Form S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2007

Registration No. 333–            


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


FORM S–8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 


BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC.

(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

 


 

Delaware   33-1151291

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 


2 Journal Square Plaza

Jersey City, NJ 07306

(Address of Principal Executive Office, including zip code)

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC.

2007 OMNIBUS AWARD PLAN

(Full title of the plan)

 


Adam D. Amsterdam, Esq.

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

2 Journal Square Plaza

Jersey City, New Jersey 07306

(201) 714-3505

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 


Copy to:

Raphael M. Russo, Esq.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019-6064

(212) 373-3000

 


CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Securities to be Registered    Amount to be
Registered(1)
   Proposed Maximum
Offering Price Per
Share(2)
   Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(2)
   Amount of
Registration Fee

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

   24,000,000 shares    $ 20.45    $ 490,800,000    $ 15,067.56

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall be deemed to cover any additional securities to be offered or issued from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(2) Pursuant to Rule 457 (c) and (h)(1) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per share was determined based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on March 26, 2007.


EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Section 10(a) prospectus being delivered by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) to participants in the Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Award Plan (the “2007 Plan”) as required by Rule 428 under the Securities Act, has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Form S-8 and relates to shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), which have been reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2007 Plan. The information regarding the 2007 Plan required in the Section 10(a) prospectus is included in the documents being maintained and delivered by the Company as required by Rule 428 under the Securities Act.


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

ITEM 1. PLAN INFORMATION.

The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the 2007 Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), but constitute, along with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II, a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

ITEM 2. COMPANY INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.

We will furnish without charge to each person to whom the prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any and all of the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that is incorporated). Those documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus.


PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

The following documents and information previously filed with the Commission by us under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

 

   

the Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 001-33220), filed by Broadridge Financial Solutions, LLC with the Commission on December 19, 2006, as amended on February 9, 2007, March 2, 2007, March 13, 2007 and March 16, 2007, including the description of the Company’s Common Stock contained therein, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

   

the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by Broadridge Financial Solutions, LLC with the Commission on March 21, 2007 (with respect to Item 1.01 and the exhibit filed pursuant thereto only).

In addition, all reports and other documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and made part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides in relevant part as follows:

A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually


and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

As permitted by Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation includes a provision to eliminate the personal liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws provide that we are required to indemnify our officers and directors under certain circumstances, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary, and we will be required to advance expenses to our officers and directors as incurred in connection with proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified.

We have procured directors and officers liability insurance for the benefit of our directors and officers.

 

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

 

EXHIBIT

NUMBER

 

DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT

  4.1   Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Award Plan
  4.2   Certificate of Incorporation of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
  4.3   By-laws of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
  5.1   Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
23.1   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.2   Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

 

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (a) To file during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

  (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;


  (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

Provided, however, that, paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by us pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

 

  (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered hereby which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (d) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  (ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

  (iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

  (iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

  (e) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering hereof.

 

  (f) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Jersey City, State of New Jersey on March 29, 2007.

 

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Richard J. Daly

Name:   Richard J. Daly
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the following capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signatures

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Richard J. Daly

   Chief Executive Officer   March 29, 2007
Richard J. Daly    (principal executive officer)  

/s/ Dan Sheldon

   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer   March 29, 2007
Dan Sheldon    (principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)  

/s/ James B. Benson

   Director   March 29, 2007
James B. Benson     


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

EXHIBIT

NUMBER

 

DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT

  4.1   Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Award Plan
  4.2   Certificate of Incorporation of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
  4.3   By-laws of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
  5.1   Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
23.1   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.2   Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

Exhibit 4.1

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC.

2007 OMNIBUS AWARD PLAN

1. Purpose

The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract able persons to enter and remain in the employ of the Company and its Affiliates and to provide a means whereby employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain Common Stock ownership, or be paid incentive compensation measured by reference to the value of Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and promoting an identity of interest between stockholders and these persons.

So that the appropriate incentive can be provided, the Plan provides for granting Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Phantom Stock Awards, Stock Bonuses and Performance Compensation Awards, or any combination or variation of the foregoing.

2. Definitions

The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan.

(a) “Affiliate” means (i) any entity that directly or indirectly is controlled by, controls or is under common control with the Company and (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest.

(b) “Award” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Phantom Stock Award, Stock Bonus or Performance Compensation Award granted under the Plan.

(c) “Award Agreement” means an agreement pursuant to which an Award is granted.

(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Cause” shall mean, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any existing employment, consulting or any other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or, in the absence of such an employment, consulting or other agreement, upon (i) the good faith determination by the Committee that the Participant has ceased to perform his duties to the Company or an Affiliate (other than as a result of his incapacity due to physical or


mental illness or injury), which failure amounts to an intentional and extended neglect of his duties to such party, provided that no such failure shall constitute Cause unless the Participant has been given notice of such failure (if cure is reasonably possible) and has not cured such act or omission within 15 days following receipt of such notice, (ii) the Committee’s good faith determination that the Participant has engaged or is about to engage in conduct materially injurious to the Company or an Affiliate, (iii) the Participant having been convicted of, or plead guilty or no contest to, a felony or any crime involving as a material element fraud or dishonesty, (iv) the consistent failure of the Participant to follow the lawful instructions of the Board or his direct superiors, which failure amounts to an intentional and extended neglect of his duties to such party, or (v) in the case of a Participant who is a non-employee director, the Participant ceasing to be a member of the Board in connection with the Participant engaging in any of the activities described in clauses (i) through (iv) above.

(f) “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (A) any “Person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), excluding the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company (including any trustee of any such plan acting in his capacity as trustee), becoming the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the total combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; (B) the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Company (a “Transaction”), other than a Transaction immediately following which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the Transaction continue to be the beneficial owners of securities of the resulting entity representing more than 65% of the voting power in the resulting entity, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Company voting securities immediately prior to the Transaction; or (C) the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale immediately following which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the sale are the beneficial owners of securities of the purchasing entity representing more than 65% of the voting power in the purchasing entity, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Company voting securities immediately prior to the Transaction.

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any amendments or successor provisions to such section and any regulations under such section.

(h) “Committee” means a committee of at least two people as the Board may appoint to administer the Plan or, if no such committee has been appointed by the Board, the Board. Unless the Board is acting as the Committee or the Board specifically determines otherwise, each member of the Committee shall, at the time he takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be an Eligible Director. However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee which Award is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

 

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(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, and any stock into which such common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged.

(j) “Company” means Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. and any successor thereto.

(k) “Date of Grant” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization or, if there is no such date, the date indicated on the applicable Award Agreement.

(l) “Effective Date” means March 29, 2007.

(m) “Eligible Director” means a person who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, or a person meeting any similar requirement under any successor rule or regulation and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and (iii) an “independent director” under the rules of any stock exchange on which the Stock is listed; provided, however, that (A) clause (i) shall apply only with respect to grants of Awards to which Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act otherwise would be applicable and (B) clause (ii) shall apply only with respect to grants of Awards with respect to which the Company’s tax deduction could be limited by Section 162(m) of the Code if such clause did not apply.

(n) “Eligible Person” means any (i) individual regularly employed by the Company or Affiliate who satisfies all of the requirements of Section 6; provided, however, that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate or (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate who may be offered securities pursuant to Form S-8.

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

(p) “Fair Market Value”, on a given date, means (i) if the Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing price reported on the primary exchange with which the Stock is listed and traded on such date, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then the closing price on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported; or (ii) if the Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, the amount determined by the Committee to be the fair market value based upon a good faith attempt to value the Stock accurately and computed in accordance with applicable regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.

(q) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option granted by the Committee to a Participant under the Plan which is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth herein.

 

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(r) “Negative Discretion” shall mean the discretion authorized by the Plan to be applied by the Committee to eliminate or reduce the size of a Performance Compensation Award in accordance with Section 11(d)(iv) of the Plan; provided, that the exercise of such discretion would not cause the Performance Compensation Award to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(s) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option granted by the Committee to a Participant under the Plan which is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

(t) “Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

(u) “Option Period” means the period described in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

(v) “Option Price” means the exercise price for an Option as described in Section 7(a) of the Plan.

(w) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

(x) “Parent” means any parent of the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

(y) “Performance Compensation Award” shall mean any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan.

(z) “Performance Criteria” shall be measured in terms of one or more of the following objectives, described as they relate to Company-wide objectives or of a subsidiary, division, department or function of the Company:

(i) Earnings per share;

(ii) Stock price;

(iii) Shareholder return;

(iv) Return on investment;

(v) Return on capital;

(vi) Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization;

 

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(vii) Gross or net profits;

(viii) Gross or net revenues;

(ix) Net earnings or net income (before or after taxes);

(x) Net operating profit (before or after taxes);

(xi) Return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales);

(xii) Cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and cash flow return on capital);

(xiii) Gross or operating margins;

(xiv) Productivity ratios;

(xv) Expense targets;

(xvi) Margins;

(xvii) Operating efficiency;

(xviii) Objective measures of customer satisfaction;

(xix) Working capital targets;

(xx) Measures of economic value added;

(xxi) Sales;

(xxii) Enterprise value;

(xxiii) Client retention;

(xxiv) Competitive market metrics;

(xxv) Employee retention;

(xxvi) Timely completion of new product rollouts; or

(xxvii) Any combination of the foregoing.

(aa) “Performance Formula” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulas applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

 

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(bb) “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. The Committee is authorized at any time during the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), or at any time thereafter (but only to the extent the exercise of such authority after such period would not cause the Performance Compensation Awards granted to any Participant for the Performance Period to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code), in its sole and absolute discretion, to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period to the extent permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants based on the following events:

 

  (i) asset write-downs,

 

  (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements,

 

  (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results,

 

  (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs,

 

  (v) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to stockholders for the applicable year,

 

  (vi) acquisitions or divestitures,

 

  (vii) any other specific unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof;

 

  (viii) foreign exchange gains and losses, and

 

  (ix) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

(cc) “Performance Period” shall mean the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Performance Compensation Award.

(dd) “Phantom Stock Award” shall mean a cash award whose value is determined based on the change in the value of the Company Common Stock from the Date of Grant.

 

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(ee) “Plan” means this Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Award Plan.

(ff) “Restricted Period” means, with respect to any Award of Restricted Stock or any Restricted Stock Unit, the period of time determined by the Committee during which such Award is subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 9 or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.

(gg) “Restricted Stock” means shares of Stock issued or transferred to a Participant subject to forfeiture and the other restrictions set forth in Section 9 of the Plan.

(hh) “Restricted Stock Unit” means a hypothetical investment equivalent to one share of Stock granted in connection with an Award made under Section 9.

(ii) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(jj) “Stock” means the Common Stock or such other authorized shares of stock of the Company as the Committee may from time to time authorize for use under the Plan.

(kk) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

(ll) “Stock Bonus” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

(mm) “Stock Option Agreement” means any agreement between the Company and a Participant who has been granted an Option pursuant to Section 7 which defines the rights and obligations of the parties thereto.

(nn) “Strike Price” means, (i) in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Option Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of a SAR granted independent of an Option, the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

(oo) “Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

(pp) “Substitution Award” means an Award that is intended to replace any existing incentive award held by an employee or director of, or consultant or advisor to, an entity acquired by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company. The terms and conditions of any Substitution Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement and shall, except as may be inconsistent with any provision of the Plan, to the extent practicable provide the recipient with benefits (including economic value) substantially similar to those provided to the recipient under the existing Award which such Substitution Award is intended to replace.

 

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(qq) “Vested Unit” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 9(d).

3. Effective Date, Duration and Shareholder Approval

The Plan is effective as of the Effective Date. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the shareholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(i) of the Code; provided, that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained.

The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that the administration of the Plan shall continue in effect until all matters relating to Awards previously granted have been settled.

4. Administration

(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. The majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee shall be deemed the acts of the Committee.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the power, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares of Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Stock, other securities, other Options, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency, correct any defect and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations under the Plan; (ix) appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may delegate to any officer or officers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election which is the responsibility of or which is allocated to the Committee herein, and which may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to (i) “covered employees” under Code Section 162(m) (other than Awards exempt from the application of Code Section 162(m)) and (ii) persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any shareholder.

(e) No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder.

5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan

The Committee may, from time to time, grant Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Phantom Stock Awards, Stock Bonuses and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons; provided, however, that:

(a) Subject to Section 13, the aggregate number of shares of Stock in respect of which Awards may be granted under the Plan is 24,000,000 shares;

(b) Shares of Stock shall be deemed to have been used in settlement of Awards whether or not they are actually delivered or the Fair Market Value equivalent of such shares is paid in cash; provided, however, that shares of Stock delivered (either directly or by means of attestation) in full or partial payment of the Option Price in accordance with Section 7(b) shall be deducted from the number of shares of Stock delivered to the Participant pursuant to such Option for purposes of determining the number of shares of Stock acquired pursuant to the Plan. In accordance with (and without limitation upon) the preceding sentence, if and to the extent an Award under the Plan expires, terminates or is canceled for any reason whatsoever without the Participant having received any benefit therefrom, the shares covered by such Award shall again become available for future Awards under the Plan. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, a Participant shall not be deemed to have received any “benefit” (i) in the case of forfeited Restricted Stock Awards by reason of having enjoyed voting rights and dividend rights prior to the date of forfeiture or (ii) in the case of an Award cancelled pursuant to Section 5(e) by reason of a new Substitution Award being granted in substitution therefor;

 

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(c) Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued Stock, Stock held in the treasury of the Company, Stock purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing;

(d) Subject to Section 13, no person may be granted Options or SARs under the Plan during any calendar year with respect to more than 200,000 shares of Stock; and

(e) Without limiting the generality of the preceding provisions of this Section 5, the Committee may, but solely with the Participant’s consent, agree to cancel any Award under the Plan and issue a new Award in substitution therefor upon such terms as the Committee may in its sole discretion determine, provided that the substituted Award satisfies all applicable Plan requirements as of the date such new Award is granted.

6. Eligibility

Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have entered into an Award Agreement or who have received written notification from the Committee, or from a person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected to participate in the Plan.

7. Options

The Committee is authorized to grant one or more Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options to any Eligible Person; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is not an employee of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary. Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, or to such other conditions as may be reflected in the applicable Stock Option Agreement.

(a) Option Price. The exercise price (“Option Price”) per share of Stock for each Option shall be set by the Committee at the time of grant but shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Date of Grant.

(b) Manner of Exercise and Form of Payment. No shares of Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Option Price therefor is received by the Company. Options which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written notice of exercise to the Committee accompanied by payment of the Option Price. The Option Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company), (ii) in the discretion of the Committee, either (A) in other property having a

 

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fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the Option Price, (B) by means of a “net exercise” whereby the number of shares of Stock received by Participant shall equal the excess, if any, of (x) the number of shares of Stock that would have been received by Participant upon such exercise had Participant paid the Option Price in cash over (y) a number of shares of Stock, the aggregate Fair Market Value of which is equal to the aggregate Option Price that would have been paid as determined pursuant to the immediately preceding clause (x), or (C) by delivering to the Committee a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to deliver promptly to the Company an amount of loan proceeds, or proceeds from the sale of the Stock subject to the Option, sufficient to pay the Option Price or (iii) by such other method as the Committee may allow. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in the manner which the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company or any Affiliates are listed or traded.

(c) Vesting, Option Period and Expiration. Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “Option Period”); provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such Option other than with respect to exercisability. If an Option is exercisable in installments, such installments or portions thereof which become exercisable shall remain exercisable until the Option expires.

(d) Stock Option Agreement - Other Terms and Conditions. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement. Except as specifically provided otherwise in such Stock Option Agreement, each Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) Each Option or portion thereof that is exercisable shall be exercisable for the full amount or for any part thereof.

(ii) Each share of Stock purchased through the exercise of an Option shall be paid for in full at the time of the exercise. Each Option shall cease to be exercisable, as to any share of Stock, when the Participant purchases the share or exercises a related SAR or when the Option expires.

(iii) Subject to Section 12(k), Options shall not be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him.

 

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(iv) Each Option shall vest and become exercisable by the Participant in accordance with the vesting schedule established by the Committee and set forth in the Stock Option Agreement.

(v) At the time of any exercise of an Option, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, require a Participant to deliver to the Committee a written representation that the shares of Stock to be acquired upon such exercise are to be acquired for investment and not for resale or with a view to the distribution thereof and any other representation deemed necessary by the Committee to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws. Upon such a request by the Committee, delivery of such representation prior to the delivery of any shares issued upon exercise of an Option shall be a condition precedent to the right of the Participant or such other person to purchase any shares. In the event certificates for Stock are delivered under the Plan with respect to which such investment representation has been obtained, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on such certificates to make appropriate reference to such representation and to restrict transfer in the absence of compliance with applicable federal or state securities laws.

(vi) Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date he or she makes a disqualifying disposition of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including any sale) of such Stock before the later of (A) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one year after the date the Participant acquired the Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by it, retain possession of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence, subject to complying with any instructions from such Participant as to the sale of such Stock.

(vii) A Stock Option Agreement may, but need not, include a provision whereby a Participant may elect, at any time before the termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company, to exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares of Stock subject to the Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares of Stock so purchased may be subject to a share repurchase option in favor of the Company or to any other restriction the Committee determines to be appropriate. The Company shall not exercise its repurchase option until at least six (6) months (or such longer or shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting purposes) have elapsed following the exercise of the Option unless the Committee otherwise specifically provides in an Stock Option Agreement.

(e) Incentive Stock Option Grants to 10% Stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7, if an Incentive Stock Option is

 

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granted to a Participant who owns stock representing more than ten percent of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of a Subsidiary or Parent, the Option Period shall not exceed five years from the Date of Grant of such Option and the Option Price shall be at least 110 percent of the Fair Market Value (on the Date of Grant) of the Stock subject to the Option.

(f) $100,000 Per Year Limitation for Incentive Stock Options. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Date of Grant) of Stock for which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such excess Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.

(g) Voluntary Surrender. The Committee may permit the voluntary surrender of all or any portion of any Nonqualified Stock Option and its corresponding SAR, if any, granted under the Plan to be conditioned upon the granting to the Participant of a new option for the same or a different number of shares as the option surrendered or require such voluntary surrender as a condition precedent to a grant of a new Option to such Participant. Such new Option shall be exercisable at an Option Price, during an Option Period, and in accordance with any other terms or conditions specified by the Committee at the time the new Option is granted, all determined in accordance with the provisions of the Plan without regard to the Option Price, Option Period, or any other terms and conditions of the Nonqualified Stock Option surrendered.

8. Stock Appreciation Rights

Any Option granted under the Plan may include SARs, either at the Date of Grant or, except in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, by subsequent amendment. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option. A SAR shall be subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Vesting, Transferability and Expiration. A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable, be transferable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule, transferability rules and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall become exercisable, be transferable and shall expire in accordance with a vesting schedule, transferability rules and expiration provisions as established by the Committee and reflected in an Award Agreement.

(b) Automatic Exercise. If on the last day of the Option Period (or in the case of a SAR independent of an option, the period established by the Committee after which the SAR shall expire), the Fair Market Value exceeds the Strike Price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR or the corresponding Option, and neither the SAR nor the corresponding Option has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.

 

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(c) Payment. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price. The Company shall pay such excess in cash, in shares of Stock valued at Fair Market Value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Fractional shares shall be settled in cash.

(d) Method of Exercise. A Participant may exercise a SAR at such time or times as may be determined by the Committee at the time of grant by filing an irrevocable written notice with the Committee or its designee, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised, and the date on which such SARs were awarded.

(e) Expiration. Except as otherwise provided in the case of SARs granted in connection with Options, a SAR shall expire on a date designated by the Committee which is not later than ten years after the Date of Grant of the SAR.

9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

(a) Award of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

(i) The Committee shall have the authority (A) to grant Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Persons, (B) to issue or transfer Restricted Stock to Participants, and (C) to establish terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, including the Restricted Period, as applicable, which may differ with respect to each grantee, the time or times at which Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall be granted or become vested and the number of shares or units to be covered by each grant.

(ii) Each Participant granted Restricted Stock shall execute and deliver to the Company an Award Agreement with respect to the Restricted Stock setting forth the restrictions and other terms and conditions applicable to such Restricted Stock. If the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (A) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (B) the appropriate blank stock power with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute an Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and stock power, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 9(b), the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including the right to vote such Restricted Stock. At the discretion of the Committee, cash dividends and stock dividends with respect to the Restricted Stock may be either currently paid to the Participant or withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of cash dividends withheld at a rate and subject to

 

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such terms as determined by the Committee. The cash dividends or stock dividends so withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends and earnings, if applicable, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such cash dividends, stock dividends or earnings.

(iii) Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued and, if it so determines, deposited together with the stock powers with an escrow agent designated by the Committee. If an escrow arrangement is used, the Committee may cause the escrow agent to issue to the Participant a receipt evidencing any stock certificate held by it, registered in the name of the Participant.

(iv) The terms and conditions of a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be reflected in a written Award Agreement. No shares of Stock shall be issued at the time a Restricted Stock Unit is granted, and the Company will not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such Award. At the discretion of the Committee, each Restricted Stock Unit (representing one share of Stock) may be credited with cash and stock dividends paid by the Company in respect of one share of Stock (“Dividend Equivalents”). At the discretion of the Committee, Dividend Equivalents may be either currently paid to the Participant or withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of cash Dividend Equivalents withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents credited to a Participant’s account and attributable to any particular Restricted Stock Unit (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed in cash or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such Dividend Equivalents and earnings, if applicable, to the Participant upon settlement of such Restricted Stock Unit and, if such Restricted Stock Unit is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such Dividends Equivalents.

(b) Restrictions.

(i) Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant shall be subject to the following restrictions until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and to such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement: (A) if an escrow arrangement is used, the Participant shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate; (B) the shares shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award Agreement; (C) the shares shall be subject to forfeiture to the extent provided in Section 9(d) and the applicable Award Agreement; and (D) to the extent such shares are forfeited, the stock certificates shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a shareholder with respect to such shares shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

 

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(ii) Restricted Stock Units awarded to any Participant shall be subject to (A) forfeiture until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and satisfaction of any applicable Performance Goals during such period, to the extent provided in the applicable Award Agreement, and to the extent such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, all rights of the Participant to such Restricted Stock Units shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company and (B) such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

(iii) The Committee shall have the authority to remove any or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes in applicable laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are granted, such action is appropriate.

(c) Restricted Period. With respect to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Period shall commence on the Date of Grant and end at the time or times set forth on a schedule established by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement.

(d) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in Section 9(b) and the applicable Award Agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, the stock certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock which have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (to the nearest full share) and any cash dividends or stock dividends credited to the Participant’s account with respect to such Restricted Stock and the interest thereon, if any.

Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one share of Stock for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit (“Vested Unit”) and cash equal to any Dividend Equivalents credited with respect to each such Vested Unit in accordance with Section 9(a)(iv) hereof and the interest thereon or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to such Dividend Equivalents and interest thereon, if any; provided, however, that, if explicitly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Stock for Vested Units or (ii) delay the delivery of Stock (or cash or part Stock and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Vested Unit.

 

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(e) Stock Restrictions. Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the following until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Stock as well as any other information the Company deems appropriate:

THE SHARES OF STOCK REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC. 2007 OMNIBUS AWARD PLAN AND A CERTAIN RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC. AND THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THIS CERTIFICATE (OR HIS PREDECESSOR IN INTEREST). SAID PLAN IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION WITHOUT CHARGE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC. AND COPIES THEREOF WILL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE TO ANY OWNER OF SAID SHARES UPON REQUEST.

Stop transfer orders shall be entered with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of legended securities.

10. Stock Bonus Awards

The Committee may issue unrestricted Stock, or other Awards denominated in Stock, under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. A Stock Bonus Award under the Plan shall be granted as, or in payment of, a bonus, or to provide incentives or recognize special achievements or contributions.

11. Performance Compensation Awards

(a) General. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 7 through 10 (other than Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted with an exercise price or grant price, as the case may be, equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on the date of grant), to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority to grant cash bonuses under the Plan with the intent that such bonuses shall qualify for the exemption from Section 162(m) of the Code provided pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(f)(1), for the reliance period

 

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described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(f)(4)(iii). In addition, the Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m).

(b) Eligibility. The Committee will, in its sole discretion, designate within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code) which Participants will be eligible to receive Performance Compensation Awards in respect of such Performance Period. However, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. The determination as to whether or not such Participant becomes entitled to payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award shall be decided solely in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11. Moreover, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder shall not require designation of any other person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in such period or in any other period.

(c) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have full discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is(are) to apply to the Company and the Performance Formula. Within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 11(c) and record the same in writing.

(d) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards

(i) Condition to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period.

(ii) Limitation. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) the Performance Formula as applied against such Performance Goals determines that all or some portion of such Participant’s Performance Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

 

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(iii) Certification. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the actual size of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion in accordance with Section 11(d)(iv) hereof, if and when it deems appropriate.

(iv) Use of Discretion. In determining the actual size of an individual Performance Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate. The Committee shall not have the discretion to (a) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (b) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the maximum amount payable under Sections 5(d) or 11(d)(vi) of the Plan.

(v) Timing of Award Payments. Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 11.

(vi) Maximum Award Payable. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Plan to the contrary, the maximum Performance Compensation Award payable to any one Participant under the Plan for a Performance Period is 100,000 shares of Stock or, in the event such Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, the equivalent cash value thereof on the first or last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates, as determined by the Committee. The maximum amount that can be paid in any calendar year to any Participant pursuant to a cash bonus Award described in the last sentence of Section 11(a) shall be $3,000,000. Furthermore, any Performance Compensation Award that has been deferred shall not (between the date as of which the Award is deferred and the payment date) increase (A) with respect to Performance Compensation Award that is payable in cash, by a measuring factor for each fiscal year greater than a reasonable rate of interest set by the Committee or (B) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in shares of Stock, by an amount greater than the appreciation of a share of Stock from the date such Award is deferred to the payment date.

12. General

(a) Additional Provisions of an Award. Awards to a Participant under the Plan also may be subject to such other provisions (whether or not

 

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applicable to Awards granted to any other Participant) as the Committee determines appropriate, including, without limitation, provisions to assist the Participant in financing the purchase of Stock upon the exercise of Options (provided, that the Committee determines that providing such financing does not violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), adding dividend equivalent rights or other protections to Participants in respect of dividends paid on Stock underlying any Award (in addition to those provisions of Section 9 providing for the payment of dividends with respect to Restricted Stock and Dividend Equivalents with respect to Restricted Stock Units), provisions for the forfeiture of or restrictions on resale or other disposition of shares of Stock acquired under any Award, provisions giving the Company the right to repurchase shares of Stock acquired under any Award in the event the Participant elects to dispose of such shares, provisions allowing the Participant to elect to defer the receipt of payment in respect of Awards for a specified period or until a specified event, and provisions to comply with Federal and state securities laws and Federal and state tax withholding requirements; provided, however, that any such deferral does not result in acceleration of taxability of an Award prior to receipt, or tax penalties, under Section 409A of the Code. Any such provisions shall be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.

(b) Privileges of Stock Ownership. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Stock which are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued to that person.

(c) Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Stock shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such app