AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.2
AGREEMENT
This
Agreement is entered into by and between Centex Corporation (the
“Company”) and [ ]
(the “Executive”) effective as of [ ].
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), has determined that it is in the
best interests of the Company and its stockholders to assure that the Company will have the
continued dedication of the Executive, notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a
change of control; and
WHEREAS, the Board believes it is imperative to diminish the inevitable distraction of the
Executive by virtue of the personal uncertainties and risks created by a pending or threatened
change of control and to encourage the Executive’s full attention and dedication to the Company in the event of any threatened or pending change of control, and to provide the Executive with this
Agreement that ensures that the compensation and benefits expectations of the Executive in
connection with a change of control will be satisfied and are competitive with those of other
corporations; and
THEREFORE, in order to accomplish these objectives, the Board has caused the Company to enter
into this Agreement.
1. Certain Additional Payments by the Company.
(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set
forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any Payment would be subject to
the Excise Tax, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive an additional payment
(the “Gross-Up Payment”) in an amount such that, after payment by the Executive of all
taxes (and any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes), including,
without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and penalties imposed with
respect thereto) and Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive retains
an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1(a), if it shall be determined
by the Accounting Firm (as
defined below) that the Executive is entitled to the Gross-Up Payment, but that the
Parachute Value of all Payments does not exceed 110% of the Safe Harbor Amount, then
no Gross-Up Payment shall be made to the Executive and the amounts payable under this
Agreement or other plans and arrangements of the Company shall be reduced so that the
Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount. The
reduction of the amounts payable to the Executive, if applicable, shall be made by
first reducing the payments under the Company’s annual bonus plan as may be in effect
from time to time, unless an alternative method of reduction is elected by the
Executive, and in any event shall be made in such a manner as to maximize the Value of
all Payments actually made to the Executive. The Company’s obligation to make
Gross-Up Payments under this Section 1 shall not be conditioned upon the Executive’s
termination of employment.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 1(c), all determinations required to be made
under this Section 1, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the
amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such
determination, shall be made by Deloitte & Touche LLP, or
such other nationally
recognized certified public accounting firm as may be designated by the Executive (the
“Accounting Firm”). The Accounting Firm shall provide detailed supporting calculations
both to the Company and the Executive within 15 business days of the receipt of notice
from the Executive that there has been a Payment subject to the
Excise Tax or such earlier time as is requested by
the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor
for the individual, entity or group effecting the change of control, the Executive may
appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations
required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting
Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by
the Company. Any Gross-Up Payment, as determined pursuant to this Section 1, shall be
paid by the Company to the Executive within 5 days of the receipt of the Accounting
Firm’s determination. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon
the Company and the Executive. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of
Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) at the time
of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that
Gross-Up Payments that will not have been made by the Company should have been made (the
“Underpayment”), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the
event the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to Section 1(c) and the Executive
thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall
determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment
shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive.
(c) The Executive shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal
Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company of a
Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable, but no later
than 10 business days after the Executive is informed in writing of such claim. The
Executive shall apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the date on which
such claim is requested to be paid. The Executive shall not pay such claim prior to the
expiration of the 30-day period following the date on which the Executive gives such
notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of
taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company notifies the Executive in
writing prior to the expiration of such period that the Company desires to contest such
claim, the Executive shall:
(1) give the Company any information reasonably requested
by the Company relating to such claim,
(2) take such action in connection with contesting such
claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to
time, including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with
respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the Company,
(3) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order
effectively to contest such claim, and
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(4) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings
relating to such claim;
provided, however, that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses
(including additional interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such contest, and shall
indemnify and hold the Executive harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax
(including interest and penalties) imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs
and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of this Section 1(c), the Company
shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest,
and, at its sole discretion, may pursue or forgo any and all administrative appeals, proceedings,
hearings and conferences with the applicable taxing authority in respect of such claim and may, at
its sole discretion, either pay the tax claimed to the appropriate taxing authority on behalf of
the Executive and direct the Executive to xxx for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible
manner, and the Executive agrees to prosecute such contest to a determination before any
administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as
the Company shall determine; provided, however, that, if the Company pays such claim and directs
the Executive to xxx for a refund, the Company shall indemnify and hold the Executive harmless, on
an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest or penalties) imposed
with respect to such payment or with respect to any imputed income in connection with such payment;
and provided, further, that any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of
taxes for the taxable year of the Executive with respect to which such contested amount is claimed
to be due is limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company’s control of the
contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which the Gross-Up Payment would be payable
hereunder, and the Executive shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other
issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.
(d) If, after the receipt by the Executive of a Gross-Up Payment or payment by the
Company of an amount on the Executive’s behalf pursuant to Section 1(c), the Executive
becomes entitled to receive any refund with respect to the Excise Tax to which such
Gross-Up Payment relates or with respect to such claim, the Executive shall (subject to
the Company’s complying with the requirements of Section 1(c), if applicable) promptly
pay to the Company the amount of such refund (together with any interest paid or
credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after payment by the Company of
an amount on the Executive’s behalf pursuant to Section 1(c), a determination is made
that the Executive shall not be entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and
the Company does not notify the Executive in writing of its intent to contest such
denial of refund prior to the expiration of 30 days after such determination, then the
amount of such payment shall reduce, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up
Payment required to be paid.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1, the Company may, in its
sole discretion, withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service or any other
applicable taxing authority, for the benefit of the Executive, all or any portion of any
Gross-Up Payment, and the Executive hereby consents to such withholding.
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(f) Definitions. The following terms shall have the following meanings for
purposes of this Section 1.
(i) “Excise Tax” shall mean the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, together
with any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such excise tax.
(ii) “Parachute Value” of a Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the change of
control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a
“parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2), as determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of
determining whether and to what extent the Excise Tax will apply to such Payment.
(iii) A “Payment” shall mean any payment or distribution in the nature of compensation (within
the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for the benefit of the Executive, whether paid
or payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (including without limitation payments under
stock option and equity compensation plans, bonus plans, employment, change of control or severance
agreements or plans).
(iv) The “Safe Harbor Amount” means 2.99 times the Executive’s “base amount,” within the meaning
of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code.
(v) “Value” of a Payment shall mean the economic present value of a Payment as of the date of
the change of control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code, as determined by the Accounting
Firm using the discount rate required by Section 280G(d)(4) of the Code.
2. Non-exclusivity of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit the
Executive’s continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by
the Company or any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company (the
“Affiliated Companies”) and for which the Executive may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or
otherwise affect such rights as the Executive may have under any other contract or agreement with
the Company or the Affiliated Companies. Amounts that are vested benefits or that the Executive is
otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of or any other contract
or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies at or subsequent to the date of
termination shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract
or agreement.
3. Full Settlement. The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this
Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off,
counterclaim, recoupment, defense, or other claim, right or action that the Company may have
against the Executive or others. In no event shall the Executive be obligated to seek other
employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Executive
under any of the provisions of this Agreement, and such amounts shall not be reduced whether or not
the Executive obtains other
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employment. The Company agrees to pay as incurred (within 10 days
following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Executive), to the full extent permitted by
law, all legal fees and expenses that the Executive may reasonably incur as a result of any contest
(regardless of the outcome thereof) by the Company, the Executive or others of the validity or
enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or any guarantee of
performance thereof (including as a result of any contest by the Executive about the amount of any
payment pursuant to this Agreement), plus, in each case, interest on any delayed payment at the
applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code.
4. Successors.
(a) This Agreement is personal to the Executive, and, without the prior written consent of the
Company, shall not be assignable by the Executive other than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s
legal representatives and his heirs. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company
and its successors and assigns. Except as provided in Section 4(b), without the prior written
consent of the Executive this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company.
(b) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger,
consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the
Company to assume expressly and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place.
“Company” means the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets
as aforesaid that assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law or otherwise.
5. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Nevada, without reference to principles of conflict of laws. The captions of this
Agreement are not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect. This Agreement
may not be amended or modified other than by a written agreement executed by the parties hereto or
their respective successors, heirs and legal representatives.
(b) All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by
hand delivery to the other party or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested,
postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
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if to the Executive:
At the most recent address on file at the Company.
if to the Company:
Centex Corporation
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
or to such other address as either party shall have furnished to the other in writing in accordance
herewith. Notice and communications shall be effective when actually received by the addressee.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive and the Company have caused this Agreement
to be executed as of the date first specified above.
| CENTEX CORPORATION | |||||
| By: | |||||
| Name: | |||||
| Title: | |||||
| EXECUTIVE | |||||
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