C » Topics » Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

This excerpt taken from the C DEF 14A filed Mar 13, 2008.

Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

 

General Policies.    In 2002, Citi’s board of directors adopted a resolution specifically prohibiting cash payments to a departing executive officer in the event of a change in control that would equal or exceed three times the executive officer’s annual income. As a general policy, Citi does not enter into employment agreements with executives that provide for severance payments unless the agreement meets certain conditions. Pursuant to Citi’s Senior Executive Compensation Guidelines, the agreement (a) must be approved by the committee; (b) must have as short a term as possible and provide as few terms and conditions as are necessary to accomplish its purpose; and (c) if required by law to be available for public review, must be filed promptly with the appropriate regulatory authority. In addition,

employment agreements with executive officers may not provide for post-retirement personal benefits of a kind not generally available to employees or retirees, except with the express prior approval of the board.

 

Depending on the terms of their arrangements, the named executive officers may in certain circumstances receive equity or cash upon termination of employment. As explained in more detail below, the equity and cash payments were awarded prior to termination in connection with services performed in prior years and are not awarded as pre-negotiated severance. Citi does not routinely provide guaranteed levels of severance or change in control agreements.

 

Equity Awards.    All named executive officers are eligible to participate in CAP, Citi’s broad-based equity program that provides for accelerated


 

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vesting of all or a portion of a participant’s award upon certain types of termination of employment. The CAP awards described below were fully disclosed in the summary compensation tables of prior proxy statements as long-term or other equity compensation awards, except for executives who were not in prior proxy statements. No executive is entitled to a grant of any additional equity awards in connection with his or her termination of employment.

 

CAP awards made as annual incentive awards generally provide for accelerated vesting of all or a portion of a participant’s outstanding awards in the event of the participant’s death, disability, or involuntary termination other than for gross misconduct for participants who do not meet certain age and service rules. If a participant resigns or is involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct and meets certain age and years of service rules, all or a portion of the participant’s CAP awards will continue to vest on schedule. A more detailed description of CAP may be found in the General Discussion of the Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table. These rules apply to all employees who receive CAP awards, not just named executive officers. As of December 31, 2007 and as previously discussed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, Sir Winfried met the Rule of 75, Mr. Klein met the Rule of 60, and Ms. Krawcheck, Mr. Kaden and Mr. Volk did not meet an age and years of service rule. In developing the estimates in this section, the closing price of Citi’s common stock on December 31, 2007 ($29.44) was used, and it was assumed that all termination events took place at December 31, 2007. Because Mr. Pandit and Mr. Crittenden did not have CAP holdings at December 31, 2007, the treatment of CAP awards for those executives are not discussed below.

 

The named executive officers may receive, after termination of employment, all or a portion of their CAP shares awarded based on their performance during employment. Set forth below is a discussion, under independent scenarios, of how these awards might be paid out or cancelled under

the particular circumstances of an executive’s termination of employment on December 31, 2007. The provisions of CAP described below also apply to options and stock awards granted in 2004 and prior years under the Management Stock Option Program (MSOP). The discussion below also covers the treatment of awards made under employment agreements or other special equity awards that were outstanding at December 31, 2007.

 

The discussion below does not assign values to retention equity awards that were made in January 2008 because no such awards were outstanding as of December 31, 2007.

 

Voluntary Resignation

Under CAP and MSOP, if a participant meets the Rule of 75 and terminates his or her employment, the participant’s stock awards will continue to vest on schedule, provided that the participant does not compete with Citi’s business operations. In addition, if a CAP or MSOP participant meets the Rule of 75 and terminates his or her employment, the participant’s stock options will vest on the last day of employment and the participant will have up to two years to exercise his or her vested stock options, provided that he or she does not compete with Citi’s business operations. Sir Winfried meets the Rule of 75, so all of his nonvested awards disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table (other than the LTIP awards) would vest. His nonvested awards under the LTIP, shown in the equity incentive plan award column of that table, would be forfeited.

 

If a participant meets the Rule of 60 and terminates his or her employment, the participant’s basic and supplemental CAP shares vest on schedule, provided that he or she does not compete with Citi’s business operations, and nonvested premium shares are forfeited. In addition, if a CAP or MSOP participant meets the Rule of 60 and terminates his or her employment, vesting of the participant’s stock options will stop on his or her last day of employment and the participant may have up to two years to exercise his or her vested stock options. Mr. Klein meets the Rule of 60. Accordingly, if Mr. Klein had resigned on


 

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December 31, 2007, all his nonvested stock options shown in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table would have been forfeited, but 260,163 shares of his nonvested stock awards, valued at $7,659,198, would continue to vest on schedule and 52,155 shares, valued at $1,535,443, would have been forfeited.

 

If a CAP or MSOP participant voluntarily terminates his or her employment and does not meet any of the age and years of service requirements, the participant’s nonvested stock awards and stock options will be forfeited on his or her last day of employment. Currently, Ms. Krawcheck, Mr. Kaden, and Mr. Volk do not meet any of the age and years of service rules, so if they voluntarily terminate their employment all of their nonvested awards disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table would be forfeited.

 

If any named executive officer had voluntarily terminated his or her employment on December 31, 2007, then all of his or her awards under the LTIP, shown in the equity incentive plan award column of the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table, would have been forfeited.

 

An executive forfeits any nonvested retention equity awards upon voluntary resignation.

 

No executive is entitled to a grant of an additional equity award in connection with his or her voluntary resignation.

 

Involuntary Termination other than for Gross Misconduct

Under CAP and MSOP, if a participant’s employment is involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct and the participant meets the Rule of 75, the participant’s stock awards will continue to vest on schedule. In addition, if a CAP or MSOP participant’s employment is involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct and the participant meets the Rule of 75, the participant’s stock options will vest on his or her last day of employment and the participant may have up to

two years to exercise his or her vested stock options. As stated above, Sir Winfried met the Rule of 75, so all of his nonvested awards disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table (other than the LTIP awards) would continue to vest on schedule.

 

If a participant does not meet the Rule of 75, but meets the Rule of 60 at the time his or her employment is terminated other than for gross misconduct, the participant’s basic and supplemental CAP shares or MSOP shares and a pro-rated portion of his or her premium CAP shares will continue to vest on schedule. In addition, if a CAP or MSOP participant meets the Rule of 60 at the time his or her employment is terminated other than for gross misconduct, the vesting of the participant’s stock options will stop on his or her last day of employment and the participant may have up to two years to exercise his or her vested stock options. As stated above, Mr. Klein met the Rule of 60. Accordingly, if Mr. Klein’s employment had terminated on December 31, 2007 on account of his involuntary termination of employment other than for gross misconduct, all of his nonvested stock options shown in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table would have been forfeited, but 292,463 shares of his nonvested stock awards, valued at $8,610,110, would continue to vest on schedule and 19,855 shares, valued at $584,531, would have been forfeited.

 

If a CAP or MSOP participant’s employment is involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct and he or she does not meet an age and years of service rule, the participant’s basic and supplemental CAP shares and a pro-rated portion of his or her premium CAP shares will vest and will be distributed to the participant. As stated above, Ms. Krawcheck, Mr. Kaden and Mr. Volk do not meet any of the age and years of service rules. Accordingly, if Ms. Krawcheck’s employment had terminated on December 31, 2007 on account of her involuntary termination of employment other than for gross misconduct, 176,041 of her nonvested stock awards, valued at $5,182,647, would have vested and 11,742 shares, valued at $345,684 would


 

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have forfeited. If Mr. Kaden’s employment had terminated on December 31, 2007 on account of his involuntary termination of employment other than for gross misconduct, 124,270 shares of his nonvested stock awards, valued at $3,658,509 would have vested and 5,911 shares, valued at $174,019, would have been forfeited. If Mr. Volk’s employment had terminated on December 31, 2007 on account of his involuntary termination of employment other than for gross misconduct, 160,571 shares of his nonvested stock awards, valued at $4,727,210, would have vested and 11,008 shares, valued at $324,075, would have been forfeited.

 

If a CAP or MSOP participant’s employment is involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct and he or she does not meet an age and years of service rule, the vesting of the participant’s stock options will stop on his or her last day of employment and the participant may have up to a maximum of 90 days to exercise his or her vested stock options (depending on the terms of the options, the period may be shorter). As stated above, Ms. Krawcheck does not meet an age and years of service rule, so all of her nonvested stock options shown in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table would have been forfeited.

 

A participant’s earned LTIP awards, if any, are prorated for the year in which the involuntary termination other than for gross misconduct occurs and LTIP awards in respect of future years are forfeited. All the named executive officers at December 31, 2007 have nonvested LTIP awards as disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table, and they would have forfeited all nonvested LTIP awards had they been involuntarily terminated other than for gross misconduct at December 31, 2007.

 

An executive is eligible to receive all nonvested retention equity awards in the event of involuntary termination other than for gross misconduct. Because no such awards were outstanding at December 31, 2007, these provisions had no value on that date.

 

No executive is entitled to a grant of an additional equity award in connection with his or her involuntary termination.

 

Termination for Gross Misconduct

Under CAP and MSOP, if a participant’s employment is terminated for gross misconduct, his or her equity awards will be cancelled on his or her termination date. Under the LTIP, if a participant’s employment is terminated for gross misconduct, his or her nonvested LTIP awards will be cancelled on his or her termination date. Thus, if a named executive officer’s employment had been terminated on December 31, 2007 for gross misconduct, all of his or her nonvested stock awards and vested and nonvested options as disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table would have been cancelled on that date. An executive forfeits all nonvested retention equity awards in the event of termination for gross misconduct.

 

Death or Disability

If a CAP or MSOP participant’s employment terminates on account of death or disability, the participant’s stock awards will vest immediately and will be distributed to the participant (or his or her estate). Upon a CAP or MSOP participant’s termination of employment on account of death or disability, the participant’s nonvested stock options will vest and the participant (or his or her estate) will have up to two years to exercise his or her stock options. All of the nonvested stock options and stock awards shown in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table for each named executive officer would vest.

 

A participant’s earned LTIP awards, if any, are prorated for the year in which employment termination by reason of death or disability occurs and LTIP awards in respect of future years are forfeited. All the named executive officers at December 31, 2007 have nonvested LTIP awards as disclosed in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table, and they would have forfeited all nonvested LTIP awards had their employment been terminated by reason of death or disability at December 31, 2007.


 

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An executive is eligible to receive all nonvested retention equity awards in the event of termination of employment by reason of death or disability. Because no such awards were outstanding at December 31, 2007, these provisions had no value on that date.

 

No executive is entitled to a grant of an additional equity award in connection with his or her termination of employment on account of death or disability.

 

Change in Control

Equity awards are made in accordance with the terms of Citi’s equity plans. Citi’s equity plans provide that in the event of a change in control of Citigroup Inc., as defined in the equity plans, the committee may, in its discretion, accelerate, purchase, adjust, modify or terminate all awards made under the equity plans, including, but not limited to, CAP and LTIP awards. Under Citi’s equity plans, a change in control is generally defined to mean the following events:

 

 

any person (as defined under applicable securities laws) or persons acting together becomes a beneficial owner of securities of Citi representing 25 percent or more of the combined voting power of Citi’s then outstanding securities;

 

 

any transaction that occurs with respect to Citi that is subject to the prior notice requirements of the Change in Bank Control Act of 1978;

 

 

any transaction that occurs with respect to Citi that will require a party to the transaction to obtain prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board under Regulation Y;

 

 

the adoption by Citi stockholders of a plan or proposal for the dissolution or liquidation of Citi;

 

 

the incumbent members of Citi’s board of directors ceasing to constitute a majority of the board of directors as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the board;

 

 

all or substantially all of the assets of Citi are sold, transferred or distributed; or

 

 

there occurs a transaction, such as reorganization, merger, consolidation or other corporate transaction involving Citi, in which the stockholders of Citi immediately prior to such transaction do not own more than 50 percent of the combined voting power of Citi or other corporation resulting from such transaction in substantially the same proportions as they held immediately prior to such transaction.

 

The committee may also, in its discretion, cause awards made under the equity plans to be assumed by the surviving corporation in a corporate transaction. Accordingly, it is possible that all of the nonvested stock options and stock awards shown in the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table could vest in connection with a change in control of Citi.

 

Deferred Cash Retention Awards.    As described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, an executive holding a deferred cash retention award will receive such award if his or her employment is terminated due to death or disability, there is an involuntary termination other than for gross misconduct, or if there is a change in control of Citi. In all other circumstances, such as voluntary resignation, retirement, or termination for gross misconduct, the award is forfeited. As the awards were not outstanding as of December 31, 2007, they cannot be valued as of that date.

 

"Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control" elsewhere:

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