Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Related Party Transactions with Officers and Directors

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Related Party Transactions with Officers and Directors
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Related Party Transactions with Officers and Directors  
Related Party Transactions with Officers and Directors

(13)  Related Party Transactions with Officers and Directors

Chief Executive Officer Compensation Arrangement

In December 2014, the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of Liberty approved a compensation arrangement, including term options as discussed in note 14, for its President and Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”). The arrangement provides for a five year employment term which began on January 1, 2015 and ends December 31, 2019, with an annual base salary of $960,750, increasing annually by 5% of the prior year’s base salary, and an annual target cash bonus equal to 250% of the applicable year’s annual base salary. The arrangement also provides that, in the event the CEO is terminated for “cause,” he will be entitled only to his accrued base salary and any amounts due under applicable law and he will forfeit all rights to his unvested term options. If, however, the CEO is terminated by Liberty without cause or if he terminates his employment for “good reason,” he will be entitled to his accrued base salary, his accrued but unpaid bonus and any amounts due under applicable law, a severance payment of 1.5 times his base salary during the year of his termination, a payment equal to $11,750,000 pro rated based upon the elapsed number of days in the calendar year of termination, a payment equal to $17.5 million, and his unvested term options will generally vest pro rata based on the portion of the term elapsed through the termination date plus 18 months and for all vested and accelerated options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates. If, however, the CEO terminates his employment without “good reason,” he will be entitled to his accrued base salary, his accrued but unpaid bonus and any amounts due under applicable law, a payment equal to $11,750,000 pro rated based upon the elapsed number of days in the calendar year of termination, and for his unvested term options to generally vest pro rata based on the portion of the term elapsed through the termination date and all vested and accelerated options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates. Lastly, in the case of the CEO’s death or his disability, he is entitled to his accrued base salary, his accrued but unpaid bonus and any amounts due under applicable law, a payment of 1.5 times his base salary during the year of his termination, a payment equal to $11,750,000 pro rated based upon the elapsed number of days in the calendar year of termination, a payment equal to $17.5 million, and  for his unvested term options to fully vest and for his vested and accelerated term options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates.

Beginning in 2015, the CEO receives annual performance-based options to purchase shares of Series C Liberty Formula One common stock with a term of 7 years (the “Performance Options”) and performance-based restricted stock units with respect to Series C Liberty Formula One common stock (the “Performance RSUs” and together with the Performance Options, the “Performance Awards”) during the employment term. Grants of Performance Awards will be allocated between Liberty and Liberty Interactive. The aggregate target amount to be allocated between Liberty and Liberty Interactive will be $16 million with respect to calendar year 2015, $17 million with respect to calendar year 2016, $18 million with respect to calendar year 2017, $19 million with respect to calendar year 2018 and $20 million with respect to calendar year 2019. Vesting of the Performance Awards will be determined based on satisfaction of performance metrics that will be set by Liberty and Liberty Interactive’s respective compensation committees in the first quarter of each applicable year, except that the CEO will forfeit his unvested Performance Awards if his employment is terminated for any reason before the end of the applicable year, except that the CEO will forfeit his unvested Performance Awards if his employment is terminated for any reason before the end of the applicable year. In addition, Liberty and Liberty Interactive’s compensation committees may grant additional Performance Awards, with a value of up to 50% of the target amount allocated to Liberty for the relevant year (the “Above Target Awards”), and the compensation committees may determine to establish additional performance metrics with respect to such Above Target Awards.

Salary compensation related to services provided by the CEO is charged from Liberty to Liberty TripAdvisor and Liberty Broadband pursuant to the Services Agreements with each respective company. Any cash bonus attributable to the performance of Liberty or Liberty Interactive is paid directly by each respective company.

Chairman’s Employment Agreement

On December 12, 2008, the Committee determined to modify its employment arrangements with its Chairman of the Board, to permit the Chairman to begin receiving payments in 2009 in satisfaction of Liberty’s obligations to him under two deferred compensation plans and a salary continuation plan. Under one of the deferred compensation plans (the “8% Plan”), compensation has been deferred by the Chairman since January 1, 1993 and accrues interest at the rate of 8% per annum compounded annually from the applicable date of deferral. The amount owed to the Chairman under the 8% Plan aggregated approximately $2.4 million at December 31, 2008. Under the second plan (the “13% Plan”), compensation was deferred by the Chairman from 1982 until December 31, 1992 and accrues interest at the rate of 13% per annum compounded annually from the applicable date of deferral. The amount owed to the Chairman under the 13% Plan aggregated approximately $20 million at December 31, 2008. Both deferred compensation plans had provided for payment of the amounts owed to him in 240 monthly installments beginning upon termination of his employment. Under his salary continuation plan, the Chairman would have been entitled to receive $15,000 (increased at the rate of 12% per annum compounded annually from January 1, 1998 to the date of the first payment, (the “Base Amount”) per month for 240 months beginning upon termination of his employment. The amount owed to the Chairman under the salary continuation plan aggregated approximately $39 million at December 31, 2008. There is no further accrual of interest under the salary continuation plan once payments have begun.

The Committee determined to modify all three plans and began making payments to the Chairman in 2009, while he remains employed by the Company. By commencing payments under the salary continuation plan, interest ceased to accrue on the Base Amount. As a result of these modifications, the Chairman will receive 240 equal monthly installments as follows: (1) approximately $20,000 under the 8% Plan; (2) approximately $237,000 under the 13% Plan; and (3) approximately $164,000 under the salary continuation plan.

The Committee also approved certain immaterial amendments to the Chairman’s employment agreement intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.