UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 |
XPO LOGISTICS, INC. | ||||
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XPO LOGISTICS, INC.
Five American Lane
Greenwich, Connecticut 06831
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To Be Held on May 11, 2021
To the Stockholders of XPO Logistics, Inc.:
Notice is hereby given that the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") of XPO Logistics, Inc. ("XPO" or the "company") will be held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The meeting will be conducted as a webcast due to the public health concerns related to COVID-19. You can access the meeting at www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 with password XPO2021 and a control number that will be issued to you upon request. Please follow the instructions on page 8 of the Proxy Statement to request your control number.
The Annual Meeting shall be held for the following purposes summarized below, and more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this notice:
Only stockholders of record of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and our Series A Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, as of the close of business on April 8, 2021 are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting.
Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, it is important that your shares be represented. We ask that you vote your shares as soon as possible.
By Order of the Board of Directors, | ||
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Brad Jacobs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
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Greenwich, Connecticut April 13, 2021 |
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to Be Held on May 11, 2021:
The Proxy Statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 2020 are available at www.edocumentview.com/XPO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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This Proxy Statement sets forth information relating to the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the "Board of Directors" or "Board") of XPO Logistics, Inc. in connection with our 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting.
2021 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS |
This Proxy Statement and form of proxy are first being mailed on or about April 13, 2021, to our stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 8, 2021 (the "Record Date").
Date and Time |
Place |
Record Date |
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Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time |
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Virtual Meeting Site: www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 |
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You can vote if you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on April 8, 2021 |
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Admission: You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person this year. You can access the Annual Meeting at www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 with password XPO2021. You will need to provide the control number on your proxy card in order to access the Annual Meeting. If the shares of common stock you hold are in an account at a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee (i.e., in "street name"), you must register in advance to participate in the Annual Meeting, vote electronically and submit questions during the live webcast of the meeting. To register in advance, you must obtain a legal proxy from the bank, broker or other nominee that holds your shares giving you the right to vote the shares. Requests for registration should be directed to our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A. ("Computershare"), by email at legalproxy@computershare.com no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Thursday, May 6, 2021. You will receive a confirmation of your registration, with a control number, by email from Computershare. At the time of the meeting, go to www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 and enter your control number and the meeting password, XPO2021.
VOTING MATTERS AND BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS |
The Board is not aware of any matter that will be presented for a vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders other than those shown below.
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Board Vote Recommendation |
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Page Reference (for more detail) |
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PROPOSAL 1: Election of Directors To elect eight (8) members of our Board of Directors for a term to expire at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. |
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![]() each Director Nominee |
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13-27, 66 |
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PROPOSAL 2: Ratification of the Appointment of our Independent Public Accounting Firm To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2021. |
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64-65, 67 |
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PROPOSAL 3: Advisory Vote to Approve Executive Compensation To conduct an advisory vote to approve the executive compensation of the company's named executive officers ("NEOs") as disclosed in this Proxy Statement. |
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68 |
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PROPOSAL 4: Stockholder Proposal Regarding Additional Disclosure of the Company's Political Activities To adopt a requirement that the company provide an annual disclosure of its political activities and related expenditures. |
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69-70 |
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PROPOSAL 5: Stockholder Proposal Regarding the Requirement that the Chairman of the Board be an Independent Director To adopt a requirement that the chairman of the Board be an independent director. |
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71-73 |
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PROPOSAL 6: Stockholder Proposal Regarding Acceleration of Executive Equity Awards in the Case of a Change in Control To adopt a policy that, in the event of a change in control of the company, there shall be no acceleration of vesting of any equity award granted to any senior executive officer. |
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74-75 |
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GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS |
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Board and Committee Independence | Seven of our eight current directors are independent. The Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee each consist entirely of independent directors. | |
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Independent Board Oversight and Leadership Roles | In 2016, our Board added a robust lead independent director position to its leadership structure to complement the roles of our independent committees and independent committee chairmen in providing effective Board oversight. In 2019, our Board added the position of an independent vice chairman to its leadership structure to provide support on key governance matters and shareholder engagement to our chairman, lead independent director and the Board. These independent structures work in conjunction with the dual roles served by our chairman and chief executive officer. The Board believes its leadership structure, as well as the leadership structure of the company, function cohesively and serve the best interests of our stockholders based on the company's strategy and ownership structure. | |
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Board Refreshment | Our Board is committed to ensuring that its composition includes a range of expertise aligned with the company's business, as well as fresh perspectives on strategy. One of the ways the Board acts on this commitment is through the thoughtful refreshment of directors when appropriate. In 2015, the Board initiated a process to seek out highly qualified director candidates who would bring relevant experience to the Board in light of our company's growing scale and diversity. This resulted in the addition of three new directorsone in 2016, one in 2017 and one in 2019. All three of these directors are female, adding diversity to our Board. | |
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Committee Rotations | As part of its annual review of committee assignments, the Board reconstituted its committees and their chairmen in May 2018, March 2019 and April 2020 to ensure effective functioning and new perspectives. | |
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Director Elections | All directors are elected annually for one-year terms or until their successors are elected and qualified. | |
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Majority Voting for Director Elections | Our bylaws provide for a majority voting standard in uncontested elections, and further require that a director who fails to receive a majority vote must tender his or her resignation to the Board. | |
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Board Evaluations | Our Board reviews committee and director performance through an annual process of self-evaluation. | |
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Risk Oversight and Financial Reporting | Our Board seeks to provide robust oversight of current and potential risks facing our company by engaging in regular deliberations and participating in management meetings. Our Audit Committee contributes to strong financial reporting oversight through regular meetings with management and dialogue with our auditors. | |
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Active Participation | Our Board held 20 meetings during 2020. Each person currently serving as a director attended at least 93% of the Board meetings, as well as the meetings of any committee(s) on which he or she served. | |
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Clear Oversight of Sustainability | In December 2020, the Board approved amendments to the charter of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee to support the Board in its oversight of the company's purpose-driven sustainability strategies and external disclosures; this includes engaging with management on material environmental, social and corporate governance ("ESG") matters and stakeholder perspectives. | |
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2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINEES |
Our Board aims to create a diverse and highly skilled team of directors who provide our global company with thoughtful board oversight. When selecting new directors, our Board considers, among other things, the nominee's breadth of experience, financial expertise, integrity, ability to make independent analytical inquiries, understanding of our business environment, skills in areas relevant to our growth drivers and willingness to devote adequate time to Board dutiesall in the context of the needs of the Board at that point in time, and with the objective of ensuring a diversity of backgrounds, expertise and viewpoints. Our Board also endeavors to include highly qualified women and individuals from underrepresented minority groups in the candidate pool, and has engaged in a purposeful process of regular refreshment. This has resulted in the addition of three new directors to the Board, one in 2016, one in 2017 and one in 2019. All three of these directors are female, adding diversity to our Board. The composition of our Board at year-end 2020 was:
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The following table provides summary information about each director nominee. Each director is elected annually by a majority of the votes cast.
Committee Memberships |
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Name | Director Since |
Age | Occupation | Independent | AC | CC | NCGSC | AcqC | ||||||||
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Brad Jacobs |
2011 | 64 | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, XPO Logistics, Inc. | | | | | | ||||||||
Gena Ashe |
2016 |
59 |
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Anterix Inc. |
Y |
✓ |
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Marlene Colucci |
2019 | 58 | Executive Director of The Business Council | Y | | ✓ | | ✓ | ||||||||
AnnaMaria DeSalva |
2017 |
52 |
Vice Chairman, XPO Logistics, Inc.; |
Y |
C |
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Michael Jesselson |
2011 | 69 |
Lead Independent Director, XPO Logistics, Inc.; President and Chief Executive Officer, Jesselson Capital Corporation |
Y | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ||||||||
Adrian Kingshott |
2011 |
61 |
Chief Executive Officer, AdSon, LLC; |
Y |
C |
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Jason Papastavrou* |
2011 | 58 | Founder and Chief Investment Officer, ARIS Capital Management, LLC | Y | ✓ | C | ✓ | | ||||||||
Oren Shaffer* |
2011 |
78 |
Former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Qwest Communications International, Inc. |
Y |
C |
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AC = Audit Committee CC = Compensation Committee |
NCGSC = Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee AcqC = Acquisition Committee |
C = Committee Chairman ✓= Committee Member * = Audit Committee Financial Expert |
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The following table provides a summary of the qualifications and experience of our director nominees.
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2020 PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS |
XPO generated positive financial achievements in 2020, arising from a financial rebound and upward momentum in the second half of the year. Under the skilled leadership of our NEOs, in 2020 we reported:
* See Annex A for reconciliations of non-GAAP measures
RESPONSE TO COVID-19 |
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have prioritized the health, safety and well-being of our employees and the communities in which we operate, taking these and other measures in 2020:
The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the benefits of our long-standing investment in technology, which positioned XPO to participate in Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. public-private partnership to distribute vaccine supplies. We leveraged our cold-chain logistics expertise and expedited transportation fleet to help combat the pandemic.
Additional details about XPO's commitment to safety and our strategy for COVID-related risk management can be found on our website at xpo.com/covid19.
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SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS |
We are pleased to have published our 2020 Sustainability Report highlighting our initiatives in the following areas:
2020 STOCKHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIVENESS |
XPO's Board and management team are committed to engaging with stockholders to ensure our practices continue to align with the long-term interests of our stockholders. The feedback received during these conversations helped inform the company's compensation, sustainability and human capital management.
In 2020, XPO engaged with stockholders to discuss our governance, compensation, sustainability and business practices in two separate periodsin the weeks leading up to our 2020 Annual Meeting as well as in the latter months of the year, continuing through early 2021.
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Further details about Compensation Committee decisions resulting from stockholder engagement are described in the "Stockholder Outreach and Engagement" section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis.
2020 COMPENSATION HIGHLIGHTS |
The Compensation Committee's pay-for-performance philosophy is focused on rewarding our executives for performance that creates substantial, long-term value for our stockholders. As a result, long-term incentive compensation is tied to ambitious goals for key operational indicators which incentivize our executives to drive long-term stockholder value creation. Over time, our financial and operational results have demonstrated the merits of this philosophy for our stockholders and our granting practices have proven successful in aligning pay outcomes with performance.
During 2020, NEOs acted decisively to navigate through the pandemic by prioritizing the safety of our employees, while ensuring continuity of service for our customers. The leadership of our NEOs and the resilience of our business model preserved value for our stockholders and positioned the company for a dramatic rebound in the second half of the year. As the economy continues to recover, our strengths are aligned with major industry tailwinds that emerged in 2020: logistics automation, the ongoing growth in e-commerce and supply chain outsourcing. Due in large part to the exemplary leadership of our NEOs in 2020, XPO is well-positioned to capitalize on these strategic opportunities. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee took into account the company's strong financial positioning and recovery at 2020 year-end when determining annual short-term incentive compensation.
In connection with the execution of new, four-year employment agreements, in July 2020, long-term incentive awards were granted to Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Harik. The structure of the award incorporates stockholder feedback received prior to our 2020 Annual Meeting. The awards are fully performance-based and include four tranches vesting through January 2026. Each tranche may be earned at a level ranging from zero to 200% of target value, depending on the degree of achievement of goals tied to both absolute and relative adjusted cash flow per share and ESG performance. If a goal for a given tranche is not achieved, the portion of the award associated with that goal will be forfeited. Awards are based on rigorous performance targets, with no payouts for below-target performance.
Further details about executive compensation decisions are described in the "Executive Compensation Elements and Outcomes for 2020" section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis.
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This Proxy Statement sets forth information relating to the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (our "Board of Directors" or our "Board") of XPO Logistics, Inc. ("XPO" or our "company") in connection with our 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") or any adjournment or postponement thereof. This Proxy Statement is being furnished by our Board for use at the Annual Meeting to be held on May 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time as a webcast due to the public health concerns related to COVID-19. You can access the meeting at www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 with password XPO2021. You will also be required to have a control number to access the Annual Meeting. Please follow the instructions below to receive your control number.
This Proxy Statement and form of proxy are first being mailed on or about April 13, 2021, to our stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 8, 2021 (the "Record Date").
The following answers address some questions you may have regarding our Annual Meeting. These questions and answers may not include all of the information that may be important to you as a stockholder of our company. Please refer to the more detailed information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement.
What items of business will be voted on at the Annual Meeting? |
We expect that the business put forth for a vote at the Annual Meeting will be as follows:
Senior management of XPO and representatives of our outside auditor, KPMG, will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Who can attend and vote at the Annual Meeting? |
You are entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at the Annual Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof, if, as of the close of business on April 8, 2021, the Record Date, you were a holder of record of our common stock or Series A Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (the "Series A Preferred Stock").
You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person this year due to COVID-19 safety precautions. You can access the Annual Meeting at www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 with password XPO2021. You will be required to provide the control number on your proxy card to access the Annual Meeting. If the shares of common stock you hold are in an account at a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee (i.e., in "street name"), you must register in advance to participate in the Annual Meeting, vote electronically and submit questions during the live webcast of the meeting. To register, you must obtain a legal proxy from the bank, broker or other nominee that holds your shares giving you the right to vote the shares. Requests for registration should be directed to Computershare by email at legalproxy@computershare.com no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Thursday, May 6, 2021. You will receive a confirmation of your registration, with a control number, by email from Computershare. At the time of the meeting, go to www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 and enter your control number and the meeting password, XPO2021.
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Can I ask questions during the Annual Meeting? |
Stockholders (or their proxy holders) may submit questions for the Annual Meeting's question and answer session in advance by logging on to the meeting site at www.meetingcenter.io/260352583 with password XPO2021. You will need the control number on your proxy card or confirmation email from Computershare in order to submit a question. Click on the "message" icon at the top of the screen and submit your question. Please provide your name, address (city and state) and organization, and, if applicable, the specific proposal to which your question relates. Questions can be submitted in advance of the Annual Meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on May 10, 2021. Questions may also be submitted during the Annual Meeting through the meeting website. We will answer as many questions during the meeting as time will allow and will group questions together where appropriate.
How many shares of XPO common stock or Series A Preferred Stock must be present to conduct business at the Annual Meeting? |
As of the Record Date, there were 111,676,088 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, with each share entitled to one vote on each matter to come before the Annual Meeting. In addition, each share of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to vote on each matter to come before the Annual Meeting as if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock were converted into shares of common stock as of the Record Date, meaning that each share of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to approximately 143 votes on each matter to come before the Annual Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 40 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, representing 5,714 votes. In total, 111,681,802 votes are eligible to be cast at the Annual Meeting based on the number of outstanding shares of our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
A quorum is necessary to hold a valid meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to the company's bylaws, the presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares issued and outstanding is necessary for each of the proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting. Accordingly, holders of shares of our common stock or Series A Preferred Stock outstanding on the Record Date representing 55,840,902 votes must be present at the Annual Meeting. If you vote by internet, telephone or proxy card, the shares you vote will be counted toward the quorum for the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted as present for the purpose of determining a quorum.
What are my voting choices? |
With respect to the election of directors, you may vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" each of the director nominees, or you may "ABSTAIN" from voting for one or more of such nominees. With respect to the other proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting, you may vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" or you may "ABSTAIN" from voting on any proposal. If you sign your proxy without giving specific instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of our Board of Directors with respect to the specific proposals described in this Proxy Statement and at the discretion of the proxy holders on any other matters that properly come before the Annual Meeting.
What vote is required to approve the proposals being considered at the Annual Meeting? |
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In general, other business properly brought before the Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast (meaning the number of shares voted "for" such proposal must exceed the number of shares voted "against" such proposal) by holders of shares of our common stock (including those shares that would be issued if all our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock had converted into shares of our common stock as of the Record Date).
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How does the Board of Directors recommend that I vote? |
Our Board of Directors, after careful consideration, recommends that our stockholders vote "FOR" the election of each director nominee named in this Proxy Statement, "FOR" ratification of KPMG as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2021, "FOR" the advisory approval of the resolution to approve executive compensation, "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding additional disclosure of the company's political activities, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting; "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding the requirement that the chairman of the board be an independent director, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting; and "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding acceleration of executive equity awards in the case of a change in control, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting.
What do I need to do now? |
We urge you to read this Proxy Statement carefully, then vote via internet or by telephone by following the instructions on the proxy card, or mail your completed, dated and signed proxy card in the enclosed return envelope as soon as possible, so that your shares of our common stock can be voted at the Annual Meeting.
How do I cast my vote? |
Registered Stockholders. If you are a registered stockholder (i.e., you hold your shares in your own name through our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., and not through a broker, bank or other nominee that holds shares for your account in "street name"), you may vote by proxy via internet or by telephone by following the instructions provided on the proxy card, or mail your completed, dated and signed proxy card in the enclosed return envelope. Proxies submitted via internet or by telephone must be received by 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021. Please see the proxy card provided to you for instructions on how to submit your proxy via internet or by telephone. Stockholders of record who attend the Annual Meeting may vote directly at the Annual Meeting by following the instructions provided during the Annual Meeting.
Beneficial Owners. If you are a beneficial owner of shares (i.e., your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank or a trustee), you may vote by proxy by following the instructions provided in the voting instruction form or other materials provided to you by the brokerage firm, bank or other nominee that holds your shares. To vote directly at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from the brokerage firm, bank or other nominee that holds your shares. Follow the instructions provided above to obtain a control number and the voting instructions provided during the Annual Meeting.
What is the deadline to vote? |
If you hold shares as the stockholder of record, your vote by proxy must be received before the polls close at the Annual Meeting. As indicated on the proxy card provided to you, proxies submitted via internet or by telephone must be received by 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021.
If you are the beneficial owner of shares of our common stock, please follow the voting instructions provided by your broker, trustee or other nominee.
What happens if I do not respond, or if I respond and fail to indicate my voting preference, or if I abstain from voting? |
If you fail to vote via internet or by telephone as indicated on your proxy card, or fail to properly sign, date and return your proxy card, your shares will not be counted towards establishing a quorum for the Annual Meeting, which requires holders representing a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock (including those that would be issued if all of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock had converted into shares of our common stock as of the Record Date) to be present in person or by proxy.
Failure to vote, assuming the presence of a quorum, will have no effect on the tabulation of the votes on the proposals. If you are a stockholder of record and you properly sign, date and return your proxy card, but do not indicate your voting preference, we will count your proxy as a vote "FOR" the election of the eight nominees for director named in "Proposal 1Election of Directors," "FOR" ratification of KPMG as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2021, "FOR" advisory approval of the resolution to approve executive compensation, "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding additional disclosure of the company's political activities, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting; "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding the requirement that the chairman of the board be an independent director, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting; and "AGAINST" the approval of the stockholder proposal regarding acceleration of executive equity awards in the case of a change in control, if such proposal is properly presented at the meeting.
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If my shares are held in "street name" by my broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, will my broker or other nominee vote my shares for me? |
You should instruct your broker or other nominee on how to vote your shares of our common stock using the instructions they provide to you. Brokers or other nominees who hold shares of our common stock in "street name" for customers are prevented by the rules set forth in the Listed Company Manual (the "NYSE Rules") of the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") from exercising voting discretion with respect to non-routine or contested matters (i.e., they must receive specific voting instructions from a stockholder in order to vote that stockholder's shares on non-routine or contested matters). Shares not voted by a broker or other nominee, because they did not receive specific voting instructions from the stockholder on one or more proposals, are referred to as "broker non-votes."
We expect that when the NYSE determines whether each of the six proposals to be voted on at our Annual Meeting is a routine or non-routine matter, only "Proposal 2Ratification of the Appointment of KPMG LLP as Our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal Year 2021" will be determined to be routine. It is important that you instruct your broker or other nominee on how to vote your shares of our common stock held in "street name" by following the instructions provided to you by your broker or other nominee.
What if I want to change my vote? |
Whether you attend the Annual Meeting or not, you may revoke a proxy at any time before your proxy is voted at the Annual Meeting. You may do so by properly delivering a later-dated proxy either via internet, by telephone, by mail, or by attending the Annual Meeting virtually and voting. Please note, however, that your attendance at the Annual Meeting will not automatically revoke any prior proxy, unless you vote again at the Annual Meeting or specifically request in writing that your prior proxy be revoked. You also may revoke your proxy by delivering a notice of revocation to our company (Attention: Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831) prior to the vote at the Annual Meeting. If you hold your shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, you should follow the instructions of your broker or other nominee regarding revocation of proxies.
How will the persons named as proxies vote? |
If you are a registered stockholder (i.e., you hold your shares of our common stock in your own name through our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., and not through a broker, bank or other nominee that holds shares for your account in "street name") and you complete and submit a proxy, the persons named as proxies will follow your instructions. If you submit a proxy but do not provide voting instructions, or if your instructions are unclear, the persons named as proxies will vote as recommended by our Board of Directors or, if no recommendation is given, by using their own discretion.
Where can I find the results of the voting? |
We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the Annual Meeting and will publish final results on a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") within four (4) business days after the Annual Meeting. The Current Report on Form 8-K will also be available on the internet at our website, www.xpo.com.
Who will pay for the cost of soliciting proxies? |
The company will pay for the cost of soliciting proxies. We have engaged Innisfree M&A Incorporated to assist us in soliciting proxies in connection with the Annual Meeting and have agreed to pay them approximately $15,000 plus their expenses for providing such services. Our directors, officers and other employees, without additional compensation, may solicit proxies personally, in writing, by telephone, by e-mail or otherwise. As is customary, we will reimburse brokerage firms, fiduciaries, voting trustees and other nominees for forwarding our proxy materials to each beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or Series A Preferred Stock held of the Record Date through them.
What is "householding" and how does it affect me? |
In cases where multiple company stockholders share the same address, and the shares are held through a bank, broker or other holder of record ("street-name stockholders"), only one copy of our proxy materials will be delivered to that address unless a stockholder at that address requests otherwise. This practice, known as "householding," is intended to reduce our printing and postage costs. However, any such street-name stockholders residing at the same address who wish to receive a separate copy of our proxy materials may request a copy by contacting their bank, broker or other holder of record, or by sending a written request to: Investor Relations, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831, or by contacting Investor Relations by telephone at 1-855-976-6951. The voting instruction form sent to a street-name stockholder should provide information on how to request a separate copy of future materials for each company stockholder at that address, if that is your preference.
Can I obtain an electronic copy of the company's proxy materials? |
Yes, this Proxy Statement and our 2020 Annual Report are available on the internet at www.edocumentview.com/XPO.
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | ||
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AN OVERVIEW OF OUR MISSION AND HOW OUR BOARD COMPOSITION IS ALIGNED WITH OUR STRATEGY |
Our mission is to be the leading provider of cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world and help our customers manage their goods most efficiently throughout their supply chains. We run our business on a global basis, with more than 50,000 customers served by over 100,000 employees and 1,629 locations in 30 countries, primarily in North America and Europe.
Our business has two segments, transportation and logisticseach has robust service offerings, leadership positions and growth prospects. Our transportation segment primarily provides less-than-truckload (LTL) and truck brokerage services in North America and Europe. We are a top three provider of LTL services in North America, and we have one of the largest LTL networks in Western Europe. In addition, we are the second largest truck brokerage provider globally. Our logistics segment provides order fulfillment and other distribution services differentiated by our ability to deliver technology-enabled, customized solutions. We are the second largest logistics company in the world, with one of the largest outsourced e-commerce fulfilment platforms. Our logistics customers include many preeminent companies that benefit from our scale, automation and range of vertical expertise. Our blueprint for transforming supply chain management is rooted in innovation and revolves around our people. We care deeply about keeping our employees and customers happy, and we view safety, sustainability, strong governance and a purpose-driven culture as essential components of value creation. In addition, our company is a leading proponent of supply chain technology, with a global team of technologists and data scientists who concentrate their efforts in four areas of innovation: automation and intelligent machines; visibility and customer service; our proprietary digital transportation platform; and dynamic data science.
Our Board of Directors consists of a highly skilled group of leaders who share our values and reflect our culture. Many of our directors have served as executive officers or board members of major companies and have an extensive understanding of the principles of corporate governance. In addition, our directors have a strong owner orientationas of the Record Date, approximately 17.5% of the voting power of our capital stock is held by our directors or by entities or persons related to our directors. As described on page 19, our Board as a whole has extensive expertise in the following skill sets, all of which are relevant to our company, business, industry and strategy:
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DIRECTORS |
Our Board of Directors currently consists of eight (8) members as set forth in the table below. The current term of each of our directors will expire at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Our Board has nominated all of the current directors to stand for election at the Annual Meeting, as set forth in Proposal 1 on page 66 of this Proxy Statement.
Name |
Occupation |
|
---|---|---|
| | |
Brad Jacobs | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, XPO Logistics, Inc. | |
Gena Ashe | General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Anterix Inc. | |
Marlene Colucci | Executive Director, The Business Council | |
AnnaMaria DeSalva | Vice Chairman, XPO Logistics, Inc.; Global Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hill+Knowlton Strategies | |
Michael Jesselson | Lead Independent Director, XPO Logistics, Inc.; President and Chief Executive Officer, Jesselson Capital Corporation | |
Adrian Kingshott | Chief Executive Officer, AdSon, LLC; Managing Director, Spotlight Advisors, LLC | |
Jason Papastavrou | Founder and Chief Investment Officer, ARIS Capital Management, LLC | |
Oren Shaffer | Former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Qwest Communications International, Inc. | |
| | |
Under the terms of an Investment Agreement, dated June 13, 2011 (the "Investment Agreement"), by and among Jacobs Private Equity, LLC ("JPE"), the other investors party thereto (collectively with JPE, the "Investors"), and our company, JPE has the right to designate certain percentages of the nominees for our Board of Directors so long as JPE owns securities representing specified percentages of the total voting power of our capital stock on a fully-diluted basis. JPE does not currently own securities representing the required voting power to qualify for the right to designate nominees for our Board of Directors. The foregoing rights of JPE under the Investment Agreement are in addition to, and not in limitation of, JPE's voting rights as a holder of capital stock of our company. JPE is controlled by Brad Jacobs, our chairman and chief executive officer. The Investment Agreement and the terms contemplated therein were approved by our stockholders at a special meeting on September 1, 2011.
None of the foregoing will prevent our Board of Directors from acting in accordance with its fiduciary duties or applicable law or stock exchange requirements or from acting in good faith in accordance with our governing documents, while giving due consideration to the intent of the Investment Agreement.
Set forth below is information regarding each of our director nominees, including the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led our Board to conclude that each such nominee should serve as a director.
Brad Jacobs | Chairman and Director since 2011 | |
Age: 64 |
||
Mr. Jacobs has served as our chief executive officer and chairman of our Board of Directors since September 2, 2011. Mr. Jacobs is also the managing member of JPE, which is our largest stockholder. Prior to XPO, Mr. Jacobs led two public companies: United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), which he founded in 1997, and United Waste Systems, Inc., which he founded in 1989. Mr. Jacobs served as chairman and chief executive officer of United Rentals for that company's first six years, and as its executive chairman for an additional four years. He served eight years as chairman and chief executive officer of United Waste Systems. |
||
Board Committees: None |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None | ||
Mr. Jacobs brings to the Board: ■ In-depth knowledge of the company's business resulting from his years of service with the company as its chief executive officer; ■ Leadership experience as the company's chairman and chief executive officer, and a successful track record of leading companies that execute strategies similar to ours; and ■ Extensive past experience as the chairman of the board of directors of several public companies. |
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Gena Ashe | Independent Director since 2016 | |
Age: 59 |
||
Ms. Ashe has served as a director of the company since March 21, 2016. She has served as the general counsel and corporate secretary of Anterix Inc. since July 2019, and as the president and chief executive officer of GLA Legal Advisory Group, LLC since February 2018. She was senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE) from May 2017 to February 2018, and executive vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary of BrightView Landscapes, LLC (formerly The Brickman Group, Ltd. LLC) from December 2012 to June 2016. Ms. Ashe has served as vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board of XPO Logistics Europe S.A., our majority-owned subsidiary, since February 2017. In addition, she has served as a director of the Executive Leadership Council since February 2020 and American Landscape Partners, LLC since January 2021. Ms. Ashe holds a juris doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she serves on the Georgetown Law Advisory Board, a master's degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Spelman College, where she sits on the Board of Trustees. She has completed the executive development program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a certificate in international management from Oxford University in England. |
||
Board Committees: ■ Member of Audit Committee ■ Member of Acquisition Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None |
||
Ms. Ashe brings to the Board: ■ More than two decades of valuable legal experience with public and private companies, enabling her to provide guidance to the Board and management on legal matters, compliance and risk assessment and corporate governance best practices; and ■ An in-depth understanding of the dynamics of three of our most important customer verticals: e-commerce, technology and food and beverage. |
Marlene Colucci | Independent Director since 2019 | |
Age: 58 |
||
Ms. Colucci has served as a director of the company since February 7, 2019. She has served as the executive director of The Business Council in Washington, D.C. since July 2013. Previously, from September 2005 to June 2013, she was executive vice president of public policy for the American Hotel & Lodging Association. From September 2003 to June 2005, she served in the White House as special assistant to President George W. Bush in the Office of Domestic Policy. In this role, she developed labor, transportation and postal reform policies and advised the president and his staff on related matters. Earlier, Ms. Colucci served as deputy assistant secretary with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Her law career includes more than 12 years with the firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she served as senior counsel. She holds a juris doctorate degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. |
||
Board Committees: ■ Member of Compensation Committee ■ Member of Acquisition Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None |
||
Ms. Colucci brings to the Board: ■ Significant experience with public policy development, including labor and transportation policy, from over two decades of relevant government and private sector experience; and ■ Meaningful perspectives on matters of corporate governance and business operations from her tenure leading the premier association of chief executive officers of the world's most important business enterprises. |
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AnnaMaria DeSalva | Independent Director since 2017 | |
Age: 52 |
Vice Chairman since 2019 |
|
Ms. DeSalva has served as a director of the company since September 19, 2017 and vice chairman of the Board since February 7, 2019. She has served as global chairman and chief executive officer of Hill+Knowlton Strategies since June 2019. Prior to that, Ms. DeSalva served as chief communications officer of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (DuPont) from March 2014 to January 2018, then as senior advisor to the CEO of DowDuPont until February 2019. Previously, she served as vice president of corporate affairs for biopharmaceutical innovation at Pfizer; was an advisor to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and led the global healthcare practice of Hill & Knowlton. For Bristol-Myers Squibb, she led global public affairs for the oncology business and served as the director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. Ms. DeSalva serves on the board of governors of Argonne National Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy and is a member of its compensation and nominating committees. She is a member of The Economic Club of New York, The Partnership for New York City, and the Paley International Council, and a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board. Ms. DeSalva also serves on the boards of directors of the non-profit Project Sunshine and the William & Mary Alumni Association. She is a graduate of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she serves as executive in residence at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Ms. DeSalva has completed the Harvard School of Public Health's executive education program in risk communication, and the Advanced Health Leadership Program jointly offered by the University of California at Berkeley and Pompeu University in Barcelona, Spain. |
||
Board Committees: ■ Chairman of Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None |
||
Ms. DeSalva brings to the Board: ■ Global perspective as the chief executive officer of a multinational organization serving clients across almost every sector of the world economy; and ■ Significant experience in corporate affairs, regulatory affairs and corporate social responsibility, having previously served in senior leadership roles at several public companies. |
Michael Jesselson | Independent Director since 2011 | |
Age: 69 |
Lead Independent Director since 2016 |
|
Mr. Jesselson has served as a director of the company since September 2, 2011 and as lead independent director since March 20, 2016. He has been president and chief executive officer of Jesselson Capital Corporation since 1994, and became a director of Ascendant Digital Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ACND) in July 2020. Mr. Jesselson served as a director of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) from November 1997 to May 2017, most recently as its lead independent director. Earlier, he worked at Philipp Brothers, a division of Engelhard Industries from 1972 to 1981, then at Salomon Brothers Inc. in the financial trading sector. He is a director of C-III Capital Partners LLC, Clarity Capital and other private companies, as well as numerous philanthropic organizations. Mr. Jesselson also serves as the chairman of Bar Ilan University in Israel. He attended New York University School of Engineering. |
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Board Committees: ■ Member of Audit Committee ■ Member of Compensation Committee ■ Member of Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: Ascendant Digital Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ACND) |
||
Mr. Jesselson brings to the Board: ■ Significant experience with public company governance through prior service on the board of directors of American Eagle Outfitters, including as its lead independent director; and ■ Extensive investment expertise. |
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Adrian Kingshott | Independent Director since 2011 | |
Age: 61 |
||
Mr. Kingshott has served as a director of the company since September 2, 2011. He has served as the chief executive officer of AdSon, LLC since October 2005, managing director of Spotlight Advisors, LLC since September 2015 and a member of the board of directors of Centre Lane Investment Corp. since May 2011. Mr. Kingshott was a senior advisor to Headwaters Merchant Bank from 2013 until June 2018. Previously, with Goldman Sachs, he was co-head of the firm's Global Leveraged Finance business and held other positions over a 17-year tenure. More recently, Mr. Kingshott was a managing director and portfolio manager at Amaranth Advisors, LLC. He is an adjunct professor of Global Capital Markets and Investments at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School and a master of jurisprudence degree from Oxford University. |
||
Board Committees: ■ Chairman of Acquisition Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None |
||
Mr. Kingshott brings to the Board: ■ More than 25 years of experience in the investment banking and investment management industries; and ■ Expertise with respect to corporate governance, acquisition transactions, debt and equity financing and corporate financial management issues. |
Jason Papastavrou, Ph.D. | Independent Director since 2011 | |
Age: 58 |
||
Dr. Papastavrou has served as a director of the company since September 2, 2011. He founded ARIS Capital Management, LLC in 2004 and serves as its chief investment officer. Previously, Dr. Papastavrou was the founder and managing director of the Fund of Hedge Funds Strategies Group of Banc of America Capital Management (BACAP), president of BACAP Alternative Advisors, and a senior portfolio manager with Deutsche Asset Management. He was a tenured professor at Purdue University School of Industrial Engineering and holds a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Papastavrou served on the board of directors of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI) from April 2005 to May 2020. |
||
Board Committees: ■ Chairman of Compensation Committee ■ Member of Audit Committee ■ Member of Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee |
||
Other Public Company Boards: None |
||
Dr. Papastavrou brings to the Board: ■ Financial expertise related to his qualifications as an "audit committee financial expert" under SEC regulations; and ■ Extensive experience with finance and risk-related matters, from holding senior positions at investment management firms. |
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Oren Shaffer | Independent Director since 2011 | |
Age: 78 |
||
Mr. Shaffer has served as a director of the company since September 2, 2011. From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Shaffer was vice chairman and chief financial officer of Qwest Communications International, Inc. (now CenturyLink, Inc.). Previously, Mr. Shaffer was president and chief operating officer of Sorrento Networks, Inc., executive vice president and chief financial officer of Ameritech Corporation, and held senior executive positions with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where he also served on the board of directors. Additionally, Mr. Shaffer served as a director on the board of Terex Corporation from 2007 until May 2019. He holds a master's degree in management from the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a degree in finance and business administration from the University of California, Berkeley. |
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Board Committees: ■ Chairman of Audit Committee |
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Other Public Company Boards: None |
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Mr. Shaffer brings to the Board: ■ Senior financial, operational and strategic experience with various large companies; ■ Corporate governance expertise from serving as director of various public companies; and ■ Financial expertise related to his qualifications as an "audit committee financial expert" under SEC regulations. |
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SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF DIRECTOR NOMINEES |
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ROLE OF THE BOARD AND BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE |
Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our Board of Directors, which is our company's ultimate decision-making body, except with respect to those matters reserved to our stockholders. Our Board's primary responsibility is to seek to maximize long-term stockholder value. Our Board establishes our overall corporate policies, selects and evaluates our senior management team, which is charged with the conduct of our business, monitors the performance of our company and management, and provides advice and counsel to management. In fulfilling the Board's responsibilities, our directors have full access to our management, internal and external auditors and outside advisors.
Furthermore, our Board of Directors is committed to independent Board oversight. Our current Board leadership structure includes an executive chairman as well as a lead independent director and an independent vice chairman. The positions of chairman of the Board and chief executive officer are both currently held by Mr. Jacobs. Our Board believes that this combination of roles is appropriate because the structure enables decisive leadership and ensures clear accountability in the context of strong Board practices and a Board culture that facilitates independent oversight. On December 2, 2020, Mr. Jacobs underscored his commitment to maximizing shareholder value when XPO announced that the Board had authorized company management to pursue a plan to spin off XPO's logistics business into an independent, publicly-traded company. The planned spinoff demonstrates Mr. Jacobs' ability to focus on creating value for stockholders and also remain intensely committed to the satisfaction of our customers and employees. Our Board believes the dual roles function well for our company based on our current strategy, governance and ownership structure.
To further strengthen its independent decision-making, our Board has approved a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines (the "Guidelines"), which provide that the independent directors may appoint a lead independent director who presides over executive sessions of the independent directors, and who shall serve a term of at least one year. The position of lead independent director has been structured to serve as an effective balance to the dual roles served by Mr. Jacobs, and to include, among other duties: (i) presiding at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which the chairman is not present; (ii) presiding at all executive sessions of the independent directors, which must take place at least once a year without members of management present; and (iii) calling additional meetings of the independent directors as necessary. In practice, in 2020, our independent directors met in executive sessions much more frequently. The lead independent director also serves as a liaison between the chairman and the independent directors. Together with the chairman, the lead independent director approves Board meeting agendas, meeting schedules and meeting materials to be distributed to our Board of Directors in order to ensure sufficient time for informed discussion of issues. The lead independent director is also available to meet with significant stockholders as required. On March 20, 2016, the independent directors appointed Mr. Jesselson to serve as lead independent director.
In addition, on February 7, 2019, the Board established an independent vice chairman position as part of its ongoing commitment to strong corporate governance. The position of vice chairman is defined as an independent director with authorities and duties that include, among others: (i) presiding at meetings of the Board where the chairman and lead independent director are not present; (ii) assisting the chairman, when appropriate, in carrying out his or her duties; (iii) assisting the lead independent director, when appropriate, in carrying out his or her duties; and (iv) such other duties, responsibilities and assistance as the Board or the chairman may determine. Ms. DeSalva was appointed to serve as vice chairman on February 7, 2019, to provide support on key governance matters and stockholder engagement to the chairman, lead independent director and the Board.
Further information regarding the positions of lead independent director and vice chairman is set forth in the Guidelines. The Guidelines are available on the company's corporate website at www.xpo.com under the Investors tab.
Our Board of Directors held 20 meetings during 2020. Each person currently serving as a director attended at least 93% of the Board meetings, as well as the meetings of any committee(s) on which he or she served. In addition, during 2020, our Board of Directors acted twice via unanimous written consent.
Our directors are expected to attend our annual meetings. Any director who is unable to attend is expected to notify the chairman of the Board in advance of the meeting date. All of our directors serving and standing for re-election attended the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
BOARD RISK OVERSIGHT |
Our Board of Directors provides overall risk oversight, with a focus on the most significant risks facing our company. In addition, the Board is responsible for ensuring that appropriate crisis management and business continuity plans are in place. The management of risks to our business, and the execution of contingency plans, are primarily the responsibility of our senior management team.
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Our Board and senior management team regularly discuss the company's business strategy, operations, policies, controls, prospects, and current and potential risks. These discussions include approaches for assessing, monitoring, mitigating and controlling risk exposure. The Board has delegated responsibility for the oversight of specific risks special committees as follows:
To navigate the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we assembled a cross-disciplinary crisis management team that includes all of our executive officers. This team oversees the management of COVID-19 risks to employee health and safety, which is paramount, and to our business operations and financial condition. Board members receive frequent updates from the crisis management team at formal Board meetings and through informal direct participation in crisis management team meetings. Among other topics, these updates cover the measures we are taking to address the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among our employees and the wider communities in which we operate, as well as our COVID-related communications with employees, customers and other company stakeholders.
In addition, the Board periodically holds special sessions to evaluate topical trends identified as significant risks or items of strategic interest, such as human resources management, information technology and cyber security. The Board is committed to ensuring that our company has the resources and infrastructure necessary to appropriately address all significant risks.
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP |
Our Board of Directors has established four separately designated, standing committees to assist the Board in discharging its responsibilities: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee, and the Acquisition Committee. Each of these committees has a written charter that complies with applicable SEC rules and with the NYSE Listed Company Manual. These charters are available at www.xpo.com. You may obtain a printed copy of any of these charters, without charge, by sending a request to: Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831.
The Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee are each composed entirely of independent directors within all applicable standards, as discussed below. Our Board's general policy is to review and approve committee assignments annually. After consulting with our Board chairman and considering member qualifications, the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee is responsible for recommending to our Board all committee assignments, including the roles of committee chairmen. Each committee is authorized to retain, in its sole authority, its own outside counsel and other advisors at the company's expense as it desires. Also, each committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees when appropriate. Our Board may eliminate or create additional committees as it deems appropriate.
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The following table sets forth the membership of each of our Board committees as of the Record Date. Mr. Jacobs does not serve on any Board committees.
Name |
| Audit Committee | | Compensation Committee | | Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee |
| Acquisition Committee |
| | | | | | | | |
Gena Ashe |
| ✓ | | | | | | ✓ |
Marlene Colucci |
| | ✓ | | | ✓ | ||
AnnaMaria DeSalva |
| | | | | C | | |
Michael Jesselson |
| ✓ | | ✓ | | ✓ | | |
Adrian Kingshott |
| | | | | | | C |
Jason Papastavrou* |
| ✓ | | C | | ✓ | | |
Oren Shaffer* |
| C | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
C = Committee chairman |
| ✓ = Committee member |
| | * = Audit Committee Financial Expert |
A brief summary of the committees' responsibilities follows:
Audit Committee. Our Audit Committee has been established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), to assist our Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities in a number of areas, including, without limitation, oversight of: (i) our accounting and financial reporting processes, including our systems of internal controls and disclosure controls, (ii) the integrity of our financial statements, (iii) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (iv) the qualifications and independence of our independent registered public accounting firm, (v) the performance of our independent registered public accounting firm and internal audit function and (vi) related party transactions. Each member of the Audit Committee satisfies all applicable independence standards, has not participated in the preparation of our financial statements at any time during the past three years, and is able to read and understand fundamental financial statements. During 2020, the Audit Committee was comprised of the following four directors: Mr. Shaffer (chairman), Ms. Ashe, Mr. Jesselson and Dr. Papastavrou. During 2020, the Audit Committee met seven times and acted three times via unanimous written consent. Our Board has determined that Mr. Shaffer and Dr. Papastavrou each qualify as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined under Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act.
Compensation Committee. The primary responsibilities of the Compensation Committee are, among other things: (i) to oversee the administration of our compensation programs, (ii) to review and approve the compensation of our executive management, (iii) to review company contributions to qualified and non-qualified plans, (iv) to prepare any report on executive compensation required by SEC rules and regulations, and (v) to retain independent compensation consultants and oversee the work of such consultants. During 2020, the Compensation Committee met 11 times and, in addition, acted four times via unanimous written consent to deliberate on a range of matters relating to compensation, including:
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From January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020, the Compensation Committee was comprised of the following four directors: Mr. Kingshott (chairman), Ms. Colucci, Mr. Jesselson and Dr. Papastavrou. On April 17, 2020, Mr. Kingshott stepped down from the Compensation Committee and Dr. Papastavrou was appointed chairman of the committee.
Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee. The primary responsibilities of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee are, among other things: (i) to identify individuals qualified to become Board members and recommend that our Board select such individuals to be presented for stockholder consideration at the annual meeting or to be appointed by the Board to fill a vacancy, (ii) to make recommendations to the Board concerning committee appointments, (iii) to develop, recommend to the Board and annually review the Guidelines and oversee corporate governance matters, (iv) to support the Board in its oversight of our company's purpose-driven sustainability strategies, performance and external disclosures, including ESG matters and related stakeholder engagement, and (v) to oversee an annual evaluation of our Board and its committees. During 2020, the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee was comprised of the following three directors: Ms. DeSalva (chairman), Mr. Jesselson and Dr. Papastavrou. The Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee met three times during 2020. In December 2020, the Board approved amendments to the charter of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee to support the Board in its oversight of our company's purpose-driven sustainability strategies, performance and external disclosures, including material ESG matters and related stakeholder engagement.
Acquisition Committee. The Acquisition Committee is responsible for approving acquisition, divestiture and related transactions proposed by our management in which the total consideration to be paid or received by us, for any particular transaction, does not exceed the limits that may be established by our Board of Directors from time to time. From January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020, the Acquisition Committee was comprised of the following four directors: Dr. Papastavrou (chairman), Ms. Ashe, Ms. Colucci and Mr. Kingshott. On April 17, 2020, Dr. Papastavrou stepped down from the Acquisition Committee and Mr. Kingshott was appointed as chairman of the committee. The Acquisition Committee did not meet during 2020.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION |
The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of each person who served as a non-employee director of our company during 2020.
2020 Director Compensation Table(1) |
Name |
| Fees Earned in Cash(2) |
| Stock Awards(3) |
| Total |
| |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | |||||||
Gena Ashe(4) |
| | $ | 80,000 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 270,000 | |
Marlene Colucci(5) |
| | $ | 80,000 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 270,000 | |
AnnaMaria DeSalva(6) |
| | $ | 125,000 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 315,000 | |
Michael Jesselson(7) |
| | $ | 105,000 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 295,000 | |
Aris Kekedjian(8) |
| | $ | 29,451 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 29,451 | |
Adrian Kingshott(9) |
| | $ | 96,470 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 286,470 | |
Jason Papastavrou(10) |
| | $ | 98,530 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 288,530 | |
Oren Shaffer(11) |
| | $ | 105,000 | | | | $ | 190,000 | | | $ | 295,000 | |
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The compensation of our directors is subject to approval of our Board, which is based, in part, on the recommendation of the Compensation Committee. Directors who are employees of our company do not receive additional compensation for service as members of either our Board of Directors or its committees.
For service during calendar year 2020, our non-employee directors received an annual cash retainer of $80,000, payable quarterly in arrears, and time-based RSUs ("Time-Based RSUs") worth $190,000. The annual grant of such Time-Based RSUs was made on the first business day of 2020 (the "RSU Grant Date") and the number of units was determined by dividing $190,000 by the average of the closing prices of the company's common stock on the ten trading days immediately preceding the RSU Grant Date. The grant vested on the first business day of 2021. The vice chairman of the Board received an additional $25,000 annual cash retainer, payable quarterly in arrears. The lead independent director also received an additional $25,000 annual cash retainer, payable quarterly in arrears. The chairmen of our Audit Committee, our Compensation Committee, our Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee and our Acquisition Committee each received an additional cash retainer of $25,000, $20,000, $20,000 and $15,000, respectively, payable quarterly in arrears.
No other fees are paid to our directors for their attendance at or participation in meetings of our Board or its committees. We reimburse our directors for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including reimbursement for air travel and hotel expenses.
In 2016, our Board adopted a stock ownership policy establishing guidelines and stock retention requirements that apply to our non-employee directors and executive officers. Non-employee directors are subject to a stock ownership guideline of six (6) times the annual cash retainer. To determine compliance with these guidelines, generally, common shares held directly or indirectly, and unvested restricted stock units subject solely to time-based vesting, count towards meeting the stock ownership guidelines. Stock options, whether vested or unvested, and equity-based awards subject to performance-based vesting conditions, are not counted toward meeting stock ownership guidelines until they have settled or been exercised, as applicable. Until the guidelines are met, 70% of shares received upon settlement of equity-based awards are required to be retained by the director. Under the policy, a newly-appointed director is required to reach the required ownership level no later than three years from the date of his or her appointment. As of the Record Date, all of our non-employee directors were in compliance with our stock ownership policy.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION |
From January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020, the Compensation Committee was comprised of the following four directors: Mr. Kingshott (chairman), Ms. Colucci, Mr. Jesselson and Dr. Papastavrou. On April 17, 2020, Mr. Kingshott stepped down and Dr. Papastavrou replaced him as chairman of the Compensation Committee. None of the members of our Compensation Committee have been an officer or employee of our company. During 2020, there were no material transactions between the company and the members of the Compensation Committee, other than described in the "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" section on page 28, and none of our executive officers served on any compensation committee or board of directors of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our Compensation Committee or on our Board of Directors.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE GUIDELINES AND CODE OF BUSINESS ETHICS |
Our Board of Directors is committed to sound corporate governance principles and practices. Our Board adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines on January 16, 2012, and most recently adopted amendments to the Guidelines on February 7, 2019, to establish the position of vice chairman of the Board. The vice chairman provides support on key governance matters and stockholder engagement to the chairman, lead independent director and the Board.
The Guidelines serve as a framework within which our Board conducts its operations. Among other things, the Guidelines include criteria for determining the qualifications and independence of the members of our Board, requirements for the standing committees of our Board and responsibilities for members of our Board, and conducts an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of our Board and its committees. The Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee is responsible for reviewing the Guidelines annually, or more frequently as appropriate, and recommending appropriate changes to our Board in light of applicable laws and regulations, the governance standards identified by leading governance authorities, and our company's evolving needs.
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We have a Code of Business Ethics (the "Code") that applies to our directors and executive officers. This Code is designed to deter wrongdoing, promote the honest and ethical conduct of all employees and promote compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations, as well as provide clear channels for reporting concerns. The Code constitutes a "code of ethics" as defined in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements under applicable SEC rules relating to amendments to the Code or waivers of any provision of the Code as applicable to our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer and our principal accounting officer, by posting such disclosures on our website pursuant to SEC rules.
The Guidelines and our Code of Business Ethics are available on our website at www.xpo.com. In addition, you may obtain a printed copy of these documents, without charge, by sending a request to: Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831.
DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE |
Under the Guidelines, our Board of Directors is responsible for making independence determinations annually with the assistance of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Governance Committee. Such independence determinations are made by reference to the independence standard under the Guidelines and the definition of "independent director" under Section 303A.02 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. Our Board has affirmatively determined that each person who served as a director during any part of 2020, except for Mr. Jacobs, our chairman of the Board and chief executive officer, satisfies the independence standards under the Guidelines and the NYSE Listed Company Manual.
In addition to the independence standards provided in the Guidelines, our Board has determined that each director who serves on our Audit Committee satisfies standards for independence of Audit Committee members established by the SEC, that is, the director may not: (i) accept directly or indirectly any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from our company other than their director compensation, or (ii) be an affiliated person of our company or any of its subsidiaries. Our Board has also determined that each member of the Compensation Committee satisfies the NYSE standards for independence of Compensation Committee members, which became effective on July 1, 2013. Additionally, our Board has determined that each member of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee satisfies the NYSE standards for independence. In making the independence determinations for each director, our Board and the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee analyzed certain relationships of the directors that were not required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. For Ms. Colucci, those relationships included ordinary course commercial transactions between our company and the entity for which Ms. Colucci serves as an executive. For Mr. Jesselson, those relationships included ordinary course commercial transactions between our company and the entity for which Mr. Jesselson serves as an executive. For Dr. Papastavrou, those relationships included ordinary course commercial transactions between our company and an entity for which Dr. Papastavrou served as a director until May 2020.
DIRECTOR SELECTION PROCESS |
The Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee is responsible for recommending to our Board of Directors all nominees for election to the Board, including nominees for re-election to the Board, in each case, after consultation with the chairman of the Board and in accordance with our company's contractual obligations. Pursuant to the Investment Agreement, JPE has had and may in the future have the contractual right, based on its securities ownership as described above under "Directors," to designate for nomination by our Board a certain percentage of the members of our Board. Subject to the foregoing, in considering new nominees for election to our Board, the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee considers, among other things, breadth of experience, financial expertise, wisdom, integrity, an ability to make independent analytical inquiries, an understanding of our company's business environment, knowledge and experience in areas such as technology and marketing, and other disciplines relevant to our company's businesses, the nominee's ownership interest in our company, and a willingness and ability to devote adequate time to Board duties, all in the context of the needs of the Board at that point in time and with the objective of ensuring diversity in the background, experience and viewpoints of Board members. When searching for new directors, our Board endeavors to actively seek out highly qualified women and individuals from underrepresented minorities to include in the candidate pool. Our Board aims to create a team of diverse and highly skilled directors who provide our global company with thoughtful board oversight. The Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee assesses the effectiveness of its diversity efforts through periodic evaluations of the Board's composition.
Subject to the contractual rights granted to JPE pursuant to the Investment Agreement, the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee may identify potential nominees for election to our Board from a variety of sources, including recommendations from current directors or management, recommendations from our stockholders or any other source the committee deems appropriate, including engaging a third-party consulting firm to assist in identifying independent director candidates.
Our Board will consider nominees submitted by our stockholders, subject to the same factors that are brought to bear when it considers nominees referred by other sources. Our stockholders can nominate candidates for election as directors by following the procedures set forth in our bylaws, which are summarized below. We did not receive any director nominees from our stockholders for the 2021 Annual Meeting.
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Our bylaws require that a stockholder who wishes to nominate an individual for election as a director at our annual meeting must give us advance written notice. The notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by the secretary of our company not less than 90 days, and not more than 180 days, prior to the earlier of the date of the annual meeting and the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting. As more specifically provided in our bylaws, any nomination must include: (i) the nominator's name and address and the number of shares of each class of our capital stock that the nominator owns, (ii) the name and address of any person with whom the nominator is acting in concert and the number of shares of each class of our capital stock that any such person owns, (iii) the information with respect to each such proposed director nominee that would be required to be provided in a proxy statement prepared in accordance with applicable SEC rules, and (iv) the consent of the proposed candidate to serve as a member of our Board.
Any stockholder who wishes to nominate a potential director candidate must follow the specific requirements set forth in our bylaws, a copy of which may be obtained by sending a request to: Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831.
BOARD OVERSIGHT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT |
Our culture at XPO is about being safe, respectful, entrepreneurial, innovative and inclusive.
XPO management and our Board of Directors are committed to maintaining XPO's rewarding work environment. Our success relies in large part on our strong governance structure and Code of Business Ethics, our good corporate citizenship and, importantly, engaged employees who embrace our values. Our management team and Board work together in a transparent manner, allowing for open communication, including with respect to human resources-related matters. Our directors have access to information about our human resources operations and plans, and our chief human resources officer is invited to attend and speak regularly at meetings of our Board. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the full Board was directly involved in our pandemic response through frequent meetings, access to management calls and access to our crisis management team. The Board met nine times between March and May to discuss, in depth, the impact of COVID-19 and the company's response. The Compensation Committee met 11 times during 2020 to discuss executive compensation and other items related to human resources management. Our directors also have opportunities to attend and participate in quarterly operating review meetings with business unit management.
As a customer-centric company with a strong service culture, we constantly work to maintain our position as an employer of choice. This requires an unwavering commitment to workplace inclusion and safety, as well as competitive total compensation that meets the needs of our employees and their families. Throughout 2020, we made ongoing significant investments in the safety, well-being and satisfaction of our employees in the following areas, among others:
Our 2020 Sustainability Report and 2020 Form 10-K disclosures provide additional details of our global progress in these key areas.
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BOARD OVERSIGHT OF SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS |
Our approach to sustainability is one of purpose-driven progress rooted in innovation. We work to promote environmental, social and organizational sustainability through the decisions we make and our interactions with colleagues, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Sustainability features prominently in deliberations among our directors and informs their overall approach to risk oversight. In December 2020, the Board approved amendments to the charter of the Nominating, Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee to support the Board in its oversight of, and engagement with, management regarding the company's purpose-driven sustainability strategies, performance and external disclosures, including material ESG matters, and related stakeholder engagement.
We believe that sustainability is essential to our company's long-term viability. It fosters an equitable workplace for our employees, both now and in the future. In addition, ESG matters are important to many of our stakeholders who want to do business with partners that share their goals; for example, the transition to a low-carbon economy.
We are pleased to have published our 2020 Sustainability Report detailing our progress in the areas of environmental sustainability, social initiatives and governance performance. Our 2020 Sustainability Report is available at sustainability.xpo.com. Members of our Board reviewed the contents of the report and provided feedback to the company.
BOARD OVERSIGHT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND CYBERSECURITY RISK MANAGEMENT |
Our Board maintains direct oversight over information technology and cybersecurity risk. The Board both receives and provides feedback on regular updates from management regarding information technology and cybersecurity governance processes, the status of projects to strengthen internal cybersecurity and the results of security breach simulations. The Board also discusses relevant incidents in the industry and the emerging threat landscape.
We have a robust IT security team, managed by our chief information security officer; this team continuously reviews relevant legislative, regulatory and technical developments and enhances our information security capabilities in order to protect against potential threats. We are continually improving our detection and recovery processes and have rolled out an IT security training program that all employees are required to complete at regular intervals. We also obtained an information security risk insurance policy.
STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD |
Stockholders and other parties interested in communicating with our Board of Directors, any Board committee, any individual director, including our lead independent director, or any group of directors (such as our independent directors) should send written correspondence to: Board of Directors c/o Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831. Please note that we will not forward communications to the Board that qualify as spam, junk mail, mass mailings, resumes or other forms of job inquiries, surveys, business solicitations or advertisements.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR NEXT YEAR'S ANNUAL MEETING |
Stockholder proposals intended to be presented at our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by our Secretary no later than December 14, 2021, in order to be considered for inclusion in our proxy materials, pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
As more specifically provided for in our bylaws, no business may be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders unless it is specified in the notice of the annual meeting or is otherwise brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of our Board of Directors or by a stockholder entitled to vote and who has delivered proper notice to us not less than 90 days, and not more than 180 days, prior to the earlier of the date of the annual meeting and the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting. For example, assuming that our 2022 Annual Meeting is held on or after May 11, 2022, any stockholder proposal to be considered at the 2022 Annual Meeting, including nominations of persons for election to our Board, must be properly submitted to us not earlier than November 12, 2021, nor later than February 10, 2022.
Detailed information for submitting stockholder proposals or nominations of director candidates will be provided upon written request sent to: Secretary, XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831.
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Under its written charter, the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is responsible for reviewing and approving or ratifying any transaction between our company and a related person (as defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K) that is required to be disclosed under the rules and regulations of the SEC. Our management is responsible for bringing any such transaction to the attention of the Audit Committee. In approving or rejecting any such transaction, the Audit Committee considers the relevant facts and circumstances, including the material terms of the transaction, risks, benefits, costs, availability of other comparable services or products and, if applicable, the impact on a director's independence.
Following approvals by an independent disinterested special committee of our Board and the Audit Committee to the extent required by our policy on related party transactions, in December 2020 and January 2021, the company entered into separate exchange agreements with certain holders of our preferred stock and warrants, including the following of our directors and officers: Jacobs Private Equity, LLC, of which Mr. Brad Jacobs is the Managing Member; three trusts of which Mr. Michael Jesselson is a trustee; Springer Wealth Management, LLC, of which Dr. Jason Papastavrou is the Managing Member; Mr. Adrian Kingshott; Mr. Oren Shaffer; and Mr. Troy Cooper (the "Exchanging Directors and Officers"). Pursuant to the exchange agreements, the Exchanging Directors and Officers (i) exchanged their preferred stock for a combination of (x) our common stock, based on the number of shares of common stock into which our preferred stock was then convertible; and (y) a lump-sum cash payment that represented an approximation of the net present value of the future dividends required by the terms of our preferred stock to be paid by us; and/or (ii) exchanged their warrants for the number of shares of our common stock that was equal to the number of shares of common stock that such holder would be entitled to receive upon an exercise of the warrants less the number of shares of our common stock that had an approximate value equal to the exercise price of the warrants, based on the formula set forth in the exchange agreements. All of the holders of our preferred stock and warrants have signed an exchange agreement, and we expect all holders of preferred stock and warrants to exchange their securities for shares of our common stock pursuant to the terms of the exchange agreement. All of the exchange transactions, whether with our directors and officers or with the other holders of our preferred stock and warrants, occurred on substantially the same terms.
We issued an aggregate of 9,882,141 unregistered shares of our common stock to the Exchanging Directors and Officers in connection with the preferred stock exchanges; and an aggregate of 9,333,733 unregistered shares of our common stock to the Exchanging Directors and Officers in connection with the warrant exchanges. We paid an aggregate of approximately $22.4 million to the Exchanging Directors and Officers as part of the lump-sum cash payments in connection with the preferred stock exchanges.
The exchange transactions were made to simplify our equity capital structure, including in contemplation of our previously announced plan to pursue a spin-off of our logistics business.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT |
The following table sets forth information concerning the beneficial ownership of our voting securities as of the Record Date by: (i) each person who is known by us, based solely on a review of public filings, to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our outstanding voting securities, (ii) each director, (iii) each NEO, and (iv) all executive officers and directors as a group. None of the foregoing persons beneficially owned any shares of equity securities of our subsidiaries as of the Record Date.
Under applicable SEC rules, a person is deemed to be the "beneficial owner" of a voting security if such person has (or shares) either investment power or voting power over such security or has (or shares) the right to acquire such security within 60 days by any of a number of means, including upon the exercise of options or warrants or the conversion of convertible securities. A beneficial owner's percentage ownership is determined by assuming that options, warrants and convertible securities that are held solely by the beneficial owner, and which are exercisable or convertible within 60 days, have been exercised or converted. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all voting securities shown as being owned by them. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner in the table below is care of XPO Logistics, Inc., Five American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831.
|
Beneficially Owned |
Outstanding(1) |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name of Beneficial Owner |
Shares of Common Stock |
Percentage of Common Stock |
||
| | | | |
Beneficial Ownership of 5% or more: | ||||
Jacobs Private Equity, LLC | 18,518,926 (2) | 16.6 % | ||
Orbis Investment Management Limited(3) Orbis House, 25 Front Street Hamilton Bermuda HM11 |
13,980,053 | 12.5 % | ||
BlackRock, Inc.(4) 55 East 52nd street New York, NY 10055 |
8,327,934 | 7.5 % | ||
The Vanguard Group(5) 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355 |
8,095,381 | 7.2 % | ||
Directors: | ||||
Gena Ashe | 14,398 (6) | * | ||
Marlene Colucci | 5,029 (7) | * | ||
AnnaMaria DeSalva | 8,522 (8) | * | ||
Michael Jesselson | 289,380 (9) | * | ||
Adrian Kingshott | 96,182 (10) | * | ||
Jason Papastavrou | 201,899 (11) | * | ||
Oren Shaffer | 58,576 (12) | * | ||
NEOs: | ||||
Brad Jacobs+ | 18,906,342 (13) | 16.9 % | ||
Troy Cooper | 139,315 | * | ||
Mario Harik | 123,548 | * | ||
David Wyshner | 6,193 (14) | * | ||
Sarah Glickman | 3,602 (15) | * | ||
Kurt Rogers | 3,853 (16) | * | ||
Current Directors and Executive Officers as a Group: (11 People) | 19,849,384 (17) | 17.8 % | ||
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LETTER FROM THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE |
Dear Fellow Stockholder,
Throughout this past year, our entire company, from the Board of Directors and senior management to our frontline employees, worked together to ensure that critical supplies of food, consumables, medical gear and other goods reached the people who needed them. Our management team not only led XPO through the pandemic; they kept our organization focused on implementing technology and other profit improvement initiatives that have the ability to drive sustainable share gains.
While 2020 brought a novel set of challenges, as a Compensation Committee, we remained committed to our strategic philosophy of setting ambitious targets for executives, incentivizing them to drive long-term value creation, and aligning these awards with long-term performance.
Stockholder Engagement on 2020 Compensation and Say-on-Pay Vote
Each spring, members of our Board and management team engage with many of our top stockholders to discuss matters that will be voted on at our annual meeting. These conversations have been instructive in helping the Compensation Committee make informed decisions regarding aspects of our executive compensation program. While our say-on-pay vote received majority support in 2020, we continually strive for improvement, and we value the opportunity to hold ongoing discussions with stockholders throughout the year.
This past winter, AnnaMaria DeSalva, vice chairman, Dr. Jason Papastavrou, chairman of the Compensation Committee, and members of senior management conducted an additional round of outreach to stockholders to discuss our 2020 say-on-pay vote and compensation changes that had been made following the 2020 Annual Meeting. By soliciting feedback on these changes, we also gained insights into how the program can be more responsive to concerns moving forward.
For each of spring and winter engagement, we reached out to stockholders representing greater than 60% of outstanding shares. We ultimately met with stockholders representing 45% (spring) and 50% (winter) of outstanding shares, with XPO directors leading over half of the meetings (winter). The conversations covered our compensation practices, pay-for-performance alignment, disclosure enhancements, plan design and incorporation of environmental, social and corporate governance ("ESG") factors into company compensation strategy and feedback was shared with the Compensation Committee.
Enhancements Made in Response to Stockholder Feedback
The company made a number of responsive changes to the executive compensation program over the past year. This Proxy Statement describes the Compensation Committee's decision-making process in greater detail and provides enhanced disclosure about those changes, including information on the impact of COVID-19 and the evolution of the executive compensation program.
Stockholder feedback gained during the past year helped to inform the design of a new long-term cash incentive award (the "2020 LTI"), which was granted in July 2020 in connection with new employment agreements entered into with Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Harik.
Notably, we believe the 2020 LTI takes into account four key elements of stockholder feedback:
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XPO's Continued Evolution
In 2021, the Board and senior management remain focused on ensuring a safe and satisfying employment experience for our people, helping our customers operate greener supply chains, operating as a good corporate citizen and creating long-term value for our stockholders. We believe that the spin-off planned for later this year has the potential to advance all of these objectives.
The planning for the spin-off requires an evaluation of all company practices, including compensation plan design. We can commit to stockholders that we will remain faithful to our philosophy of aligning executives' interests with the interests of stockholders and maintaining a pay-for-performance culture based on achieving ambitious goals. Our Board looks forward to continuing to engage with stockholders in 2021 to discuss the current executive compensation program and the plans for our future.
Sincerely,
Jason
Papastavrou Ph.D. (Committee Chairman)
Marlene Colucci
Michael Jesselson
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS |
This Compensation Discussion and Analysis describes XPO's executive compensation program for 2020. The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors (the "Committee") oversees our executive compensation program and practices. In this section, we explain the Committee's 2020 compensation decisions for the following named executive officers ("NEOs").
NEO | 2020 ROLE | |
Brad Jacobs | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |
Troy Cooper | President | |
Mario Harik | Chief Information Officer | |
David Wyshner | Chief Financial Officer | |
Sarah Glickman |
Acting Chief Financial Officer (served as Acting Chief Financial Officer until March 2, 2020) |
|
Kurt Rogers | Chief Legal Officer (served as Chief Legal Officer until March 11, 2020) |
2020 COMPANY PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS |
Overview |
In 2020, our NEOs navigated our company through the pandemic by prioritizing the safety of our employees while ensuring continuity of service for our customers. The leadership of our NEOs and the resilience of our business model preserved value for our stockholdersthe company generated positive earnings for the full year, as well as significant revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow. In the fourth quarter, we reported record results in several key financial metrics, as described below.
Highlights of our full-year 2020 performance include:
* See Annex A for reconciliations of non-GAAP measures
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In addition to these results, three highlights of our 2020 performance demonstrate our NEOs' outstanding ability to balance risks and opportunities:
First, our NEOs acted decisively to protect our employees from COVID-19, with rigorous safety protocols and personal protective equipment. Supply chain operations are critically important to the economy and to quality of life, particularly when consumer access to goods is disrupted. In 2020, our frontline workers had the strong support of management in providing essential services throughout the pandemic, including the delivery of healthcare supplies. Our company invested over $70 million in the safety of workers, including the purchase of 8.75 million facemasks, 5.5 million pairs of gloves and 105,000 gallons of hand sanitizer.
Second, by ensuring that the business operated safely, our NEOs helped the company strengthen ties with key customers and expand those relationships. This was true across a range of verticals in 2020not only with e-commerce and omnichannel, where customers sought our help to manage growth, but also with supply chains challenged by disruptions in demand. We enhanced our position as a strategic partner by providing these customers with viable solutions that showcase our strengths.
And third, the complementary strengths of our NEOs led to the most compelling aspect of our performance in 2020our company's dramatic rebound in the second half of the year. By mid-year, we had begun to nimbly recover from the April trough of the COVID-19 impact. By the third quarter, one of our key businesses, truck brokerage, was on a strong upward trajectory and two others, less-than-truckload and logistics, had started to follow suit. By the fourth quarter, we saw robust momentum in all three areas of the business, buoyed by consumer demand and signs of an industrial recovery.
Strong Focus on Stability and Liquidity |
As operating conditions deteriorated in the early part of 2020, our NEOs demonstrated prudent capital management by reducing capital expenditures, while continuing to invest in key growth initiatives. This balanced approach led to $3.1 billion of total liquidity at year-end, including a $554 million contribution to liquidity from free cash flow*. Importantly, we maintained our near-term service capacity and long-term competitive positioning for profitable growth.
As the economy continues to recover, our strengths are aligned with major industry tailwinds that emerged in 2020: logistics automation, the ongoing growth in e-commerce and supply chain outsourcing. Increasingly, customers want the efficiencies of automation and data-driven visibility to reduce risk. In the consumer sectors, customers need partners with the technological capability to manage high-volumes of e-commerce orders and consumer packaged goods. Due in large part to the exemplary leadership of our NEOs in 2020, XPO is well-positioned to capitalize on all these opportunities for the benefit of our stockholders.
Our full year 2020 performance was impacted by macroeconomic volatility, resulting in a year-over-year decline in adjusted EBITDA. Notably, the skilled leadership of our NEOs led to a financial rebound for the company in the second half of the year and created momentum leading into 2021.
$ in millions | ||
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(1) |
Free cash flow performance improved year-over-year in the first half of 2020, as a result of disciplined working capital management and the conservation of capital expenditures during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. | |
(2) |
Free cash flow performance declined year-over-year in the second half of 2020, as the company used cash for working capital when revenue rebounded and capital expenditures increased. |
* See Annex A for reconciliations of non-GAAP measures
Delivering Significant Total Stockholder Return |
The primary focus of our company's leadership team is to deliver meaningful value to our stockholders and other stakeholders through the execution of our strategy. Our steadfast commitment to long-term value creation, operational excellence and disciplined capital allocation has resulted in the continued outperformance of our total stockholder return (TSR) relative to comparative indices, as illustrated below. In 2020, despite the macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19, our one-year TSR of 50% and three-year TSR of 30% both exceeded the returns generated by relevant indices. In addition to the comparative indices
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below, we outperformed our core peer group median for one-year TSR, three-year TSR and five-year TSR of 23%, 22% and 95%, respectively.
Notes:
Our core peer group is described in more detail under the heading "Key Factors Considered in Determining Executive Compensation."
TSR calculations reflect the trading price of XPO common stock and that of the relevant indices/companies as of the last trading day of calendar years 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015, as
supplied by Research Data Group. The graph above is not the annual performance graph required by Item 201(e) of Regulation S-K; the required graph can be found in Part II,
Item 5 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on February 12, 2021.
OUR COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PROGRAM OBJECTIVES |
XPO's executive compensation philosophy is founded on the following core objectives:
Our Commitment to Stockholder Value Creation and Alignment with Pay-for-Performance |
The Committee regularly analyzes pay-for-performance alignment to ensure that our compensation plan is achieving its intended outcomes.
In 2020, the Committee reviewed the pay-for-performance alignment of our compensation program on a realizable basis, using a four-year period to correspond with XPO's performance periods for prior awards. A realizable pay analysis allows the Committee to assess whether the value of the compensation received by our CEO and other executive officers is rightsized relative to stockholder return on investment in the company over time.
As shown below, the Committee's most recent analysis demonstrated that CEO pay has been strongly aligned with performance over the past four years. From 2016 to 2019, XPO's realizable pay was at the 82nd percentile versus core peers, while TSR performance was at the 91st percentile. By taking a strategic approach to the timing of grants, which are not made on a typical annual cycle but are heavily performance-based, the Committee has been able to tie awards closely to the company's progress on long-term results. Our method of award design also allows for continuous incorporation of stockholder feedback into the design of subsequent awards. This approach to granting awards has successfully aligned pay outcomes with performance and sustainable value creation.
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Note:
Realizable pay reflects the impact of performance on target pay and is calculated as the sum of (i) salary paid; (ii) bonus paid; (iii) the value of equity compensation that vested, calculated using the closing stock price on 12/31/2019; (iv) the value of cash-settled performance awards at the settlement value; and (v) the annualized realizable target value of outstanding equity awards using the closing stock price on 12/31/2019.
STOCKHOLDER OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT |
We believe that regular stockholder engagement is key to strong corporate governance, and we recognize the value of engaging in constructive dialogue with stockholders on numerous topics, including business strategy, governance, executive compensation, corporate sustainability reporting and other important matters. We strive to continually improve in these areas, and we value the opportunity to hold ongoing engagement discussions with stockholders throughout the year. We have traditionally met with stockholders in the spring prior to our annual meeting to discuss proxy proposals, as well as ESG topics. In addition, throughout the year, our investor relations team and chief strategy officer engage extensively with our stockholders, often together with our CEO. This engagement includes dialogue immediately following our quarterly earnings calls, participation at investor conferences and other channels of communication.
In 2020, XPO engaged with stockholders to discuss these matters in two separate periodsin the weeks leading up to our 2020 Annual Meeting and in the latter months of the year, continuing into early 2021. While the meetings during spring 2020 were primarily focused on items on the ballot at the annual meeting, the discussions provided significant insights on a range of topics and on executive compensation in particular. Collectively, our outreach and engagement activities allow us to better understand the views of our stockholders by soliciting their feedback and sharing our perspectives through dialogue.
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Following the 2020 Annual Meeting, at which 67% of stockholders voted for the Say-On-Pay proposal, stockholder feedback was shared with the Committee. The Committee met again in late spring 2020 to discuss the feedback and the potential design of long-term awards in connection with new employment agreements for Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Harik. These awards were granted in July, consistent with our typical cadence for years in which long-term awards are granted. The following chart demonstrates the ways in which the Committee sought to address stockholder feedback through the design, metrics and cadence of these awards.
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Goal Achievement and Metrics |
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| ■ Stockholders raised retention questions around the "hit or miss" construct of prior long-term awards, particularly when used with high-growth, long-term goals that are challenging to realize ■ Stockholders expressed a preference for a sliding scale as a retentive and risk-reducing measure ■ Stockholders expressed a preference for inclusion of a metric relative to peers in the long-term plan |
| | ■ The Committee introduced a graduated sliding scale, providing opportunity for executives to earn a payout only if performance is at or above target; no award amounts will be earned for below-target performance ■ Maximum goals were set to reflect stretch goals while target goals were set to represent ambitious but reasonably attainable growth ■ The award is balanced among three weighted performance conditions, providing more stability in the award structure, versus being "hit or miss" on attainment of all goals ■ The Committee added a relative adjusted cash flow growth metric to ensure balance between absolute and relative performance |
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| Topic | | | Stockholder Feedback | | | Our Response | | ||||
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ESG Alignment and Metrics |
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| ■ Stockholders discussed the company's potential incorporation of ESG metrics in its executive compensation plan to better align corporate goals with long-term strategy for corporate sustainability and societal impact |
| | ■ The Committee added an ESG scorecard to the long-term incentive awards, weighted at 25%, with measurable targets set for workforce safety, environmental sustainability, information security, diversity and human capital management, among other categories ■ Approximately 80% of the ESG initiatives in the scorecard are quantitative; non-quantitative measures require achievement of pre-determined hurdles or binary milestones in order to be certified |
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Pay-for-Performance Alignment |
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| ■ Stockholders inquired about XPO's benchmarking review process, including the pay positioning the company seeks to achieve against peer performance |
| | ■ The Committee commissioned studies by both its independent advisor and a management consultant to evaluate realizable pay and performance on total stockholder return; both studies found top pay-for-performance alignment ■ The Committee's view is that sustained performance on stockholder returns at the top quartile warrants pay at the top quartile |
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Outstanding Awards and Cadence |
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| ■ Stockholders requested clarity around the timing and frequency of executive grants and stated a preference for regularity and predictability in award-granting practices ■ Stockholders inquired why the August 2018 award had not been cancelled when granting the new June 2019 award and how the awards interact with each other |
| | ■ The Committee has committed to not grant additional long-term awards to Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Cooper or Mr. Harik while the 2020 LTI remains outstanding, barring unforeseen circumstances, and excluding any potential modifications to existing awards in connection with the company's plan to spin off our global logistics business
■ The Committee determined to leave the previously granted PSU awards in place given that, if achieved and earned, the target metric values would generate extraordinary stockholder value creation |
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This winter, we undertook a comprehensive effort to engage with stockholders to: (i) better understand the sources of concern regarding our executive compensation program; (ii) address areas of stockholder interest; (iii) update stockholders on our current business strategy, including our plan to spin off our global logistics business, and (iv) discuss the 2020 LTI structure. These discussions included independent directors of our Board, including our Compensation Committee Chair, Dr. Jason Papastavrou, and Board Vice Chairman, AnnaMaria DeSalva, as well as senior members of our management team. We sought feedback from stockholders who voted in favor of our executive compensation program, as well as from those who opposed it.
In these meetings, we also discussed XPO's ongoing areas of focus as we seek to operate as a safe, innovative and inclusive company. Key topics included:
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In these conversations, we discussed several compensation-specific topics, including the structure of the 2020 LTI, our historical granting practices, disclosure enhancements and overall compensation plan design.
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2020 LTI Award | ■ Directors and management discussed the 2020 LTI at length. As previously disclosed, the awards are denominated in cash, which was chosen in part because of the significant equity holdings of our executives as well as the macroeconomic uncertainty and stock volatility at the time of the grant. ■ Discussions focused on the form of the award, the structure of the performance periods, vesting terms, ESG metrics and potential disclosure of ESG targets. |
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Historical Granting Practices |
■ Stockholders expressed that while they understood the Committee's rationale for prior long-term awards and appreciated the strong link between pay and performance, they had concerns regarding the predictability and unique structure of these grants. ■ Based on these and prior discussions, the Committee has committed to not grant additional long-term awards to Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Cooper or Mr. Harik while the 2020 LTI remains outstanding, barring unforeseen circumstances and excluding any potential modifications to existing awards in connection with the company's plan to spin off our global logistics business. |
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Disclosure Enhancements and Overall Plan Design | ■ Stockholders indicated that, given the non-standard form of the company's executive compensation program, additional disclosure would be useful in providing insight into how each element of compensation aligns pay and performance and ties to company strategy. ■ Based on these and prior discussions, the Committee has taken steps to provide greater disclosure throughout this 2021 Proxy Statement, including more detail on the Committee's process and rationale for compensation decisions, enhanced disclosure of our stockholder engagement efforts and the role of stockholder input into plan design. ■ The Committee has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting rigorous analysis of the link between pay and performance across the compensation program, and to continue to be flexible in plan design, so that the program continues to reflect ambitious long-range goals and evolve to address the needs of all stakeholders, including executives, employees and stockholders. |
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COMPENSATION GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS |
The company has adopted a compensation governance framework that includes the components described below, each of which the Committee believes reinforces the company's executive compensation philosophy.
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THE COMMITTEE'S COMPENSATION DECISION-MAKING PROCESS |
The Committee met 11 times during 2020 to discuss executive compensation and other items pursuant to its charter. In addition to the regular responsibilities of the Committee, all members of the Board were invited to attend internal quarterly operating review meetings with business unit management; these meetings included in-depth reviews of the company's financial results, as well as discussions about COVID-19, operational execution, sales, customer service, technology initiatives, process innovation, human capital management, safety, the market landscape and business growth trajectories. The meetings also included a review of key performance indicators that track the company's achievement of financial and non-financial objectives for each business line. Multiple Committee members attended these three-day sessions throughout the year in order to remain well-informed of the company's financial and operational performance. In addition, the Board met nine times between March and May to discuss the impact of COVID-19 and the company's response in depth.
The Committee believes that its holistic approach to evaluating individual and company performance results in greater alignment with stockholder interests than do overly formulaic programs, which may skew incentives. The decision-making process incorporates an element of discretion, allowing the Committee to utilize a balanced, multi-dimensional approach to NEO compensation that includes a review of performance against goals set at the beginning of the year, as described below.
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NEO Compensation-Setting Process |
The Committee resets the stage for executive compensation determinations at the start of each year, using a decision-making framework that includes the five key factors described below.
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Pay Elements |
Our executive compensation program consists of three primary elements: base salary, annual short-term incentive awards and long-term incentive awards. These elements are described in more detail below.
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| ELEMENT | | | PURPOSE | | | PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE DESIGN | | ||||
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BASE SALARY |
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| ■ To attract and retain high-performing executives |
| | ■ Fixed cash compensation corresponds to experience and job scope, and is aligned with market levels |
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SHORT-TERM INCENTIVE |
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| ■ To reward annual performance and individual contributions that support strategy and results |
| | ■ Executives become eligible for a bonus if adjusted EBITDA is at least 90% of the full-year forecast level ■ Payouts are determined based on an evaluation of performance across key financial metrics, including adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, TSR and individual performance, with awards ranging from zero to a cap of 200% of target |
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LONG-TERM INCENTIVES |
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| ■ To focus executives on the execution of our strategy and long-term value creation, and to align their compensation with outcomes for our stockholders |
| | ■ Since 2014, awards for our chief executive officer, president, and chief information officer, have been 100% performance-based and subject to the achievement of ambitious goals ■ The Committee designs long-term incentive awards to motivate executives to achieve goals over an extended period of time; the Committee takes a strategic approach to the timing of grants in order to align awards with the company's strategy and stockholder returns |
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