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
(Amendment No.
)
Filed by the Registrant
☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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☒
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Definitive Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
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Home BancShares, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as
Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy
Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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(1)
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Title of each class of securities to which the transaction applies:
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(2)
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Aggregate number of securities to which the transaction applies:
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(3)
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Per unit price or other underlying value of the transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and
state how it was determined):
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(4)
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of the transaction:
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously.
Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
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(1)
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Amount Previously Paid:
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(2)
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100
Conway, Arkansas 72032
(501)
339-2929
Internet Site:
www.homebancshares.com
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held on April 19, 2018
The Annual
Meeting of Shareholders of Home BancShares, Inc. (the Company) will be held on April 19, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) at the at the Statehouse Convention Center, located at 101 E. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, for the following
purposes:
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(1)
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To elect directors for a term of one year.
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(2)
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To provide an advisory
(non-binding)
vote approving the Companys compensation of its named executive officers.
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(3)
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To provide an advisory
(non-binding)
vote determining the frequency with which shareholders will consider and approve an advisory vote on the Companys compensation of its
named executive officers.
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(4)
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To approve an amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under such plan to 13,288,000.
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(5)
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To ratify the appointment of BKD, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the next fiscal year.
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(6)
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To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
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Only shareholders of record on February 23, 2018, will be entitled to vote at the meeting or any adjournments thereof. A list of
shareholders will be available for inspection at the office of the Company at 719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100, Conway, Arkansas, 72032, beginning two business days after the date of this notice and continuing through the meeting. The stock transfer
books will not be closed.
The 2017 Annual Report to Shareholders is included in this publication.
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By Order of the Board of Directors
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C. RANDALL SIMS
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Chief Executive Officer and President
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Conway, Arkansas
March 6, 2018
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN YOUR PROXY AND RETURN IT WITHOUT DELAY
HOW TO VOTE IF YOU ARE A SHAREHOLDER OF RECORD
Your vote is important. You can save the Company the expense of a second mailing by voting promptly. Shareholders of record can vote by
telephone, on the Internet, by mail or by attending the Annual Meeting and voting by ballot as described below. (Please note: if you are a beneficial owner of shares held in the name of a bank, broker or other holder, please refer to your proxy card
or the information forwarded by your bank, broker or other holder of record to see which options are available to you.)
The
Internet and telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate shareholders by use of a control number and to allow you to confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded.
If you vote by telephone or on the Internet, you
do not need to return your proxy card.
Telephone and Internet voting facilities for shareholders of record will be available 24 hours a day and will close at 1:00 a.m. Central time on April 19, 2018.
VOTE BY TELEPHONE
You can vote by calling the
toll-free telephone number on your proxy card.
Easy-to-follow
voice prompts allow you to vote your shares and confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded.
VOTE ON THE INTERNET
You also can choose
to vote on the Internet by visiting the website for Internet voting printed on your proxy card.
Easy-to-follow
prompts allow you to vote your shares and confirm that
your instructions have been properly recorded.
VOTE BY MAIL
If you choose to vote by mail, simply mark your proxy, date and sign it, and return it to Computershare in the postage-paid envelope provided.
If the envelope is missing, please mail your completed proxy card to Proxy Services, c/o Computershare Investor Services, P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, Kentucky, 40233.
VOTING AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
The method by
which you vote will not limit your right to vote at the Annual Meeting if you decide to attend in person. If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or other holder of record, you must obtain a legal proxy, executed in your favor, from
the holder of record to be able to vote at the Meeting.
All shares that have been properly voted and not revoked will be voted at the
Annual Meeting. If you sign and return your proxy card but do not give voting instructions, the shares represented by that proxy will be voted as recommended by the Board of Directors.
HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100
Conway, Arkansas 72032
(501)
339-2929
Internet Site:
www.homebancshares.com
PROXY STATEMENT
This Proxy
Statement and the accompanying proxy card are being mailed in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the Board) of Home BancShares, Inc. (the Company) for use at the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders to be held on April 19, 2018. This Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy card are being first mailed to shareholders of the Company on or about March 6, 2018.
The proxies being solicited by this Proxy Statement are being solicited by the Company. The expense of soliciting proxies, including the cost
of preparing, assembling and mailing the material submitted with this Proxy Statement, will be paid by the Company. The Company will also reimburse brokerage firms, banks, trustees, nominees and other persons for the expense of forwarding proxy
material to beneficial owners of shares held by them of record. Solicitations of proxies may be made personally or by telephone, electronic communication or facsimile, by directors, officers and regular employees, who will not receive any additional
compensation in respect of such solicitations.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Shareholder Meeting to be Held on April 19, 2018:
The Notice and Proxy Statement and the Annual Report on Form
10-K
are available at www.envisionreports.com/homb.
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING
The questions and answers below contain summary information and may not contain all of the information that is important to you. To better
understand the nominees being solicited for directors and the proposals that are submitted for a vote, you should carefully read this entire document and other documents to which we refer.
When and Where Is the Annual Meeting?
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Date:
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Thursday, April 19, 2018
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Time:
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6:30 p.m., Central Daylight Time
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Location:
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Statehouse Convention Center, 101 E. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas
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What Matters Will Be Voted Upon at the Annual Meeting?
At our Annual Meeting, shareholders will be asked to:
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consider and vote on a proposal to elect the nominees listed in this proxy statement as directors for a term of one year;
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consider and vote on a proposal to approve, on an advisory
(non-binding)
basis, the Companys compensation of its named executive officers;
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consider and vote on a proposal to recommend, on an advisory
(non-binding)
basis, the frequency of shareholder advisory votes on the Companys compensation of its named
executive officers;
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consider and vote on a proposal to approve an amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance
under such plan to 13,288,000;
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consider and vote on a proposal to ratify the appointment of BKD, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the next fiscal year; and
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transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
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Who Is
Entitled to Vote?
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on the record date, February 23, 2018, are entitled to
receive the Notice of Annual Meeting and to vote the shares of common stock that they held on that date at the Meeting or at any postponement or adjournment of the Meeting. Each outstanding share entitles its holder to cast one vote on each matter
to be voted on. As of the close of business on February 23, 2018, there were 173,769,990 shares of the Companys common stock outstanding.
Who Can Attend the Meeting?
All
shareholders as of the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the Meeting, and each may be accompanied by one guest. Seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will begin at 5:30 p.m., and
seating will be available at approximately 6:00 p.m.
The use of cameras, videotaping equipment and recording devices will not be
permitted at the Meeting.
Attendees may not bring large bags, briefcases or packages into the Meeting.
Please note that if you hold your shares in street name (that is, through a broker or other nominee), you will need to bring a
copy of a brokerage statement reflecting your stock ownership as of the record date and check in at the registration desk at the Meeting.
What
Constitutes a Quorum?
The presence at the Meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock
outstanding on the record date will constitute a quorum, permitting the Company to conduct its business. As of the record date, 173,769,990 shares of common stock of the Company were outstanding. Proxies received, but marked as abstentions and
broker
non-votes,
will be included in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the Meeting.
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Can a Shareholder Nominate a Director?
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (Nominating Committee) of the Board of Directors will consider a candidate
properly and timely recommended for directorship by a shareholder or group of shareholders of the Company. The recommendation must be submitted by one or more shareholders that have beneficially owned, individually or as a group, 2% or more of the
outstanding common stock for at least one year as of the date the recommendation is submitted. Shareholder recommendations must be submitted to the Secretary of the Company in writing via certified U.S. mail not less than 120 days prior to the first
anniversary of the date of the Proxy Statement relating to the Companys previous Annual Meeting. Shareholder recommendations for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2019 must be received by the Company by November 6, 2018. Recommendations
must be addressed as follows:
Home BancShares, Inc.
Attn: Corporate Secretary
P.O. Box
966
Conway, Arkansas 72033
DIRECTOR CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATION
Generally, candidates for a director position should possess:
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relevant business and financial expertise and experience, including an understanding of fundamental financial statements;
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the highest character and integrity and a reputation for working constructively with others;
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sufficient time to devote to meetings and consultation on Board matters; and
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freedom from conflicts of interest that would interfere with their performance as a director.
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The full text of our Policy Regarding Director Recommendations by Stockholders and Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee Directorship Guidelines and Selection Policy are published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
and can be found under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance
Documents.
How Can I Communicate Directly with the Board?
Shareholder communications to the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board of Directors, or any individual director must be sent in
writing via certified U.S. mail to the Corporate Secretary at the following address:
Home BancShares, Inc.
Attn: Corporate Secretary
P.O. Box
966
Conway, Arkansas 72033
Our Stockholder Communications Policy is published on the Companys website at
www.homebancshares.com
and can be found
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
How Do I Vote?
The enclosed proxy card indicates the number of shares you own. There are four ways to vote:
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By Internet at the website shown on your proxy card;
we encourage you to vote this way
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By toll-free telephone at the number shown on your proxy card.
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By completing and mailing your proxy card.
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By written ballot at the Meeting.
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If you vote by Internet or telephone, your vote must be
received by 1:00 a.m. Central time on April 19, 2018. If your shares are held in street name, the instructions from your broker or nominee will indicate whether Internet or telephone voting is available and, if so, will provide
details regarding how to use those systems. If you complete and properly sign the accompanying proxy card and return it to the Company, or tender your vote via telephone or the Internet, it will be voted as you direct.
If you do not indicate your
voting preferences, Brian S. Davis and Jennifer C. Floyd will vote your shares
FOR
all of the director nominees,
FOR
Proposals 2, 4 and 5, and for the option of
1 YEAR
on Proposal 3.
3
If You Vote by Telephone or on the Internet, You Do
NOT
Need to Return Your Proxy
Card.
If you plan to attend the Meeting, you may deliver your completed proxy card in person. However, if your shares are held in
street name and you wish to vote your shares by written ballot at the Meeting, you will need to request and obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee (the stockholder of record) giving you the right to vote the shares
at the Annual Meeting, complete such legal proxy and present it to the Company at the Meeting. Even if you plan to attend the Meeting, we recommend that you submit your proxy card or voting instructions in advance so that your vote will be counted
if you later decide not to attend the Meeting.
A proxy duly executed and returned by a shareholder, and not revoked prior to or at the
Meeting, will be voted in accordance with the shareholders instructions on such proxy.
If My Shares Are Held By a Broker or Nominee, Do I Need
to Instruct the Broker or Nominee How to Vote My Shares?
Yes. If you hold shares in street name through a broker or other
nominee, your broker or nominee may not be permitted to exercise voting discretion with respect to some of the matters to be acted upon. Under current stock exchange rules, brokers who do not have instructions from their customers may not use their
discretion in voting their customers shares on certain specific matters which are not considered to be routine matters, including the election of directors, executive compensation and other significant matters. The proposals in
this Proxy Statement to elect directors, to approve on an advisory basis the Companys executive compensation, to determine on an advisory basis the frequency of shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation, and to approve an amendment
to the Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under such plan are not considered to be routine matters.
Thus, if you do not give your broker
or nominee specific instructions with respect to each of these matters, your shares may not be voted on those matters and will not be counted in determining the number of shares necessary for approval.
Shares represented by such broker
non-votes
will, however, be counted in determining whether there is a quorum.
The
ratification of BKD, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm is considered a routine matter, and therefore, if you do not give your broker or nominee specific instructions with respect to this proposal, your broker or
nominee will have the discretionary authority to vote your shares on this proposal.
What Are the Boards Recommendations?
Unless you give other instructions on your proxy card, the persons named as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote in accordance with the
recommendations of the Board of Directors. The Boards recommendation is set forth together with each proposal in this Proxy Statement. In summary, the Board recommends a vote:
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FOR
the election of the nominated slate of directors (see pages
6-35).
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FOR
the approval, on an advisory
(non-binding)
basis, of the Companys compensation of its named executive officers (see page 36).
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For every
1 YEAR
as the frequency for future shareholder advisory votes on the Companys compensation of its named executive officers (see page 37).
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FOR
the approval of the amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under such
plan to 13,288,000 (see page
38-42).
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FOR
the ratification of the appointment of BKD, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm (see pages
43-45).
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What Other Business May Be Brought Before the Meeting?
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board knows of no other business that may properly be, or is likely to be, brought before the
Annual Meeting. With respect to any other matter that properly comes before the Meeting, the proxy holders will vote as recommended by the Board of Directors or, if no recommendation is given, at their own discretion.
4
What Vote Is Required to Approve Each Proposal?
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Election of Directors
. The affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting is required for the election of directors. A properly executed proxy marked
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY with respect to the election of one or more of the directors will not be voted with respect to the director or directors indicated, although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum.
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Advisory vote on the frequency of shareholder advisory votes on the Companys compensation of its named executive officers
. Generally, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in person or
by proxy is required for approval of any matter presented to shareholders at the Annual Meeting. However, because this vote is advisory and
non-binding,
if none of the frequency options receives a majority of
the votes cast, the option receiving the greatest number of votes will be considered the frequency recommended by the Companys shareholders. A properly executed proxy marked ABSTAIN with respect to this matter will not be voted,
although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Accordingly, an abstention will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.
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Other Proposals
. For each other proposal, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, assuming a quorum is present, will be required for approval. A
properly executed proxy marked ABSTAIN with respect to any such matter will not be voted, although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Accordingly, an abstention will have no effect on the outcome of
the vote.
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The authorized common stock of the Company consists of 200,000,000 shares at $0.01 par value. As of the close of
business on February 23, 2018, there were 173,769,990 shares eligible to vote.
Can I Change My Vote After I Return the Proxy Card?
Yes. Even after you have submitted your proxy, you may change your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by filing with the Secretary
of the Company either a notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date. The powers of the proxy holders will be suspended if you attend the Meeting in person and so request, although attendance at the Meeting will not by itself
revoke a previously granted proxy.
What Should I Do If I Receive More Than One Set Of Voting Materials?
You may receive more than one set of voting materials, including multiple copies of this Proxy Statement and multiple proxies or voting
instruction cards. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you may receive a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account. If you are a registered owner and your shares are registered in more than one
name, you will receive more than one proxy card. Please vote each proxy and instruction card that you receive.
Where Can I Find The Voting Results Of
The Annual Meeting?
The Company will publish final voting results of the Annual Meeting in a Current Report on Form
8-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days after the Annual Meeting on April 19, 2018.
What Do I Need To Do Now?
First, read
this Proxy Statement carefully. Then, if you are a registered owner of shares of our common stock as of February 23, 2018, you should, as soon as possible, submit your proxy by executing and returning the proxy card or by voting by telephone or
on the Internet. If you are the beneficial owner of shares held in street name, then you should follow the voting instructions of your broker or other nominee. Your shares will be voted in accordance with the directions you specify. If
you submit an executed proxy card to the Company but fail to specify voting directions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors.
You Should Carefully Read this Proxy Statement in its Entirety.
5
PROPOSAL ONE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our Restated
Articles of Incorporation provide that the number of directors shall not be less than two nor more than fifteen, with the exact number to be fixed by the shareholders or the Board. The Board of Directors proposes that the nominees for directors
described below be elected for a term of one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. All nominees are currently serving as directors.
Each of the nominees has consented to serve the term for which he is nominated. If any nominee becomes unavailable for election, which is not
anticipated, the directors proxies will vote for the election of such other person as the Board may nominate, unless the Board resolves to reduce the number of directors to serve on the Board and thereby reduce the number of directors to be
elected at the meeting.
The Board of Directors Recommends that Shareholders Vote
FOR
Each of the
Nominees Listed Herein
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY
The names of the Companys directors and executive officers and their respective ages and positions as of February 23, 2018, are
listed in the table below.
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Name
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Age
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Positions Held with
Home BancShares, Inc.
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Positions Held with
Centennial Bank
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John W. Allison
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71
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Chairman of the Board
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Chairman of the Board
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C. Randall Sims
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63
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Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
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Director
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Brian S. Davis
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52
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Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director
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Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director
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Jennifer C. Floyd
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43
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Chief Accounting Officer and Investor Relations Officer
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Chief Accounting Officer
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Tracy M. French
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56
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Executive Officer, Director
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Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
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Kevin D. Hester
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54
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Chief Lending Officer
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Chief Lending Officer and Director
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J. Stephen Tipton
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36
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Chief Operating Officer
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Chief Operating Officer
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Donna J. Townsell
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47
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Senior Executive Vice President
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Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Marketing
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Russell D. Carter, III
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42
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Executive Officer
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Regional President
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Milburn Adams
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74
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Director
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Director
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
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69
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Vice Chairman of the Board
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Vice Chairman of the Board
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Richard H. Ashley
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62
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Director
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Director
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Mike D. Beebe
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71
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Director
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Jack E. Engelkes
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68
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Director
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Director
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Karen E. Garrett
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45
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Director
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James G. Hinkle
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69
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Director
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Alex R. Lieblong
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67
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Director
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Advisory Director
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Thomas J. Longe
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55
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Director
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Jim Rankin, Jr.
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50
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Director
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Director
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6
NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR
The director nominees consist of the fourteen current members of the Board, two of which were appointed effective after the 2017 Annual
Meeting. The biography of each of the nominees below contains information regarding the persons service as a director, business experience, including but not limited to director positions held currently or at any time during the last five
years, and the experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills that caused the Nominating Committee and the Board to determine that the person should serve as a director.
During 2008 and 2009, the Company combined the charters of the Companys former bank subsidiaries First State Bank, Community
Bank, Twin City Bank, Marine Bank, Bank of Mountain View and Centennial Bank (of Little Rock) into a single charter and adopted Centennial Bank as the common name. As used in the following biographies and elsewhere in this Proxy Statement,
any reference to our former bank subsidiaries or to any of the six banks named in this paragraph refers to the Companys separately chartered bank subsidiary or subsidiaries as they existed prior to the merger of the banks into a
single charter.
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John W. Allison
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Director Since 1998
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John W. Allison
is the
co-founder
and has been Chairman of the
Board of Home BancShares since 1998. He also serves on the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. From 1998 to 2009, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Home BancShares. Mr. Allison has more than 34 years of banking experience,
including service as Chairman of First National Bank of Conway from 1983 until 1998, and as a director of First Commercial Corporation from 1985 (when First Commercial acquired First National Bank of Conway) until 1998. At various times during his
tenure on First Commercials board, Mr. Allison served as the Chairman of that companys Executive Committee and as Chairman of its Asset Quality Committee. Prior to its sale to Regions Financial Corporation in 1998, First Commercial
was a publicly traded company and the largest bank holding company headquartered in Arkansas, with approximately $7.3 billion in assets. Mr. Allison is a successful business owner with extensive experience in the management of banks and
bank holding companies. As the
co-founder
and former Chief Executive Officer of Home BancShares, he has intimate knowledge of the issues facing our management, and he has been a guiding figure in the
development of Home BancShares and its growth strategy. He is also the largest individual shareholder of Home BancShares, which the Board of Directors believes aligns his interests with those of our shareholders.
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C. Randall Sims
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Director Since 1998
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C. Randall Sims is Chief Executive Officer and President of Home BancShares. Mr. Sims has served as Chief
Executive Officer of Home BancShares since 2009 and as a director of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank (formerly First State Bank) since 1998. From 1998 to 2009, he served as Secretary of Home BancShares. He currently serves as a member of the
Asset/Liability Committee. From 1998 to January 2015, Mr. Sims served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Centennial Bank (formerly First State Bank). Prior to joining First State Bank, Mr. Sims was an executive vice president
with First National Bank of Conway. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting and business administration from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia,
Arkansas. He attended the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin and is an honor graduate of the American Bankers Association National Commercial Lending School held at the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Sims formerly served as
a Trustee at the University of Central Arkansas and was Chairman of the Conway Christian School Board for 17 years. He is currently serving on the Board of Trustees at Ouachita Baptist University. Mr. Sims educational background in
accounting, business, law and banking provides him a wide-ranging set of skills for the management of a public company such as Home BancShares. As Chief Executive Officer and President of Home BancShares and a long-time director and executive
officer of both Home BancShares and Centennial Bank, he has extensive banking and executive experience and knowledge of the Company as well as expertise in many areas, including financial, corporate governance, risk assessment, and operational
matters.
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Brian S. Davis
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Director Since 2015
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Brian S. Davis has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank
and as a director of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank since July 2015. He also serves as Chairman of the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. Mr. Davis joined Home BancShares in 2004 as Director of Financial Reporting and added
Investor Relations Officer to his responsibilities in 2006. In 2010, he was promoted to Chief Accounting Officer while continuing to serve as Investor Relations Officer until his promotion to Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in 2015. He is a
Certified Public Accountant and has 26 years of banking experience, which includes serving as Vice President of Finance for Simmons First National Corporation, Controller of Simmons First Mortgage Company, and Assistant Vice President of Finance for
Worthen Banking Corporation. Mr. Davis is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Mr. Davis has extensive experience in financial and accounting matters relating to banks and bank holding companies. Through his current
and previous roles with the Company, he provides an
in-depth
understanding of the Companys financial condition on a current and historical basis, as well as knowledge and experience with internal
controls, risk assessment, shareholder relations and management of the financial affairs of a public company.
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Milburn Adams
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Director Since 2011
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Milburn Adams has been a director of Home BancShares since October 2011 and a director of Centennial Bank
(formerly First State Bank) since 2004. He was appointed to the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee of Home BancShares in January 2012. Prior to Mr. Adams service with First State Bank, he spent 13 years with the Arkansas
Department of Education, serving as an Area Supervisor of Special Education and Director of Evaluation and Admissions at the Arkansas School for the Deaf. This experience was followed by 19 years of service in the manufactured home business. From
1982 to 1986, he was responsible for the administration, sales, manufacturing, and distribution of manufactured homes throughout an eight state area as General Manager of Squire Homes. Mr. Adams was the President of Spirit Homes, Inc. of
Conway, Arkansas, from 1986 to 1997. He served as a Division President of Cavalier Homes, Inc. from 1997 to 2000, when Spirit Homes was acquired by Cavalier Homes, Inc. of Alabama. From 2005 to the present, Mr. Adams has been an Operations
Consultant for Reliance Health Care. Reliance, founded in 1998, provides administrative services to 41 skilled nursing facilities in Arkansas and Missouri. Mr. Adams is an experienced business person, managing and operating several businesses
in the central Arkansas area and has substantial knowledge of the banking business through his over 12 years of service on the board of our bank subsidiary.
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
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Director From 1998 to 2003 and Since 2007
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr. has been a director and Vice Chairman of Home BancShares since July 2007. He also serves
on the Audit Committee, Asset/Liability Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of Home BancShares. Mr. Adcock is a
co-founder
of Home BancShares with Mr. Allison. He previously
served as a director and Vice Chairman of Home BancShares from 1998 to 2003. In June 2003, Mr. Adcock stepped down from the Board of Directors of Home BancShares to become the Arkansas State Bank Commissioner. He was reappointed as Vice
Chairman of Home BancShares in July 2007 upon completion of his four-year term as Arkansas State Bank Commissioner. Mr. Adcock retired from the First National Bank of Conway, Arkansas, in 1996 after more than 20 years of service. He presently
operates a farming operation in Gould (Lincoln County), Arkansas, and has many real estate holdings in the Conway, Arkansas, area. Mr. Adcock has an extensive background in banking, and as a
co-founder
of
Home BancShares, he has a vast knowledge of the Company and our markets. His experience as Arkansas State Bank Commissioner gives him particular insight into regulatory matters affecting the Company and the bank, as well as contacts in the banking
industry throughout Arkansas.
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Richard H. Ashley
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Director Since 2004
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Richard H. Ashley has been a director of Home BancShares since 2004 and served as Vice Chairman from 2006 to
July 2007. He also serves on the Asset/Liability Committee and the Compensation Committee of Home BancShares. He has served as a director of Centennial Bank since February 2009. He served as a director of the former Twin City Bank from 2000 until
its charter was merged into Centennial Bank in 2009, and as Chairman of Twin City Bank from 2002 to 2009. From 2007 to 2009, he was a director of Entergy Arkansas, Inc., an electric public utility company. Mr. Ashley is President and owner of
the Ashley Company, a privately held company involved in land development and investment in seven states throughout the United States since 1978. Mr. Ashley has extensive experience and knowledge with respect to real estate and real estate
financing, which is a significant part of our lending. He has substantial banking experience through his over 17 years of service on the boards of Centennial Bank and our former subsidiary bank, Twin City Bank. In addition, his service on the
Compensation Committee of Home BancShares has enhanced his knowledge of public company executive compensation matters.
8
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Mike D. Beebe
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Director Since 2016
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Mike D. Beebe was appointed to serve as a director of Home BancShares in April 2016. He is currently the
Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. Mr. Beebe serves as a director of Tyson Foods, Inc. and a member of the Governors Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in
Washington, D.C. He is also Of Counsel for the Roberts Law Firm, P.A. in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. Beebe was the Governor of the State of Arkansas from 2007 to 2015 and the states Attorney General from 2003 to 2007, prior to which he
served as a state senator for 20 years. Beebe began his law career in 1972, practicing law until 2002 at Lightle, Beebe, Raney, Bell and Simpson in Searcy, Arkansas. From 1974 to 1979, he was a member of the Board of Trustees at Arkansas State
University. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Arkansas State University in 1968, Beebe completed law school at the University of Arkansas while serving in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1968 to 1974. His extensive
leadership experience, ability to collaborate and his long-time support and understanding of business qualify him to serve on the Board.
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Jack E. Engelkes
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Director Since 2004
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Jack E. Engelkes has been a director of Home BancShares since 2004 and a director of Centennial Bank (formerly
First State Bank) since 1998. He serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee of Home BancShares. He also serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee of Centennial Bank. From 1995 to 1998, he served as a
director of First National Bank of Conway. Mr. Engelkes served as managing partner in the accounting firm of Engelkes and Felts, Ltd. from 1990 through 2015. He was a director of the Conway Regional Medical Center from 2005 through 2016, and
served as Chairman of the Conway Regional Medical Center Board during 2011 and 2012. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Conway Regional Health Foundation in 2006. Mr. Engelkes holds a bachelors degree in Business and Economics
from Hendrix College in Conway. Mr. Engelkes is a Certified Public Accountant and has extensive knowledge and experience in accounting, auditing and financial reporting. He has a strong understanding of the banking business, and particularly
the Company, through his combined service over the past 22 years as a director of Home BancShares, our subsidiary bank and First National Bank of Conway. Based on that service and his other directorships, he offers valuable experience with respect
to corporate governance and compensation matters.
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Tracy M. French
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Director Since 2015
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Tracy M. French has served as a director of Home BancShares and as Chief Executive Officer and President of
Centennial Bank since January 2015. He also serves on the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. From 2009 to January 2015, Mr. French served as a Regional President for Centennial Bank. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer
and a director of our former bank subsidiary, Community Bank, from 2002 to 2009. Mr. French has over 33 years of banking experience. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking
at Southern Methodist University. Based on his extensive banking and management experience, Mr. French provides significant strategic and operational insights into the management of the Company and our bank subsidiary.
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Karen E. Garrett
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Director Since April 2017
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Karen E. Garrett was appointed as a director of Home BancShares in April 2017. She serves on the Audit
Committee and the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. Mrs. Garrett currently serves as the Managing Partner of Hudson, Cisne & Co., LLP, a certified public accounting firm in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mrs. Garrett has been
a certified public accountant with Hudson, Cisne & Co. since 1996 and previously served as the firms personnel and recruiting coordinator for ten years. She has been a member of the Accounting Advisory Board for both the University of
Central Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and she served a five-year term on the Arkansas State Board of Accountancy from 2010 to 2015. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre.
Mrs. Garrett was the first female recipient of the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas annual Distinguished Service Award for 20 years of service to the construction industry in 2015. She is a graduate of the University of Central
Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas. Her leadership experience and expertise in tax accounting, auditing, financial statement analysis, leadership succession planning, business consulting and personnel management and recruiting qualify her to serve on the
Board.
9
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James G. Hinkle
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Director Since 2005
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James G. Hinkle has been a director of Home BancShares since 2005. Mr. Hinkle currently serves as a
member of the Audit Committee of Home BancShares and has previously served on our Asset/Liability Committee. He has over 36 years of banking experience. He served as Chairman of the former Bank of Mountain View from 2005 until its charter was merged
into Centennial Bank in 2009. From 1995 to 2005, he served as President of Mountain View BancShares, Inc., until the companys merger into Home BancShares. He served as President of the Bank of Mountain View from 1981 to 2005. From 1996 to
2003, Mr. Hinkle served on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Since 2003, Mr. Hinkle has been a director of the National Wild Turkey Federation, a national nonprofit conservation and hunting organization. Mr. Hinkle has a lengthy
background in banking and executive management through his long-time service as an officer and director of the former Bank of Mountain View and Mountain View Bancshares. In addition, he has particular knowledge of the Companys customer base in
North Central Arkansas.
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Alex R. Lieblong
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Director Since 2003
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Alex R. Lieblong has been a director of Home BancShares since 2003. He has served as an advisory director of
Centennial Bank (formerly First State Bank) since 2002, and he served as a director of First State Bank from 1998 to 2002. He also serves as Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee of Home
BancShares. Mr. Lieblong currently serves on the board of directors of Ballard Petroleum, a privately held energy company. Since 1997, Mr. Lieblong has been an owner and general principal in the brokerage firm of Lieblong &
Associates, Inc. Prior to Lieblong & Associates, Inc., he held management positions with Paine Webber, Merrill Lynch, and E.F. Hutton. Mr. Lieblong was a founder and has been managing partner of Key Colony Fund, L.P., a hedge fund,
since 1998. He served as a director of Deltic Timber from 1997 to February 2007. He also served as a director of Lodgian, Inc., a publicly traded owner and operator of hotels, from 2006 to 2010. Mr. Lieblong has extensive experience in the
financial services industry and over a decade of experience as a director of other publicly traded and privately held companies. He has substantial knowledge of financial, regulatory, corporate governance and other matters affecting public companies
which the Board of Directors believes is valuable to the Company.
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Thomas J. Longe
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Director Since 2014
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Thomas J. Longe was appointed to serve as a director of Home BancShares in October 2014 and named to the Audit
Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in January 2015. Mr. Longe is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Trianon Companies. For over 32 years he has been involved in the acquisition, development, management
and financing of commercial and residential real estate developments. He is the former Chairman, CEO and President of TIB Financial Corporation (TIB Financial), which was a publicly traded bank holding company in Florida with
$1.8 billion in assets. Mr. Longe directed the successful acquisition of a $500 million asset failed bank from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and negotiated the recapitalization/sale of TIB Financial to North American Financial
Holdings. Mr. Longe began his career as a loan officer and credit analyst at Bank One, Columbus, N.A. and Comerica Bank. He graduated from Albion College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and from the University of Detroit with a Masters of
Business Administration. Mr. Longe brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in banking and real estate development, as well as experience managing a publicly held bank holding company and particular familiarity with our Florida markets in
Southwest and Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys.
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Jim Rankin, Jr.
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Director Since April 2017
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Jim Rankin, Jr. was appointed as a director of Home BancShares in April 2017. He serves on the Compensation
Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Asset/Liability Committee of Home BancShares. Mr. Rankin has served as President of Trinity Development Company and Four Winds, Inc., two family-owned real estate development
and management companies with primary business interests in Faulkner County, Arkansas, since 1999. Mr. Rankin is also an attorney serving in private practice since 1993. Mr. Rankin has been a director of our bank subsidiary, Centennial
Bank, since 2001. He is a director of the Conway Regional Heath System and the Conway Development Corporation and a former chair of the board of directors of the Conway Regional Health System Foundation. He is a graduate of the University of
Arkansas at Fayetteville and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. Mr. Rankins experience and expertise in residential and commercial real estate, law and banking, and his knowledge and
understanding of our business as a current director of Centennial Bank, qualify him to serve on the Board.
10
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The biography below of each of our executive officers who is not a member of our Board of Directors contains information regarding the
persons business experience, including but not limited to positions held currently or at any time during the last five years.
Russell D. Carter,
III
Russell D. Carter, III was named Executive Officer of Home BancShares in January 2018 and has served as a Regional President for
Centennial Bank since 2013. He currently serves on the banks Executive Loan Committee and Executive Risk Committee and is Chairman of the banks regional board of directors for North Arkansas. Mr. Carter has over 18 years of banking
experience and is a licensed attorney. He holds a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rocks William H. Bowen School of Law and a bachelors degree in finance from Arkansas State University in
Jonesboro, Arkansas. He is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Mr. Carter served as a state representative in the Arkansas House of Representative from January 2009 to January 2015 and
served as the Speaker of the House from January 2013 to January 2015.
Jennifer C. Floyd
Jennifer C. Floyd was appointed to serve as the Chief Accounting Officer and Investor Relations Officer of Home BancShares and Chief Accounting
Officer of Centennial Bank in July 2015. Ms. Floyd joined the Company in June 2015 as Director of Financial Reporting. She began her career with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, in 1997 primarily auditing public and private financial
institutions and served as Senior Manager until joining the Company. Ms. Floyd is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, where she received a bachelors degree in accounting and marketing.
Kevin D. Hester
Kevin D. Hester
joined Centennial Bank (formerly First State Bank) in 1998 as Executive Vice President of Lending, and became Chief Lending Officer of Home BancShares in 2010. He has more than 32 years of banking experience. From 1985 to 1998, Mr. Hester held
various positions at First Commercial Corporation, including Executive Vice President of Lending at First Commercials Kilgore, Texas, affiliate. Mr. Hester is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelors degree
in accounting and is an honor graduate of the National Commercial Lending School in Norman, Oklahoma. He is a former board member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) and is still active within the organization.
J. Stephen Tipton
J. Stephen Tipton was
appointed to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank in August 2015. Mr. Tipton most recently served as a Regional Vice President of Centennial Bank. He began his banking career in 2005 and joined Centennial
Bank in 2006. Prior to becoming Regional Vice President, Mr. Tipton served as Director of Credit Risk Management during 2013 and as Commercial Lender from 2009 to 2012. Mr. Tipton has a vast array of experience in retail, business
development, lending and acquisitions. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Donna J. Townsell
Donna J. Townsell was appointed to serve as the Senior Executive Vice President of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank in October 2015. In
August 2016, she was named Director of Marketing for Centennial Bank. Prior to becoming Senior Executive Vice President, Ms. Townsell served as Project Manager for Centennial Bank and led the banks
Build-A-Better-Bank
(B3) campaign, which included the successful effort to improve the Companys efficiency ratio, a long-term corporate goal of the Company. Ms. Townsell joined the
Company in 2007. She is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.
11
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Duties of the Board
The Board of
Directors has the responsibility to serve as the trustee for the shareholders. It also has the responsibility for establishing broad corporate policies and for the overall performance of the Company. The Board, however, is not involved in
day-to-day
operating details. Members of the Board are kept informed of the Companys business through discussion with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer and other officers, by reviewing analyses and reports sent to them quarterly, and by participating in Board and Committee meetings.
Corporate
Governance Guidelines and Policies
We believe that good corporate governance helps ensure that the Company is managed for the
long-term benefit of its shareholders. We continue to review our corporate governance policies and practices, corporate governance rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), and the listing standards of
the NASDAQ Global Select Market on which our common stock is traded. The Board has adopted various corporate governance guidelines and policies to assist the Board in the exercise of its responsibilities to the Company and its shareholders. The
guidelines and policies address, among other items, director independence and director qualifications. You can access and print our corporate governance guidelines and policies, including the charters of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee,
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, our Corporate Code of Ethics for Directors, Executive Officers and Employees and other Company policies and procedures required by applicable law or regulation, on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
Director Independence
NASDAQ rules
require that a majority of the directors of NASDAQ-listed companies be independent. An independent director generally means a person other than an officer or employee of the listed company or its subsidiaries, or any other
individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the listed companys board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Certain categories of persons are
deemed not to be independent under the NASDAQ rules, such as persons employed by the listed company within the last three years, and persons who have received (or whose immediate family members have received) payments exceeding a specified amount
from the listed company within the last three years, excluding payments that are not of a disqualifying nature (such as compensation for board service, payments arising solely from investments in the listed companys securities, and benefits
under a
tax-qualified
retirement plan). NASDAQ rules impose somewhat more stringent independence requirements on persons who serve as members of the audit committee or the compensation committee of a listed
company.
Of the fourteen persons who currently serve on our Board of Directors, we believe that Messrs. Adams, Adcock, Ashley, Beebe,
Engelkes, Hinkle, Lieblong, Longe, Rankin and Mrs. Garrett are independent for purposes of NASDAQ rules. Messrs. Allison, Davis, French and Sims are not considered independent because they are officers of Home BancShares. The Board
has also determined that no member of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee or Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has any material relationship with the Company (either directly or indirectly as a partner, shareholder or officer of
an organization that has a relationship with the Company) and that all members of these committees meet the criteria for independence under the NASDAQ listing standards.
Board Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
The Board of Directors has since 2009 separated the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The primary purpose of
installing a separate CEO in addition to the Chairman was to facilitate and strengthen the succession of management of the Company. This separation of Chairman and CEO also allows for greater oversight of the Company by the Board. The Board is
actively involved in oversight of risks that could affect the Company. This oversight is conducted primarily through committees of the Board, as disclosed in the description of each of the committees below and in the charters of each of the
committees, but the full Board has retained responsibility for general oversight of risks. The Board satisfies this responsibility through full reports by each committee chair regarding the committees considerations and actions, as well as
through regular reports directly from officers responsible for oversight of particular risks within the Company.
12
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers, and employees. We believe our Code of Ethics is reasonably
designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of conflicts of interest, full, fair and accurate disclosure in filings and other public communications made by us, compliance with applicable
laws, prompt internal reporting of ethics violations, and accountability for adherence to the Code of Ethics. This Code of Ethics is published in its entirety on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor
Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents. We will post on our website any amendment to this code and any waivers of any provision of this code made for the benefit of any of our senior executive officers or
directors.
BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
The business of the Company is managed under the direction of the Board of Directors, who meet on a regularly scheduled basis during the
calendar year to review significant developments affecting the Company and to act on matters that require Board approval. Special meetings are also held when Board action is required on matters arising between regularly scheduled meetings. Written
consents to action without a meeting may be obtained if the Company deems it more appropriate.
All members of the Board are strongly
encouraged to attend each meeting of the Board and meetings of the Board committees on which they serve, as well as the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors held four regularly scheduled meetings and four special meetings during calendar year
2017. During this period each of our current Board members participated in at least 75% of the aggregate of the meetings of the Board and the Board committees on which the director served during the period in which the member served as a director,
with the exception of Mr. Hinkle, who was excused for good reason. In addition, all of the current Board members attended the Companys Annual Meeting in 2017. Our Director Attendance Policy is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
Our Board of Directors has four standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee and the Asset/Liability Committee. Committee members are elected annually by the Board and serve until their successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal.
The following table discloses the Board members who serve on each of the Boards committees and the number of meetings held by each
committee during calendar year 2017.
Committees of the Board
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Audit
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Compensation
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Nominating
and
Corporate
Governance
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Asset/
Liability
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Milburn Adams
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X
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X
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
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X
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X
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X
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John W. Allison
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X
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Richard H. Ashley
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X
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X
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Mike D. Beebe
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Chair
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X
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Brian S. Davis
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Chair
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Jack E. Engelkes
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Chair
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X
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Tracy M. French
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X
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Karen E. Garrett
1
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X
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X
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James G. Hinkle
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X
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Alex R. Lieblong
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X
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Chair
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Thomas J. Longe
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X
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X
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C. Randall Sims
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X
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Jim Rankin, Jr.
1
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X
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X
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X
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Number of Meetings
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7
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4
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5
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4
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1
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Mrs. Garrett and Mr. Rankin were appointed to their respective committees on May 2, 2017.
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13
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibility relating to the integrity of our accounting and financial
reporting processes and our financial statements, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the independent auditors qualifications and independence, and the performance of our internal audit function and our independent auditors.
In fulfilling its duties, the Audit Committee, among other things:
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prepares the Audit Committee report for inclusion in the annual proxy statement;
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appoints, compensates, retains and oversees the independent auditors;
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pre-approves
all auditing and appropriate
non-auditing
services performed by the independent auditor;
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discusses with the internal and independent auditors the scope and plans for their respective audits;
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reviews the results of each quarterly review and annual audit by the independent auditors;
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reviews the Companys financial statements and related disclosures in the Companys quarterly and annual reports prior to filing with the SEC;
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reviews the Companys policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management;
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reviews the Companys internal controls, the results of the internal audit program, and the Companys disclosure controls and procedures and quarterly assessment of such controls and procedures;
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establishes procedures for handling complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, and auditing matters, including procedures for confidential, anonymous submission of concerns by employees regarding
such matters; and
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reviews the Companys legal and regulatory compliance programs.
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The Board of Directors
has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee that meets the applicable standards of the SEC and NASDAQ. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor
Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
The Audit Committee is comprised of Jack E. Engelkes,
Chairman, Milburn Adams, Robert H. Adcock, Jr., James G. Hinkle, Karen E. Garrett, Thomas J. Longe and Alex R. Lieblong. The Board has determined that each member of the Committee satisfies the independence requirements of the NASDAQ listing
standards, that each member of the Committee is financially literate, knowledgeable and qualified to review financial statements, and that Mr. Engelkes and Mrs. Garrett each has the attributes of an audit committee financial
expert as defined by the regulations of the SEC.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee aids the Board in discharging its responsibility with respect to the compensation of our executive officers and
directors. The Compensation Committee is responsible for evaluating and approving the Companys compensation plans and policies and for communicating the Companys compensation policies to shareholders in our annual proxy statement. In
fulfilling its duties, the Compensation Committee, among other things:
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reviews and approves corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chairman and our CEO;
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evaluates the performance and determines the annual compensation of the Chairman and the CEO in accordance with these goals and objectives;
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reviews and approves the amounts and terms of the annual compensation for our other executive officers;
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reviews and approves employment agreements, severance agreements or arrangements, retirement arrangements, change in control agreements/provisions and special supplemental benefits for the executive officers;
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reviews and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to incentive based compensation plans and equity based plans, and establishes criteria for and grants awards to participants under such plans;
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reviews and recommends to the Board the compensation for our directors; and
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reviews and recommends to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the annual proxy statement and Form
10-K
annual report.
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14
The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee that meets
the applicable standards of the SEC and NASDAQ. The Compensation Committee Charter is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance
Documents.
The Compensation Committee is comprised of Mike D. Beebe, Chairman, Milburn Adams, Richard H. Ashley, Jack E. Engelkes
and Jim Rankin, Jr. The Board has determined that each member of the Committee satisfies the independence requirements of the NASDAQ listing standards and qualifies and as an outside director for purposes of Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and as a nonemployee director for purposes of Rule
16b-3
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
The Compensation Committee charter authorizes the Committee to delegate to subcommittees of the Committee any responsibility the Committee
deems necessary or appropriate. The Committee shall not, however, delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by any law, regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Committee as a whole.
The Chairman, after consulting with executive officers and others, makes recommendations to the Committee regarding the form and amount of
compensation paid to each executive officer. Additionally, the Chairman, our Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the CEO of our bank subsidiary attend the Committee meetings and answer questions and provide information to the Committee as
requested. This normally includes a history of the primary compensation components for each executive officer, including an internal pay equity analysis. The Committee then considers the recommendations of the Chairman, the information provided by
the COO and the CEO of our bank subsidiary, historical compensation of each executive, and other factors. Based on this information, the Committee sets the compensation for the executive officers and reports its decisions to the Board of Directors.
The executive officers do not make any recommendations with regard to director compensation. Although the executive officers are involved in the process of evaluating compensation, including their own, the final decision is made by the Committee or
the Board. The Committee understands the inherent conflict in obtaining information from the Chairman and executive officers, but believes that this information is valuable in determining the appropriate compensation. The CEO is not present during
the Committees deliberations or voting regarding his compensation.
Historically, the Committee meets subsequent to year end to
finalize discussion regarding the Companys performance goals for the previous and current year with respect to performance-based compensation to be paid to executive officers and to approve its report for the annual proxy statement. These
goals are approved within 90 days of the beginning of the year. Each year in December and/or January, the Committee generally discusses any new compensation issues, the compensation, bonus and incentive plan award analyses and the engagement of a
compensation consultant for annual executive and director compensation. The Committee also meets in December and/or January to:
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review and discuss the recommendations made by the Chairman;
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review the performance of the Company and the individual officers;
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review the level to which the Companys performance goals were attained and approve short-term cash bonus and long-term incentive awards; and
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determine the executive officers base salaries for the following year.
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Management also
advises the full Board, including the Committee members, throughout the year of new issues and developments regarding executive compensation.
Compensation Committee Interlocks And Insider Participation
During 2017, Messrs. Adams, Ashley, Beebe, Engelkes and Rankin and Dale A. Bruns (who retired from the Board of Directors in June 2017) served
as members of the Compensation Committee. None of these six directors during 2017 or at any previous time served as an officer or employee of Home BancShares or our bank subsidiary. During 2017, none of our executive officers served as a director or
member of the compensation committee (or group performing equivalent functions) of any other entity for which any of our independent directors served as an executive officer.
See
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS for
information concerning transactions during 2017 involving Mr. Ashley.
15
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee develops and maintains the corporate governance policies of the Company. The Committees
responsibilities include, among other things:
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developing and maintaining the Companys corporate governance policies;
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identifying, screening and recruiting qualified individuals to become Board members;
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making recommendations regarding the composition of the Board and its committees;
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assisting the Board in assessing the Boards effectiveness;
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assisting management in preparing the disclosures regarding the Committees operation to be included in the Companys annual proxy statement; and
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reviewing and approving all related party transactions required to be disclosed in our annual proxy statement.
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The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee that meets the applicable standards
of the SEC and NASDAQ. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance
Documents.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is comprised of Alex R. Lieblong, Chairman, Robert H. Adcock, Jr.,
Thomas J. Longe and Jim Rankin, Jr. The Board has determined that all members of the Committee satisfy independence requirements of the NASDAQ listing standards. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met on January 19, 2018, to
select director nominees to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.
Director Candidate Qualifications
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Directorship Guidelines and Selection Policy outlines the qualifications the Committee looks
for in a director nominee. Generally, the candidate should possess:
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relevant business and financial expertise and experience, including an understanding of fundamental financial statements;
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the highest character and integrity and a reputation for working constructively with others;
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sufficient time to devote to meetings and consultation on Board matters; and
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freedom from conflicts of interest that would interfere with performance as a director.
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More
specifically, the Nominating Committee seeks candidates who possess various qualifications, skills, or other factors it deems appropriate. These factors may include leadership experience in business or other relevant fields, knowledge of the Company
and the financial services industry, experience in serving as a director of another financial institution or public company generally, education, wisdom, integrity, analytical ability, familiarity with and participation in the communities served by
the Company and its subsidiaries, commitment to and availability for services as a director, and any other factors the Committee deems relevant.
In addition, the Board of Directors has adopted a policy under which a director will not be eligible to stand for
re-election
once he or she has reached 75 years of age or if he or she will reach the age of 75 during the first six months of the calendar year in which he or she is to stand for
re-election.
Director Nominations Process
After assessing and considering prevailing business conditions of the Company, legal and listing standard requirements for Board composition,
the size and composition of the current Board, and the skills and experience of current Board members, any of the Chairman, the Nominating Committee or any Board member may identify the need to add a Board member or to fill a vacancy on the Board.
The Committee identifies qualified director nominees from among persons known to the members of the Committee, by reputation or otherwise, and through referrals from trusted sources, including senior management, existing Board members, shareholders
and independent consultants hired for such purpose. The Committee may request that senior officers of the Company assist the Committee in identifying and assessing prospective candidates who meet the criteria established by the Board. The Committee
will consider director candidates recommended by shareholders in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Companys policy regarding director recommendations by shareholders. This policy is described above under the caption Can a
Shareholder Nominate a Director? and is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents. The Committee intends to
evaluate any candidate recommended by a shareholder in the same manner in which it evaluates candidates recommended by other sources, according to the criteria described below.
16
The Nominating Committee evaluates candidates based upon the candidates qualifications,
recommendations, or other relevant information, which may include a personal interview. The Nominating Committee has determined that the Board as a whole must have the right diversity, mix of characteristics and skills for the optimal functioning of
the Board in its oversight of the Company. The Board believes it should be comprised of persons with skills in areas such as banking, finance, accounting, sales and marketing, law, strategic planning and leadership of large, complex organizations.
The Nominating Committee prefers a mix of background and experience among the Boards members but does not follow any ratio or formula to determine the appropriate mix. Rather, it uses its judgment to identify nominees whose backgrounds,
attributes and experiences, taken as a whole, will contribute to the high standards of Board service to the Company.
In addition to the
targeted skill areas, the Nominating Committee looks for a strong record of achievement in key knowledge areas that it believes are critical for directors to add value to a Board including:
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Strategy knowledge of the Companys business model, the formulation of corporate strategies, knowledge of key competitors and banking markets;
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Leadership skills in coaching senior executives and the ability to assist in their development;
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Organizational issues understanding of strategy implementation, management processes, group effectiveness and organizational design;
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Relationships understanding how to interact with investors, regulatory bodies, and communities in which the Company operates;
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Functional understanding of finance matters, financial statements and auditing procedures, technical expertise, legal issues, information technology and marketing; and
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Ethics the ability to identify and raise key ethical issues concerning the activities of the Company and senior management as they affect the business community and society.
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The Committee meets to consider and approve the candidates to be presented to the Board. The Committee then presents its proposed nominees to
the full Board. The Board considers the recommendations of the Committee and approves candidates for nomination.
The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee Directorship Guidelines and Selection Policy is published on our website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
Asset/Liability Committee
Our
Asset/Liability Committee consists of Brian S. Davis, Chairman, Robert H. Adcock, Jr., John W. Allison, Richard H. Ashley, Mike D. Beebe, Tracy M. French, Karen E. Garrett, C. Randall Sims and Jim Rankin, Jr. The Asset/Liability Committee meets
quarterly and is primarily responsible for:
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development and control over the implementation of liquidity, interest rate and market risk management policies;
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review of interest rate movements, forecasts, and the development of the Companys strategy under specific market conditions; and
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continued monitoring of the overall asset/liability structure of our bank subsidiary to minimize interest rate sensitivity and liquidity risk.
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17
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth elements of compensation awarded to or paid by us to our
non-employee
directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017:
Director Compensation Table
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Name
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Fees
earned
or paid in
cash
(1)
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Stock
awards
(2)(3)
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Option
awards
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Non-equity
incentive plan
compensation
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Change in
pension value
and
nonqualified
compensation
earnings
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All other
compensation
(4)
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Total
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Milburn Adams
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$
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41,125
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$
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39,285
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$
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2,649
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$
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83,059
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
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36,325
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39,285
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3,810
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79,420
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Richard H. Ashley
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120,625
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39,285
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3,810
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163,720
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Mike D. Beebe
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25,900
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39,285
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3,810
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68,995
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Dale A. Bruns
(5)
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74,850
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39,285
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114,135
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Jack E. Engelkes
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121,425
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39,285
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3,810
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164,540
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Karen E. Garrett
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12,300
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3,810
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16,110
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James G. Hinkle
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25,250
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39,285
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3,810
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68,345
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Alex R. Lieblong
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21,500
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39,285
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3,810
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64,595
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Thomas J. Longe
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84,736
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39,285
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3,810
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127,831
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Jim Rankin, Jr.
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64,075
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3,810
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67,885
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(1)
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Includes Company Board of Directors and committee retainers and fees, subsidiary bank director fees, subsidiary bank advisory board fees and subsidiary bank committee fees.
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(2)
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Consists of restricted shares of our common stock granted on January 20, 2017 to each of our then serving
non-employee
directors. Restricted stock awards are based on the
grant date fair value and are calculated pursuant to the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 718 Compensation Stock Compensation.
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(3)
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As of December 31, 2017, each of our
non-employee
directors, except Mr. Beebe, Mrs. Garrett and Mr. Rankin, held 5,500 restricted shares of our common stock
and the following aggregate number of outstanding options to acquire our common stock: Mr. Ashley, 12,000; Mr. Engelkes, 22,851 and Mr. Lieblong, 4,003. Mr. Beebe held 2,833 restricted shares of our common stock as of
December 31, 2017, and Mrs. Garrett and Mr. Rankin did not hold any restricted shares as of December 31, 2017. Mr. Adams, Mr. Adcock, Mr. Beebe, Mr. Hinkle, Mrs. Garrett, Mr. Longe and
Mr. Rankin each held no options to acquire our common stock as of December 31, 2017.
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(4)
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Includes director gifts.
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(5)
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Mr. Bruns retired from the Board of Directors effective June 25, 2017.
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During 2017,
we paid the following compensation to each of our
non-employee
directors and our Chairman for their service on the holding company Board and Board committees:
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an annual cash retainer of $8,000.
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an additional annual cash retainer of $2,500 to the chairmen of the Audit and Compensation Committees.
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$2,000 ($4,000 for our Chairman of the Board) for each Board meeting attended.
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$1,000 ($2,000 for the chairman) for the January Compensation Committee meeting.
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$500 ($1,000 for the chairman) for each other Compensation Committee meeting attended.
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$500 ($1,000 for the chairman) for each Audit Committee meeting attended.
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$500 for each Asset/Liability Committee meeting attended.
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$250 ($500 for the chairman) for each Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meeting attended.
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18
Only our
non-employee
directors and our Chairman of the
Board received committee attendance fees during 2017. In addition, on January 20, 2017, we granted each of our then-serving
non-employee
directors 1,500 restricted shares of our common stock which will
vest in full (or cliff vest) on January 20, 2020. The compensation paid to our Chairman of the Board and our other employee directors is included in the Compensation Discussion & Analysis and the related executive
compensation tables in this Proxy Statement.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Banking Transactions.
Most of our directors and officers, as well as the firms and businesses with which they or members of their
immediate families are associated, are customers of our bank subsidiary. Our bank subsidiary has engaged in a variety of loan transactions in the ordinary course of business with individuals and their families and businesses, and it is anticipated
that such transactions will occur in the future. In the case of all such related party transactions in 2017, each transaction was approved by either the Audit Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Board of Directors or
the bank subsidiarys board of directors. These loans were made in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral requirements, as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans with
persons not related to us. In the opinion of our management, those loan transactions do not involve more than a normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.
We believe that all extensions of credit by our bank subsidiary to its directors and officers and to directors and officers of the Company,
either directly or as guarantors, were made in conformity with the requirements of Federal Reserve Board Regulation O. As of December 31, 2017, the aggregate amount outstanding on these loans, including available borrowings, was approximately
$57.1 million, of which approximately $40.4 million was attributable to the largest borrowing relationship. None of these loans are
non-accrual,
past due 90 days or more, restructured or potential
problems.
Real Estate Transactions.
We lease certain of our properties from persons who are affiliated with us. The property used
by our Marketing and Sales Department in Conway, Arkansas, is leased from First Real Estate Limited Partnership LLLP, which includes one of our directors, Robert H. Adcock, Jr. Additionally, we lease the land for a banking office in Lakewood Village
Shopping Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas, from Conservative Development Company, a corporation controlled, through common ownership, by Richard H. Ashley, who is one of our directors. During 2017, the aggregate payments we made, directly or
indirectly, to each of the named persons for the various leases described above were less than $120,000.
Other Transactions.
In
September 2017, we purchased a used airplane that was formerly owned by Capital Buyers, a company owned by our Chairman, John W. Allison, for a cash purchase price of $3.3 million. The purchase price paid by the Company was determined based on
an independent third party appraisal.
In May 2017, we sold our 50% interest in our previous airplane to the unaffiliated third party with
whom we
co-owned
that plane. Prior to such sale, we and the third party each contributed $50,000 annually, and our Chairman, Mr. Allison, contributed $25,000 annually, toward the fixed cost of the plane.
Each of us, the third party and Mr. Allison shared an aggregate time allotment for use of the plane, split 40%, 40% and 20%, respectively. Any user that went over its or his time allotment was billed at a rate of $600 per hour. We continue to
lease a hangar from Mr. Allison for an aggregate annual rent of $12,000. During 2017, the aggregate payments we made toward the cost of the prior plane and for the lease of the hangar described above were less than $120,000.
We believe the terms of each of the agreements above are no less favorable to us than we could have obtained from an unaffiliated third party.
We expect we will continue to engage in similar banking and business transactions in the ordinary course of business with our directors, executive officers, principal shareholders and their associates. All proposed related party transactions are
presented to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors for consideration and approval. The Committee approved each of the transactions described above. The Committee does not currently have any formal policies or
procedures with respect to its review, approval, or ratification of related party transactions, but considers each related party transaction or proposed related party transaction on a
case-by-case
basis. According to its charter, the Committee follows the definition of related party transaction provided in the SECs regulations under
the Securities Act of 1933.
19
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), requires each director, officer, and
any individual beneficially owning more than 10 percent of the Companys common stock to file reports on Forms 3, 4, and 5 disclosing beneficial ownership and changes in beneficial ownership of the common stock of the Company with the SEC
within specified time frames. These specified time frames require Form 3 filings to be made within 10 days after the person becomes a reporting person. Changes in ownership generally must be filed on Form 4 within two business days of the
transaction. Based solely on information provided to the Company by individual directors and officers, we believe that all our Section 16 filers complied with the filing requirements during the fiscal year, except that one Form 4 reporting the
issuance of stock options to Jennifer C. Floyd and one Form 4 reporting the purchase of shares of common stock by Jim Rankin, Jr. were not filed timely.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY
The following table sets forth certain information as of January 31, 2018, concerning the number and percentage of shares of our common
stock beneficially owned by our directors, our named executive officers, and all of our directors and executive officers as a group, and by each person known to us who beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock.
Information in this table is based upon beneficial ownership concepts described in the rules issued under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of any shares of our common stock if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of the shares, or
investment power, which includes the right to dispose or direct the disposition of the shares. Thus, under the rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same shares. A person is also deemed to be a
beneficial owner of any shares as to which that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days from January 31, 2018.
Except as otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly, and the named person possesses sole voting and investment power with respect to
his shares. The address for each of our directors and named executive officers is c/o Home BancShares, Inc., 719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100, Conway, Arkansas 72032.
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Name of Beneficial Owner
|
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Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
|
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|
Percent of Shares
Outstanding
(1)
|
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5% or greater holders:
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BlackRock, Inc.
(2)
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16,915,592
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9.70
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%
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The Vanguard Group
(3)
|
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13,254,575
|
|
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|
7.63
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%
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T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
(4)
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11,633,906
|
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6.60
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%
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State Street Corporation
(5)
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9,979,386
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5.74
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%
|
Directors and named executive officers:
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Milburn Adams
(6)
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131,000
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*
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Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
(7)
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1,481,821
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*
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John W. Allison
(8)(9)
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6,572,485
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3.76
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%
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Richard H. Ashley
(10)
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4,242,023
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2.43
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%
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Mike D. Beebe
(11)
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5,000
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*
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Brian S. Davis
(9)(12)
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141,054
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*
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Jack E. Engelkes
(9)(13)
|
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376,350
|
|
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|
*
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Tracy M. French
(9)(14)
|
|
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398,124
|
|
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|
*
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Karen E. Garrett
(15)
|
|
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7,000
|
|
|
|
*
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Kevin D. Hester
(9)(16)
|
|
|
149,818
|
|
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*
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James G. Hinkle
(17)
|
|
|
639,752
|
|
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|
*
|
|
Alex R. Lieblong
(9)(18)
|
|
|
1,007,749
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Thomas J. Longe
(19)
|
|
|
16,500
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Jim Rankin, Jr.
(20)
|
|
|
234,059
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
C. Randall Sims
(21)
|
|
|
333,924
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
All directors and executive officers as a group (20 persons)
(9)
|
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16,005,270
|
|
|
|
9.15
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%
|
20
(1)
|
The percentage of our common stock beneficially owned was calculated based on 173,901,569 shares of our common stock outstanding as of January 31, 2018. The percentage assumes that the person in each row has
exercised all options that are exercisable by that person or group within 60 days of January 31, 2018.
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(2)
|
Based on information as of December 31, 2017, obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on or about January 23, 2018, by BlackRock, Inc., located at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055
(BlackRock). The foregoing information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in BlackRocks Schedule 13G/A.
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(3)
|
Based on information as of December 31, 2017, obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on or about February 9, 2018, by Vanguard Group, Inc., located at 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, Pennsylvania
19355 (Vanguard). The foregoing information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in Vanguards Schedule 13G/A.
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(4)
|
Based on information as of December 31, 2017, obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on or about February 14, 2018, by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., located at 100 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore,
Maryland 21202 (Price Associates). The foregoing information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in Price Associates Schedule 13G/A. These securities are
owned by various individual and institutional investors for which Price Associates serves as investment adviser with power to direct investments and/or sole power to vote the securities. For purposes of the reporting requirements of the Exchange
Act, Price Associates is deemed to be a beneficial owner of such securities; however, Price Associates expressly disclaims that it is, in fact, the beneficial owner of such securities.
|
(5)
|
Based on information as of December 31, 2017, obtained from a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on or about February 14, 2018, by State Street Corporation, located at One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02111 (State Street). The foregoing information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in State Streets Schedule 13G.
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(6)
|
Includes 5,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
(7)
|
Includes 78,693 shares held in Mr. Adcocks IRA account, 1,104,132 shares owned by the Robert H. Adcock Trust, 230,512 shares owned by the Carol Adcock Trust and 5,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
(8)
|
Includes 855,360 shares owned by Mr. Allisons spouse, 16,272 shares held in Mr. Allisons IRA, 377,500 shares of restricted stock, 13,971 shares owned by Mr. Allisons 401(k) plan, and
67,328 shares owned by Capital Buyers, a company that is owned by Mr. Allison.
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(9)
|
Includes shares that may be issued upon the exercise of vested common stock options, as follows: Mr. Allison, 101,425 shares; Mr. Davis, 73,780 shares; Mr. Engelkes, 10,851 shares; Mr. French,
174,870 shares; Mr. Hester, 32,580 shares; Mr. Lieblong, 4,003 shares; and all directors and executive officers as a group, 506,953 shares.
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(10)
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Includes 15,460 shares held in Mr. Ashleys IRA, 25,669 shares owned by Mr. Ashleys spouse, 7,753 shares owned by the IRA of Mr. Ashleys spouse, 1,789,236 shares owned by RH Ashley
Investments, LLC, 2,248,960 shares owned by Conservative Development Company, a corporation of which Mr. Ashley is president, 3,500 shares owned by Square Associates, LLC, a company of which Mr. Ashley is a partner, 5,000 shares of
restricted stock and 1,088 shares for which Mr. Ashley is custodian for his children.
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(11)
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Includes 4,333 shares of restricted stock.
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(12)
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Includes 2,297 shares owned by Mr. Daviss 401(k) plan, 40,000 shares of restricted stock and 7,128 shares held in Mr. Daviss IRA.
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(13)
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Includes 400 shares owned by the IRA of Mr. Engelkes spouse, 190,645 shares owned by Mr. Engelkes spouse, 42,719 shares for which Mr. Engelkes is custodian for his children, and 5,000 shares
of restricted stock.
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(14)
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Includes 41,763 shares owned by Mr. Frenchs 401(k) plan, 29,222 shares held in Mr. Frenchs IRA and 50,000 shares of restricted stock.
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(15)
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Includes 1,500 shares of restricted stock.
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(16)
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Includes 5,197 shares owned by Mr. Hesters 401(k) plan, 40,000 shares of restricted stock and 7,128 shares held in Mr. Hesters IRA.
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(17)
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Includes 602,542 shares owned by the James G. Hinkle Revocable Trust and 5,000 shares of restricted stock.
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(18)
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Includes 415,000 shares that are owned by Key Colony Fund L.P., a hedge fund of which Mr. Lieblong is the managing partner and 5,000 shares of restricted stock.
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(19)
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Includes 9,500 shares owned by Mr. Longes IRA and 5,000 shares of restricted stock.
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(20)
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Includes 40,747 shares owned by the Patricia W. Ott Revocable Trust and 1,500 shares of restricted stock.
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(21)
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Includes 38,826 shares owned by Mr. Sims 401(k) plan and 55,162 shares held in Mr. Sims IRA.
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21
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Executive Summary
The following
Compensation Discussion and Analysis provides information regarding the Companys compensation program for our named executive officers. Our named executive officers for 2017 are C. Randall Sims, CEO and President, Brian
S. Davis, CFO and Treasurer, John W. Allison, Chairman of the Board, Tracy M. French, CEO and President of our bank subsidiary, and Kevin D. Hester, Chief Lending Officer (CLO). Specific information regarding the compensation paid to
each named executive officer is disclosed in the Summary Compensation Table and the other compensation tables that follow beginning on page 30 of this proxy statement. All references to shares of our common stock and to our diluted earnings per
share in this Compensation Discussion and Analysis and in the tables and narrative that follow under Executive Compensation have been adjusted to reflect the
2-for-1
split of our common stock paid to our shareholders on June 8, 2016. The discussion below includes an overview of our compensation philosophy and guiding
principles, the components of our executive compensation, and a summary of our executive compensation awards for 2017.
Our compensation
program is designed to attract and retain key management for the Company and our bank subsidiary, motivate high performance with a view toward long-term growth and success of the Company, and align management with the interests of our shareholders.
Our executive compensation consists of base salary, short-term cash bonus incentive awards, long-term equity incentive awards, retirement and insurance benefit plans and certain perquisites. The short-term incentive awards are based on the
Companys or our bank subsidiarys financial performance compared with the Companys or the banks strategic goals for each year or on the executives contributions to other operational achievements during the year. Our
long-term incentive awards, which may be granted on a fixed basis or a performance basis tied to annual and/or multi-year cumulative performance goals of the Company or our bank subsidiary, encourage the alignment of senior managements goals
with those of our shareholders, with the ultimate goal of increasing overall shareholder value. The opportunity to earn annual cash bonus awards and long-term equity awards provides a mix of variable compensation that integrates the Companys
short-term and long-term goals, as well as helps to attract and retain executive officers.
Salary payments to our named executive
officers during 2017 ranged from $295,000 to $410,000, which compares to a range of $285,000 to $385,000 in 2016. For 2017, we paid annual cash bonuses to each of the named executive officers in amounts ranging from 8.5% to 133.0% of the
executives 2017 base salary. These cash bonus awards were based primarily on the officers contributions to the Companys substantial asset growth in 2017 of $4.6 billion, or 47.3%, as a result of the Companys three bank
acquisitions, including the largest acquisition in the Companys history, along with the Companys strong fundamental earnings for 2017, excluding extraordinary expenses related to our acquisitions, the impact of Hurricane Irma and the Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017. In addition, the Company awarded special cash bonuses of $50,000 each to two of our named executives, Messrs. French and Hester, for their efforts toward preparing the Company and our bank subsidiary for
regulatory compliance requirements associated with the acquisition of Stonegate Bank in 2017.
The Compensation Committee utilizes the
Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan for issuing long-term equity incentive awards to our executive officers as a means to reward past performance, provide a long-term incentive for future performance
and align management with the interests of our shareholders. The Committee uses long-term equity incentive awards most frequently in the compensation of our Chairman, Mr. Allison, to maintain close alignment between his interests and those of
our shareholders and to reward his leadership in the growth and success of the Company. Mr. Allison remains the Companys largest individual shareholder, owning 3.76% of our outstanding common stock. The Compensation Committee has issued
annual awards of restricted shares of our common stock to our Chairman in each of the past three years. These awards have primarily reflected and provided incentive for Mr. Allisons continued leadership in connection with the
Companys successful bank acquisitions and strong financial performance during this period and the preceding years. In 2017, the Committee awarded Mr. Allison 112,500 restricted shares subject to both performance-based and time-based
vesting conditions, with alternative total asset growth and diluted earnings per share goals. The asset growth goal was met when the Company exceeded $12.5 billion in total assets as of September 30, 2017, and as a result, these shares
will cliff vest in February 2020. In January 2018, the Committee granted Mr. Allison 125,000 restricted shares to vest in two installments over a three-year period.
22
The Compensation Committee also periodically issues long-term equity incentive awards to our
other named executive officers, with its recent practice being to issue such awards approximately every three years. The Committee utilizes both stock options and restricted shares subject to either time-based vesting or performance goals, or a
combination of performance-based and time-based vesting. The Committee issued equity awards to Messrs. Davis, French and Hester in August 2015 representing an aggregate of 480,000 shares of our common stock consisting of restricted shares,
performance-based restricted shares and performance-based stock options. Vesting of the performance-based awards is subject to a specified diluted earnings per share goal, which was met on December 31, 2016, and additional fixed vesting over a
five-year period following the achievement of the performance goal. Earlier in 2015, the Committee also awarded stock options to Messrs. Davis and French for their respective individual performance and in connection with Mr. Frenchs
elevation CEO and President of our bank subsidiary. The Committee did not issue any long-term equity incentive compensation awards to our other named executive officers during 2016 and 2017, except in connection with a Chairmans Award
consisting of cash and stock options presented to Mr. Hester and other selected employees at the 2016 Annual Meeting of shareholders.
The Committee believes its practices with respect to the issuance of equity awards to our named executive officers provide appropriate
long-term performance incentives and further align the interests of our executive officers with those of our shareholders.
Overview of Compensation
Philosophy and Program
The Compensation Committee, composed entirely of independent directors, administers the Companys
executive compensation program. The role of the Committee is to oversee the Companys compensation and benefit plans and policies, administer its stock plans, and review and approve annually all compensation decisions related to the named
executive officers and our Board members. The Committee reports its compensation decisions to the Board for their review or recommends such decisions for approval by the Board.
The Committee recognizes the importance of compensation and performance and seeks to reward performance with cost-effective compensation that
aligns employee efforts with the business strategy of the Company and with the interest of the shareholders. The Committee also recognizes that the compensation should assist the Company in attracting and retaining key executives critical to its
long-term success.
The following principles guide the Committee:
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Compensation levels should be sufficiently competitive to attract and retain key management for the bank and holding company
. The Company hires experienced bank executives that have a track record in the market.
Competition is strong for these talented and experienced people. The compensation package must be strong and competitive in that market.
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Compensation should relate directly to performance and responsibility.
Compensation should vary with the performance and responsibility of the individual. It should always be proportional to the contribution to
the Companys success.
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Short-term incentive compensation should motivate high performance.
The Company uses the cash bonus plan to motivate individuals with roles and responsibilities that give them the ability to directly impact the
Companys performance and strategic direction. The incentive compensation should not cause the individual to take excessive and unnecessary risks that would threaten the institution.
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The Companys Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan should align management with shareholders interests.
Awards of stock options, restricted stock or other forms of long-term compensation should
encourage management to focus on the long-term growth and success of the Company. It should provide management with a meaningful stake in the Company and the prospects of a long-term career.
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The Committee receives updates on our business results from management and reviews historical and
projected financial information as necessary to assess whether executive compensation continues to be properly balanced with and supportive of our business objectives. The Committee may also review information, including reported revenue, profit
levels, market capitalization and disclosed governance practices, regarding
comparably-sized
bank holding companies in a peer group to assess our comparative performance and organizational structure. The
Committee uses management updates and peer information as tools to evaluate the connection between executive compensation and our performance as a business. This information is reviewed in a subjective manner. There is no implied direct or formulaic
linkage between peer information and our compensation decisions. The Committee takes the view that appropriate connections between compensation and performance objectives can encourage our executives to make decisions that will result in significant
positive short-term and long-term returns for our business and our shareholders without providing an incentive either to take unnecessary risks or to avoid opportunities to achieve long-term benefits even though they may reduce short-term benefits
for the named executive officers, the business or our shareholders.
Based on these reports and assessments, the Committee annually
evaluates both the short-term and long-term performance compensation for the named executive officers to ensure alignment with our business objectives. The Committee also works closely with management regarding long-term equity incentives, including
performance-based equity awards, which emphasize shareholder returns while providing enhanced retention value for key executives.
Benchmarking Against A Peer Group
The Committee in the past has compared total compensation levels for the executive officers to the compensation paid to executives in a peer
group. The Committee annually considers the need for a peer analysis and reviews peer compensation as the Committee deems necessary. The Committee did not perform a peer compensation review or engage a compensation consultant during 2017 to advise
the Committee on setting the compensation of our executive officers. For 2017, the Committee evaluated and considered the overall performance and achievements of the Company and our bank subsidiary, as well as each executives individual
performance and the Chairmans recommendation for such executive (other than himself).
Consideration of Shareholder Advisory
Say-on-Pay
Vote
At our Annual Meeting in
2017, the shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers for 2016, as disclosed in last years proxy statement (90.2% of votes cast). We value this endorsement by our shareholders of our executive
compensation policies. The Committee has considered the results of this advisory vote on executive compensation, and we have followed the same philosophy in determining our current executive compensation of maintaining competitive executive pay that
rewards performance and encourages management to focus on the long-term growth and success of the Company by providing them an equity stake in the Company that aligns their interests with our shareholders. The Company has included in this Proxy
Statement a similar proposal providing for an advisory vote to approve the compensation of our executives in accordance with the shareholders recommendation.
See
PROPOSAL TWO ADVISORY
(NON-BINDING)
VOTE APPROVING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.
Components of Compensation
The key elements of the Companys executive compensation program are:
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Short-term incentives (bonuses)
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Long-term incentive compensation (options/restricted stock)
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Retirement and insurance benefit plans
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Certain defined perquisites
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The Company tries to determine the proper mix of base, short-term
and long-term incentive compensation. In our markets there are a number of national, regional and community banks. The competition for experienced executives in banking is strong. The Committee understands that being a public company that can offer
equity incentives and a community banking philosophy puts the Company in a competitive position for strong management. The public market for the stock and its easily accessible value is a positive factor in aligning managements interest with
that of the shareholders and making them meaningful stakeholders.
24
Base Salary
Base salaries historically have been targeted at comparable levels for peer companies and adjusted to recognize varying levels of
responsibility, individual performance, individual banking region performance if appropriate and internal equity issues. The Committee reviews the base salaries of the executive officers annually. This base salary provides the foundation for a total
compensation package that is required to attract, retain and motivate the officers. Generally, base salaries are not directly related to specific measures of performance, but are determined by experience, the scope and complexity of the position,
current job responsibilities, and salaries of competing banks. The Committee did not use benchmarking in 2017. Base salaries for our named executive officers in 2017 ranged from $295,000 for Mr. Sims as CEO of the holding company to $410,000
for Mr. French as CEO of our bank subsidiary, which reflect increases of 3.5% to 13.5% over our named executive officers base salaries in 2016. Base salaries for our named executive officers for 2018, approved by the Committee in January
2018, range from unchanged to increases of just under 10%.
Short-term Incentives
An annual cash bonus plan is intended to reward individual performance for that year. The Compensation Committee evaluates a number of
performance criteria for the Company or the bank and considers the overall profitability of the Company and our bank subsidiary before determining the awards. Specifically, the Committee reviews the individual performance of the officer, along with
the goals and performance of the Company and the bank relative to the officers role and responsibilities. For named executives who are officers of our bank subsidiary, the Committee reviews criteria such as return on assets, growth in assets
(including through acquisitions), asset quality, return on equity, gross margin, net income, operating income, net cash flow and regulatory examination results. In evaluating an executive officer of the parent, the Committee reviews the goals of the
parent company including shareholder return, earnings per share, and the other criteria noted above. The final consideration is the overall profitability of the Company. The Committee then determines the amount of the awards. In each case, the
Committee makes the determination at their discretion as to the issuance and amount of any award.
The Committee awarded annual cash
bonuses for 2017 to each of our named executive officers in amounts ranging from 8.5% to 133.0% of the executives 2017 base salary. These cash bonus awards were based primarily on the officers contributions to the Companys total
asset growth in 2017 of $4.6 billion, or 47.3%, primarily associated with the Companys three bank acquisitions, one of which represented the largest acquisition in the Companys history, along with the Companys strong
fundamental earnings for 2017, excluding extraordinary expenses related to our acquisitions, the impact of Hurricane Irma and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017. In addition, the Committee awarded special cash bonuses of $50,000 each
to Messrs. French and Hester for their efforts toward preparing the Company and our bank subsidiary for regulatory compliance requirements associated with the acquisition of Stonegate Bank in 2017.
Long-term Incentives
Consistent with the Companys philosophy that favors compensation based upon performance, long-term incentives comprise a significant
component of total compensation. In 2012, the Board of Directors adopted and the shareholders approved the Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan (the Plan). In 2016, the shareholders approved an amendment
to the Plan to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the Plan, and in 2017, the shareholders reapproved the material terms of the performance goals under the Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain highly
qualified officers, directors, and key employees, and to encourage those employees to improve our business results. The Plan is administered by our Compensation Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may select participants to
receive awards, determine the types, terms and conditions of awards and interpret provisions of the Plan.
It is the policy of the
Committee to award grants with an exercise price set at the fair market value on the date of the grant. The Company does not have a practice of timing option or restricted stock grants to coordinate with the release of material
non-public
information. The Committee evaluates opportunities under the Plan along with the annual setting of salaries and awarding bonuses. The Committee will also consider awards under the Plan if appropriate in
recruiting a new employee.
The Committee has historically used one or more of the following business criteria, on a consolidated basis
and/or with respect to specified banking regions (except with respect to the total shareholder return and earnings per share criteria), in establishing performance goals for awards intended to comply with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue
Code granted to covered employees:
25
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code places a limit of
$1,000,000 on the compensation that a publicly held corporation may deduct in any one year with respect to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer and the next three most highly compensated executive officers whose compensation
is required to be disclosed in the companys annual proxy statement (referred to as covered employees). Historically, there has been an exception to this $1,000,000 limitation for performance-based compensation that meets certain requirements,
and the principal financial officer has been excluded from the definition of a covered employee. Effective January 1, 2018, under the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the exception for performance-based compensation has been eliminated,
and compensation paid to the principal financial officer is now subject to the $1,000,000 deduction limitation. The amendments to Section 162(m) include a grandfather clause applicable to compensation paid pursuant to a written binding contract
in effect on November 2, 2017 that is not materially modified after such date. The Compensation Committee does not have a specific policy with regard to Section 162(m). However, the Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance
Incentive Plan contains certain provisions designed to facilitate the deductibility of performance-based compensation in accordance with Section 162(m). The Company generally believes its stock option and performance-based restricted stock
awards granted before November 2, 2017 have met those requirements and, as such, are deductible.
Historically, the Committee has
granted both regular and performance-based nonqualified stock options. Awards granted on a regular (or fixed) basis carry a set vesting schedule based on a certain time period as determined by the Committee. Performance-based awards are payable in
recognition of achievement of certain annual and/or cumulative performance goals of the Company or our bank subsidiary based on one or more of the criteria described above over a period of time longer than one year. The Committee may also grant
restricted stock under the Plan based on the criteria described above. The restricted period for such shares may be subject to the satisfaction of Company or individual performance objectives but may not be less than one year. If the restricted
shares are not subject to any such performance objectives, the restricted period may not be less than three years.
Under the Plan, the
Committee must certify in writing that all of the performance goals and other material terms of a performance-based award have been met before the named executive officer may receive payment for such award. The performance-based awards have
historically been based on quarterly, annual and/or cumulative diluted earnings per share or asset growth targets. The Committee may confer with the Audit Committee as necessary when confirming achievement of performance goals. The equity awards
(both fixed and performance-based) typically have been based on a vesting period of three to five years.
Generally, the Committee
utilizes annual restricted stock awards in the compensation of our Chairman, Mr. Allison, who remains the Companys largest individual shareholder, owning 3.76% of our outstanding common stock. The Committee believes these awards help
maintain close alignment of our Chairmans interests with those of our shareholders and appropriately reward his leadership in the growth and success of the Company. The Committee issues long-term equity incentive awards to our other named
executive officers on a less frequent basis, with its recent practice being to issue substantial equity awards approximately every three years.
In February 2017, the Committee issued a performance-based award of 112,500 restricted shares of our common stock to Mr. Allison
containing alternative total asset growth and diluted earnings per share goals. The performance goals were designed to provide incentive toward the successful completion of the Companys two then-pending acquisitions and the successful
negotiation and completion of the Stonegate Bank acquisition, for which a definitive agreement was signed in March 2017 and which ultimately closed in September 2017, along with maintaining strong quarterly earnings. The shares cliff
vest on the third anniversary of the grant date if either the Companys total assets equal or exceed $12.5 billion at any fiscal quarter end within the three-year period or the Company has averaged $0.315 diluted earnings per share for
four consecutive quarters or $1.26 total diluted earnings per share over a period of four consecutive quarters within the three-year period. As of September 30, 2017, the Companys total assets exceeded $12.5 billion, and therefore,
these shares will vest on February 22, 2020. The Committee did not issue any equity awards to our other named executive officers during 2017.
26
In 2016, the Committee awarded 10,000 unrestricted bonus shares of our common stock to
Mr. Allison in lieu of a cash bonus for 2015 and 140,000 restricted shares of our common stock based on his leadership in connection with our acquisitions of Florida Business BancGroup, Inc., the Florida operations of Doral Bank and a pool of
national commercial loans originated by Doral Bank, the formation of Centennial Commercial Finance Group, and the Companys overall financial performance in 2015. The restricted shares will cliff vest on January 25, 2019. In
April 2016, Mr. Hester was granted stock options representing 20,000 shares of our common stock as part of a Chairmans Award presented to him and other selected employees at the Companys 2016 Annual Meeting of shareholders. The
Chairmans award also included a cash award of $10,000. The Committee did not issue any additional equity awards to our named executive officers during 2016.
In August 2015, the Committee granted an aggregate of 65,000 restricted shares of our common stock subject to performance conditions and
350,000 performance-based stock options to our CFO, our CLO and the CEO of our bank subsidiary. The performance goal for the performance-based awards consisted of average diluted earnings per share of $0.3125 per share for four consecutive quarters
or $1.25 total diluted earnings per share over a period of four consecutive quarters. This performance goal was met as of December 31, 2016. As a result, the performance shares will vest over five years in three equal annual installments
beginning on December 31, 2019, and the performance options will vest in seven equal annual installments on each anniversary of the grant date, with the first installment vesting on December 31, 2016, the date the performance goal was met.
Additionally, on August 24, 2015, the Committee granted the same executives an aggregate of 65,000 restricted shares subject to time (or fixed) vesting. These restricted shares will vest over five years in three equal annual installments
beginning on the third anniversary of the grant date. Further, in January and March 2015, the Committee awarded 100,000 and 50,000 stock options to Messrs. French and Davis, respectively, for their individual performance and in connection with
Mr. Frenchs elevation to CEO and President of our bank subsidiary.
Finally, on January 19, 2018, the Committee awarded to
Mr. Allison 125,000 restricted shares of our common stock to vest over three years in two equal installments beginning on the second anniversary of the grant date.
Retirement and Insurance Benefits
Post-Termination Benefits
.
We do not have any employment, salary continuation, or severance agreements currently in effect
for any of our executive officers.
Chairmans Retirement Plan
.
In 2007, our Board of Directors, based on a
recommendation by the Compensation Committee, approved a Chairmans Retirement Plan for our Chairman, John W. Allison. The Chairmans Retirement Plan provides a supplemental retirement benefit to Mr. Allison of $250,000 per year for
10 consecutive years or until Mr. Allisons death, whichever occurs later.
The benefits under the plan became 100% vested and
commenced on Mr. Allison reaching age 65 in 2011. The vested benefits are payable over 10 years or Mr. Allisons life, whichever is greater. If Mr. Allison dies during the 10 year guaranteed benefit period, his beneficiary will
receive the remaining payments due during the guaranteed period. If he dies after the guaranteed benefit period, no further benefits will be paid. The annual benefit is paid in monthly installments.
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
.
Prior to our acquisition of Community Bank in 2003, Community Bank purchased life
insurance policies on its President and Chief Executive Officer, Tracy M. French. The policies offset benefit expenses associated with a supplemental annual retirement benefit that grows on a
tax-deferred
basis. A portion of the benefit is determined by an indexed formula. The balance of the benefit is determined by crediting interest on the accrued balances. The calculation for the benefit expense accrual is: insurance policy income minus
opportunity cost plus interest. The opportunity cost is determined by the bank and is equal to the five year average of the one year Treasury Bill rate. The bank (now Centennial Bank) retains the opportunity cost. Prior to Mr. Frenchs
retirement, any earnings in excess of the opportunity costs are accrued to a liability reserve account for his benefit. At retirement, this liability reserve account is amortized with interest and paid out over a period of 15 years. If
Mr. French dies while there is a balance in his account, this balance will be paid in a lump sum to Mr. Frenchs beneficiaries.
The life insurance benefit for Mr. French is being provided by an endorsement split dollar life plan. Upon the death of the executive,
the death benefit payable is equal to 70% of the net
at-risk
life insurance portion (total benefit less cash value) of the policies insuring the life of Mr. French. The bank has all ownership rights in
the death benefits and surrender values of the insurance policy on Mr. French. Its obligations under the retirement benefit portion of this policy are unfunded; however, the bank has purchased life insurance policies on Mr. French that are
actuarially designed to offset the annual expenses associated with the benefit portion of the policy and will, given reasonable actuarial assumptions, offset all of the cost during Mr. Frenchs lifetime and provide a complete recovery of
costs at death.
27
401(k) Plan
.
All our full- and part-time employees over the age of 21 are
eligible to participate in our 401(k) Plan immediately. We contribute a matching contribution equal to 50% of the participants first 6% of deferred compensation contribution. In addition, we may make a discretionary contribution. No
discretionary contributions were made during 2017.
Health and Insurance Benefits
.
Our full-time officers and
employees are provided hospitalization and major medical insurance. We pay a substantial part of the premiums for these coverages. All insurance coverage under these plans is provided under group plans on generally the same basis to all of our
full-time employees. Also, we provide other basic insurance coverage including dental, life, and long-term disability insurance.
In 2004,
First State Bank (now Centennial Bank) adopted an endorsement split-dollar life insurance plan which provides for the purchase of life insurance policies insuring the life of Mr. Allison. Both the bank and Mr. Allison have an interest in
each of the policies, and therefore, this is classified as an endorsement split-dollar plan. Mr. Allisons beneficiaries will be entitled to an amount equal to 50% of the net
at-risk
insurance
portion of the total proceeds. The net
at-risk
portion is the total proceeds less the cash value of the policy. Mr. Allison recognizes the economic value of this death benefit each year on his individual
income tax return. The beneficiaries of the policies are named by Mr. Allison and the bank will receive the remainder of the death benefit. The bank has all ownership rights in the death benefits and surrender values of the policies. The
premium paid on June 4, 2004, for the policies was $4.8 million. Effective December 22, 2006, the death benefits payable under these policies split between the bank and Mr. Allisons beneficiaries. If the death benefits were
paid in 2018, approximately $7.2 million would be paid to the bank and approximately $1.8 million would be paid to Mr. Allisons beneficiaries.
Perquisites
The
Company provided certain perquisites to executive management in 2017. These perquisites included:
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Gasoline for personal car
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Use of company owned car
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In September 2017, the Company purchased a used airplane formerly
owned by Mr. Allisons company, Capital Buyers. The Company also from
time-to-time
uses an additional airplane owned by Capital Buyers. An employee of the
Company is a pilot and flies the airplanes. Mr. Allison also from
time-to-time
uses the airplanes and the pilot for personal travel, which may or may not occur
during working hours. When the Company uses the Capital Buyers plane, Capital Buyers charges the Company for out of pocket expenses and other expenses attributable to use and maintenance of the aircraft. Additionally, the Company previously owned a
50% ownership interest in a separate airplane formerly owned by Capital Buyers, and the Company shared the use and the annual fixed cost of the airplane with an unaffiliated third party that owned the remaining 50% interest in the airplane and
Mr. Allison through a specified time allotment and cost sharing arrangement. The Company sold its 50% interest in this airplane in May 2017 to the unaffiliated third party with whom we
co-owned
the plane.
Director Fees
Mr. Allison receives additional fees for his service as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, which for 2017 included an
annual retainer of $8,000 and a fee of $4,000 for each holding company Board meeting attended. The fees for his service as Chairman of the Board are set by the Board of Directors. In addition, Mr. Allison is Chairman of the board of directors
of the Companys bank subsidiary and serves on each regional board of directors of the bank. He receives fees for his service on the board of directors and each regional board of the bank. The fees for his service on each board are set by the
respective boards of the bank. Mr. Allison earned a total of $110,950 in fees for his service on the Board of Directors of the Company and the board of directors and regional boards of the bank during 2017, including fees for his service on
committees of the Company and bank boards. Mr. Allison is the only named executive officer who received fees for serving on the Companys or our bank subsidiarys boards of directors or on any committees of such boards during 2017.
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REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The following Compensation Committee Report should not be deemed filed or incorporated by reference into any other document, including the
Companys filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates this Report into any such filing by reference.
In accordance with its written charter, which was
re-adopted
in its current form by the Board of
Directors on January 20, 2017,
the Compensation Committee evaluates and approves the plans and policies related to the compensation of the Companys executive officers and directors. A copy of the Compensation Committee charter is
published on the Companys website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
The Committee met four times in 2017 to discuss, among other items, the salaries, bonuses and other compensation of the senior executive
officers and other key employees of the Company.
In determining the compensation of the executive officers for 2017, the Committee, among
other things, evaluated the performance of the Chief Executive Officer and the other executive officers in light of corporate goals and objectives and reviewed the Chairmans compensation recommendations. The Committee also set the bonuses to
our named executive officers for their performance in 2017.
The Compensation Committee reviewed and discussed with management the
information provided in the preceding Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement. Based on its review and discussions with management, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and
Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement and our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, for filing with the SEC.
Home BancShares, Inc.
Compensation Committee Members
Mike D. Beebe, Chairman
Milburn
Adams
Richard H. Ashley
Jack
E. Engelkes
Jim Rankin, Jr.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth various elements of compensation earned by, awarded or paid to the individuals who served as our CEO, our CFO,
and our three other most highly-compensated executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (collectively, our named executive officers), for services rendered in each of the last three years.
Summary Compensation Table
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Name and principal
position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Stock
awards
(1)
|
|
|
Option
awards
(1)
|
|
|
Non-equity
incentive
plan
compensation
|
|
|
Change in
pension value
and
non-qualified
deferred
compensation
earnings
|
|
|
All other
compensation
|
|
|
Total
|
|
C. Randall Sims, Chief Executive Officer and President
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
$
|
294,618
|
|
|
$
|
25,000
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
19,547
|
(2)
|
|
$
|
339,165
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
285,000
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,539
|
|
|
|
317,539
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
275,000
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
23,094
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|
|
|
308,094
|
|
Brian S. Davis, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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|
2017
|
|
|
|
324,030
|
|
|
|
125,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,761
|
(3)
|
|
|
475,791
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|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27,092
|
|
|
|
477,092
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|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
225,105
|
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
738,200
|
|
|
|
648,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17,882
|
|
|
|
1,704,437
|
|
John W. Allison,
Chairman of the Board
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
|
373,280
|
|
|
|
500,000
|
|
|
|
3,179,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
147,606
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|
|
|
571,350
|
(4)
|
|
|
4,771,485
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|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
330,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,559,750
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
155,453
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|
|
|
520,386
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|
|
|
3,565,589
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,935,850
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
162,699
|
|
|
|
435,889
|
|
|
|
2,834,438
|
|
Tracy M. French,
CEO & President of Centennial Bank
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
|
409,027
|
|
|
|
255,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
42,492
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|
|
|
40,576
|
(5)
|
|
|
747,095
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
385,000
|
|
|
|
192,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,372
|
|
|
|
42,689
|
|
|
|
659,061
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
360,000
|
|
|
|
180,000
|
|
|
|
922,750
|
|
|
|
638,250
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
36,336
|
|
|
|
31,060
|
|
|
|
2,168,396
|
|
Kevin D. Hester,
Chief Lending Officer
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|
2017
|
|
|
|
349,032
|
|
|
|
225,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,699
|
(6)
|
|
|
595,730
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
325,000
|
|
|
|
162,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
101,600
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31,347
|
|
|
|
620,447
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
738,200
|
|
|
|
425,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,739
|
|
|
|
1,625,439
|
|
(1)
|
Restricted stock and stock option awards are based on the grant date fair values and are calculated pursuant to the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 718 Compensation Stock Compensation.
See
Note 14
of the consolidated financial statements in the Companys Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2017 for a discussion of the assumptions underlying the valuation of these stock
option awards.
|
(2)
|
Includes gasoline for personal car, $112; personal use of Company car, $2,254; country club dues, $6,420; 401(k) contribution, $8,100; and executive gifts, $2,661. The incremental cost of the car was determined by
multiplying the percentage of personal miles times the annual lease value of the car.
|
(3)
|
Includes 401(k) contribution, $8,100; executive gifts, $2,661; and income realized from restricted stock dividends, $16,000.
|
(4)
|
Mr. Allison used a pilot employed by the Company for personal trips in an airplane owned by Capital Buyers, a company owned by Mr. Allison. The incremental cost of those services was determined to be $10,500,
using $500 per trip, current rate for a commercial pilot, times 21 trips of personal travel. Other Compensation also includes Company Board of Directors fees, $32,000; subsidiary bank director and advisory board fees, $12,600; committee fees,
$66,350; auto allowance, $18,000; gasoline for personal car, $2,025; 401(k) contribution, $8,100; country club dues, $8,835; Company-owned life insurance ownership, $11,278; income realized from supplemental retirement plan, $250,000; income
realized from restricted stock dividends, $149,000; and executive gifts, $2,661.
|
(5)
|
Includes gasoline for personal car, $946; personal use of Company car, $7,466; 401(k) contribution, $8,100; income realized from restricted stock dividends, $20,000; Company-owned life insurance ownership, $1,403;
executive gifts, $2,661. The personal use of the car was determined the same as disclosed in Note 2 above.
|
(6)
|
Includes country club dues, $3,038; executive gifts, $2,661; and income realized from restricted stock dividends, $16,000.
|
30
Employment Agreements
We currently do not have any employment, salary continuation or severance agreements in effect with any of our named executive officers.
Stock Awards and Stock Option Grants
The
number of shares authorized for issuance under the Home BancShares Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended (the Plan), is 11,288,000. In 2017, there were 80,000 options granted pursuant to the
Plan, and options to purchase 203,068 shares were exercised. The Company granted restricted stock awards representing a total of 231,766 shares of our common stock during 2017.
See
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS Components
of Compensation for more information on the Plan and the awards granted under the Plan.
The following table contains information
about awards granted pursuant to the Plan to each of our named executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017:
Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table
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Name
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
|
Estimated future payouts
under non-equity incentive
plan awards
|
|
|
Estimated future payouts
under equity incentive plan awards
|
|
|
All other
stock
awards:
number
of shares
of stock
or units
|
|
|
All other
option
awards:
number
of
securities
under-
lying
options
|
|
|
Exercise
or base
price of
option
awards
(per
share)
|
|
|
Grant date
fair value
of stock
and option
awards
(1)
|
|
|
|
Threshold
|
|
|
Target
|
|
|
Maximum
|
|
|
Threshold
|
|
|
Target
|
|
|
Maximum
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Randall Sims
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
Brian S. Davis
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
John W. Allison
|
|
|
2/22/17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
112,500
|
|
|
|
112,500
|
|
|
|
112,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
3,179,250
|
|
Tracy M. French
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin D. Hester
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Grant date fair value is calculated pursuant to the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 718 Compensation Stock Compensation.
See
Note 14 of the consolidated financial statements in the Companys
Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2017 for a discussion of the assumptions underlying the valuation of these equity awards.
|
The shares granted to Mr. Allison on February 22, 2017 consist of 112,500 restricted shares of our common stock subject to
performance conditions based on growth in the Companys assets or diluted earnings per share. The shares cliff vest on the third anniversary of the grant date if either the Companys total assets, determined in accordance with
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, equal or exceed $12.5 billion at any fiscal quarter end within such three-year period or the Company has averaged $0.315 diluted earnings per share for four consecutive quarters or $1.26 total
diluted earnings per share over a period of four consecutive quarters within the three-year period. As of September 30, 2017, the Companys total assets exceeded $12.5 billion, and therefore, these shares will vest on
February 22, 2020.
As of February 23, 2018, options to purchase 2,141,964 shares remain outstanding under the Plan, and
2,179,179 shares of common stock remain available for future awards under the Plan. The Company does not currently have a policy regarding repricing of stock options.
31
The following table contains information, on a stock dividend and stock split adjusted basis,
about unexercised stock options previously granted to each of our named executive officers that are outstanding as of December 31, 2017:
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal
Year-End
Table No. 1
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options
exercisable
|
|
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options
unexercisable
|
|
|
Equity
incentive plan
awards:
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
unearned
options
|
|
|
Option
exercise price
|
|
|
Option
expiration date
|
|
C. Randall Sims
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Brian S. Davis
|
|
|
13,200
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
5.68
|
|
|
|
10/16/2018
|
|
|
|
|
12,000
|
|
|
|
8,000
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16.77
|
|
|
|
4/16/2024
|
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
30,000
|
(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16.86
|
|
|
|
3/11/2025
|
|
|
|
|
28,580
|
|
|
|
71,420
|
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18.46
|
|
|
|
8/23/2025
|
|
John W. Allison
|
|
|
1,425
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.46
|
|
|
|
12/31/2018
|
|
|
|
|
1,425
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.66
|
|
|
|
12/31/2018
|
|
|
|
|
1,425
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.66
|
|
|
|
12/31/2019
|
|
|
|
|
9,504
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.30
|
|
|
|
1/09/2018
|
|
|
|
|
71,280
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.27
|
|
|
|
1/17/2018
|
|
|
|
|
80,000
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.62
|
|
|
|
1/17/2023
|
|
Tracy M. French
|
|
|
32,000
|
|
|
|
8,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.62
|
|
|
|
1/17/2023
|
|
|
|
|
32,000
|
|
|
|
8,000
|
(5)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.54
|
|
|
|
4/17/2023
|
|
|
|
|
40,000
|
|
|
|
60,000
|
(6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.71
|
|
|
|
1/15/2025
|
|
|
|
|
42,870
|
|
|
|
107,130
|
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18.46
|
|
|
|
8/23/2025
|
|
Kevin D. Hester
|
|
|
28,580
|
|
|
|
71,420
|
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18.46
|
|
|
|
8/23/2025
|
|
|
|
|
4,000
|
|
|
|
16,000
|
(7)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21.25
|
|
|
|
4/20/2026
|
|
(1)
|
These shares will vest in two equal annual installments beginning on April 17, 2018.
|
(2)
|
These shares will vest in three equal annual installments beginning on March 12, 2018.
|
(3)
|
These shares will vest in five equal annual installments beginning on August 24, 2018.
|
(4)
|
These shares vested on January 18, 2018.
|
(5)
|
These shares will vest on April 18, 2018.
|
(6)
|
One-third
of these shares vested on January 16, 2018. The remaining unexercisable shares will vest in two equal annual installments beginning on January 16, 2019.
|
(7)
|
These shares will vest in four equal annual installments beginning on April 21, 2018.
|
32
The following table contains information, on a stock split adjusted basis, about the restricted
stock awards previously granted to each of our named executive officers that are outstanding as of December 31, 2017:
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal
Year-End
Table No. 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Stock Awards
|
|
|
Number
of shares
or units
of stock
that have
not
vested
|
|
|
Market
value of
shares or
units of
stock that
have not
vested
(1)
|
|
|
Equity
incentive
plan
awards:
Number of
unearned
shares, units
or other
rights that
have
not
vested
|
|
|
Equity
incentive plan
awards:
Market or
payout value
of unearned
shares, units
or other
rights
that
have not
vested
(1)
|
|
C. Randall Sims
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian S. Davis
|
|
|
20,000
|
(2)
|
|
$
|
465,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
(3)
|
|
|
465,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John W. Allison
|
|
|
120,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
2,790,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
140,000
|
(5)
|
|
|
3,255,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
112,500
|
(6)
|
|
|
2,615,625
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tracy M. French
|
|
|
25,000
|
(2)
|
|
|
581,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,000
|
(3)
|
|
|
581,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin D. Hester
|
|
|
20,000
|
(2)
|
|
|
465,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
(3)
|
|
|
465,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
The market value applied to the unvested shares of the named executive officers restricted common stock was $23.25 per share based upon the closing price as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on
December 29, 2017.
|
(2)
|
These shares will vest over five years in three equal annual installments beginning on August 24, 2018.
|
(3)
|
These shares will vest over five years in three equal annual installments beginning on December 31, 2019.
|
(4)
|
These shares vested on January 16, 2018.
|
(5)
|
All of these shares will cliff vest on January 25, 2019.
|
(6)
|
All of these shares will cliff vest on February 22, 2020.
|
33
Option Exercises and Stock Awards Vested in 2017
The following table contains information about stock options exercised and restricted stock awards vested by each of our named executive
officers during 2017.
Option Exercises and Stock Awards Vested Table
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Name
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Option Awards
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Stock Awards
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Number of
shares
acquired on
exercise
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Value realized
on exercise
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Number of
shares
acquired
on vesting
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Value
realized on
vesting
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C. Randall Sims
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Brian S. Davis
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John W. Allison
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81,370
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$
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2,236,130
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26,666
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$
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698,916
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Tracy M. French
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6,000
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157,260
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Kevin D. Hester
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Pension and Other Benefits
The following table contains information about the actuarial present value, computed as of December 31, 2017, of the accumulated benefit
to each of our named executive officers under each plan in which the named executive officer participates that provides for the payment of specified retirement benefits or benefits that will be paid primarily following retirement:
Pension and Other Benefits Table
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Name
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Plan Name
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Number of
years
credited
service
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Present
value of
accumulated
benefit
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Payments
during last
fiscal year
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C. Randall Sims
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N/A
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Brian S. Davis
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N/A
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John W. Allison
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Chairmans Retirement Plan
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(1
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)
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$
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1,788,937
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$
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250,000
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Tracy M. French
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Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
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(1
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)
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350,051
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Kevin D. Hester
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N/A
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(1)
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The benefits under the Chairmans Retirement Plan and the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan are not dependent on credited years of service. The benefits under the Chairmans Retirement Plan became fully
vested in 2011 when Mr. Allison reached age 65. Mr. French is fully vested in the balance accrued to the liability reserve account for his benefit in connection with the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.
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The present value of Mr. Allisons accumulated benefit is calculated based on an 8.00% rate of return over 17.2 years and a $250,000
annual payment. The present value of Mr. Frenchs accumulated benefit is calculated based on 180 monthly payments to be made once Mr. French retires, and the monthly payment amount will be determined based upon the amount that has
been accrued in the corresponding reserve liability account on the banks books. Prior to Mr. Frenchs retirement, this liability account will be increased or decreased based upon the performance of the two life insurance policies, in
addition to 8% interest credited to this account. After the liability account has been paid out in full, Mr. French will begin receiving the indexed retirement benefit payable for lifetime.
See
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Components of Compensation for more information regarding these retirement plans.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
We do not currently have in effect any defined contribution or other plan that provides for the deferral of compensation to any of our named
executive officers on a basis that is not
tax-qualified.
34
Payments Upon Termination or
Change-In-Control
We do not currently have in effect
any compensatory plan or other arrangement that provides for payments or the provision of benefits to any of our named executive officers upon their termination of employment with the Company or upon a change in control of the Company or a change in
the officers responsibilities.
Compensation Risk Assessment
The Compensation Committee and management conducted an assessment of the risks associated with our compensation policies and practices during
2017, including our compensation arrangements for both executives and
non-executive
employees. That assessment included a review of policies and procedures relating to the components of our compensation
program, a review of incentive-based equity and cash compensation features, identification of any compensation design features that could potentially encourage excessive or imprudent risk taking, and consideration of the presence or absence of
controls, oversight or other factors that mitigate potential risk.
During the review, the Committee and management concluded that several
factors and controls relating to our compensation policies and practices mitigate against the potential for risks that could materially and adversely affect the Company. These factors and controls include:
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the Companys lack of involvement in activities regarded as having significant inherent risk, such as mortgage-backed securities and proprietary trading;
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managements review of compensation arrangements of employees of the Company or our bank subsidiary having compliance, risk, credit quality, quality assurance and finance roles;
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oversight of incentive compensation by the Compensation Committee, which is made up of independent directors;
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effective internal controls over financial reporting for the Company;
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appropriate segregation of duties; and
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restrictions on awards that align the interests of the employee with the interests of the shareholders.
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Based upon this assessment, we do not believe that our employee compensation policies and practices create risks that are reasonably likely to
have a material adverse effect on the Company.
CEO Pay Ratio
As required by Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Act, we are providing the following information about the relationship of the annual total
compensation of our median employee and the annual total compensation of our CEO.
For 2017, our last completed fiscal year, the median of
the annual total compensation of all employees of the Company (other than our CEO) was $33,599, and the annual total compensation of our CEO was $339,165. Based on this information, for 2017 the ratio of the annual total compensation of our CEO to
the median of the annual total compensation of all employees was 10.1 to 1.
To determine the median of the annual total compensation of
all employees of the Company (other than our CEO), we identified our total employee population as of December 31, 2017, which consisted of approximately 1,786 individuals. Of these employees, approximately 1,744 individuals are full-time
equivalent employees, with the remainder employed on a part-time (less than 40 hours per week) basis.
To identify the median
employee we conducted a full analysis of this employee population, without the use of statistical sampling. We determined our median employee using total compensation for the full year 2017. Total compensation consisted
of base pay, bonuses, commissions, fringe benefits, incentives, severance and vacation payout. Using this methodology, we determined that the median employee was a full-time customer service employee. With respect to the annual total
compensation of the median employee, we identified and calculated the elements of such employees compensation for 2017 in accordance with the requirements of Item 402(c)(2)(x) of Regulation
S-K.
35
PROPOSAL TWO ADVISORY
(NON-BINDING)
VOTE
APPROVING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the Dodd-Frank Act) enables our shareholders to vote to approve, on an advisory
(non-binding)
basis, the compensation of our named executive
officers as disclosed in this Proxy Statement in accordance with SEC rules. This vote is commonly known as a
say-on-pay
vote. At our Annual Meeting in 2012,
our shareholders voted to recommend that the Company hold future
say-on-pay
votes annually until the Company is next required to hold an advisory vote on the
frequency with which the Company will hold future
say-on-pay
votes. Accordingly, the Company presents the resolution set forth below for approval by the
shareholders in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act and Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
At our Annual Meeting in
2017, our shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers for 2016, as disclosed in last years proxy statement. We value the endorsement by our shareholders of our executive compensation policies.
We believe that our compensation policies and procedures are competitive, are focused on pay for performance principles and are strongly aligned with the long-term interests of our shareholders. The Compensation Committee, which is comprised
entirely of independent directors, oversees our executive compensation program and monitors our policies to ensure they continue to emphasize programs that reward executives for results that are consistent with shareholder interests.
We encourage you to closely review our Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the tabular disclosure which follows it, including the
footnotes and narratives which accompany each table, as they describe our compensation policies and procedures and the components and amounts comprising the compensation paid to our named executive officers.
The following resolution gives you as a shareholder the opportunity to endorse or not endorse the compensation we pay to our named executive
officers by voting to approve or not approve such compensation as described in this Proxy Statement:
RESOLVED, that the
shareholders of Home BancShares, Inc. (the Company) approve the compensation of the Companys executives named in the Summary Compensation Table of the Companys Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, as
disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Executive Compensation tables and the related disclosure contained in the Proxy
Statement.
Because your vote is advisory, it will not be binding upon the Board of Directors and may not be construed as
overruling any decision by the Board. However, the Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements.
Our Board of Directors and our Compensation Committee believe that our commitment to responsible compensation practices as described in this
Proxy Statement justifies a vote by shareholders FOR the resolution approving the compensation of our executives as disclosed in this Proxy Statement.
The Board of Directors Recommends that Shareholders Vote
FOR
the
Advisory
(Non-binding)
Resolution Approving
the Companys Executive Compensation
36
PROPOSAL THREE FREQUENCY OF ADVISORY VOTE
ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
In addition to
the
non-binding
advisory vote on executive compensation, the Dodd-Frank Act also enables our shareholders to express their preference for having a say on pay vote every one, two or three years.
This
non-binding
vote, which is commonly known as a
say-on-frequency
vote, is required at least once every six years
beginning with our 2012 Annual Meeting. Accordingly, the Company presents the
say-on-frequency
proposal described below.
Consistent with our past practice of providing an annual
say-on-pay
vote, the Board has determined that an annual advisory vote on executive compensation will permit our shareholders to continue to provide direct
input on the Companys executive compensation philosophy, policies and practices as disclosed in the Proxy Statement each year. Therefore, it is the Companys belief, and the Boards recommendation, that this vote should continue to
occur every year.
Each shareholders vote, however, is not to approve or disapprove the Boards recommendation. When voting on
this Proposal Three, each shareholder has four choices vote on executive compensation every year, every two years, every three years, or abstain from voting. The option of one year, two years or three years that receives the highest number of
votes cast by shareholders will be considered the frequency recommended by the shareholders for future advisory votes on executive compensation.
The Compensation Committee and the Board will consider the outcome of the vote when determining the frequency of future shareholder advisory
votes on executive compensation. However, because the vote on Proposal Three is advisory and not binding upon the Board or the Company, the Board may decide that it is in the best interests of the shareholders and the Company to hold an advisory
vote on executive compensation more or less frequently than the option approved by our shareholders. A scheduling vote similar to this Proposal Three must occur at least once every six years.
The Board of Directors Recommends that Shareholders Vote
to Hold an Advisory Vote on the Companys Executive Compensation Every
1 YEAR
37
PROPOSAL FOUR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE
COMPANYS AMENDED AND RESTATED
2006 STOCK OPTION AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN
The Amended and
Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan (the Plan) was adopted by our Board of Directors in February 2012 and approved by our shareholders in May 2012. The Plan was subsequently amended in June 2015 and, most recently,
in April 2016, when our shareholders approved an increase in the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan by 2,000,000 shares to 11,288,000 shares (as adjusted for the
2-for-1
split of our common stock paid to our shareholders on June 8, 2016). Additionally, in April 2017 our shareholders approved, for purposes of
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), the material terms of the performance goals under which compensation may be paid under the Plan.
On February 22, 2018, our Board of Directors approved an additional amendment to the Plan, subject to shareholder approval, to increase
the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan by 2,000,000 shares to 13,288,000 shares. This amendment is being submitted to our shareholders for approval.
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the Plan, as previously amended and as proposed to be amended by the shareholders,
including the employees eligible to receive awards under the Plan, the business criteria on which performance goals are based, and the maximum number of shares that may be issued to an individual participant during a specified period. This summary
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Plan, which is attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement and incorporated by reference into this proposal.
Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan
In 2012, our Board of Directors adopted and our shareholders approved the Home BancShares, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and
Performance Incentive Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain highly qualified officers, directors, key employees, and other persons, and to motivate those persons to improve our business results.
The Plan amended and restated the Companys 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan (the 2006 Plan) adopted by the
Board of Directors in March 2006 and approved by the Companys shareholders in June 2006. The 2006 Plan amended and restated various prior plans that were adopted either by us or companies that we acquired. Awards made under any of the prior
plans are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which is designed not to impair the rights of award holders under the prior plans. The Plan goes beyond the prior plans by including additional types of awards (such as unrestricted stock,
performance shares, and performance and annual incentive awards) in addition to the stock options (incentive and
non-qualified),
stock appreciation rights, and restricted stock that could have been awarded
under one or more of the prior plans.
Administration.
The Plan is administered by our Compensation Committee. Subject to the terms
of the Plan, the Compensation Committee may select participants to receive awards, determine the types of awards, determine the terms and conditions of awards, and interpret provisions of the Plan.
Source of Shares.
The common stock issued or to be issued under the Plan consists of authorized but unissued shares and treasury
shares. If any shares covered by an award are not purchased or are forfeited, or if an award otherwise terminates without delivery of any common stock, then the number of shares of common stock counted against the aggregate number of shares
available under the Plan with respect to the award will, to the extent of any such forfeiture or termination, again be available for making awards.
If the option price, a withholding obligation or any other payment is satisfied by tendering shares or by withholding shares, only the number
of shares issued net of the shares tendered or withheld will be deemed delivered for the purpose of determining the maximum number of shares available for delivery under the Plan.
Limitation of the Plan.
Benefits granted to any plan participant in any one year may not exceed 10% of the total shares of common stock
authorized for issuance under the Plan (i.e., 10% of 13,288,000 shares).
38
Eligibility.
Awards may be made under the Plan to all employees, officers, directors,
consultants and other key persons. In determining to whom awards will be granted, the committee will take into account the nature of the services, potential contributions, and other relevant factors.
Performance-Based Criteria.
Section 162(m) of the Code limits publicly held companies to an annual deduction for federal income
tax purposes of $1.0 million for compensation paid to each of its chief executive officer, chief financial officer and the next three most highly compensated executive officers whose compensation is required to be disclosed in the
companys annual proxy statement (referred to as Covered Employees). Historically, there has been an exception to this $1.0 million limitation for performance-based compensation that meets certain requirements, and the chief
financial officer has been excluded from the definition of a Covered Employee. Effective January 1, 2018, under the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the exception for performance-based compensation has been eliminated, and compensation
paid to the chief financial officer is now subject to the $1.0 deduction limitation. The amendments to Section 162(m) include a grandfather clause applicable to compensation paid pursuant to a written binding contract in effect on
November 2, 2017 that is not materially modified after such date. The Plan contains certain provisions designed to facilitate the deductibility of performance-based compensation in accordance with Section 162(m).
Any compensation paid pursuant to a grandfathered award that the Compensation Committee intends to qualify for the Section 162(m)
performance-based compensation deduction exclusion under the prior law must be based on
pre-established,
objective performance goals. These goals must have been established by the Compensation Committee in
writing no later than 90 days after the beginning of the service period to which the award relates and while the outcome was substantially uncertain (i.e., before 25% of the performance period has elapsed). Performance goals must be based on an
objective formula or standard. Pursuant to the Plan, the performance goals for such awards and determination of results must have been based entirely on financial measures, including any one or more of the following business criteria:
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price of the Companys common stock or the stock of any affiliate;
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Before the recipient of such stock awards may receive any payment, the
Compensation Committee must certify in writing that all of the performance goals have been met. In addition, the material terms of the performance goals must be disclosed to and reapproved by the Companys shareholders every five years.
Options.
The Plan permits the granting of options to purchase shares of common stock intended to qualify as incentive stock options
under the Code (qualified stock options) and stock options that do not qualify as incentive stock options
(non-qualified
stock options). The exercise price of each stock option may not be less than 100% of the
fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. If we were to grant qualified stock options to any 10% shareholder, the exercise price may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. We may
grant options in substitution for options held by employees of companies that we may acquire. The fair market value of our common stock on February 23, 2018, based upon the closing price as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market on that date, was
$24.04.
39
The term of each stock option will be fixed by the Compensation Committee and may not exceed ten
years (or five years for qualified stock options) from the date of grant. The committee determines at what time or times each option may be exercised and the period of time, if any, after retirement, death, disability or termination of employment
during which options may be exercised. The exercisability of options may be accelerated by the Compensation Committee. In general, an optionee may pay the exercise price of an option by cash or cash equivalent, or, if permitted by the committee, by
tendering shares of our common stock (which if acquired from us have been held by the optionee for at least six months) or by a net exercise arrangement where the Company will reduce the number of shares issued upon exercise by the
largest whole number of shares with a fair market value not exceeding the total exercise price, or by a combination of the foregoing methods.
Stock options granted under the Plan may not be sold, transferred, pledged, or assigned other than by will or under applicable laws of descent
and distribution.
Restricted Shares.
The Plan permits the granting of shares of our common stock which are subject to certain
restrictions as determined by the Compensation Committee. Restricted shares may be granted in the form of performance-based or fixed awards. The restricted period during which restricted shares are subject to forfeiture must be at least one year for
performance-based awards and at least three years for all other restricted stock awards.
Other Awards.
The Compensation Committee
may also award under the Plan:
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unrestricted shares of common stock, which are shares of our common stock issued at no cost or for a purchase price determined by the Compensation Committee and which are free from any restrictions under the Plan;
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stock appreciation rights, tandem or
non-tandem,
which are a right to receive a number of shares or, in the discretion of the committee, an amount in cash or a combination of
shares and cash, based on the increase in the fair market value of the shares underlying the right during a stated period specified by the Compensation Committee; and
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performance shares and performance units, ultimately payable in our common stock or cash, as determined by the Compensation Committee, and which are subject to achievement of specified goals tied to business criteria
(described above).
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Forfeiture; Recoupment.
The Compensation Committee may cause a forfeiture of any realized gains
by an award recipient who breaches any agreement with or obligation to the Company or who violates any Company policy or procedure. Awards may be annulled for any employee who is terminated for cause. All awards are subject to mandatory repayment if
the participant becomes subject to any clawback or recoupment under Company policy or applicable law.
Adjustments for Stock Dividends
and Similar Events.
The Compensation Committee may make appropriate adjustments in outstanding awards and the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan, including the individual limitations on awards, to reflect common stock
dividends, stock splits, spin-offs and other similar events.
Amendment or Termination of the Plan.
While our Board of Directors
may suspend, terminate or amend the Plan at any time, no amendment may adversely impair the rights of grantees with respect to outstanding awards. In addition, an amendment will be contingent on approval of our shareholders to the extent required by
law. Unless terminated earlier, the Plan will automatically terminate on February 27, 2022.
Federal Income Tax Consequences of Options and Stock
Awards Under the Plan
THE FOLLOWING IS A GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE TYPICAL FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ISSUANCE AND EXERCISE
OF OPTIONS, STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS OR AWARDS OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNDER THE PLAN. IT DOES NOT DESCRIBE APPLICABLE FOREIGN, STATE, LOCAL AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ISSUANCE AND EXERCISE OF OPTIONS OR OF THE GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK. THIS
SUMMARY IS BASED UPON THE PROVISIONS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, APPLICABLE TREASURY REGULATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS, ALL AS IN EFFECT AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT FUTURE
LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE OR JUDICIAL CHANGES OR INTERPRETATIONS, WHICH CHANGES COULD APPLY RETROACTIVELY, WILL NOT AFFECT THE ACCURACY OF THIS SUMMARY.
40
Stock Awards.
Generally, unless a recipient makes an election under Section 83(b) of
the Code to be taxed at grant, a recipient of a stock award will have taxable income in the amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the stock on the date it vests over any consideration paid for the common stock (the
spread). Stock vests either (i) when it is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (such as a requirement that the recipient retransfer shares at cost or some other material discount from fair market value
upon cessation of employment) or (ii) when it is freely transferable. An election under Section 83(b) of the Code must be made within 30 days of the grant date. The taxable income recognized by the recipient constitutes wages subject to
income and employment tax withholding, and the Company receives a corresponding income tax deduction. If no Section 83(b) election is made, the recipient will have a basis in his or her shares equal to the value of the shares on the date they
vest, at which time the holding period for the shares will begin. If a Section 83(b) election is made, the recipient will have a basis in his or her shares equal to the value of the shares at the time of grant and the recipients holding
period begins at grant. In general, a sale of the shares will produce capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term depending on the period of time included in the recipients holding period. A recipient who makes a
Section 83(b) election will not be entitled to deduct any loss or receive credit for any taxes paid should the shares subsequently be forfeited back to the Company while such shares are substantially unvested.
Options.
Generally, the grant of an option has no federal income tax effect on the optionee. Upon exercise of the option, unless the
option was qualified as an incentive stock option as discussed below, the optionee is treated in the same manner as a recipient of a stock award. Special federal income tax rules apply if our common stock is used to pay all or part of the option
exercise price whether or not the options qualify as incentive stock options.
Incentive Stock Options.
The recipient of an
incentive stock option does not recognize any taxable income on the grant of the option. Unlike other transferees of shares, however, the optionee does not recognize income for tax purposes at the time the option is exercised. If the
optionee does not dispose of the incentive stock option shares until at least one year after the date the incentive stock option was exercised and two years after the date the incentive stock option was granted, the only gain or loss the optionee
will recognize for regular tax purposes will be the long-term capital gain or loss on the difference between the sale price and the exercise price realized upon the sale of the shares. However, if the optionee sells or otherwise disposes of the
shares before both of the holding period requirements have been met (a disqualifying disposition) the optionee will be required to recognize ordinary income in an amount up to the excess of the fair market value of the stock at the time
of option exercise over the exercise price of such option (the option spread). Any additional gain realized upon a disqualifying disposition will be treated as capital gain or loss and as long-term or short-term depending on the holding
period for the stock.
In addition to the regular tax consequences discussed above, the exercise of an incentive stock option can have
material alternative minimum tax consequences. In general, the transfer of the shares pursuant to the incentive stock option will create alternative minimum taxable income in the same way that the exercise of other options would create regular
taxable income. As a result, the exercise of an incentive stock option can result in substantial alternative minimum tax. The Company is not entitled to a federal income tax deduction in connection with incentive stock options, except to the extent
that the optionee is required to recognize taxable ordinary income on a disqualifying disposition.
Stock Appreciation Rights.
Upon
the grant of a stock appreciation right, the recipient will not recognize ordinary income. However, upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right, the recipient will, in general, recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the amount of cash
(or the value of the shares) distributed to the recipient. Such income will be treated as wages subject to income and employment tax withholding. The Company will have a deduction equal to the income to the recipient.
Limitation on Deduction of Certain Compensation.
A publicly held corporation may not deduct compensation of over a certain amount that
is paid in any year to one of its Covered Employees unless the compensation was awarded under a written binding contract in effect on November 2, 2017 that is not materially modified after such date and constitutes qualified
performance-based compensation under the Code. We will generally attempt to ensure that any prior awards under the Plan intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under the Code will continue to be eligible for deduction, but may
not do so in every instance.
41
Plan Benefits
Awards under the Plan are granted at the discretion of the Compensation Committee or the Administrator, and accordingly, the amount of any such
awards that may be granted to any individual is not yet determinable. Benefits under the Plan depend on a number of factors, including the fair market value of our common stock on future dates, our actual performance against performance goals
established with respect to performance awards and decisions made by the participants, and accordingly, are also not yet determinable.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The Company does not currently have any existing equity compensation plans or arrangements other than
the Plan. The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding options and shares reserved for future issuance under the Plan as of December 31, 2017.
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Number of securities
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Number of
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remaining available for
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securities to be issued
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Weighted-average
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future issuance under
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upon exercise of
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exercise price of
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equity compensation plans
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outstanding options,
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outstanding options,
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(excluding shares
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warrants and rights
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warrants and rights
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reflected in column (a))
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Plan Category
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(a)
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(b)
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(c)
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Equity compensation plans approved by the shareholders
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2,274,081
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$
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16.23
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2,318,850
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Equity compensation plans not approved by the shareholders
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Required Vote
The approval of the amendment to the Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under such plan to 13,288,000 shares requires
the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, assuming a quorum is present.
The
Board of Directors Recommends that Shareholders Vote
FOR
the Approval of the Amendment to the Companys
Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan
42
PROPOSAL FIVE RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Our
consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, were audited by BKD, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. In 2017, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and our shareholders
approved the engagement of BKD, LLP to be our independent registered accounting firm for fiscal year 2017. The Audit Committee intends to approve the
re-engagement
of BKD, LLP to be our independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, subject to the ratification of the appointment by our shareholders at the Annual Meeting and our formal acceptance of an engagement letter from BKD, LLP after the Annual
Meeting.
Shareholders ratification of the selection of BKD, LLP to be our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal
year 2018 is not required by our Bylaws or otherwise. However, the Board is submitting the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm to the shareholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the
shareholders fail to ratify the selection of BKD, LLP, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee may, at its discretion, direct the appointment of a different
independent registered accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such change is in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders.
Representatives of BKD, LLP are expected to attend the Annual Meeting, will have an opportunity to make a statement if they so desire, and
will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
The Board of Directors Recommends that Shareholders Vote
FOR
the
Ratification of the Appointment of BKD, LLP
as the Companys Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
for the 2018 Calendar Year
43
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
In accordance with its written charter, the Audit Committee assists the Board in, among other things, oversight of our accounting and
financial reporting processes, our compliance with legal regulatory requirements, the qualifications and independence of the independent auditors and the performance of the internal and independent auditors. A copy of the Audit Committee charter is
published on the Companys website at
www.homebancshares.com
under the caption Investor Relations/Corporate Profile/Governance Documents.
Our Board of Directors has determined that all seven members of the Committee are independent based upon the independence requirements of the
SEC and NASDAQ, and that our Chairman, Mr. Engelkes, and Mrs. Garrett each satisfies the criteria of an audit committee financial expert as defined by the regulations of the SEC.
Management is responsible for the preparation, presentation, and integrity of our financial statements, for the appropriateness of our
accounting principles and reporting policies and for implementing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting. Our independent auditors are responsible for auditing the financial statements and internal controls over financial
reporting and for reviewing our unaudited interim financial statements. The Audit Committees responsibility is to monitor and review these processes and procedures. Except for Mr. Engelkes and Mrs. Garrett, the members of the Audit
Committee are not engaged in the practice of accounting or auditing and are not professionals in those fields. The Audit Committee relies, without independent verification, on the information provided to us and on the representations made by
management that the financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and on the representations of management and the opinion of the independent auditors that such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
During 2017, the Audit Committee held four regularly scheduled meetings
and three special meetings. The Audit Committees regular meetings were conducted in order to encourage communication among the members of the Audit Committee, management, the internal auditors, and our independent auditors, BKD, LLP. Among
other things, the Audit Committee discussed with our internal and independent auditors the overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit Committee separately met with each of the internal and independent auditors, with and without
management, to discuss the results of their examinations and their observations and recommendations regarding our internal controls. The Audit Committee also discussed with our independent auditors all matters required by auditing standards
generally accepted in the United States of America, including those described in Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard 1301, Communications with Audit Committees.
The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017,
with management, the internal auditors, and our independent auditors. Managements discussions with the Audit Committee included a review of critical accounting policies.
The Audit Committee obtained from the independent auditors a formal written statement describing all relationships between us and our auditors
that might bear on the auditors independence consistent with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526, Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence. The Audit Committee discussed with the auditors any
relationships that may have an impact on their objectivity and independence and satisfied itself as to the auditors independence. The Audit Committee has reviewed and approved the amount of fees paid to BKD, LLP for audit and
non-audit
services. The Audit Committee concluded that the provision of services by BKD, LLP is compatible with the maintenance of BKDs independence.
Based on the above-mentioned review and discussions with management, the internal auditors, and the independent auditors, and subject to the
limitations on our role and responsibilities described above and in the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that our audited consolidated financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, for filing with the SEC.
Home BancShares,
Inc.
Audit Committee Members
Jack E. Engelkes, Chairman
Milburn
Adams
Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
Karen E. Garrett
James G. Hinkle
Alex R. Lieblong
Thomas J.
Longe
44
AUDIT AND
NON-AUDIT
FEES
The following table represents aggregate fees billed for professional audit services rendered by BKD, LLP to provide the audit of our annual
consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017, and December 31, 2016, respectively.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2016
|
|
Audit fees
(1)
|
|
$
|
794,846
|
|
|
$
|
792,269
|
|
Audit-related fees
(2)
|
|
|
177,682
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
Tax fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All other fees
(3)
|
|
|
28,672
|
|
|
|
34,520
|
|
(1)
|
Audit fees consisted of the annual audit and quarterly review services and consent for and review of a registration statement filed by the Company with the SEC.
|
(2)
|
Audit related fees consisted primarily of other audit services provided in connection with acquisitions, reporting and compliance matters.
|
(3)
|
Other fees related to fees paid by the Company on behalf of the Companys retirement plan for third-party administration of the Companys defined contribution plan.
|
Policy on Audit Committee
Pre-Approval
of Audit and Permissible
Non-Audit
Services of Independent Auditor
The Audit Committee has the responsibility of appointing, setting compensation for and overseeing the
work of the independent auditor, and has established a policy to
pre-approve
all audit and permissible
non-audit
services provided by the independent auditor.
Prior to engagement of the independent auditor for next years audit, management will submit an aggregate of services expected to be
rendered during that year for each of four categories of services to the Audit Committee for approval.
|
(1)
|
Audit
services include audit work performed in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, as well as work that generally only the independent auditor can reasonably be expected to provide,
including comfort letters, statutory audits, and attest services, and consultation regarding financial accounting and/or reporting standards.
|
|
(2)
|
Audit-related
services are for assurance and related services that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor, including due diligence related to mergers and acquisitions, employee benefit plan
audits, and special procedures required to meet certain regulatory requirements.
|
|
(3)
|
Tax
services include all services performed by the independent auditors tax personnel except those services specifically related to the audit of the consolidated financial statements, and includes
fees in the areas of tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice.
|
|
(4)
|
Other fees
are those associated with services not captured in the other categories. Other than the services for the third-party administration of the Companys defined contribution plan, we generally
do not request such services from the independent auditor.
|
Prior to the engagement, the Audit Committee
pre-approves
these services by category of service. The fees are budgeted and the Audit Committee requires the independent auditor and management to report actual fees versus the budget periodically throughout the
year by category of service. During the year, circumstances may arise when it may become necessary to engage the independent auditor for additional services not contemplated in the original
pre-approval.
In
those instances, the Audit Committee requires specific
pre-approval
before engaging the independent auditor.
The Audit Committee may delegate
pre-approval
authority to one or more of its members. The members to
whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, the
pre-approval
decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
45
SUBMISSION OF SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
In order for a proposal by a shareholder to be presented at an annual meeting of our shareholders, the proposal must be included in the
related proxy statement and proxy form. Proposals by shareholders intended to be presented at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2019 must be received by the Company no later than November 6, 2018, for possible inclusion in the proxy
statement relating to that meeting.
For a shareholder proposal to be included in the proxy statement and proxy form for an annual meeting
of the Companys shareholders, the proposal must: (1) concern a matter that may be properly considered and acted upon at the annual meeting in accordance with applicable laws, including our Bylaws and Rule
14a-8
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and (2) be received by the Company at its home office, 719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100, Conway, Arkansas 72032, Attention: Holly A. McKenna, Secretary, not
less than 120 calendar days before the anniversary of the date of the previous years proxy statement, or November 6, 2018, in the case of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2019. If no annual meeting was held the previous year and in
any year in which the date of the annual meeting is moved by more than 30 days from the date of the previous years annual meeting, the proposal will be considered timely if received within a reasonable time before the Company begins to print
and mail its proxy materials.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. You can read and copy these reports, proxy statements, and other
information concerning the Company at the SECs public reference room at 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330
for further information on the public reference room. You may also view and print reports, proxy and information
statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including the Company, from the SEC website at
www.sec.gov
.
SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE
MEETING ARE URGED TO VOTE BY TELEPHONE,
MAIL OR INTERNET.
IF YOU VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET,
DO
NOT
RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD
|
By Order of the Board of Directors
|
|
C. RANDALL SIMS
|
Chief Executive Officer and President
|
46
Appendix A
HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2006 STOCK OPTION AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
ESTABLISHMENT
AND PURPOSE
1.1
Adoption and Effective Date
. Home BancShares, Inc., an Arkansas corporation (the Company), hereby
adopts the Home BancShares, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan (the Plan). The Plan shall become effective on February 27, 2012 (the Effective Date), subject to the approval of the
Companys stockholders at the 2012 Annual Meeting. Upon approval of the Plan by the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board), awards may be made as provided herein, subject to stockholder approval of the Plan.
1.2
Purpose
. The Company desires to attract and retain the best available executive and key Employees for itself and its subsidiaries
and to encourage the highest level of performance by such Employees in order to serve the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The Plan is expected to contribute to the attainment of these objectives by offering eligible Employees the
opportunity to acquire stock ownership interests in the Company, and other rights with respect to stock of the Company, and to thereby provide them with incentives to put forth maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its subsidiaries.
1.3.
History
. This Plan is an amendment and restatement of the Home BancShares, Inc. 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive
Plan (the 2006 Plan), which was adopted by the Board in March 2006 and approved by the Companys stockholders in June 2006. The 2006 Plan was amended on May 9, 2007 to increase the authorized shares to 1,500,000 shares. The
2006 Plan amended and restated Cabot Bankshares, Inc.
Non-Qualified
Stock Option Plan; Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan; Stock Option Plan for Directors, Officers and Employees of Marine Bank of the
Florida Keys; Home BancShares 1999 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan Special Employee and Director Award; Home BancShares 1999 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan; North Little Rock Bancshares, Inc. 2000 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan;
Home BancShares 2005 Appreciation Rights Incentive Compensation Plan; and any other prior plan of the Company or a predecessor in effect prior to the effective date of the 2006 Plan under which stock options or other equity awards covering the
Companys Stock remain outstanding to a service provider (the Prior Plans). This Plan document therefore is intended to preserve material rights and features of the 2006 Plan and the Prior Plans, and should any material provision of
this Plan be determined to impair the rights of an Employee under an award granted prior to the Effective Date of this Plan, the Award Agreement covering the award shall instead be treated as including the material provision as an explicit term.
ARTICLE 2
AWARDS
2.1
Form of Awards
. Awards under the Plan may be granted in any one or all of the following forms: (i) incentive stock
options (Incentive Stock Options) meeting the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code); (ii) nonstatutory stock options (Nonstatutory Stock Options) (unless
otherwise indicated, references in the Plan to Options shall include both Incentive Stock Options and Nonstatutory Stock Options); (iii) stock appreciation rights
A-1
(Stock Appreciation Rights), as described in Article 8, which may be awarded either in tandem with Options (Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights) or on a stand-alone basis
(Nontandem Stock Appreciation Rights); (iv) shares of Common Stock (as defined below) which are restricted as provided in Article 12 (Restricted Shares); (v) units representing shares of Common Stock, as described in Article
13 (Performance Shares); (vi) units which do not represent shares of Common Stock but which may be paid in the form of Common Stock, as described in Article 14 (Performance Units); and (vii) shares of unrestricted Common
Stock (Unrestricted Shares).
2.2
Maximum Shares Available
. The maximum aggregate number of shares of the Companys
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the Common Stock), available for award as Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Unrestricted Shares under the Plan, is 2,322,000, all of
which are subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 16. Shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Plan may be either authorized and unissued shares or issued shares reacquired by the Company. In the event that prior to the end of the period
during which Options may be granted under the Plan, any Option or any Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right under the Plan expires unexercised or is terminated, surrendered or canceled (other than in connection with the exercise of a Stock Appreciation
Right) without being exercised in whole or in part for any reason, or any Restricted Shares, Performance Shares or Performance Units are forfeited, or if such awards are settled in cash in lieu of shares of Common Stock, then such shares or units
may, at the discretion of the Committee (hereinafter defined) to the extent permissible under Rule
16b-3
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Act) be made available for subsequent awards
under the Plan, upon such terms as the Committee may determine.
2.3
Limitation of Awards
. Awards granted to any Employee (as
defined in Article 4 hereof) in any one year shall be limited to ten percent (10%) of the total shares of Common Stock available for award under the Plan (i.e. 10% of 2,322,000 shares).
2.4
Return of Prior Awards
. As a condition to any subsequent award, the Committee shall have the right, at its discretion, upon
replacement with a new award of a substantially similar monetary amount, to require Employees to return to the Company awards previously granted under this Plan. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, such new award shall be upon such terms and
conditions as are specified by the Committee at the time the new award is granted to the extent permitted by Rule
16b-3
under the Act.
ARTICLE 3
ADMINISTRATION
3.1
Committee
. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee (the Committee) of the Board. Each member of the Committee shall be an outside director (within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code)
and a
non-employee
director (within the meaning of Rule
16b-3(b)(3)(i)
under the Act); and an independent director within the meaning of applicable NASDAQ
listing standards.
3.2
Powers of Committee
. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the power and
authority (i) to grant Options and to determine the purchase price of the Common Stock covered by each Option, the term of each Option, the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Option and any performance objectives or vesting
standards applicable to each Option, (ii) to designate Options as Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options and to determine which Options, if any, shall be accompanied by Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights; (iii) to grant Tandem
Stock Appreciation Rights and Nontandem Stock Appreciation Rights and to determine the terms and
A-2
conditions of such rights; (iv) to grant Restricted Shares and to determine the term of the restricted
period and other conditions and restrictions applicable to such shares; (v) to grant Performance Shares and Performance Units and to determine the performance objectives, performance periods and other conditions applicable to such shares or
units; (vi) to grant Unrestricted Shares; and (vii) to determine to whom, and the time or times at which, Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Unrestricted Shares shall be
granted.
3.3
Delegation
. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to any other person or persons such
ministerial duties as it may deem advisable; provided, however, that the Committee may not delegate any of its responsibilities hereunder if such delegation will cause (i) transactions under the Plan to fail to comply with Section 16 of
the Act or (ii) the Committee to fail to qualify as outside directors under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee may also employ attorneys, consultants, accountants or other professional advisors and shall be entitled to
rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such advisors.
3.4
Interpretations
. The Committee shall have sole discretionary
authority to interpret the terms of the Plan, to adopt and revise rules, regulations and policies to administer the Plan and to make any other factual determinations which it believes to be necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
All actions taken and interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Company, all Employees who have received awards under the Plan and all other interested persons.
3.5
Liability; Indemnification
. No member of the Committee, nor any Employee to whom ministerial duties have been delegated, shall be
personally liable for any action, interpretation or determination made with respect to the Plan or awards made thereunder, and each member of the Committee shall be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any liability he or
she may incur with respect to any such action, interpretation or determination, to the extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent provided in the Companys Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE 4
ELIGIBILITY
Awards may be granted to officers, employees, directors, consultants, and other key persons of the Company and its subsidiaries
(herein referred to collectively as Employees). In determining to whom awards shall be granted and the number of shares to be covered by each award, the Committee shall take into account the nature of the services rendered by such
person, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company and its subsidiaries and such other factors as the Committee in its sole discretion shall deem relevant. As used in this Plan, the term subsidiary shall mean
any corporation which at the time qualifies as a subsidiary of the Company under the definition of subsidiary corporation set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code, or any successor provision hereafter enacted.
ARTICLE 5
COMPLIANCE
WITH SECTION 162(M)
5.1
Section
162(m) of the Code
. It is the intent of the Company that compensation
granted under the Plan to Covered Employees (as defined by Section 162(m) of the Code) shall, if so designated by the Committee, constitute qualified performance-based compensation (as defined by Section 162(m)).
Accordingly, the terms of the Plan, including the definition of Covered Employee, shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with Section 162(m).
A-3
5.2
Performance-Based Awards
. If the Committee determines that grants of restricted
shares, performance shares and performance units should be made to Employees who are Covered Employees in order to qualify for the compensation deduction exclusion established by Section 162(m) for performance-based compensation, the award
shall be governed by this Article 5 of the Plan in addition to other applicable sections of the Plan. The Committee shall base such compensation solely on account of the attainment of one or more
pre-established,
objective performance goals in accordance with this Article 5.
5.3
Establishment of Performance Goals
. Performance goals for a Covered Employee must be established in writing by the Committee no later than 90 days after the commencement of the service period to which such performance goal relates and while
the outcome is substantially uncertain (i.e., before 25% of the performance period has elapsed). Such performance goals must be based on an objective formula or standard for performance-based compensation, such that a third party having knowledge of
the relevant performance results could calculate the amount to be paid to the Covered Employee, and must specify the individual employees or class of employees to which it applies.
5.4
Performance-Based Criteria
. Performance goals may be based on any one or more of the following criteria: price of Company Common
Stock or the stock of any affiliate, shareholder return, return on assets, growth in assets, return on equity, return on investment, return on capital, economic profit, economic value added, net income, operating income, gross margin, sales, free
cash flow, earnings per share. These factors shall have a minimum performance standard below which no payments will be made. The performance goals may be based on an analysis of historical performance and growth expectations for the business,
financial results of other comparable businesses, and progress towards achieving the long-range strategic plan for the business. The performance goals and determination of results shall be based entirely on financial measures.
5.5
Modification of Performance-Based Awards
. Once established, the Committee shall not be entitled to any discretion to increase the
amount of compensation under any award that would otherwise be due upon the attainment of the performance goals, except as may be permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
5.6
Certification
. Prior to any payment of remuneration for performance-based awards intended to qualify for the deduction exclusion
under Section 162(m), the Committee must certify in writing that all of the performance goals and other material terms of the arrangement for the remuneration have been met. This section of the Plan shall not apply to an award to an Employee
unless the Committee has determined that such award should qualify for the compensation deduction exemption of Section 162(m).
5.7
Stockholder Approval
. Material terms of the performance goals must be disclosed to and reapproved by the stockholders no later than the first stockholder meeting that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which stockholders
previously approved the performance goals.
ARTICLE 6
STOCK OPTIONS
6.1
Grant of Options
. Options may be granted under this Plan for the purchase of shares of Common Stock. Options shall be granted in such form and upon such terms and conditions, including the satisfaction of corporate or individual performance
objectives and other vesting standards, as the Committee shall from time to time determine.
A-4
6.2
Option Price
. The option price of each Option to purchase Common Stock shall be
determined by the Committee at the time of grant, but shall not be less than 100 percent of the fair market value of the Common Stock subject to such Option on the date of grant. The option price so determined shall also be applicable in
connection with the exercise of any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right granted with respect to such Option. The exercise price of an Option previously granted under the Plan shall not thereafter be reduced other than pursuant to the provisions of
Article 16 or Article 17.
6.3
Term of Options
. The term of each Option granted under the Plan shall not exceed ten (10) years
from the date of grant, subject to earlier termination as provided in Articles 10 and 11, except as otherwise provided in Section 7.1 with respect to ten (10) percent stockholders of the Company and except as provided in prior grants.
6.4
Exercise of Options
. An Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time or times as the Committee shall determine. The
Committee may, in its discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option at any time. Options may be exercised by an Employee by giving written notice to the Committee stating the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the
Option is being exercised and tendering payment therefor. Payment for the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Option shall be made in full in cash, or by certified check or, if the Committee, in its sole discretion, permits, in shares of
Common Stock (valued at fair market value on the date of exercise and which shall have been held for more than 6 months). As soon as reasonably practicable following such exercise, a certificate representing the shares of Common Stock purchased,
registered in the name of the Employee, shall be delivered to the Employee.
6.5
Cancellation of Stock Appreciation Rights
. Upon
exercise of all or a portion of an Option, the related Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights shall be canceled with respect to an equal number of shares of Common Stock.
ARTICLE 7
SPECIAL RULES
APPLICABLE TO INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS
7.1
Ten Percent Stockholder
. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the
contrary, no person may receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan if such person, at the time the award is granted, owns (after application of the rules contained in Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten
(10) percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its subsidiaries, unless (i) the option price for such Incentive Stock Option is at least 110 percent of the fair market value of the Common
Stock subject to such Incentive Stock Option on the date of grant and (ii) such Option is not exercisable after the date five (5) years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.
7.2
Limitations on Time of Grants
. No grant of an Incentive Stock Option shall be made under this Plan after the Termination Date (as
defined in Section 20.11 hereof) of the Plan.
A-5
ARTICLE 8
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
8.1
Grants of Stock Appreciation Rights
. Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights may be awarded by the Committee in connection with any Option
granted under the Plan, either at the time the Option is granted or thereafter at any time prior to the exercise, termination or expiration of the Option. Nontandem Stock Appreciation Rights may also be granted by the Committee at any time. At the
time of grant of a Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall specify the number of shares of Common Stock covered by such right and the base price of shares of Common Stock to be used in connection with the calculation described in
Section 8.4 below. The base price of a Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right shall be not less than 100 percent of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to such terms
and conditions not inconsistent with the other provisions of this Plan as the Committee shall determine.
8.2
Limitations on
Exercise
. A Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only to the extent that the related Option is exercisable and shall be exercisable only for such period as the Committee may determine (which period may expire prior to the
expiration date of the related Option). Upon the exercise of all or a portion of Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights, the related Option shall be canceled with respect to an equal number of shares of Common Stock. Shares of Common Stock subject to
Options or portions thereof, surrendered upon exercise of a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right, shall not be available for subsequent awards under the Plan. A Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable during such period as the Committee
shall determine.
8.3
Surrender or Exchange of Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights
. A Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the
grantee to surrender to the Company unexercised the related Option, or any portion thereof, and to receive from the Company in exchange therefor that number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value equal to (A) the excess
of (i) the fair market value of one (1) share of Common Stock as of the date the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over (ii) the option price per share specified in such Option, multiplied by (B) the number of shares
of Common Stock subject to the Option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered. Cash shall be delivered in lieu of any fractional shares.
8.4
Exercise of Nontandem Stock Appreciation Rights
. The exercise of a Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the grantee to
receive from the Company that number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value equal to (A) the excess of (i) the fair market value of one (1) share of Common Stock as of the date on which the Nontandem Stock
Appreciation Right is exercised over (ii) the base price of the shares covered by the Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right, multiplied by (B) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Nontandem Stock Appreciation Right, or the
portion thereof being exercised. Cash shall be delivered in lieu of any fractional shares.
8.5
Settlement of Stock Appreciation
Rights
. As soon as is reasonably practicable after the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Company shall (i) issue, in the name of the grantee, stock certificates representing the total number of full shares of Common Stock to which
the grantee is entitled pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 hereof and cash in an amount equal to the fair market value, as of the date of exercise, of any resulting fractional shares, and (ii) if the Committee causes the Company to elect to
settle all or part of its obligations arising out of the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right in cash pursuant to Section 8.6, deliver to the grantee an amount in cash equal to the fair market value, as of the date of exercise, of the
shares of Common Stock it would otherwise be obligated to deliver.
8.6
Cash Settlement
. The Committee, in its discretion, may cause
the Company to settle all or any part of its obligation arising out of the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right by the payment of cash in lieu of all or part of the shares of Common Stock it would otherwise be obligated to deliver in an amount
equal to the fair market value of such shares on the date of exercise.
A-6
ARTICLE 9
NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
No Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated (whether by operation of law or otherwise), except
as provided by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and no Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge hypothecation or other
disposition of an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right not specifically permitted herein shall be null and void and without effect. An Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised by grantee only during his or her lifetime, or following his
or her death pursuant to Article 11.
ARTICLE 10
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
10.1
Exercise after Termination of Employment
. Except as the Committee may at any time provide, in the event that the employment of a
grantee to whom an Option or Stock Appreciation Right has been granted under the Plan shall be terminated (for reasons other than death or total disability), such Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised (to the extent that the grantee
was entitled to do so on the date of the termination of his employment) at any time within three (3) months after such termination of employment.
10.2
Total Disability
. In the event that a grantee to whom an Option or Stock Appreciation Right has been granted under the Plan shall
become totally disabled, except as the Committee may at any time provide, such Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised at any time during the first nine (9) months that the grantee receives benefits under the Long-Term Disability
Plan (the Disability Plan) to the extent otherwise exercisable during such nine-month period. For purposes hereof, total disability shall have the definition set forth in the Disability Plan, which definition is hereby
incorporated by reference.
ARTICLE 11
DEATH OF EMPLOYEE
If an
Employee to whom an Option or Stock Appreciation Right has been granted under the Plan shall die while employed by the Company or one of its subsidiaries or within three (3) months after the termination of such employment, such Option or Stock
Appreciation Right (whether or not then exercisable by its terms) shall become immediately exercisable in full by the Employees estate or by the person who acquires the right to exercise such Option or Stock Appreciation Right upon his or her
death by bequest or inheritance. Such exercise may occur at any time within one (1) year after the date of the Employees death or such other period as the Committee may at any time provide, but in no case later than the date on which the
Option or Stock Appreciation Right would otherwise terminate.
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ARTICLE 12
RESTRICTED SHARES
12.1
Grant of Restricted Shares
. The Committee may from time to time cause the Company to grant Restricted Shares under the Plan to Employees, subject to such restrictions, conditions and other terms as the Committee may determine.
12.2
Restrictions
. (a) At the time a grant of Restricted Shares is made, the Committee shall establish a period of time (the
Restricted Period) applicable to such Restricted Shares. Each grant of Restricted Shares may be subject to a different Restricted Period but except as set forth in subsection (b) hereof in no event shall Restricted Period be less
than the minimum Restricted Period hereinafter set forth. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, at the time a grant is made, prescribe restrictions in addition to or other than the expiration of the Restricted Period, including the satisfaction
of corporate or individual performance objectives which may be applicable to all or any portion of the Restricted Shares. Except as set forth in subsection (b) hereof, the minimum Restricted Period shall be three (3) years except in
respect of Restricted Shares that are also subject to restrictions relating to the satisfaction of corporate or individual performance objectives, as to which the minimum Restricted Period shall be one (1) year.
(b) With respect to grants of Restricted Shares intended to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of
the Code, upon the death of an Employee to whom Restricted Shares have been granted under the Plan, to the extent that the performance-based goals established in respect of such Restricted Shares have been satisfied for purposes of said
Section 162(m), any other restrictions or conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares shall immediately terminate. Except as necessary to effect the termination of restrictions contemplated by the foregoing sentence, the Committee shall have
no discretion to shorten or terminate the Restricted Period or waive any other restrictions applicable to all or a portion of any Restricted Shares intended to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the
Code. With respect to grants of Restricted Shares not intended to so qualify as performance-based compensation, upon the death of the holder of Restricted Shares, all restrictions or conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares shall immediately
terminate; and upon the disability or retirement of the holder of Restricted Shares or as permitted under Section 17 hereof, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, shorten or terminate the Restricted Period or waive any other restrictions
applicable to all or a portion of such Restricted Shares. None of the Restricted Shares may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during the Restricted Period or prior to the satisfaction of any other
restrictions prescribed by the Committee with respect to such Restricted Shares.
12.3
Restricted Stock Certificates
. If the
Committee deems it necessary or appropriate, the Company may issue, in the name of each Employee to whom Restricted Shares have been granted, stock certificates representing the total number of Restricted Shares granted to the Employee, provided
that such certificates bear an appropriate legend or other restriction on transfer. If the Restricted Shares are certificated, the Secretary of the Company shall hold such certificates, properly endorsed for transfer, for the Employees benefit
until such time as the Restricted Shares are forfeited to the Company, or the restrictions lapse.
12.4
Rights of Holders of Restricted
Shares
. Except as determined by the Committee either at the time Restricted Shares are awarded or at any time thereafter prior to the lapse of the restrictions, holders of Restricted Shares shall not have the right to vote such shares or the
right to receive any dividends with respect to such shares. All distributions, if any, received by an Employee with respect to Restricted Shares as a result of any stock
split-up,
stock distribution, a
combination of shares, or other similar transaction shall be subject to the restrictions of this Article 12.
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12.5
Forfeiture of Restricted Shares
. Except as the Committee may at any time provide, any
Restricted Shares granted to an Employee pursuant to the Plan shall be forfeited if the Employee terminates employment with the Company or its subsidiaries prior to the expiration or termination of the Restricted Period and the satisfaction of any
other conditions applicable to such Restricted Shares. Upon such forfeiture, the Secretary of the Company shall either cancel or retain in its treasury the Restricted Shares that are forfeited to the Company.
12.6
Delivery of Restricted Shares
. Upon the expiration or termination of the Restricted Period and the satisfaction of any other
conditions prescribed by the Committee, the restrictions applicable to the Restricted Shares shall lapse and a stock certificate for the number of Restricted Shares with respect to which the restrictions have lapsed shall be delivered, free of all
such restrictions, to the Employee or the Employees beneficiary or estate, as the case may be.
12.7
Performance-Based
Objectives
. At the time of the grant of Restricted Shares to an Employee, and prior to the beginning of the performance period to which performance objectives relate, the Committee may establish performance objectives based on any one or more of
the criteria set forth in Section 5.4 hereof. These factors shall have a minimum performance standard below which no payments will be made. These performance goals may be based on an analysis of historical performance and growth expectations
for the business, financial results of other comparable businesses, and progress towards achieving the long-range strategic plan for the business. The performance objectives and determination of results shall be based entirely on financial measures.
12.8
Compliance with Section
162(m)
. Any grants of Restricted Shares to Covered Employees intended to qualify as
performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code must comply with the terms of Article 5 of this Plan.
ARTICLE 13
PERFORMANCE
SHARES
13.1
Award of Performance Shares
. For each Performance Period (as defined in Section 13.2). Performance Shares may
be granted under the Plan to such Employees of the Company and its subsidiaries as the Committee shall determine. Each Performance Share shall be deemed to be equivalent to one (1) share of Common Stock. Performance Shares granted to an
Employee shall be credited to an account (a Performance Share Account) established and maintained for such Employee.
13.2
Performance Period
. Performance Period shall mean such period of time as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Different Performance Periods may be established for different Employees receiving Performance
Shares. Performance Periods may run consecutively or concurrently.
13.3
Right to Payment of Performance Shares
. With respect to
each award of Performance Shares under this Plan, the Committee shall specify performance objectives (the Performance Objectives) which must be satisfied in order for the Employee to vest in the Performance Shares which have been awarded
to him or her for the Performance Period. If the Performance Objectives established for an Employee for the Performance Period are partially but not fully met, the Committee may, nonetheless, in its sole discretion, determine that all or a portion
of the Performance Units have vested. If the Performance Objectives for a Performance Period are exceeded, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant additional, fully vested Performance Shares to the Employee. The Committee may also
determine, in its sole discretion, that Performance Units awarded to an Employee shall become partially or fully vested upon the Employees death, total disability (as defined in Article 10) or retirement, or upon the termination of the
Employees employment prior to the end of the Performance Period. However, if any award hereunder is intended to qualify as performance-based for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall not exercise any discretion to
increase the payment under such award except to the extent permitted by Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder.
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13.4
Payment for Performance Shares
. As soon as practicable following the end of a
Performance Period, the Committee shall determine whether the Performance Objectives for the Performance Period have been achieved (or partially achieved to the extent necessary to permit partial vesting at the discretion of the Committee pursuant
to Section 13.3). If the Performance Objectives for the Performance Period have been exceeded, the Committee shall determine whether additional Performance Shares shall be granted to the Employee pursuant to Section 13.3. As soon as
reasonably practicable after such determinations, or at such later date as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant, the Company shall pay to the Employee an amount with respect to each vested Performance Share equal to the fair market
value of a share of Common Stock on such payment date or, if the Committee shall so specify at the time of grant, an amount equal to (i) the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the payment date less (ii) the fair market value
of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of the Performance Share. Payment shall be made entirely in cash, entirely in Common Stock (including Restricted Shares) or in such combination of cash and Common Stock as the Committee shall
determine.
13.5
Voting and Dividend Rights
. No Employee shall be entitled to any voting rights, to receive any dividends, or to
have his or her Performance Share Account credited or increased as a result of any dividends or other distribution with respect to Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, within sixty (60) days after the date of payment of a dividend by
the Company on its shares of Common Stock, the Committee, in its discretion, may credit an Employees Performance Share Account with additional Performance Shares having an aggregate fair market value equal to the dividend per share paid on the
Common Stock multiplied by the number of Performance Shares credited to his or her account at the time the dividend was declared.
13.6
Compliance with Section
162(m)
. Any grants of Performance Shares to Covered Employees intended to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code must comply with the terms of
Article 5 of this Plan.
ARTICLE 14
PERFORMANCE UNITS
14.1
Award of Performance Units
. For each Performance Period (as defined in Section 13.2), Performance Units may be granted under the Plan to such Employees of the Company and its subsidiaries as the Committee shall determine. The award
agreement covering such Performance Units shall specify a value for each Performance Unit or shall set forth a formula for determining the value of each Performance Unit at the time of payment (the Ending Value). If necessary to make the
calculation of the amount to be paid to the Employee pursuant to Section 14.3, the Committee shall also state in the award agreement the initial value of each Performance Unit (the Initial Value). Performance Units granted to an
Employee shall be credited to an account (a Performance Unit Account) established and maintained for such Employee.
14.2
Right to Payment of Performance Units
. With respect to each award of Performance Units under this Plan, the Committee shall specify performance objectives (the Performance Objectives) which must be satisfied in order for the
Employee to vest in the Performance Units which have been awarded to him or her for the Performance Period. If the Performance Objectives established for an Employee for the Performance Period are partially but not fully met, the Committee may,
nonetheless, in
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its sole discretion, determine that all or a portion of the award has vested. If the Performance Objectives for a Performance Period are exceeded, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant
additional, fully vested Performance Units to the Employee. The Committee may also determine, in its sole discretion, that awards granted to an Employee shall become partially or fully vested upon the Employees death, total disability (as
defined in Article 10) or retirement, or upon the termination of the Employees employment prior to the end of the Performance Period. However, if any award hereunder is intended to qualify as performance-based for purposes of
Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall not exercise any discretion to increase the payment under such award except to the extent permitted by Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder.
14.3
Payment for Performance Units
. As soon as practicable following the end of a Performance Period, the Committee shall determine
whether the Performance Objectives for the Performance Period have been achieved (or partially achieved to the extent necessary to permit partial vesting at the discretion of the Committee pursuant to Section 14.2). If the Performance
Objectives for the Performance Period have been exceeded, the Committee shall determine whether additional Performance Units shall be granted to the Employee pursuant to Section 14.2. As soon as reasonably practicable after such determinations,
or at such later date as the Committee shall determine, the Company shall pay to the Employee an amount with respect to each vested Performance Unit equal to the Ending Value of the Performance Unit or, if the Committee shall so specify at the time
of grant, an amount equal to (i) the Ending Value of the Performance Unit less (ii) the Initial Value of the Performance Unit. Payment shall be made entirely in cash, entirely in Common Stock (including Restricted Shares) or in such
combination of cash and Common Stock as the Committee shall determine.
14.4
Compliance with Section
162(m)
. Any
grants of Performance Units to Covered Employees intended to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code must comply with the terms of Article 5 of this Plan.
ARTICLE 15
UNRESTRICTED
SHARES
15.1
Award of Unrestricted Shares
. The Committee may cause the Company to grant Unrestricted Shares to Employees at
such time or times, in such amounts and for such reasons as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine. Except as required by applicable law, no payment shall be required for Unrestricted Shares.
15.2
Delivery of Unrestricted Shares
. The Company shall issue, in the name of each Employee to whom Unrestricted Shares have been
granted, stock certificates representing the total number of Unrestricted Shares granted to the Employee, and shall deliver such certificates to the Employee as soon as reasonably practicable after the date of grant or on such later date as the
Committee shall determine at the time of grant.
ARTICLE 16
ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Committee may at any time make or provide for such adjustments to the Plan, to the number
and class of shares available thereunder or to any outstanding Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares or Performance Shares as it shall deem appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights, including adjustments in the event
of changes in the number of shares of outstanding Common Stock by reason of stock dividends,
split-ups,
recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations or exchanges of shares, separations,
reorganizations, liquidations and the like.
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ARTICLE 17
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
The Board may suspend, terminate, modify or amend the Plan, provided that any amendment that would (i) materially increase the aggregate
number of shares which may be issued under the Plan, (ii) materially modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan or (iii) reduce the exercise price of Options previously granted under the Plan shall be subject
to the approval of the Companys stockholders, except that any such increase, modification or reduction that may result from adjustments authorized by Article 16 does not require such approval. If the Plan is terminated, the terms of the Plan
shall, notwithstanding such termination, continue to apply to awards granted prior to such termination. No suspension, termination, modification or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the Employee to whom an award shall theretofore
have been granted, adversely affect the rights of such Employee under such award.
ARTICLE 18
WRITTEN AGREEMENT
Each
award of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Performance Shares, Performance Units, and Unrestricted Shares shall be evidenced by a written agreement, executed by the Employee and the Company, and containing such restrictions,
terms and conditions, if any, as the Committee may require. In the event of any conflict between a written agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern.
ARTICLE 19
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
19.1
Fair Market Value
. Fair market value for purposes of this Plan, shall be the closing price of the Common Stock as
reported on the principal exchange on which the shares are listed for the date on which the grant, exercise or other transaction occurs, or if there were no sales on such date, the most recent prior date on which there were sales.
19.2
Tax Withholding
. The Company shall have the right to require Employees or their beneficiaries or legal representatives to remit to
the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state and local withholding tax requirements, or to deduct from all payments under this Plan, amounts sufficient to satisfy all withholding tax requirements. Whenever payments under the Plan are
to be made to an Employee in cash, such payments shall be net of any amounts sufficient to satisfy all federal, state and local withholding tax requirements. The Committee may, in its discretion, permit an Employee to satisfy his or her tax
withholding obligation either by (i) surrendering shares owned by the Employee or (ii) having the Company withhold from shares otherwise deliverable to the Employee. Shares surrendered or withheld shall be valued at their fair market value
as of the date on which income is required to be recognized for income tax purposes. In the case of an award of Incentive Stock Options, the foregoing right shall be deemed to be provided to the Employee at the time of such award.
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19.3
Compliance With Section
16(b)
. In the case of Employees who are or
may be subject to Section 16 of the Act, it is the intent of the Company that any award granted hereunder satisfy and be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the applicable requirements of Rule
16b-3,
so that such persons will be entitled to the benefits of Rule
16b-3
or other exemptive rules under Section 16 of the Act and will not be subjected to liability thereunder. If any provision of the Plan or
any award would otherwise conflict with the intent expressed herein, that provision, to the extent possible, shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid such conflict. To the extent of any remaining irreconcilable conflict with such
intent, such provision shall be deemed void as applicable to Employees who are or may be subject to Section 16 of the Act.
19.4
Forfeiture; Recoupment
. The Committee reserves the right to cause a forfeiture of the gain realized by the Employee with respect to an award granted thereunder on account of actions taken by, or failed to be taken by, such Employee in
violation or breach of or in conflict with any (a) employment agreement, (b) confidentiality obligation with respect to the Company,
(c) non-competition
agreement, (d) agreement prohibiting
solicitation of employees or customers of the Company or any subsidiary, (e) Company policy or procedure, (f) other agreement, or (g) any other obligation of such Employee to the Company, as and to the extent specified in such
agreement. The Committee may annul an outstanding award if the Employee thereof is terminated for cause. Any award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to mandatory repayment by the Employee to the Company to the extent the Employee is, or
in the future becomes, subject to (a) any Company clawback or recoupment policy that is adopted to comply with the requirements of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or (b) any law, rule or regulation which imposes
mandatory recoupment under circumstances set forth in such law, rule or regulation.
19.5
Successors
. The obligations of the Company
under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the
assets and businesses of the Company. In the event of any of the foregoing, the Committee may, at its discretion prior to the consummation of the transaction, cancel, offer to purchase, exchange, adjust or modify any outstanding awards, at such time
and in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate and in accordance with applicable law.
19.6
General Creditor Status
.
Employees shall have no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments which the Company may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under the Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions,
shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Employee or beneficiary or legal representative of such Employee. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments
from the Company under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company and no special or separate fund
shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in the Plan.
19.7
No Right to Employment
. Nothing in the Plan or in any written agreement entered into pursuant to Article 18, nor the grant of any
award, shall confer upon any Employee any right to continue in the employ of the Company or a subsidiary or to be entitled to any remuneration or benefits not set forth in the Plan or such written agreement or interfere with or limit the right of
the Company or a subsidiary to modify the terms of or terminate such Employees employment at any time.
19.8
Notices
. Notices
required or permitted to be made under the Plan shall be sufficiently made if sent by registered or certified mail addressed (a) to the Employee at the Employees address as set forth in the books and records of the Company or its
subsidiaries, or (b) to the Company or the Committee at the principal office of the Company.
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19.9
Severability
. In the event that any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or
invalid for any reason, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
19.10
Governing Law
. To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in
accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Arkansas.
19.11
Term of Plan
. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to
Article 17 hereof, the Plan shall terminate on the earlier of the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board or February 27, 2022 (the Termination Date).
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AMENDMENT
TO
HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2006 STOCK OPTION AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN
Section 6.4 of the Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan is hereby amended to read in its entirety as
follows:
6.4 Exercise of Options. An Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time or times as the Committee shall determine.
The Committee may, in its discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option at any time. Options may be exercised by an Employee by giving written notice to the Committee stating the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the
Option is being exercised and tendering payment therefor. Payment for the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Option shall be made in full (a) in cash, (b) by certified check, (c) if the Committee, in its sole discretion,
permits (i) in shares of Common Stock (valued at fair market value on the date of exercise and which shall have been held for more than 6 months) or (ii) pursuant to a net exercise arrangement pursuant to which the Company will
reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a fair market value that does not exceed the aggregate option price; provided, however, that the Company shall accept a cash or other payment
from the Employee to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate option price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued, or (d) by a combination of the foregoing methods. As soon as reasonably
practicable following such exercise, a certificate representing the shares of Common Stock purchased, registered in the name of the Employee, shall be delivered to the Employee.
APPROVED by the Board of Directors of Home BancShares, Inc. at the special meeting duly called and held June 15, 2015.
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/s/ Holly McKenna
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Secretary
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AMENDMENT
TO
HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2006 STOCK OPTION AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN
The first sentence of Section 2.2 of the Home BancShares, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan is
hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
2.2
Maximum Shares Available
. The maximum aggregate number of shares of the
Companys Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock), available for award as Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Unrestricted Shares under the Plan, is
5,644,000, all of which are subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 16.
APPROVED by the Board of Directors of Home BancShares, Inc. at
the regular meeting duly called and held January 15, 2016, and by the shareholders of Home BancShares, Inc. at the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders duly called and held on April 21, 2016.
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/s/ Holly McKenna
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Secretary
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A-16
AMENDMENT
TO
HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2006 STOCK OPTION AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN
The first sentence of Section 2.2 of the Home BancShares, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as
amended (the Plan), is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
2.2
Maximum Shares Available
. The maximum
aggregate number of shares of the Companys Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock), available for award as Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Performance Shares, Performance Units and
Unrestricted Shares under the Plan, is 13,288,000, all of which are subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 16.
In addition, the
parenthetical at the end of Section 2.3 of the Plan is hereby amended to delete the number 2,322,000 and insert in its place the number 13,288,000.
APPROVED by the Board of Directors of Home BancShares, Inc. at a special meeting duly called and held on February 22, 2018, subject to
the approval of the shareholders of Home BancShares, Inc. at the 2018 annual meeting of shareholders.
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/s/ Holly McKenna
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Secretary
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Electronic Voting Instructions
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Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
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Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the voting
methods outlined below to vote your proxy.
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VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR.
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Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by
1:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time, on April 19, 2018.
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Vote by Internet
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Go to
www.envisionreports.com/HOMB
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Or scan
the QR code with your smartphone
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Follow the
steps outlined on the secure website
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Vote by telephone
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Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories &
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Canada on a touch tone telephone
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Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message
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Using a
black ink
pen, mark your votes with an
X
as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas.
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☒
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IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET
OR
TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.
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A
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Proposals
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The Board of Directors recommends a vote
FOR
all the nominees listed,
FOR
Proposals 2, 4
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and 5, and
1 YEAR
on Proposal 3.
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1.
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Election of Directors:
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For
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Withhold
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For
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Withhold
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For
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Withhold
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+
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01 - John W. Allison
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☐
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☐
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02 - C. Randall Sims
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☐
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☐
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03 - Brian S. Davis
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☐
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☐
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04 - Milburn Adams
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☐
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☐
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05 - Robert H. Adcock, Jr.
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☐
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☐
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06 - Richard H. Ashley
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☐
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☐
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07 - Mike D. Beebe
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☐
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08 - Jack E. Engelkes
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☐
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09 - Tracy M. French
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10 - Karen E. Garrett
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☐
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11 - James G. Hinkle
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☐
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12 - Alex R. Lieblong
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☐
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13 - Thomas J. Longe
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☐
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14 - Jim Rankin, Jr.
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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1 Year
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2 Years
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3 Years
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Abstain
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2.
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Advisory (non-binding) vote approving the Companys executive compensation.
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☐
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☐
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☐
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3.
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Advisory (non-binding) vote determining the frequency of advisory votes on the
Companys executive compensation.
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☐
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☐
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☐
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☐
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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4.
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Approval of an amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares reserved
for issuance under such plan to 13,288,000.
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☐
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☐
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☐
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5.
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Ratification of appointment of BKD, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the next fiscal year.
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☐
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☐
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☐
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6.
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Transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
or any adjournments thereof.
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B
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Authorized Signatures This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. Date and Sign
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Below
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Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or
custodian, please give full title.
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Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Please print date below.
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Signature 1 Please keep signature within the box.
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Signature 2 Please keep signature within the box.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING
AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIAL FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON APRIL 19, 2018:
The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K
are available at www.envisionreports.com/HOMB
q
IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET
OR
TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION,
DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
q
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Proxy HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
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+
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719 Harkrider Street, Suite 100
Conway, Arkansas 72032
(501) 339-2929
www.homebancshares.com
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 19, 2018
The undersigned constitutes and appoints Brian S. Davis and Jennifer C. Floyd or
either of them, proxies for the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to represent the undersigned and to vote all of the shares of common stock of Home BancShares, Inc. which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of
shareholders of the Company to be held on April 19, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) at the Statehouse Convention Center, located at 101 E. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, for the purposes stated on the reverse side.
This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner
directed herein by the undersigned shareholder. IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
FOR
ALL DIRECTOR NOMINEES LISTED,
FOR
PROPOSALS 2, 4 AND 5, AND
1 YEAR
ON PROPOSAL 3.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN YOUR PROXY AND RETURN IT WITHOUT DELAY
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Change of Address
Please print new address below.
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∎
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IF VOTING BY MAIL, YOU
MUST
COMPLETE SECTIONS A - C ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD.
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+
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