Documents
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. __ )
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by
the Registrant x
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by
a Party other than the Registrant ¨
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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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x
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Definitive
Proxy Statement
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¨
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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¨
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
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Raymond
James Financial, Inc.
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
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(2)
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Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
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Per
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to
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fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
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(4)
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Proposed
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Persons
who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form
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RAYMOND
JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
880
Carillon Parkway
St.
Petersburg, Florida 33716
(727)
567-1000
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
February
15, 2007
To
the
Shareholders of Raymond James Financial, Inc.:
The
Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Raymond James Financial, Inc. will be held
at
the Raymond James Financial Center, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg,
Florida, on Thursday, February 15, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. for the following
purposes:
1.
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To
elect nine nominees to the Board of Directors of the
Company.
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2.
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To
ratify the appointment by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
of
KPMG LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting
firm.
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3.
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To
approve the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan.
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4.
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To
approve the 2007 Stock Option Plan for Independent
Contractors.
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5.
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To
approve an amendment to the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan to increase
the
number of shares by 2,000,000.
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Shareholders
of record as of the close of business on December 11, 2006 will be entitled
to
vote at this meeting or any adjournment thereof. Information relating to the
matters to be considered and voted on at the Annual Meeting is set forth in
the
Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice.
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By
order of the Board of Directors,
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/s/
PAUL L. MATECKI
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Paul
L. Matecki, Secretary
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January
9, 2007
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YOUR
VOTE IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY. If
you do not expect to attend the meeting in person, please vote on
the
matters to be considered at the meeting by completing the enclosed
proxy
and mailing it promptly in the enclosed envelope, or by telephone
or
internet vote.
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Page
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Proxy
Statement
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1
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Shareholders
Sharing the Same Last Name and Address
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1
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Electronic
Access to Corporate Governance Documents
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2
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Electronic
Access to Proxy Materials and Annual Report; Internet
Voting
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2
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Shareholders
Entitled to Vote and Principal Shareholders
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2
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Proposal
1: Election of Directors
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4
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Information
Regarding Board and Committee Structure
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6
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Outside
Director Stock Options
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7
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Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
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7
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Report
of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
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7
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Corporate
Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee Report on
Executive
Compensation
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9
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Summary
Compensation Table
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12
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Stock
Options
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13
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Comparative
Stock Performance
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14
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Transactions
with Management and Directors
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15
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Equity
Compensation Plan Information
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16
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Proposal
2: To ratify the appointment by the Audit Committee of the Board
of
Directors of
KPMG LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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17
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Fees
Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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17
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Proposal
3: To approve the 2007 Raymond James Financial, Inc. Stock Bonus
Plan
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18
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Proposal
4: To approve the 2007 Raymond James Financial, Inc. Stock Option
Plan for
Independent Contractors
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20
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Proposal
5: To approve an amendment to the 2005 Raymond James Financial, Inc.
Restricted Stock Plan to increase the number of shares by
2,000,000.
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21
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Other
Matters
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23
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PROXY
STATEMENT
This
proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies
on
behalf of the Board of Directors of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (the
"Company") for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on February 15,
2007 at 4:30 p.m., or any adjournment thereof. These proxy materials are
expected to be mailed out on or about January 17, 2007, to all shareholders
entitled to vote at the meeting.
If
the
accompanying proxy form is completed, signed and returned, the shares
represented thereby will be voted at the meeting. Delivery of the proxy does
not
affect your right to attend the meeting. However, if your shares are held in
the
name of a bank, broker or other holder of record, you must obtain a proxy from
the holder of record, executed in your favor, to be able to vote at the meeting.
Otherwise, your shares will be voted in the manner in which you instructed
the
record holder of your shares.
If
you
are a shareholder of record, you may revoke your proxy at any time prior to
the
close of the polls at the Annual Meeting by submitting a later dated proxy
to
the Secretary of the Company, or delivering a written notice of revocation
to
the Corporate Secretary, at Raymond James Financial, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway,
St. Petersburg, Florida, 33716. If you hold shares through a bank, broker or
other holder of record, you must contact that entity to revoke any prior voting
instructions.
Each
share of the Company's common stock outstanding on the record date will be
entitled to one vote on each matter. The nine nominees for election as directors
who receive the most votes “for” election will be elected. Ratification of the
appointment of the Company's independent registered public accounting firm
and
approval of any proposal or other business that may properly come before the
meeting will each require that the votes cast favoring the action exceed the
votes cast opposing the action.
For
election of directors, withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes do
not
affect whether a nominee has received sufficient votes to be elected. For the
purpose of determining whether the shareholders have approved matters other
than
the election of directors, withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes
do
not have the same effect as a negative vote. Shares represented at the Annual
Meeting in person or by proxy are counted for quorum purposes, even if they
are
not voted on any matter. Please note that banks and brokers that have not
received voting instructions from their customers may vote their customers’
shares on the election of directors and the ratification of KPMG LLP as the
Company's independent registered public accounting firm but not on Proposals
3,
4 and 5.
A
copy of
the Company's Annual Report is being furnished to each shareholder together
with
this proxy statement. The Company has retained Mellon Investor Services LLC
to
assist it with the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s shareholders of
record as well as beneficial owners. For these services, the Company will pay
Mellon Investor Services LLC a fee of approximately $8,500, plus expenses.
Any
other proxy solicitation costs will also be paid by the Company.
SHAREHOLDERS
SHARING THE SAME LAST NAME AND ADDRESS
In
accordance with notices that certain banks and brokerage firms sent to certain
shareholders, shareholders who share the same last name and address are
receiving only one copy of the Company’s annual report and proxy statement,
unless they have notified the Company that they want to continue receiving
multiple copies. This practice, known as “householding,” is designed to reduce
duplicate mailings and save significant printing and postage costs as well
as
natural resources.
If
you
received a household mailing this year and you would like to have additional
copies of the Company’s annual report and/or proxy statement mailed to you, or
you would like to opt out of this practice for future mailings, please contact
the Corporate Secretary at (727) 567-1000 or write to him care of Raymond James
Financial, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. We will
promptly send additional copies of the annual report and/or proxy statement
upon
receipt of such request.
Householding
for bank and brokerage accounts is limited to accounts within the same bank
or
brokerage firm. For example, if you and your spouse share the same last name
and
address, and you and your spouse each have accounts containing Raymond James
Financial stock at two different brokerage firms, your household will receive
two copies of the Company’s annual meeting materials—one from each brokerage
firm. To reduce the number of duplicate sets of annual meeting materials your
household receives, you may want to take advantage of the Company’s electronic
access program. See “Electronic Access to Proxy Materials and Annual Report;
Internet Voting.”
ELECTRONIC
ACCESS TO CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS
The
Company also makes available on its Internet site at http://www.raymondjames.com
under “About Our Company - Inside Raymond James - Corporate Governance” a number
of the Company’s corporate governance documents. These include: the Corporate
Governance Principles, the charters of the Audit Committee and the Corporate
Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors,
the
Senior Financial Officers’ Code of Ethics and the Codes of Ethics for Employees
and the Board of Directors. Printed copies of these documents will be furnished
to any shareholder who requests them. A copy of the current charter of the
Audit
Committee is appended to this proxy statement as Appendix A. The information
on
the Company’s Internet site is not incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement.
ELECTRONIC
ACCESS TO PROXY MATERIALS AND ANNUAL REPORT; INTERNET
VOTING
This
notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement and the 2006 Annual Report are
available on the Company’s Internet site. If you are a shareholder of record and
would like to view future proxy statements and annual reports over the Internet
instead of receiving copies in the mail, follow the instructions provided when
you vote over the Internet. If you hold your shares through a bank, broker,
or
other holder, check the information provided by that entity for instructions
on
how to elect to view future proxy statements and annual reports electronically
in lieu of receiving copies and how to vote your shares over the Internet.
Opting to access your proxy materials online saves the Company the cost of
producing and mailing these materials to your home or office and gives you
an
automatic link to the proxy voting site.
Most
shareholders of record have a choice of voting over the Internet, by telephone,
or by using a traditional proxy card. Please check your proxy card or the
information forwarded by your bank, broker or other holder of record to see
which options are available to you.
SHAREHOLDERS
ENTITLED TO VOTE
AND
PRINCIPAL
SHAREHOLDERS
Shareholders
of record at the close of business on December 11, 2006 will be entitled to
notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. As of December 11, 2006, there
were 117,103,457 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote.
Shareholders are entitled to one vote per share on all matters.
The
following table sets forth, as of December 11, 2006, information regarding
the
beneficial ownership of the Company's common stock by each person known by
the
Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the shares of the Company's common
stock, each Director, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and the four other
highest paid executive officers (the "Named Executive Officers"), and all
Directors and executive officers as a group.
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Beneficially
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Percent
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Name
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Owned
Shares
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of
Class
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Earnest
Partners LLC
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11,781,631
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(1)
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10.1%
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1180
Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2300
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Atlanta,
GA 30309
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Private
Capital Management, L.P.
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10,149,333
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(2)
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8.7%
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8889
Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 500
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Naples,
FL 34108
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Robert
A. James Trust
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7,566,030
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6.5%
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1201
Pacific Avenue, Suite 150
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Tacoma,
WA 98401
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Thomas
A. James, Chairman, CEO, Director
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14,881,361
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(3) (4)
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12.7%
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Richard
G. Averitt, III, Chairman, CEO RJFS
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284,447
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(3)
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*
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Angela
M. Biever, Director
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13,662
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*
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Francis
S. Godbold, Vice Chairman, Director
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523,754
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(3)
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*
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H.
William Habermeyer, Jr., Director
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6,081
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*
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Chet
Helck, President, COO, Director
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207,532
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(3)
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*
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Dr.
Paul W. Marshall, Director
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17,720
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*
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Paul
C. Reilly, Director
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412
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*
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Richard
K. Riess, Executive Vice President
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65,296
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(3)
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*
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Kenneth
A. Shields, Director
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127,488
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(5)
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*
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Hardwick
Simmons, Director
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25,031
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*
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Jeffrey
E. Trocin, Executive Vice President
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144,548
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(3)
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*
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All
Executive Officers
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and
Directors as a Group
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17,021,306
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(3)
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14.5%
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(21
persons)
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*
Less
than one percent.
(1) Based
on information contained in Form 13F-HR/A filed with the SEC on November 13,
2006. Earnest Partners LLC is the beneficial owner of these shares of common
stock held in accounts managed for clients.
(2) Based
on information contained in Form 13F-HR filed with the SEC on November 14,
2006.
Private Capital Management, L.P. is the beneficial owner of these shares of
common stock held in accounts managed for clients.
(3) Includes
shares credited to Employee Stock Ownership Plan accounts and shares which
can
be acquired within sixty days of record date through the exercise of stock
options.
(4) Includes
415,893 shares owned by the Robert A. and Helen James' Annuity Trust, of which
Thomas A. James is a remainder beneficiary and for which Raymond James Trust
Company West, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, serves as trustee.
Excludes shares held by two trusts, of which he is not a beneficiary: 7,566,030
shares owned by the Robert A. James Trust and 208,439 shares owned by the James'
Grandchildren's Trust, for both of which Raymond James Trust Company West serves
as trustee, and both of which have as beneficiaries other James family members.
Thomas A. James disclaims any beneficial interest in these two
trusts.
(5) Exchangeable
shares that were issued January 2, 2001 in connection with the acquisition
of
Goepel McDermid, Inc. They are exchangeable into shares of the Company's common
stock on a one-for-one basis.
PROPOSAL
1: ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
The
Company's Board of Directors presently consists of five independent directors
and four management directors. All of the present members of the Board of
Directors have been proposed for re-election by the Corporate Governance,
Nominating and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
The
nine
directors to be elected are to hold office until the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders in 2008 and until their respective successors shall have been
elected. All of the nominees were elected by the shareholders on February 16,
2006, to serve as Directors of the Company until the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders in 2007.
It
is
intended that proxies received will be voted to elect the nominees named below.
Should any nominee decline or be unable to accept such nomination to serve
as a
Director due to events which are not presently anticipated, discretionary
authority may be exercised by the holder of the proxies to vote for a substitute
nominee.
Although
Dr. Paul Marshall intended to retire from the Board of Directors in accordance
with the term limits in the Company’s Corporate Governance principles, he is
standing for re-election as an accommodation to the Company in light of the
recent resignation of Ms. Alex Sink from the Board. Ms. Sink resigned from
the
Board as a result of her election as the new Chief Financial Officer of the
State of Florida. The Company’s Corporate Governance Principles provides an
exception in its term limit provisions that permits this accommodation.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
NOMINEES:
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Principal
Occupation (1) and
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Director
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Nominee
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Age
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Directorships
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Since
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Angela
M. Biever*
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53
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Managing
Director, Consumer Internet, Intel Capital since 2006; General Manager,
Intel New Business Initiatives from 2000 to 2006; Director, Intel
Capital
from 1999 to 2000; Independent Consultant, working with a leading
Internet
Services Provider from 1997 to 1998; Various senior management positions
with First Data Corporation, an information and transaction processor
from
1991 to 1997. Chairperson of the Audit Committee.
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1997
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Francis
S. Godbold
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63
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Vice
Chairman of Raymond James Financial, Inc. ("RJF"); Director and Officer
of
various affiliated entities. Executive Vice President of Raymond
James
& Associates, Inc. ("RJA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
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1977
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H.
William Habermeyer, Jr.*
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64
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Retired;
former President and CEO, Progress Energy Florida from 2000 to 2006;
Vice
President, Carolina Power & Light from 1993 to 2000; U.S. Navy from
1964 to 1992 - retired a Rear Admiral. Member of the Audit
Committee.
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2003
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Principal
Occupation (1) and
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Director
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Nominee
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Age
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Directorships
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Since
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Chet
Helck
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54
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President
and Chief Operating Officer of RJF since 2002; Executive Vice President
of
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. ("RJFS"), a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, from 1999 to 2002; Senior Vice President, RJFS from
1997
to 1999. Director of RJFS and RJA. Director, Securities Industry
and
Financial Markets Association.
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2003
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Thomas
A. James
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64
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Chairman
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of RJF. Director and Officer
of
various affiliated entities. Past Chairman of the Securities Industry
Association. Director of OSI Restaurant Partners, Inc. and Chairman
of its
Audit Committee.
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1965
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Dr.
Paul W. Marshall*
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65
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The
MBA Class of 1960 Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Graduate
School of Business Administration since 1996; Chairman and CEO of
Rochester Shoe Tree Co., Inc. from 1992 to 1997; Chairman of Corporate
Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee.
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1993
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Paul
C. Reilly*
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52
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Chairman
and CEO, Korn Ferry International since 2001. CEO, KPMG International
1998
to 2001. Prior to being named to that position, Vice Chairman, Financial
Services of KPMG LLP, the United States member firm of KPMG International.
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2006
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Kenneth
A. Shields
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58
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Chairman
of Raymond James Ltd. ("RJ Ltd."), a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Company (formerly Goepel McDermid Inc, a Canadian brokerage firm).
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RJ Ltd. and predecessor Company
from 1996 to January 31, 2006. Past Chairman of the Investment Dealers
Association of Canada; Director of TimberWest Forest Corp.; Lead
Director
and Deputy Chairman, Mercer International Inc.
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2001
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Principal
Occupation (1) and
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Director
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Nominee
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Age
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Directorships
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Since
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Hardwick
Simmons*
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66
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Director,
The National Research Exchange since 2005; Director,
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. since 2005; Chairman and CEO of the
NASDAQ
Stock Market from 2001 to 2003; President and CEO of Prudential Securities
from 1990 to 2001; President, Shearson Lehman Brothers - Private
Client
Group, from 1983 to 1990, Past Chairman of the Securities Industry
Association; Past Director of the NASD. Lead Director and Member
of
Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation
Committee.
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2003
|
*
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Determined
to be independent directors under New York Stock Exchange standards;
see
"Information Regarding Board and Committee Structure"
below.
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(1)
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Unless
otherwise noted, the nominee has had the same principal occupation
and
employment during the last five
years.
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INFORMATION
REGARDING BOARD AND
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
The
Board
of Directors held four regular meetings during fiscal 2006. All directors
attended at least 75% of the meetings held during the fiscal year.
The
current standing Committees of the Board of Directors are the Audit Committee,
and the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee. The
Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee met four times
and
held one telephone meeting during the fiscal year. All Committee members
attended at least 75% of the meetings held during the fiscal year. The Audit
Committee met four times and held five telephone meetings during the fiscal
year. Each member of this Committee participated in at least 75% of the meetings
held during the fiscal year. The activities of the Committees are set out in
their reports below.
The
Nominating Committee, comprised of two independent Directors as determined
under
New York Stock Exchange rules, also serves as the Corporate Governance and
Compensation Committee. This Committee identifies potential nominees to the
Board of Directors, including candidates recommended by management, and reviews
their qualifications and experience. Candidates for board membership are
expected to demonstrate high standards of integrity and character and offer
important perspectives on some aspect of the Company's business based on their
own business experience. The Company has not paid any third party a fee to
assist in the process of identifying and evaluating candidates.
This
Committee has not adopted any specific process or policy for considering
nominees put forward by shareholders and has never been requested to consider
such a nominee.
The
Nominating Committee has determined that the Directors identified as Independent
Directors have no material relationship with the Company that would impair
their
independence. In that connection, the Committee considered that the Company
purchases its electric power needs from Progress Energy Florida, of which
William Habermeyer, Jr. was President and CEO until June 1, 2006, and determined
that the nature of this business relationship did not constitute any impairment
of independence.
The
Committee also considered that RJ Ltd. paid Korn Ferry International, of which
Paul C. Reilly is Chairman and CEO, recruiting fees of approximately $215,000
during fiscal 2006 and determined that these fees did not result in any
impairment of his independence. In connection with the solicitation of proxies
for the Company’s 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Institutional
Shareholders Services (“ISS”) considered Mr. Reilly an affiliated outside
director because the Korn Ferry provided executive recruiting services to the
Company for which it was paid $218,000. ISS recommended withholding votes not
only for Mr. Reilly, but for all “inside” directors as well, due to his
affiliated designation. ISS categorizes executive recruiting as a professional
service similar to accounting or legal services. At that time, the ISS position
on that relationship was absolute, lacking any de minimis threshold, unlike
the
New York Stock Exchange’s independence requirements.
For
2007,
ISS has adopted a $10,000 de minimis threshold. During fiscal 2006, the
Company’s Canadian subsidiary paid Korn Ferry approximately $215,000 in
connection with four recruiting engagements, none of which involved an executive
officer of the Company. The amount paid to Korn Ferry represented 0.038% of
its
fiscal 2006 revenues of $551.7 million. Under the NYSE rules, the Company’s
Board of Directors determined that the Korn Ferry engagements did not constitute
a material relationship since dollar amount paid to Korn Ferry did not exceed
the greater of $1,000,000 or two percent of Korn Ferry’s revenues during the
past three years. The Company believes that ISS’s position with respect to Korn
Ferry’s and Mr. Reilly’s relationship with the Company remains unduly
restrictive and inappropriate, because it eliminates the exercise of business
judgment on the part of the Company’s Board with respect to Mr. Reilly’s
independence.
Shareholders
may communicate with directors of the Company by writing to them at the
Company's headquarters, or by contact through the Company's website.
Communications addressed to the Board of Directors will be reviewed by the
Secretary of the Company and directed to them for their consideration if
appropriate.
It
is the
Company's policy that directors attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders;
at
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 16, 2006, all of the Company's
Directors at that date were present.
Independent
Directors receive a $25,000 annual retainer, a $5,000 attendance fee for each
regular meeting, $500 for each telephone meeting and a $1,000 attendance fee
for
Committee service. The Lead Director and the Audit Committee Chair each receive
an additional $7,500 as part of their annual retainer, and the Chairman of
the
Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee receives an
additional $4,000 as part of his annual retainer. Management Directors do not
receive any additional compensation for service as Directors.
OUTSIDE
DIRECTOR STOCK OPTIONS
There
is
a non-qualified stock option plan for the Company's outside Directors covering
854,298 shares of the Company's common stock. These options, 64,688 of which
were outstanding at September 30, 2006, are exercisable at prices ranging from
$11.02 to $30.13 at various times through February 2009. Outside directors
are
currently granted 2,500 options each per year.
SECTION
16(a)
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Jeffrey
Trocin, an officer of the Company, filed a late Form 5 reflecting two
transactions. Paul Matecki, an officer of the Company, filed a late Form 4
reflecting two transactions. Jeffrey Julien, an officer of the Company, filed
a
late Form 4 reflecting one transaction. Peter Bailey, an officer of Raymond
James, Ltd., filed a late Form 3 and a late Form 4 reflecting one transaction.
Kenneth Armstrong, an officer of the Company, filed a late Form 3.
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The
Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors consists of Angela Biever (Chairperson),
Paul C. Reilly and H. William Habermeyer. This Committee conducts its activities
pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board of Directors, which is
reviewed annually and was last revised by the Board of Directors on November
28,
2006. The Committee serves as the principal agent of the Board of Directors
in
fulfilling the Board's oversight responsibilities with respect to the Company's
financial reporting, the qualifications and independence of the independent
registered public accounting firm, the Company's systems of internal controls
and the Company's procedures for establishing compliance with legal and
regulatory requirements.
The
Charter of the Audit Committee provides that the Audit Committee is responsible
for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the independent
registered public accounting firm and must approve in advance any work to be
performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit
Committee has not established any general pre-approval procedures, but instead
reviews each proposed engagement to determine whether the provision of services
is compatible with maintaining the independence of the independent registered
public accounting firm.
In
addition to four regularly scheduled meetings during the course of the fiscal
year, members of the Audit Committee held five telephone meetings, generally
to
review with management and representatives of KPMG LLP the Company's quarterly
financial results prior to release to the public.
Members
of the Committee have reviewed and discussed with management and with
representatives of KPMG LLP the integrated audit of the consolidated financial
statements and internal control over financial reporting for fiscal 2006. The
consolidated financial statements for fiscal 2006 are contained in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, the Committee reviewed with the
independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be
discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, Communication with Audit
Committees, as amended. The Committee also received the written disclosures
and
the letter from KPMG LLP required by Independence Standards Board Standard
No. 1
and discussed with KPMG LLP their independence from the Company and its
management, and considered their independence in connection with any non-audit
services provided. The Audit Committee also reviewed with KPMG LLP the critical
accounting policies and practices followed by the Company and certain written
communications between KPMG LLP and the management of the Company.
Based
on
the reviews and discussions referred to above, and in reliance on the
representations of management and the independent registered public accounting
firm's report with respect to the financial statements, the Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements
be
included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2006 for filing
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board of Directors approved
the
recommendation.
Management
is responsible for the Company's financial statements and the financial
reporting process, including the Company's system of internal controls. The
Company's independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for
the
integrated audit of the consolidated financial statements and internal control
over financial reporting in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board and issuing reports on the Company's consolidated
financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting.
The
Audit
Committee members are not professional accountants or auditors, and their
functions are not intended to duplicate or to certify the activities of
management and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit
Committee serves a board-level oversight role, in which it provides advice,
counsel and direction to management and the independent registered public
accounting firm on the basis of the information it receives, discussions with
management and the independent registered public accounting firm, and the
experience of the Audit Committee's members in business, financial and
accounting matters. In its oversight role, the Committee relies on the work
and
assurances of the Company's management, which has the primary responsibility
for
financial statements and reports, and of the independent registered public
accounting firm, who, in their report, express an opinion on the conformity
of
the Company's annual financial statements with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America.
The
Board
of Directors has determined that each of the members of the Audit Committee
qualifies as an Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Angela
M. Biever, Chairperson
|
Paul
C. Reilly
|
H.
William Habermeyer, Jr.
|
|
December
29, 2006
|
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE, NOMINATING AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
REPORT
ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Overview
and Philosophy
The
Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee reviews corporate
compensation and benefit plan policies, as well as the structure and amount
of
all compensation for executive officers of the Company. This Committee consists
of Dr. Paul W. Marshall (Chairman) and Hardwick Simmons.
The
Committee's goal is to establish and maintain compensation policies that will
enable the Company to attract, motivate and retain high-quality executives
and
to ensure that their individual interests are aligned with the long-term
interests of the Company and its shareholders. In doing so, individual
performance, the compensation of executives of similar firms and the Company's
financial results are considered.
The
Company's objectives are met through a compensation package which includes
four
major components - base salary, annual bonus (including restricted stock),
stock
option awards and retirement plan contributions.
For
senior management of the Company, the cash and restricted stock compensation
components (base salary and annual bonus) are heavily weighted toward annual
bonus. The emphasis on profit-based compensation serves two functions: it
encourages executives to be conscious of the "bottom line" and it keeps the
Company's base salary structure at a modest level, which is advantageous to
the
firm given the cyclical nature of the securities industry. In prior years,
these
bonuses were generally based on formulas related solely to the profits of the
specific subsidiary/department managed by an executive. Since fiscal 2006,
the
Committee has determined to give greater emphasis to the Company's overall
performance in determining bonus payments for senior management. Accordingly,
the Committee has reduced by approximately 25% the percentage of bonus to be
awarded based on specific subsidiary/department performance and has established
a bonus pool equal to .75% of the Company's total pre-tax profit (the “Company
Performance Bonus Pool”). For fiscal 2006, bonus awards were allocated from that
pool to members of senior management based on the Committee's assessment of
each
person's contribution to overall firm profits. A portion of any bonus can be
withheld based on subjective performance evaluation by the Committee. The bonus
formulas for fiscal 2007 approved by the Compensation Committee are in the
table
that follows this report. For fiscal 2007 and beyond, the Company’s Performance
Bonus Pool will be allocated equally among the members of senior management
participating in that pool, currently the six executives identified as
participants in that table.
The
Company issues restricted shares of Company stock in lieu of cash for up to
20%
of bonus amounts in excess of $250,000. For fiscal year 2005 bonuses, the number
of restricted shares issued to members of the Company's Operating Committee
was
determined based upon the market value at the date of grant and the number
of
restricted shares issued to other employees was determined using a 10% discount
from the market value at the date of grant. For fiscal 2006, the number of
restricted shares issued was determined on the same basis.
The
third component of the compensation package, incentive and non-qualified stock
option awards, is designed, along with the restricted stock, to provide a direct
link between the long-term interests of executives and shareholders. Options
are
granted every two years to key management employees. From time to time special
awards may be granted when a special situation exists, as inducements when
employees are hired, or if job performance or a change in job duties warrants.
It is the Company's policy to maintain the number of outstanding options at
less
than ten percent of the Company's outstanding shares. During the past five
years
the number of outstanding options has represented between 5% and 8% of the
Company's outstanding shares.
The
fourth component of the compensation package is Company contributions to various
retirement plans, which are based on compensation levels and years of service.
The Company maintains three qualified retirement plans: a profit sharing plan,
an employee stock ownership plan and a 401(k) plan. Contributions to the profit
sharing and employee stock ownership plans, if any, are dependent upon the
overall profits of the Company. Since inception of the 401(k) plan in 1987,
the
Company has matched a portion of the first $1,000 contributed annually by
employees to their 401(k) accounts. The plan currently provides for the Company
to match 100% of the first $500 and 50% of the next $500 of compensation
deferred by each participant annually. These three plans are offered to
employees who meet the length of service and minimum hours worked requirements
specified in the plans. The Company also maintains a non-qualified long term
incentive plan for executive officers. Eligibility of executive officers is
restricted to those who meet certain compensation levels set annually by the
Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The vesting schedule of this
plan is designed to encourage long-term employment with the firm. Contributions
to this plan on behalf of executive officers are also dependent upon the
Company's earnings.
In
addition, the Company has an employee stock purchase plan which allows employees
to purchase shares of the Company's common stock on four specified dates
throughout the year at a 15% discount from the market value, subject to certain
limitations, including a one-year holding period.
Compensation
of the Chief Executive Officer
In
keeping with the general compensation philosophy outlined above, Mr. James'
base
salary for calendar 2007 will be $312,000, a 4.0% increase over his 2006 salary
of $300,000. Mr. James' salary is subject to an annual review, as is true of
all
employees. It was last adjusted in November 2006, effective January 1,
2007.
In
determining the bonus paid to Mr. James for fiscal 2006 the Committee considered
many factors, including the following:
*
|
Given
the business environment:
|
|
-
The Company’s performance relative to its peer group;
|
|
-
The Company’s performance relative to its budget; and
|
|
-
The Company’s performance relative to its long-term
objectives.
|
*
|
The
compensation of the chief executive officers of other similar
firms.
|
The
bonus
paid was 88% of the amount generated by the formula disclosed in the Company’s
Proxy Statement for its 2006 Annual Meeting.
Dr.
Paul W. Marshall, Chairman
|
Hardwick
Simmons
|
|
December
29, 2006
|
c
Fiscal 2007 Bonus Formulas for Executive Officers as Approved by
the
Compensation Committee
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Officer
|
|
Basis
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
A. James
|
|
1.0%
of total Company pre-tax profits.
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer - RJF
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chet
Helck
President
and Chief Operating Officer - RJF
|
|
0.83%
of total pre-tax profits of domestic PCG per PCG Contribution Report*,
Raymond James Ltd., and Raymond James Investment Services;
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
G. Averitt, III
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer - RJFS
|
|
0.88%
of pre-tax profits of RJFS per PCG Contribution Report *;
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
K. Riess
Executive
Vice President - RJF
|
|
4.0%
of pre-tax profits of Eagle Asset Management, Inc. (“Eagle”) and the
Heritage Asset Management load funds division;
plus,
2.0% of pre-tax profits of RJA's Asset Management Services
division;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Van
C. Sayler
Senior
Vice President,
Fixed
Income - RJA
|
|
A
portion of the pre-tax profits of RJA's Fixed Income department equal
to:
6.0%
on the first $16 million of such profits, plus,
3.75%
on such profits exceeding $16 million;
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
E. Trocin
Executive
Vice President,
Equity
Capital Markets Group - RJA
|
|
5.0%
of the pre-tax profits of RJA's Equity Capital Markets, including
international institutional equity sales;
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis
W. Zank
President
- RJA
|
|
3.0%
of the pre-tax profits of RJA per PCG contribution report*;
plus,
participation in the Company Performance Bonus Pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
P. Julien
Senior
Vice President, Finance
and
Chief Financial Officer - RJF
|
|
0.3%
of total Company pre-tax profits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter
A. Bailey
President
- RJ Ltd.
|
|
4.25%
of the pretax profits of Raymond James Ltd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The
PCG Contribution Report adjusts the Private Client Group financial statement
pre-tax profits for items related to the private client group sales force,
primarily a credit for interest income on cash balances arising from private
clients, and also includes adjustments to actual clearing costs, mutual fund
revenues and expenses, credit for correspondent clearing, insurance agency
and
certain asset management profits, accruals for benefit expenses, profits
generated by certain private client support operations and other adjustments.
These adjustments may include or exclude items to measure specific objectives,
such as losses from discontinued operations, extraordinary, unusual or
nonrecurring gains and losses, the cumulative effect of accounting changes,
acquisitions or divestitures, and foreign exchange impacts.
SUMMARY
COMPENSATION TABLE
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to the remuneration
earned during the last three fiscal years by the Chief Executive Officer and
each of the other four Named Executive Officers of the Company.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Term
|
|
|
Annual
Compensation
|
Restricted Stock
(2)
|
Stock
Option
|
All
Other
|
Name
|
Year
|
Salary
|
Cash
Bonus (1)
|
|
Commissions
|
Shares
|
$
|
Awards
|
Compensation
(3)
|
Thomas
A. James
|
2006
|
$300,000
|
$2,740,000
|
|
$
26,117
|
18,076
|
$559,994
|
-
|
$78,749
|
Chairman
and CEO
|
2005
|
285,000
|
2,100,000
|
|
39,506
|
15,994
|
399,969
|
-
|
18,492
|
|
2004
|
271,000
|
1,900,000
|
|
214,063
|
21,600
|
437,472
|
-
|
15,562
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
E. Trocin
|
2006
|
$250,000
|
$2,268,000
|
|
$341
|
14,267
|
$441,992
|
15,000
|
$42,640
|
Executive
VP, Equity
|
2005
|
240,000
|
2,644,000
|
|
37
|
21,434
|
535,980
|
-
|
15,313
|
Capital
Markets Group - RJA
|
2004
|
228,750
|
2,580,000
|
|
47
|
32,092
|
649,980
|
18,000
|
14,538
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
K. Riess
|
2006
|
$250,000
|
$1,548,000
|
|
-
|
8,457
|
$261,998
|
15,000
|
$75,830
|
President
and CEO of Eagle
|
2005
|
240,000
|
1,128,000
|
|
-
|
6,278
|
156,979
|
-
|
15,385
|
Executive
VP of RJF
|
2004
|
228,750
|
1,110,000
|
|
-
|
9,256
|
187,475
|
18,000
|
14,607
|
Managing
Director,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chet
Helck
|
2006
|
$277,000
|
$1,300,000
|
|
$583
|
6,455
|
$199,976
|
15,000
|
$67,502
|
President
and COO
|
2005
|
266,000
|
1,100,000
|
|
269
|
5,997
|
149,965
|
-
|
21,674
|
|
2004
|
253,750
|
1,180,000
|
|
377
|
10,491
|
212,478
|
18,000
|
14,470
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
G. Averitt, III
|
2006
|
$249,600
|
$1,140,000
|
|
$244
|
5,164
|
$159,981
|
15,000
|
$71,734
|
Chairman
and CEO - RJFS
|
2005
|
240,000
|
920,000
|
|
322
|
4,198
|
104,990
|
-
|
22,075
|
|
2004
|
229,524
|
920,000
|
|
589
|
6,480
|
131,242
|
18,000
|
29,493
|
(1)
In
accordance with the bonus formulas approved by the Compensation Committee for
fiscal 2006 and 2005 in accordance with the Senior Management Compensation
Plan
approved at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 17, 2005 and a bonus
formula approved by the shareholders on February 12, 2004.
(2)
Beginning
with fiscal 2000, the Company began granting restricted stock as part of the
annual bonus to highly compensated employees. Under this Stock Bonus Plan,
1,115,082 shares have been granted related to fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004.
Dividends are paid to the holders of the stock. The shares vest approximately
three years from the date of grant. Because the shares of restricted stock
are
valued at full market value in this table, rather than the 80% of market value
when awarded during 2004, the total of cash bonus and restricted stock may
exceed the bonus award computed under the formula for that year. The number
of
shares have been adjusted for the three-for-two stock split on March 22,
2006.
(3)
This
column includes the amount of the Company's contributions to its 401(k) Plan,
Profit Sharing Plan, Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Long Term Incentive Plan
and
other miscellaneous taxable income as reported on the employees W-2. The amounts
disclosed for fiscal years 2005 and 2004 are less than those previously reported
for those years, because those prior reports mistakenly included the value
of
restricted stock that vested in those years.
STOCK
OPTIONS
The
following tables contain information concerning options granted to, and
exercised by, the executive officers included in the Summary Compensation Table
during the fiscal year.
Option
Grants in
Fiscal
Year 2006
|
Number
of
|
|
|
|
Potential
Realizable
|
|
Securities
|
Percentage
of
|
|
|
Value
at Assumed
|
|
Underlying
|
Total
Options
|
|
|
Annual
Rates of Stock
|
|
Options
|
Granted
to
|
Exercise
of
|
|
Price
Appreciation for
|
|
Granted
|
Employees
in
|
Base
Price
|
Expiration
|
Option
Term(2)
|
Name
|
#
|
Fiscal
Year(1)
|
($/Share)
|
Date
|
5%
|
10%
|
Jeffrey
E. Trocin
|
15,000
|
0.73%
|
$24.97
|
2/1/2012
|
$127,400
|
$289,027
|
Richard
K. Riess
|
15,000
|
0.73%
|
$24.97
|
2/1/2012
|
$127,400
|
$289,027
|
Chet
Helck
|
15,000
|
0.73%
|
$24.97
|
2/1/2012
|
$127,400
|
$289,027
|
Richard
G. Averitt, III
|
15,000
|
0.73%
|
$24.97
|
2/1/2012
|
$127,400
|
$289,027
|
(1)
All
of
these options were granted on December 1, 2005. The options vest over a period
of 62 months.
(2)
Potential
realized values represent future value, net of exercise price, of the options
granted if the Company’s stock price were to appreciate by 5% and 10% each year
of the awards’ five year life.
Aggregate
Option Exercises During
Fiscal
Year 2006
and Year-end Value
|
|
|
|
Value
of
|
|
|
|
Number
of
|
Unexercised
|
|
|
|
Unexercised
|
In-the-Money
|
|
|
|
Options
at
|
Options
at
|
|
Shares
|
|
Sept.
30, 2006
|
Sept.
30, 2006
|
|
Acquired
|
Value
|
(Exercisable/
|
(Exercisable/
|
Name
|
on
Exercise
|
Realized
|
Unexercisable)
|
Unexercisable)
|
Jeffrey
E. Trocin
|
4,569
|
$56,341
|
13,430/37,500
|
$201,689/$355,500
|
Richard
K. Riess
|
-
|
-
|
18,000/37,500
|
$270,320/$355,500
|
Chet
Helck
|
-
|
-
|
78,300/80,699
|
$1,189,394/$1,013,254
|
Richard
G. Averitt, III
|
-
|
-
|
44,548/58,202
|
$675,763/$670,899
|
COMPARATIVE
STOCK PERFORMANCE
The
graph
below compares the cumulative total shareholder return for the common stock
of
the Company for the last five fiscal years with the cumulative total return
on
the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ("S&P 500") and the Dow Jones US
Investment Services Index over the same period (assuming an investment of $100
in each on September 30, 2001 and the reinvestment of all dividends).
Name
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
Raymond
James Financial, Inc.
|
100.00
|
100.84
|
136.96
|
137.79
|
185.44
|
256.10
|
Standard
& Poor's 500
|
100.00
|
79.51
|
98.91
|
112.63
|
126.43
|
140.08
|
Dow
Jones US Investment Services
|
100.00
|
82.61
|
116.56
|
120.79
|
159.20
|
207.84
|
TRANSACTIONS
WITH MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTORS
In
1998,
as a retention vehicle, the Company extended non-recourse loan commitments
to
approximately 84 employees for investments in the Raymond James Employee
Investment Fund I, L.P., including the following executive officers: Richard
G.
Averitt, Jeffrey P. Julien, Richard K. Riess, Van C. Sayler, Jeffrey E. Trocin
and Dennis W. Zank. Committed loan amounts to these individuals range from
$38,400 to $153,600 plus interest per person, with outstanding balances ranging
from $18,080 to $72,318 at September 30, 2006.
Similarly
in 2001, the Company extended non-recourse loan commitments to approximately
75
employees for investments in Raymond James Employee Investment Fund II, L.P;
including Richard G. Averitt, Tim Eitel, Chet B. Helck, Thomas A. James, Jeffrey
P. Julien, Paul L. Matecki, Van C. Sayler, Jeffrey E. Trocin, and Dennis W.
Zank. Committed loan amounts to these individuals range from $66,667 to $200,000
plus interest per person, with outstanding balances of $37,748 to $188,739
at
September 30, 2006.
All
of
the foregoing loan commitments were entered into prior to the passage of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (the “Act”) in 2002. Under the Act, the Company is permitted
to complete the funding of those commitments.
The
Company, in the ordinary course of its business, makes bank loans to, and holds
bank deposits for certain of its officers and directors and also extends margin
credit in connection with the purchase of securities to certain of its officers
and directors who are affiliated with one of the Company's broker-dealers,
as
permitted under the Act. These transactions have been made on substantially
the
same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at
the
time for comparable transactions with non-affiliated persons, and do not involve
more than normal risk of collectibility or present other unfavorable features.
The Company also, from time to time and in the ordinary course of its business,
enters into transactions involving the purchase or sale of securities as
principal from, or to, directors, officers and employees and accounts in which
they have an interest. These purchases and sales of securities on a principal
basis are effected on substantially the same terms as similar transactions
with
unaffiliated third parties.
Thomas
A.
James permits the Company to display over 1,500 pieces from his nationally
known
art collection throughout the Raymond James home office complex, without charge
to the Company. The art collection is a marketing attraction for businesses
and
other organizations, and the Company provides regular tours for clients and
local schools, business groups and nonprofit organizations. In return, the
Company bears the cost of insurance and the salaries of three staff persons
who
serve as curators for the collection and conduct business tours. The total
cost
to the Company for these services during fiscal 2006 was approximately
$191,000.
In
fiscal
2006, RJ Ltd. paid approximately $215,000 in recruiting/placement fees to Korn
Ferry International, of which Paul C. Reilly, a Director of the Company, is
Chairman and CEO. See "Information Regarding Board and Committee Structure"
above with respect to considerations of Mr. Reilly's independence.
Courtland
James, a son of Thomas James, is the Company's Director of Human Resources.
Huntington James, a son of Thomas James, is employed in a non-executive position
by the Company, as is the son-in-law of Francis S. Godbold.
EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The
following table includes stock options and restricted stock that can be issued
pursuant to one of the Company's stock-based compensation plans. The table
below
does not include equity compensation plans that meet the qualification
requirements of Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, namely the Profit
Sharing Plan and Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Plan
Category
|
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options,
warrants
and rights
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
|
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity
compensation plans
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by shareholders (1)
|
4,752,612
|
$17.93
|
2,859,037
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by shareholders (2)
|
2,293,034
|
$17.20
|
499,182
|
Total
|
7,045,646
|
$17.69
|
3,358,219
|
(1)
The
Company has four plans that were approved by shareholders: the 1992 and 2002
Incentive Stock Option Plans, the 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the
2005
Restricted Stock Plan.
(2)
The
Company has four active plans that were not required to be approved by
shareholders: three non-qualified option plans and one restricted stock
plan.
The
material features of the Company's equity compensation plans which have not
been
approved by shareholders are, as required by the SEC rules, described below.
These descriptions do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their
entirety by reference to the plan documents which are included as exhibits
to
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September
30,
2006.
Under
one
of the Company's non-qualified stock option plans, the Company may grant options
to independent contractor Financial Advisors. Options are exercisable five
years
after grant date provided that the Financial Advisors are still associated
with
the Company. Under the Company's second non-qualified stock option plan, the
Company may grant options to the Company's outside directors. Options vest
over
a three-year period from grant date provided that the Director is still serving
on the Board of the Company. Under the Company's third non-qualified stock
option plan, the Company may grant options to key management personnel. Option
terms are specified in individual agreements and expire on a date no later
than
the tenth anniversary of the grant date. Under all plans, the exercise price
of
each option equals the market price of the Company's stock on the date of
grant.
Two
of
the Company's restricted stock plans were not approved by shareholders. Shares
have not been issued under the 1999 Restricted Stock Plan since it was replaced
by the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan upon the shareholders’ approval of that plan
in February 2005.
Under
the
Company's 1999 Stock Bonus Plan there remained available for future issuance
at
September 30, 2006, 499,182 restricted shares to officers and certain other
employees in lieu of cash for 10% to 20% of annual bonus amounts in excess
of
$250,000.
The
shares are generally restricted for a three year period, during which time
the
shares are forfeitable in the event of voluntary termination. The compensation
cost is recognized over the three year vesting period based on the market value
of the shares on the date of grant.
PROPOSAL
2:
|
TO
RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF
KPMG LLP AS THE COMPANY'S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
|
The
Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors has selected KPMG LLP as the Company's
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2007, and the Board of Directors has directed that management
submit the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm
for
ratification by the shareholders at the Annual Meeting. KPMG LLP has served
as
the Company's independent registered public accounting firm since 2001.
Representatives of KPMG LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting.
They will have an opportunity to make a statement at the Annual Meeting and
will
be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Neither
the Company's By-Laws nor other governing documents or law require shareholder
ratification of appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's independent registered
public accounting firm. However, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
recommended, and the Board of Directors is, submitting the appointment of KPMG
LLP to the shareholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice.
If the shareholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will
reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the appointment is
ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment
of a
different independent registered public accounting firm at any time if it
determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company
and
its shareholders.
Ratification
of the appointment of KPMG LLP will require that the votes cast favoring the
appointment exceed the votes cast opposing it.
FEES
PAID TO INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The
following table shows information about fees paid by Raymond James Financial,
Inc. to KPMG LLP related to the fiscal years indicated. All fees were approved
by the Audit Committee (see discussion in the "Report of the Audit Committee
of
the Board of Directors").
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
Audit
fees
|
$1,715,670
|
|
$1,655,605
|
Audit
- related fees
|
15,300
|
|
28,140
|
Tax
fees(a)
|
128,868
|
|
141,906
|
All
other fees
|
-
|
|
-
|
(a) |
Tax
fees include fees related to the preparation of Canadian tax returns,
consultation on various tax matters and support during income tax
audit or
inquiries.
|
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 2.
PROPOSAL
3: TO APPROVE THE 2007 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. STOCK BONUS
PLAN
Background
Under
the
Company’s 1999 Stock Bonus Plan (“1999 Stock Bonus Plan”), the Company was
authorized to issue up to 1,000,000 restricted shares (before adjustments for
stock splits and the like) of its common stock to officers and certain other
employees of the Company or its subsidiaries whose individual bonuses in any
fiscal year are greater than a specified dollar amount annually decided upon
by
the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee of the Board
of
Directors (the “Committee”). For those participants whose bonuses
exceeded the specified amount for a particular year, restricted stock has been
issued under the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan in lieu of a percentage of their cash
bonus. The applicable percentage in any particular year was determined by the
Committee. At December 11, 2006, almost all of the 1,000,000 shares had
been awarded under the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan.
The
Board
of Directors has determined that the growth of the Company and the need to
continue to attract and retain valuable employees warrants replacing the 1999
Stock Bonus Plan with a new stock bonus plan. Accordingly, the Board of
Directors has proposed that the shareholders approve the 2007 Raymond James
Financial, Inc. Stock Bonus Plan (“2007 Stock Bonus Plan”) which will replace
the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan for grants made after approval of the 2007 Stock
Bonus
Plan by the shareholders. The Board of Directors unanimously approved and
adopted the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan on November 28, 2006.
Summary
of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan
Under
the
2007 Stock Bonus Plan, the Company will be authorized to issue up to (i)
3,000,000 restricted shares of its common stock in total and (ii) 750,000
restricted shares in any fiscal year, with such numbers of shares subject to
adjustments for stock splits and the like. The common stock to be
delivered under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan will be authorized and unissued shares
or previously issued shares reacquired by the Company, or both. The 2007 Stock
Bonus Plan will have other terms similar to the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan.
Persons
eligible for awards of restricted stock under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan shall
be
officers and certain other employees whose individual bonuses in any fiscal
year
are greater than a specified dollar amount annually decided upon by the
Committee. Because it is generally within the discretion of the Committee to
determine which participants receive awards and the number of shares of
restricted stock received, it is not possible at the present time to determine
the amount of awards or the number of individuals to whom awards will be made
under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan. However, the executive officers of the Company
named in the table under the caption “Executive Compensation” herein are among
the employees who would be eligible to receive awards under the 2007 Stock
Bonus
Plan. See table below.
Awards
of
restricted stock under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan will be determined by the
Committee. The shares of restricted stock will be valued at the market
price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the award, subject to a 10%
discount from market price or such other alternative discount from market price
as determined by the Committee, although the Committee may in its discretion
decide not to apply any discount. Disposition of the shares will be restricted
for three years after the date of grant. Generally, in the event of death,
disability or retirement, the restrictions shall lapse. Retirement is defined
in
the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan in terms of age and years of service. Voluntary
termination of employment (other than by way of retirement) or termination
of
employment for cause by the Company or its subsidiary results in forfeiture
of
shares for which the restricted period has not expired. Restricted shares
so forfeited become available for future awards under the 2007 Stock Bonus
Plan.
The
2007
Stock Bonus Plan is designed to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Securities
and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, to the extent applicable, with the
provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the
“Code”).
Awards
under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan are generally subject to no special provisions
upon the occurrence of a change in control transaction with respect to the
Company and it is not anticipated that there would be any automatic acceleration
of vesting upon the occurrence of a change in control transaction.
The
Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend or terminate some or
all
of the provisions of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan. However, any such termination
or
amendment shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and/or
the
shareholders of the Company where required by federal or state law or by
applicable New York Stock Exchange rules. In any event, neither an amendment
to
nor termination of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan shall adversely affect any right
of
any recipient with respect to any restricted stock previously granted, without
the written consent of the recipient.
No
benefits have been granted or will be granted under the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan
prior to the approval of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan by the shareholders of the
Company.
A
copy of
the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan is appended as Appendix B to this proxy
statement.
Benefits
Granted Under the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan
The
table
below discloses the amounts received under the 1999 Stock Bonus Plan by each
of
the following persons and groups with respect to bonuses associated with fiscal
2006 performance.
Restricted
Stock Grants For Fiscal Year 2006
|
|
|
Name
and Position
|
Dollar
Value ($)
|
Number
of Shares
|
Thomas
A. James
|
$559,994
|
18,076
|
Chairman
and CEO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
E. Trocin
|
$441,992
|
14,267
|
Executive
VP, Equity Capital Markets Group - RJA
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
K. Riess
|
$261,998
|
8,457
|
President
and CEO of Eagle
|
|
|
Executive
VP of RJF
|
|
|
Managing
Director, Asset Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chet
Helck
|
$199,976
|
6,455
|
President
and COO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
G. Averitt, III
|
$159,981
|
5,164
|
Chairman
and CEO - RJFS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Group
|
$1,839,809
|
59,387
|
|
|
|
Non-Executive
Director Group
|
-
|
-
|
|
|
|
Non-Executive
Officer Employee Group
|
$7,757,051
|
250,389
|
|
|
|
Required
Vote
Approval
of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan will require that the votes cast favoring approval
of the 2007 Stock Bonus Plan exceed the votes cast opposing it.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 3.
PROPOSAL
4: TO APPROVE THE 2007 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
Background
Under
the
Company’s Amended Stock Option Plan for Independent Contractors (“1990
Contractor Plan”), the Company was authorized to issue options for up to 300,000
shares (before adjustments for stock splits and the like) of its common stock
to
registered representatives who were independent contractors of its subsidiary
broker-dealer entities. At December 11, 2006, options for almost all of
the 300,000 shares had been awarded under the 1990 Contractor Plan.
The
Board
of Directors has recognized over the years that the growth of the Company’s
broker-dealer subsidiaries that operate in whole or in part through independent
contractors, including RJFS, and the need to continue to attract and retain
valuable independent contractor registered representatives in a very competitive
environment requires that the Company have available to it a variety of
incentives for those independent contractors. Accordingly, the Company has
had
in place since 1985 a stock option plan for independent contractors. Although
the Board has proposed that the shareholders approve the 2007 Raymond James
Financial, Inc. Stock Option Plan for Independent Contractors (“2007 Contractor
Plan”), the Board has also requested senior management to evaluate alternative
forms of incentive compensation in terms of relative cost to the Company, tax
efficiency, ease of administration and competitiveness with incentives offered
by competitors. The Board of Directors unanimously approved and adopted the
2007
Contractor Plan on December 20, 2006, so that the Company will continue to
have
this form of incentive compensation available while such evaluation is
undertaken. However, the Company may not grant any options under the 2007
Contractor Plan, may grant a reduced number of options compared to prior years,
or may amend or even terminate the 2007 Contractor Plan and institute other
forms of incentive compensation for its independent contractor registered
representatives.
Summary
of the 2007 Contractor Plan
Under
the
2007 Contractor Plan, the Company will be authorized to issue options for up
to
(i) 2,000,000 shares in total and (ii) 500,000 shares in any fiscal year
(subject to adjustments for stock splits and the like) of its common
stock. The common stock to be delivered under the 2007 Contractor Plan
will be authorized and unissued shares or previously issued shares reacquired
by
the Company, or both. The 2007 Contractor Plan will have other terms similar
to
the 1990 Contractor Plan.
Awards
of
options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2007
Contractor Plan will be granted by the Committee only to independent contractor
registered representatives. Such options will be “non-qualified
options” under the Code. The Committee will have discretion in determining the
number of shares of common stock to be covered by each option granted to a
recipient. The maximum number of shares of common stock with respect to which
options may be granted to any independent contractor during any one fiscal
year
is 2,500. The option price for shares to be issued pursuant to any option
granted under the 2007 Contractor Plan will be the fair market value of a share
of common stock on the date of the grant. The market value of a share of
common stock on December 11, 2006 was $31.69.
Subject
to the limitations set forth in the 2007 Contractor Plan, payment for shares
with respect to which an option is exercised may be made wholly or partially
(i)
in cash,(ii) in common stock, (iii) by delivering a properly executed exercise
notice to the Company, together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to
promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale proceeds necessary to pay
the
exercise price, and/or (iv) in such other form as shall be determined by the
Committee at the time of the grant of the option. The term of each option
granted under the 2007 Contractor Plan shall be six years from the date of
grant. Unless the Committee provides otherwise in the option, the option
shall be exercisable only during the last year of the term of the option, except
in the case of disability, death or retirement, whereupon the options become
immediately exercisable. Generally, in the event of death or
disability the option must be exercised within 12 months from the occurrence
of
such event, but in no event later than the end of the originally specified
term
of the option. In the case of retirement, unless otherwise provided in the
option, the exercisability of the option will end 90 days after the date of
retirement, but in no event later than the end of the originally specified
term
of the option. Retirement is defined in the 2007 Contractor Plan in terms of
age
and years of service. Generally, unexercised options will expire upon the
termination of the independent contractor relationship. Unissued shares
associated with options that have expired or become unexercisable without being
fully exercised, will become available for the grant of subsequent options
under
the 2007 Contractor Plan. Because it is generally within the discretion of
the Committee to determine which participants receive awards and the number
of
options received, it is not possible at the present time to determine the amount
of option awards or the number of individuals to whom awards will be made under
the 2007 Contractor Plan. Although the benefits that will be awarded under
the
2007 Contractor Plan are not determinable at this time, a total of
427,538 options
were granted under the 1990 Contractor Plan during fiscal 2006, none of which
were granted to executive officers or directors of the Company.
Awards
under the 2007 Contractor Plan are generally subject to no special provisions
upon the occurrence of a change in control transaction with respect to the
Company and it is not anticipated that there would be any automatic acceleration
of vesting or ability to exercise upon the occurrence of a change in control
transaction.
The
Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend or terminate some or
all
of the provisions of the 2007 Contractor Plan. However, any such termination
or
amendment shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and/or
the
shareholders of the Company where required by federal or state law or by
applicable New York Stock Exchange rules. In any event, neither an amendment
to
nor termination of the 2007 Contractor Plan shall adversely affect any right
of
any recipient with respect to any option previously granted, without the written
consent of the recipient.
A
copy of
the 2007 Contractor Plan is appended as Appendix C to this proxy
statement.
Federal
Income Taxes of Stock Option Grants
The
following is a summary of some of the more significant federal income tax
consequences under present law of the granting and exercise of stock options
under the 2007 Contractor Plan.
All
stock
options issued under the 2007 Contractor Plan will be nonqualified stock
options. Because the Company does not anticipate that any such nonqualified
stock option will have a readily ascertainable fair market value when issued,
the recipient of such an option should not recognize any taxable income or
loss
for federal income tax purposes at the time the option is granted. The exercise
of the nonqualified stock option, however, will generally result in the
immediate recognition of taxable income by its holder at ordinary income rates
based on the difference between the purchase price for shares covered by the
option and the fair market value of the shares received at the time of
exercise.TheCompany will receive a corresponding deduction at the same time.
If
shares acquired upon exercise of a stock option are later sold or exchanged,
then the difference between the amount received upon such sale, exchange or
disposition and the fair market value of such stock on the date of such exercise
will generally be taxable as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss (if
the stock is a capital asset of the holder) depending upon the length of time
such shares were held by the holder. However, if an option is exercised through
the use of shares of common stock previously owned by the holder of the stock
option, such exercise generally will not be considered a taxable disposition
of
the previously owned stock and, thus, no gain or loss will be recognized with
respect to such previously owned stock upon such exercise. The amount of any
built-in gain on the previously owned stock generally will not be recognized
until the new stock acquired on the option exercise is disposed of in a sale
or
other taxable transaction. The specific application and impact of the tax rules
will vary depending on the specific personal situation of individual independent
contractors.
Required
Vote
Approval
of the 2007 Contractor Plan will require that the votes cast favoring approval
of the 2007 Contractor Plan exceed the votes cast opposing it.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 4.
PROPOSAL
5: TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE
2005 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF SHARES BY 2,000,000
Background
Under
the
2005 Raymond James Financial, Inc. Restricted Stock Plan, as amended, (the
“2005
Restricted Stock Plan”) the Company is authorized to issue up to (i) 2,250,000
restricted shares of common stock and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) in total
and (ii) 1,000,000 restricted shares and RSUs in any fiscal year (subject to
adjustments for stock splits and the like) to employees and independent
contractor registered representatives. That 2,250,000 share/unit
number represents the 1,500,000 shares initially authorized when the plan was
adopted in February 2005, adjusted to reflect the impact of the Company’s March
2006 three-for-two stock split. The common stock to be delivered under the
2005
Restricted Stock Plan will be authorized and unissued shares or previously
issued shares reacquired by the Company, or both.
At
December 11, 2006, approximately 1,499,441 restricted shares and RSUs had been
awarded under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan. That number reflects an
adjustment to those shares awarded under the plan prior to the Company’s March
2006 stock split to reflect that split. Awards are made in connection with
the
initial employment or association of individuals and, pursuant to retention
strategies, to individuals who are determined by management to be responsible
for a significant contribution to the growth and/or profitability of the
Company.
The
Board
of Directors has determined that the growth of the Company and the need to
continue to attract and retain valuable employees and independent contractor
registered representatives warrants the increase in the number of shares
available by 2,000,000. Accordingly, the Board of Directors has proposed
that shareholders approve an amendment to the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan, which
will increase the number of shares available under the plan by 2,000,000 (before
adjustments for stock splits and the like).
Summary
of the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan
The
2005
Restricted Stock Plan was approved by the shareholders at the February 2005
annual meeting. It was amended by the Committee in February 2006 to
provide for the issuance of RSUs. The 2005 Restricted Stock Plan was amended
again by the Committee in May 2006 to clarify that certain adjustments to the
number of shares covered by the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan would occur
automatically in the future upon certain triggering events.
Awards
of
restricted stock and RSUs under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan are to be
determined by the Committee based upon recommendations from management, except
that awards in connection with initial employment or association may be granted
by senior officers if within specified limits. Because it is generally within
the discretion of the Committee to determine which participants receive awards
and the number of shares of restricted stock received, it is not possible at
the
present time to determine the amount of awards or the number of individuals
to
whom awards will be made under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan. However, the
executive officers of the Company named in the table under the caption “Summary
Compensation Table” herein are among the employees who would be eligible to
receive awards under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan.
The
shares of restricted stock and RSUs are valued at the market price of the
Company’s common stock on the date of the award. The restrictions
regarding disposition of shares and RSUs are governed by the terms of the award
and may vary for each participant; generally, however, shares and RSUs awarded
under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan will not vest until three years after
the
date of the award, except in the event of death or disability whereupon the
restrictions would lapse. Upon retirement of a participant, a portion of
the award may vest based upon the years of service of the participant and
satisfying the applicable restrictions on post retirement competition. For
purposes of the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan, unless
otherwise defined in the grant of the specific award to the
participant,
retirement is defined as a
participant’s separation of service from the Company or any subsidiary after
attainment of age 65.
Voluntary termination of employment (other than by way of retirement) or
termination of employment for cause by the Company or its subsidiary results
in
forfeiture of shares for which the restricted period has not expired.
Restricted shares so forfeited become available for future awards under the
2005
Restricted Stock Plan.
The
2005
Restricted Stock Plan is designed to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Securities
and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, to the extent applicable, with the
provisions of Section 409A of the Code .
Awards
under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan are generally subject to no special
provisions upon the occurrence of a change in control transaction with respect
to the Company and it is not anticipated that there would be any automatic
acceleration of vesting upon the occurrence of a change in control transaction.
The
Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend or terminate some or
all
of the provisions of the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan. However, any such
termination or amendment shall be subject to the approval of the Board of
Directors and/or the shareholders of the Company where required by federal
or
state law or by applicable New York Stock Exchange rules. In any event, neither
an amendment to nor termination of the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan shall
adversely affect any right of any recipient with respect to any restricted
stock
previously granted, without the written consent of the recipient.
A
copy of
the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan as proposed to be amended is appended as Appendix
D to this proxy statement.
Except
as
described in the last sentence of this paragraph, the benefits that will be
awarded under the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan in the future are not determinable
at this time, a total of 1,007,827 shares and 167,370 RSUs were granted under
the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan during fiscal 2006, none of which were granted
to
the Company's executive officers. In December 2006, an executive officer who
is
not a Named Executive Officer was awarded 9,775 restricted shares under the
2005
Restricted Stock Plan. The dollar value of these restricted shares was $300,000
on the grant date.
Required
Vote
Approval
of the amendment to the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan will require that the votes
cast favoring approval of the amendment to the 2005 Restricted Stock Plan exceed
the votes cast opposing it.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 5.
OTHER
MATTERS
Proposals
which shareholders intend to present at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
must be received by the Company’s Secretary no later than September 19, 2007 to
be eligible for inclusion in the proxy material for that meeting or otherwise
submitted at the meeting.
Management
knows of no matter to be brought before the meeting which is not referred to
in
the Notice of Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the meeting,
it
is intended that the shares represented by proxy will be voted with respect
thereto in accordance with the judgment of the persons voting them.
By
Order
of the Board of Directors,
/s/
Paul
L. Matecki, Secretary
January
9, 2007
Appendix
A
As
amended by the Board of Directors on 11/28/2006
CHARTER
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
1.
Mission
Statement
The
Audit
Committee serves as the principal agent of the Board of Directors in fulfilling
the Board’s oversight responsibilities with respect to the integrity of the
Company’s financial reporting, the independent auditor’s qualifications and
independence, the Company’s systems of internal controls, the functioning of the
Company’s Internal Audit Department and the Company’s procedures for
establishing compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
2.
Responsibilities
and Duties
The
Committee’s responsibility is oversight, and it recognizes that the Company’s
management is responsible for preparing the Company’s financial statements.
Additionally, the Committee recognizes that financial management (including
the
internal audit staff), as well as the independent accountants, have more
knowledge of accounting and auditing requirements and more detailed information
about the Company than do the members of the Committee; consequently, in
carrying out its oversight responsibilities the Committee is not providing
any
expert or special assurance as to the Company’s financial statements or any
professional certification as to the independent accountants’ work.
3.
Membership
The
Audit
Committee (the Committee) shall be comprised of at least three independent
directors (in accordance with the independence standards adopted from time
to
time by the NYSE and SEC). The members of the Committee shall be appointed
by
the Board of Directors upon the recommendation of the Corporate Governance
Committee and shall be persons who are financially literate, in the judgment
of
the Board of Directors. At least one of the members of the Committee shall
be a
person who, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, has accounting or
financial management expertise. At least one of the members of the Committee
shall be a person who, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, is qualified
to serve as an audit committee financial expert under NYSE and SEC
rules.
4.
Meetings
and Discussions
Generally,
the Audit Committee shall hold formal meetings prior to each quarterly meeting
of the Board of Directors and telephone meetings with the Company’s Chief
Financial Officer and the independent accountants prior to the release of
quarterly financial results. Additional meetings, either in person or by
telephone, may be held from time to time as determined by the Chair of the
Committee. In addition, members of the Audit Committee are free to contact
members of management including financial managers, compliance managers, the
Director of Internal Audit, the Senior Vice President for Risk Management,
the
Company’s internal and outside counsel and the Company’s independent accountants
whenever they consider appropriate; the Committee may request reports or
presentations at Committee Meetings from any of these individuals. The Committee
shall meet periodically with senior management responsible for the Company’s
financial reporting.
5.
Financial
Reporting Oversight; Relationship with Company’s Independent
Accountants
a.
The
Company’s independent accountants are ultimately accountable to the Board of
Directors, as representative of the Company’s shareholders. The Audit Committee
exercises the responsibility of the Board of Directors in that oversight
role.
b.
The
Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, retention,
compensation, and oversight of the work of the independent accountants employed
by the Company (including resolution of disagreements between management and
the
auditors regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing
an audit report or related work. In that connection, the independent accountants
shall report directly to the Audit Committee and the Committee shall determine
appropriate funding for payment of compensation to the Company’s independent
accountants.
c.
In
connection with the appointment and reappointment of the independent
accountants, the Committee shall review their independence and obtain written
disclosures from them regarding all relationships with the Company that could
affect their independence. In that connection at least annually the Committee
shall obtain and review a report by the independent accountants describing:
the
firm’s internal quality-control procedures; any material issues raised by the
most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or
by
any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within
the preceding five years, respecting one or more independent audits carried
out
by the firm, and any steps taken to deal with any such issues; and (to assess
their independence) all relationships between the independent accountants and
the company.
d.
The
Audit Committee shall approve in advance any audit and non-audit services,
including tax services, to be performed for the Company by its independent
accountants, except for services that were not recognized at the time of the
engagement to be non-audit services and for which the compensation does not
exceed 5% of the total revenues paid to the independent accountants by the
Company during the fiscal year; provided, however, that such "de
minimis"
services are approved by the Audit Committee or one or more members to whom
authority has been granted to make such approval prior to completion of the
audit. In that connection, the Committee shall receive from the independent
accountants, at least annually, a written statement setting out all
relationships between them and the Company and the fees paid for those
services.
e.
The
Committee shall meet with the independent accountants on a regular basis, as
it
determines appropriate. At least once a year, the Committee shall meet with
representatives of the independent accountants without the presence of
management representatives.
f.
The
Committee, or one of its members, shall meet with the representatives of the
independent accountants prior to commencement of the annual audit in order
to
review the audit scope and approach, and any specific areas of risk that the
auditors propose to focus on.
g.
Following conclusion of the year-end audit, but prior to release of the
financial statements, the Committee, or one of its members, shall discuss with
representatives of the independent accountants the financial statements and
the
results of the audit, including any disagreements with management regarding
audit scope or accounting presentation.
h.
Prior
to release of the financial results and related press releases for each quarter
and the fiscal year the Committee, or one of its members, shall review them
with
management and representatives of the independent accountants, and shall review
with them the "Management’s Discussion and Analysis" section of the Company’s
filings with the SEC. The Committee shall also discuss financial information
and
any earnings guidance provided to rating agencies and analysts.
i.
At
least annually, the Committee shall review with representatives of the
independent accountants their judgments concerning the quality of the Company’s
accounting principles as reflected in its financial reporting, whether those
principles are consistent with industry standards or represent minority
positions, and the clarity of disclosure of information. The Committee shall
also review with the independent accountants their views regarding any
significant estimates made by management which are reflected in the financial
statements.
In
that
connection, the Audit Committee shall review with the independent
accountants:
(1)
All
critical accounting policies and practices to be used;
(2)
All
alternative treatments of financial information within generally accepted
accounting principles that have been discussed with management officials of
the
Company, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and
treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent accountants;
and
(3)
Other
material written communications between the independent accountants and the
management of the Company, such as any management letter or schedule of
unadjusted differences.
Based
on
the review and discussions described above, the Committee shall recommend to
the
Board of Directors whether the financial statements should be included in the
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
j.
At
least annually, the Committee shall receive from the independent accountants
a
report of their recommendations to improve the Company’s internal control
structure and operational efficiency. The Committee shall obtain and review
management’s response to these recommendations.
k.
The
Committee shall approve in advance any proposed hiring by the Company of an
employee or former employee of the Company’s independent
accountants.
6.
Oversight
of the Internal Audit Department, Internal Controls and Risk
Management
a.
The
Committee shall have oversight responsibility with respect to the Company’s
Internal Audit Department. In that connection, the Committee shall maintain
regular contact with the Director of Internal Audit and meet with her/him at
least once a year without the presence of management
representatives.
b.
The
Committee shall receive and review reports from the Internal Audit Department
with respect to the results of audits undertaken and management’s response to
recommendations from the Department. The Committee shall have the authority
to
direct the Internal Audit Department to undertake specific projects, including
review of specific departments of the Company.
c.
The
Committee shall receive regular reports from the Senior Vice President for
Risk
Management and review periodically the Company’s policies with respect to risk
assessment and risk management.
d.
The
director of internal audit and Senior Vice President for Risk Management shall
have access to the members of the Audit Committee on a direct basis as
necessary, and shall attend meetings of the Committee as requested by the
Committee.
7.
Oversight
of the Compliance Departments of Major Subsidiaries and Divisions, and Legal
and
Regulatory Matters.
a.
The
Committee shall receive reports from the Company’s General Counsel regarding
activities of the compliance directors of the broker-dealers and major
subsidiaries and divisions of the Company. At least once a year, the compliance
directors shall submit reports to the Committee on activities undertaken during
the year, any regulatory problems encountered and regulatory issues that may
affect the Company in the future.
b.
The
Committee shall receive regular reports from the Company’s General Counsel
regarding material legal and regulatory matters.
8.
Other
Responsibilities
a.
The
Committee shall establish and review procedures for:
(1)
The
receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters; and
(2)
The
confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
b.
At
least annually, the Committee shall receive reports from Senior Financial
Officers of the Company regarding their compliance with the code of ethics
for
Senior Financial Officers. The Committee shall report material violations of
the
Code of Ethics that are brought to their attention to the Board of Directors
with a recommendation for appropriate action.
c.
At
least annually, the Committee shall review with the Company’s Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer the certifications they sign in SEC reports
regarding the Company’s disclosure controls, the design and operation of the
Company’s internal controls and any material weaknesses they have identified, or
any fraud involving management or other employees they have identified during
the course of their review of the Company’s controls.
d.
The
Committee shall prepare an annual report to be included in the Company’s annual
proxy statement to shareholders.
9.
General
a.
In
exercising its oversight responsibility, the Committee shall have access to
members of management and may inquire into any issues that it considers to
be of
material concern to the Committee or the Board of Directors.
b.
The
Committee shall have authority to conduct or authorize investigations into
any
matters within its scope of responsibilities and to retain advisers, including
counsel and other professionals, to assist in the conduct of any investigation
and determine their compensation.
c.
The
Committee shall report regularly to the Board of Directors with respect to
its
activities.
d.
The
Committee shall review this charter annually and make changes as it considers
appropriate.
e.
The
Committee shall participate in an annual performance evaluation of its
activities by the Board of Directors.
Appendix
B
2007
RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. STOCK BONUS PLAN
SECTION
1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.
The
name
of this plan is 2007 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. STOCK BONUS PLAN (the
"Plan"). The purpose of the Plan is to enable RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
(the
"Company") and its Subsidiaries to attract, retain and motivate officers and
certain other employees, to compensate them for their contributions to the
growth and profits of the Company and to encourage ownership of stock in the
Company on the part of such personnel. The Plan provides incentives to
participating officers and certain other employees which are linked directly
to
increases in stockholder value and therefore is designed to inure to the benefit
of all stockholders of the Company.
SECTION
2. DEFINITIONS.
For
purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth
below:
(a)
"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b)
"Cause" means termination by the Company or a Subsidiary of a Participant's
employment upon (i) the willful and continued failure by such Participant to
perform satisfactorily the duties consistent with his or her title and position
reasonably required of him or her by the Board or supervising management (other
than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental
illness), (ii) the commission by such Participant of a felony, or the
perpetration by such Participant of a dishonest act or common law fraud against
the Company or a Subsidiary, or (iii) any other willful act or omission
(including without limitation the deliberate and willful violation of any
corporate policy or regulation) which could reasonably be expected to expose
the
Company or a Subsidiary to civil liability under the law of the applicable
jurisdiction or causes or may reasonably be expected to cause significant injury
to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or a
Subsidiary. For purposes of this Subsection, no act, or failure to act, on
a
Participant's part shall be deemed "willful" unless done, or omitted to be
done,
by such Participant not in good faith and without reasonable belief that his
action or omission was in the best interest of the Company or a
Subsidiary.
(c)
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
(d)
"Committee" means the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation
Committee of the Board or any successor thereto or such other committee
designated by the Board to serve as the Committee hereunder, appointed by the
Board from among its members, who are and shall remain Committee members only
so
long as they remain "non-employee directors " as defined in Rule 16b-3 under
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), "independent"
within the meaning of Section 303A (Corporate Governance Standards) in the
New
York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, and "outside directors" within the
meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(e)
"Disability" means permanent and total disability as determined under the
Company's long-term disability plan or, in the absence of such long-term
disability plan, a mental or physical condition which totally and presumably
permanently prevents the Participant from engaging in any substantial gainful
employment with the Company or the Subsidiary with which the Participant was
employed prior to the inception of the disability.
(f)
"Eligible Employee" means an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary as
described in Section
3,
whose
bonus in any fiscal year is greater than a certain amount to be determined
annually by the Committee.
(g)
"Participant" means an Eligible Employee selected by the Committee, pursuant
to
the Committee's authority in Section
6,
to
receive an award of Restricted Stock.
(h)
"Restricted Stock" means an award of shares of Stock that is subject to the
restrictions set forth in Section
5.
(i)
"Retirement" means no longer being occupied in one's business or profession
and
terminating active employment with the Company or Subsidiary after either (i)
reaching a minimum age of 55 so that the combination of both age and years
of
employment with the Company or Subsidiary equals or exceeds 75, (ii) reaching
age 60 and having 5 years of employment with the Company or a Subsidiary, or
(iii) reaching age 65.
(j)
"Section 16(a) Person" means any officer or director of the Company or any
Subsidiary who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of
the
1934 Act with respect to the Stock of the Company.
(k)
"Stock" means the common stock of the Company, $.01 par value.
(l)
"Subsidiary" means any corporation (other than the Company) or other entity
50%
or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or other
proprietary interests of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company.
SECTION
3. ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION.
Officers
and certain other employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries who are
responsible for or contribute to the management, growth and/or profitability
of
the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.
The Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the
Committee, in its sole discretion, from among Eligible Employees.
SECTION
4. AMOUNT AND FORM OF AWARDS.
(a)
Awards under the Plan shall be determined from time to time by the Committee
in
its discretion, including adoption by the Committee of a formula for determining
awards. In determining awards, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, among
other things, determine the percentages of annual bonus to be made as awards
hereunder in lieu of cash payments and the amount of the percentage discount,
if
any, to be used in computing the number of shares of Restricted Stock to be
awarded to any particular Participant. A Participant will receive all such
awards hereunder in Restricted Stock.
(b)
The
maximum number of shares of Stock which may be issued under the Plan as
Restricted Stock shall be (i) 3,000,000 in total and (ii) 750,000 in any fiscal
year, subject to adjustment as provided in Section
7,
and
such shares may be authorized but unissued shares, or previously issued shares
reacquired by the Company, or both. In the event any Restricted Stock is
forfeited prior to the end of the Restricted Period (as defined in paragraph
(c)(i) of Section
5),
the
shares of Stock so forfeited shall immediately become available for future
awards.
SECTION
5. RESTRICTED STOCK.
(a)
The
number of shares of Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant under the Plan
will be determined in accordance with Section
4(a).
In
order to reflect the impact of the restrictions on the value of the Restricted
Stock, as well as the possibility of forfeiture of Restricted Stock, the
Committee shall, solely for purposes of determining the number of shares of
Restricted Stock to be awarded to any particular Participant, apply a discount
of ten percent (10%) to the fair market value of the Stock; provided however
that the Committee may, where it deems appropriate, and in its sole discretion,
and for purposes of determining the number of shares of Restricted Stock to
be
awarded to any particular Participant, apply an alternative discount rate or
no
discount at all. The dollar value of an award will be divided by the fair market
value of the Stock (or by the discounted fair market value of the Stock, if
applicable) to determine the number of shares of Restricted Stock in an award.
The value of fractional shares will be paid in cash. For
purposes of this Plan, the fair market value of Stock for an award will be
the
Stock’s closing price on the New York Stock Exchange or the last sale price on
any other national securities exchange registered under the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, upon which the Stock is then listed on such
date, or if the Stock was not traded on such date, on the next preceding day
on
which sales of shares of the Stock were reported, all as determined by the
Committee.
The
Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide for alternative methods of
determining the fair market value of Stock for such awards, and may also provide
for alternative forfeiture provisions, so long as the alternative methods or
provisions do not (i) materially increase the benefits, (ii) materially increase
the number of shares of Restricted Stock issued or (iii) materially modify
the
eligibility requirements applicable to Section 16(a) Persons.
(b)
All
shares of Restricted Stock shall be held in an individual account for each
Participant until the Restricted Period (as defined in paragraph (c)(i) of
this
Section
5)
has
expired. Such Company records shall, absent manifest error, be binding on the
Participants.
(c)
The
shares of Restricted Stock awarded pursuant to this Section
5
shall be
subject to the following restrictions and conditions:
(i)
Subject to the provisions of the Plan, during the three-year period (together
with any extensions thereof approved as provided herein) commencing on the
date
of the award (the "Restricted Period"), the Participant shall not be permitted
to sell, transfer, pledge or assign shares of Restricted Stock awarded under
the
Plan. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, (x) initially provide for
an
alternative Restricted Period or alter the three-year Restricted Period for
a
previously granted award (provided that the Committee may not extend the
Restricted Period for a previously granted award without the Participant's
written consent), (y) during any extension of such Restricted Period, provide
for alternative restrictions (provided that nothing contained in this clause
shall grant the Committee any additional powers under the Plan with respect
to
awards granted to or to be granted to Section 16(a) Persons), and (z) accelerate
the lapse of any such restrictions in whole or in part or waive any such
restrictions in whole or in part based on such factors and such circumstances
as
the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited
to, the Participant's Retirement, termination, death or Disability. If a
Participant is subject to an employment contract with the Company or a
Subsidiary which provides for a bonus deferral that is more restrictive than
the
Restricted Period, then the bonus deferral provisions of that employment
agreement shall take precedence.
(ii)
Unless the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine otherwise at or
prior to the time of the grant of any award, the Participant shall have the
right to direct the vote of his shares of Restricted Stock during the Restricted
Period. The Participant shall have the right to receive any dividends on such
shares of Restricted Stock.
(iii)
Shares of Restricted Stock shall be delivered to the Participant in accordance
with paragraph (a) of Section
9
promptly
after, and only after, the Restricted Period shall expire (or such earlier
time
as the restrictions may lapse in accordance with paragraph (c)(i) of this
Section
5)
without
forfeiture in respect of such shares of Restricted Stock.
(d)
Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c)(i) of this Section
5,
the
following provisions shall apply to a Participant's shares of Restricted Stock
prior to the end of the
Restricted
Period (including extensions):
(i)
Upon
the death, Disability or Retirement of a Participant, the restrictions on his
or
her Restricted Stock shall immediately lapse. Upon the death of a Participant,
such Participant's Restricted Stock shall transfer to the Participant's
beneficiary as such beneficiary is designated on a form provided by the Company,
or if no beneficiary is so designated, by will or the laws of descent and
distribution.
(ii)
If a
Participant voluntarily terminates employment (other than as a result of or
pursuant to Retirement) or if a Participant is involuntarily terminated for
Cause, such Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Stock for which
the
Restricted Period has not expired on the date that the Participant voluntarily
terminates employment or is involuntarily terminated for Cause.
SECTION
6. ADMINISTRATION.
The
Plan
shall be administered by the Committee which shall be appointed by the Board
and
which shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
The
Committee shall have the power and authority to grant Restricted Stock to
Participants, pursuant to the terms of the Plan.
In
particular, the Committee shall have the authority:
(i)
to
select those employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who are Eligible
Employees;
(ii)
to
determine whether and to what extent Restricted Stock is to be granted to
Participants hereunder;
(iii)
to
determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by such award granted
hereunder;
(iv)
to
determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the
Plan,
of any award granted hereunder; and
(v)
to
determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the
Plan,
which shall govern all written instructions evidencing the Restricted
Stock.
The
Committee shall have the authority to adopt, alter and repeal such
administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall,
from time to time, deem advisable; to interpret the terms and provisions of
the
Plan and any award issued under the Plan; and to otherwise supervise the
administration of the Plan. All decisions made by the Committee pursuant to
the
provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons, including
the
Company and the Participants.
The
Committee may delegate the administrative details and management of the Plan
to
members of the Company’s management and staff. No such delegation shall affect
their right to make final decisions with respect to any matter arising under
the
Plan.
SECTION
7. ADJUSTMENTS UPON A CHANGE IN COMMON STOCK.
In
the
event of any change in the outstanding Stock of the Company by reason of any
stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation,
reorganization, combination or exchange of shares or other similar event that
may equitably require an adjustment in the number or kind of shares that may
be
issued under the Plan pursuant to Section
4(b),
then in
such event appropriate adjustment shall automatically be made in the maximum
number and kind of shares remaining available for issuance under the Plan.
The
Committee may take any additional action it deems necessary, in accordance
with
its sole discretion, to further confirm such adjustments and any such additional
action shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of the
Plan.
SECTION
8. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION.
The
Plan
may be amended or terminated at any time and from time to time by the Committee,
subject to Board and/or stockholder approval where required by federal or state
law or by applicable New York Stock Exchange rules. Neither an amendment to
the
Plan nor the termination of the Plan shall adversely affect any right of any
Participant with respect to any Restricted Stock theretofore granted without
such Participant's written consent.
SECTION
9. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a)
All
shares of Restricted Stock delivered under the Plan after the Restricted Period
has expired shall be distributed in accordance with the instructions of each
Participant. Such shares of Stock shall be subject to such stop transfer orders
and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules,
regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
any stock exchange upon which the Stock is then listed, and any applicable
federal or state securities law.
(b)
Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or
additional compensation arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such
approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable
or applicable only in specific cases. The adoption of the Plan shall not confer
upon any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary any right to continued
employment with the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, nor shall
it
interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary to terminate
the employment of any of its employees at any time.
(c)
No
member of the Board or the Committee, nor any officer or employee of the Company
acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable
for
any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with
respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board or the Committee and each
and
any officer or employee of the Company acting on their behalf shall, to the
extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company
in
respect of any such action, determination or interpretation.
(d)
A
Participant's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or
transferred in whole or in part either directly or by operation of law or
otherwise (except in the event of a Participant's death) including, but not
by
way of limitation, execution, levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge, bankruptcy
or in any other manner and no such right or interest of any Participant in
the
Plan shall be subject to any obligation or liability of such
Participant.
(e)
The
Company and its Subsidiaries shall have the right to deduct from any payment
made under the Plan any federal, state or local income or other taxes required
by law to be withheld with respect to such payment. It shall be a condition
to
the obligation of the Company to issue Stock upon the lapse of restrictions
on
Restricted Stock that the Participant pay to the Company, upon its demand,
such
amount as may be requested by the Company for the purpose of satisfying any
liability to withhold federal, state or local income or other taxes. If the
amount requested is not paid, the Company may refuse to issue shares. Unless
the
Committee shall in its sole discretion determine otherwise, payment for taxes
required to be withheld may be made in whole or in part, by an election by
a
Participant in accordance with rules adopted by the Committee from time to
time
to have the Company withhold Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the Plan
having a fair market value equal to such tax liability, to be determined in
such
reasonable manner as may be provided for from time to time by the Committee
or
as may be required in order to comply with or to conform to the requirements
of
any applicable or relevant laws or regulations.
(f)
The
Plan is intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 of
the
1934 Act or any successor statute, rule or regulation. All transactions
involving any Section 16(a) Person shall be subject to the conditions set forth
in Rule 16b-3, regardless of whether such conditions are expressly set forth
in
the Plan. Any provision of the Plan which is contrary to Rule 16b-3 shall not
apply to Section 16(a) Persons.
SECTION
10. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
The
Plan
shall be effective as of the date of approval of the Plan by the stockholders
of
the Company or such other date as the stockholders of the Company may so
determine.
Appendix
C
2007
RAYMOND
JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
STOCK
OPTION PLAN
FOR
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
THIS
IS
THE 2007 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS, hereinafter referred to as the "Plan", as hereby adopted by Raymond
James Financial, Inc., (the "Company"), and is made with reference to the
following recitals:
A. The
Company recognizes that fringe benefits provided by the Company are vitally
important to attract and retain the best available personnel, to provide
additional incentive to contribute to the success of the Company and to promote
the growth and general prosperity of the Company.
B. By
way of
this document, the Company hereby establishes this Plan in order to attain
the
above stated objectives.
C. The
Plan
is designed to establish a plan pursuant to which key independent contractor
registered representatives can be granted stock options to purchase Shares
of
the Company’s Common Stock.
D. The
Plan
is not
intended
to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option Plan under Section 422 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Company hereby adopts this Plan to read as follows:
1.
Definitions.
As used
herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a)
"Board"
shall
mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) "Common
Stock"
shall
mean the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
(c) "Committee"
shall
mean the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee, or any
successor thereto or such other committee designated by the Board to serve
as the Committee hereunder, as appointed by the Board.
(d) "Continuous
Contractual Relationship"
or
"Continuous
Status As An Independent Contractor"
shall
mean the absence of any interruption, expiration or termination of an
Optionee’s independent contractor relationship as a registered representative
with the Company or any Subsidiary (including for these purposes any Subsidiary
which now exists or hereafter is organized or acquired by the Company).
(i) Continuous
Contractual Relationship shall not be considered interrupted in the case of
any
sick leave, any military leave or any
other temporary interruption in such person’s availability to provide services
to the Company or a Subsidiary which has been authorized in writing by
a
Vice President or other more senior officer of the Company or
the Subsidiary; provided, however, that the Company may require suspension
of
vesting
in
such cases.
(ii) Unless
otherwise expressly limited in the particular option award, Continuous
Contractual Relationship also shall not be
considered interrupted if such person changes from having an independent
contractor relationship with the Company or any Subsidiary to being an
employee of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. or its successor,
and
thereafter, for purposes of any outstanding options issued to such person
under
this Plan, the person’s Continuous Contractual Relationship, and the
effects of an interruption, expiration or termination thereof (including by
reason of
death or Disability), shall be determined with reference to the provisions
of
the Company’s 2002 Incentive Stock Option Plan (or any comparable
stock
option for officers and employees adopted as a replacement or superseding
option plan).
(e) "Contractor"
shall
mean any person entering into a registered representative contractual
relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary.
(f) "Disability"
shall
mean a mental or physical condition which totally and presumably permanently
prevents the Contractor from continuing to have a Continuous Contractual
Relationship with the Company or the Subsidiary with which the Contractor had
such a relationship prior to the inception of the disability.
(g) "Option"
shall
mean a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(h) "Optioned
Stock"
shall
mean stock subject to an Option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(i) "Optionee"
shall
mean a Contractor who receives an Option.
(j) "Retirement"
shall
mean terminating Continuous Contractual Relationship with the Company or
Subsidiary and confirming in writing to the Company at the time of such
termination that such person will thereafter no longer be occupied in one’s
business or profession.
(k) "Share"
shall
mean a share of the Common Stock of the Company, as adjusted in accordance
with
Section 11 of the Plan.
(l) "Subsidiary"
shall
mean any corporation (other than the Company) or other entity 50% or more of
the
total combined voting power of all classes of stock or other proprietary
interests of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company.
2. Stock
Subject to the Plan.
(a) Number
of Shares.
Subject
to the provisions of Section 11 of the Plan, the maximum number of Shares which
may be optioned and issued under the Plan shall be (i) 2,000,000 in total and
(ii) 500,000 in any fiscal year. Such Shares may be authorized, but unissued,
or
may be treasury Shares.
(b) Expired or Unexercisable Options.
If an
Option should expire or become unexercisable for any reason without having
been
exercised in full (whether as a
result of a failure to vest, a failure of
the holder to exercise any vested portion or otherwise), the unpurchased Shares
which were subject thereto shall, unless the Plan shall have been terminated,
become available for other Options under the Plan.
3.
Administration of the Plan.
(a) Administration
by the Committee.
The
Plan shall be administered by the Committee which shall be appointed by the
Board and which shall serve at the pleasure
of the Board.
(b) Powers
of the Committee.
Subject
to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the
authority:
(1) To
determine the Contractors to whom, and the time or times at which Options shall
be granted, and the number of Shares to be
represented by each Option;
(2) To
interpret the Plan;
(3) To
prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the
Plan;
(4) To
determine the terms and provisions not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan,
of each Option granted under the Plan
(which
need
not be identical) and, with the consent of the holder thereof, modify or amend
each Option;
(5) To
authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required
to effectuate the issuance of an
Option
previously
granted by the Committee; and
(6) To
supervise the administration of the Plan and to make all other determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for
the
administration of the Plan.
In
the case
of any initial association grants, senior
executive officers shall have the authority to take the actions set forth in
subsections (1) and (4) of this Section 3(b) within the limits prescribed by
the
Board and the Plan. In the event of an initial association grant of an Option
effectuated by action of a senior executive officer, the terms and conditions
of
such grant shall be reported to the Committee at the Committee’s next meeting
for informational purposes only, it being understood that such report shall
not
in any way be a condition to the effectiveness of the grant.
(c) Effect
of Committee’s Decision.
All
decisions, determinations and interpretations of the Committee shall be final
and binding on all persons, including
the Company, the Optionees and
any other persons who, consistent with the terms of the Plan, may become holders
of any Options granted under the Plan.
(d) Delegation.
The
Committee may delegate the administrative details and management of the Plan
to
members of the Company’s management and staff.
No such delegation shall
affect their right to make final decisions with respect to any matter arising
under the Plan.
4.
Eligibility.
Options
may be granted only to Contractors of the Company or a Subsidiary. A Contractor
who has been granted an Option may, if he is otherwise eligible, be granted
an
additional Option or Options.
5.
Term of Plan; Effective Date of the Plan.
The
Plan shall be effective as of the date of approval of the Plan by the
stockholders of the Company or such other date as the stockholders of the
Company may so determine. The Plan shall continue in effect indefinitely unless
sooner terminated under Section 12 of the Plan.
6.
Terms of Options.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, the period for vesting of each
Option granted under the Plan shall be five years from the date of grant
thereof, each Option granted under the Plan shall have a term which expires
six
years after the date of grant and each Option shall be exercisable only during
the last year of the six year term of the Option (except in the case of
Retirement, Disability or death, in which events Subsections 9(c), 9(d) and
9(e)
hereof, respectively, are applicable) and must be exercised, if at all, in
whole
or in part during the exercise period. To the extent the Option is not exercised
in full prior to its termination, the Option will expire.
7.
Option Price.
The
option price for Shares to be issued pursuant to any Option granted under the
Plan shall be the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date
of
grant. For the purposes of
the
Plan, the fair market value of Stock for an award will be the Stock’s closing
price on the New York Stock Exchange or the last sale price on any other
national securities exchange registered under the Securities and Exchange Act
of
1934, as amended, upon which the Stock is then listed on such date, or if the
Stock was not traded on such date, on the next preceding day on which sales
of
shares of the Stock were reported, all as determined by the
Committee.
8.
Grant of Options.
Options
shall be granted at the sole discretion of the Committee,
provided, however, that awards under this Plan may be determined and granted
by
senior executive officers of the Company, based on recommendations of various
departments or Subsidiaries of the Company, in connection with the initial
association of an individual who upon association will qualify as a
Contractor;
and the
date of grant of an Option under the Plan shall, for all purposes, be the date
on which the Committee or the senior executive officer, as the case may be,
makes the determination to grant such Option. Notice of the determination shall
be given to each Contractor to whom an Option is so granted within a reasonable
time after such date. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect
to which Options may be granted to any Contractor during any one fiscal year
of
the Company is 2,500 shares.
9.
Exercise of Option.
(a) Procedure
for Exercise
(1) Any
Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such
conditions as shall be permissible under the
terms
of
the Plan and of the Option granted to an Optionee, and for purposes of this
Section 9, an Option shall be treated as outstanding until it is exercised
or
expires by reason of a lapse of time or other termination.
(2) An
Option
may not be exercised for fractional shares.
(3) An
Option
shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice of such exercise has been
given to the Company in accordance with
the terms of the Option by the person entitled to exercise the Option
and full
payment of the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been
received by the Company. Until the issuance of the stock certificates
(as
evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly
authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive
dividends
or any other rights as a stockholder shall exist with respect to Optioned
Stock
notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for
a
dividend or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date
the
stock certificates are issued, except as provided in Section 11 of the
Plan.
(4) Payment
for Shares with respect to which an Option is exercised may be made wholly
or
partially (i) in the form of cash and/or
check,
(ii) in the form of Common Stock, (iii) by delivering a properly executed
exercise notice to the Company, together with irrevocable instructions to a
broker
to
promptly
deliver to the Company the amount of sale proceeds necessary to pay the exercise
price, and/or (iv) in such other form as shall be determined by
the Committee at the time of grant. Any Common Stock used to satisfy
payment of
the exercise price shall be valued, for such purposes, at the "fair market
value" thereof upon the date of exercise as the term "fair market value"
is
determined pursuant to Section 7 hereof.
(b) Exercise
During Contractual Relationship.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, an Option can only be exercised
by
the Optionee during the time that the Optionee maintains the Continuous
Contractual Relationship.
(c) Exercise
Upon Retirement.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, if an Optionee's Continuous
Contractual Relationship terminates by reason of Retirement, the following
shall
apply:
(1) if
Retirement occurs on or after the Optionee has attained age 65, the Optionee
shall have the right to exercise any or all outstanding
Options, in whole or in part, at any time within the 90 day period following
the
date of Retirement, but in no event later than the originally scheduled ending
date of the term of the Option; or
(2) if
Retirement occurs on or after the Optionee has attained age 60 but before
attaining age 65 and provided that the sum of years of
service as a Contractor and the Optionee’s age at Retirement equals at least 75
years, the Optionee shall have the right to exercise any or all outstanding
Options, in whole or in part, at any time within the 90 day period following
the
date of Retirement but in no event later than the term of the
Option.
(d) Exercise
Upon Disability.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, if an Optionee’s Continuous
Contractual Relationship terminates by reason of a Disability and before the
date of expiration of the Option, the Option shall immediately vest and become
fully exercisable; and thereafter the Option shall terminate on the earlier
of
the originally scheduled ending date of the term of the Option or 12 months
following the date of the Disability and the Optionee shall have the right,
at
any time prior to such termination, to exercise the Option.
(e) Exercise
Upon Death.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, if an Optionee’s Continuous
Contractual Relationship terminates by reason of the Optionee’s death and before
the date of expiration of the Option, the Option shall immediately vest and
become fully exercisable; and thereafter the Option shall terminate on the
earlier of the originally scheduled ending date of the term of the Option or
12
months following the date of such death. After the death of the Optionee, his
or
her executors, administrators or any person or persons to whom the Option may
be
transferred by will or by laws of descent and distribution shall have the right,
at any time prior to such termination, to exercise the Option.
(f) Exercise
Upon Termination of Contractual Relationship.
Unless
otherwise provided in the terms of an Option, if an Optionee’s Continuous
Contractual Relationship is terminated voluntarily by the Optionee or the
Continuous Contractual Relationship is terminated by the Company for any reason
other than Retirement, Disability or death, then any Option or unexercised
portion thereof granted to said Optionee shall expire immediately upon the
termination of the Continuous Contractual Relationship.
10. Transferability
Limitations.
Any
Option granted hereunder may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated,
transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws
of
descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable, during the Optionee’s
lifetime, only by the Optionee.
11. Changes
in Company Capitalization.
(a)
Stock
Dividend or Recapitalization.
If at
any time while the Plan is in effect or unexercised Options are outstanding,
there shall be an increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding
Shares through the declaration of a stock dividend or through any
recapitalization resulting in a stock split-up, combination or exchange
of Shares,
then and in such event (i) appropriate adjustment shall automatically be made
in
the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan, so that the
same
percentage of the Company's issued and outstanding Shares shall
continue to be subject to being so optioned, and (ii) appropriate adjustment
shall automatically be made in
the number of Shares and the exercise price
per Share then subject to any outstanding Option, so that the same percentage
of
the Company’s issued and outstanding Shares
shall
remain subject to purchase at the same aggregate exercise price.
(b) Sale
or Conversion of Shares.
Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, the issuance by the Company of shares
of
its capital stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of capital
stock of any class, either in connection with direct sale or upon the exercise
of rights or warrants to subscribe therefore, or upon conversion of shares
or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities,
shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect
to, the number of or exercise price of Shares then subject to outstanding
Options granted under the Plan.
(c) Further
Action.
The
Committee may take any additional action it deems necessary, in accordance
with
its sole discretion, to further confirm the
adjustments
under this Section 11 and any such additional action shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes of the Plan.
(d) General.
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the existence of outstanding Options
granted under the Plan shall not affect in any manner the right or power of
the
Company to make, authorize or consummate (i) any or all adjustments,
recapitalizations, reorganizations or other changes in the Company's capital
structure or its business; (ii) any merger or consolidation of the Company;
(iii) any issuance by the Company of debt securities, or preferred or preference
stock that would rank above the Shares subject to outstanding
Options; (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (v) any sale,
transfer or assignment of all or any part of the assets or business of the
Company; or (vi) any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar
character or otherwise.
12. Amendment
and Termination of the Plan
(a) Amendment
and Termination.
The
Plan may be amended or terminated at any time and from time to time by the
Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee, or any
successor Board committee thereto, subject to Board and/or stockholder approval
where required by federal or state law or by applicable New York
Stock Exchange rules.
(b) Effect
of Amendment or Termination.
Any
such amendment or termination of the Plan shall not adversely affect any Option
already granted, without the written consent of the Optionee, and each such
Option shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been
amended or terminated.
13. Conditions
Upon Issuance of Shares
(a) Legal
Restrictions.
Shares
shall not be issued with respect to an Option granted under the Plan unless
the
exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant
thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law including, without
limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares
may
then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for
the Company with respect to such compliance.
(b) Representations
Required.
As a
condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the person
exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise
that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present
intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for
the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned
relevant provisions of law.
14. Reservation
of Shares.
The
Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep
available the number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the
requirements of the Plan.
15. Liability
of Company.
Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary shall be liable to an Optionee or other person
as
to:
(a) Non-Issuance
of Shares.
The
non-issuance or sale of Shares as to which the Company has been unable to obtain
from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority deemed by
the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any
Shares hereunder; and
(b) Tax
Consequences.
Any tax
consequences expected, but not realized, by any Optionee or other person due
to
the exercise of any Option granted hereunder.
16. Continuation
of Independent Contractor Status.
Nothing
in the Plan or any Option granted hereunder shall confer upon any Optionee
any
right to continue or require the continuance of the Optionee’s independent
contractor relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary, nor shall it interfere
in any way with the Optionee’s right or the Company’s right to terminate such
relationship at any time, with or without cause.
17. Governing
Law.
This
Plan shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State
of Florida.
Appendix
D
COMPOSITE
VERSION OF
2005
RAYMOND
JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
RESTRICTED
STOCK PLAN
(initially
effective February 17, 2005 and amended on February 16, 2006, May 24, 2006
and
December 20, 2006 and including proposed amendment to increase the number of
shares covered under the plan)
SECTION
1
PURPOSE
OF THE PLAN
The
name
of this plan is THE 2005 RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN
(the
"Plan").
The
purpose of the Plan is to enable RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC. (the "Company")
and its Subsidiaries to attract, retain and motivate employees and independent
contractors associated with the Company, to compensate them for their
contributions or anticipated contributions to the growth and profits of the
Company and to encourage ownership of stock in the Company on the part of such
personnel. The Plan provides incentives to employees and independent contractors
associated with the Company or to be associated with the Company, which are
linked directly to increases in stockholder value and will therefore inure
to
the benefit of all stockholders of the Company.
SECTION
2
DEFINITIONS
For
purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth
below:
(a) "Board"
means
the Board of Directors of the Company. If one or more Committees have been
appointed by the Board to administer the Plan, "Board" shall refer to such
Committee, except where the context otherwise requires or the terms hereof
provide for authority to be exercised or decisions made by the Board in direct
relation to the Committee.
(b) "Cause"
means
termination by the Company or a Subsidiary of a Participant's employment or
association with the Company upon (i) the willful and continued failure by
such
Participant to substantially perform his duties with the Company or a Subsidiary
(other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental
illness), or (ii) the willful engaging by a Participant in conduct which is
demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company or a Subsidiary, monetarily
or otherwise. For purposes of this Subsection, no act, or failure to act, on
a
Participant's part shall be deemed "willful" unless done, or omitted to be
done,
by such Participant not in good faith and without reasonable belief that his
action or omission was in the best interest of the Company or a
Subsidiary.
(c) "Code"
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
(d) "Committee"
means
the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee of the Board,
appointed by the Board from among its members and shall consist of members
thereof who are and shall remain Committee members only so long as they remain
"non-employee directors" as defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act").
(e) "Disability"
means
permanent and total disability as determined under the Company's long-term
disability plan.
(f) "Eligible
Person"
means
an employee or a potential employee of the Company or any Subsidiary as well
as
independent contractors associated with or to be associated with the Company
or
its Subsidiaries as described in
Section 3.
(g) "Participant"
means
an Eligible Person selected or ratified for selection by the Committee or a
senior executive officer of the Company, pursuant to the Committee’s authority
or the officer’s authority, as the case may be, in Section
6,
to
receive an Award of Restricted Stock or of an Award of a Restricted Stock
Unit.
(j) "Restricted
Stock Unit"
means
an award of the right to receive Stock or cash or a combination thereof upon
settlement that is subject to the restrictions set forth in Section
5A.
(k) "Retirement"
means,
unless otherwise defined in the documented grant of the specific award to the
Participant, a Participant’s separation of service from the Company or any
Subsidiary after attainment of age 65.
(l) "Section
16(a) Person"
means
any officer or director of the Company or any Subsidiary who is subject to
the
reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act.
(m) "Stock"
means
the common stock of the Company, $.01 par value.
(n) "Subsidiary"
means
any corporation (other than the Company) 50% or more of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly,
by the Company.
SECTION
3
ELIGIBILITY
AND PARTICIPATION
Employees
of the Company and its Subsidiaries and/or persons being recruited for
employment, as well as independent contractors associated with and/or being
recruited for association with the Company or its Subsidiaries, who are or
will
be responsible for or contribute to the management, growth and/or profitability
of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be eligible to participate in the
Plan.
The Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the
Committee, in its sole discretion, from among Eligible Persons.
SECTION
4
AMOUNT
AND FORM OF AWARDS
(a) The
Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine and grant the awards of
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to be granted under the Plan,
provided, however, that awards under this Plan may be determined and granted
by
senior executive officers of the Company, based on recommendations of various
departments or Subsidiaries of the Company, in connection with the initial
association of an individual who upon association will qualify as an Eligible
Person. A Participant will receive such awards in Restricted Stock or Restricted
Stock Units, as designated in the grant.
(b) The
maximum number of shares of Stock which may be issued under the Plan as
Restricted Stock or which may be covered by Restricted Stock Units, when
aggregated, shall be (1) 4,250,000 in total and (2) 1,000,000 in any fiscal
year, subject to adjustment as provided in Section
7,
and,
with respect to any Restricted Stock, such shares may be authorized but unissued
shares, or previously issued shares reacquired by the Company, or both. In
the
event Restricted Stock or a Restricted Stock Unit is forfeited prior to the
end
of the Restricted Period, the shares of Stock so forfeited or the number of
shares to which the forfeited Restricted Stock Unit relates, shall immediately
become available for future awards.
SECTION
5
RESTRICTED
STOCK
(a) The
number of shares of Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant under the Plan
will be determined in accordance with Section
4(a).
For
purposes of this Plan, the
fair
market value
of Stock
for an award will be the Stock’s closing price on the New York Stock Exchange or
the last sale price on any other national securities exchange registered under
the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, upon which the Stock is
then listed on such date, or if the Stock was not traded on such date, on the
next preceding day on which sales of shares of the Stock were reported, all
as
determined by the Committee.
(b) A
"book
entry" (i.e., a computerized or manual entry) shall be made in the records
of
the Company to evidence an award of shares of Restricted Stock to a Participant.
All shares of Restricted Stock shall be held in an individual account for each
Participant until the Restricted Period (as defined in
Section 5(c))
has
expired. Such Company records shall, absent manifest error, be binding on the
Participants.
(c) The
shares of Restricted Stock awarded pursuant to this Section
5
shall be
subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth in the underlying contracts
with the Participants and/or as set forth in the documented grant of any award
pursuant to this Plan to the Participants.
(d) Unless
the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine otherwise at or prior
to
the time of the grant of any award, the Participant shall have the right to
direct the vote of his shares of Restricted Stock during the Restricted Period.
The Participant shall have the right to receive any regular dividends on such
shares of Restricted Stock. The Committee shall in its sole discretion determine
the Participant's rights with respect to extraordinary dividends on the shares
of Restricted Stock.
(e) Shares
of
Restricted Stock shall be delivered to the Participant in accordance
with
Section 9(a)
promptly
after, and only after, the Restricted Period shall expire (or such earlier
time
as the restrictions may lapse in accordance with
Section 5(c))
without
forfeiture in respect of such shares of Restricted Stock.
(f) Subject
to the provisions of
Section 5(c),
the
following provisions shall apply to a Participant's shares of Restricted Stock
prior to the end of the Restricted Period (including extensions):
(i) Upon
the
death or Disability of a Participant, the restrictions on his or her Restricted
Stock shall immediately lapse. Upon the death of a Participant, such
Participant's Restricted Stock shall transfer to the Participant's beneficiary
as such beneficiary is designated on a form provided by the Company, or if
no
beneficiary is so designated, by will or the laws of descent and
distribution.
(ii) Upon
the
Retirement of a Participant, and after satisfaction of a non-compete provision
as set forth below, any unvested Restricted Stock shall vest on a pro-rated
basis (with
the
pro-ration being determined by comparing completed years of service since the
date of initial award to the vesting schedule or by such other pro-ration method
as may otherwise be set forth in the underlying contract with the Participant
or
in the documented grant of the specific award to the Participant).
For
purposes of this subparagraph (f)(ii), a Participant shall be deemed to have
not
satisfied the non-compete provision if the Participant, within one year after
the date of retirement:
|
discloses
the list of the Company's or a Subsidiary's customers or any part
thereof
to any person, firm, corporation, association, or other entity for
any
reason or purpose whatsoever; or
|
(2)
|
discloses
to any person, firm, corporation, association, or other entity any
information regarding the Company's or a Subsidiary's general business
practices or procedures, methods of sale, list of products, personnel
information and any other valuable confidential business or professional
information unique to the Company's or a Subsidiary's business;
or
|
(3)
|
owns
more than five percent (5%) of, manages, operates, controls, is employed
by, acts as an agent for, participates in or is connected in any
manner
with the ownership, management, operation or control of any business
which
is engaged in businesses which are competitive to the business of
the
Company or a Subsidiary; and are located within a radius of 100 miles
of
any location where participant was employed or which was under the
supervision, management or control of the participant.;
or
|
(4)
|
solicits
or calls either for himself/herself or any other person or firm,
any of
the customers of the Company or a Subsidiary on whom the Participant
called, with whom the Participant became acquainted, or of whom the
Participant learned of during his employment;
or
|
(5)
|
solicits
any of the employees or agents of the Company or a Subsidiary to
terminate
their employment or relationship with the Company or a
Subsidiary.
|
(iii) It
is the
intention of the Company and its Subsidiaries that this paragraph (f) be given
the broadest protection allowed by law with regard to the restrictions herein
contained. Each restriction set forth in this paragraph (f) shall be construed
as a condition separate and apart from any other restriction or condition.
To
the extent that any restriction contained in this paragraph (f) is determined
by
any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable by reason of it being
extended for too great a period of time, or as encompassing too large a
geographic area, or over too great a range of activity, or any combination
of
these elements, then such restriction shall be interpreted to extend only over
the maximum period of time, geographic area, and range of activities which
said
court deems reasonable and enforceable.
(iv) If
a
Participant voluntarily terminates employment, or if a Participant is
involuntarily terminated for Cause, such Participant shall forfeit his or her
Restricted Stock for which the Restricted Period has not expired on the date
that the Participant voluntarily terminates employment or is involuntarily
terminated for Cause.
SECTION
5A
RESTRICTED
STOCK UNITS
(a) The
number of Restricted Stock Units awarded to a Participant under the Plan will
be
determined in accordance with Section
4(a).
For
purposes of this Plan, the
fair
market value
of Stock
for an award will be the Stock’s closing price on the New York Stock Exchange or
the last sale price on any other national securities exchange registered under
the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, upon which the Stock is
then listed on such date, or if the Stock was not traded on such date, on the
next preceding day on which sales of shares of the Stock were reported, all
as
determined by the Committee.
In
the
event the Committee provides for alternative methods for grants of awards,
the
Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide for alternative methods of
determining the fair market value of Stock for such awards, and may also provide
for alternative forfeiture provisions, so long as the alternative methods or
provisions do not (i) materially increase the benefits, (ii) materially increase
the number of Restricted Stock Units issued or (iii) materially modify the
eligibility requirements applicable to Section 16(a) Persons.
(b) A
"book
entry" (i.e., a computerized or manual entry) shall be made in the records
of
the Company to evidence an award of Restricted Stock Units to a Participant,
but
no "book entry" shall be made in the stock records of the Company at the time
of
an award of a Restricted Stock Unit. All Restricted Stock Units shall be
recorded in an individual account for each Participant until the Restricted
Period (as defined in
Section 5A(c))
has
expired. Such Company records shall, absent manifest error, be binding on the
Participants.
(c) The
Restricted Stock Units awarded pursuant to this Section
5A
shall be
subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth in the underlying contracts
with the Participants and/or as set forth in the documented grant of any award
pursuant to this Plan to the Participants.
(d) With
respect to a Restricted Stock Unit, no certificate for shares of stock shall
be
issued at the time the grant is made (nor shall any "book entry" be made in
the
stock records of the Company) and the Participant shall have no right to or
interest in shares of stock of the Company as a result of the grant of
Restricted Stock Units.
(e) Dividend
equivalents may be credited in respect of Restricted Stock Units, as the
Committee deems appropriate. Such dividend equivalents may be paid in cash
or
converted into additional Restricted Stock Units by dividing (1) the aggregate
amount or value of the dividends paid with respect to that number of shares
of
Stock equal to the number of Restricted Stock Units then credited by (2) the
fair market value per share of Stock on the payment date for such dividend.
The
additional Restricted Stock Units credited by reason of such dividend
equivalents will be subject to all of the terms and conditions of the underlying
Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.
(f) Any
shares of Stock that may be issued in satisfaction of a Restricted Stock Unit
delivered under the Plan shall be delivered to the Participant in accordance
with
Section 9(a)
promptly
after, and only after, the Restricted Period shall expire (or such earlier
time
as the restrictions may lapse in accordance with
Section 5A(g))
without
forfeiture in respect of such Restricted Stock Unit.
(g) Subject
to the provisions of
Section 5A(c),
the
following provisions shall apply to a Participant's Restricted Stock Unit prior
to the end of the Restricted Period (including extensions):
(i) Upon
the
death or Disability of a Participant, the restrictions on his or her Restricted
Stock Unit shall immediately lapse. Upon the death of a Participant, such
Participant's Restricted Stock Unit shall transfer to the Participant's
beneficiary as such beneficiary is designated on a form provided by the Company,
or if no beneficiary is so designated, by will or the laws of descent and
distribution.
(ii) Upon
the
Retirement of a Participant, and after satisfaction of a non-compete provision
as set forth below, any unvested Restricted Stock Unit shall vest on a pro-rated
basis (with
the
pro-ration being determined by comparing completed years of service since the
date of initial award to the vesting schedule or by such other pro-ration method
as may otherwise be set forth in the underlying contract with the Participant
or
in the documented grant of the specific award to the Participant).
For
purposes of this subparagraph (g)(ii), a Participant shall be deemed to have
not
satisfied the non-compete provision if the Participant, within one year after
the date of retirement:
|
(1)
|
discloses
the list of the Company's or a Subsidiary's customers or any part
thereof
to any person, firm, corporation, association, or other entity for
any
reason or purpose whatsoever; or
|
|
(2)
|
discloses
to any person, firm, corporation, association, or other entity any
information regarding the Company's or a Subsidiary's general business
practices or procedures, methods of sale, list of products, personnel
information and any other valuable confidential business or professional
information unique to the Company's or a Subsidiary’s business;
or
|
|
(3)
|
owns
more than five percent (5%) of, manages, operates, controls, is employed
by, acts as an agent for, participates in or is connected in any
manner
with the ownership, management, operation or control of any business
which
is engaged in businesses which are competitive to the business of
the
Company or a Subsidiary ; and are located within a radius of 100
miles of
any location where participant was employed or which was under the
supervision, management or control of the participant;
or
|
|
(4)
|
solicits
or calls either for himself/herself or any other person or firm,
any of
the customers of the Company or a Subsidiary on whom the Participant
called, with whom the Participant became acquainted, or of whom the
Participant learned of during his employment;
or
|
(5) |
solicits
any of the employees or agents of the Company or a Subsidiary to
terminate
their employment or relationship with the Company or a
Subsidiary.
|
(iii) It
is the
intention of the Company and its Subsidiaries that this paragraph (g) be given
the broadest protection allowed by law with regard to the restrictions herein
contained. Each restriction set forth in this paragraph (g) shall be construed
as a condition separate and apart from any other restriction or condition.
To
the extent that any restriction contained in this paragraph (g) is determined
by
any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable by reason of it being
extended for too great a period of time, or as encompassing too large a
geographic area, or over too great a range of activity, or any combination
of
these elements, then such restriction shall be interpreted to extend only over
the maximum period of time, geographic area, and range of activities which
said
court deems reasonable and enforceable.
(iv) If
a
Participant voluntarily terminates employment, or if a Participant is
involuntarily terminated for Cause, such Participant shall forfeit his or her
Restricted Stock Unit for which the Restricted Period has not expired on the
date that the Participant voluntarily terminates employment or is involuntarily
terminated for Cause.
(h) The
Committee shall have the power and authority, directly or indirectly, to
establish or to cause to be established a trust for purpose of purchasing Stock
on the open market, holding such Stock and using such Stock to satisfy the
Company’s obligations under grants of Restricted Stock Units. If the trust is
established to satisfy the Company’s obligations with respect to grants of
Restricted Stock Units to Participants resident in Canada, such trust may be
structured to qualify as an "employee benefit plan" within the meaning assigned
by the Income
Tax Act
(Canada).
SECTION
6
ADMINISTRATION
The
Plan
shall be administered by the Committee.
The
Committee (and senior executive officers in the case of initial association
grants) shall have the power and authority to grant Restricted Stock and
Restricted Stock Units to Participants, pursuant to the terms of the
Plan.
In
particular, the Committee (and senior executive officers in the case of initial
association grants) shall have the authority:
(i) to
select
or ratify the selection of Eligible Persons;
(ii) to
determine whether and to what extent Restricted Stock or a Restricted Stock
Unit
is to be granted to Participants hereunder or ratify the grant
thereof;
(iii) to
determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by such award granted
hereunder or ratify the grant thereof;
(iv) to
determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the
Plan,
of any award granted hereunder (including, but not limited to, the Restricted
Period and the other conditions of full vesting of the Restricted Stock or
the
Restricted Stock Units) or to ratify the grant thereof; and
(v) to
determine or ratify the determination of the terms and conditions, not
inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, which shall govern all documentation
evidencing the Restricted Stock or the Restricted Stock Unit.
In
the
event of an initial association grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock
Units effectuated by action of a senior executive officer, the terms and
conditions of such grant shall be reported to the Committee at the Committee’s
next meeting for informational purposes only, it being understood that such
report shall not in any way be a condition to the effectiveness of the
grant.
The
Committee shall have the authority to adopt, alter and repeal such
administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall,
from time to time, deem advisable; to interpret the terms and provisions of
the
Plan and any award issued under the Plan; and to otherwise supervise the
administration of the Plan. All decisions made by the Committee pursuant to
the
provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons, including
the
Company, its Subsidiaries and the Participants.
The
Committee may delegate the administrative details and management of the Plan
to
members of the Company's management and staff. No such delegation shall affect
the Committee’s right to make final decisions with respect to any matter arising
under the Plan.
SECTION
7
ADJUSTMENTS
UPON A CHANGE IN COMMON STOCK
In
the
event of any change in the outstanding Stock of the Company by reason of any
stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation,
reorganization, combination or exchange of shares or other similar event that
may equitably require an adjustment in the number or kind of shares that may
be
issued under the Plan pursuant to
Section 4(b)
or
covered by an award under the Plan, then in such event (i) appropriate
adjustment shall automatically be made in the maximum number and kind of shares
remaining available for issuance under the Plan, and (ii) appropriate adjustment
shall automatically be made in the number or kind of shares covered by an award
under the Plan. The Committee may take any additional action it deems necessary,
in accordance with its sole discretion, to further confirm such adjustments
and
any automatic adjustments and any such additional action shall be conclusive
and
binding for all purposes of the Plan.
SECTION
8
AMENDMENT
AND TERMINATION
The
Plan
may be amended from time to time or terminated at any time and from time to
time
by the Committee, subject to shareholder approval where required by federal
or
state law. Neither an amendment to the Plan nor the termination of the Plan
shall adversely affect any right of any Participant with respect to any
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit theretofore granted without such
Participant's written consent.
SECTION
9
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
(a) All
shares of Restricted Stock and any shares of Stock that may be issued in
satisfaction of a Restricted Stock Unit delivered under the Plan after the
Restricted Period has expired shall be distributed in accordance with the
instructions of each Participant. Such shares of Stock shall be subject to
such
stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable
under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Stock is then listed,
and
any applicable federal or state securities law.
(b) Nothing
contained in the Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional
compensation arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such approval
is
required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable
only in specific cases. The adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any
employee of the Company or any Subsidiary nor any independent contractors
associated with the Company or its Subsidiaries any right to continued
employment or association with the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may
be,
nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary
to terminate the employment of any of its employees or terminate the association
of any independent contractors associated with the Company or its Subsidiaries
at any time.
(c) No
member
of the Board or the Committee, nor any officer or employee of the Company acting
on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable for any
action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with
respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board or the Committee and each
and
any officer or employee of the Company acting on their behalf shall, to the
extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company
in
respect of any such action, determination or interpretation.
(d) During
the Restricted Period, a Participant's rights and interest under the Plan may
not be sold, assigned or transferred in whole or in part either directly or
by
operation of law or otherwise (except in the event of a Participant's death)
including, but not by way of limitation, execution, levy, garnishment,
attachment, pledge, bankruptcy or in any other manner and no such right or
interest of any Participant in the Plan shall be subject to any obligation
or
liability of such Participant.
(e) The
Company and its Subsidiaries shall have the right to deduct from any payment
made under the Plan any federal, state, provincial or local income or other
taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such payment. It shall
be a
condition to the obligation of the Company to issue shares of Stock upon the
lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock and a condition to the issuance of
any
shares of Stock to satisfy a Restricted Stock Unit upon the lapse of
restrictions on the Restricted Stock Unit that the Participant (i) pay to the
Company, upon its demand, such amount as may be requested by the Company for
the
purpose of satisfying any liability to withhold federal, state, provincial
or
local income or other taxes and (ii) provide the Company with a copy of the
election, if required, under Section 83 of the Code, or any amendment thereto
(the "Section 83 Election") as filed with the Internal Revenue Service. If
the
amount requested is not paid and the copy of the Section 83 Election, if
required, is not provided, the Company may refuse to issue shares of Stock
until
such time as the Participant so complies. Unless the Committee shall in its
sole
discretion determine otherwise, payment for taxes required to be withheld may
be
made in whole or in part by an election by a Participant, in accordance with
rules adopted by the Committee from time to time, to have the Company withhold
shares of Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the Plan having a fair market
value equal to such tax liability, to be determined in such reasonable manner
as
may be provided for from time to time by the Committee or as may be required
in
order to comply with or to conform to the requirements of any applicable or
relevant laws or regulations.
(f) The
Plan
is intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the 1934
Act or any successor statute, rule or regulation. All transactions involving
any
Section 16(a) Person shall be subject to the conditions set forth in Rule 16b-3,
regardless of whether such conditions are expressly set forth in the Plan.
Any
provision of the Plan that is contrary to Rule 16b-3 shall not apply to Section
16(a) Persons.
(g) This
Plan
is intended in all respects to comply with the provisions of Section 409A of
the
Code and the Company shall interpret and administer the Plan in a manner
consistent with Section 409A. In accordance with Prop. Reg.
§ 1.409A-3(h)(2)(vi) (or any subsequent corresponding provision of law),
should there be a final determination that this Plan fails to meet the
requirements of Section 409A and the regulations thereunder with respect to
any
Participant, the Company may distribute to the Participant an amount not to
exceed the amount required to be included in income as a result of the failure
to comply with the requirements of Section 409A and the
regulations.
SECTION
10
EFFECTIVE
DATE OF PLAN
The
Plan,
as amended to increase the number of shares, shall be effective as of the date
of approval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Company or such other date
as
the shareholders of the Company so determine.