Both the NYSE and Nasdaq have issued proposed clawback rules in connection with SEC Rule 10D-1.
NYSE
The NYSE proposes to comply with Rule 10D-1 by adopting proposed new Section 303A.14 of the Listed Company Manual. Proposed Section 303A.14 is designed to conform closely to the applicable language of Rule 10D-1 and requires an issuer to adopt a Recovery Policy.
The issuer’s Recovery Policy must apply to all incentive-based compensation received by a person:
- After beginning service as an executive officer;
- Who served as an executive officer at any time during the performance period for that incentive-based compensation;
- While the issuer has a class of securities listed on a national securities exchange or a national securities association; and
- During the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date that the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement as described in proposed Section 303A.14.
An executive officer is the issuer’s president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer (or if there is no such accounting officer, the controller), any vice-president of the issuer in charge of a principal business unit, division, or function (such as sales, administration, or finance), any other officer who performs a policy-making function, or any other person who performs similar policy making functions for the issuer. Policy-making function is not intended to include policy making functions that are not significant. Identification of an executive officer for purposes of Section 303A.14 would include at a minimum executive officers identified pursuant to Regulation S-K Item 401(b).
The amount of incentive-based compensation that must be subject to the issuer’s recovery policy (“erroneously awarded compensation”) is the amount of incentive-based compensation received that exceeds the amount of incentive[1]based compensation that otherwise would have been received had it been determined based on the restated amounts, and must be computed without regard to any taxes paid. For incentive-based compensation based on stock price or total shareholder return, where the amount of erroneously awarded compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in an accounting restatement:
- The amount must be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the accounting restatement on the stock price or total shareholder return upon which the incentive-based compensation was received; and
- The issuer must maintain documentation of the determination of that reasonable estimate and provide such documentation to the Exchange.
The issuer must recover erroneously awarded compensation in compliance with its Recovery Policy except to the extent that the conditions in one of the three bullets set forth below are met, and the issuer’s committee of independent directors responsible for executive compensation decisions, or in the absence of such a committee, a majority of the independent directors serving on the board, has made a determination that recovery would be impracticable.
- The direct expense paid to a third party to assist in enforcing the policy would exceed the amount to be recovered. Before concluding that it would be impracticable to recover any amount of erroneously awarded compensation based on expense of enforcement, the issuer must make a reasonable attempt to recover such erroneously awarded compensation, document such reasonable attempt(s) to recover, and provide that documentation to the Exchange.
- Recovery would violate home country law where that law was adopted prior to November 28, 2022.
- Recovery would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to employees of the registrant, to fail to meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(13) or 26 U.S.C. 411(a) and regulations thereunder.
Proposed Section 802.01F(a) would provide that in any case where the Exchange determines that a listed issuer has not recovered erroneously-awarded compensation as required by its Recovery Policy reasonably promptly after such obligation is incurred, trading in all listed securities of such listed issuer would be immediately suspended and the Exchange would immediately commence delisting procedures with respect to all such listed securities. Rule 10D-1 does not specify the time by which the issuer must complete the recovery of excess incentive-based compensation, NYSE would however determine whether the steps an issuer is taking constitute compliance with its compensation Recovery Policy.
Nasdaq
As required by Rule 10D-1, Nasdaq proposes to adopt Listing Rule 5608, titled recovery of erroneously awarded compensation.
Under the proposed Rule, listed companies will be required to recover the amount of incentive-based compensation received by an executive officer that exceeds the amount the executive officer would have received had the incentive-based compensation been determined based on the accounting restatement. Incentive-based compensation is deemed received in the fiscal period during which the financial reporting measure specified in the incentive-based compensation award is attained, even if the grant or payment of the incentive-based compensation occurs after the end of that period. For incentive-based compensation based on stock price or total shareholder return, companies can use a reasonable estimate of the effect of the restatement on the applicable measure to determine the amount to be recovered.
Nasdaq defines “executive officer” in a manner similar to the NYSE proposal.
Equity awards that vest exclusively upon completion of a specified employment period, without any performance condition, and bonus awards that are discretionary or based on subjective goals or goals unrelated to financial reporting measures, do not constitute incentive-based compensation.
Nasdaq proposes to provide that a company is required to recover compensation in compliance with its recovery policy, except to the extent that pursuit of recovery would be impracticable in a manner similar to the NYSE proposal. Before concluding that pursuit is impracticable, a company must first make a reasonable attempt to recover the incentive-based compensation and provide that documentation to Nasdaq.
Nasdaq proposes to require that a company will be subject to delisting if it does not adopt a compensation recovery policy that complies with the applicable listing standard, disclose the policy in accordance with Commission rules or comply with the policy’s recovery provisions. Rule 10D-1 requires that a listed company recover the amount of erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation reasonably promptly, but does not specify the time by which the issuer must complete the recovery of excess incentive-based compensation; rather, Nasdaq would determine whether the steps an issuer is taking constitute compliance with its compensation recovery policy. The issuer’s obligation to recover erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation reasonably promptly will be assessed on a holistic basis with respect to each such accounting restatement prepared by the issuer. In evaluating whether an issuer is recovering erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation reasonably promptly, the Exchange will consider whether the issuer is pursuing an appropriate balance of cost and speed in determining the appropriate means to seek recovery, and whether the issuer is securing recovery through means that are appropriate based on the particular facts and circumstances of each executive officer that owes a recoverable amount.