation program is to focus executive officers on attaining specific short-term financial and operational goals that contribute to the long-term success of our business. The annual non-equity incentive compensation program is designed to reward achievement of both Company performance as well as individual performance, when warranted.
The program is designed with the ability to modify the payout of the award +/- 25% based upon individual performance, if warranted, but not to exceed the overall maximum payout amount of 200% of target. In 2019, the overall program design was similar to 2018, with 60% of the target opportunity earned based on performance against select quantitative financial metrics and 40% earned based on performance against qualitative goals that focus on operational and strategic metrics. Goals are determined at the Compensation Committee’s regularly scheduled meeting in the first quarter of each year after a review of financial and other performance data from the prior year and certain internally forecasted financial information. The quantitative metrics are designed to provide focus and certainty for management in striving to achieve pre-established financial goals that will lead to overall company success. Qualitative performance metrics will generally be chosen from those the Compensation Committee deems appropriate to motivate the Company’s executive officers towards the achievement of performance-based objectives that are in the Company’s long-term best interests.
Quantitative Performance Metrics (60% weight)
In 2019, the Compensation Committee again selected the following three quantitative metrics against which to measure performance – which are considered by management to be critical factors in driving revenue and profitability for the Company:
Revenue Net of Acquired
Stations and Political
(weighted 15%)
|
●
|
Calculated total revenue net of agency commissions, and excluding revenue from any stations acquired in the current year and political advertising revenue.
|
Revenue from Acquired
Stations and Political
(weighted 15%)
|
●
|
Defined as total revenues (net of agency commissions) from any stations acquired in the current year and political advertising revenue.
|
Broadcast Cash Flow Net of Completed Transactions and Political Revenue
(weighted 30%)
|
●
|
Defined as net income plus loss from early extinguishment of debt, corporate and administrative expenses, broadcast non-cash stock based compensation, depreciation and amortization (including amortization of intangible assets and program broadcast rights), any gain or loss on disposal of assets, any miscellaneous expense, interest expense, any income tax expense, non-cash 401(k) expense less any gain on disposal of assets, any miscellaneous income, any income tax benefits, payments for program broadcast obligations and network compensation revenue.
|
For each performance metric, the target performance goal under the Company’s annual non-equity incentive compensation program was aligned with the Company’s internal business plan and annual budget (except that for any Acquired Stations, 80% of the budgeted revenue for any such acquired stations would be established as the target), all as approved by the Compensation Committee. The Raycom Merger was completed at the start of 2019, and therefore for 2019 those operations were included in the first category and not as Acquired Stations. Threshold goals were established at 80% of the applicable target so that a minimum level of performance was required to be achieved before any incentive payment would be awarded, with a significant reduction to the incentive eligible to be earned if results were below target. Maximum award levels were established at achievement of 110% of target levels, as the Compensation Committee believed this represented an appropriate amount of stretch for the goals.
The Compensation Committee sets the threshold, target and maximum criteria at the start of each fiscal year to ensure that an appropriate degree of difficulty is incorporated into the goals. In addition, and in order to minimize the potential for changes in goals throughout the year, performance for determining award eligibility is evaluated excluding the results of any divested operations.
The following goals were established for 2019:
Financial Performance Metrics
|
|
Threshold
($)
|
|
|
Target
($)
|
|
|
Maximum
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues (net of acquired stations and political advertising)
|
|
|
1,654,788
|
|
|
|
2,068,485
|
|
|
|
2,275,334
|
|
Revenues (political advertising and acquired stations)
|
|
|
37,506
|
|
|
|
46,883
|
|
|
|
51,571
|
|
Broadcast cash flow (net of completed acquisitions and political advertising revenue during the year)
|
|
|
577,374
|
|
|
|
721,718
|
|
|
|
793,890
|
|
Actual performance levels between threshold and target, or between target and maximum, are used to determine actual incentive awards. For purposes of calculating amounts payable under the annual non-equity incentive compensation program, actual Company performance compared to goal performance for each of the metrics was determined and calculated discretely.
Qualitative Performance Metrics (40% weight)
As described above, the Compensation Committee determined that in light of, among other things, the growth in size of the Company through acquisitions, the increasing scope and complexity of the Company’s operations and the range of contributions the executive officers make to enhancing the Company’s operations and long-term value for shareholders, it was appropriate to include certain non-quantitative Company performance metrics (collectively the “qualitative metrics”) for purposes of determining performance under the annual non-equity incentive compensation program. Specifically, the qualitative metrics approved for measurement purposes in 2019, like 2018, were weighted 40% of the total award
opportunity and were comprised of a mix of absolute and relative factors that the Compensation Committee identified as important measures of success in achieving the Company’s long-term goals.
The qualitative metrics approved for 2019 consisted of the following four absolute measures of the Company’s performance: (1) growth in total revenues (net of agency commissions) of 3% or more; (2) growth in enterprise value (i.e., the sum of the Company’s outstanding debt plus equity value) of 5% or more; and (3) growth in broadcast cash flow.
In addition, the qualitative metrics included for 2019 consisted of the following relative factors by which the Company’s performance would be measured in comparison to the following television station groups: Sinclair; Tribune Media (prior to its acquisition by Nexstar); Nexstar; E. W. Scripps; Meredith; TEGNA; and Graham Holdings:
|
●
|
average ratings across all primary television channels;
|
|
●
|
maximize balance sheet capacity;
|
|
●
|
the Company’s ratio of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) to revenue (net of agency commissions);
|
|
●
|
the number of individual transactions involving the acquisition of local television stations, in each case including stations ranked first or second in the local market, in new markets and additional television stations in existing markets;
|
|
●
|
successful execution of one or more capital markets transactions;
|
|
●
|
the percentage of operating markets with the first and/or second ranked television station (based on BIA/Kelsey revenue estimates);
|
|
●
|
growth in net retransmission revenue relative to the prior year;
|
|
●
|
growth in share of local advertising revenue relative to the prior year;
|
|
●
|
growth in share of national advertising revenue relative to the prior year; and
|
|
●
|
growth in share of political advertising revenue relative to the prior political year.
|
In considering and evaluating satisfaction of the qualitative factors, the Compensation Committee may also consider various factors that require significant effort of the management team but are not necessarily encompassed in the above list, such as evaluating and potentially executing on financing and acquisition transaction opportunities, annual growth in stock price, short- and/or long-term growth in market capitalization, and other significant activities that position the company for long-term stability and/or growth.
Annual Award Opportunities
Annual non-equity incentive compensation program payout opportunity levels were established to provide each NEO with a market-competitive incentive opportunity linked to achievement of the pre-determined financial goals, qualitative metrics and individual performance. Consistent with the Company’s overall compensation philosophy, annual non-equity incentive compensation program award opportunity levels (as a percentage of base salary) approved by the Compensation Committee for the NEOs in 2019 were as follows:
|
|
Annual Incentive Opportunity
|
|
|
|
Threshold
|
|
|
Target
|
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
|
50%
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
|
|
200%
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
|
40%
|
|
|
|
80%
|
|
|
|
160%
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
|
37.5%
|
|
|
|
75%
|
|
|
|
150%
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
|
37.5%
|
|
|
|
75%
|
|
|
|
150%
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
|
32.5%
|
|
|
|
65%
|
|
|
|
130%
|
|
At the Compensation Committee’s regularly scheduled meeting in the first quarter of 2020, the achievement of financial goals for 2019 were certified, with resulting payouts approved following the Compensation Committee’s review of the Company’s audited financial results for the prior fiscal year. The Committee also reviewed certain publicly available information, data licensed from third parties, and internal proprietary data to assess the Company’s performance with respect to the qualitative metrics. Following careful consideration of that material, the Committee concluded that on an overall basis the Company surpassed the goals set for the 2019 qualitative metrics of satisfying essentially all of the thirteen identified metrics. In particular, the Company significantly surpassed each of the four absolute metrics, and it ranked first or second among industry peers in nearly all of the relative metrics included in the qualitative metrics analysis. The Compensation Committee therefore concluded that qualitative metric portions of the annual incentive compensation be scored at maximum, generating a 170% of target payout for that component. Total quantitative and qualitative metric amounts for the annual incentive compensation to each NEO were awarded as follows:
Financial Performance
Metric
|
|
% Weight
|
|
|
Target
|
|
|
Final Results
|
|
% of Target
Payout
|
Revenues (Net of Political + Acquired Stations)
|
|
15%
|
|
|
$2,068,485
|
|
|
$2,025,799
|
|
98% of target
|
Revenues (Political + Acquired Stations)
|
|
15%
|
|
|
$46,883
|
|
|
$104,843
|
|
224% of target
|
Broadcast Cash Flow
|
|
30%
|
|
|
$721,718
|
|
|
$696,091
|
|
96% of target
|
Qualitative Metrics
|
|
40%
|
|
|
Exceeded Expectations
|
|
170% of target
|
Total payout (as % of target)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
140% of target
|
The Committee did not exercise its discretion to further adjust payouts based on individual performance for 2019. Individual incentive payouts are reported in the Summary Compensation Table found on page 28 of the proxy.
Long-Term Equity Incentive Awards
The decision to grant, and the amounts of, equity-based long-term incentive awards, on an annual basis or otherwise, is generally a discretionary process. In undertaking this decision-making process, the Compensation Committee considers a number of factors, including, but not limited to the following:
|
●
|
the amount and value of recent equity-based awards;
|
|
●
|
recent historical Company performance, determined by reference to stock price or other appropriate financial metric;
|
|
●
|
expected short and longer-term Company performance in light of internal budgets or forecasts; and
|
|
●
|
the overall competitiveness of current compensation levels when considered against an appropriate peer group.
|
In the event equity-based long-term incentive awards are granted, it has been the historical practice that award levels are also established at the Compensation Committee’s discretion, as opposed to being made with a formulaic approach such as is used to provide annual non-equity incentive compensation opportunities.
In order to be able to provide awards intended to further align the interests of our executive officers, and other key employees, with the interests of our shareholders through stock price appreciation, we have established, and at our 2017 Annual Meeting the Company’s shareholders approved, the Gray Television, Inc. 2017 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2017 EICP”). The 2017 EICP allows for the grant of various types of equity awards including performance shares, restricted shares and stock options. If stock options are granted, it is our practice to grant options with an exercise price equal to the closing price of the underlying class of our stock on the date of grant.
In 2019, the structure of the long-term incentive awards granted to the Chief Executive Officer and to the President and Co-Chief Executive Officer were as follows:
|
●
|
50% of the equity award was granted in restricted shares of Class A common stock for Mr. Howell, and of common stock for Mr. LaPlatney, which vests in increments based on continued employment on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant; and
|
|
●
|
50% of the equity award was granted in shares of performance-based restricted shares of Class A common stock for Mr. Howell, and of common stock for Mr. LaPlatney, which in each case can be earned in a range of 0% to 200% of the initial shares awarded, at the end of three years from the grant date, based upon the average percent of target payout earned based on Company performance under the annual non-equity incentive program in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The earned number of shares will vest and be paid out at the end of the three-year period once performance has been approved by the Compensation Committee.
|
In 2019, in order to provide a balance between retention and performance for the other NEOs, and to further incentivize them toward the creation of long-term value, the Compensation Committee granted restricted stock awards with a three-year ratable vesting schedule beginning one year from the date of grant.
After taking into account recent historical Company performance, recent years’ equity incentive awards and the overall value of the NEOs’ respective target compensation levels, in February 2019 the Compensation Committee approved long-term equity incentive awards with the following values (as a percent of base salary):
Name
|
|
LTI % of Base
Salary
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
260%
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
160%
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
150%
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
150%
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
120%
|
See “Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2019” for additional information, including the amount and grant date fair value of shares awarded.
One-Time Awards to Certain Named Executive Officers
In connection with the successful completion of the transformative Raycom Merger, in January 2019 the Compensation Committee granted certain of our named executive officers special transaction completion bonuses, as permitted under the terms of the 2017 EICP, consisting of a combination of cash and long-term equity incentive awards. The Raycom Merger, which was then the largest television broadcast transaction in history, essentially doubled Gray’s size and scale, making the Company the largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets in the United States. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee determined that it was appropriate to reward the executives for their specific contributions to the Raycom Merger and to provide further incentive for the successful integration of the organizations, employees and operations over the two years following completion of the Raycom Merger through the following awards:
Name
|
|
Value of award
received in cash
($)
|
|
Value of
award
received in
restricted
stock(1)
($)
|
|
Total
($)
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
696,250
|
|
2,088,750
|
|
2,785,000
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
855,000
|
|
855,000
|
|
1,710,000
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
900,000
|
|
900,000
|
|
1,800,000
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
610,000
|
|
610,000
|
|
1,220,000
|
(1)
|
Grants of restricted stock vest in full on January 2, 2021, the second anniversary of the closing of the Raycom Merger.
|
The Compensation Committee made these awards under the 2017 EICP, after consultation with its compensation consultant, in recognition of both the extraordinary efforts of the key executive officers in negotiating, structuring and successfully completing such a transformative transaction for the Company and for its shareholders, and the significant additional efforts that would be necessary following the closing to make the transaction a success.
Retirement Plans and Other Benefits
Capital Accumulation Plan
Our NEOs, and all of our other employees, are eligible to participate in the Gray Television, Inc., Capital Accumulation 401(k) Plan (the “Capital Accumulation Plan”). Under the Capital Accumulation Plan employees are eligible to defer a part of their current income under the provisions of Section 401(k) of the IRC. Participants may elect to make pre-tax deferrals from their compensation each year, subject to annual limits on such deferrals imposed by the IRC. We may also, at our discretion, on an annual basis, make a matching contribution with respect to a participant’s elective deferrals and/or may make additional voluntary contributions based on annual Company performance. Discretionary profit sharing contributions, if made, are made to all qualified employees employed on the last day of the plan year, and the amount a qualified employee receives is based on their pay and years of service. In 2019, we intended to make matching contributions sufficient for the Capital Accumulation Plan to meet the safe harbor requirements under Code Section 401(k)(12)(b) and therefore matched employee contributions at a rate of 100% of the first 1% of each employee’s salary deferral, and 50% of the next 5% of each employee’s salary deferral. In addition, in 2019, we made profit sharing contributions of $4.5 million in the aggregate. Participants are immediately vested in their voluntary contributions plus any earnings thereon. For 2019, employer contributions (plus earnings thereon) were also immediately vested as required under the safe harbor requirements under Code Section 401(k)(12)(b). The Company’s profit sharing contributions made for 2018 become 100% vested after a participant completes three years of service. The vested portion of a participant’s accrued benefit is payable in a lump sum upon such employee’s termination of employment, attainment of age 59 1⁄2, retirement, total and permanent disability, or death. Participants may also make in-service withdrawals from the Capital Accumulation Plan and in certain specified instances of hardship.
Pension Plan
Our NEOs are also eligible to participate in the Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan (the “Retirement Plan”). This Retirement Plan benefit, however, was frozen effective July 1, 2015, and no further benefits accrue thereunder.
Under this plan, a participating employee who retires on or after attaining age 65 and who has completed five years of service upon retirement may be eligible to receive during his or her lifetime, in the form of monthly payments, an annual pension equal to (i) 22% of the employee’s average earnings for the highest five consecutive years during the employee’s final ten years of employment multiplied by a factor, the numerator of which is the employee’s years of service credited under the plan before 1994 and the denominator of which is the greater of 25 or the years of service credited under the plan, plus (ii) 0.9% of the employee’s monthly average earnings for the highest five consecutive years in the employee’s final ten years of employment added to 0.6% of monthly average earnings in excess of Social Security covered compensation, multiplied by the employee’s years of service credited under the plan after 1993, with a maximum of 25 years minus years of service credited under (i) above. For participants as of December 31, 1993, there is a minimum benefit equal to the projected benefit under (i) at that time. The table in the section entitled Pension Benefits herein lists the years of credited service and the present value of each NEO’s accumulated pension benefit, assuming payment begins at age 65, under the Retirement Plan.
Under the terms of the Retirement Plan, the accrued benefit is subject to the following distribution terms:
|
●
|
In the event of death before retirement, 50% of the accrued benefit will become payable to the surviving spouse at the time the deceased participant would have reached age 65;
|
|
●
|
if the deceased participant had completed ten or more years of service, the survivor benefit may commence as early as the time the deceased participant would have reached age 55;
|
|
●
|
if the deceased participant would have been eligible for early retirement at the time of death, the survivor benefit may commence as soon as practicable; and
|
|
●
|
any benefits that commence before the deceased participant would have reached age 65 will be reduced the same as early retirement benefits would have been reduced.
|
|
●
|
In the event a disability occurs before retirement, the accrued benefit will become payable at age 65; no break in service will occur and benefits will continue to accrue during disability.
|
|
●
|
In the event of voluntary termination, the vested accrued benefit will become payable at age 65;
|
|
●
|
if the participant had completed ten or more years of service, the benefit may commence as early as age 55; and
|
|
●
|
if the participant had completed less than five years of service, the accrued benefit is not vested, and no future benefits would be payable from the Retirement Plan.
|
Under the terms of the separate pension plan which was merged into the Retirement Plan, as it concerns Mr. Ryan’s accrued benefit, similar spousal distribution protections are in place and will be separately applicable. In addition, because such plan had a lump sum payment option, special rules address how this lump sum option works with the annuity forms of payments also available to participants.
Perquisites
Gray also provides its executive officers with limited perquisites and other benefits, including the right to participate in all employee benefit plans generally available to employees, such as medical, dental, life and disability insurance plans. The Compensation Committee also believes it is appropriate for the Company to pay certain insurance premiums on behalf of our NEOs in order to remain market competitive for executive talent.
Change-in-Control Plan
Gray has adopted a Change in Control Plan under which participants are generally selected by the Compensation Committee and currently include our NEOs, and certain other key employees. Under the Change in Control Plan, a participant who, in connection with a change in control of the Company or within 24 months following a change in control, is involuntarily terminated without cause or voluntarily terminates his or her employment for good reason, would receive certain benefits as outlined below in “–Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control– Change in Control Plan.”
Other Governance Items
Stock Ownership Guidelines
Based on the view of the Compensation Committee that the ownership of an equity interest in the Company by executives is a component of good corporate governance and aligns executives and shareholder interests, the Compensation Committee adopted stock ownership guidelines that require the NEOs to directly own minimum amounts of the Company’s stock. Shares that count towards the satisfaction of the guidelines are those 1) owned directly by the participant, 2) held in a brokerage account or 401(k) account, 3) held in trust or by a wholly-owned family entity and 4) restricted shares. Stock options, performance shares not yet paid out and shares held in a margin account or pledged as collateral for a loan, are excluded from the stock ownership guidelines.
The guidelines require the participants to beneficially own a number of shares of Class A and/or common stock that, when multiplied by relevant stock price on the measurement date, produces an amount equal to or greater than the multiple of salaries noted below:
Individual or Group
|
|
Multiple of Base Salary
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
6X
|
Other NEOs
|
|
3X
|
Executives have five years to comply with these guidelines, with progress to be reviewed by the Compensation Committee annually. The holdings of each NEO currently satisfy the individual’s stock ownership guidelines.
Anti-hedging Policy
Gray has adopted a policy that prohibits certain officers and directors of the Company from purchasing any financial instrument that is designed to hedge or offset any decrease in the market share of the Company’s common stock, including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds or any other type of financial transaction. Directors, executive officers and other designated employees are also restricted from engaging in short sales related to the Company’s common stock.
Clawback Policy
Gray has adopted a policy to ensure that incentive compensation is paid based on accurate financial data. This policy applies to key executive management in the event of any material restatement of the financial statements of the Company or its subsidiaries. In the event of such restatement, the Board (or an appropriate committee of the Board) shall review the facts and circumstances that led to the requirement for the restatement and will determine whether a clawback of certain compensation is appropriate.
Risk Considerations
The Compensation Committee with the assistance of its independent compensation consultant periodically reviews the Company’s compensation philosophy, policies and practices to ensure that such philosophy, policies and practices are appropriately structured for the Company and its business objectives and discourages executives from taking excessive risk. In developing Gray’s philosophy, and implementing the policies and practices, the Compensation Committee with input from the independent compensation consultant has attempted to mitigate the possibility that excessive short-term risks are being taken at the expense of long-term value. These mitigation strategies include:
|
●
|
the annual review and approval of certain financial performance objectives;
|
|
●
|
the use of multiple performance objectives, thus mitigating too heavy a focus on any one in particular;
|
|
●
|
caps on annual incentive plan payouts, limiting the upside potential when maximum performance is achieved; and
|
|
●
|
multi-year vesting of equity-based awards to motivate NEOs to focus on providing consistent results over the longer term.
|
Starting in 2018, additional risk mitigation policies were added, including the implementation of stock ownership guidelines, an anti-hedging policy and a clawback policy.
Based on its review, and in consultation with and input from the independent compensation consultant, the Compensation Committee concluded that the compensation policies and programs at Gray do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Compensation Deduction Limitations
In general, all compensation (other than certain grandfathered compensation) we pay in excess of $1.0 million to anyone who serves as one of our named executive officers is not deductible. We may from time to time design compensation plans that recognize a full range of performance and other criteria important to our success regardless of the federal tax deductibility of compensation paid under those plans. The Compensation Committee will continue to retain the discretion to pay non-deductible amounts. The Compensation Committee believes that such flexibility best serves the interests of the Company and its shareholders by allowing the Committee to recognize, motivate and retain executive officers as circumstances warrant.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth a summary of the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and our other executive officers for each of 2019, 2018 and 2017:
Name and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary(1)
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards(2)
($)
|
|
|
Non-equity
Incentive Plan Compensation(3)
($)
|
|
|
Change in
Pension
Value and
Non-qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings(4)(5)
($)
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation(6)
($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
2019
|
|
1,180,416
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
5,157,832
|
|
|
2,348,832
|
|
|
94,539
|
|
|
106,890
|
|
|
8,888,509
|
|
Executive Chairman and Chief
|
|
2018
|
|
1,113,600
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
2,784,000
|
|
|
1,659,264
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
135,241
|
|
|
5,662,625
|
|
Executive Officer
|
|
2017
|
|
1,050,566
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
2,101,132
|
|
|
1,228,822
|
|
|
51,929
|
|
|
134,470
|
|
|
4,566,919
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
2019
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,600,000
|
|
|
1,120,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
116,175
|
|
|
3,836,174
|
|
President and Co - Chief Executive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
2019
|
|
725,924
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,943,885
|
|
|
1,617,220
|
|
|
151,767
|
|
|
65,374
|
|
|
4,504,170
|
|
Executive Vice President and Chief
|
|
2018
|
|
684,834
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,266,943
|
|
|
714,282
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
67,571
|
|
|
2,689,232
|
|
Financial Officer
|
|
2017
|
|
646,070
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
775,288
|
|
|
377,846
|
|
|
84,153
|
|
|
67,135
|
|
|
1,950,492
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
2019
|
|
763,799
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
2,045,698
|
|
|
1,701,989
|
|
|
30,290
|
|
|
33,195
|
|
|
4,574,971
|
|
Executive Vice President and Chief
|
|
2018
|
|
720,565
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,333,045
|
|
|
751,549
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
34,502
|
|
|
2,828,211
|
|
Legal and Development Officer
|
|
2017
|
|
679,778
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
897,312
|
|
|
556,584
|
|
|
16,177
|
|
|
35,324
|
|
|
2,185,175
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
2019
|
|
646,070
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,385,284
|
|
|
1,197,924
|
|
|
94,761
|
|
|
61,815
|
|
|
3,385,855
|
|
Executive Vice President, Chief
|
|
2018
|
|
609,500
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
761,875
|
|
|
544,893
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
65,062
|
|
|
1,951,511
|
|
Operating Officer, Local Media
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Each of the NEOs contributed a portion of his salary to our Capital Accumulation Plan. The disclosed salary amounts are before the NEOs’ contributions.
|
(2)
|
Grant date fair value of awards of restricted shares made in the year indicated, computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 718 (Stock Compensation). See note 7 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for a description of the assumptions made in the valuation of stock awards under FASB ASC Topic 718. For the year ended December 31, 2019, includes the grant-date fair value of the equity portion of the one-time awards for Messrs. Howell, Ryan, Latek and Smith, which were granted in January 2019.
|
(3)
|
For the year ended December 31, 2019, includes the value of the cash portion of the one-time awards for Messrs. Howell, Ryan, Latek and Smith, which were granted in January 2019.
|
(4)
|
The change in pension value was calculated as the difference between the present value of accumulated benefits at December 31, 2019 and the present value of accumulated benefits at December 31, 2018, adjusted for benefit payments made during the year. The present value of accumulated benefits at December 31, 2019 was calculated using the assumptions that were used for the December 31, 2019 disclosures, which were the RP-2014 total mortality projected using fully generational improvements based on the MP 2019 from 2006 and a 3.14% discount rate. The present value of accumulated benefits at December 31, 2018 was calculated using the assumptions that were used for the December 31, 2018 disclosures, which were the RP-2014 total mortality projected using fully generational improvements based on MP 2018 from 2006 and a 4.16% discount rate. The present value of accumulated benefits at December 31, 2017 was calculated using the assumptions that were used for the December 31, 2017 disclosures, which were the RP-2014 total mortality projected using fully generational improvements based on MP 2017 from
|
|
2006 and a 3.55% discount rate. For 2019, the increase in the value of the pension benefits from the prior measurement period is primarily due to the decrease in the discount rates (from 4.16% to 3.14%). The pension value for each of Messrs. Howell, Ryan, Latek, and Smith in 2019 increased by $94,539, $151,767, $30,290 and $94,761, respectively. See the table in the section entitled “Pension Benefits” herein for additional information, including the present value assumptions used in this calculation.
|
(5)
|
SEC rules indicate that if the change in pension value is negative, the result should be displayed as $0 in the Summary Compensation Table. For Messrs. Howell, Ryan, Latek and Smith, the 2018 actual change in pension value was a decrease of $29,480, $44,397, $11,450 and $29,819, respectively.
|
(6)
|
See the All Other Compensation table below for additional information.
|
The following table describes each component of the amounts in the All Other Compensation column of the Summary Compensation Table for 2019:
Name
|
|
Company
Contributions to
Defined
Contribution Plans
($)
|
|
|
Company
Paid
Insurance
Premiums
($)
|
|
|
Directors’
Fees(1)
($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
27,600
|
|
|
18,040
|
|
|
61,250
|
|
|
106,890
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
9,800
|
|
|
28,875
|
|
|
77,500
|
|
|
116,175
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
30,400
|
|
|
34,974
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
65,374
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
16,400
|
|
|
16,795
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
33,195
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
26,600
|
|
|
35,215
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
61,815
|
|
(1)
|
Represents fees paid for serving as a member of our board of directors. See the section entitled “Director Compensation for 2019” table for additional information.
|
Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2019
The table below sets forth information about plan-based awards granted to the named executive officers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All Other
Stock
Awards:
Numbers
of Shares
of Stock
or Units(2)
|
|
|
All Other
Option
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Options(#)
|
|
|
Exercise
or Base
Price of
option
Awards
($/Sh)
|
|
|
Grant Date
Fair Value of
Stock and
Option
Awards(2)($)
|
|
|
Estimated Possible Payouts
Under Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Awards
|
|
|
Estimated Future Payouts
Under Equity Incentive
Plan Awards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Grant Date
|
Thres-
hold($)
|
|
|
Target($)
|
|
|
Maxi-
mum($)
|
|
|
Thres-
hold($)
|
|
|
Target($)
|
|
|
Maxi-
mum($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.(4)
|
1/2/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
140,657
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
2,088,750
|
|
2/1/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
199,810
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
3,069,082
|
|
|
590,208
|
|
|
1,180,416
|
|
|
2,360,832
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
2/1/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
96,676
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,600,000
|
|
|
400,000
|
|
|
800,000
|
|
|
1,600,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James C. Ryan(4)
|
1/2/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
57,576
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
855,000
|
|
2/1/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
65,794
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,088,886
|
|
|
272,222
|
|
|
544,443
|
|
|
1,088,886
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin P. Latek(4)
|
1/2/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
60,606
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
900,000
|
|
2/1/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
69,226
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,145,698
|
|
|
286,425
|
|
|
572,849
|
|
|
1,145,699
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert L. Smith(4)
|
1/2/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
41,077
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
610,000
|
|
2/1/2019
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
46,845
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
775,284
|
|
|
209,973
|
|
|
419,946
|
|
|
839,891
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
(1)
|
For information on actual payouts under non-equity incentive plan awards for 2019 performance, see the column titled Non-equity Incentive Plan Compensation in the Summary Compensation Table above.
|
(2)
|
In 2019, the stock awards granted to Mr. Howell were in shares of our Class A common stock and the stock awards granted to each of Mr. LaPlatney, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Latek and Mr. Smith were in shares of our common stock. Of the grants to Mr. Howell, the vesting of 99,905 of the Class A common stock shares are subject to certain performance criteria that may decrease or increase the ultimate amount earned. Of the grants to Mr. LaPlatney, the vesting of 48,338 of the common stock shares are subject to certain performance criteria that may decrease or increase the ultimate amount earned.
|
(3)
|
Grant date fair value of awards computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 8 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for a description of the assumptions made in the valuation of stock awards under FASB ASC Topic 718.
|
(4)
|
In January 2019, Messrs. Howell, Ryan, Latek and Smith were granted a one-time special equity award in shares of restricted stock, the vesting of which are based on continued employment on the second anniversary of the grant date.
|
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2019
The following table provides information on the stock options and restricted stock awards held by the NEOs at December 31, 2019. The market value of the stock awards is based on the closing market price of our common stock and Class A common stock of $21.44 and $19.87, respectively, as of December 31, 2019.
Name
|
|
Number of
Securities
underlying
Unexercised
Options
Exercisable
(#)(1)
|
|
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Unexercisable
(#)(1)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options(#)(1)
|
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
($)
|
|
|
Option
Expiration
Date
|
|
|
Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested ($)
|
|
Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested ($)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
units of
Other
Rights
That Have
Not Vested
(#)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout Value of Unearned
Shares, Units
or Other Rights
That Have Not
Vested ($)
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr
|
|
153,062
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1.99
|
|
|
4/1/2021
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
589,941
|
(2)
|
|
11,942,959
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
96,676
|
(3)
|
|
2,072,733
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
57,398
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1.99
|
|
|
4/1/2021
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
190,132
|
(4)
|
|
4,076,430
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
64,286
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1.99
|
|
|
4/1/2021
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
202,692
|
(5)
|
|
4,345,716
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
131,153
|
(6)
|
|
2,811,920
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
(1)
|
All outstanding stock options at December 31, 2019 are for shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2019, these awards are fully vested.
|
(2)
|
Includes: 99,376 restricted shares of Class A common stock that vested on January 31, 2020; 36,680 restricted shares of Class A common stock that vested on February 28, 2020; 33,302 restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest on January 31, 2021; 146,720 restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest on February 28, 2021; 133,206 restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022. Of such shares, 110,040 of the restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest on February 28, 2021 and 99,905 of the restricted shares of Class A common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022 are subject to performance conditions that could either increase or decrease the number of shares that will vest on that date. Also includes: 140,657 restricted shares of common stock that are expected to vest on January 2, 2021.
|
(3)
|
Includes: 16,113 restricted shares of common stock that vested on January 31, 2020; 16,113 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2021; and 64,450 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022. Of such shares, 48,338 of the restricted shares of common stock that are expected to vest on January 31, 2022 are subject to performance conditions that could either increase or decrease the number of shares that will vest on that date.
|
(4)
|
Includes: 46,780 restricted shares of common stock that vested on January 31, 2020; 20,957 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2020; 57,576 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 2, 2021; 21,931 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2021; 20,956 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2021; and 21,932 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022.
|
(5)
|
Includes: 51,835 restricted shares of common stock that vested on January 31, 2020; 22,050 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2020; 60,606 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 2, 2021; 23,075 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2021; 22,050 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2021; and 23,076 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022.
|
(6)
|
Includes: 32,201 restricted shares of common stock that vested on January 31, 2020; 13,322 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2020; 41,077 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 2, 2021; 15,615 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2021; 13,323 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on February 28, 2021; and 15,615 restricted shares of common stock that will vest on January 31, 2022.
|
Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2019
The following table provides information on the number of shares of stock vested in 2019 and the value realized by each NEO before payment of any applicable withholding tax.
|
|
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
|
Stock Awards
|
|
Name
|
|
Class of Stock
|
|
Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)
|
|
|
Value
Realized
on
Exercise
($)
|
|
|
Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting
(#)
|
|
|
Value
Realized on
Vesting(1)
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
Class A Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
158,312
|
|
|
2,572,562
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
Class A Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
83,300
|
|
|
1,606,001
|
|
|
|
Class A Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
92,990
|
|
|
1,779,091
|
|
|
|
Class A Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
51,440
|
|
|
980,795
|
|
|
|
Class A Common
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
(1)
|
Calculated by multiplying the gross number of shares acquired by the market value of the shares as of the relevant vesting date.
|
Pension Benefits
Messrs. Howell, LaPlatney, Ryan, Latek and Smith participate in the Retirement Plan. The Retirement Plan, which is intended to be tax qualified, is available to certain of our employees and the employees of all of our subsidiaries that have been designated as participating companies under the plan. The Company froze the Retirement Plan effective July 1, 2015.
A participating employee who retires on or after attaining age 65 and who has completed five years of service upon retirement may be eligible to receive during his or her lifetime, in the form of monthly payments, an annual pension equal to (i) 22% of the employee’s average earnings for the highest five consecutive years during the employee’s final ten years of employment multiplied by a factor, the numerator of which is the employee’s years of service credited under the plan before 1994 and the denominator of which is the greater of 25 or the years of service credited under the plan, plus (ii) 0.9% of the employee’s monthly average earnings for the highest five consecutive years in the employee’s final ten years of employment added to 0.6% of monthly average earnings in excess of Social Security covered compensation, multiplied by the employee’s years of service credited under the plan after 1993, with a maximum of 25 years minus years of service credited under (i) above. For participants as of December 31, 1993, there is a minimum benefit equal to the projected benefit under (i) at that time.
In addition, under the Retirement Plan, Mr. Ryan is eligible to receive retirement benefits that would have been paid by Gray under a pension plan with Mr. Ryan’s former employer, which plan was merged into the Retirement Plan. Benefit amounts thereunder have been frozen since September 1997.
Our NEOs did not receive any pension benefit payments in 2019. The following table shows the years of credited service and the present value of accumulated benefits as of December 31, 2019 for the NEOs:
|
|
Number
of Years
Credited
Service(1)
|
|
Plan Name
|
|
Present Value
of Accumulated
Benefit(2)
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
13
|
|
Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan
|
|
470,682
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
N/A
|
|
Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan
|
|
N/A
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
17
|
|
Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan
|
|
805,499(3)
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
4
|
|
Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan
|
|
114,113
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
13
|
|
Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan
|
|
467,085
|
(1)
|
Computed as of the same measurement date as used for 2019 financial statement reporting purposes.
|
(2)
|
The Change in Pension Value was calculated as the difference between the Present Value of Accumulated Benefits at December 31, 2019 and the Present Value of Accumulated Benefits at December 31, 2018, adjusted for benefit payments made during the year.
The Present Value of Accumulated Benefits at December 31, 2019 was calculated using the assumptions that were used for the December 31, 2019 disclosures, which were the RP-2014 total mortality table projected using fully generational improvements based on MP 2019 from 2006 and a 3.14% discount rate.
The Present Value of Accumulated Benefits at December 31, 2018 was calculated using the assumptions that were used for the December 31, 2018 disclosures, which were the RP-2014 total mortality table projected using fully generational improvements based on MP 2018 from 2006 and a 4.16% discount rate.
|
(3)
|
Effective 12/31/2016 the Busse Pension Plan was merged into the Gray Television, Inc., Retirement Plan. James C. Ryan has benefits in both these plans. For Mr. Ryan, the present value of accumulated benefits for the Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan and the former Busse Pension Plan are $649,144 and $156,355, respectively.
|
Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
The information below describes and quantifies certain compensation that would become payable under existing plans, policies and arrangements if the employment of each NEO had terminated (by virtue of involuntary termination, death, disability, voluntary termination or change of control) on December 31, 2019, given the NEO’s compensation and service levels as of such date and, if applicable, based on our closing stock price on December 31, 2019. These benefits include benefits available generally to salaried employees, such as distributions under the Retirement Plan, Capital Accumulation Plan, disability benefits, life insurance and accrued vacation pay.
|
●
|
For the purposes of this discussion, “disability” generally means total disability, resulting in the individual being unable to perform his job and “change of control” means any of the following, subject to certain exceptions:
|
|
●
|
any person becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the combined voting power of our then outstanding shares;
|
|
●
|
during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the election of such new directors was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the period;
|
|
●
|
there is consummated any consolidation or acquisition in which we are not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of our common stock are converted into cash, securities or other property;
|
|
●
|
there is consummated any consolidation or acquisition of us, in which we are the continuing corporation, and the holders of our common stock immediately prior to the acquisition do not own 51% or more of the stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the acquisition or there is consummated a sale, lease, exchange or other transfer of substantially all our assets;
|
|
●
|
there is consummated any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer of substantially all our assets; or
|
|
●
|
our shareholders approve any plan or proposal for our liquidation or dissolution.
|
Change in Control Plan
The Company maintains the Gray Television, Inc. Executive and Key Employee Change in Control Severance Plan (the “Change in Control Plan”). Participants in the Change in Control Plan are generally selected by the Compensation Committee and currently include our NEOs and certain other key employees.
Under the Change in Control Plan, a participant who, in connection with a change in control of the Company or within 24 months following a change in control, is involuntarily terminated without cause or voluntarily terminates his or her employment for good reason (a “qualifying termination”), would receive:
|
●
|
any unpaid base salary and payment for unused vacation under the Company’s vacation policy through the date of termination;
|
|
●
|
a payment equal to the participant’s target annual cash incentive opportunity for the year in which the termination occurred, pro-rated through the date of termination of such year; and
|
|
●
|
a lump sum cash severance payment equal to a multiple (the “severance multiplier”) of the sum of the participant’s annual base salary on the termination date (or any higher annual base salary that was in effect during the 9-month period immediately prior to the change in control) and the participant’s target annual cash incentive opportunity in effect immediately prior to the change in control. The severance multiplier is 3.0 for Mr. Howell and Mr. LaPlatney and 2.0 for Messrs. Ryan, Latek and Smith.
|
In addition to the foregoing, equity awards of a participant will immediately vest and become exercisable upon a qualifying termination, with performance-based equity award generally vesting at the target level, if applicable. If the participant elects to continue group health care coverage under COBRA, the participant will also be reimbursed for the portion of the premiums that the Company would have paid if the participant had continued to be an employee of the Company for a period of years equal to the participant’s severance multiplier, or earlier in certain circumstances.
Any payment under the Change in Control Plan will be in lieu of any other severance or termination payment that may be due or become payable to a participant. In addition, the Change in Control Plan provides that in the event that the severance and other benefits provided for in the Change in Control Plan would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, the benefits under the Change in Control Plan will be either delivered in full, or delivered to a lesser extent which would result in no portion of the benefits being subject to such excise tax, whichever is more beneficial to the participant. The Change in Control Plan does not provide excise tax gross-ups on payments to participants. Payments under the Change in Control Plan are contingent upon a participant’s execution of a release of claims in favor of the Company and compliance by the terminated participant with the non-solicitation, non-competition and confidentiality covenants in the Change in Control Plan.
LaPlatney Offer Letter
In connection with Mr. LaPlatney’s appointment as the Company’s President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, the Company entered into an offer letter agreement with Mr. LaPlatney dated June 22, 2018 (the “Offer Letter”). As described in the Offer Letter, if during the period beginning January 2, 2019 and ending January 2, 2021 (the “Protection Period”), Mr. LaPlatney experiences a termination of employment, either by the Company without cause, or by Mr. LaPlatney for good reason, then, upon Mr. LaPlatney’s termination of employment, the Company will pay him (subject to his execution and non-revocation of a release and non-disparagement agreement in the form provided by the Company): (a) an amount equal to two (2) times his annual base salary at the highest rate in effect in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the termination of employment (including with Raycom prior to the January 2, 2019), payable as described in the Offer Letter; (b) an amount equal to two (2) times the highest annual non-equity incentive compensation (excluding any one-time-only bonuses) Mr. LaPlatney received or earned during the three years immediately preceding the year in which the termination of employment occurs (including with Raycom prior to January 2, 2019); and (c) a monthly amount payable for 18 months following Mr. LaPlatney’s termination of employment equal to the monthly COBRA premium amount he would have to pay for continuation coverage under the Company’s group health plan. Severance amounts described in this paragraph are subject to reduction on a dollar-per-dollar basis by any amounts earned by Mr. LaPlatney as an employee, consultant, advisor, director or independent contractor during the period such severance amounts are to be paid.
Treatment of Equity Under 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan
The 2007 Long Term Incentive Plan provides that if an NEO’s termination of employment occurs as a result of death or disability, incentive stock options issued under the 2007 Long Term Incentive Plan will be exercisable for 12 months after such termination. If the NEO dies within 12 months of termination by reason of disability, then the period of exercise following death will be the remainder of the 12-month period or three months, whichever is longer. If the NEO dies within 3 months after termination for any other reason, the period of exercise is three months. In no event, however, shall the incentive stock option be exercised more than ten years after its grant.
The 2007 Long Term Incentive Plan provides that if an NEO’s termination of employment occurs as a result of death, retirement or disability, nonqualified stock options issued under the 2007 Long Term Incentive Plan will terminate 12 months after such termination; provided, however, if the NEO dies within 12 months after termination of employment by retirement or disability, the period of exercise shall be three months after date of death. As with the incentive stock options discussed above, in no event shall the nonqualified option be exercised more than 10 years after its grant.
Treatment of Equity Under 2017 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan
The form of restricted stock award agreement and form of restricted stock unit award agreement approved by the Compensation Committee for use under the 2017 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan provides that if a participant’s termination of employment occurs as a result of death or disability or if, within 12 months of a change in control, a participant’s employment is involuntarily terminated without cause or the participant resigns for good reason and if the award then remains outstanding, any unvested portion of the awards or a replacement thereof will immediately become vested.
Due to the number of factors that affect the nature and amount of any benefits provided upon the events discussed, actual amounts paid or distributed may be different than as disclosed. Factors that could affect these amounts include the timing during the year of any such event or our stock price.
The following table sets forth the amounts that would be owed by Gray to our NEOs if they were terminated as a result of involuntary termination, death, disability, voluntary termination, or there was a change of control (followed by an involuntary termination), on December 31, 2019:
|
|
Involuntary
Termination(1)(2)
|
|
|
Death(1)(3)
|
|
|
Disability(1)(4)
|
|
|
Voluntary
Termination(1)(2)
|
|
|
Change of
Control(1)(5)
|
|
Name
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
|
|
611,370
|
|
|
14,351,971
|
|
|
14,294,823
|
|
|
611,370
|
|
|
20,817,242
|
|
Donald P. LaPlatney
|
|
3,726,225
|
|
|
4,164,398
|
|
|
3,244,727
|
|
|
91,665
|
|
|
8,364,398
|
|
James C. Ryan
|
|
932,208
|
|
|
6,659,130
|
|
|
6,389,460
|
|
|
932,208
|
|
|
8,093,815
|
|
Kevin P. Latek
|
|
175,217
|
|
|
6,473,626
|
|
|
8,262,960
|
|
|
175,217
|
|
|
7,767,078
|
|
Robert L. Smith
|
|
549,585
|
|
|
5,160,978
|
|
|
5,163,806
|
|
|
549,585
|
|
|
5,913,483
|
|
(1)
|
The amounts reported above reflect any accrued and unpaid benefits payable to the executive officer in addition to payments identified in plan documents and insurance policies.
|
(2)
|
Includes each NEO’s accrued and unpaid vacation payable upon termination and the present value of accumulated benefits from their pension plan as determined by the plan’s actuary.
|
(3)
|
Includes each NEO’s accrued and unpaid vacation payable upon termination, the death benefit under their respective basic and supplemental life insurance coverage, the present value of the accumulated benefits from their pension plan as determined by the plan’s actuary, and accelerated vesting of 100% of their respective unvested restricted stock awards and stock options. The life insurance benefit reflects the payment of the death benefit by the insurance company for which Gray has been paying premiums on behalf of the NEO.
|
(4)
|
Includes each NEO’s accrued and unpaid vacation payable upon termination, the amount of long-term disability payments, the present value of accumulated benefits from their pension plan as determined by the plan’s actuary, and accelerated vesting of 100% of their respective unvested restricted stock awards and stock options. NEOs are entitled to monthly long-term disability payments from the time of disability through age 65.
|
(5)
|
Includes each NEO’s accrued and unpaid vacation payable upon termination, the present value of accumulated benefits from their respective pension plan(s) as determined by the plan’s actuary, and accelerated vesting of 100% of their respective unvested restricted stock awards and stock options.
|
CEO Pay Ratio
For the 2019 fiscal year, the ratio of the annual total compensation of Mr. Howell, our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO Compensation”), to the median of the annual total compensation of all of our employees other than our Chief Executive Officer (“Median Annual Compensation”) was 224 to 1. This ratio is a reasonable estimate calculated in a manner consistent with Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K using the data and assumptions summarized below. In addition, as permitted by applicable SEC rules, we have excluded the approximately 4,127 individuals who became employees as of January 2, 2019, upon the completion of the Raycom Merger. It is intended that these employees will be included in the pay ratio calculations for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. In this summary, we refer to the employee who received such Median Annual Compensation as the “Median Employee.” For purposes of this disclosure, the date used to identify the Median Employee was December 31, 2018 (the “Determination Date”).
CEO Compensation for purposes of this disclosure represents the total compensation reported for Mr. Howell in the Summary Compensation Table for the 2019 fiscal year. As allowed by SEC rules, we used the same Median Employee that was identified in our 2019 proxy statement because, other than changes resulting from the Raycom Merger (which are excluded as noted above), there has been no change in our employee population or employee compensation arrangements that we believe would significantly impact the pay ratio disclosure. For purposes of this disclosure, Median Annual Compensation was $36,502, and was calculated by totaling for our Median Employee all applicable elements of compensation for the 2018 fiscal year in accordance with Item 402(c)(2)(x) of Regulation S-K.
To identify the Median Employee, we first determined our employee population as of the Determination Date. We had 4,812 employees, representing all full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary employees of us and our consolidated subsidiaries as of the Determination Date. This number does not include any independent contractors or “leased” workers, as permitted by the applicable SEC rules. We then measured compensation for the period beginning on January 1, 2018 and ending on December 31, 2018 for these employees. This compensation measurement was calculated by totaling, for each employee, gross taxable earnings, including salary, wages, tips and other compensation as shown in our payroll and human resources records for 2018. A portion of our employee workforce (full-time and part-time) worked for less than the full fiscal year due to commencing employment after the beginning of the fiscal year. In determining the Median Employee, we annualized the compensation for such individuals.