UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d)
of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): March 1, 2016
Career Education Corporation
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
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| Delaware |
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0-23245 |
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36-3932190 |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation) |
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(Commission
File Number) |
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(IRS Employer
Identification No.) |
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| 231 North Martingale Road
Schaumburg, IL |
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60173 |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 781-3600
Not Applicable
(Former
Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report.)
Check the appropriate box below
if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| Item 5.02. |
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
On March 1, 2016, the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Career Education Corporation (the
“Company”) approved the following forms under the Career Education Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2008 Plan”): (i) performance-based cash-settled restricted stock unit agreement and
(ii) 2016 performance unit agreement, which forms are attached as Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2, respectively. The terms of each award are determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and will be set forth in an
individual’s award agreement on the attached forms.
| Item 9.01. |
Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
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| Exhibit
Number |
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Description of Exhibits |
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| 10.1 |
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Form of Cash-Settled Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the Career Education Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2008 Plan”) (Performance-Based) |
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| 10.2 |
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Form of 2016 Performance Unit Agreement under the 2008 Plan |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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| CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION |
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| By: |
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/s/ Jeffrey D. Ayers |
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Jeffrey D. Ayers |
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Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary |
Date: March 4, 2016
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Exhibit Index
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| Exhibit
Number |
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Description of Exhibits |
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| 10.1 |
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Form of Cash-Settled Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the Career Education Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2008 Plan”) (Performance-Based) |
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| 10.2 |
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Form of 2016 Performance Unit Agreement under the 2008 Plan |
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Exhibit 10.1
Cash-Settled RSU Agreement
(Performance-Based)
For
use commencing March 2016
CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION
2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
CASH-SETTLED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
This CASH-SETTLED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”)
dated
(the “Grant Date”) is by and between Career Education Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
(the “Grantee”).
To evidence such award and to set forth its terms, the Company and the Grantee agree as follows. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined
in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Career Education Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “Plan”).
1. Grant of Restricted Stock Units. Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, the Committee granted
to the Grantee Restricted Stock Units (the “RSUs”) on the Grant Date, and the Grantee hereby accepts the grant of the RSUs as set forth
herein.
2. Limitations on Transferability. Except in the event of the death of the Grantee, at any time prior to the Settlement Date, the
RSUs, or any interest therein, cannot be directly or indirectly transferred, sold, assigned, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered or otherwise disposed.
3.
Dates of Vesting. Subject to the provisions of Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement, the RSUs shall cease to be restricted and shall, subject to achievement of the Performance Goal set forth below, become non-forfeitable (thereafter being
referred to as “Vested RSUs”) in
([each a] “Vesting Date”). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, except as set forth in Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement, none of the RSUs shall become Vested RSUs on any Vesting Date unless
(the “Performance Goal”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to Sections 5 and 6 below, in the event that (a) the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service prior
to any Vesting Date, any RSUs that were unvested at the date of such Termination of Service, or (b) the Performance Goal is not achieved, then in either case the RSUs shall be immediately forfeited to the Company.
4. Crediting and Settling RSUs.
(a)
RSU Accounts. The Company shall establish an account on its books for each grantee who receives a grant of RSUs (the “RSU Account”). The RSUs granted hereby shall be credited to the RSU Account as of the Grant Date. The RSU
Account shall be maintained for record keeping purposes only and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate or set aside assets representing amounts credited to the RSU Account. The obligation to make distributions of amounts credited to the
RSU Account shall be an unfunded, unsecured obligation of the Company.
(b) Settlement of RSU Accounts. The Company shall
settle the RSU Account by delivering to the holder thereof (who may be the Grantee or his or her Beneficiary, as applicable) an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the number of Vested RSUs in the RSU Account as of the applicable Settlement
Date, multiplied by (ii) the Fair Market Value of a
Share on the applicable Vesting Date (subject to applicable tax withholding obligations set forth in Section 24 of this Agreement or otherwise required by any taxing authority). The
Settlement Date for all RSUs credited to the RSU Account shall be as soon as administratively practical following each Vesting Date (or the relevant vesting date set forth in Section 5(a) hereof), subject to achievement of the Performance Goal, but
in no event shall such Settlement Date be later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which a Vesting Date (or the relevant vesting date set forth in Section 5(a) hereof) occurs. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
in no case will the amount due to the Grantee in respect of an RSU exceed an amount equal to five times (5x) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date.
5. Termination of Service. Subject to Section 6, the provisions of this Section 5 shall apply in the event the Grantee incurs a Termination of
Service at any time prior to an applicable Vesting Date set forth in Section 3:
(a) If the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service
because of his or her death or Disability, any RSUs that had not become Vested RSUs prior to the date of the Termination of Service shall become Vested RSUs, and, as of the applicable Settlement Date, the Grantee (or his or her Beneficiary, as
applicable) shall be entitled to receive an amount determined pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
(b) If the Grantee incurs a Termination of
Service for any reason other than his or her death or Disability, then any RSUs that had not become Vested RSUs prior to the date of the Termination of Service shall be immediately forfeited to the Company.
6. Change in Control. Upon a Change in Control, the Grantee will have such rights with respect to the RSUs as are provided for in the Plan.
7. Adjustment in RSUs. The Committee may make or provide for such adjustments as provided for in Section 4.2 of the Plan.
8. Plan Amendment. No discontinuation, modification, or amendment of the Plan may, without the written consent of the Grantee, adversely affect
the rights of the Grantee under this Agreement, except as otherwise provided under the Plan.
9. No Stockholder Rights. The RSUs represent
only the right to receive cash pursuant to the terms hereof and shall not represent an equity security of the Company and shall not carry any voting or dividend rights.
10. Employment Rights. This Agreement is not a contract of employment, and the terms of employment of the Grantee or other relationship of the Grantee
with the Company shall not be affected in any way by this Agreement except as specifically provided herein. The Grantee’s execution or acceptance of this Agreement shall not be construed as conferring any legal rights upon the Grantee for a
continuation of an employment or other relationship with the Company, nor shall it interfere with the right of the Company to discharge the Grantee and to treat him or her without regard to the effect which such treatment might have upon him or her
as a Grantee.
11. Disclosure Rights. Except as required by applicable law, the Company (or any of its affiliates) shall not have any duty or
obligation to disclose any information to a record or beneficial holder of RSUs or Vested RSUs.
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12. Governing Law. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be
governed by and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (other than its laws respecting choice of law).
13. Compliance with Laws
and Regulations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to pay amounts due hereunder unless and until the Company is advised by its counsel that such payment is in compliance with all applicable
laws, regulations of governmental authority, and the requirements of any exchange upon which Shares are traded. The Company may require, as a condition of such payment, and in order to ensure compliance with such laws, regulations and requirements,
that the Grantee make such covenants, agreements, and representations as the Company, in its sole discretion, considers necessary or desirable.
14.
Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the succeeding administrators, heirs and legal representatives of the
Grantee and the successors and assigns of the Company.
15. No Limitation on Rights of the Company. This Agreement shall not in any way affect
the right of the Company to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise make changes in its capital or business structure, or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
16. Notices. Any communication or notice required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, and, if to the Company, to its principal
place of business, attention: Secretary, and, if to the Grantee, to the address appearing on the records of the Company. Such communication or notice shall be delivered personally or sent by certified, registered, or express mail, postage
prepaid, return receipt requested, or by a reputable overnight delivery service. Any such notice shall be deemed given when received by the intended recipient. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any notice required or permitted hereunder from the
Company to the Grantee may be made by electronic means, including by electronic mail to the Company-maintained electronic mailbox of the Grantee, and the Grantee hereby consents to receive such notice by electronic delivery. To the extent
permitted in an electronically delivered notice described in the previous sentence, the Grantee shall be permitted to respond to such notice or communication by way of a responsive electronic communication, including by electronic mail.
17. Construction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, this Agreement is made, and the RSUs are granted, pursuant to the
Plan and are in all respects limited by and subject to the express provisions of the Plan, as amended from time to time. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is inconsistent or in conflict with any term or provision of the Plan, the Plan
shall govern. The interpretation and construction by the Committee of the Plan, this Agreement and any such rules and regulations adopted by the Committee for purposes of administering the Plan, shall be final and binding upon the Grantee and all
other persons.
18. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Plan, constitute the entire obligation of the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter hereof and shall supersede any prior expressions of intent or understanding with respect to this transaction.
19.
Amendment. This Agreement may be amended as provided under the Plan, but except as provided in the Plan no such amendment shall adversely affect the Grantee’s rights under the Agreement without the Grantee’s written consent,
unless otherwise permitted by the Plan.
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20. Waiver; Cumulative Rights. The failure or delay of either party to require performance by the
other party of any provision hereof shall not affect its right to require performance of such provision unless and until such performance has been waived in writing. Each and every right hereunder is cumulative and may be exercised in part or
in whole from time to time.
21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but
both of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
22. Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
23. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement
shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not effect any other provision hereof, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.
24. Tax Consequences. Payments made pursuant hereto shall be subject to all required tax withholding obligations.
25. Receipt of Plan. The Grantee acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, and represents that the Grantee is familiar with the terms and
provisions thereof, and hereby accepts the RSUs subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement and of the Plan. The Committee shall interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement, and its interpretation and determination shall be
conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto and any other person claiming an interest hereunder, with respect to any issue arising hereunder or thereunder.
26. Restrictive Covenants. [The following shall be applicable to Grantees except those in the categories with special provisions set forth
below] In consideration of receiving the RSUs hereunder, and as a term and condition of the Grantee’s employment with the Company, the Grantee agrees to adhere to, and be bound by, the following restrictions. The Grantee hereby acknowledges
that the Grantee’s job responsibilities give the Grantee access to confidential and proprietary information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries, and that this and other confidential information to which the Grantee has access would
be of value, and provide an unfair advantage, to a competitor in competing against the Company or its subsidiaries in any of the markets in which the Company or its subsidiaries maintains schools, provides on-line education classes or otherwise
conducts business. The Grantee further acknowledges that the following restrictions will not cause the Grantee undue hardship. Consequently, the Grantee agrees that the restrictions below (the “Restrictive Covenants”) are reasonable
and necessary to protect the Company’s and/or its subsidiaries’ legitimate business interests.
During the Grantee’s employment with the
Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and continuing thereafter for the post-termination periods specified below, the Grantee will not, in any way, directly or indirectly, either for the Grantee or any other person or entity, whether paid or
unpaid:
(a) For
months following Grantee’s voluntary resignation from Grantee’s
employment with the Company or Grantee’s termination from employment by the Company for Cause, accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services to any person or entity that competes with the Company or any of its
subsidiaries in any capacity that involves any responsibilities or activities involving or relating to any Competing
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Educational Service, as defined herein. “Competing Educational Service” means any educational service that competes with the educational services provided by the Company and/or any
of its subsidiaries, including but not limited to coursework in the areas of visual communication and design technologies; information technology; business studies; culinary arts; and health education, or any education service. The Grantee hereby
acknowledges that the following organizations, among others, provide Competing Educational Services and, should the Grantee accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services to any of these organizations, it would
inevitably require the use and/or disclosure of confidential information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries and would provide such organizations with an unfair business advantage over the Company: American Public Education,
Inc., Anthem Education, Apollo Education Group, Inc., Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Capella Education Company, Career Step, LLC, Delta Career Education Corporation, DeVry Education Group Inc., Education Management Corporation, EmbanetCompass, Grand
Canyon Education Inc., ITT Educational Services Inc., Kaplan, Inc., Laureate Education, Inc., Learning Tree International Inc., Lincoln Education Services Corporation, National American University Holdings Inc., Ross Education, LLC, Strayer
Education Inc., Universal Technical Institute Inc., Zenith Education Group, Inc. and each of their respective subsidiaries, affiliates and successors. The Grantee further acknowledges that the Company and/or its subsidiaries provide
career-oriented education through physical campuses throughout the United States and web-based virtual campuses throughout the world and, therefore, it is impracticable to identify a limited, specific geographical scope for this Restrictive
Covenant. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event the Grantee is involuntarily terminated from employment with the Company other than for Cause, the Grantee will not be subject to any post-termination noncompete restriction under this Section
26(a).
(b) For
months following the Grantee’s termination of
employment with the Company for any reason, solicit, attempt to solicit, assist with the solicitation of, direct another to solicit, or otherwise entice any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to leave his/her employment.
(c) At all times following the Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason, reveal, divulge, or make known to any
person, firm or corporation any confidential information, or take any other action, in violation of the Confidential Information Policy in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics
Should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Company reserves the right to enforce the terms herein in court and seek any and all
remedies available to it in equity and law, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs should it succeed on its claim(s). Further, should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Grantee
will forfeit any right to the RSUs or payments made or remaining due hereunder, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in recovering such RSUs or
payments made pursuant hereto.
It is the intention of the Grantee and the Company that in the event any of the covenants contained in these Restrictive
Covenants are determined to be unreasonable and/or unenforceable with respect to scope, time or geographical coverage, the Grantee and the Company agree that such covenants may be modified and narrowed by a court, so as to provide the maximum
legally enforceable protection of the Company’s and any of its subsidiaries’ interests as described in this Agreement.
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[The following shall be applicable to California and Attorney Grantees as well as Grantees who are deemed to
be in a less competitively significant role] In consideration of receiving the RSUs hereunder, and as a term and condition of the Grantee’s employment with the Company, the Grantee agrees to adhere to, and be bound by, the following
restrictions. The Grantee hereby acknowledges that the Grantee’s job responsibilities give the Grantee access to confidential and proprietary information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries, and that this and other confidential
information to which the Grantee has access would be of value, and provide an unfair advantage, to a competitor in competing against the Company or its subsidiaries in any of the markets in which the Company or its subsidiaries maintains schools,
provides on-line education classes or otherwise conducts business. The Grantee further acknowledges that the following restrictions will not cause the Grantee undue hardship. Consequently, the Grantee agrees that the restrictions below (the
“Restrictive Covenants”) are reasonable and necessary to protect the Company’s and/or its subsidiaries’ legitimate business interests.
During the Grantee’s employment with the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and continuing thereafter for the post-termination periods specified
below, the Grantee will not, in any way, directly or indirectly, either for the Grantee or any other person or entity, whether paid or unpaid:
(a) For months
following Grantee’s voluntary resignation from Grantee’s employment with the Company or Grantee’s termination from employment by the Company for Cause, accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services
to any person or entity that would require the use, disclosure or dissemination of confidential information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event the Grantee is involuntarily terminated from
employment with the Company other than for Cause, the Grantee will not be subject to any post-termination restrictive covenant under this Section 26(a).
(b) For months
following Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason, solicit, attempt to solicit, assist with the solicitation of, direct another to solicit, or otherwise entice any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to leave his/her employment.
(c) At all times following the Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason,
reveal, divulge, or make known to any person, firm or corporation any confidential information, or take any other action, in violation of the Confidential Information Policy in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics
Should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Company reserves the right to enforce the terms herein in court and seek any and all
remedies available to it in equity and law, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs should it succeed on its claim(s). Further, should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Grantee
will forfeit any right to the RSUs or payments made or remaining due hereunder, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in recovering such RSUs or
payments made pursuant hereto.
It is the intention of the Grantee and the Company that in the event any of the covenants contained in these Restrictive
Covenants are determined to be unreasonable and/or unenforceable with respect to scope, time or geographical coverage, the Grantee and the
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Company agree that such covenants may be modified and narrowed by a court, so as to provide the maximum legally enforceable protection of the Company’s and any of its subsidiaries’
interests as described in this Agreement.
27. Cooperation. In the event of any pending or threatened investigation, proceeding, lawsuit,
claim or legal action against or involving the Company, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees to cooperate to the fullest extent possible in the investigation, preparation, prosecution, or defense of the Company’s case, including, but not limited
to, the execution of affidavits or documents, providing of information requested by the Company or the Company’s counsel, and meeting with Company representatives or the Company’s counsel. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed
as suggesting or implying that the Grantee should testify in any way other than truthfully or provide anything other than accurate, truthful information.
28. Condition to Accept Agreement. This Agreement will be null and void unless the Grantee indicates his or her acceptance of the award of the RSUs
provided for hereunder by signing, dating and returning this Agreement to the Company on or before
.
29. Clawback Policy. By accepting the grant of the RSUs pursuant to this Agreement, the Grantee hereby acknowledges that the Board has adopted a
policy pursuant to which the Grantee may be required to repay amounts otherwise paid pursuant to this Agreement to the extent (a) such amounts were predicated upon achieving certain financial results that were subsequently the subject of a material
restatement of Company financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; (b) the Board determines the Grantee engaged in intentional misconduct that caused or substantially caused the need for the material restatement; and (c)
a lower payment would have been made to the Grantee based upon the restated financial results (collectively, the “Policy”). By accepting the grant of the Performance Unit pursuant to this Agreement, the Grantee hereby agrees to be
bound by the Policy and any amendment or replacement thereof designed to comply with applicable law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or to comport with good corporate governance
practices, and to repay amounts that Grantee may be required to be repay thereunder.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed as of the day and year
first written above.
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| CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION |
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| [Name] |
| [Title] |
ACCEPTANCE (OR REJECTION) OF AWARD BY GRANTEE
The undersigned, the Grantee, hereby: (select one of the options below)
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ACCEPTS the award of RSUs as set forth in this Agreement and agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan. |
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REJECTS the award of RSUs contemplated by this Agreement and forfeits all rights relating thereto. Please note that a rejection of this award has no impact on any other award of options, restricted stock or
restricted stock units you have previously received, including any restrictive covenants you are subject to pursuant to the agreement(s) governing your previous awards. |
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| Date:
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(Signature of Grantee) |
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Print Name:
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Please sign and return a fully executed .pdf of this Cash-Settled Restricted Stock Unit Agreement by
to
via
. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the award. Please retain a
copy of this signed Cash-Settled Restricted Stock Unit Agreement for your records.
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Exhibit 10.2
2016 Performance Unit Agreement
CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION
2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
PERFORMANCE UNIT AGREEMENT
This PERFORMANCE UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated
(the “Grant Date”) is by and between Career Education Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
and (the “Grantee”).
To evidence such award and to set forth its terms, the Company and the Grantee agree as follows:
1. Definitions. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Career Education Corporation 2008
Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “Plan”). When used herein, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth in this Section 1.
(a) “Award Percentage” means a percentage determined pursuant to the table set forth below based on the Company’s
Performance Percentile.
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| Performance Percentile |
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Award Percentage |
| 75 or higher |
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200% |
| 70 |
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180% |
| 60 |
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140% |
| 50 |
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100% |
| 40 |
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80% |
| 30 |
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60% |
| 25 |
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50% |
| Lower than 25 |
|
0% |
Note: To the extent the Performance Percentile is in between the percentiles listed in the table above,
the applicable Award Percentage will be interpolated. For example, if the Performance Percentile is 55, then the Award Percentage would be 120%.
Notwithstanding the foregoing table, if the Company’s Total Shareholder Return is less than zero (0), then the Award Percentage will be
determined pursuant to the table set forth above, but in such case, the Award Percentage shall not exceed 100%.
(b) “Closing Stock
Price” means the average of the closing stock prices for each trading day during the 90 calendar day period immediately preceding, but not including, the last day of the Performance Period, except as otherwise provided in Section 1(e). The
Closing Stock Price shall be adjusted so that such price represents the amount it would have been had all dividends paid during the Performance Period been reinvested in stock of the Company or the Peer Group member, as applicable, on the dividend
date.
(c) “Opening Stock Price” means the average of the closing stock prices for each trading day during the 90 calendar
day period immediately preceding, but not including, the first day of the Performance Period.
(d) “Payment Date” means a
date selected by the Company which shall occur any time between the period beginning January 1, 2019 and ending on March 15, 2019.
(e) “Peer Group” means the entities listed on Exhibit A, but in each case only if the stock of
such entity remains publicly traded on a national securities exchange as of the last day of the Performance Period, except as follows:
(i)
If during the Performance Period a member of the Peer Group files a petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or liquidation under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, then such member shall remain as part of the
Peer Group; provided, however, that the Closing Stock Price with respect to such member shall be the average of the closing stock prices for each trading day during the 90 calendar day period immediately preceding, but not including, the last
trading day on which such member’s stock is publicly traded on a national securities exchange. If such member has not ceased to be publicly traded on a national securities exchange prior to the last day of the Performance Period, then such
member shall remain as part of the Peer Group without the adjustment to the Closing Stock Price set forth in this Section 1(e)(i).
(ii)
If during the Performance Period the stock of a member of the Peer Group ceases to be publicly traded on a national securities exchange as a result of voluntary or involuntary delisting (other than pursuant to an event described in Section
1(e)(iii)), then such member shall remain as part of the Peer Group; provided, however, that the Closing Stock Price with respect to such member shall be the average of the closing stock prices for each trading day during the 90 calendar day period
immediately preceding, but not including, the last trading day on which such member’s stock is publicly traded on a national securities exchange. If such member again becomes publicly traded on a national securities exchange prior to the date
that is 90 calendar days prior to the last day of the Performance Period, and remains continuously traded thereon during such period, then such member shall remain as part of the Peer Group without the adjustment to the Closing Stock Price set forth
in this Section 1(e)(ii).
(iii) If during the Performance Period the stock of a member of the Peer Group ceases to be publicly traded on a
national securities exchange as a result of a management buyout or other “going private” transaction, or a merger, acquisition or business combination transaction of such member by or with another entity where such member is not the
surviving entity, then such member shall be removed from the Peer Group.
For the avoidance of doubt, if during the Performance Period a member of the
Peer Group merges or otherwise combines with another entity in a transaction where such member is the surviving entity and remains publicly traded on a national securities exchange, then such member shall remain as part of the Peer Group until
determined otherwise pursuant to this Section 1(e). A “national securities exchange” means a securities exchange that has registered with the SEC under Section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(f) “Performance Percentile” means the rank, expressed as a percentile, of the Company’s Total Shareholder Return for the Performance
Period when compared against the Total Shareholder Return of each of the members of the Peer Group. For purposes of this ranking, the Total Shareholder Return for each member of the Peer Group shall first be determined and ranked and then the Total
Shareholder Return of the Company shall be compared to the ranking of the Peer Group members.
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(g) “Performance Period” means the period beginning on January 1, 2016 and
ending on December 31, 2018.
(h) “Target Value” means [INSERT TARGET VALUE FOR GRANTEE].
(i) “Total Shareholder Return” means the result (positive or negative) of the following formula (expressed as a percentage):
(A – B)/B; where “A” equals the Closing Stock Price, and “B” equals the Opening Stock Price.
2. Grant of Performance
Unit. Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, the Committee granted to the Grantee a performance unit (the “Performance Unit”) on the Grant Date, and the Grantee hereby
accepts the grant of the Performance Unit as set forth herein. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Performance Unit granted hereby shall have no value until the Payment Date.
3. Limitations on Transferability. Except in the event of the death of the Grantee, at any time prior to the Payment Date, the Performance Unit,
or any interest therein, cannot be directly or indirectly transferred, sold, assigned, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered or otherwise disposed.
4.
Payment for Performance Unit. Following the end of the Performance Period, but not later than March 15, 2019, the Company will pay the Grantee an amount in respect of the Performance Unit (which amount may not be less than zero
dollars ($0)) determined pursuant to this Section 4. The amount due to the Grantee in respect of the Performance Unit shall equal the product of (a) the Target Value, multiplied by (b) the Award Percentage. The amount payable to the
Grantee hereunder shall be subject to tax withholding as required by Section 24.
5.Termination of Service. Subject to Section 6, the
provisions of this Section 5 shall apply in the event the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service at any time prior to the end of the Performance Period.
(a)If the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service prior to the end of the Performance Period because of his or her death or Disability, the
Grantee (or his or her Beneficiary, if applicable) shall receive a payment in respect of the Performance Unit equal to the result of the following formula: A x (B/1095); where “A” equals the Target Value and “B” equals the number
of days elapsing between the beginning of the Performance Period and the applicable Termination of Service. The amount payable pursuant to this Section 5(a) (i) will be paid as soon as reasonably possible following the date of such Termination of
Service, but in no case later than March 15 of the year following the year in which such Termination of Service occurs, and (ii) will be subject to tax withholding as required by Section 24.
(b)If the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service prior to the end of the Performance Period for any reason other than his or her death or
Disability, then the Performance Unit shall be immediately forfeited to the Company and no amount will become due or owing to the Grantee under this Agreement.
For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service for any reason other than Cause after the end of the Performance Period but
prior to the Payment Date, he or
3
she shall remain eligible for the payment described in Section 4 hereof, and (ii) in the event the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service for Cause at any time prior to the Payment Date, no
amount shall be payable to the Grantee hereunder and the Performance Unit shall be forfeited by the Grantee as of the date of such Termination of Service.
6. Change in Control. Upon a Change in Control, the Grantee will have such rights with respect to the Performance Unit as are provided for in the
Plan.
7. Adjustment. The Committee may make or provide for such adjustments as provided for in Section 4.2 of the Plan.
8. Plan Amendment. No discontinuation, modification, or amendment of the Plan may, without the written consent of the Grantee, adversely affect
the rights of the Grantee under this Agreement, except as otherwise provided under the Plan.
9. No Stockholder Rights. The Performance Unit
represents only the right to receive cash pursuant to the terms hereof and shall not represent an equity security of the Company and shall not carry any voting or dividend rights.
10. Employment Rights. This Agreement is not a contract of employment and the terms of employment of the Grantee or other relationship of the Grantee
with the Company shall not be affected in any way by this Agreement except as specifically provided herein. The Grantee’s execution or acceptance of this Agreement shall not be construed as conferring any legal rights upon the Grantee for a
continuation of an employment or other relationship with the Company, nor shall it interfere with the right of the Company to discharge the Grantee and to treat him or her without regard to the effect which such treatment might have upon him or her
as a Grantee.
11. Disclosure Rights. Except as required by applicable law, the Company (or any of its affiliates) shall not have any duty or
obligation to disclose any information to the holder of the Performance Unit.
12. Governing Law. The interpretation, performance and
enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (other than its laws respecting choice of law).
13. Compliance with Laws and Regulations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to pay amounts due
hereunder unless and until the Company is advised by its counsel that such payment is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authority, and the requirements of any exchange upon which Shares are traded. The Company may
require, as a condition of such payment, and in order to ensure compliance with such laws, regulations and requirements, that the Grantee make such covenants, agreements, and representations as the Company, in its sole discretion, considers
necessary or desirable. In addition, to the extent that all or any portion of any payment otherwise due hereunder would not be deductible by the Company for federal tax purposes (irrespective of whether the Company would, in fact, have the
ability to take advantage of such deduction), then the Company reserves the right to reduce or eliminate such payment to an amount that would be deductible by the Company for federal tax purposes.
14. Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of, and be binding upon, the succeeding administrators, heirs and legal representatives of the Grantee and the successors and assigns of the Company.
4
15. No Limitation on Rights of the Company. This Agreement shall not in any way affect the right of
the Company to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise make changes in its capital or business structure, or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
16. Notices. Any communication or notice required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, and, if to the Company, to its principal
place of business, attention: Secretary, and, if to the Grantee, to the address appearing on the records of the Company. Such communication or notice shall be delivered personally or sent by certified, registered, or express mail, postage
prepaid, return receipt requested, or by a reputable overnight delivery service. Any such notice shall be deemed given when received by the intended recipient. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any notice required or permitted hereunder from the
Company to the Grantee may be made by electronic means, including by electronic mail to the Company-maintained electronic mailbox of the Grantee, and the Grantee hereby consents to receive such notice by electronic delivery. To the extent
permitted in an electronically delivered notice described in the previous sentence, the Grantee shall be permitted to respond to such notice or communication by way of a responsive electronic communication, including by electronic mail.
17. Construction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, this Agreement is made, and the Performance Unit is granted,
pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited by and subject to the express provisions of the Plan, as amended from time to time. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is inconsistent or in conflict with any term or provision of the
Plan, the Plan shall govern. The interpretation and construction by the Committee of the Plan, this Agreement and any such rules and regulations adopted by the Committee for purposes of administering the Plan shall be final and binding upon the
Grantee and all other persons.
18. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Plan, constitute the entire obligation of the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and shall supersede any prior expressions of intent or understanding with respect to this transaction.
19. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended as provided under the Plan, but except as provided in the Plan no such amendment shall adversely
affect the Grantee’s rights under the Agreement without the Grantee’s written consent, unless otherwise permitted by the Plan.
20. Waiver;
Cumulative Rights. The failure or delay of either party to require performance by the other party of any provision hereof shall not affect its right to require performance of such provision unless and until such performance has been waived
in writing. Each and every right hereunder is cumulative and may be exercised in part or in whole from time to time.
21.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but both of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
22. Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
23. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity
or unenforceability shall not effect any other provision hereof, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.
5
24. Tax Consequences. Payments made pursuant hereto shall be subject to all required tax withholding
obligations.
25. Receipt of Plan. The Grantee acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, and represents that the Grantee is familiar with
the terms and provisions thereof, and hereby accepts the Performance Unit subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement and of the Plan. The Committee shall interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement, and its interpretation
and determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto and any other person claiming an interest hereunder, with respect to any issue arising hereunder or thereunder.
26. Restrictive Covenants. [The following shall be applicable to Grantees except those in the categories with special provisions set forth
below] In consideration of receiving the Performance Unit hereunder, and as a term and condition of the Grantee’s employment with the Company, the Grantee agrees to adhere to, and be bound by, the following restrictions. The Grantee hereby
acknowledges that the Grantee’s job responsibilities give the Grantee access to confidential and proprietary information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries, and that this and other confidential information to which the Grantee has
access would be of value, and provide an unfair advantage, to a competitor in competing against the Company or its subsidiaries in any of the markets in which the Company or its subsidiaries maintains schools, provides on-line education classes or
otherwise conducts business. The Grantee further acknowledges that the following restrictions will not cause the Grantee undue hardship. Consequently, the Grantee agrees that the restrictions below (the “Restrictive Covenants”) are
reasonable and necessary to protect the Company’s and/or its subsidiaries’ legitimate business interests.
During the Grantee’s employment
with the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and continuing thereafter for the post-termination periods specified below, the Grantee will not, in any way, directly or indirectly, either for the Grantee or any other person or entity, whether paid
or unpaid:
(a) For
months following Grantee’s voluntary resignation from Grantee’s employment with the Company or Grantee’s
termination from employment by the Company for Cause, accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services to any person or entity that competes with the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any capacity that involves
any responsibilities or activities involving or relating to any Competing Educational Service, as defined herein. “Competing Educational Service” means any educational service that competes with the educational services provided by
the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries, including but not limited to coursework in the areas of visual communication and design technologies; information technology; business studies; culinary arts; and health education, or any education
service. The Grantee hereby acknowledges that the following organizations, among others, provide Competing Educational Services and, should the Grantee accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services to any of
these organizations, it would inevitably require the use and/or disclosure of confidential information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries and would provide such organizations with an unfair business advantage over the Company:
American Public Education, Inc., Anthem Education, Apollo Education Group, Inc., Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Capella Education Company, Career Step, LLC, Delta Career Education Corporation, DeVry Education Group Inc., Education Management
Corporation, EmbanetCompass, Grand Canyon
6
Education Inc., ITT Educational Services Inc., Kaplan, Inc., Laureate Education, Inc., Learning Tree International Inc., Lincoln Education Services Corporation, National American University
Holdings Inc., Ross Education, LLC, Strayer Education Inc., Universal Technical Institute Inc., Zenith Education Group, Inc. and each of their respective subsidiaries, affiliates and successors. The Grantee further acknowledges that the Company
and/or its subsidiaries provide career-oriented education through physical campuses throughout the United States and web-based virtual campuses throughout the world and, therefore, it is impracticable to identify a limited, specific geographical
scope for this Restrictive Covenant. For avoidance of doubt, in the event the Grantee is involuntarily terminated from employment with the Company other than for Cause, the Grantee will not be subject to any post-termination noncompete
restriction under this Section 26(a).
(b) For
months following Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason, solicit, attempt to solicit, assist
with the solicitation of, direct another to solicit, or otherwise entice any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to leave his/her employment.
(c) At all times following the Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason, reveal, divulge, or make known to any
person, firm or corporation any confidential information, or take any other action, in violation of the Confidential Information Policy in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics
Should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Company reserves the right to enforce the terms herein in court and seek any and all
remedies available to it in equity and law, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs should it succeed on its claim(s). Further, should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Grantee
will forfeit any right to the payments made or remaining due hereunder, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in recovering such payments made
pursuant hereto.
It is the intention of the Grantee and the Company that in the event any of the covenants contained in these Restrictive Covenants are
determined to be unreasonable and/or unenforceable with respect to scope, time or geographical coverage, the Grantee and the Company agree that such covenants may be modified and narrowed by a court, so as to provide the maximum legally enforceable
protection of the Company’s and any of its subsidiaries’ interests as described in this Agreement.
[The following shall be applicable to
California and Attorney Grantees as well as Grantees who are deemed to be in a less competitively significant role] In consideration of receiving the Performance Unit hereunder, and as a term and condition of the Grantee’s employment with
the Company, the Grantee agrees to adhere to, and be bound by, the following restrictions. The Grantee hereby acknowledges that the Grantee’s job responsibilities give the Grantee access to confidential and proprietary information belonging to
the Company and/or its subsidiaries, and that this and other confidential information to which the Grantee has access would be of value, and provide an unfair advantage, to a competitor in competing against the Company or its subsidiaries in any of
the markets in which the Company or its subsidiaries maintains schools, provides on-line education classes or otherwise conducts business. The Grantee further acknowledges that the following restrictions will not cause the Grantee undue hardship.
Consequently, the Grantee agrees that the restrictions below (the “Restrictive Covenants”) are reasonable and necessary to protect the Company’s and/or its subsidiaries’ legitimate business interests.
7
During the Grantee’s employment with the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and continuing thereafter
for the post-termination periods specified below, the Grantee will not, in any way, directly or indirectly, either for the Grantee or any other person or entity, whether paid or unpaid:
(a) For months
following Grantee’s voluntary resignation from Grantee’s employment with the Company or Grantee’s termination from employment by the Company for Cause, accept employment with, own, manage, operate, consult or provide expert services
to any person or entity that would require the use, disclosure or dissemination of confidential information belonging to the Company and/or its subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event the Grantee is involuntarily terminated from
employment with the Company other than for Cause, the Grantee will not be subject to any post-termination restrictive covenant under this Section 26(a).
(b) For months
following Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason, solicit, attempt to solicit, assist with the solicitation of, direct another to solicit, or otherwise entice any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to leave his/her employment.
(c) At all times following the Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason,
reveal, divulge, or make known to any person, firm or corporation any confidential information, or take any other action, in violation of the Confidential Information Policy in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics
Should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Company reserves the right to enforce the terms herein in court and seek any and all
remedies available to it in equity and law, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs should it succeed on its claim(s). Further, should the Grantee breach the terms of these Restrictive Covenants, the Grantee
will forfeit any right to the payments made or remaining due hereunder, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the Grantee agrees to pay the Company’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in recovering such payments made
pursuant hereto.
It is the intention of the Grantee and the Company that in the event any of the covenants contained in these Restrictive Covenants are
determined to be unreasonable and/or unenforceable with respect to scope, time or geographical coverage, the Grantee and the Company agree that such covenants may be modified and narrowed by a court, so as to provide the maximum legally enforceable
protection of the Company’s and any of its subsidiaries’ interests as described in this Agreement.
27. Cooperation. In the event of
any pending or threatened investigation, proceeding, lawsuit, claim or legal action against or involving the Company, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees to cooperate to the fullest extent possible in the investigation, preparation, prosecution, or
defense of the Company’s case, including, but not limited to, the execution of affidavits or documents, providing of information requested by the Company or the Company’s counsel, and meeting with Company representatives or the
Company’s counsel. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as suggesting or implying that the Grantee should testify in any way other than truthfully or provide anything other than accurate, truthful information.
28. Clawback Policy. By accepting the grant of the Performance Unit pursuant to this Agreement, the Grantee hereby acknowledges that the Board has
adopted a policy pursuant to
8
which the Grantee may be required to repay amounts otherwise paid pursuant to this Agreement to the extent (a) such amounts were predicated upon achieving certain financial results that were
subsequently the subject of a material restatement of Company financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; (b) the Board determines the Grantee engaged in intentional misconduct that caused or substantially caused the need
for the material restatement; and (c) a lower payment would have been made to the Grantee based upon the restated financial results (collectively, the “Policy”). By accepting the grant of the Performance Unit pursuant to this
Agreement, the Grantee hereby agrees to be bound by the Policy and any amendment or replacement thereof designed to comply with applicable law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or to
comport with good corporate governance practices, and to repay amounts that Grantee may be required to be repay thereunder.
29. Condition to
Accept Agreement. This Agreement will be null and void unless the Grantee indicates his or her acceptance of the award of the Performance Unit provided for hereunder by signing, dating and returning this Agreement to the Company on or before
.
[Signature Page Follows]
9
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed as of the day and year
first written above.
|
| CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION |
|
| [Name] |
| [Title] |
ACCEPTANCE (OR REJECTION) OF AWARD BY GRANTEE
The undersigned, the Grantee, hereby: (select one of the options below)
| |
ACCEPTS the award of the Performance Unit as set forth in this Agreement and agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan. |
| |
REJECTS the award of the Performance Unit contemplated by this Agreement and forfeits all rights relating thereto. Please note that a rejection of this award has no impact on any other award of options,
restricted stock or restricted stock units you have previously received, including any restrictive covenants you are subject to pursuant to the agreement(s) governing your previous awards. |
|
|
|
| Date:
|
|
|
|
|
(Signature of Grantee) |
|
|
Print Name:
|
Please sign and return your signed copy of this Performance Unit Agreement
by , to
at
via
. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the award. Please retain a copy of this signed Performance Unit Agreement for
your records.
10
EXHIBIT A
PEER GROUP
| |
1. |
American Public Education, Inc. |
| |
3. |
Bridgepoint Education, Inc. |
| |
4. |
Capella Education Company |
| |
6. |
ITT Educational Services Inc. |
| |
7. |
Grand Canyon Education Inc. |
| |
8. |
Graham Holdings Company |
| |
10. |
Lincoln Education Services Corporation |
| |
11. |
National American University Holdings Inc. |
| |
12. |
Strayer Education Inc. |
| |
13. |
Universal Technical Institute Inc. |
11
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