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OMB Number:
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3235-0059 |
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Expires:
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February 28, 2006 |
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Filed by the Registrant x |
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o |
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Check the appropriate box: |
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o Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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x Definitive Proxy Statement |
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o Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
LEAR CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy
Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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x No fee required. |
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o
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11. |
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1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
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4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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o Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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o Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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1) Amount Previously Paid: |
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2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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SEC 1913 (02-02) |
Persons who are to respond to the collection of information
contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid
OMB control number. |
LEAR CORPORATION
21557 Telegraph Road
Southfield, Michigan 48034
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Thursday, May 5, 2005
10:00 A.M., Mountain Time
Dear Fellow Stockholder:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, you are cordially invited
to attend the 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on
Thursday, May 5, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. (Mountain time)
at the Camino Real Hotel, 101 South El Paso Street, El Paso,
Texas 79901. The purpose of the meeting is to:
2. ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for 2005;
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3. approve the Lear Corporation Annual Incentive
Compensation Plan; and |
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4. conduct any other business properly before the meeting. |
Attendance and voting are limited to stockholders of record at
the close of business on March 18, 2005. A list of
stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, and any
postponements or adjournments of the meeting, will be available
for examination between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and
5:00 p.m. at our headquarters and at our offices in El
Paso, Texas during the ten days prior to the meeting and also at
the meeting. Our offices in El Paso are located at
950 Loma Verde Drive, El Paso, Texas 79936.
Your vote is important. Whether you plan to attend the meeting
or not, please complete, sign and date the enclosed proxy card
and return it in the envelope provided. If you attend the
meeting and prefer to vote in person, you may do so.
Thank you for your continued support of our company.
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Robert E. Rossiter
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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
March 23, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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LEAR CORPORATION
21557 Telegraph Road
Southfield, Michigan 48034
PROXY STATEMENT
INTRODUCTION
Annual Meeting
The 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held at the
Camino Real Hotel, 101 South El Paso Street, El Paso, Texas
79901, on Thursday, May 5, 2005, at 10:00 a.m.
(Mountain time).
Record Date
The date fixed to determine stockholders entitled to notice of
and to vote at the meeting is the close of business on
March 18, 2005.
Mailing Date
We anticipate first mailing this proxy statement, the attached
Notice of Annual Meeting and the enclosed proxy card on or about
March 25, 2005.
Agenda
The agenda for the meeting is to:
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elect four directors; |
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2. |
ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for 2005; |
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3. |
approve the Lear Corporation Annual Incentive Compensation Plan;
and |
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4. |
conduct any other business properly before the meeting. |
Proxy Solicitation
Our Board of Directors is soliciting this proxy. Certain of our
officers and employees may also solicit proxies personally and
by telephone. The cost of solicitation, including the cost of
mailing, will be paid for by the Company. MacKenzie Partners,
Inc. will assist us in soliciting brokers and nominees at a cost
of approximately $6,500 plus its expenses. We have requested
that banks, brokers and other custodian nominees and fiduciaries
supply, at our expense, proxy material to the beneficial owners
of our common stock.
Voting of Proxies
Your proxy will be voted in accordance with your instructions,
provided that you date, execute and return a proxy card. If you
execute and return your proxy card but provide no specific
instructions in the proxy card, your shares will be voted FOR
our Boards nominees named on the proxy card, FOR the
ratification of the appointment of our independent registered
public accounting firm, and FOR the approval of the Lear
Corporation Annual Incentive Compensation Plan.
We do not intend to bring any matters before the meeting except
those indicated in the Notice of Annual Meeting and we do not
know of any matter which anyone else intends to present for
action at the meeting. If
any other matters properly come before the meeting, however, the
persons named in the enclosed proxy will be authorized to vote
or otherwise act in accordance with their judgment.
Revoking Proxies
You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the
meeting by:
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delivering to Daniel A. Ninivaggi, our Senior Vice President,
Secretary and General Counsel, a signed, written revocation
letter dated later than the date of your proxy; |
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submitting a proxy to the Company with a later date; or |
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attending the meeting and voting either in person or by ballot. |
Outstanding Shares
On the record date, there were approximately 67,079,061 shares
of our common stock outstanding. Our common stock is the only
class of our voting securities outstanding.
Quorum
A quorum is established when a majority of shares entitled to
vote is present at the meeting, either in person or by proxy.
Abstentions and broker non-votes (as described below under
Required Vote) are counted for purposes
of determining whether a quorum is present.
Voting
Each share of common stock that you hold as of the record date
entitles you to one vote, without cumulation, on each matter to
be voted upon at the meeting.
Required Vote
Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by
the holders of our common stock. Plurality means
that the four individuals who receive the highest number of the
votes will be elected as directors. Any shares not voted
(whether by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) have no
impact on the election of directors except to the extent that
the failure to vote for an individual results in another
individual receiving a higher number of votes.
For each other item, the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the shares represented in person or by proxy and
entitled to vote on the item will be required for approval. A
properly executed proxy marked ABSTAIN with respect to any such
matter will not be voted, although it will be counted for
purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Accordingly,
an abstention will have the effect of a negative vote on such
items.
If you hold your shares in street name through a
broker or other nominee, your broker or nominee may not be
permitted to exercise voting discretion with respect to some of
the matters to be acted upon. Thus, if you do not give your
broker or nominee specific instructions with respect to a
non-discretionary matter, your shares will not be voted on such
matter and will not be counted as shares entitled to vote on
such matter. However, shares represented by such broker
non-votes will be counted in determining whether there is
a quorum.
Annual Report
Lear Corporations 2004 Annual Report is being mailed to
you with this proxy statement.
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ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
(PROPOSAL NO. 1)
The Board consists of three classes. One class of directors is
elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve a
three year term. Directors elected at the 2005 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders will hold office until their successors
are elected at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Directors not up for election this year will continue in office
for the remainder of their terms.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has nominated
Anne K. Bingaman, Conrad L. Mallett, Jr.,
Robert E. Rossiter and James H. Vandenberghe to stand
for election to the Board. The Board has determined that
Anne K. Bingaman and Conrad L. Mallet, Jr. are
independent directors under the New York Stock Exchange listing
requirements. Unless contrary instructions are given, the shares
represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted FOR the election
of all nominees.
All nominees have consented to being named in this proxy
statement and to serve if elected. However, if any nominee
becomes unable to serve, proxy holders will have discretion and
authority to vote for another nominee proposed by our Board.
Alternatively, our Board may reduce the number of directors to
be elected at the meeting.
Nominees For Terms Expiring at the 2008 Annual Meeting
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Ms. Bingaman has been a director of Lear since February
2004. She is the founder of VALOR Telecom, a telecommunications
company serving the southwestern United States and a subsidiary
of Valor Communications Group, Inc. She served as VALOR
Telecoms Chief Executive Officer from September 1999 to
January 2002, and Chairman from September 1999 to February 2005.
Prior to founding VALOR Telecom, Ms. Bingaman served as
President of the Local Services Division of
LCI International, Inc., the nations sixth largest
long distance company, from January 1997 to June 1998. Prior to
joining LCI International, Ms. Bingaman served as Assistant
Attorney General and Head of the Antitrust Division of the
United States Department of Justice from June 1993 to October
1996. |
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Conrad L. Mallett, Jr. |
Age: 52 |
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Justice Mallett, who has been a director of Lear since August
2002, has been the President of Sinai Grace Hospital since
August 2003. Prior to his current position, Justice Mallett
served as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Detroit
Medical Center since March 2003. Previously, he served as
President and General Counsel of Hawkins Food Group LLC from
April 2002 to March 2003, and Transition Director for Detroit
Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick and Chief Operating Officer for the
City of Detroit from January 2002 to April 2002. From August
1999 to April 2002, Justice Mallett was General Counsel and
Chief Administrative Officer of the Detroit Medical Center.
Justice Mallett was also a Partner in the law firm of Miller,
Canfield, Paddock & Stone from January 1999 to August 1999.
Justice Mallett was a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from
December 1990 to January 1999 and served a two-year term as
Chief Justice beginning in 1997. Justice Mallett also serves as
a director of TechTeam Global, Inc. and serves on the Executive
Board of the Metropolitan Detroit YMCA. |
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Robert E. Rossiter |
Age: 59 |
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Mr. Rossiter is the Chairman of the Board, a position he
has held since January 1, 2003. Mr. Rossiter also
serves as our Chief Executive Officer, a position he has held
since October 2000. Mr. Rossiter served as our President
from 1984 until December 2002 and served as Chief Operating
Officer from 1988 to April 1997 and from November 1998 to
October 2000. Mr. Rossiter has been a director of Lear
since 1988. Mr. Rossiter also served as our Chief Operating
Officer International Operations from April 1997 to
November 1998. |
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James H. Vandenberghe |
Age: 55 |
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Mr. Vandenberghe is our Vice Chairman, a position he has
held since November 1998. Mr. Vandenberghe has been a
director of Lear since 1995. He served as our President and
Chief Operating Officer North American Operations
from April 1997 to November 1998. He also served as our Chief
Financial Officer from 1988 to April 1997 and as our Executive
Vice President from 1993 to April 1997. |
YOUR BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
THE ELECTION OF EACH NOMINEE.
DIRECTORS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
Directors
Set forth below is a description of the business experience of
each of our directors other than Ms. Bingaman and
Messrs. Mallett, Rossiter and Vandenberghe, whose
biographies are set forth above. The terms of Messrs. Fry,
Spalding, Stern and Wallace expire at the annual meeting in
2006, and the terms of Messrs. McCurdy, Parrott and Wallman
expire at the annual meeting in 2007.
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Dr. Fry, who has been a director of Lear since August 2002,
has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwood
University, a university of business administration with
campuses in Midland, Michigan, Dallas, Texas and Palm Beach,
Florida, since 1982. Dr. Fry also serves as a director of
Reynolds and Reynolds Company, Decker Energy International and
Chemical Bank and Trust Co. (Midland, Michigan).
Dr. Fry is also a director and member of the executive
committee of the Automotive Hall of Fame and past Chairman of
the Michigan Higher Education Facilities Authority. |
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Mr. McCurdy has been a director of Lear since 1988. In July
2000, Mr. McCurdy retired from Dana Corporation, a motor
vehicle parts manufacturer and after-market supplier, where he
served as President, Dana Automotive Aftermarket Group, since
July 1998. Mr. McCurdy was Chairman of the Board, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Echlin, a motor vehicle parts
manufacturer, from March 1997 until July 1998 when it was merged
into Dana Corporation. Prior to this, Mr. McCurdy was
Executive Vice President, Operations of Cooper Industries, a
diversified manufacturing company, from April 1994 to March
1997. Mr. McCurdy also serves as a director of American
Axle and Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., General Parts, Inc. and
Mohawk Industries, Inc., as well as the non-executive Chairman
of Affinia Group Inc., a privately-held supplier of after-market
motor vehicle parts. |
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Mr. Parrott has been a director of Lear since February
1997. In January 2003, Mr. Parrott retired from Metaldyne
Corporation where he served as President of Business Operations
since December 2000. Metaldyne Corporation, an integrated metal
solutions supplier, purchased Simpson Industries, Inc. in
December 2000. Previously, Mr. Parrott was the Chief
Executive Officer of Simpson Industries, Inc. from 1994 to
December 2000 and Chairman of Simpson Industries, Inc. from
November 1997 to December 2000. |
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David P. Spalding |
Age: 50 |
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Mr. Spalding has been a director of Lear since 1991.
Mr. Spalding has been a Vice Chairman of The Cypress
Group L.L.C., a private equity fund manager, since 1994.
Mr. Spalding is also a director of AMTROL, Inc.,
Republic National Cabinet Corporation and Cooper-Standard
Automotive Inc. |
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Mr. Stern has been a director of Lear since 1991.
Mr. Stern is Chairman of The Cypress Group L.L.C., a
private equity fund manager, a position he has held since 1994.
He is also a director of Affinia Group Inc.,
AMTROL, Inc., WESCO International, Inc. and MedPointe Inc. |
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Henry D.G. Wallace |
Age: 59 |
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Mr. Wallace has been a director of Lear since February
2005. Mr. Wallace worked for 30 years at Ford Motor
Company until his retirement in 2001 and held several
executive-level operations and financial oversight positions,
most recently as Group Vice President, Mazda & Asia
Pacific Operations in 2001, Chief Financial Officer in 2000 and
Group Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations in 1999.
Mr. Wallace also serves as a director of AMBAC Financial
Group, Inc., Diebold, Inc. and Hayes-Lemmerz
International, Inc. |
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Richard F. Wallman |
Age: 54 |
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Mr. Wallman has been a director of Lear since November
2003. Mr. Wallman has more than 25 years of
executive-level operations and financial oversight experience,
most recently as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Honeywell International, Inc. from 2000 to 2003 and
of AlliedSignal, Inc. from 1995 to 1999. He has also held
positions with International Business Machines Corporation,
Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company. Mr. Wallman
also serves as a director of Hayes-Lemmerz
International, Inc., Ariba, Inc., Avaya Inc. and
ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. |
Board Information
The Board has approved Corporate Governance Guidelines and a
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. All of our corporate
governance documents, including the Corporate Governance
Guidelines, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and
committee charters, are available on our website at www.lear.com
or in printed form upon request by contacting Lear Corporation
at 21557 Telegraph Road, Southfield, Michigan 48034,
Attention: Investor Relations. The Board regularly reviews
corporate governance developments and modifies these documents
as warranted. Any modifications will be reflected on our website.
In 2004, our full Board held seven(7) meetings. In addition
to our full Board meetings, our directors attend meetings of
permanent committees established by our Board. Each director
participated in at least 75% of the total number of meetings of
our Board and the committees on which he or she serves. Our
directors are encouraged to attend all annual and special
meetings of our stockholders. In 2004, all of our directors
attended the annual meeting of stockholders held on May 13,
2004.
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Meetings of Non-Employee Directors |
In accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the
listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, our
non-management directors meet regularly in executive sessions of
the Board without management present. Our non-management
directors have elected Larry W. McCurdy as the Presiding
Director of such non-management sessions of our Board.
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Independence of Directors |
The Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to address
significant issues of corporate governance, including Board and
Board Committee composition and responsibilities, compensation
of directors, executive selection and succession planning and
director tenure. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee is responsible for overseeing and reviewing the
Corporate Governance Guidelines and reporting and recommending
to the Board any changes to the Guidelines.
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The Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that a majority of
the members of the Board, and each member of the Audit
Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee, must meet the criteria for independence
set forth under applicable law and the New York Stock Exchange
listing standards. No director qualifies as independent unless
the Board determines that the director has no direct or indirect
material relationship with the Company. The Board has
established guidelines to assist in determining director
independence. These guidelines are set forth as Exhibit A
to our Corporate Governance Guidelines, can be found on our
website at www.lear.com and are set forth on Appendix A
attached hereto. In addition to applying these director
independence guidelines, the Board will consider all relevant
facts and circumstances that it is aware of in making an
independence determination. Based on the New York Stock Exchange
listing standards and our director independence guidelines, the
Board has affirmatively determined that each of our directors is
independent other than Robert E. Rossiter, James H. Vandenberghe
and Roy E. Parrott. Mr. Rossiter is our Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer and Mr. Vandenberghe is our Vice
Chairman. In making its determination with respect to
Mr. Parrott, the Board considered that children of
Mr. Parrott are employed by Lear. The Board does not
believe that these employment relationships have any influence
on Mr. Parrotts independent judgment. However, in
light of these relationships, the Board determined in February
2005 not to deem Mr. Parrott independent for purposes of
the New York Stock Exchange listing standards. In making its
independence determinations, the Board also considered that we
employ a brother of Mr. Spalding in a non-executive
position (a senior account manager at one of our divisions). The
employment relationship is on an arms-length basis and
Mr. Spalding has no involvement or interest, directly or
indirectly, in employment decisions affecting his brother. The
Board concluded that Mr. Spalding is independent. The Board
also noted that until February 2005 Mr. Rossiter served as
a Trustee of Northwood University, of which Dr. Fry is
President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Rossiter did not
serve on the compensation committee of the Board of Trustees of
Northwood. Northwood is a university which prepares and trains
students for careers in the automotive industry. Lear actively
recruits students from Northwood and has sponsored automotive
programs at Northwood in the past. The Board believes that
Mr. Rossiters uncompensated service as a Trustee of
Northwood and Lears sponsorship of automotive programs at
the university furthered the interests of Lear. The Board has
concluded that these relationships were not material and that
Dr. Fry is independent.
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Communications to the Board |
Stockholders and interested parties can contact the Board
through written communication sent to Lear Corporation, 21557
Telegraph Road, Southfield, Michigan 48034, Attention: General
Counsel. Lears General Counsel reviews all written
communications and forwards to the Board a summary and/or copies
of any such correspondence that is directed to the Board or
that, in the opinion of the General Counsel, deals with the
functions of the Board or Board Committees or that he otherwise
determines requires the Board or any Board Committees
attention. Directors may at any time review a log of all
correspondence received by Lear that is addressed to the members
of the Board and request copies of any such correspondence.
Concerns relating to accounting, internal accounting controls or
auditing matters are immediately brought to the attention of our
internal audit department and handled in accordance with
procedures established by the Audit Committee with respect to
such matters. From time to time, the Board may change the
process by which stockholders may communicate with the Board.
Any such changes will be reflected in our Corporate Governance
Guidelines, which are posted on our website at www.lear.com.
Communications of a confidential nature can be made directly to
Lears non-management directors or the Chairman of the
Audit Committee regarding any matter, including any accounting,
internal accounting control or auditing matter, by submitting
such concerns to the Audit Committee or the Presiding Director.
Any submissions to the Audit Committee or the Presiding Director
should be marked confidential and addressed to the Chairman of
the Audit Committee or the Presiding Director, as the case may
be, c/o Lear Corporation, P.O. Box 604, Southfield, Michigan
48037. In addition, confidential communications may be submitted
in accordance with other procedures set forth from time to time
in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, which are posted on our
website at www.lear.com. The submission should contain, to the
extent possible, a full and complete description of the matter,
the parties involved, the date of the occurrence or, if
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the matter is ongoing, the date the matter was initiated and any
other information that the reporting party believes would assist
the Audit Committee or the Presiding Director in the
investigation of such matter.
In 2004, the Audit Committee, which held eight (8) meetings
during the year, consisted of Mr. McCurdy, Mr. Stern,
Dr. Fry and Mr. Wallman, all of whom were non-employee
directors and currently remain members of the Committee.
Mr. McCurdy served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee.
The Board has determined that all of the current members of the
Audit Committee are independent as defined in the listing
standards of the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, the Board
has determined that Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Wallman are
audit committee financial experts as defined in Item 401(h)
of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. For a description of the Audit
Committees responsibilities and findings, see Audit
Committee Report beginning on page 28. The Audit Committee
operates under a written charter setting forth its functions and
responsibilities. This charter was amended in November 2004. A
copy of the current charter is attached hereto as
Appendix B, and is available on our website at www.lear.com
or in printed form upon request.
In 2004, the Compensation Committee, which held six
(6) meetings during the year, consisted of
Mr. Spalding, Mr. McCurdy and Ms. Bingaman, all
of whom were non-employee directors and currently remain members
of the Committee. Mr. Spalding served as the Chairman of
the Compensation Committee. Mr. Parrott also served on the
Compensation Committee until shortly after Ms. Bingaman was
appointed to the Committee in February 2004. The Compensation
Committee has overall responsibility for approving and
evaluating director and officer compensation plans, policies and
programs of the Company. The Board has determined that all of
the current members of the Compensation Committee are
independent as defined in the listing standards of the New York
Stock Exchange. The Compensation Committee operates under a
written charter setting forth its functions and
responsibilities. A copy of the current charter is available on
our website at www.lear.com or in printed form upon request.
The Executive Committee currently consists of
Messrs. Rossiter, Stern, Spalding, McCurdy and Parrott,
with Mr. Stern serving as Chairman. Mr. Parrott was
appointed to the Executive Committee in May 2004 to replace
Kenneth L. Way shortly after Mr. Ways retirement from
the Board. The Executive Committee meets, as needed, during
intervals between meetings of our Board and may exercise certain
powers of our Board relating to the general supervision and
control of the business and affairs of our Company. In 2004, the
Executive Committee held one (1) meeting.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
In 2004, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee,
which held four (4) meetings during the year, consisted of
Mr. Stern, Justice Mallett and Dr. Fry, all of whom
currently remain members of the Committee. Mr. Stern served
as the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee. The Board of Directors has determined that the
current members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee are independent as defined in the listing standards of
the New York Stock Exchange.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible
for, among other things: (i) identifying individuals
qualified to become members of the Board, consistent with
criteria approved by the Board; (ii) recommending to the
Board director nominees for the next annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Company; (iii) in the event of a
vacancy on or an increase in the size of the Board, recommending
to the Board director nominees to fill such vacancy or newly
established Board seat; (iv) recommending to the Board
director nominees for each committee of the Board;
(v) establishing and reviewing annually the Companys
Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics; and (vi) reviewing potential conflicts of interest
involving executive officers of the Company. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance
7
Committee operates under a written charter setting forth its
functions and responsibilities. A copy of the current charter is
available on our website at www.lear.com or in printed form upon
request.
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|
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Recommendation of Directors by Stockholders |
In accordance with its charter, the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee will consider candidates for election as a
director of the Company recommended by any Company stockholder,
provided that the recommending stockholder follows the same
procedures set forth in Section 2.3 of the Companys
By-Laws for nominations by stockholders of persons to serve as
directors.
Pursuant to Section 2.3 of the By-Laws, nominations of
persons for election to the Board at a meeting of stockholders
may be made by any stockholder of the Company entitled to vote
for the election of directors at the meeting who sends a timely
notice in writing to the Secretary of the Company. To be timely,
a stockholders notice must be delivered to, or mailed and
received by, the Secretary of the Company at the principal
executive offices of the Company not less than 60 nor more than
90 days prior to the meeting; provided, however, that if
the Company has not publicly disclosed the date of
the meeting at least 70 days prior to the meeting date,
notice may be timely made by a stockholder if received by the
Secretary of the Company not later than the close of business on
the tenth day following the day on which the Company publicly
disclosed the meeting date. For purposes of the By-Laws,
publicly disclosed or public disclosure
means disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones
News Service, Associated Press, or a comparable national news
service or in a document publicly filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The stockholders notice or recommendation is required to
contain certain prescribed information about each person whom
the stockholder proposes to recommend for election as a
director, the stockholder giving notice, and the beneficial
owner, if any, on whose behalf notice is given. The
stockholders notice must also include the consent of the
person proposed to be nominated and to serve as a director if
elected. Recommendations should be sent to Lear Corporation,
21557 Telegraph Road, Southfield, Michigan 48034; Attention:
Daniel A. Ninivaggi, Senior Vice President, Secretary &
General Counsel.
A copy of our By-Laws has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed on August 9, 2002.
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|
Criteria for Selection of Directors |
The following are the general criteria for the selection of the
Companys directors that the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee utilizes in evaluating candidates for Board
membership. None of the following criteria should be construed
as minimum qualifications for director selection nor is it
expected that director nominees will possess all of the criteria
identified. Rather, they represent the range of complementary
talents, backgrounds and experiences that the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee believes would contribute to the
effective functioning of our Board. The general criteria set
forth below are not listed in any particular order of importance.
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|
Strong automotive background, with an understanding of
Lears customers and markets. |
|
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|
Extensive general business background with a record of
achievement. |
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Financial and accounting expertise. |
|
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Gender, racial and geographic diversity. |
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Strong international experience, particularly in those regions
in which Lear seeks to conduct business. |
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Understands the potential role of technology in the development
of Lears business. |
|
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|
Marketing or sales background in the automotive industry. |
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Schedule is sufficiently flexible to permit attendance at Board
meetings at regularly scheduled times. |
8
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A contributor but accepting of opinions of others and supportive
of decisions that are in the stockholders best interests. |
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Able to assimilate complex business problems and analyze them in
the context of the Companys strategic goals. |
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A team player yet possessing independence to appropriately
question and challenge corporate strategy, as required. |
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible
for, subject to approval by the Board, establishing and
periodically reviewing the criteria for Board membership and
selection of new directors, including independence standards.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may also
recommend to the Board changes to the portfolio of director
skills, experience, perspective and background required for the
effective functioning of the Board considering the
Companys strategy and its regulatory, geographic and
market environments. Any such changes to the director selection
criteria must be approved by the Board.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers
candidates for Board membership suggested by its members and
other Board members, as well as management and stockholders.
Once a potential candidate has been identified, the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee evaluates the potential
candidate based on the Boards criteria for selection of
directors (described above) and the composition and needs of the
Board at the time.
If a director candidate were to be recommended by a stockholder
in accordance with the procedures set forth under
Recommendation of Directors by Stockholders above,
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee would evaluate
such candidate in the same manner in which it evaluates other
director candidates considered by the committee.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has approved
the retention of SpencerStuart, a third-party search firm, to
assist the committee with its search for qualified director
candidates. The firm has the task of identifying potential
director candidates based on the criteria for the selection of
the Companys directors approved by the Board of Directors.
Compensation of Directors
In 2004, directors were compensated pursuant to our Outside
Directors Compensation Plan, which provided for an annual
retainer of $42,000 for each of our non-employee directors and
an additional retainer of $8,000 for our Presiding Director. In
addition, each non-employee director received a fee of $1,500
for each Board and committee meeting attended, and each
non-employee director who chaired a committee of our Board
received an additional fee of $1,000 for each such committee
meeting attended. The non-employee director annual retainer and
meeting fees were payable quarterly pursuant to the Outside
Directors Compensation Plan. Directors were also reimbursed for
their expenses incurred in attending meetings.
Effective January 1, 2005, the Outside Directors
Compensation Plan was amended and restated to increase the
annual retainer to $45,000 (the Base Retainer) with
an additional retainer of $20,000 for the Chairman of the Audit
Committee and an additional $10,000 retainer for each of the
Chairmen of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee as well as for our Presiding
Director. Each non-employee director will continue to receive a
fee of $1,500 for each Board and committee meeting attended and
be reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending those meetings.
The Chairmen of the Board Committees will no longer receive an
additional fee for each committee meeting they attend. A copy of
the amended Outside Directors Compensation Plan has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to our
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 9, 2004.
Pursuant to the Outside Directors Compensation Plan, in 2005
each non-employee director received, and will receive annually
on the last business day of each January, restricted units
representing shares of Lear common stock having a value of
$90,000 on the date of the grant. Restricted unit grants were
made on January 31, 2005 to all non-employee directors
except for Henry D.G. Wallace, who received a grant of
9
restricted units when he joined the Board on February 10,
2005. The restricted units granted to non-employee directors
vest over the three-year period following the grant date, with
one-third of each recipients restricted units vesting on
each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date. During
the vesting period, non-employee directors receive credits in a
dividend equivalent account equal to amounts that would be paid
as dividends on the shares represented by the restricted units.
Once a restricted unit vests, the non-employee director holding
such restricted unit will be entitled to receive a cash
distribution equal to the value of a share of Lear Common Stock
on the date of vesting, plus any amount in his or her dividend
equivalent account. The restricted units are also immediately
vested upon a directors termination of service due to
death, disability, retirement or prior
to or concurrent with a change in control (as each
such term is defined in the Outside Directors Compensation Plan)
of Lear. Non-employee directors received no equity-based awards
in 2004.
A non-employee director may elect to defer receipt of all or a
portion of his or her annual retainer and meeting fees. At the
non-employee directors election, amounts deferred will be:
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|
|
credited to a notional account and bear interest at an annual
rate equal to the prime rate (as defined in the Outside
Directors Compensation Plan); or |
|
|
|
credited to a stock unit account. |
Each stock unit is equal in value to one share of Lear common
stock, but does not have voting rights. Stock units are credited
with dividend equivalents which are credited to a notional
account (credited with interest at an annual rate equal to the
prime rate (as defined in the Outside Directors Compensation
Plan)) if and when the Company declares and pays a dividend on
its common stock.
In general, amounts deferred are paid to a non-employee director
as of the earliest of:
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|
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the date elected by such director; |
|
|
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the date the director ceases to be a director; or |
|
|
|
the date a change of control (as defined in the Outside
Directors Compensation Plan) occurs. |
Amounts deferred are paid in cash in a single sum payment or, at
the directors election, in installments. Deferred stock
units are paid based on the fair market value of our common
stock on the payout date.
A non-employee director may elect to defer receipt of all or a
portion of the payment due to him or her when a restricted unit
vests, including the amount in his or her dividend equivalent
account. This deferral is generally subject to the same
requirements that apply to deferrals of the annual retainer and
meeting fees.
In February 1997, we implemented stock ownership guidelines for
non-employee directors. These ownership guidelines require each
non-employee director to own stock or deferred stock units equal
in value to three times the Base Retainer within five years of
becoming a director.
Directors who are also our employees receive no compensation for
their services as directors except reimbursement of expenses
incurred in attending meetings of our Board or Board committees.
10
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management
The following table sets forth, as of March 18, 2005
(except as indicated below), beneficial ownership, as defined by
Securities and Exchange Commission rules, of our common stock
and ownership of restricted stock units and deferred stock units
by the persons or groups specified. Each of the persons listed
below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the
beneficially owned shares listed unless otherwise indicated.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Shares | |
|
Percentage of | |
|
|
|
|
of Common Stock | |
|
Common Stock | |
|
Number of | |
|
|
Owned Beneficially | |
|
Owned Beneficially | |
|
Stock Units Owned(17) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
AXA Financial, Inc.(1)
|
|
|
9,269,082 |
|
|
|
13.8 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
Pzena Investment Management, LLC(2)
|
|
|
3,793,512 |
|
|
|
5.7 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
Wellington Management Company, LLP(3)
|
|
|
3,781,735 |
|
|
|
5.6 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
Janus Capital Management LLC(4)
|
|
|
3,751,231 |
|
|
|
5.6 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
Putnam, LLC(5)
|
|
|
3,612,402 |
|
|
|
5.4 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
Robert E. Rossiter(6)(7)
|
|
|
189,557 |
(8) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
204,784 |
|
James H. Vandenberghe(6)(7)
|
|
|
157,939 |
(9) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
101,736 |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso(7)
|
|
|
99,032 |
(10) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
53,816 |
|
Donald J. Stebbins(7)
|
|
|
82,050 |
(11) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
53,705 |
|
David C. Wajsgras(7)
|
|
|
4,082 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
59,135 |
|
Anne K. Bingaman(6)
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,670 |
|
David E. Fry(6)
|
|
|
1,103 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,774 |
|
Conrad L. Mallett(6)
|
|
|
475 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
2,889 |
|
Larry W. McCurdy(6)
|
|
|
9,500 |
(12) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
8,979 |
|
Roy E. Parrott(6)
|
|
|
5,230 |
(13) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,768 |
|
David P. Spalding(6)
|
|
|
12,250 |
(14) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
7,039 |
|
James A. Stern(6)
|
|
|
11,400 |
(15) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
8,705 |
|
Henry D.G. Wallace(6)
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,691 |
|
Richard F. Wallman(6)
|
|
|
1,500 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,670 |
|
Total Executive Officers and Directors as a Group (18
individuals)
|
|
|
630,240 |
(16) |
|
|
1.0 |
% |
|
|
580,123 |
(18) |
|
|
|
|
* |
Less than 1% |
|
|
(1) |
We have been informed by AXA Financial, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates, in an amended report on Schedule 13G dated
February 14, 2005, that (a) they are parent holding
companies of (i) Alliance Capital Management L.P. and
Boston Advisors, Inc., registered investment advisors which
acquired the shares solely for investment purposes on behalf of
client discretionary investment advisory accounts, and
(ii) AXA Investment Managers Paris (France) and AXA
Equitable Life Insurance Company which acquired the shares
solely for investment purposes, (b) they exercise sole
voting power over 5,047,267 shares and shared voting power over
1,261,071 shares, (c) they exercise sole dispositive power
over 9,269,082 shares and shared dispositive power over no
shares, and (d) they beneficially own the shares reported
pursuant to (x) the investment advisory role of their
subsidiaries, Alliance Capital Management L.P. and Boston
Advisors, and (y) the direct holdings of their
subsidiaries. The address of AXA Financial, Inc. is 1290 Avenue
of the Americas, New York, New York 10104. |
|
|
(2) |
We have been informed by Pzena Investment Management, LLC
(PIM), in a report on Schedule 13G dated
February 11, 2005, that (a) PIM is a registered
investment advisor, and (b) PIM exercises sole voting power
over 2,730,167 shares, shared voting power over no shares, sole
dispositive |
11
|
|
|
|
|
power over 3,793,512 shares and shared dispositive power over no
shares. The address of Pzena Investment Management, LLC is 120
West 45th Street, 34th Floor, New York, New York 10036. |
|
|
(3) |
We have been informed by Wellington Management Company, LLP
(WMC), on behalf of itself and its wholly-owned
subsidiary Wellington Trust Company, NA, in an amended
report on Schedule 13G dated February 14, 2005, that
(a) WMC is a registered investment advisor and that WMC and its
subsidiary may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by
its clients, and (b) WMC and its subsidiary exercise sole
voting power over no shares, shared voting power over 3,434,860
shares, sole dispositive power over no shares and shared
dispositive power over 3,781,735 shares. The address of
Wellington Management Company, LLP is 75 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109. |
|
|
(4) |
We have been informed by Janus Capital Management LLC
(Janus), on behalf of itself and its indirect
majority-owned subsidiary Enhanced Investment Technologies LLC
(Intech), in an amended report on Schedule 13G dated
February 14, 2005, that (a) Janus and Intech are
registered investment advisors, each furnishing investment
advice to various investment companies, individuals and
institutional clients and that Janus and Intech may be deemed to
beneficially own the shares held by their clients, and
(b) Janus and Intech exercise sole voting power over
3,748,431 shares, shared voting power over 2,800 shares, sole
dispositive power over 3,748,431 shares and shared dispositive
power over 2,800 shares. The address of Janus Capital Management
LLC is 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206. |
|
|
(5) |
We have been informed by Putnam, LLC d/b/a Putnam Investments
and certain of its affiliates, in a report on Schedule 13G
dated February 11, 2005, that (a) they are parent
holding companies of (i) Putnam Investment Management, LLC
and The Putnam Advisory Company, LLC, registered investment
advisors, (b) they exercise sole voting power over no
shares and shared voting power over 129,384 shares,
(c) they exercise sole dispositive power over no shares and
shared dispositive power over 3,612,402 shares, and
(d) they beneficially own the shares reported pursuant to
the investment advisory role of their subsidiaries, Putnam
Investment Management, LLC and The Putnam Advisory Company, LLC.
The address of Putnam, LLC d/b/a Putnam Investments is One Post
Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02109. |
|
|
(6) |
The individual is a director. |
|
|
(7) |
The individual is a named executive officer. |
|
|
(8) |
Includes 126,250 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
|
(9) |
Includes 90,000 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
|
(10) |
Includes 82,500 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
(11) |
Includes 65,500 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. Also, includes 1,789 shares of common stock held in
trust by Mr. Stebbins spouse. |
|
(12) |
Includes 7,500 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
(13) |
Includes 2,500 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
(14) |
Includes 6,250 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
|
(15) |
Includes 5,000 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. Also, includes 2,400 shares of common stock held in
a revocable trust for the benefit of Mr. Sterns
children. Mr. Stern disclaims beneficial ownership of these
shares. |
|
(16) |
Includes 429,200 shares of common stock issuable under options
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the
record date. |
12
|
|
(17) |
Includes the restricted stock units owned by our executive
officers and the restricted units and deferred stock units owned
by our non-employee directors. These restricted stock units,
restricted units and deferred stock units are subject to all the
economic risks of stock ownership but may not be voted or sold
and, therefore, ownership of such units is not deemed to
constitute beneficial ownership of common stock. In addition,
the restricted stock units and restricted units are subject to
vesting provisions as set forth in the respective grant
agreements. |
|
(18) |
Consists of 543,938 restricted stock units owned by our
executive officers in the aggregate, 15,051 restricted units
owned by our non-employee directors in the aggregate and 21,134
deferred stock units owned by our non-employee directors in the
aggregate. |
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Based upon our review of reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and written representations that no other
reports were required, we believe that all of our directors and
executive officers complied during 2004 with the reporting
requirements of Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
13
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth annual and long-term compensation
for our chief executive officer and four other most highly
compensated executive officers (our named executive
officers) in the fiscal years ended December 31,
2004, 2003 and 2002. Certain information presented for 2002 has
been reclassified to be consistent with the presentation for
2003 and 2004.
Summary Compensation Table
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|
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|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Term Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awards | |
|
Payouts | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Restricted | |
|
Underlying | |
|
|
|
|
Name and |
|
|
|
Other Annual | |
|
Stock Unit | |
|
Options/ | |
|
LTIP | |
|
All Other | |
Principal Positions |
|
Period | |
|
Salary(1) | |
|
Bonus(1) | |
|
Compensation(2) | |
|
Awards(3) | |
|
SARs(4) | |
|
Payouts(5) | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Robert E. Rossiter,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
1,008,334 |
|
|
$ |
1,506,000 |
|
|
$ |
117,527 |
|
|
$ |
2,852,586 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
442,358 |
|
|
$ |
84,071 |
(6) |
|
Chairman and
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,638,750 |
|
|
|
82,244 |
|
|
|
2,977,895 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
660,858 |
|
|
|
73,648 |
|
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,300,200 |
|
|
|
66,029 |
|
|
|
325,050 |
|
|
|
125,000 |
|
|
|
126,378 |
|
|
|
13,145 |
|
James H. Vandenberghe,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
902,083 |
|
|
$ |
813,240 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1,569,632 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
364,952 |
|
|
$ |
55,187 |
(7) |
|
Vice Chairman
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
831,251 |
|
|
|
973,418 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,713,942 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
505,533 |
|
|
|
49,209 |
|
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
825,000 |
|
|
|
780,120 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78,012 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
100,048 |
|
|
|
7,359 |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
677,083 |
|
|
$ |
542,160 |
|
|
$ |
748,058 |
|
|
$ |
1,095,898 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
254,296 |
|
|
$ |
35,044 |
(8) |
|
President and
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
629,168 |
|
|
|
655,500 |
|
|
|
388,079 |
|
|
|
1,151,526 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
317,192 |
|
|
|
29,272 |
|
|
Chief Operating Officer
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
591,668 |
|
|
|
559,479 |
|
|
|
164,919 |
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
60,173 |
|
|
|
1,320 |
|
|
Americas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald J. Stebbins,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
677,083 |
|
|
$ |
542,160 |
|
|
$ |
422,574 |
|
|
$ |
1,095,898 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
254,296 |
|
|
$ |
36,323 |
(9) |
|
President and
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
629,168 |
|
|
|
655,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,151,526 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
290,780 |
|
|
|
32,412 |
|
|
Chief Operating Officer
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
591,668 |
|
|
|
559,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
54,140 |
|
|
|
1,320 |
|
|
Europe, Asia and Africa
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David C. Wajsgras,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
577,083 |
|
|
$ |
461,840 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
876,401 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
185,828 |
|
|
$ |
24,481 |
(10) |
|
Senior Vice President and
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
506,251 |
|
|
|
458,850 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,012,092 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
198,276 |
|
|
|
13,456 |
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
420,000 |
|
|
|
297,864 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,500 |
|
|
|
35,000 |
|
|
|
41,355 |
|
|
|
128,070 |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Under the Management Stock Purchase Plan, named executive
officers elected to defer portions of their 2004 salaries and
bonuses. Salaries and bonuses are reported without giving effect
to any amounts deferred under the Management Stock Purchase
Plan. The named executive officers deferred the following
amounts of their total salary and bonus earned in 2004:
Mr. Rossiter, $1,352,400; Mr. Vandenberghe, $757,944;
Mr. DelGrosso, $168,750; Mr. Stebbins, $168,750; and
Mr. Wajsgras, $497,840. For further information regarding
the Management Stock Purchase Plan, see Compensation
Committee Report Long-Term Incentives
Management Stock Purchase Plan beginning on page 25. |
|
|
(2) |
This column includes the perquisites and personal benefits,
including any associated tax gross-up payments, received by the
named executive officers which exceeded the lesser of $50,000 or
10% of the named executives salary and bonus for the year.
Of the amounts reported in this column, the following exceeded
25% of the value of the total perquisites and benefits provided
in a given year: for Mr. Rossiter, personal use of the
corporate aircraft in the amounts of $60,428 in 2004, $46,025 in
2003 and $29,439 in 2002, payments related to country club
memberships of $31,831 in 2004, $11,075 in 2003 and $12,086 in
2002 and payments for expenses related to financial planning of
$23,687 in 2004, $23,558 in 2003 and $22,919 in 2002; for
Mr. DelGrosso, payments of $730,921 in 2004, $363,787 in
2003 and $142,418 in 2002 related to his overseas assignment
which commenced on October 1, 2001 and ended July 31,
2004; and for Mr. Stebbins, payments of $383,176 in 2004
related to his overseas assignment which commenced on
August 1, 2004. Overseas assignment compensation primarily
reflects tax equalization payments, reimbursement for foreign
housing costs, a cost-of-living differential, certain moving and
relocation expenses, an international assignment allowance and
certain associated tax gross-ups. |
14
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Restricted stock unit awards consist of (i) awards under
the Management Stock Purchase Plan based on deferral elections
with respect to salary and bonus earned in the respective years
and (ii) restricted stock unit awards in 2004 and 2003
valued based on the price of our common stock on the grant date.
With respect to the Management Stock Purchase Plan, the
restricted stock unit awards reported reflect the premium
portion (as a result of the discounted unit price) awarded to
each named executive officer based on such officers
deferral election, and the value of each such award is reported
as of its respective grant date, as to 2004 and 2003 deferrals,
and as of the date of determination, as to 2002 deferrals.
Pursuant to deferral elections made under the Management Stock
Purchase Plan relating to compensation earned in the year ending
December 31, 2004, Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras received 30,041, 17,290, 3,767, 3,767, and
11,407 restricted stock units, respectively. The premium
portions awarded to these individuals resulting from their
deferrals were $247,086, $122,132, $53,698, $53,698 and $42,641
for Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe,
Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras,
respectively. On November 11, 2004, Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras received 45,000, 25,000, 18,000, 18,000 and
14,400 restricted stock units, respectively, under the Long-Term
Stock Incentive Plan. Values in the table for such units are
based on the per share closing price of $57.90 for our common
stock on November 11, 2004. However, these restricted stock
units are subject to vesting over a five-year time period with
one-half vesting on the third anniversary of the grant date and
one-half vesting on the fifth anniversary of the grant date. For
additional information regarding the Management Stock Purchase
Plan and the deferral elections thereunder as well as the grant
of restricted stock units in 2004, see Compensation
Committee Report beginning on page 22. |
|
|
|
Holders of restricted stock units are entitled to dividend
equivalents if and when cash dividends are declared and paid on
our common stock, which dividend equivalents are calculated by
multiplying the dividend amount by the number of restricted
stock units held. These dividend equivalents are credited to an
account established by the Company for bookkeeping purposes only
and credited monthly with interest at the prime rate, with
respect to the 2004 and 2003 restricted stock units, and at the
prime rate plus one percent, with respect to the 2002 restricted
stock units. Dividend equivalents vest in accordance with the
vesting schedule of the restricted stock units to which they
relate. As of December 31, 2004, Mr. Rossiter held
180,771 restricted stock units with an aggregate value of
$11,028,839, Mr. Vandenberghe held 84,155 restricted stock
units with an aggregate value of $5,134,297, Mr. DelGrosso
held 54,051 restricted stock units with an aggregate value of
$3,297,652, Mr. Stebbins held 51,565 restricted stock units
with an aggregate value of $3,145,981, and Mr. Wajsgras
held 50,534 restricted stock units with an aggregate value of
$3,083,079. The aggregate value of restricted stock units is
based on the per share closing price of $61.01 for our common
stock on December 31, 2004. |
|
|
|
|
(4) |
No options were granted to our named executive officers in 2003
or 2004. |
|
|
(5) |
The value for 2004 is based on the average of the high and low
prices of our common stock on February 10, 2005, the date
of issuance of the underlying shares, which was
$53.20 per share. |
|
|
(6) |
Represents: Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching
contributions of $66,027; Retirement Savings Plan matching
contributions of $3,450; life insurance premiums paid by Lear of
$11,808; and imputed income of $2,786 with respect to life
insurance coverage. The amount for 2003 was adjusted to include
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching contributions in
the amount of $36,625 for the 2003 bonus paid in 2004. |
|
|
(7) |
Represents: Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching
contributions of $44,829; Retirement Savings Plan matching
contributions of $2,916; and life insurance premiums paid by
Lear of $7,442. The amount for 2003 was adjusted to include
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching contributions in
the amount of $23,210 for the 2003 bonus paid in 2004. |
|
|
(8) |
Represents: Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching
contributions of $29,364; Retirement Savings Plan matching
contributions of $4,449; life insurance premiums paid by Lear of
$751; and imputed income of $480 with respect to life insurance
coverage. The amount for 2003 was adjusted to include Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan matching contributions in the amount
of $13,907 for the 2003 bonus paid in 2004. |
15
|
|
|
|
(9) |
Represents: Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching
contributions of $32,014; Retirement Savings Plan matching
contributions of $1,798; life insurance premiums paid by Lear of
$1,251; and imputed income of $1,260 with respect to life
insurance coverage. The amount for 2003 was adjusted to include
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching contributions in
the amount of $15,803 for the 2003 bonus paid in 2004. |
|
|
(10) |
Represents: Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching
contributions of $21,449; Retirement Savings Plan matching
contributions of $941; life insurance premiums paid by Lear of
$1,251; and imputed income of $840 with respect to life
insurance coverage. The amount for 2003 was adjusted to include
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan matching contributions in
the amount of $5,736 for the 2003 bonus paid in 2004. |
Equity Compensation Plan Information
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available for Future | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
Weighted Average | |
|
Issuance Under | |
|
|
Securities to be | |
|
Exercise Price of | |
|
Equity | |
|
|
Issued Upon | |
|
Outstanding | |
|
Compensation Plans | |
|
|
Exercise of | |
|
Options, | |
|
(Excluding | |
|
|
Outstanding Options, | |
|
Warrants and | |
|
Securities Reflected | |
|
|
Warrants and Rights | |
|
Rights | |
|
in Column (a)) | |
As of December 31, 2004 |
|
(a) | |
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1)
|
|
|
5,334,856 |
(2) |
|
$ |
29.43 |
(3) |
|
|
1,896,625 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
5,334,856 |
|
|
$ |
29.43 |
|
|
|
1,896,625 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes the 1994 Stock Option Plan, the 1996 Stock Option Plan
and the Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan. |
|
(2) |
Includes 3,294,680 outstanding options, 1,831,149 outstanding
restricted stock units and 209,027 outstanding performance
shares. |
|
(3) |
Reflects outstanding options at a weighted average exercise
price of $40.57, outstanding restricted stock units at a
weighted average price of $12.75 and outstanding performance
shares at a weighted average price of zero. |
Option Grants and Exercises and Long-Term Incentive Awards in
Last Fiscal Year
No options were granted to our named executive officers in 2004.
|
|
|
Restricted Stock Unit Grants |
The Companys equity-based awards for 2004 consisted of
restricted stock units. See Compensation Committee
Report Long-Term Incentives Restricted Stock
Units beginning on page 24. On November 11,
2004, Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe,
Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras were
granted 45,000, 25,000, 18,000, 18,000 and 14,400 restricted
stock units, respectively, under the Long-Term Stock Incentive
Plan. One half of these units vest on the third anniversary of
the grant date, and the remaining half vest on the fifth
anniversary of the grant date, provided the executive remains
employed. If the executive retires after age 55 with 10 or more
years of vesting service (as defined in the Companys
pension plan), the executive will be deemed vested in the units
that would have become vested during the 24 months
following his retirement date. If the executives
employment terminates due to death or disability, all units will
become vested. If a change in control of the Company occurs (as
defined in the Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan), all units will
become vested. The restricted stock units are credited with
dividend equivalents which are credited to an account
established by the Company for bookkeeping purposes only
(credited monthly with interest at
16
an annual rate equal to the prime rate) if and when the Board of
Directors declares and pays a dividend on our common stock. Such
dividend equivalents are subject to the same vesting schedule as
the associated restricted stock units.
The restricted stock units are converted into shares of our
common stock, on a one-for-one basis, net of taxes on their
respective vesting dates. Delivery of shares is made at the time
of vesting unless the employee has elected to defer delivery. An
employee may elect to defer delivery of shares for up to ten
years.
The following table indicates the value of stock options
exercised during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004
and the value of unexercised stock options held as of
December 31, 2004 by each of our named executive officers.
Aggregated Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal
Year-End Option Values
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Unexercised | |
|
Value of Unexercised | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options at | |
|
In-the-Money Options | |
|
|
Shares Acquired | |
|
Value | |
|
December 31, 2004 | |
|
at December 31, 2004(1) | |
|
|
on Exercise | |
|
Realized | |
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
(#) | |
|
($) | |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Robert E. Rossiter
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
126,250/125,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,343,300/2,397,500 |
|
James H. Vandenberghe
|
|
|
48,750 |
|
|
|
1,418,625 |
|
|
|
90,000/75,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,372,100/1,438,500 |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
82,500/50,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,611,200/959,000 |
|
Donald J. Stebbins
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
65,500/50,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,184,840/959,000 |
|
David C. Wajsgras
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0/35,000 |
|
|
$ |
0/671,300 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Based on the closing price of $61.01 per share for our common
stock on December 31, 2004, as reported by the New York
Stock Exchange. |
The following table provides information concerning the grants
of performance share awards under the Long-Term Stock Incentive
Plan in 2004 to our named executive officers.
Long-Term Incentive Plan Performance Share Awards
in Last Fiscal Year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated Future Payouts under | |
|
|
Performance or | |
|
Non-Stock Price-Based Plans(1) | |
|
|
Other Period until | |
|
| |
|
|
Maturation or | |
|
Threshold | |
|
Target | |
|
Maximum | |
Name |
|
Payout | |
|
(#) | |
|
(#) | |
|
(#) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Robert E. Rossiter
|
|
|
1/1/200412/31/06 |
|
|
|
2,031/2,031 |
|
|
|
4,061/4,061 |
|
|
|
6,092/6,092 |
|
James H. Vandenberghe
|
|
|
1/1/200412/31/06 |
|
|
|
914/914 |
|
|
|
1,828/1,828 |
|
|
|
2,742/2,742 |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso
|
|
|
1/1/200412/31/06 |
|
|
|
686/686 |
|
|
|
1,371/1,371 |
|
|
|
2,056/2,056 |
|
Donald J. Stebbins
|
|
|
1/1/200412/31/06 |
|
|
|
686/686 |
|
|
|
1,371/1,371 |
|
|
|
2,056/2,056 |
|
David C. Wajsgras
|
|
|
1/1/200412/31/06 |
|
|
|
584/584 |
|
|
|
1,168/1,168 |
|
|
|
1,752/1,752 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Represents performance share awards under our Long-Term Stock
Incentive Plan. The threshold column refers to the amount
payable for a specific minimum level of performance under the
plan, the target column refers to the amount payable if the
specified targets are reached, and the maximum column refers to
the maximum payout under the plan. The first number in each
column represents the number of shares under the performance
share awards that a named executive officer may receive based
upon satisfaction of the return on invested capital performance
criteria. The second number in each column represents the number
of shares under the performance share award that a named
executive officer may receive based upon satisfaction of the
relative return to shareholders performance criteria. See
Compensation Committee Report Long-Term Incentives
Performance Share Awards beginning on page 24. |
Pension Plan and Benefits
The named executive officers (as well as other eligible
employees) participate in the Lear Corporation Pension Plan. The
pension plan is intended to be a qualified pension plan under
the Internal Revenue Code, and its benefits are integrated with
Social Security benefits. In general, an eligible employee
becomes a
17
participant on the July 1st or January 1st after
completing one year of service (as defined in the plan).
Benefits are funded by employer contributions that are
determined under accepted actuarial principles and the Internal
Revenue Code. The Company may make contributions in excess of
any minimum funding requirements when the Company believes it is
financially advantageous to do so and based on its other capital
requirements.
The pension plan contains multiple benefit formulas. Under the
principal formula which applies to all named executive officers,
pension benefits are based on a participants final
average annual earnings, which is the average of the
participants compensation for the five calendar years in
the last 10 years of employment in which the participant
had his highest earnings. Compensation is defined under the plan
to mean (i) all cash compensation reported for federal
income tax purposes other than long-term incentive bonuses, and
(ii) any elective contributions that are not includable in
gross income under Internal Revenue Code Section 125 or
401(k). A participants annual retirement benefit, payable
as a life annuity at age 65, equals the greater of:
|
|
|
|
|
(a) 1.10% times final average annual earnings times years
of credited service before 1997 (to a maximum of 35 years),
plus (b) 1.00% times final average annual earnings times
years of credited service after 1996 (with a maximum of
35 years reduced by years of credited service before 1997),
plus (c) 0.65% times final average annual earnings in
excess of covered compensation (as defined in I.R.S. Notice
89-70) times years of credited service (with a maximum of
35 years); and |
|
|
|
$360.00 times years of credited service. |
Any employee who on December 31, 1996 was an active
participant and age 50 or older earned benefits under the 1.10%
formula for years of credited service through 2001.
Credited service under the pension plan includes all years of
pension service under the Lear Siegler Seating Corp. Pension
Plan, and a participants retirement benefit under the
pension plan is reduced by his benefit under the Lear Siegler
Seating Corp. Pension Plan. The benefits under the pension plan
become vested once the participant accrues five years of vesting
service under the plan.
At age 65, it is estimated that under the pension plan
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe and Mr. DelGrosso
will each have 35 years of credited service,
Mr. Stebbins will have 30 years of credited service,
and Mr. Wajsgras will have 25 years of credited
service.
|
|
|
Pension Equalization Plan |
In addition to the pension plan, we have established the Pension
Equalization Plan. Lear Corporations pension plan is
subject to rules in the Internal Revenue Code that restrict the
level of retirement income that can be provided to, and the
amount of compensation that can be considered for, highly paid
executives under the pension plan. The Pension Equalization Plan
is intended to supplement the benefits under the pension plan
for certain highly paid executives whose pension plan benefits
are limited by those Internal Revenue Code limits. A
participants Pension Equalization Plan benefit equals the
difference between the executives actual vested accrued
pension plan benefit and the pension plan benefit the executive
would have accrued under the Lear Corporation formula if the
Internal Revenue Code limits on considered compensation and
total benefits did not apply. Highly compensated executives and
other employees whose compensation exceeds the Internal Revenue
Code limits for at least three years are eligible to participate
in the Pension Equalization Plan. Each of Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras participates in the Pension Equalization Plan.
The benefits under the Pension Equalization Plan become vested
once the participant has either (i) attained age 55 and has
10 years of vesting service, attained age 65, or become
eligible for disability retirement under the pension plan, or
(ii) attained 20 years of vesting service.
|
|
|
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan |
In addition to the pension plan and the Pension Equalization
Plan, we have established the Lear Corporation Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan. The purpose of the plan is to provide
participants with the opportunity to make elective deferrals of
compensation that could not be made under the Retirement Savings
Plan due to limits imposed by the Internal Revenue Code on the
amount of pre-tax contributions a participant can make to the
Retirement Savings Plan and/or the amount of compensation that
can be recognized under
18
the Retirement Savings Plan. In addition, the Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan also provides retirement benefits that
would have been accrued under the Retirement Savings Plan, the
pension plan and/or the Pension Equalization Plan if the
participant had not elected to defer compensation under the plan
or the Management Stock Purchase Plan (as described below
beginning on page 25). These benefits under the Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan generally become vested once the
participant accrues three years of vesting service (as defined
in the pension plan). Certain senior officers are eligible to
participate in the Executive Supplemental Savings Plan. Each of
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso,
Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras participates in the
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan. Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras received matching contributions in the
Executive Supplemental Savings Plan based on 2004 earnings in
the amounts of $59,921, $40,450, $26,438, $28,899 and $20,027,
respectively. In addition, in 2004 all eligible participants in
the Retirement Savings Plan received discretionary awards for
their 2003 bonus and 2004 base pay and for the named executive
officers such awards were contributed to the Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan in the amounts of $6,106, $4,379,
$2,926, $3,115 and $1,422 for Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras, respectively.
The following table indicates estimated total annual benefits
payable as a single life annuity beginning at age 65 for various
compensation levels and years of credited service under the
pension plan, the Pension Equalization Plan and the Executive
Supplemental Savings Plan. Generally, annual compensation used
for pension formula purposes includes salary and annual bonus
paid in a particular year.
Pension Plan Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Years of Credited Service | |
|
|
Covered | |
|
| |
Annual Compensation |
|
Compensation* | |
|
10 | |
|
15 | |
|
20 | |
|
25 | |
|
30 | |
|
35 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
$ 500,000
|
|
$ |
61,872 |
|
|
$ |
78,978 |
|
|
$ |
120,717 |
|
|
$ |
162,457 |
|
|
$ |
204,196 |
|
|
$ |
245,935 |
|
|
$ |
287,674 |
|
600,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
95,578 |
|
|
|
146,067 |
|
|
|
196,557 |
|
|
|
247,046 |
|
|
|
297,535 |
|
|
|
348,024 |
|
700,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
112,178 |
|
|
|
171,417 |
|
|
|
230,657 |
|
|
|
289,896 |
|
|
|
349,135 |
|
|
|
408,374 |
|
800,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
128,778 |
|
|
|
196,767 |
|
|
|
264,757 |
|
|
|
332,746 |
|
|
|
400,735 |
|
|
|
468,724 |
|
900,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
145,378 |
|
|
|
222,117 |
|
|
|
298,857 |
|
|
|
375,596 |
|
|
|
452,335 |
|
|
|
529,074 |
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
161,978 |
|
|
|
247,467 |
|
|
|
332,957 |
|
|
|
418,446 |
|
|
|
503,935 |
|
|
|
589,424 |
|
1,200,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
195,178 |
|
|
|
298,167 |
|
|
|
401,157 |
|
|
|
504,146 |
|
|
|
607,135 |
|
|
|
710,124 |
|
1,400,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
228,378 |
|
|
|
348,867 |
|
|
|
469,357 |
|
|
|
589,846 |
|
|
|
710,335 |
|
|
|
830,824 |
|
1,600,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
261,578 |
|
|
|
399,567 |
|
|
|
537,557 |
|
|
|
675,546 |
|
|
|
813,535 |
|
|
|
951,524 |
|
1,800,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
294,778 |
|
|
|
450,267 |
|
|
|
605,757 |
|
|
|
761,246 |
|
|
|
916,735 |
|
|
|
1,072,224 |
|
2,000,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
327,978 |
|
|
|
500,967 |
|
|
|
673,957 |
|
|
|
846,946 |
|
|
|
1,019,935 |
|
|
|
1,192,924 |
|
2,200,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
361,178 |
|
|
|
551,667 |
|
|
|
742,157 |
|
|
|
932,646 |
|
|
|
1,123,135 |
|
|
|
1,313,624 |
|
2,400,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
394,378 |
|
|
|
602,367 |
|
|
|
810,357 |
|
|
|
1,018,346 |
|
|
|
1,226,335 |
|
|
|
1,434,324 |
|
2,600,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
427,578 |
|
|
|
653,067 |
|
|
|
878,557 |
|
|
|
1,104,046 |
|
|
|
1,329,535 |
|
|
|
1,555,024 |
|
2,800,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
460,778 |
|
|
|
703,767 |
|
|
|
946,757 |
|
|
|
1,189,746 |
|
|
|
1,432,735 |
|
|
|
1,675,724 |
|
3,000,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
493,978 |
|
|
|
754,467 |
|
|
|
1,014,957 |
|
|
|
1,275,446 |
|
|
|
1,535,935 |
|
|
|
1,796,424 |
|
3,200,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
527,178 |
|
|
|
805,167 |
|
|
|
1,083,157 |
|
|
|
1,361,146 |
|
|
|
1,639,135 |
|
|
|
1,917,124 |
|
3,400,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
560,378 |
|
|
|
855,867 |
|
|
|
1,151,357 |
|
|
|
1,446,846 |
|
|
|
1,742,335 |
|
|
|
2,037,824 |
|
3,600,000
|
|
|
61,872 |
|
|
|
593,578 |
|
|
|
906,567 |
|
|
|
1,219,557 |
|
|
|
1,532,546 |
|
|
|
1,845,535 |
|
|
|
2,158,524 |
|
|
|
* |
Indicates the covered compensation for Mr. Rossiter who has
the lowest covered compensation of all the named executive
officers. The covered compensation for each of the other named
executive officers will be higher and their number of years of
credited service at the 1.10% formula will be fewer than
Mr. Rossiters, resulting in a slightly lower payout
amount for comparable compensation levels and years of credited
service. Such differences are not expected to be material. |
At age 65, it is estimated that under the plans
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe and Mr. DelGrosso
will each have 35 years of credited service,
Mr. Stebbins will have 30 years of credited service,
and Mr. Wajsgras will have 25 years of credited
service.
19
Retirement Savings Plan
We have established a Retirement Savings Plan pursuant to
Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for non-union
salaried employees who have completed one month of service.
Under the Retirement Savings Plan, each eligible employee may
elect to defer, on a pre-tax basis, a portion of his or her base
salary and annual bonus each year. The plan was originally
established with a company matching provision of 50%, 75% and
100% of an employees pre-tax deferrals, up to a maximum of
5% of an employees eligible compensation, depending on
years of service. Effective January 1, 2002 matching
contributions were eliminated, but were subsequently reinstated
effective April 1, 2003 at a reduced rate of 25% and 50% of
an employees pre-tax deferrals, up to a maximum of 5% of
an employees eligible compensation, depending on years of
service. In addition, the plan was amended effective
January 1, 2003 to allow for discretionary company matching
contributions. Company matching contributions are initially
invested in the Lear stock fund and may be transferred by the
participant to other funds under the Retirement Savings Plan on
February 1 of the year following such contribution, with the
exception of discretionary matching contributions, which may be
transferred to other funds at any time. Matching contributions
become vested under the Retirement Savings Plan at a rate of 20%
for each full year of service.
In 2004, each named executive received matching contributions in
the Retirement Savings Plan based on 2004 contributions in the
amounts of $2,938, $2,590, $4,043, $1,582 and $855 for
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso,
Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras, respectively. In
addition, all eligible participants in the Retirement Savings
Plan received discretionary matching contributions in 2004, and
for the named executive officers such matching contributions
were $512, $326, $406, $216 and $86 for Mr. Rossiter,
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras, respectively.
Employment Agreements
Effective March 15, 2005, we entered into revised
employment agreements with each of our named executive officers
and certain other executive officers and key employees. Each
employment agreement with our named executive officers remains
in effect until the earlier of (i) the date three years
after a written termination notice is provided by us or the
executive (two years if termination notice is provided after the
first anniversary of the employment agreement) or (ii) the
date the executive reaches his or her normal retirement date
under our retirement plan for salaried employees then in effect.
Under the revised employment agreements for our named executive
officers, Mr. Rossiters annual base salary is
$1,100,000, Mr. Vandenberghes salary is $925,000,
Mr. DelGrossos salary is $700,000,
Mr. Stebbins salary is $700,000 and
Mr. Wajsgras salary is $600,000. The salaries of each
of our named executive officers may be increased at the
discretion of the Compensation Committee. In addition, each of
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso,
Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras are eligible for an
annual incentive compensation bonus at the discretion of the
Compensation Committee. Under the terms of the employment
agreements, each named executive officer is also eligible to
participate in the welfare, retirement, perquisite and fringe
benefit, and other benefit plans, practices, policies and
programs, as may be in effect from time to time, for senior
executives of Lear generally.
The employment agreement for each named executive officer
provides that:
|
|
|
|
|
following the death of the employee, we will pay to his estate
or designated beneficiary his full base salary and a pro rata
portion of any bonus earned prior to the date of death; |
|
|
|
upon termination for incapacity (as defined in the employment
agreement), the employee will receive all compensation payable
under our disability and medical plans and programs plus an
additional payment from us so that the aggregate amount received
by the employee from all sources equals, for the remainder of
such calendar year, his base salary at the rate in effect on the
date of termination plus any bonus and other amounts the
employee would have been entitled to if his employment continued
until the end of the calendar year, and so that the aggregate
amount received by the employee from all sources equals, for the
period from the end of such calendar year until the date two
years after the date of termination, his base salary at the rate
in effect on the date of termination; |
20
|
|
|
|
|
upon termination by the employee for good reason (as defined in
the employment agreement) or by us other than for cause or
incapacity (each as defined in the employment agreement), if the
employee executes a release, in form and substance satisfactory
to us, he will receive severance payments for two years after
the termination date, extended an additional year if the
termination date is before the first anniversary of the
employment agreement, equal to the sum of the base salary (at
the highest rate received during the term of the agreement) and
aggregate bonus he would have received for the same period
(based on the highest annual bonus received during the period of
two calendar years preceding the termination, or, if the
termination date is before the first anniversary of the
employment agreement, then during the period of three calendar
years preceding the termination); |
|
|
|
in addition to the foregoing, upon termination by the employee
for good reason (as defined in the employment agreement) or by
us other than for cause or incapacity (each as defined in the
employment agreement), (i) all outstanding equity-based
awards and other benefits that are subject to time-based vesting
criteria will continue to vest during the severance period and,
following the conclusion of the severance period, unvested
awards will vest on a pro rata basis, and (ii) all benefits
that would vest under compensation and benefit plans based on
the satisfaction of specific performance measures would be paid
to the employee after the end of the performance period on a pro
rata basis, if and to the extent all relevant performance
targets are actually achieved; |
|
|
|
upon termination by the employee without good reason or by us
for cause, the employee is entitled to receive only unpaid
salary and benefits, if any, accrued through the effective date
of the employees termination; |
|
|
|
the Company may generally reduce the employees base salary
or bonus, defer payment of his compensation, or eliminate or
modify his benefits, without giving rise to a claim of
constructive termination, so long as such changes are made
across-the-board and affecting all executive officers of the
Company; however, any such actions by the Company within one
year after a change in control (as defined in the employment
agreement) would give the employee a basis for termination for
good reason; |
|
|
|
the employee agrees to comply with certain confidentiality
covenants both during employment and after termination; |
|
|
|
the employee agrees to comply with certain non-compete and
non-solicitation covenants during his employment and for two
years after the date of termination, unless the employee is
terminated by us for cause, pursuant to a notice of non-renewal
from us, or if the employee terminates employment for other than
good reason, in which cases the employee agrees to comply with
such covenants for one year after the date of termination; and |
|
|
|
upon transfer of all or substantially all of our assets to a
successor entity, we will require the successor entity expressly
to assume performance of the employment agreement. |
A copy of the revised employment agreement with each of our
named executive officers has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2005.
Certain Other Benefits
To remain competitive in the market for a high caliber
management team, Lear provides its executive officers, including
our Chief Executive Officer, with certain perquisites, including
financial counseling services, reimbursement of country club
dues, the use of a company automobile and limited personal use
of the corporate aircraft. In certain instances, the Company
also provides tax gross-up payments for the imputed income
associated with these perquisites. The Compensation Committee
periodically reviews perquisites made available to the
Companys executive officers, including our Chief Executive
Officer, to ensure that they are generally consistent with
market practice. For additional information regarding
perquisites made available to the Companys executive
officers, including our Chief Executive Officer, during 2004,
please see Summary Compensation Table.
As indicated in the Summary Compensation Table, the perquisites
provided to
21
Mr. Rossiter during 2004 (identified under the heading
Other Annual Compensation) represented less than 5%
of his cash compensation for the year.
Other Compensation Arrangements
Kenneth L. Way, who was a director until May 2004, retired from
his executive position as the Chairman of our Board in December
2002. During 2004, in addition to vested retirement benefits, we
continued to provide Mr. Way with certain additional
employee benefits (as well as tax gross-up payments in certain
instances) including: use of a company vehicle and, subject to
availability, corporate aircraft; dues for existing country club
memberships; and financial counseling and tax preparation
services. These additional benefits will not be extended beyond
2004.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS
AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
No member of the Compensation Committee was, during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2004, an officer, former officer or
employee of our company or any of our subsidiaries. None of our
executive officers served as a member of:
|
|
|
|
|
the compensation committee of another entity in which one of the
executive officers of such entity served on our Compensation
Committee; |
|
|
|
the board of directors of another entity, one of whose executive
officers served on our Compensation Committee; or |
|
|
|
the compensation committee of another entity in which one of the
executive officers of such entity served as a member of our
Board. |
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT
Regardless of anything indicating the contrary set forth in any
of our previous or future filings under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, that might incorporate this proxy statement, in whole
or in part, the following report and the performance graph which
follows shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference.
Introduction
Our Compensation Committee is responsible for approving and
evaluating the director and officer compensation plans, policies
and programs of our Company. The Compensation Committee is
currently comprised of three non-employee directors:
Ms. Bingaman, Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Spalding.
Mr. Parrott resigned from the Committee shortly after
Ms. Bingamans appointment to the Compensation
Committee in February 2004. Our Board has not rejected or
modified any action taken by the Compensation Committee.
Executive Compensation Policy
The objectives of our compensation policies are to:
|
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|
|
optimize profitability and growth; |
|
|
|
link the interests of management with those of stockholders; |
|
|
|
provide management with incentives for excellence in individual
performance; |
|
|
|
promote teamwork among managers; and |
|
|
|
attract and retain highly qualified and effective officers, key
employees and directors. |
The Compensation Committee targets total remuneration (i.e.,
base salary, annual incentives and long-term incentives) of our
senior executives at the 75th percentile of our peer group in
return for comparable
22
performance. However, this percentile is only a target and
actual compensation is dependent on various factors, including
the Companys actual financial performance and satisfaction
of specified management objectives, and may be more or less than
the target. In 2004, the Compensation Committee retained an
independent compensation consultant to undertake a review of our
executive compensation policies and programs. A discussion of
each component of executive compensation follows.
Base Salary
Base salaries for our executive officers are established at
levels considered appropriate in light of the duties and scope
of responsibilities of each officers position. In this
regard, the Compensation Committee considers the compensation
practices and corporate financial performance of similarly
situated companies based on research provided by independent
consultants. The Compensation Committee focuses primarily on
total compensation, including incentive awards, rather than base
salary alone, as the appropriate measure of executive officer
remuneration. As of December 31, 2004,
Mr. Rossiters base salary was $1,100,000,
Mr. Vandenberghes salary was $925,000,
Mr. DelGrossos salary was $700,000,
Mr. Stebbins salary was $700,000 and
Mr. Wajsgras salary was $600,000. Pursuant to
elections made under the Management Stock Purchase Plan,
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso,
Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras elected to defer
$750,000, $270,000, $168,750, $168,750 and $36,000 of their 2004
salaries, respectively. Amounts deferred were applied toward the
purchase of restricted stock units under the Management Stock
Purchase Plan described below.
Annual Incentives
Our executive officers participate in the Annual Incentive
Compensation Plan. Pursuant to this plan, the Compensation
Committee makes annual incentive awards designed to reward past
financial performance and the achievement of goals considered
important to our future. Awards are typically made in the first
quarter of each year based on our performance achieved in the
previous calendar year.
Each named executive officer is assigned an annual target
opportunity under the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan
expressed as a percentage of such officers base salary.
The target opportunity for a given years performance is
based 50% upon whether our earnings per share reaches a
threshold established by the Compensation Committee and 50% upon
whether the return on our net assets reaches a threshold set by
the Compensation Committee. The actual award can vary from 0% to
140% of the annual target opportunity based on whether these
thresholds are met and, if met, by how much the thresholds are
exceeded. For the year ended December 31, 2004,
Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso,
Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras earned annual gross
bonuses under the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan of
$1,506,000, $813,240, $542,160, $542,160 and $461,840,
respectively. Pursuant to elections made under the Management
Stock Purchase Plan, Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe
and Mr. Wajsgras elected to defer $602,400, $487,944 and
$461,840, respectively, of their 2004 annual cash bonuses earned
under the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan. Amounts deferred
were applied toward the purchase of restricted stock units under
the Management Stock Purchase Plan described below. If approved
by stockholders, the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan will be
restated as described in Approval of the Lear Corporation
Annual Incentive Compensation Plan beginning on
page 32. The Compensation Committee may award annual
incentives under this plan or outside of it in the future.
Long-Term Incentives
The long-term incentive component of our executive compensation
program is designed to provide our senior management with
substantial at-risk components and to align the interests of our
senior management with those of our stockholders. To achieve
these goals, the Compensation Committee has taken the following
steps with respect to senior management:
|
|
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|
|
approved stock ownership guidelines for members of senior
management; |
|
|
|
granted restricted stock units to certain members of senior
management; |
23
|
|
|
|
|
granted performance share awards to certain members of senior
management; and |
|
|
|
permitted certain members of senior management to defer a
portion of their base salary and annual incentive bonus under
the Management Stock Purchase Plan. |
|
|
|
Management Stock Ownership Requirements |
The Compensation Committee has implemented stock ownership
guidelines that require our officers to achieve, within five
years of reaching senior officer status, specified stock
ownership levels, based on a multiple of such officers
base salary. The stock ownership guidelines are subject to
transition periods when employees become subject to higher stock
ownership requirements. The stock ownership levels which must be
achieved by our senior officers, based on a multiple of such
officers base salary, are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multiple of | |
Position |
|
Base Salary | |
|
|
| |
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
5x |
|
Vice Chairman
|
|
|
4x |
|
Chief Operating Officers/ Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
3x |
|
Senior Vice Presidents and Division Presidents
|
|
|
2.5x |
|
Corporate Vice Presidents
|
|
|
2x |
|
The following are included for purposes of determining whether
the stock ownership requirements are satisfied: (i) shares
of common stock owned directly or held under the Retirement
Savings Plan; (ii) restricted stock units under the
Management Stock Purchase Plan; (iii) the value of vested
restricted stock units (non-MSPP) granted under the Long-Term
Stock Incentive Plan to the extent deferred and not converted
into shares of common stock; (iv) sixty percent of
performance shares scheduled to be distributed in the current
year under the Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan; and
(v) sixty percent of the value of exercisable stock options
in the money as of the date of determination. Management
personnel who have not achieved a stock ownership level of at
least 60% of their target after three years will have up to 50%
of their annual incentive bonus delivered in the form of
restricted stock units pursuant to the Management Stock Purchase
Plan described below until their stock ownership meets the
required levels.
The Companys equity-based awards in 2004 consisted of
restricted stock units. In comparison to the grant of stock
options, the Compensation Committee believes that restricted
stock units result in less dilution of the ownership interests
of existing stockholders because fewer restricted stock units
are granted than the options they replace, and restricted stock
units are effective incentives for our superior performing
employees to remain with us and to continue their performance
during periods of stock price fluctuations, when stock options
may have no realizable value. Accordingly, on November 11,
2004, Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Vandenberghe,
Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Wajsgras were
granted 45,000, 25,000, 18,000, 18,000 and 14,400 restricted
stock units, respectively, under the Long-Term Stock Incentive
Plan. One-half of these units vest on the third anniversary of
the grant date, and the remaining half vest on the fifth
anniversary of the grant date, provided in each case that the
officer remains employed.
In 2001, the Company proposed and our stockholders approved the
amendment and restatement of the Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan,
which prohibits the repricing of stock options without
stockholder approval. The Company has never repriced a stock
option.
Performance share awards ensure that a significant component of
certain employees compensation depends upon the
achievement of specified financial performance goals over a
three-year period. The Compensation Committee chooses from
various measures of corporate performance to determine the level
of payout of performance share awards.
24
As in prior years, the Compensation Committee granted
performance share awards effective January 1, 2004 to
selected senior management personnel under the Long-Term Stock
Incentive Plan with target performance shares equal on the date
of the award to a specified percentage of each such
employees base salary on January 1, 2004. The
specified percentage for Mr. Rossiter was 50% and for each
of the other named executive officers was 25%. The 2004
performance criteria over a three-year period for these
performance share awards are our relative return to stockholders
compared to a peer group of representative independent
automotive suppliers, which at the time of the grant consisted
of ArvinMeritor, Inc., Dana Corporation, Delphi Automotive
Systems Corporation, Eaton Corporation, Johnson Controls, Inc.,
Magna International, Inc., and Visteon Corporation, and our
return on invested capital, calculated either on a relative or
absolute basis. For a senior officer to receive shares of common
stock for his or her performance shares, relative return to
stockholders and/or return on invested capital over the
three-year period must equal or exceed specified thresholds. Our
officers may earn additional shares of common stock for their
performance share awards if we exceed these thresholds.
|
|
|
Management Stock Purchase Plan |
In furtherance of its goal of aligning the interests of officers
and employees with those of our stockholders, the Compensation
Committee permits certain management personnel to participate in
the Management Stock Purchase Plan. The program is part of the
Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan and, in 2004, there were
approximately 270 eligible participants. Under this program,
members of management can elect to defer a portion of their base
salary and/or annual incentive bonuses under the Annual
Incentive Compensation Plan and receive restricted stock units
credited at a discount to the fair market value of our common
stock. The discount rates on restricted stock units purchased
with deferred salary or bonus are based on the following scale:
|
|
|
|
|
Total Dollar Amount of Salary and Bonus |
|
|
|
Value of Restricted Stock Units |
Deferrals, Expressed as a Percentage of |
|
Applicable |
|
Received as a Percentage of |
the Participants Base Salary |
|
Discount Rate |
|
the Amount Deferred |
|
|
|
|
|
15% or less
|
|
20% |
|
125% |
Over 15% and up to 100%
|
|
30% |
|
143% |
Over 100%
|
|
20% |
|
125% |
In consideration for deferring their 2004 incentive bonuses in a
deferral election made in December 2004, participants received a
number of restricted stock units under the Long-Term Stock
Incentive Plan equal to 125% or 143% of the amount deferred,
depending on the amount of the deferral as set forth in the
table above, divided by the fair market value of a share of
common stock determined in a manner approved by the Compensation
Committee. This formula effectively provided participants with a
discount of 20% or 30% on restricted stock units credited under
the Plan, depending on the amount of the deferral as set forth
in the table above. For restricted stock units credited in March
2005 for 2004 cash bonus deferral elections, the fair market
value of a share of common stock was based on the average of the
high and low prices of our common stock during the last five
trading days of 2004, which was $60.78 per share. In
consideration for deferring their 2004 base salary in a deferral
election made in December 2003, participants were credited with
a number of restricted stock units under the Long-Term Stock
Incentive Plan equal to 125% or 143% of the amount deferred
divided by the fair market value of a share of common stock
determined in a manner approved by the Compensation Committee.
This formula effectively provided participants with a 20% or 30%
discount on restricted stock units credited under the Plan,
depending on the amount of the deferral as set forth in the
above table. For restricted stock units credited in March 2004
for 2004 base salary deferral elections, the fair market value
of a share of common stock was based on the average of the high
and low prices of our common stock during the last five trading
days of 2003, which was $61.56 per share. Generally, a
participant must hold restricted stock units and remain employed
for at least three years following the grant date, at which time
the participant receives, net of taxes, a number of shares of
common stock equal to the restricted stock units held and a cash
payment equal to the amount of dividends, if any, the
participant would have earned if he or she had held shares of
common stock rather than restricted stock units, together with
accrued interest on such dividend equivalents. Pursuant to
deferral elections made under the Management Stock Purchase Plan
for base salary and annual incentive bonuses earned in the year
ending December 31, 2004, Mr. Rossiter,
25
Mr. Vandenberghe, Mr. DelGrosso, Mr. Stebbins and
Mr. Wajsgras received 30,041, 17,290, 3,767, 3,767 and
11,407 restricted stock units, respectively.
For a description of the retirement benefits we provide, see
Executive Compensation Pension Plan and
Benefits beginning on page 17.
The Estate Preservation Plan has been established for certain of
our senior executives. The Estate Preservation Plan provides the
beneficiaries of a participant with death benefits which may be
used to pay estate taxes on inherited common stock. Under the
Estate Preservation Plan, we purchase a life insurance policy on
the life of the participant, or a joint life insurance policy on
the lives of the participant and his or her spouse. We own the
life insurance policy but endorse a portion of the policys
proceeds to the participants designated beneficiaries.
Each participant pays a portion of the policys annual
premium (until he or she reaches age 65) and we pay the
remainder of the annual premium. After the participant reaches
age 65, we pay the entire annual premium and the participant
pays income taxes on the imputed income from the policy. Upon
the death of the participant or, in the case of a joint life
insurance policy, the death of the participant and his or her
spouse, the participants beneficiaries receive a fixed
portion of the policy death benefit which they may use to pay
the estate taxes on inherited common stock. Any amounts payable
under the policy in excess of such fixed portion of the policy
death benefit are payable to Lear.
Chief Executive Officer Compensation
Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Rossiter received
a base salary of $1,008,334 during the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2004. Mr. Rossiter was also eligible to
participate in the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan, the
Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, including the Management Stock
Purchase Plan, the Executive Supplemental Savings Plan, the
Estate Preservation Plan, the Retirement Savings Plan and the
Pension Equalization Plan. The Compensation Committee awarded
Mr. Rossiter an annual bonus of $1,506,000 for services
performed in 2004, which was based upon the Company exceeding
the earnings per share and return on net assets thresholds
established under the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan.
In evaluating the appropriateness of Mr. Rossiters
overall compensation, the Compensation Committee took into
account the Companys solid financial performance in a
challenging industry and economic environment as well as the
achievement of specified corporate and management objectives,
including continued improvements in product quality, customer
satisfaction, management development and long-term business
development. In addition, the Compensation Committee considered
the fact that a substantial portion of Mr. Rossiters
compensation consists of at-risk components and therefore is
directly based on the Companys performance. In 2004, more
than 80% of Mr. Rossiters overall compensation
consisted of at-risk components based on Company performance,
including the bonus paid under the Annual Incentive Compensation
Plan, 45,000 restricted stock units subject to three and
five year vesting requirements, performance share award
payouts based on the achievement of specified relative return to
shareholders and return on invested capital targets and the
premium portion of restricted stock units granted under the
Management Stock Purchase Plan which vest three years following
the grant date. See Executive Compensation
Option Grants and Exercises and Long-Term Incentive Awards in
Last Fiscal Year beginning on page 16.
Tax Treatment of Executive Compensation
One of the factors the Compensation Committee considers when
determining compensation is the anticipated tax treatment to
Lear and to the executives of the various payments and benefits.
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code limits the
deductibility of non-performance based compensation in excess of
$1,000,000 paid to any named executive officer appearing in the
Summary Compensation Table. The Compensation Committee generally
considers this limit when determining compensation, and Lear is
26
requesting stockholder approval of its Annual Incentive
Compensation Plan to satisfy the requirements of
Section 162(m). However, there are instances where the
Committee has concluded, and may conclude in the future, that it
is appropriate to exceed the limitation on deductibility under
Section 162(m) to ensure that executive officers are
compensated in a manner that it believes to be consistent with
the Companys best interests and those of its stockholders.
This report is submitted by Ms. Bingaman and
Messrs. McCurdy and Spalding, being all of the members of
the Compensation Committee.
|
|
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David P. Spalding, Chairman |
|
Anne K. Bingaman |
|
Larry W. McCurdy |
27
PERFORMANCE GRAPH
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder
return from December 31, 1999 through December 31,
2004 for Lear common stock, the S&P 500 Index and a peer
group1
of companies we have selected for purposes of this comparison.
We have assumed that dividends have been reinvested and the
returns of each company in the S&P 500 Index and the peer
group have been weighted to reflect relative stock market
capitalization. The graph assumes that $100 was invested on
December 31, 1999 in each of Lears common stock, the
stocks comprising the S&P 500 Index and the stocks
comprising the peer group.
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12/31/99 | |
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12/31/00 | |
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12/31/01 | |
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12/31/02 | |
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12/31/03 | |
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12/31/04 | |
| |
LEAR CORPORATION
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
77.53 |
|
|
$ |
119.19 |
|
|
$ |
104.00 |
|
|
$ |
192.28 |
|
|
$ |
193.79 |
|
|
S&P 500
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
90.97 |
|
|
$ |
80.15 |
|
|
$ |
62.54 |
|
|
$ |
80.28 |
|
|
$ |
88.88 |
|
|
PEER GROUP
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
87.07 |
|
|
$ |
120.32 |
|
|
$ |
110.75 |
|
|
$ |
162.46 |
|
|
$ |
179.50 |
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|
(1) |
We do not believe that there is a single published industry or
line of business index that is appropriate for comparing
stockholder returns. The peer group that we have selected is
comprised of representative independent automobile suppliers of
comparable products whose common stock is traded on a U.S. stock
exchange. Our peer group consists of ArvinMeritor, Inc.,
Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc., Collins & Aikman Corporation,
Dana Corporation, Delphi Corporation (f/k/a Delphi Automotive
Systems Corporation), Eaton Corp., Gentex Corp., Johnson
Controls, Inc., Magna International, Inc., Superior Industries
International, Tower Automotive and Visteon Corporation. |
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The information contained in this report shall not be deemed
to be soliciting material or to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such
information be incorporated by reference into any past or future
filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the
extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference in such
filing.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for
evaluating audit performance, appointing, compensating,
retaining and overseeing the work of our independent registered
public accounting firm and evaluating policies and procedures
relating to internal accounting functions and controls. The
Audit Committee is currently comprised of Messrs. Fry,
McCurdy, Stern and Wallman, each a non-employee director, and
operates under a written charter which was last amended by our
Board in November 2004. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter as
presently in effect is attached to this proxy statement as
Appendix B.
28
Our Board has determined that all members of the Audit Committee
are independent as defined in the New York Stock Exchange
listing standards.
The Audit Committee members are neither professional accountants
nor auditors, and their functions are not intended to duplicate
or to certify the activities of management and the independent
auditor, nor can the Audit Committee certify that the
independent auditor is independent under applicable
rules. The Audit Committee serves a board-level oversight role
in which it provides advice, counsel and direction to management
and the auditors on the basis of the information it receives,
discussions with management and the auditors and the experience
of the Audit Committees members in business, financial and
accounting matters. Our management has the primary
responsibility for the financial statements and reporting
process, including our systems of internal controls. In
fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee
reviewed and discussed with management the audited financial
statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, as well as the
report of management and the opinion thereon of Ernst &
Young LLP, the Companys independent registered public
accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2004,
regarding the Companys internal control over financial
reporting required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
The Audit Committee has discussed with Ernst & Young
LLP, the matters required to be discussed by Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61 (Communication With Audit
Committees) which includes, among other items, matters related
to the conduct of the audit of the Companys financial
statements. The Audit Committee has also received written
disclosures and the letter from Ernst & Young LLP
required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1
(which relates to the auditors independence from the
Company and its related entities) and has discussed with Ernst
& Young LLP its independence from the Company.
Based on the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit
Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the
Companys audited financial statements be included in the
Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2004, and be filed with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission.
This report is submitted by Messrs. Fry, McCurdy, Stern and
Wallman, being all of the members of the Audit Committee.
|
|
|
Larry W. McCurdy, Chairman |
|
David E. Fry |
|
James A. Stern |
|
Richard F. Wallman |
FEES OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
In addition to retaining Ernst & Young LLP to audit our
consolidated financial statements for 2004, Lear retained Ernst
& Young LLP, as well as other accounting firms, to provide
tax and other advisory services in 2004. We understand the need
for Ernst & Young LLP to maintain objectivity and
independence in its audit of our financial statements. It is
also the Audit Committees goal that the fees that the
Company pays to Ernst & Young LLP for permitted non-audit
services in any year should not exceed the audit and
audit-related fees paid to Ernst & Young LLP in such year, a
goal which the Company achieved in 2004 and 2003.
In order to assure that the provision of audit and non-audit
services provided by Ernst & Young LLP, the Companys
independent registered public accounting firm, does not impair
their independence, the Audit Committee is required to
pre-approve the audit and permitted non-audit services to be
performed by Ernst & Young LLP, other than de minimis
services that satisfy the requirements pertaining to de minimis
exceptions for non-audit services described in Section 10A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Audit Committee also
has adopted policies and procedures for pre-approving all audit
and permitted non-audit work performed by Ernst & Young LLP.
Any pre-approval is valid for 14 months from the date of
such pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee specifically
provides for a different period. Any pre-approval must also
29
set forth in detail the particular service or category of
services approved and is generally subject to a specific cost
limit.
The Audit Committee has adopted policies regarding the
Companys ability to hire employees, former employees and
certain relatives of employees of the Companys independent
accountants.
During 2004 and 2003, we retained Ernst & Young LLP to
provide services in the following categories and amounts:
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Fiscal Year Ended December 31, | |
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2004 | |
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2003 | |
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| |
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Audit fees(1)
|
|
$ |
9,342,000 |
|
|
$ |
4,707,000 |
|
Audit-related fees(2)
|
|
|
339,000 |
|
|
|
694,000 |
|
Tax fees(3)
|
|
|
2,238,733 |
|
|
|
3,720,000 |
|
All other fees
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
(1) |
Audit fees include services related to the annual audit of our
consolidated financial statements, the 2004 audit of our
internal controls over financial reporting, the reviews of our
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, international statutory audits
and other services that are normally provided by the independent
accountants in connection with our regulatory filings. |
|
(2) |
Audit-related fees include services related to the audits of
U.S. employee benefit plans, accounting consultations, 2003
advisory services related to our preparation for Sarbanes-Oxley
Act Section 404 and other assurance and related services
that are reasonably related to the performance of the audits of
our financial statements. |
|
(3) |
Tax fees include services related to tax compliance, tax advice
and tax planning. |
All of the audit, audit-related, tax and other services
performed by Ernst & Young LLP were pre-approved by the
Audit Committee in accordance with the pre-approval policies and
procedures described above.
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
Kenneth L. Way, who was a director until May 2004, retired as
our Chairman in December 2002 and his retirement arrangement is
described in Executive Compensation Other
Compensation Arrangements beginning on page 22.
Steven DelGrosso, a Quality Engineer at one of Lears
division offices, is the brother of Douglas DelGrosso,
Lears President and Chief Operating Officer
Americas. In 2004, Steven DelGrosso was paid $65,512, which
included a bonus of $2,758.
Noelle Gill, a Human Resources Staff Manager at Lears
corporate offices in Europe, is the daughter of Roy Parrott, a
Director of Lear. In 2004, Ms. Gill was paid $120,941,
which included a bonus of $11,603 and payments relating to an
international assignment of $13,716. Ms. Gill also received
150 restricted stock units in 2004.
Spencer Gill, a Director of Global Business Practices at
Lears corporate offices in Europe, is the son-in-law of
Roy Parrott, a Director of Lear. In 2004, Mr. Gill was paid
$170,935, which included a bonus of $20,234 and payments
relating to an international assignment of $23,235.
Mr. Gill also received 100 restricted stock units in 2004.
P. Scott Holman, a Sales Director in Lears Ford
Division, is a son-in-law of Kenneth L. Way, a former Director
of Lear. In 2004, Mr. Holman was paid $184,322, which
included a bonus of $32,285. Mr. Holman also received 200
restricted stock units in 2004.
Terrence Kittleson, a brother-in-law of Lears Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, Robert Rossiter, is employed by
Trammell Crow Company as an Executive Vice President. Trammell
Crow provides Lear with real estate brokerage as well as
property and project management services. In 2004, Lear paid
$3,515,337 to
30
Trammell Crow for these services. Lear has engaged Trammell Crow
in the ordinary course of its business and in accordance with
its normal procedures for engaging service providers of these
types of services.
Scott Ratsos, a Vice President of Engineering at Lears GM
Division, is a son-in-law of Robert Rossiter, Lears
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2004, Mr. Ratsos
was paid $169,022, which included a bonus of $29,821 and $22,000
of compensation deferred by Mr. Ratsos under our Management
Stock Purchase Plan. Mr. Ratsos also received 750
restricted stock units in 2004.
Sara Ratsos, a former Senior Account Manager at Lears GM
Division, is the daughter of Robert Rossiter, Lears
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2004, Ms. Ratsos
was paid $87,522, which included a bonus of $9,041.
Ms. Ratsos also received 100 restricted stock units in
2004. Ms. Ratsos left the Company in January 2005.
Brian Rossiter, a brother of Lears Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Robert Rossiter, owns an entity that has
represented Center Manufacturing in the sale of automotive
products to Lear. In 2004, Lear paid $17,212,077 for tooling,
steel stampings and assemblies that it purchased from Center
Manufacturing. The entity owned by Brian Rossiter received a
commission with respect to a portion of these sales at customary
rates. Brian Rossiter is also an owner of Creative Seating
Innovations, Inc. In 2004, Lear paid $1,337,743 to Creative
Seating Innovations for prototype tooling and parts. Lear made
its purchases from Center Manufacturing and Creative Seating
Innovations in the ordinary course of its business and in
accordance with its normal sourcing procedures for these types
of products.
Brian T. Rossiter, a Program Manager at one of Lears
European offices, is the son of Robert Rossiter, Lears
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2004, Brian T.
Rossiter was paid $144,677, which included a bonus of $9,523 and
payments relating to an international assignment of $49,777.
Brian T. Rossiter also received 150 restricted stock units
in 2004.
Jayme Rossiter, a sister-in-law of Robert Rossiter, Lears
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has an ownership interest
in Elite Support Management Group, LLC. In 2004, Lear paid
$448,559 to Elite Support for the provision of information
technology temporary support personnel. Lear engaged Elite
Support to provide these services in the ordinary course of its
business and in accordance with its normal procedures for
engaging service providers of these types of services.
Terrence Rossiter, a brother of Lears Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Robert Rossiter, has been employed as a
computer equipment salesperson by Sequoia Services Group
(Sequoia), a subsidiary of Analysts International,
since 1994. Sequoia has provided equipment and contract services
to Lear since 1991. In 2004, Lear paid $617,480 to Sequoia for
the purchase of computer equipment and the license or purchase
of software and $6,658,132 for computer-related services. In
2003, Lear paid $964,263 to Sequoia for the purchase of computer
equipment and the license or purchase of software and $6,789,151
for computer-related services. Terrence Rossiter was not
involved in the provision of computer-related services to Lear.
Lear purchased this equipment and software and these services in
the ordinary course of its business and in accordance with its
normal sourcing procedures for equipment, software and services
of these types.
Richard Snyder, a Financial Manager at one of Lears
division offices, is a brother-in-law of Robert Rossiter,
Lears Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2004,
Mr. Snyder was paid $163,893, which included a bonus of
$16,033 and $44,885 from the exercise of stock options.
Robert Snyder, a former Commodity Manager at Lears
headquarters, was a brother-in-law of Robert Rossiter,
Lears Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2004,
Mr. Snyder was paid $221,839, which included a bonus of
$20,470 and $105,446 from the exercise of stock options, the
disposition of restricted stock units and the payment of
benefits as a result of Mr. Snyders death.
Michael Spalding, a Senior Account Manager at Lears
DaimlerChrysler Division, is the brother of David Spalding, a
Director of Lear. In 2004, Michael Spalding was paid $106,586,
which included total bonuses of $17,368.
Patrick VandenBoom, an Information Technology Director for Lear,
is the brother-in-law of James Vandenberghe, a Director and the
Vice Chairman of Lear. In 2004, Mr. VandenBoom was paid
$215,615,
31
which included a bonus of $33,848 and $32,944 from the exercise
of stock options. Mr. VandenBoom also received 500
restricted stock units in 2004.
David Way, a Sales Director in Lears DaimlerChrysler
Division, is the son of Kenneth L. Way, a former Director
of Lear. In 2004, David Way was paid $95,875. He also received
300 restricted stock units in 2004.
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
(PROPOSAL NO. 2)
Our Audit Committee has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the year
ending December 31, 2005. A proposal will be presented at
the meeting to ratify this appointment. Ratification of the
appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm
requires the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present
in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to
vote. If the stockholders fail to ratify such selection, another
independent registered public accounting firm will be considered
by our Audit Committee, but the Audit Committee may nonetheless
choose to engage Ernst & Young LLP. Even if the appointment
of Ernst & Young LLP is ratified, the Audit Committee in its
discretion may select a different independent registered public
accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines
that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company
and its stockholders. We have been advised that a representative
of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the meeting and will
be available to respond to appropriate questions and, if such
person chooses to do so, make a statement.
YOUR BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR RATIFICATION
OF
THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP AS INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR 2005.
APPROVAL OF THE LEAR CORPORATION ANNUAL INCENTIVE
COMPENSATION PLAN
(PROPOSAL NO. 3)
On February 10, 2005, our Compensation Committee adopted,
subject to stockholder approval, the revised Lear Corporation
Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (the Annual
Plan). The Annual Plan will compensate key employees based
on Lears performance. The Annual Plan provides for the
grant of performance-based cash awards only. The material terms
of the Annual Plan are substantially the same as our existing
Annual Incentive Compensation Plan, which it would replace.
The purpose of the Annual Plan is to provide incentives for
business performance, reward contributions towards goals
consistent with our business strategy and enable us to attract
and retain highly qualified employees. Your approval of the
Annual Plan will allow us to continue to provide a competitive
compensation program and is intended to allow final awards
granted under the plan to be deductible under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(Section 162(m)).
Approval of the Annual Plan requires the affirmative vote of the
majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at
the meeting and entitled to vote.
Summary of the Plan
The following discussion summarizes the material features of
the proposed Annual Plan. It does not purport to be complete and
you should refer to the actual language of the plan attached as
Appendix C to this proxy statement.
Participation. The Compensation Committee has the
authority to designate executive officers as participants in the
Annual Plan, and the Senior Vice President Human
Resources or his or her designee has the authority to designate
other employees as participants in the Annual Plan, in
accordance with guidelines
32
that may be established from time to time by the Compensation
Committee or our Board of Directors. Approximately 4,900
employees would be eligible to participate in the Annual Plan in
2005.
Objective Performance Goals. The Compensation Committee
has the authority to establish written, objective performance
goals during the first 90 days of a performance period,
which will generally be a calendar year. The objective
performance goals may be stated as specific amounts of, or
specific changes in, one or more of the financial measures
described in the Annual Plan. These financial measures include
earnings per share and return on net assets, which are measures
which have been used under our current Annual Incentive
Compensation Plan. Other possible financial measures under the
Annual Plan include other measures based on our earnings, return
on assets, asset turnover, revenues, stockholders equity,
return on equity, return on invested capital, economic value
added, appreciation of our common stock, measures based on our
income or margins, cash flow, total stockholder return,
expenses, debt to capital ratio, market share, sales growth,
capacity utilization, increase in customer base, environmental
health and safety, diversity, or product quality. The objective
performance goals may also include operational goals such as
productivity, product quality, other strategic objectives and
individual performance goals. The objective performance goals
may be stated: (a) as goals for Lear Corporation, for one
or more of its subsidiaries, divisions, businesses or
organizational units, or for any combination of the foregoing;
(b) on an absolute basis or relative to the performance of
other companies or of a specified index or indices, or be based
on any combination of the foregoing; and (c) separately for
one or more of the participants, collectively for the entire
group of participants, or any combination of the two.
Performance Evaluation. Within a reasonable time after
the close of a performance period, the Compensation Committee
will determine whether the objective performance goals
established for that period have been satisfied. If the
objective performance goals and any other material terms
established by the Compensation Committee have been satisfied
with respect to an executive officer, the Compensation Committee
will so certify in writing with respect to such executive
officer before the applicable bonus is paid pursuant to the
Annual Plan. For participants who are not executive officers,
the Senior Vice President Human Resources or his or
her designee shall determine whether objective performance goals
established for the performance period have been satisfied and
document such determination in accordance with Lears
policies and procedures.
Bonus. The bonus for any participant may not exceed 250%
of such participants annualized base salary in effect on
the December 1st (or such other date as may be established
by the Compensation Committee) that occurs during the applicable
performance period. For any performance period, however, the
Compensation Committee has the sole discretion to
(i) reduce the amount of, or eliminate entirely, the bonus
to a participant based on the Committees review of the
objective performance goals for such participant and the
individual performance of such participant, or
(ii) increase the amount of any bonus payable to a
participant whose compensation, at no time during the
performance period, is subject to Code Section 162(m) based
upon the Compensation Committees review of the objective
performance goals for such participant and the individual
performance of such participant. In no event may a bonus be paid
to any participant under the Annual Plan which exceeds
$4 million for any performance period.
Payment or Deferral of the Bonus. The target timing for
the payment of bonuses under the Annual Plan is on or before the
date that is two and one-half months after the end of the
applicable performance period, but no payment may occur later
than one year after the end of the performance period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the Compensation
Committees approval and applicable law, participants may
request that payments of a bonus be deferred under a deferred
compensation arrangement maintained by Lear by making a deferral
election prior to or, as permitted, during the applicable
performance period pursuant to such rules and procedures as the
Compensation Committee may establish from time to time.
Eligibility for Payments. Generally, a participant will
be eligible to receive a bonus for a performance period only if
such participant is employed by Lear continuously from the
beginning of the performance period through the last day of the
performance period. The Senior Vice President Human
Resources (or in the case of an executive officer, the
Compensation Committee) may determine, in his or her sole
discretion, that (1) a bonus will be payable pro-rata for a
participant who either becomes eligible to participate during the
33
performance period or terminates employment with the Company
during the performance period due to death,
Retirement or Disability (as each such
term is defined in the Annual Plan), and (2) a bonus will
be adjusted to reflect a participants increase or decrease
in annualized salary during the performance period, in each
case, with respect to a participant whose compensation is
subject to Code Section 162(m), only to the extent
permissible under Code Section 162(m).
Change in Control. Upon the effective date of any
Change in Control (as defined in the Annual Plan),
all potential bonuses payable under the Annual Plan attributable
to a performance period in which the Change in Control occurs
will vest and be paid on a pro-rata basis at the target level of
such potential bonus. Such payment will be made as soon as
practicable following the Change in Control, without regard to
whether such payments would be deductible under Code
Section 162(m).
Administration. The Annual Plan will be administered by
the Compensation Committee, subject to such requirements for
review and approval by our Board of Directors as our Board of
Directors may establish. The Compensation Committee may delegate
to the Senior Vice President Human Resources (or his
or her designee) any of the Compensation Committees duties
and authority under the Annual Plan with respect to bonuses that
may be payable to participants who are not executive officers.
With respect to bonuses that may be payable to participants who
are executive officers during the performance period, the
Compensation Committee may delegate any of the Compensation
Committees duties and authority to the extent that the
Compensation Committee determines that such delegation would not
cause a bonus intended to be performance-based compensation
under Section 162(m) to fail to qualify as such. The
Compensation Committee will have the full power and authority to
adopt, amend and rescind administrative guidelines, rules and
regulations pertaining to the Annual Plan and to interpret the
Annual Plan and rule on any questions respecting any of its
provisions, terms and conditions.
Amendments; Termination. The Annual Plan may be amended
or terminated by the Board of Directors or the Compensation
Committee. An amendment to the Annual Plan will not be effective
without the prior approval of the stockholders of Lear if such
approval is necessary: (i) to continue to qualify the
bonuses under the Annual Plan as performance-based compensation
under Section 162(m) and applicable regulations; or
(ii) to comply with Treasury or Securities and Exchange
Commission regulations, the rules of the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc. or any other applicable exchange or any other
applicable law or regulations.
Duration of the Annual Plan. The Annual Plan is effective
as of January 1, 2005 and shall remain in effect until all
bonuses made under the Annual Plan have been paid or forfeited
under the terms of the Annual Plan, and all performance periods
related to bonuses made under the Annual Plan have expired. No
bonuses may be paid under the Annual Plan for any performance
period that would end after the first stockholder meeting that
occurs in the fifth year following the year in which
stockholders previously approved the performance goals provided
in the Annual Plan, unless the Board of Directors (subject to
any stockholder approval that may then be required to continue
to qualify the Annual Plan as a performance-based plan under
Section 162(m)) extends the Annual Plan.
Tax Consequences. Awards under the Annual Plan are
generally taxable upon payment. Upon receipt of any award, a
participant will recognize ordinary compensation income for the
amount paid and Lear will be entitled to, subject to the
limitations of Section 162(m) discussed below, a
corresponding deduction on its tax return.
Section 162(m). Section 162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code prevents a public corporation like Lear from taking
a federal income tax deduction for compensation in excess of
$1 million per year paid individually to its chief
executive officer and to its four other most highly paid
officers, unless the compensation meets an exception under
Section 162(m) such as the exception for performance-based
compensation.
Governing Law. The Annual Plan and all questions
pertaining to the Annual Plan are governed by the laws of the
State of Michigan, except to the extent such law is preempted by
Federal law.
Whether or not the Annual Plan receives stockholder approval,
the Compensation Committee shall retain the right to award
bonuses outside of the Annual Plan under appropriate
circumstances, including bonuses that may not be deductible
under Section 162(m) in whole or in part.
34
New Plan Benefits
As of the date of this proxy statement, no awards or target
opportunities have been approved under the Annual Plan. Awards
under the Annual Plan will be based on our future performance.
Accordingly, we cannot at this time determine the amount of
annual incentive compensation to be paid to our current and
future covered employees under the plan. Actual amounts will
depend on the size of award opportunities and on our actual
performance during each fiscal year. Please see
Compensation Committee Report Annual
Incentives beginning on page 23 for information
concerning 2004 award payments under our existing Annual
Incentive Compensation Plan.
The table below shows bonuses earned under the existing Annual
Incentive Compensation Plan in 2004 by the individuals and
groups indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Position |
|
Annual Bonus(1) | |
|
|
| |
Robert E. Rossiter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
$ |
1,506,000 |
|
James H. Vandenberghe, Vice Chairman
|
|
$ |
813,240 |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso, President and Chief Operating
Officer Americas
|
|
$ |
542,160 |
|
Donald J. Stebbins, President and Chief Operating
Officer Europe, Asia and Africa
|
|
$ |
542,160 |
|
David C. Wajsgras, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
$ |
461,840 |
|
Executive Group
|
|
$ |
4,533,763 |
|
Non-Executive Director Group
|
|
|
None |
(2) |
Non-Executive Officer Employee Group
|
|
$ |
56,595,503 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Represents the amount earned in 2004 under the existing Annual
Incentive Compensation Plan based on actual performance. |
|
(2) |
Non-employee directors are not eligible to participate in the
existing Annual Incentive Compensation Plan or the Annual Plan. |
The following table reflects the target opportunities, expressed
as a percentage of each participants base salary, that
were established for 2004 under the existing Annual Incentive
Compensation Plan. Such target opportunities were based 50% upon
whether our earnings per share reached a threshold set by the
Compensation Committee and 50% upon whether the return on our
net assets reached a threshold set by the Compensation Committee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004 Target | |
|
|
Opportunity | |
Name and Position |
|
(as % of base salary) | |
|
|
| |
Robert E. Rossiter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
150% |
|
James H. Vandenberghe, Vice Chairman
|
|
|
90% |
|
Douglas G. DelGrosso, President and Chief Operating
Officer Americas
|
|
|
80% |
|
Donald J. Stebbins, President and Chief Operating
Officer Europe, Asia and Africa
|
|
|
80% |
|
David C. Wajsgras, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
|
80% |
|
Executive Group
|
|
|
40%-150% |
|
Non-Executive Director Group
|
|
|
None |
|
Non-Executive Officer Employee Group
|
|
|
5%-40% |
|
YOUR BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL
OF
THE LEAR CORPORATION ANNUAL INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2006 ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS
Stockholders who intend to present proposals at the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders in 2006 pursuant to Rule 14a-8
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 must send notice of
their proposal to us so that we receive it no later than
November 23, 2005. Stockholders who intend to present
proposals at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2006 other
than pursuant to Rule 14a-8 must comply with the notice
provisions in
35
our by-laws. The notice provisions in our by-laws require that,
for a proposal to be properly brought before the Annual Meeting
of Stockholders in 2006, proper notice of the proposal be
received by us not less than 120 days or more than
150 days prior to the first anniversary of the mailing date
of this proxy statement. Stockholder proposals should be
addressed to Lear Corporation, 21557 Telegraph Road,
Southfield, Michigan 48034, Attention: General Counsel.
OTHER MATTERS
We know of no other matters to be submitted to the stockholders
at the meeting. If any other matters properly come before the
meeting, persons named in the enclosed proxy intend to vote the
shares they represent in accordance with their own judgments.
If two or more stockholders sharing the same address are
receiving multiple copies of our annual report and proxy
statement and wish to receive only one copy, such stockholders
may notify their broker if their shares are held in a brokerage
account or may notify us if they hold registered shares. Such
stockholders may notify us by sending a written request to Lear
Corporation, Investor Relations, 21557 Telegraph Road,
Southfield, Michigan 48034.
Upon written request by any stockholder entitled to vote at
the meeting, we will furnish, without charge, a copy of the
Form 10-K Annual Report for 2004 which we filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including financial
statements and schedules. If the person requesting the report
was not a stockholder of record on March 18, 2005, the
request must contain a good faith representation that he or she
was a beneficial owner of our common stock at the close of
business on that date. Requests should be addressed to
Daniel A. Ninivaggi, Lear Corporation, 21557 Telegraph
Road, Southfield, Michigan 48034.
|
|
|
By Order of the Board of Directors |
|
|
|
|
Daniel A. Ninivaggi |
|
Senior Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel |
36
APPENDIX A
DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE GUIDELINES
As of the date of the Companys 2004 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, the NYSE Listing Requirements will require that
the Board consist of a majority of independent directors and
that all members of the Audit Committee, the Compensation
Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
be independent. To be considered independent under then NYSE
Listing Requirements, the Board must determine that a director
does not have any material relationship with the Company (either
directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an
organization that has a relationship with the Company). The
Board has established these guidelines to assist it in
determining whether a director has a material relationship with
the Company. Under these guidelines, a director who satisfies
the specific independence criteria in the NYSE Listing
Requirements will not be considered to have a material
relationship with the Company or solely as a result of the
following:
|
|
|
(1) the director, or his or her immediate family member(1),
is affiliated with an entity with which the Company does
business, unless the amount of purchases or sales of goods and
services from or to the Company, in any of the three fiscal
years preceding the determination and for which financial
statements are available, has exceeded 1% of the consolidated
gross revenues of such entity; |
|
|
(2) the director, or his or her immediate family member,
serves as a trustee, director, officer or employee of a
foundation, university, non-profit organization or tax-exempt
entity to which the Company has made a donation, unless the
Companys aggregate annual donations to the organization,
in any of the three fiscal years preceding the determination and
for which financial statements are available, have exceeded the
greater of $250,000 or 1% of that organizations
consolidated gross revenues; |
|
|
(3) the director, or his or her immediate family member, is
a director, officer or employee of an entity with which the
Company or any officer of the Company has a banking or
investment relationship, unless (x) the amount involved, in
any of the three fiscal years preceding the determination,
exceeds the lesser of $1 million or 1% of such
entitys total deposits or investments or (y) such
banking or investment relationship is on terms and conditions
that are not substantially similar to those available to an
unaffiliated third party; or |
|
|
(4) the director or his or her immediate family member is
an officer of a company that is indebted to the Company, or to
which the Company is indebted, and the total amount of either
companys indebtedness to the other does not exceed 2% of
the other companys total consolidated assets as of the end
of the fiscal year immediately preceding the date of
determination and for which financial statements are available. |
In addition, as required by our Audit Committee Charter, Audit
Committee members must also satisfy the independence
requirements of Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.
The types of relationships described above are not intended to
be comprehensive, and no inference should be drawn that a
director having a relationship that fails to satisfy any of the
criteria in items (1) through (4) above is not
independent. If a director fails to satisfy any of the criteria
set forth in items (1) through (4) above, the Board
may still determine that such director is independent so long as
the NYSE Listing Requirements do not preclude a finding of
independence as a result of such relationship. The Company shall
disclose such determinations in accordance with applicable law
and stock exchange listing requirements.
|
|
(1) |
As used herein, an immediate family member includes
a persons spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers and
fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and
sisters-in-law, and anyone (other than any domestic employee)
who shares such persons home. Upon death, incapacity,
legal separation or divorce a person shall cease to be an
immediate family member. |
A-1
APPENDIX B
LEAR CORPORATION
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
I. Purpose
The primary objectives of the Audit Committee (the
Committee) are: (1) to assist the Board of
Directors (the Board) of Lear Corporation
(Lear or the Company) in monitoring
(a) the integrity of the Companys financial
statements, (b) the Companys compliance with legal
and regulatory financial accounting requirements, (c) the
independent auditors qualifications and independence and
(d) the performance of the Companys internal audit
function and independent auditor; (2) to prepare the report
that Securities and Exchange Commission (the
Commission) rules require to be included in the
Companys annual proxy statement; and (3) to provide
an avenue of communication among the Board, independent auditor,
management, and internal auditors.
II. Membership and Meetings
The number of members of the Committee shall be determined by
the Board but in any event shall not be less than three members.
Each member shall meet, as determined by the Board in its
reasonable business judgment, the independence and experience
requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, Section 10A of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange
Act) and the rules and regulations of the Commission, each
as in effect from time to time. Each member of the Committee
shall also have a basic understanding of finance and accounting
and be able to read and understand fundamental financial
statements and at least one member of the Committee shall be an
audit committee financial expert as defined by the
rules of the Commission.
The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board. If
a Committee chairperson is not designated by the Board, the
members of the Committee will designate a chairperson by
majority vote.
The Committee shall meet at least eight times per year or more
frequently as circumstances require. The Committee should meet
privately in executive session periodically with management, the
director of internal audit, the independent auditor, and as a
committee to discuss matters that it or each of these groups
believes should be discussed. The Committee may ask members of
management or others to attend the meeting and provide pertinent
information as necessary.
Each director serving as a member of the Committee shall be
indemnified with respect to such directors service on the
Committee pursuant to the Companys by-laws and any
contractual arrangements between such director and the Company
providing for director indemnification.
III. Authority and Responsibilities
A. Authority
The Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation,
retention and oversight of the work of the independent auditor
(including resolution of disagreements between management and
the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the
purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work
or performing other audit, review or attest services for the
Company, and the independent auditor shall report directly to
the Committee |
|
|
|
shall have the authority to obtain advice and assistance from
outside legal, accounting or other advisors and shall be
provided with appropriate funding to compensate such advisors
and to compensate the independent auditor for rendering or
issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or
attest services |
B-1
|
|
|
|
|
shall have the authority to conduct any investigation
appropriate to fulfilling its responsibilities and have direct
access to the independent auditor as well as anyone in the
Company |
|
|
|
shall pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit
services to be performed for the Company by its independent
auditor, other than de minimis services provided that the
requirements pertaining to de minimis exceptions for non-audit
services described in Section 10A of the Exchange Act are
otherwise satisfied |
|
|
|
shall not engage, or otherwise permit the Company to engage, the
independent auditor to provide any of the following non-audit
services and arrangements: (1) the performance of any
internal audit services; (2) the performance of information
technology design and implementation services; (3) any
arrangement pursuant to which the independent auditor provides
personnel to the Company on a temporary basis; and (4) any
non-audit services prohibited under Section 10A of the
Exchange Act (Section 10A of the Exchange Act currently
prohibits (a) bookkeeping or other services related to the
accounting records or financial statements of the audit client,
(b) financial information systems design and
implementation, (c) appraisal or valuation services,
fairness opinions, or contribution-in-kind reports,
(d) actuarial services, (e) internal audit outsourcing
services, (f) management functions or human resources,
(g) broker or dealer, investment adviser, or investment
banking services, (h) legal services, (i) expert
services unrelated to the audit, and (j) any other service
that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which was
established under Section 101 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, determines, by regulation, is impermissible) |
B. Responsibilities
With respect to independent auditor oversight, the
Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall review at least annually a report by the independent
auditor regarding: (1) the independent auditors
internal quality control procedures; (2) any material
issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control
review, or peer review, of the independent auditor, or by any
inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional
authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting one or
more independent audits carried out by the independent auditor,
and any steps taken to deal with any such issues; and
(3) all relationships between the independent auditor and
the Company |
|
|
|
shall review the independent auditors audit plan for
completeness of coverage, reduction of redundant efforts, and
effective use of audit resources and shall discuss scope,
staffing, locations, reliance upon management, and internal
audit and the general audit approach, with the independent
auditor |
|
|
|
shall annually evaluate the independent auditors
qualifications, performance and independence, including the
review and evaluation of such auditors lead partner, and
shall consider the opinions of management, the internal auditors
and the independent auditor while performing these
responsibilities |
|
|
|
shall ensure the rotation of the independent auditors lead
partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the
audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by
applicable laws and regulations |
|
|
|
shall consider whether the Company should rotate the independent
auditor on a regular basis |
|
|
|
shall present its conclusions regarding the independent auditor
to the full Board |
With respect to financial statements, the Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall discuss with management and the independent auditor
significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in
connection with the preparation of the Companys financial
statements, including any significant changes in the
Companys selection or application of accounting principles |
|
|
|
shall review and discuss, at least annually, reports from the
independent auditor on (1) all critical accounting policies
and practices to be used, (2) all alternative treatments of
financial information with generally accepted accounting
principles that have been discussed with management,
ramifications of |
B-2
|
|
|
|
|
the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the
treatment preferred by the independent auditor, (3) other
material written communications between the independent auditor
and management, such as any management letter or schedule of
unadjusted differences, and (4) any other matters required
to be communicated to the Committee by the independent auditor
under professional standards |
|
|
|
shall examine the effect of regulatory and accounting
initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet structures, on the
financial statements of the Company |
|
|
|
shall discuss the quarterly financial information included in
the Companys earnings press release, prior to the release
of earnings, with management and the independent auditor |
|
|
|
shall meet to review and discuss the quarterly financial
statements, prior to the statements filing or
distribution, with management and the independent auditor,
including reviewing the Companys specific disclosures
under the Management Discussion and Analysis section |
|
|
|
shall meet to review and discuss annual audited financial
statements, prior to the statements filing or
distribution, including reviewing the Companys specific
disclosures under the Management Discussion and Analysis
section, with management and the independent auditor |
|
|
|
shall review managements assessment of the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting as of the end of
the most recent fiscal year (beginning in 2004) and the
independent auditors opinion and report thereon |
|
|
|
shall, prior to release of the year end earnings, discuss the
results of the audit with the independent auditor |
|
|
|
shall review, with management and the independent auditor,
filings with the Commission and other published documents
containing the Companys financial statements and consider
whether the information contained in the documents is consistent
with the information contained in the financial statements |
With respect to audit functions, the Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall regularly report to the Board and review with the full
Board any issues that arise concerning: (1) the quality or
integrity of the Companys financial statements;
(2) the Companys compliance with legal or regulatory
requirements; (3) the performance and independence of the
Companys independent auditor; or (4) the performance
of the internal audit function |
|
|
|
shall ensure that the Company has an internal audit function,
that at a minimum consists of an appropriate control process for
reviewing and approving its internal transactions and accounting |
|
|
|
shall assess issues regarding the adequacy of the Companys
internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light
of material control deficiencies |
|
|
|
shall periodically and separately meet with management, internal
auditors and the independent auditor to discuss auditing issues |
|
|
|
shall provide an avenue of communication among the Board, the
independent auditor, management, and internal auditors |
|
|
|
shall regularly review with the independent auditor, any
problems or difficulties the independent auditor encounters in
the course of the audit work, and managements response
thereto, including any restrictions on the scope of the
independent auditors activities or access to requested
information and any significant disagreement with management |
|
|
|
shall review the integrity of the Companys financial
reporting process and controls, including computerized
information systems controls and security with the management,
the independent auditor, and the internal auditors |
B-3
|
|
|
|
|
shall review and discuss earnings press releases, paying
particular attention to any use of pro forma or adjusted
non-GAAP information, as well as financial information and
earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies, with
management or the Board |
|
|
|
shall discuss certain matters requiring communication to the
Committee in accordance with the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants SAS 61 including, without limitation,
(1) the auditors responsibility in an audit and the
nature of the assurance provided, (2) initial selection of and
changes in significant accounting policies or their application
and (3) any disagreements with management about matters
that could be significant to the Companys financial
statements or the auditors report |
|
|
|
shall discuss policies and guidelines to govern the process by
which risk assessment and risk management is undertaken by
management, including the Companys major financial risk
exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and
control such exposures |
|
|
|
shall set hiring policies governing the Companys hiring of
employees or former employees of the Companys independent
auditor |
|
|
|
shall obtain from the independent auditor assurance that the
independent auditor has not been engaged by the Company to
provide services in violation of Section 10A of the
Exchange Act (prohibition on certain non-audit services and
pre-approval by the Committee of any legally permitted non-audit
services) |
|
|
|
shall annually review the adequacy of this charter and submit
any recommended changes to the Board for approval and
publication in accordance with Commission regulations |
|
|
|
shall annually review its own performance |
With respect to the internal audit department, the
Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall annually review with management and the director of the
internal audit department: (1) the internal audit
departments responsibilities; (2) the internal audit
departments budget, staffing and audit plan; (3) the
independence and qualifications of the internal audit department
staff; (4) any difficulties encountered in the course of
their audits, including any restrictions on the scope of their
work or access to required information; and (5) any changes
required in the planned scope of their audit plan |
|
|
|
shall review and concur in the appointment, replacement,
reassignment, or dismissal of the director of the internal audit
department |
|
|
|
review significant reports prepared by the internal audit
department together with managements responses and
follow-up to the reports |
With respect to other responsibilities, the Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
shall review disclosures made to the Committee by the
Companys CEO and CFO during their certification process
for the Form 10-K and Form 10-Q about any significant
deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls or
material weaknesses therein and any fraud involving management
or other employees who have a significant role in the
Companys internal controls |
|
|
|
shall establish procedures for (1) the receipt, retention
and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters,
and (2) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees
of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or
auditing matters |
|
|
|
shall review with the Companys general counsel, on at
least an annual basis, any legal matters that could have a
significant impact on the organizations financial
statements, the Companys compliance with applicable laws
and regulations, and inquiries received from regulators or
government agencies and advise the Board of its findings |
B-4
|
|
|
|
|
shall review with the Companys general counsel the results
of the review of the Companys monitoring of compliance
with the Companys Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and
advise the Board of its findings |
|
|
|
shall prepare any Commission required reports to the
shareholders and such reports should be included in the
Companys annual proxy statement |
|
|
|
shall maintain minutes of meetings and periodically report to
the Board on significant results of the foregoing activities |
The Committee also shall undertake such additional activities
within the scope of its primary function as the Board or the
Committee may from time to time determine or as may otherwise be
required by law, the Board or the Companys by-laws or
charter. The Committee shall be provided adequate funding for
payment of expenses of the Committee necessary to carry out its
duties.
The duties and responsibilities of a member of the Committee are
in addition to those duties set out for a member of the Board of
the Company. While the Committee has the responsibilities and
powers set forth by this charter, it is not the duty of the
Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the
Companys financial statements are complete and accurate in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as
this is the responsibility of the independent auditor and
management, respectively.
B-5
APPENDIX C
LEAR CORPORATION ANNUAL INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005)
ARTICLE 1
Statement of Purpose
Lear Corporations compensation policies are intended to
support the Companys overall objective of enhancing
stockholder value. In furtherance of this philosophy, the Lear
Corporation Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (ICP)
is designed to provide incentives for business performance,
reward contributions towards goals consistent with the
Companys business strategy and enable the Company to
attract and retain highly qualified Corporate Officers, key
management, and other salaried employees. The Plan is hereby
amended and restated as provided herein. Any awards paid for
Performance Periods ending before January 1, 2005 shall be
governed by the terms of the plan document then in effect. It is
intended that awards under the Plan may constitute qualified
performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the
Code.
ARTICLE 2
Definitions
The terms used in this Plan include the feminine as well as the
masculine gender and the plural as well as the singular, as the
context in which they are used requires. The following terms,
unless the context requires otherwise, are defined as follows:
2.1 Bonus means
the incentive compensation determined by the Committee under
Section 4.4 of the Plan payable in cash.
2.2 Board means
the Lear Corporation Board of Directors.
2.3 Code means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.4 Committee
means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any
successor committee with responsibility for compensation, or any
subcommittee, as long as the number of Committee members and
their qualifications shall at all times be sufficient to meet
the applicable requirements for outside directors
under Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder and the
independence requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
or any other applicable exchange on which Lear Corporation
common equity is at the time listed, in each case as in effect
from time to time.
2.5 Company
means Lear Corporation and, except for purposes of
Section 4.7, any of its Subsidiaries that adopt this Plan
or that have employees who are participants under this Plan.
2.6 Corporate
Officer means any Company employee who is an
executive officer as defined in Rule 3b-7
promulgated under the Exchange Act or who is employed in the
Companys E1 level of band 7 (or any comparable or higher
classification).
2.7 Disability
means permanent and total disability as defined in the
Companys Long Term Disability Plan, or if no such plan
exists, as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3).
2.8 Exchange Act
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.9 Participant
means a Corporate Officer, key management, or other salaried
employee as described in Article 3 of this Plan.
2.10 Performance
Period means the period for which a Bonus may be made.
Unless otherwise specified by the Committee, the Performance
Period shall be a calendar year, beginning on January 1 of
any year.
C-1
2.11 Plan means
the Lear Corporation Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (ICP),
as it may be amended from time to time.
2.12 Retirement
means a Termination of Employment, after appropriate notice
to the Company, upon such terms and conditions approved by the
Committee, in the case of Corporate Officers, or the Senior Vice
President Human Resources or his or her designee in
the case of a Participant who is not a Corporate Officer at the
time of Retirement.
2.13 SEC means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.14 Section 162(m)
means Code Section 162(m) and regulations promulgated
thereunder by the Secretary of the Treasury.
2.15 Subsidiary
means any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, association or other entity of which securities or
other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the
equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or more
than 50% of the general partnership interests are, at the time
any determination is being made, directly or indirectly owned by
Lear Corporation.
2.16 Termination of
Employment means (a) the termination of the
Participants active employment relationship with the
Company, unless otherwise expressly provided by the Committee,
or (b) the occurrence of a transaction by which the
Participants employing Company ceases to be a Subsidiary.
ARTICLE 3
Participation
A Corporate Officer designated by the Committee or a key
management or other salaried employee of the Company designated
by the Senior Vice President Human Resources or his
or her designee, shall be a Participant in this Plan and shall
continue to be a Participant until advised or determined
otherwise.
ARTICLE 4
Incentive Bonuses
4.1 Objective Performance
Goals. The Committee shall establish written, objective
performance goals for a Performance Period not later than 90
days after the beginning of the Performance Period (but not
after more than 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed). The
objective performance goals shall be stated as specific amounts
of, or specific changes in, one or more of the financial
measures described in Section 4.2. Objective performance goals
may also include operational goals such as: productivity,
safety, other strategic objectives and individual performance
goals. The objective performance goals need not be the same for
different Performance Periods and for any Performance Period may
be stated: (a) as goals for Lear Corporation, for one or
more of its Subsidiaries, divisions, businesses or
organizational units, or for any combination of the foregoing;
(b) on an absolute basis or relative to the performance of
other companies or of a specified index or indices, or be based
on any combination of the foregoing; and (c) separately for
one or more of the Participants, collectively for the entire
group of Participants, or in any combination of the two.
4.2 Financial Measures.
The Committee shall use any one or more of the following
financial measures to establish objective performance goals
under Section 4.1: earnings; operating earnings; earnings
per share; operating earnings per share; earnings before
interest taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); return on
assets; return on net assets; asset turnover; revenues;
stockholders equity; return on equity; return on invested
capital; economic value added; market price appreciation of the
Companys common stock; net income; pre-tax income;
operating margins; net income margins; sales margins; cash flow;
total stockholder return; expenses; dept-to-capital ratio;
market share; sales growth; capacity utilization; increase in
customer base; environmental health and safety; diversity; or
quality. The Committee may specify any reasonable definition of
the financial measures it uses. Such definitions may provide for
reasonable adjustments and may include or exclude items,
including but not limited to: investment gains and losses;
extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items; gains or losses
on the sale of assets; effects of changes in
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accounting principles or the application thereof; asset
impairment charges; effects of currency fluctuations;
acquisitions, divestitures, or financing activities;
recapitalizations, including stock splits and dividends;
expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives;
discontinued operations; and other non-operating items.
4.3 Performance
Evaluation. Within a reasonable time after the close of
a Performance Period, the Committee shall determine whether the
objective performance goals established for that Performance
Period have been met by the respective Corporate Officers. If
the objective performance goals and any other material terms
established by the Committee have been met by a Corporate
Officer, the Committee shall so certify in writing with respect
to such Corporate Officer before the applicable Bonus is paid
pursuant to Section 4.5. For all Participants who are not
Corporate Officers, the Senior Vice President Human
Resources or his or her designee shall determine whether
objective performance goals established for the Performance
Period have been met by the respective Participants and document
such determination in accordance with the Companys
policies and procedures, as may be established from time to time.
4.4 Bonus. If the
Committee has made the written certification under
Section 4.3 for a Performance Period, each Participant to
whom the certification applies shall be eligible for a Bonus for
the Performance Period. The Bonus for each such Participant
shall not exceed 250% of the Participants annualized base
salary in effect on the December 1st (or such other date as
may be established by the Committee) that occurs during the
Performance Period. For any Performance Period, however, the
Committee shall have sole and absolute discretion to
(i) reduce the amount of, or eliminate entirely, the Bonus
to one or more of the Participants based upon the
Committees review of the objective performance goals for
each Participant pursuant to Section 4.3 and the individual
performance of such Participant, or (ii) increase the
amount of any Bonus payable to a Participant whose compensation,
at no time during the Performance Period, is subject to Code
Section 162(m) based upon the Committees review of
the objective performance goals for each Participant pursuant to
Section 4.3 and the individual performance of such
Participant. In no event shall a Bonus be paid to any
Participant under the Plan which exceeds $4,000,000 for any
Performance Period.
4.5 Payment or Deferral of
the Bonus.
(a) As soon as practicable after the Committees
determination under Section 4.4, but subject to
Section 4.5(b), the Company shall pay the Bonus to the
Participant. The target timing for the payments under the Plan
shall be on or before the date that is
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months after the end of the Performance Period, but except as
provided in Section 4.5(b), no payment shall occur later
than one year after the end of the Performance Period. The
Company shall have the right to deduct from any Bonus, any
applicable income and employment taxes, and any other amounts
that the Company is otherwise required or permitted to deduct.
(b) Subject to the Committees approval and applicable
law, Participants may request that payments of a Bonus be
deferred under a deferred compensation arrangement maintained by
the Company by making a deferral election prior to or, as
permitted, during the Performance Period pursuant to such rules
and procedures as the Committee may establish from time to time
with respect to such arrangement.
4.6 Eligibility for
Payments.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.6,
a Participant shall be eligible to receive a Bonus for a
Performance Period only if such Participant is employed by the
Company continuously from the beginning of the Performance
Period through the last day of the Performance Period.
(b) Under Section 4.6(a), a leave of absence that
lasts less than three months and that is approved in accordance
with applicable Company policies is not a break in continuous
employment. In the case of a leave of absence of three months or
longer, the Senior Vice President Human Resources
(or in the case of a Corporate Officer, the Committee) shall
determine whether the leave of absence constitutes a break in
continuous employment.
(c) The Senior Vice President Human Resources
(or in the case of a Corporate Officer, the Committee) may
determine, in his or her sole discretion, that (1) a Bonus
will be payable pro-rata for a Participant who either becomes
eligible to participate during the Performance Period or
terminates his employment with the Company during the
Performance Period due to his death, Retirement or Disability,
and
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(2) a Bonus will be adjusted to reflect a
Participants increase or decrease in annualized salary
during the Performance Period in both cases, with respect to a
Participant whose compensation is subject to Code
Section 162(m), only to the extent permissible under Code
Section 162(m).
4.7 Change in
Control. Upon the effective date of any Change in
Control of the Company, all potential Bonuses payable hereunder
attributable to a Performance Period in which the Change in
Control occurs will vest and be paid on a pro-rata basis based
on the target level of such potential Bonus. Such payment will
be made as soon as practicable following the Change in Control,
without regard to whether such payments would be deductible
under Code Section 162(m). A Change in Control
will mean the occurrence of one or more of the following events:
(a) any person (other than the Company or a trustee or
other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit
plan of the Company, or a corporation owned directly or
indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company)
becomes the Beneficial Owner, as that term is defined in
Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company, representing more than twenty percent
of the combined voting power of the Companys then
outstanding securities;
(b) during any period of twenty-six consecutive months
beginning on or after January 1, 2005, individuals who at
the beginning of the period constituted the Board cease for any
reason (other than death, disability or voluntary retirement) to
constitute a majority of the Board. For this purpose, any new
director whose election by the Board, or nomination for election
by the Companys shareholders, was approved by a vote of at
least two-thirds of the directors then still in office, and who
either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose
election or nomination for election was so approved, will be
deemed to have been a director at the beginning of any
twenty-six month period under consideration; or
(c) the shareholders of the Company approve: (i) a
plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(ii) an agreement for the sale or disposition of all or
substantially all the Companys assets; or (iii) a
merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company with or
involving any other corporation, other than a merger,
consolidation or reorganization that would result in the voting
securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by
being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity)
at least eighty percent of the combined voting power of the
voting securities of the Company (or such surviving entity)
outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation, or
reorganization.
ARTICLE 5
Administration
5.1 General
Administration. This Plan shall be administered by the
Committee, subject to such requirements for review and approval
by the Board as the Board may establish. Subject to the terms
and conditions of this Plan and Section 162(m), the
Committee is authorized and empowered in its sole discretion to
select or approve Participants and to award potential Bonuses in
such amounts and upon such terms and conditions as it shall
determine.
Except to the extent provided in the following sentence, the
Committee may delegate to the Senior Vice President
Human Resources (or his or her designee) any of the
Committees duties and authority under the Plan with
respect to Bonuses that may be payable to Participants who are
not Corporate Officers, including but not limited to such duties
and authority as are set forth in Section 2.12 and
Articles 3 and 4. With respect to Bonuses that may be
payable to Participants who are Corporate Officers during the
Performance Period, the Committee may delegate any of the
Committees duties and authority to the extent the
Committee determines that such delegation would not cause a
Bonus intended to be performance-based compensation under
Section 162(m) to fail to qualify as such.
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5.2 Administrative Rules.
The Committee shall have full power and authority to adopt,
amend and rescind administrative guidelines, rules and
regulations pertaining to this Plan and to interpret this Plan
and rule on any questions respecting any of its provisions,
terms and conditions.
5.3 Committee Members Not
Eligible. No member of the Committee shall be eligible
to participate in this Plan.
5.4 Committee Members Not
Liable. The Committee and each of its members shall be
entitled to rely upon certificates of appropriate officers of
the Company with respect to financial and statistical data in
order to determine if the objective performance goals for a
Performance Period have been met. Neither the Committee nor any
member shall be liable for any action or determination made in
good faith with respect to this Plan or any Bonus made hereunder.
5.5 Decisions Binding.
All decisions, actions and interpretations of the Committee
concerning this Plan shall be final and binding on Lear
Corporation and its Subsidiaries and their respective boards of
directors, and on all Participants and other persons claiming
rights under this Plan.
5.6 Application of
Section 162(m); Shareholder Approval. Bonuses
payable under this Plan are intended to satisfy the applicable
requirements for the performance-based compensation exception
for any Participant whose compensation is subject to
Section 162(m). It is intended that the Plan be
administered, interpreted and construed so that Bonus payments
remain tax deductible to the Company. Any Bonus under this Plan
shall be contingent upon shareholder approval of the Plan in
accordance with Section 162(m), the regulations thereunder
and other applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. Unless and until
applicable shareholder approval is obtained, no Bonus shall be
paid under this Plan.
ARTICLE 6
Amendments; Termination
This Plan may be amended or terminated by the Board or the
Committee. All amendments to this Plan, including an amendment
to terminate this Plan, shall be in writing. An amendment to
this Plan shall not be effective without the prior approval of
the stockholders of Lear Corporation if such approval is
necessary: (i) to continue to qualify Bonuses as
performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) and
applicable regulations; or (ii) to comply with Treasury or
SEC regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
or any other applicable exchange or any other applicable law or
regulations. Unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board or
the Committee, no amendment to this Plan shall apply to
potential Bonuses with respect to a Performance Period that
began before the effective date of such amendment.
ARTICLE 7
Other Provisions
7.1 Duration of the Plan.
This Plan is effective as of January 1, 2005 (the
Effective Date). This Plan shall remain in effect
until all Bonuses made under this Plan have been paid or
forfeited under the terms of this Plan, and all Performance
Periods related to Bonuses made under this Plan have expired. No
Bonuses may be paid under this Plan for any Performance Period
that would end after the first shareholder meeting that occurs
in the fifth year following the year in which shareholders
previously approved the performance goals provided herein,
unless the Board (subject to any shareholder approval that may
then be required to continue to qualify this Plan as a
performance-based plan under Section 162(m)) extends this
Plan.
7.2 Bonuses Not
Assignable. No Bonus or any right thereto shall be
assignable or transferable by a Participant except by will or by
the laws of descent and distribution. Any other attempted
assignment or alienation shall be void and of no force or effect.
7.3 Participants
Rights. The right of any Participant to receive any
payments under a Bonus granted to such Participant and approved
by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of this Plan shall
be an unsecured claim against the general assets of the Company.
This Plan shall not create, nor be construed in any
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manner as having created, any right by a Participant to any
Bonus for a Performance Period because of a Participants
participation in this Plan for any prior Performance Period, or
because the Committee has made a written certification under
Section 4.3 for the Performance Period. The application of
the Plan to one Participant shall not create, nor be construed
in any manner as having created, any right by another
Participant to similar or uniform treatment under the Plan.
7.4 Termination of
Employment. The Company retains the right to terminate
the employment of any Participant or other employee at any time
for any reason or no reason, and a Bonus is not, and shall not
be construed in any manner to be, a waiver of such right.
7.5 Exclusion from
Benefits. Bonuses under this Plan shall not constitute
compensation for the purpose of determining participation or
benefits under any other plan of the Company unless specifically
included as compensation in such plan.
7.6 Successors. Any
successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger,
consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of Lear
Corporations business or assets, shall assume Lear
Corporations liabilities under this Plan and perform any
duties and responsibilities in the same manner and to the same
extent that Lear Corporation would be required to perform if no
such succession had taken place.
7.7 Law Governing
Construction. The construction and administration of
this Plan and all questions pertaining thereto shall be governed
by the laws of the State of Michigan, except to the extent that
such law is preempted by Federal law.
7.8 Headings Not a
Part Hereto. Any headings preceding the text of the
several Articles, Sections, subsections, or paragraphs hereof
are inserted solely for convenience of reference and shall not
constitute a part of this Plan, nor shall they affect its
meaning, construction or effect.
7.9 Severability of
Provisions. If any provision of this Plan is determined
to be void by any court of competent jurisdiction, this Plan
shall continue to operate and, for the purposes of the
jurisdiction of the court only, shall be deemed not to include
the provision determined to be void.
7.10 Offsets. To the
extent permitted by law, the Company shall have the right to
offset from any Bonus payable hereunder any amount that the
Participant owes to the Company or any Subsidiary without the
consent of the Participant (or his Beneficiary, in the event of
the Participants death).
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ADMISSION TICKET
LEAR CORPORATION
ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS
MAY 5, 2005 AT 10:00 A.M.
(MOUNTAIN TIME)
CAMINO REAL HOTEL
101 SOUTH EL PASO
STREET
EL PASO, TEXAS 79901
ADMITS ONE
STOCKHOLDER AND UP TO TWO GUESTS
DETACH PROXY CARD
HERE
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Mark, Sign, Date and Return the Proxy
Card Promptly Using the Enclosed Envelope. |
x Votes must be indicated
(x) in Black or Blue Ink. |
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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE NOMINEES IN PROPOSAL NO. 1 AND FOR
PROPOSAL NO. 2 AND PROPOSAL NO. 3. |
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1. |
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Election of
Directors |
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FOR |
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AGAINST |
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ABSTAIN |
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FOR
all nominees listed below |
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WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees listed below |
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*Exceptions |
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Approve the Lear
Corporation Annual Incentive Compensation Plan. |
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Nominees: Anne K. Bingaman, Conrad L. Mallett Jr.,
Robert E. Rossiter, and James H. Vandenberghe |
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YES |
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NO |
(INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority
to vote for any individual nominee, mark the Exceptions
box and write that nominees name in the space provided below). |
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Do you plan to
attend the Meeting? |
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*Exceptions: _______________________________________________ |
To change
your address, please mark this box. |
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Ratify the
appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm for 2005. |
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Please sign this proxy and return it promptly whether or not you expect to attend the meeting.
You may nevertheless vote in person if you attend. Please sign
exactly as your name appears herein. Give full title if an Attorney,
Executor, Administrator, Trustee, Guardian, etc. For an account in
the name of two or more persons, each should sign, or if one signs,
he should attach evidence of his authority. |
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Date Share
Owner sign here |
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Co-Owner sign here |
Dear Stockholder:
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Meeting) of Lear Corporation (the Company) will be
held at 10:00 a.m. (Mountain time) on Thursday, May 5, 2005 at the Camino Real Hotel, 101 South El
Paso Street, El Paso, Texas 79901.
To be sure that your vote is counted, we urge you to complete and sign the proxy/voting
instruction card below, detach it from this letter and return it in the postage paid envelope
enclosed in this package. The giving of such proxy does not affect your right to vote in person if
you attend the Meeting. The prompt return of your signed proxy will aid the Company in reducing the
expense of additional proxy solicitation.
In order to assist the Company in preparing for the Meeting, please indicate in item 4 on the
proxy whether you currently plan to attend the Meeting.
If you attend the Meeting in person, detach and bring this letter to the Meeting as an
admission ticket for you and up to two of your guests.
March 23, 2005
LEAR CORPORATION
PROXY/VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of Lear Corporation for the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders on May 5, 2005 or any adjournment or postponement thereof (the Meeting).
The undersigned appoints Daniel A. Ninivaggi and David C. Waisgras, and each of them, with full
power of substitution in each of them, the proxies of the undersigned, to vote for and on behalf of
the undersigned all shares of Lear Corporation Common Stock which the undersigned may be entitled
to vote on all matters properly coming before the Meeting, as set forth in the related Notice of
Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement, both of which have been received by the undersigned.
This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned
stockholder. If no direction is given, this proxy will be voted FOR proposals 1, 2 and 3.
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LEAR CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11211
NEW YORK, NY 10203-0211 |