UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

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Harris Stratex Networks, Inc.

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HARRIS STRATEX NETWORKS, INC.
637 Davis Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560

Notice of 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To Be Held on November 19, 2009

 

TO THE HOLDERS OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK OF HARRIS STRATEX NETWORKS, INC.

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Harris Stratex Networks, Inc. will be held at our facilities, located at 120 Rose Orchard Way, San Jose, California, on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 2:30 p.m., local time, for the following purposes:

 

1. Election of eight Class A directors to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

 

2. Ratification of the appointment by our Audit Committee of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2010.

 

3. Approval of the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

4. Approval of the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan.

 

5. Approval of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

6. The transaction of such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting, or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

 

Only holders of Class A common stock of record at the close of business on September 22, 2009 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and all adjournments or postponements thereof.

 

Whether or not you expect to attend in person, we urge you to submit a proxy to vote your shares in accordance with the instructions that we provide to you and as set forth in the proxy statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting. This will help ensure the presence of a quorum at the meeting.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

 

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

October [7], 2009

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on November 19, 2009

 

This proxy statement, the proxy card and our 2009 Annual Report are available at
http://www.proxydocs.com/HSTX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

HARRIS STRATEX NETWORKS, INC.

 

PROXY STATEMENT

 

FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 19, 2009

 

This proxy statement (“Proxy Statement”) applies to the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Harris Stratex Networks, Inc. (which we refer to as the “Company,” “we,” “our,” and “ours”) for use at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held at 2:30 p.m., local time, November 19, 2009, and any adjournments or postponements thereof. The annual meeting will be held at our facilities located at 120 Rose Orchard Way, San Jose, California. The telephone number at that location is (408) 943-0777. These proxy materials will be available over the Internet and for those that have requested to receive the materials in hard copy, the proxy materials are being mailed on or about October 7, 2009 to our stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting.

 

The purpose of the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is to obtain stockholder action on the matters outlined in the notice of meeting included with this Proxy Statement. All holders of shares of Class A common stock (the only Class of common stock issued and outstanding) of record at the close of business on September 22, 2009 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and all adjournments or postponements thereof. Our Class A common stockholders will vote to elect eight directors, ratify the appointment by our Audit Committee of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2010, approve the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, approve the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan and approve the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. In addition, management will report on its 2009 performance and respond to stockholders’ questions at the annual meeting.

 

The record date for the stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting is September 22, 2009. The record date was established by the Board as required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, and our Bylaws. Owners of record of shares of our common stock at the close of business on the record date are entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote at the annual meeting, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. You may vote all shares that you owned as of the record date.

 

Each outstanding share of our Class A common stock is entitled to one vote on each matter considered at the annual meeting. As of the record date of September 22, 2009, the number of outstanding shares of Class A common stock was 58,890,228.

 

From the time we acquired Stratex Networks, Inc. on January 26, 2007, Harris Corporation (“Harris”) owned 32,913,377 shares or 100% of our Class B common stock which approximated 56% of the total shares of our common stock. On March 31, 2009, Harris issued a press release announcing that its Board of Directors approved the spin-off to its shareholders of all the shares of the Company owned by Harris. The spin-off took place in the form of a taxable pro rata stock dividend payable on May 27, 2009 to the Harris shareholders of record as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on May 13, 2009, the record date for the spin-off dividend. Harris shareholders received approximately 0.24 of a share of our Class A common stock for every share of Harris common stock they owned on the record date. As such, following the distribution and as of the record date of September 22, 2009 for our annual meeting, only shares of our Class A common stock were outstanding and no shares of Class B common stock were outstanding.

 

Subject to space availability, all stockholders as of the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the meeting. Since seating is limited, admission to the meeting will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

If your shares are held in “street name” (that is, through a bank, broker or other holder of record) and you wish to attend the annual meeting, you must bring a copy of a bank or brokerage statement reflecting your stock ownership as of the record date to the annual meeting.

 

Stockholders of record can direct their votes by proxy as follows:

 

 

If you are the beneficial owner of shares held in street name, the nominee holding your shares will send you separate instructions describing the procedure for voting your shares. Street name stockholders who wish to vote at the meeting will need to obtain a proxy form from the institution that holds their shares.

 

Pursuant to SEC rules, we have provided access to our proxy materials over the Internet. Accordingly, we are sending a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) to our stockholders of record and beneficial owners. All stockholders will have the ability to access the proxy materials on a website referred to in the Notice or request a printed set of the proxy materials. Instructions on how to access the proxy materials over the Internet or to request a printed copy may be found in the Notice. In addition, stockholders may request delivery of annual meeting proxy materials in printed form by mail or electronically by email on an ongoing basis.

 

This Proxy Statement, the form of proxy card, the Notice and our annual report on SEC Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2009 are available at www.proxydocs.com/HSTX.

 

In lieu of personally attending and voting at the 2009 annual meeting, you can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. We are soliciting your vote so all shares of our Class A common stock may be voted at the annual meeting and have designated proxy holders to whom you may submit your voting instructions. The proxy holder for the annual meeting is our General Counsel and Secretary, Meena Elliott.

 

If the shares of Class A common stock are held in your name, you may revoke your proxy given pursuant to this solicitation at any time before your shares are voted by:

 

 

 

If your shares are held in street name, you should follow the directions provided by the nominee institution that holds your shares regarding proxy revocation. Your attendance at the annual meeting after having executed and delivered a valid proxy card will not in and of itself constitute revocation of your proxy.

 

The director nominees will be re-elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Our stockholders may not cumulate votes in the re-election of the director nominees. The director nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of the shares present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting and entitled to vote will be elected. Ratification of the selection by our Audit Committee of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm and approval of each of the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the stockholders present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting and entitled to vote. Approval of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting.

 

The presence at the annual meeting either in person or by proxy of a majority of the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting.

 

Under the DGCL, an abstaining vote and a broker “non-vote” are counted as present and are, therefore, included for purposes of determining whether a quorum of shares is present at the annual meeting. A broker “non-vote” occurs when a broker or other nominee holding shares in street name for a beneficial owner signs and submits a proxy or votes with respect to shares of common stock held in a fiduciary capacity, but does not vote on a particular matter because the nominee does not have the discretionary voting power with respect to that matter and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner or because the broker elects not to vote on a matter as to which it does have discretionary voting power. Under the rules governing brokers who are voting with respect to shares held in street name, brokers have the discretion to vote such shares on routine matters, but not on non-routine matters. Routine matters include the election of Class A Directors and the ratification of the selection of our independent public accounting firm. With respect to Proposal No. 1, which requires a plurality vote, broker “non-votes” will have no effect. With respect to Proposal No. 2 (ratification of the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm), Proposal No. 3 (approval of the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan), and Proposal No. 4. (approval of the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan), each of which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present at the meeting and entitled to vote, broker “non-votes” will have the same effect as a negative vote. For Proposal No. 5 (approval of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation), which requires the affirmative vote of the majority of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting, broker “non-votes” will have the same effect as a negative vote.

 

We will bear the entire cost of solicitation, including the preparation, assembly, printing, and mailing of this Proxy Statement, the proxy card, and any additional solicitation materials that may be furnished to our stockholders and the maintenance and operation of the website providing Internet access to these proxy materials. We will reimburse brokerage firms and other custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries for reasonable expenses incurred in sending proxy materials to beneficial owners of our common stock and maintaining the Internet access for such materials and the submission of proxies. We may supplement the original solicitation of proxies by mail, by solicitation by telephone, telegram, or other means by our directors, officers and employees. No additional compensation will be paid to these individuals for any such services.

 

Stockholder Proposals.  In order for stockholder proposals to be considered properly brought before our 2010 annual meeting, the stockholder’s written notice thereof must be received by our Secretary at the address of our

principal executive offices, not less than 60 days or more than 90 days prior to the meeting. However, in the event that we give less than 70 days prior notice or public disclosure of the annual meeting date, the notice must be received by our Secretary at the address noted above no less than 10 days following the date of our notice or public disclosure of the meeting. The full requirements for the notice are in Article II, Section 13 of our Bylaws, which is available for review at our website, www.harrisstratex.com. In addition, if a stockholder wishes the proposal to be considered for inclusion in our proxy materials for the 2010 annual meeting under SEC Rule 14a-8, written notice thereof must be received by our Secretary at the address noted above by June 10, 2010.

 

Nomination of Director Candidates.  In order for a stockholder to nominate a director for election at our 2010 annual meeting, the stockholder’s written notice thereof must be received by our Secretary, at the address of our principal executive offices, not less than 60 days or more than 90 days prior to the meeting. However, in the event that we give less than 70 days prior notice or public disclosure of the annual meeting date, the notice must be received by our Secretary at the address noted above no less than 10 days following the date of our notice or public disclosure of the meeting. The full requirements for the notice are contained in Article II, Section 14 of our Bylaws, which is available for review at our website, www.harrisstratex.com.

 

The proxies to be solicited by the Board for the 2010 annual meeting will confer discretionary authority on the proxy holders to vote on any stockholder proposal presented at such annual meeting if the Company fails to receive notice of such stockholder’s proposal for the meeting in accordance with the periods specified above.

 

An automated system administered by Mediant Communications LLC will tabulate the votes cast by proxy. A representative of Mediant Communications LLC will act as the inspector of elections for the annual meeting and will tabulate the votes cast in person at the annual meeting.

 

We believe in and are committed to sound corporate governance principles. Consistent with our commitment to and continuing evolution of corporate governance principles, we adopted a Code of Business Ethics, Governance and Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee charters and corporate governance guidelines. The committee charters are available at http://www.harrisstratex.com/cg/committee-charters.asp. Each of our Board committees is required to conduct an annual review of its charter and applicable guidelines.

 

The Board is composed of eight members, of whom four are Class A directors and four are Class B Directors. Directors are nominated by the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board. All directors except Mr. Braun have held office as directors since January 26, 2007, the date of the contribution by Harris of the Microwave Communications Division of Harris, or MCD, and our merger with Stratex Networks, Inc., or Stratex. Mr. Braun became a director on April 8, 2008. Mr. Howard Lance, a former Class B director, resigned his position as a director of the company on May 27, 2009. The Board is chaired by Mr. Kissner.

 

 

 

The Board has determined that as of the date of this Proxy Statement, each of our current directors except Messrs. Kissner and Braun has no material relationship with the Company and is independent in accordance with listing rules of the NASDAQ stock market (the “NASDAQ Listing Rules”). As a result of Harris Corporation’s spin-off of its shares of our common stock to its stockholders on May 27, 2009, we are no longer considered a “controlled” entity under the NASDAQ Listing Rules and the exemptions from the director independence requirements available to “controlled” entities are being phased out. We believe we already satisfy all such requirements except the requirement that all members of our nominating committee be independent. Under the NASDAQ phase-out rules, this requirement will become applicable on May 27, 2010. All current members of our Governance and Nominating Committee will meet the NASDAQ criteria of independence starting on January 26, 2010.

 

All directors are requested to attend the annual meeting of stockholders. Seven of our directors attended last year’s annual meeting.

 

During fiscal year 2009, the Board held 18 meetings. Each of our board members attended at least 75 percent of the total number of Board meetings and at least 75 percent of the total number of meetings of the committee or committees on which the member served during the fiscal year.

 

Mr. Charles D. Kissner, age 62, currently serves as our Chairman of the Board. Mr. Kissner served as Chief Executive Officer of Stratex from July 1995 through May 2000, and again from October 2001 to May 2006. He was elected a director of Stratex in July 1995 and Chairman in August 1996, a position which he held through 2006. Mr. Kissner also served as Vice President and General Manager of M/A-COM, Inc., a manufacturer of radio and microwave communications products, from July 1993 to July 1995. Prior to that, he was President and CEO of Aristacom International, a communications software company, and Executive Vice President and a Director of Fujitsu Network Switching, Inc. He also held a number of executive positions at AT&T (now Alcatel-Lucent). Mr. Kissner currently serves on the board of directors of SonicWALL, Inc., a provider of Internet security solutions, and Shoretel, Inc. an IP business telephony systems company. Mr. Kissner also serves on the Advisory Board of Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.

 

Mr. Harald J. Braun, age 53, has been our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board since April 2008. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Siemens Networks LLC and most recently as a senior executive in Nokia Siemens Networks North America. In 2002, Mr. Braun became President, Siemens Carrier Networks Division, focused on next-generation technologies and services. From 2000-2002, he served as Siemens Senior Vice President and the head of Siemens Ltd. in Thailand, with responsibility for sales of the company’s next-generation network products. Before this assignment, Mr. Braun served as Siemens vice president, IP and ATM/TDM Broadband Components in Development and vice president, ATM System Integration and System Test. Mr. Braun currently serves as treasurer of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), and sits on the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) board. He is also a Director and member of the Audit Committee of BigBand Networks, and is an advisor to Roundbox, Inc.

 

Mr. Eric C. Evans, age 56, is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, and Representative Executive Director of D&M Holdings Inc., a leading provider of premium consumer audio and video electronics. He is presently Senior Advisor to D&M. He is also an industrial partner at Ripplewood Holdings LLC, a private equity firm. Prior to joining Ripplewood in November 2005, Mr. Evans was President and Chief Operating Officer of Diebold, Inc., global technology product and services company, from 2004 to 2005. Prior to 2004, Mr. Evans was a group vice president in the climate technologies area of Emerson, an industrial technology

and engineering leader. At Emerson beginning in 1987, Mr. Evans served in a variety of senior executive roles for Emerson’s Copeland Division including President of International, Senior Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer.

 

Mr. William A. Hasler, age 67, served as a member of the Stratex board of directors from August 2001 through January 2007, and was Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Hasler served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Solectron Corporation from 2003 to 2007 and was a member of that board from 1998 to 2007. He was co-Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Aphton Corp, a biopharmaceutical company from 1998 to 2003. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Hasler was Dean of both the Graduate and Undergraduate Schools of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to his deanship at UC Berkeley, Mr. Hasler was Vice Chairman of KPMG Peat Marwick. Mr. Hasler also serves on the boards of Ditech Networks Corp., a supplier of telecommunications equipment, Globalstar, Inc., a supplier of satellite communication services, and Mission West Properties Inc., a REIT engaged in the management, leasing, marketing, development and acquisition of commercial R&D properties. He is also a trustee of the Schwab Funds.

 

Mr. Clifford H. Higgerson, age 69, served as a member of the Stratex board of directors from March 2006 to January 2007 and served on the Compensation and Strategic Business Development Committees. He has more than 40 years experience in research, consulting, planning and venture investing primarily in the telecommunications industry, with an emphasis on carrier systems and equipment. In 2006, he became a partner with Walden International, a global venture capital firm focused on four key industry sectors: communications, electronics/digital consumer, software and IT services, and semiconductors. Mr. Higgerson was a founding partner of ComVentures from 1986 to 2005, and has been a general partner with Vanguard Venture Partners since 1991. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Kotura, Hatteras Networks, Xtera Communications, World of Good, Ygnition and Geronimo Windpower.

 

Dr. Mohsen Sohi, age 50, has served, since 2003, as President and Chief Executive Officer of Freudenberg-NOK, a privately-held joint venture partnership between Freudenberg & Co. of Germany and NOK Corp. of Japan, the world’s largest producer of elastomeric seals and custom molded products for automotive and other applications. From 2001 through 2003 he served as President, Retail Store Automation Division, NCR Corporation. From 1986 through 2001 he served in various key positions at Honeywell/Allied Signal Inc., including President, Honeywell Electronic Materials and President, Honeywell Commercial Vehicle Systems. Dr. Sohi currently serves on the board of directors of Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc., a leading worldwide producer of aluminum and steel wheels for cars and trucks, and also on the board of directors of Steris Corporation, a provider of infection prevention and contamination control products and services.

 

Dr. James C. Stoffel, age 63, currently serves on the Board of Directors of Harris, of which he has been a member since August 2003, and is also a member of its Finance Committee and the Management Development and Compensation Committees. Prior to his retirement, Dr. Stoffel was Senior Vice President, Chief Technical Officer and Director of Research and Development of Eastman Kodak Company. He held this position from 2000 to April 2005. He joined Kodak in 1997 as Vice President and Director Electronic Imaging Products Research and Development and became Director of Research and Engineering in 1998. Prior to joining Kodak, he was with Xerox Corporation, where he began his career in 1972. His most recent position with Xerox was Vice President, Corporate Research and Technology. Dr. Stoffel is also a trustee of the George Eastman House museum. He serves on the Advisory Board for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Notre Dame and is a member of the advisory board of the Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, Hong Kong.

 

Mr. Edward F. Thompson, age 71, served as a member of the Stratex board of directors from November 2002 through January 2007, where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee, and served on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Thompson has been a consultant to Fujitsu Labs of America since 2002. From 1976 to 1994, he held various positions at Amdahl Corporation, including Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, as well as Chairman and CEO of Amdahl Capital Corporation. Mr. Thompson also held positions at U.S. Leasing International, Inc., Computer Sciences Corporation, IBM and Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. Mr. Thompson has contributed as a director or advisor to a number of companies including Fujitsu, Ltd. and several of its subsidiaries, SonicWALL Inc., a provider of Internet security solutions, Shoretel, Inc., an IP

business telephony systems company, and InnoPath Software, Inc. He is on the Advisory Boards of Diamondhead Ventures, LLP, and Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.

 

Our Board of Directors maintains an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Governance and Nominating Committee. During fiscal year 2009, the Nominating Committee and Corporate Governance Committee were separate, however, these committees were combined during fiscal year 2010.

 

Copies of the charters for the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Governance and Nominating Committee are available on our website at http://www.harrisstratex.com/cg/committee-charters.asp.

 

The following table shows the Chairman and present members of each committee, the number of committee meetings held during fiscal year 2009, and the principal functions performed by each committee.

 

 

 

 

The Audit Committee is primarily responsible for selecting and approving the services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, as well as reviewing our accounting practices, corporate financial reporting and system of internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee currently consists of Messrs. Evans, Hasler and Thompson (Chairman). No material amendments to the Audit Committee Charter were made during fiscal year 2009. The Audit Committee is comprised of independent, non-employee members of our Board who are “financially sophisticated” under the NASDAQ Listing Rules.

 

The Board has determined that Messrs. Thompson and Hasler each qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined under Item 407(d)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but that status does not impose on either of their duties, liabilities or obligations that are greater than the duties, liabilities or obligations otherwise imposed on them as members of our Audit Committee and the Board.

 

The Compensation Committee has the authority and responsibility to approve our overall executive compensation strategy, to administer our annual and long-term compensation plans and to review and make recommendations to the Board regarding executive compensation. The Compensation Committee is comprised of independent, non-employee members of the Board in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rules. The Compensation Committee also retains an independent compensation consultant who advises on matters of executive compensation.

 

The Compensation Committee currently consists of Mr. Clifford H. Higgerson, Dr. Mohsen Sohi and Dr. James C. Stoffel (Chairman). None of these individuals is an officer or former officer of the Company. None of our executive officers served on the board of directors or compensation committee of Harris or any other entity during the past fiscal year.

 

As noted above, during fiscal year 2009, the Corporate Governance Committee and Nominating Committee were separate committees. During fiscal year 2009, the Corporate Governance Committee consisted of Messrs. Hasler (Chairman), Kissner and Lance and the Nominating Committee consisted of Messrs. Hasler (Chairman), Higgerson, Kissner and Thompson. The Governance and Nominating Committee consists of Messrs. Hasler (Chairman), Higgerson, and Kissner. Messrs. Hasler and Higgerson meet the independence requirements of the NASDAQ Listing Rules and Mr. Kissner will meet the independence requirements of the NASDAQ Listing Rules effective January 26, 2010. Per the NASDAQ Listing Rules for phase-in compliance for companies ceasing to be a controlled company, the committee may include, until May 27, 2010, a number of members not meeting the independence requirements of the NASDAQ Listing Rules so long as the number of such non-independent members is less than the number of independent members of the committee.

 

The Governance and Nominating Committee identifies best practices and recommends steps consistent with sound and current corporate governance principles and assists the Board in selecting nominees for election to the Board and recommends candidates to the Board. The Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviews whether a more formal selection policy should be adopted. There is no difference in the manner in which the Governance and Nominating Committee members evaluate nominees for director based on whether the nominee is recommended by a stockholder. We currently do not pay a third party to identify or assist in identifying or evaluating potential nominees, although we may in the future utilize the services of such third parties.

In reviewing potential candidates for the Board, the Governance and Nominating Committee considers the individual’s experience and background. Candidates for the position of director should exhibit proven leadership capabilities, high integrity, exercise high level responsibilities within their chosen career, and possess an ability to quickly grasp complex principles of business, finance, international transactions, and communication technologies. In general, candidates will be preferred who hold an established executive level position in business, finance, law, education, research, government or civic activity. In making its selection, the Governance and Nominating Committee bears in mind that the foremost responsibility of a director of a corporation is to represent the interests of the stockholders as a whole. The Board intends to continue to evaluate candidates for election to the Board on the basis of the foregoing criteria.

 

Stockholders who wish to communicate directly with the Board may do so by sending an e-mail to Meena Elliott, the Company’s General Counsel and Secretary, at hsxbod@hstx.com, or may send a letter addressed to: Harris Stratex Networks, Inc. Board, c/o Meena Elliott, General Counsel and Secretary, 120 Rose Orchard Way, San Jose, CA 95134. The General Counsel and Secretary monitors these communications and provides a summary of all received messages to the Board at its regularly scheduled meetings. When warranted by the nature of communications, the General Counsel and Secretary may obtain more immediate attention of the appropriate committee or independent director of the Board, independent advisors, or management. The General Counsel and Secretary may decide in her judgment whether a response to any stockholder communication is appropriate.

 

We implemented our Code of Conduct effectively on January 26, 2007. All of our employees, including the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, are required to abide by the Code of Conduct to help ensure that our business is conducted in a consistently ethical and legal manner. The Audit Committee has adopted a written policy, and management has implemented a reporting system, intended to encourage our employees to bring to the attention of management and the Audit Committee any complaints regarding the integrity of our internal system of controls over financial reporting, or the accuracy or completeness of financial or other information related to our financial statements.

 

It is the policy and practice of our Board to review and assess information concerning transactions involving related persons. Related persons include our directors and executive officers and their immediate family members, and included our majority stockholder, Harris, prior to its spin-off of our shares to its stockholders. If the determination is made that a related person has a material interest in a transaction involving us, then the disinterested members of our Board would review and approve or ratify it, and we would disclose the transaction in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. If the related person is a member of our Board, or a family member of a director, then that director would not participate in any discussion involving the transaction at issue.

 

Our Code of Conduct prohibits all employees, including our executive officers, from benefiting personally from any transactions with us other than approved compensation benefits.

 

Harris Corporation

 

During fiscal year 2009, and prior to the May 27, 2009 spin-off of our shares of common stock to the stockholders of Harris, Harris was a significant related party to us through its 56 percent ownership of our common stock. We had an investor agreement with Harris, which terminated at the time of the spin-off, that provided that Harris would not, and would not permit any of its affiliates to, directly or indirectly, enter into any transaction or series of related transactions with us or any of our subsidiaries unless (i) the transaction was on arm’s length terms and (ii) if it had a fair market value of more than $5 million, the transaction was approved in advance by a majority of the Class A directors (with certain exceptions).

Prior to the Harris spin-off, we shared a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy with Harris. The primary layer was available to Harris and the Company on a first-case, first-served basis.

 

Prior to the Stratex merger, some of the former MCD executives were awarded options to purchase Harris common stock. In accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R) “Share-Based Payment” (“SFAS 123(R)”), we recognized these expenses and have reimbursed Harris with cash in the amount of $0.1 million in respect of fiscal year 2009.

 

Prior to the Stratex merger, Harris provided information services, human resources, financial shared services, facilities, legal support and supply chain management services to us. The charges for those services were billed to us primarily based on actual usage. On January 26, 2007, we entered into a Transition Services Agreement with Harris to provide for certain services during the periods subsequent to the Stratex acquisition. These services also are charged to us based primarily on actual usage and include database management, supply chain operating systems, eBusiness services, sales and service, financial systems, back office material resource planning support, HR systems, internal and information systems shared services support, network management and help desk support, and server administration and support. During fiscal 2009, we incurred charges of $5.5 million for these services from Harris. We intend to continue to utilize select services from Harris and have extended the terms of the Transition Services Agreement.

 

We have sales to, and purchases from, other Harris entities from time to time. Prior to January 26, 2007, the entity initiating the transaction sold to the other Harris entity at cost or transfer price, depending on jurisdiction. The entity making the sale to the end customer recorded the profit on the transaction above cost or transfer price, depending on jurisdiction. Subsequent to January 26, 2007, these purchases and sales were recorded at market price. Our sales to other Harris entities were $6.0 million in fiscal 2009. We also recognized costs associated with related party purchases from Harris of $3.3 million for fiscal 2009.

 

Additionally, we have other receivables and payables in the normal course of business with Harris. Total receivables from Harris were $6.4 million as of July 3, 2009. Total payables to Harris were $3.3 million as of July 3, 2009.

 

Prior to January 26, 2007, MCD used certain assets in Canada owned by Harris that were not contributed to us with Harris. We continue to use these assets in our business and we entered into a 5-year lease agreement to accommodate this use. This agreement is a capital lease under generally accepted accounting principles. As of July 3, 2009, our lease obligation to Harris was $1.4 million of which $0.5 million is a current liability and the related asset amount, net of accumulated amortization of $1.4 million is included in property, plant and equipment. Quarterly lease payments are due to Harris based on the amount of 103% of Harris’ annual depreciation calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

During fiscal 2009 we paid Harris $1.4 million under this capital lease obligation. Our amortization expense on this capital lease was $1.1 million, $1.8 million and $0.8 million in fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007. As of July 3, 2009, the future minimum payments for this lease are $0.8 million for fiscal 2010, $0.5 million for fiscal 2011 and $0.2 million for fiscal 2012.

 

We have entered into a tax sharing agreement with Harris which provides that if our financial results are required to be included in a Harris consolidated, combined, or unitary income or franchise tax return, or vice versa, the parties will consent to the inclusion of such results in the combined return. We have agreed to reimburse Harris for any tax liability of ours reflected in a Harris tax return (and vice versa), and Harris has agreed to reimburse us for use of any tax benefits of ours that are used by Harris in its tax return (and vice versa). These arrangements also apply to our subsidiaries as well as to those of Harris Corporation, although for purposes of the tax sharing agreement, neither we nor our subsidiaries are considered subsidiaries of Harris Corporation. There were no settlement payments under these arrangements during the fiscal year ended July 3, 2009.

 

During fiscal 2007, our Singapore subsidiary issued 8,250 redeemable preference shares to the Company which, in turn, sold the shares to two unrelated investment companies at par value for total sale proceeds of $8.25 million. Upon original issuance in fiscal 2007, Harris guaranteed redemption of these preference shares directly with these two unrelated investment companies through the existence of put option arrangements. During May 2009, one of these unrelated investment companies exercised a put option with Harris and sold its entire

interest in 3,250 redeemable preference shares at face value to Harris. Accordingly, Harris owns this partial interest in our Singapore subsidiary’s redeemable preference shares outstanding as of July 3, 2009. These redeemable preference shares represent less than a 1% interest in our Singapore subsidiary. The redeemable preference shares have an automatic redemption date of January 2017, which is 10 years from the date of issue. Preference dividends are cumulative and payable quarterly in cash at the rate of 12% per annum. The holders of the redeemable preference shares have liquidation rights in priority of all classes of capital stock of our Singapore subsidiary. The holders of the redeemable preference shares do not have any other participation in, or rights to, our profits, assets or capital shares, and do not have rights to vote as a shareholder of the Singapore subsidiary unless the preference dividend or any part thereof is in arrears and has remained unpaid for at least 12 months after it has been declared. During fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007, preference dividends totaling $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $0.4 million were recorded as interest expense in the our consolidated statements of operations. We have classified the redeemable preference shares as a long-term liability due to the mandatory redemption provision 10 years from issue date. Our Singapore subsidiary has the right at any time after 5 years from the issue date to redeem, in whole or in part, the redeemable preference shares as follows: 105% of the issue price after 5 years but before 6 years from issue date; 104% of the issue price after 6 years but before 7 years from issue date; 103% of the issue price after 7 years but before 8 years from issue date; 102% of the issue price after 8 years but before 9 years from issue date; 101% of the issue price after 9 years but before 10 years from issue date and 100% of the issue price at the automatic redemption date of 10 years from issue date.

 

The form and amount of director compensation is reviewed and assessed from time to time by the Governance and Nominating Committee with changes, if any, recommended to the Board for action. Director compensation may take the form of cash, equity, and other benefits ordinarily available to directors.

 

Directors who are not employees of ours currently receive the following fees, as applicable, for their services on our Board:

 

 

Directors are eligible to defer payment of all or a portion of the retainer fees, meeting fees and restricted stock awards that are payable to them. Directors may choose either a lump sum or installment distribution of such fees and awards. Installment distributions are payable in annual installments over a period no longer than 10 years.

 

We reimburse each non-employee director for reasonable travel expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board and committee meetings on our behalf, and for expenses such as supplies, continuing director

education costs, including travel for one course per year. Employee directors are not compensated for service as a director. Mr. Howard L. Lance did not receive compensation for his services as a director.

 

Our non-employee directors received the following aggregate amounts of compensation in respect of the fiscal year ended July 3, 2009.

 

 

 

 

Our Bylaws require us to indemnify each of our directors and officers with respect to their activities as a director, officer, or employee of ours, or when serving at our request as a director, officer, or trustee of another corporation, trust, or other enterprise, against losses and expenses (including attorney fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement) incurred by them in any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or civil proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, to which they are, or are threatened to be made,

a party(ies) as a result of their service to us. In addition, we carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, which includes similar coverage for our directors and executive officers. We will indemnify each such director or officer for any one or a combination of the following, whichever is most advantageous to such director or officer:

 

 

Under our Bylaws, each director or officer will continue to be indemnified even after ceasing to occupy a position as an officer, director, employee or agent of ours with respect to suits or proceedings arising from his or her service with us.

 

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our Class A common stock as of September 18, 2009 by each person or entity known by us to beneficially own more than 5 percent of our Class A common stock, by our directors, by our named executive officers and by all our directors and executive officers as a group. Except as indicated in the footnotes to this table, and subject to applicable community property laws, the persons listed in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock shown as beneficially owned by them. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each of the beneficial owners identified is c/o Harris Stratex Networks, Inc., 637 Davis Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560. As of September 18, 2009, there were 58,890,228 shares of our common stock outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

The Audit Committee currently consists of three members of the Board, each of whom is independent of the Company and its management, as defined in the NASDAQ Listing Rules. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, the Audit Committee charter. The charter specifies the scope of the Audit Committee’s responsibilities and how it carries out those responsibilities.

 

The Audit Committee reviews management’s procedures for the design, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive system of internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures focused on the accuracy of our financial statements and the integrity of our financial reporting systems. The Audit Committee provides the Board with the results of its examinations and recommendations and reports to the Board as it may deem necessary to make the Board aware of significant financial matters requiring the attention of the Board.

 

The Audit Committee does not conduct auditing reviews or procedures. The Audit Committee monitors management’s activities and discusses with management the appropriateness and sufficiency of our financial statements and system of internal control over financial reporting. Management has primary responsibility for the Company’s financial statements, the overall reporting process and our system of internal control over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm audits the financial statements prepared by management, expresses an opinion as to whether those financial statements fairly present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, and discusses with the Audit Committee any issues they believe should be raised with us.

 

The Audit Committee reviews reports from our independent registered public accounting firm with respect to their annual audit and approves in advance all audit and non-audit services provided by our independent auditors in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee also considers, in advance of the provision of any non-audit services by our independent registered public accounting firm, whether the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining their independence.

 

In accordance with its responsibilities, the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the audited financial statements for the year ended July 3, 2009 and the process designed to achieve compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Audit Committee has also discussed with our independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, the matters required to be discussed by SAS No. 61,

Communication with Audit Committees as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, in Rule 3200T. The Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and letter from Ernst & Young LLP required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees as adopted by the PCAOB in Rule 3600T, and has discussed with Ernst & Young LLP its independence, including whether Ernst & Young LLP’s provision of non-audit services is compatible with its independence.

 

Remediation of Material Weaknesses in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

The Company’s management report on internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ended June 27, 2008 described material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. These material weaknesses continued to exist during the first three quarters of fiscal 2009, during which time management was engaged in the implementation and testing of remedial measures designed to address these material weaknesses. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, management completed testing of the design and operating effectiveness of enhanced controls to demonstrate their operating effectiveness over a period of time sufficient to support our conclusion that, as of July 3, 2009, management had remediated the previously reported material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

During fiscal 2009, management implemented the following changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting to address previously reported material weaknesses:

 

1. Management designed and/or implemented several key initiatives to strengthen internal control over project cost variances.

 

 

2. Management designed and/or implemented several key initiatives to strengthen the Company’s process for reconciling balance sheet accounts.

 

 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

The Company’s remediation of the material weaknesses described above during the quarter ended July 3, 2009 has materially affected our internal control over financial reporting.

 

Based on these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended July 3, 2009 be included in Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

 

Edward F. Thompson, Chairman
Eric C. Evans
William A. Hasler

 

Ernst & Young LLP has been approved by our Audit Committee to act as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending July 2, 2010. Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, will have opportunity to make a statement should they so desire, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 

Audit and other fees billed to us by Ernst & Young LLP for the fiscal years ended July 3, 2009 and June 27, 2008 are as follows:

 

 

 

 

Ernst & Young LLP did not perform any professional services related to financial information systems design and implementation for us in fiscal 2009 or fiscal 2008.

 

The Audit Committee has determined in its business judgment that the provision of non-audit services described above is compatible with maintaining Ernst & Young LLP’s independence.

 

Overview

 

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis, which has been prepared by management, is intended to help our stockholders understand our executive compensation philosophy, objectives, elements, policies, practices and decisions. It is also intended to provide context for the compensation information for our CEO, current and former CFO and the three other most highly compensated executive officers (our “named executive officers”) detailed in the Summary Compensation Table below, in the other tables and narrative discussion that follow.

 

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

 

Our total executive compensation program was developed with primary objectives being recruiting, retaining and developing exceptional executives, enabling those individuals to achieve strategic and financial goals, rewarding superior performance and aligning the interests of our executives with our stockholders. The following principles guide our overall compensation program:

 

 

The Compensation Committee conducts an annual review of the executive compensation program in an effort to ensure our executive compensation policies and programs remain appropriately aligned with evolving business needs, and to consider best compensation practices.

 

Executive Compensation Process

 

The Compensation Committee has oversight responsibility for the establishment and implementation of compensation policies and programs for our executive officers in a manner consistent with our compensation objectives and principles. The Compensation Committee, which is comprised solely of independent directors, reviews and approves the features and design of our executive compensation program, and approves the compensation levels, individual objectives and financial targets for our executive officers other than our CEO. The Board of Directors approves the compensation level and individual objectives and financial targets for our CEO. The Compensation Committee also monitors executive succession planning and monitors our performance as it relates to overall compensation policies for employees, including benefit and retirement plans.

 

In carrying out its responsibilities, the Compensation Committee may engage outside consultants and consult with our Human Resources Department as well as internal and external legal or accounting advisors, as the Compensation Committee determines to be appropriate. The Compensation Committee considers recommendations from our CEO and senior management when making decisions regarding our executive compensation program and compensation of our executive officers. Following each fiscal year end, our CEO, assisted by our Human Resources Department, assesses the performance of all named executive officers and other officers. Following this annual performance review process, our CEO recommends base salary and incentive and equity awards for our named executive officers and other officers to the Compensation Committee. Based on input from our CEO and management, as well as from independent consultants, if any were used, the Compensation Committee determines what changes, if any should be made to the executive compensation program and either sets or recommends to the full Board the level of each compensation element for all of our officers.

 

Competitive Benchmarking

 

Our compensation program for all of our officers is addressed in the context of competitive compensation practices. Our management and Compensation Committee consider external data to assist in benchmarking total target compensation. For fiscal 2009, targets for total cash compensation (salary and bonus) for all officers were set using a benchmark group of companies contained within the National High Tech Survey published by Radford Surveys and Consulting (the “Radford Survey”) for technology companies with revenues between $500 million and $1.5 billion. Targets for long-term equity compensation were set using data collected by Towers Perrin. In determining compensation for our CEO, Mr. Harald J. Braun, the Compensation Committee utilized the services of Towers Perrin to provide advice and information to the Compensation Committee related to CEO compensation and prepared an assessment of the total direct compensation levels for the CEO position in the Radford Survey data and from publicly available proxy statements. The companies selected for total direct compensation benchmarking possess the following attributes: business operations in the industries and businesses in which we participate, with revenues between $500 million and $1.5 billion that compete for the same executive talent.

For fiscal 2009, the comparison group used for assessing the compensation of our CEO and our named executive officers included the following companies:

 

 

The Compensation Committee annually reviews the appropriateness of the comparison group used for assessing the compensation of our CEO and other named executive officers.

 

Total Compensation Elements

 

Our executive compensation program includes four major elements:

 

 

Each named executive officer’s performance is measured against factors such as long and short-term strategic goals and financial measures of our performance, including factors such as revenue, operating income, net income, and cash flow from operations.

 

Our compensation policy and practice is to target total compensation levels for all officers, including our named executive officers, nominally at the 50th percentile for similar positions as derived from the Radford Survey and Towers Perrin data, assuming experience in the position and competent performance. The Compensation Committee may decide to target total compensation above or below the 50th percentile for similar positions in unique circumstances based on an individual’s background, experience or position. Though compensation levels may differ among our named executive officers based upon competitive factors and the role, responsibilities and performance of each named executive officer, there are no material differences in our compensation policies or in the manner in which total direct compensation opportunity is determined for any of our named executive officers. Because our CEO has significantly greater duties, responsibilities and accountabilities than our other named executive officers, the total compensation opportunity for the CEO is higher than for our other named executive officers.

 

2009 Cash Compensation

 

Base Salary.  Base salaries are provided as compensation for day-to-day responsibilities and services to us. Executive salaries are reviewed annually. To determine compensation for fiscal year 2009, our CEO made recommendations regarding each named executive officer’s base pay to the Compensation Committee in August 2008. The Compensation Committee considered each executive officer’s responsibilities, as well as the Company’s performance and recommended increases in base salary for select named executive officers and other officers. The base salaries for fiscal 2009 for our named executive officers are set forth in the Summary Compensation Table.

Short-Term Incentive Compensation Award

 

Incentive Pay.  The short-term incentive element of our executive compensation program consists of an all cash-based Annual Incentive Plan, or AIP. Based on recommendations by the CEO, the Compensation Committee sets an annual incentive compensation target, expressed as a percentage of base salary, for each executive officer in August. The Compensation Committee recommends to the Board the target for our CEO at the same time. The Compensation Committee also establishes specific Company financial performance measures and targets including the relative weighting and payout thresholds. The financial targets are aligned with our Board-approved annual operating plan, and during the year periodic reports are made to the Board about our performance compared with the targets. Under the AIP, a significant portion of the executive’s annual cash compensation is tied directly to our financial performance. Our Board may adjust the formula-based cash awards plus or minus 20% with respect to the awards to our CEO. Our CEO is authorized to adjust individual formula-based cash awards plus or minus 20% to recognize the unique contributions of each other executive officer. The target amount of annual incentive cash compensation under our AIP, expressed as a percentage of base salary, generally increases with an executive’s level of management responsibility. AIP target cash incentive can represent 50% — 100% of the base cash compensation for our named executive officers. If performance results meet target levels, our executives can earn 100% of their target cash incentive. No cash incentive can be earned for performance below the minimum threshold; however, at 120% of target levels for revenue and 125% of target levels for operating income, executives can earn 200% of their target cash incentive.

 

For fiscal year 2009, the AIP contained minimum thresholds and payout ratios for both performance measures and assigned a weight of 50% to revenue and 50% to operating income. The change to the 50/50 weighting from the 60/40 weighting used in prior fiscal years reflects the desire to bring a balanced focus to revenue and operating income instead of encouraging a stronger focus on one over the other. The target amounts were established in August 2008. The operating income performance measure included a condition that the Company achieve a minimum of $59 million in cash flow from operations. Performance relative to each measure was evaluated independently (see Table 1, below), and the plan provided for zero payout unless Company performance met at least one target threshold percentage. The revenue target for fiscal year 2009, $782 million, was computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. The operating income target for fiscal year 2009, $97 million, was computed based on GAAP results with certain non-GAAP adjustments. Applying non-GAAP adjustments to the operating income focuses this part of the AIP incentive on more controllable aspects of the income statement. Fiscal year 2009 non-GAAP operating income excluded $373 million of pre-tax charges comprised of $311.6 million for goodwill and intangible assets impairment charges, $29.8 million for product transition charges, $14.9 million amortization of purchased intangibles, $11.1 million restructuring and stock compensation expense and $5.6 million for write-off of acquired in-process R&D and software.

 

Table 1

 

 

The fiscal year 2009 AIP did not guarantee payout of the target amounts, and the Compensation Committee considered the revenue and operating income targets to be challenging. During the 2009 fiscal year AIP, we achieved approximately 87% percent of the revenue target and did not achieve the operating income target. Although we did not achieve the minimum revenue target, upon the recommendation by the Compensation Committee, our Board awarded a fiscal AIP in the amount that would have been payable upon achievement of the revenue threshold of 90% of the revenue target, with the Chief Executive Officer to have discretion to vary the

formula plus or minus 20%. In making its recommendation, the Committee considered management’s financial performance to be above average as compared to the financial performance of competitors, given the current macro-economic environment. Our named executive officers received approximately 24.2 percent of their total target cash available under this plan. The specific amount paid to each named executive officer is shown on the Summary Compensation Table. Our Board awarded $200,000 to our Chief Executive Officer, which represented approximately 28.7 percent of his base salary. We expect short-term incentive pay to continue to be a component of our total executive compensation program, and the Compensation Committee reviewed and recommended to the Board and the Board agreed, that the metrics and the weighting mix remain the same for fiscal year 2010.

 

Long-Term Incentive Compensation Awards

 

The Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) is one of the elements of our executive compensation program. The Compensation Committee uses this plan as a means for determining awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, restricted stock units, performance shares, and other stock-based awards to our officers and other executives based on multi-year performance. All of the awards are granted under the 2007 Stock Equity Plan.

 

Our LTIP is designed to motivate our executives to focus on achievement of our long-term financial goals. Performance share grants motivate our executives to achieve our long-term goals and to the extent our results affect our stock price, link such results with the performance of our stock over a three-year period. Using equity awards helps us to retain executives, encourage share ownership and maintain a direct link between our executive compensation program and the value and appreciation in the value of our stock. For fiscal year 2009, the Compensation Committee has authorized Long Term Incentive Plan awards that will provide incentives for performance through fiscal year 2011.

 

Performance Shares.  In general, the Compensation Committee determines the applicable multi-year performance criteria and plan cycle for performance share awards with a view to allowing the shares to be earned, if the performance criteria are met, at the end of each 3-year plan cycle. Under the fiscal year 2009 long-term equity incentive awards, performance shares are earned if 90% of target income from operating income or 75% of target return on invested capital is achieved. Income from operations and return on invested capital is calculated by applying GAAP principles, adjusted for certain Committee approved exclusions, which may include items such as charges incurred for restructurings, impairments, acquisitions. The maximum possible entitlement to performance shares will occur if 120% of both targets is achieved. In addition, irrespective of performance versus target, there is no entitlement to performance shares unless the award recipient continues to be employed throughout the multi-year period. Further, the LTIP allows for an accelerated payout of up to 50% of target shares based on the cumulative results achieved at the end of fiscal year 2010.

 

Table 2, below, outlines the metrics of the performance share plan adopted in fiscal year 2009.

 

Table 2

 

LTIP awards made in fiscal 2009, with a performance measurement period of fiscal years 2010-2011, were composed of 50% stock options and 50% performance-based restricted stock awards. The LTIP awards made in fiscal 2010, with a performance measurement period of fiscal years 2010-2012, were composed of 331/3% stock options, 331/3% service-based restricted stock units and 331/3% performance-based restricted stock awards. (In both cases, the proportions are measured by the estimated GAAP expense associated with the awards.) The stock options vest over a three-year period with 50% vesting in the first year and 25% in each of the following two years. The performance shares vest over a three-year cliff vesting schedule and the restricted stock units vest 33% on the anniversary of the award.

 

The Committee believes that each type of equity component addresses different compensation objectives. Stock options provide a leverage opportunity and alignment with shareholder interests. Restricted Stock encourages retention of key executives. Performance-based restricted stock awards encourage a stronger operational focus.

 

Stock Options.  Stock options directly align the interests of executives and shareholders as the options only result in gain to the recipient if our stock price increases above the exercise price of the options. In addition, options are intended to help retain key employees because they vest over a period of three years, and to assist hiring new executives by replacing the value of stock options that may have been forfeited as a result of leaving a former employer. Generally, options are granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Class A common stock on the grant date, which is the closing price on the NASDAQ Global Market on that date. Typically, the Compensation Committee awards stock options that vest and become exercisable solely on the basis of continued employment, or other service, usually over three years, with 50 percent vesting on the first anniversary of the date of the grant and an additional 25 percent vesting on the second and third anniversaries of the date of the grant.

 

Restricted Stock Awards or Units.  Restricted stock awards are awards of stock at the start of a vesting or performance period which is subject to forfeiture or repurchase for nominal consideration if the specified vesting or other conditions are not satisfied. Restricted stock units are commitments to award shares of stock at the end of a vesting or performance period if the vesting or other conditions are satisfied. Apart from the use of restricted stock units as part of the LTIP, awards of restricted shares or units may be made on a selective basis to individual executives primarily to facilitate retention and succession planning or to replace the value of equity awards that may have been forfeited as a result of the executive’s leaving a former employer. For compensation planning purposes, awards of restricted shares or restricted share units are valued at the fair market value of the shares on the date of award, which is the closing price on the NASDAQ Global Market on that date, without reduction to reflect vesting or other conditions.

 

Key Employee Stock Option Program.  For non-executive key employees, the Board has authorized management to award stock options to purchase up to 1,269,530 shares of our Class A common stock under the proposed Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan if that plan is approved by stockholders (see Proposal No. 4). The purpose of the key employee stock options is to motivate and reward employees for superior performance. The key employee stock option plan is also intended to help the Company present an equity incentive program for its non-executive employees that is competitive with those offered by other employers.

 

Stock Ownership Guidelines

 

While we do not have a minimum stock ownership requirement for members of the Board and our named executive officers, the corporate governance guidelines adopted by the Board encourage the ownership of our common stock.

 

Tax and Accounting Considerations

 

Tax Considerations.  The Compensation Committee generally considers the federal income tax and financial accounting consequences of the various components of the executive compensation program in making decisions about executive compensation. The Compensation Committee believes that achieving the compensation objectives discussed above is more important than the benefit of tax deductibility and the executive compensation programs may, from time to time, limit the tax deductibility of compensation. Nevertheless, when not inconsistent with these objectives, the Compensation Committee endeavors to award compensation that will be deductible for income tax

purposes. Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) may limit the tax deductions that a public company can claim for compensation to some of its named executive officers. The Compensation Committee believes that performance-based compensation authorized and earned under our employee stock option plan including performance shares and option awards, qualify as performance-based compensation that would not be subject to deduction limitations under Section 162(m) and the applicable Treasury Regulations and therefore was or will be fully tax-deductible by the Company. Accordingly the Compensation Committee believes that no expense must be accrued on account of non-deductibility under Section 162(m). Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code requires that “nonqualified deferred compensation” be deferred and paid under plans or arrangements that satisfy the requirements of the statute with respect to the timing of the deferral elections, timing of payments and certain other matters. As a general matter, it is our intention to design and administer our compensation and benefits plans and arrangements for all of our employees so that they are either exempt from, or satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. We believe that currently we are operating such plans in compliance with Section 409A.

 

Accounting Considerations.  The Compensation Committee also considers the accounting and cash flow implications of various forms of executive compensation. In its financial statements, the Company records salaries and performance-based compensation such as bonuses as expenses in the amount paid or to be paid to the named executive officers. Accounting rules also require the Company to record an expense in its financial statements for equity awards, even though equity awards are not paid as cash to employees. The accounting expense of equity awards to employees is calculated in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R). The Compensation Committee believes that the many advantages of equity compensation, as discussed above, more than compensate for the non-cash accounting expense associated with them.

 

Retirement Benefits under the 401(k) Plan, Executive Perquisites, and Generally Available Benefit Programs

 

In fiscal year 2009, our named executive officers were eligible to participate in the health and welfare programs that are generally available to all full-time U.S.-based employees, including medical, dental, vision, life, short-term and long-term disability, employee assistance, flexible spending and accidental death and dismemberment. Except for allowances provided to former Stratex officers, such as a housing allowance, we do not provide perquisites to our named executive officers.

 

In addition, the named executive officers and all other eligible U.S.-based employees can participate in our tax-qualified 401(k) Plan. Under the 401(k) Plan, all eligible employees can receive matching contributions from the Company. Our company-matching contribution for the 401(k) Plan during fiscal year 2009 was 100 percent of the first five percent of contributions by the employee to the 401(k) Plan, to a maximum per participating employee of $22,000 for employees age 50 and over during each calendar year, as allowed by the IRS. We do not provide defined benefit pension plans or defined contribution retirement plans to the named executive officers or other employees other than the 401(k) Plan, or as required in certain countries other than the United States, for legal or competitive reasons.

 

The 401(k) Plan and the other benefit programs allow us to remain competitive and enhance employee loyalty and productivity. These benefit programs are primarily intended to provide all eligible employees with competitive and quality healthcare, financial contributions for retirement and to enhance hiring and retention.

 

Post-Termination Compensation

 

Employment agreements have been established with each of our named executive officers. These agreements provide for certain payments and benefits to the employee if his or her employment with us is terminated. These arrangements are discussed in more detail on page 30. We have determined that such payments and benefits are an integral part of a competitive compensation package for our named executive officers. For additional information regarding our employment agreements with our named executive officers, reference the discussion under “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.”

 

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis included in this Proxy Statement. Based on this review and discussion, the Compensation Committee

recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement and incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2009.

 

Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors

 

Dr. James C. Stoffel, Chairman

Clifford H. Higgerson

Dr. Mohsen Sohi

 

The following table summarizes the total compensation for each of our fiscal years ended July 3, 2009, June 27, 2008 and June 29, 2007 of our named executive officers, who consisted of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, the next three other most highly compensated executive officers, and our former Chief Financial Officer, who would have been included in such table had she served as an executive officer at July 3, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following table lists our grants and incentives during our fiscal year ended July 3, 2009 of plan based awards, both equity and non-equity based and including our Annual Incentive Plan, to the named executive officers and former executive officer, and listed in the Summary Compensation Table. There is no assurance that the grant date fair value of stock and option awards will ever be realized.

 

 

 

 

The following table provides information regarding outstanding unexercised stock options and unvested stock awards held by each of our named executive officers and former named executive officer as of July 3, 2009. Each grant of options or unvested stock awards is shown separately for each named executive officer. The vesting schedule for each award of options is shown in the footnotes following this table based on the option grant date. The material terms of the option awards, other than exercise price and vesting are generally described below in “Proposal No. 4, Approval of the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Equity Plan”.