UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of
earliest event reported): August 8, 2005
(August 4, 2005)
PRESTIGE BRANDS HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant
as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE
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001-32433
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20-1297589
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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90 North Broadway
Irvington, New York 10533
(Address of Principal executive offices, including Zip Code)
(914) 524-6810
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is
intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers;
Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.
On
August 4, 2005, the Board of Directors of Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc.
(the Company) appointed Frank P. Palantoni as its new President and Chief
Operating Officer. To facilitate this
transition, Peter C. Mann resigned as the Companys President. Mr. Mann will continue as a director of
the Company and as the Companys Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer. Mr. Palantoni also
currently serves as a director of Lexicon Genetics Incorporated. A copy of the press release dated August 8,
2005 regarding the appointment of Mr. Palantoni is attached as Exhibit 99.1
hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
The Companys employment
arrangement with Mr. Palantoni provides for (i) an annual salary of
$350,000, (ii) an annual target bonus of not less than 60% nor more than
120% of his annual salary, (iii) an initial grant of $400,000 worth of
restricted stock (subject to vesting based upon certain earnings per share and
revenue targets established by the compensation committee) and (iv) an
initial stock option grant to purchase $800,000 worth of common stock at $12.95
per share (which vests in five equal annual installments beginning on August 4,
2006). A copy of Mr. Palantonis
employment agreement is attached as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and is
incorporated by reference herein.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On
August 3, 2005, a class action lawsuit, Charter Township of Clinton Police
and Fire Retirement System v. Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. et al, was
filed against the Company in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York on behalf of all persons who purchased the Companys
securities pursuant to and/or traceable to the Companys initial public
offering (the IPO) on or about February 9, 2005 through July 28,
2005. The complaint also names as
defendants Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,
Goldman, Sachs & Co and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., the lead or
co-lead underwriters of the IPO. The complaint charges the Company, certain of
its officers and directors, and other insiders with violations of the
Securities Act of 1933. The Company plans
to defend this matter vigorously.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
Exhibit No.
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Description
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99.1
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Press release dated August 8, 2005.
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99.2
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Executive Employment Agreement, dated August 4,
2005, among Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., Prestige Brands, Inc. and
Frank P. Palantoni.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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PRESTIGE
BRANDS HOLDINGS, INC.
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/s/
Peter J. Anderson
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Date: August 8, 2005
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Name: Peter J. Anderson
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Title: Chief Financial Officer
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Exhibit 99.1
Frank P. Palantoni Named President & Chief Operating Officer
of Prestige Brands
Irvington, New York, August 8, 2005Frank P. Palantoni has been
named President and Chief Operating Officer of Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc.
(PBH-NYSE)., a consumer products company with a diversified portfolio of
well-recognized brand names. The announcement was made today by Peter C. Mann,
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.
In this newly created position, Mr. Palantoni assumes
responsibility for all day to day activities of the Company including
Operations, Sales and Marketing. He reports directly to Peter Mann, who
continues to supervise the areas of Finance, Law and International, while
focusing on acquisitions and licensing opportunities, and investor relations.
Mr. Palantoni joins the Company following an extensive career in
consumer products marketing and administration. Most recently, he was President
and Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide for Gerber Products Division, Novartis
Infant and Baby Division, and as President and Chief Executive Officer, North
America, for Novartis Consumer Health Division. He has also held leading
management positions with Groupe Danone, and RJR Nabisco, Inc.
For some time now, the Board of Directors and I have been aware of our
need to broaden our senior management team to insure we have the human
resources in place to drive the company forward, Mr. Mann said. Frank
brings a unique perspective to Prestige on how to grow brands as well as an
important leadership ability which will serve our Company well in the years
ahead, he said.
Prestige Brands is a marketer and distributor of brand name over the
counter drug, personal care and household cleaning products sold throughout the
United States and Canada. Key brands include Compound W® wart remover,
Chloraseptic® sore throat treatment, New Skin® liquid bandage, Clear eyes® and
Murine® eye care products, Little Remedies® pediatric over the counter
healthcare products, Cutex® nail polish remover, Comet® and Spic and Span®
household cleaners and other well-known brands.
Exhibit 99.2
Executive Employment
Agreement
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made as of August 4, 2005, by and
among Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company),
Prestige Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Employer), and
Frank P. Palantoni (Executive).
Certain definitions are set forth in Section 4 of this
Agreement.
Employer desires
to employ Executive and Executive desires to be employed by Employer upon the
terms set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:
1. Employment. Employer agrees to employ Executive and
Executive accepts such employment for the period beginning as of August 15,
2005 and ending upon his separation pursuant to Section 1(c) hereof
(the Employment Period).
(a) Position
and Duties.
(i) During
the Employment Period, Executive shall serve as the President and Chief
Operating Officer of Employer and shall have the normal duties,
responsibilities and authority implied by such position, subject to the power
of the Chief Executive Officer of Employer and the Board to expand or limit
such duties, responsibilities and authority and to override such actions.
(ii) Executive
shall report to the Chief Executive Officer of Employer, and Executive shall
devote his best efforts and his full business time and attention to the business
and affairs of the Company, Employer and their Subsidiaries.
(b) Salary,
Bonus and Benefits. During the
Employment Period, Employer will pay Executive a base salary of $350,000 per
annum (the Annual Base Salary). In addition, Executive shall be eligible
for and participate in the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (the Annual
Bonus Plan) under which Executive shall be eligible for an annual target
bonus (the Target Bonus) payment of not less than 60% nor more than
120% of the Annual Base Salary. For the
fiscal year beginning April 1, 2005 only, Executives participation in the
Annual Bonus Plan is guaranteed but will be adjusted for the number of days
remaining in such fiscal year from the date hereof pro rata, based on the
Target Bonus of 60% regardless of the Companys performance. Executive shall be
eligible to participate in the Companys 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan
(the Plan). Executives participation in the Plan may involve awards
of Restricted Stock (as defined in the Plan) and/or Non-qualified Stock Options
(as defined in the Plan). It is the current intention of the Board to grant
Restricted Stock and Non-qualified Stock Options pursuant to the Plan on an
annual basis,
subject to the
needs of the business and the exercise of prudent judgment by the Board and the
Compensation Committee. Upon execution of this Agreement, the Company hereby
grants to Executive, pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Plan, an initial grant of: (i) a number of shares of
Restricted Stock equal to the result obtained by dividing $400,000 by the
closing price of the Common Stock (as defined in the Plan) on the date hereof,
which shall vest in accordance with the three-year performance criteria
specified in Exhibit A attached hereto; and (ii) a
Non-qualified Stock Option to acquire a number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the result obtained by dividing $800,000 by the closing price of the Common
Stock on the date hereof at a per share exercise price equal to the closing
price of the Common Stock on the date hereof, which shall vest twenty percent
(20%) on each of the next five (5) anniversaries of the date hereof. In the event of a Change in Control, all
Restricted Stock and Non-qualified Stock Options granted to Executive hereunder
shall automatically become fully vested and exercisable in accordance with the
terms and conditions of the Plan, whether or not Executive is subsequently
terminated. In addition, during the Employment Period, Executive will be
entitled to such other benefits approved by the Board and made available to the
senior management of the Company, Employer and their Subsidiaries, which shall
include four weeks annual paid vacation time (two weeks in the balance of
calendar 2005) and medical, dental, life and disability insurance. The Board, on a basis consistent with past
practice, shall review the Annual Base Salary of Executive and may increase the
Annual Base Salary by such amount as the Board, in its sole discretion, shall
deem appropriate. The term Annual Base
Salary as used in this Agreement shall refer to the Annual Base Salary as it
may be so increased.
(c) Separation. The Employment Period will continue until (i) Executives
death, Disability or resignation from employment with the Company, Employer and
their respective Subsidiaries or (ii) the Company, Employer and their
respective Subsidiaries decide to terminate Executives employment with or
without Cause. If (A) Executives
employment is terminated without Cause pursuant to clause (ii) above
or (B) Executive resigns from employment with the Company, Employer or any
of their respective Subsidiaries for Good Reason, then during the period
commencing on the date of termination of the Employment Period and ending on
the first anniversary of the date of termination (the Severance Period),
Employer shall pay to Executive, in equal installments on the Employers
regular salary payment dates, an aggregate amount equal to (I) his Annual Base
Salary, plus (II) an amount equal to the annual bonus, if any, paid or payable
to Executive by Employer pursuant to the Annual Bonus Plan for the last fiscal
year ended prior to the date of termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
during the first year of employment only, for the purposes of this Section 1(c) the
Annual Bonus paid or payable to Executive by Employer for the last fiscal year
ended prior to the date of termination shall be deemed to be the full Target
Bonus. In addition, if Executive is
entitled on the date of termination to coverage under the medical and
prescription portions of the Welfare Plans, such coverage shall continue for
Executive and Executives covered dependents for a period ending
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on the first
anniversary of the date of termination at the active employee cost payable by
Executive with respect to those costs paid by Executive prior to the date of
termination; provided, that this coverage will count towards the
depletion of any continued health care coverage rights that Executive and
Executives dependents may have pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (COBRA); provided
further, that Executives or Executives covered dependents rights to
continued health care coverage pursuant to this Section 1(c) shall
terminate at the time Executive or Executives covered dependents become
covered, as described in COBRA, under another group health plan, and shall also
terminate as of the date Employer ceases to provide coverage to its senior executives
generally under any such Welfare Plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (I) Executive shall not be entitled to
receive any payments or benefits pursuant to this Section 1(c) unless
Executive has executed and delivered to Employer a general release in form and
substance satisfactory to Employer and (II) Executive shall be entitled to
receive such payments and benefits only so long as Executive has not breached
the provisions of Section 2 or Section 3 hereof. The release described in the foregoing sentence
shall not require Executive to release any claims for any vested employee
benefits, workers compensation benefits covered by insurance or self-insurance,
claims to indemnification to which Executive may be entitled under the Companys
or its Subsidiaries certificate(s) of incorporation, by-laws or under any of
the Companys or its Subsidiaries directors or officers insurance policy(ies)
or applicable law, or equity claims to contribution from the Company or its
Subsidiaries or any other Person to which Executive is entitled as a matter of
law in respect of any claim made against Executive for an alleged act or
omission in Executives official capacity and within the scope of Executives
duties as an officer, director or employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
Not later than eighteen (18) months following the termination of Executives
employment, the Company and its Subsidiaries for which the Executive has acted
in the capacity of a senior manager, shall sign and deliver to Executive a
release of claims that the Company or its Subsidiaries has against Executive; provided
that, such release shall not release any claims that the Company or its
Subsidiaries commenced prior to the date of the release(s), any claims relating
to matters actively concealed by Executive, any claims to contribution from
Executive to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are entitled as a matter of
law or any claims arising out of mistaken indemnification by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise
provided in this Section 1(c) or in the Employers employee
benefit plans or as otherwise required by applicable law, Executive shall not
be entitled to any other salary, compensation or benefits after termination of
Executives employment with Employer.
2. Confidential Information.
(a) Obligation
to Maintain Confidentiality.
Executive acknowledges that the information, observations and data
(including trade secrets) obtained by him during the course of his performance
under this Agreement concerning the business or affairs of the Company,
Employer and their respective Subsidiaries
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and Affiliates (Confidential
Information) are the property of the Company, Employer or such
Subsidiaries and Affiliates, including information concerning acquisition
opportunities in or reasonably related to the Companys and Employers business
or industry of which Executive becomes aware during the Employment Period.
Therefore, Executive agrees that he will not disclose to any unauthorized
Person or use for his own account (for his commercial advantage or otherwise)
any Confidential Information without the Boards written consent, unless and to
the extent that the Confidential Information, (i) becomes generally known
to and available for use by the public other than as a result of Executives
acts or omissions to act, (ii) was known to Executive prior to Executives
employment with Employer, the Company or any of their Subsidiaries and
Affiliates or (iii) is required to be disclosed pursuant to any applicable
law, court order or other governmental decree.
Executive shall deliver to the Company at a Separation, or at any other
time the Company may request, all memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports,
computer tapes, printouts and software and other documents and data (and copies
thereof) relating to the Confidential Information, Work Product (as defined
below) or the business of the Company, Employer and their respective
Subsidiaries and Affiliates (including, without limitation, all acquisition
prospects, lists and contact information) which he may then possess or have
under his control.
(b) Ownership
of Property. Executive acknowledges
that all discoveries, concepts, ideas, inventions, innovations, improvements,
developments, methods, processes, programs, designs, analyses, drawings,
reports, patent applications, copyrightable work and mask work (whether or not
including any Confidential Information) and all registrations or applications
related thereto, all other proprietary information and all similar or related
information (whether or not patentable) that relate to the Companys, Employers
or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates actual or anticipated
business, research and development, or existing or future products or services
and that are conceived, developed, contributed to, made, or reduced to practice
by Executive (either solely or jointly with others) while employed by the
Company, Employer or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates
(including any of the foregoing that constitutes any proprietary information or
records) (Work Product) belong to the Company, Employer or such
Subsidiary or Affiliate and Executive hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, all
of the above Work Product to the Company, Employer or to such Subsidiary or
Affiliate. Any copyrightable work
prepared in whole or in part by Executive in the course of his work for any of
the foregoing entities shall be deemed a work made for hire under the
copyright laws, and the Company, Employer or such Subsidiary or Affiliate shall
own all rights therein. To the extent
that any such copyrightable work is not a work made for hire, Executive
hereby assigns and agrees to assign to the Company, Employer or such Subsidiary
or Affiliate all right, title, and interest, including without limitation,
copyright in and to such copyrightable work.
Executive shall promptly disclose such Work Product and copyrightable
work to the Board and perform all actions reasonably requested by the Board
(whether during or after the Employment Period) to establish and confirm the
Companys, Employers or such Subsidiarys
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or Affiliates
ownership (including, without limitation, assignments, consents, powers of attorney,
and other instruments).
(c) Third Party Information. Executive
understands that the Company, Employer and their respective Subsidiaries and
Affiliates will receive from third parties confidential or proprietary
information (Third Party Information) subject to a duty on the Companys,
Employers and their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates part to maintain
the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited
purposes. During the Employment Period
and thereafter, and without in any way limiting the provisions of Section 2(a) above,
Executive will hold Third Party Information in the strictest confidence and
will not disclose to anyone (other than personnel and consultants of the
Company, Employer or their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates who need to
know such information in connection with their work for the Company, Employer
or any of their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates) or use, except in
connection with his work for the Company, Employer or any of their respective
Subsidiaries and Affiliates, Third Party Information unless expressly
authorized by a member of the Board (other than himself if Executive is on the
Board) in writing.
(d) Use of Information of Prior Employers. During the Employment Period and thereafter,
Executive will not improperly use or disclose any confidential information or
trade secrets, if any, of any former employers or any other Person to whom
Executive has an obligation of confidentiality, and will not bring onto the
premises of the Company, Employer or any of their respective Subsidiaries or
Affiliates any unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former
employer or any other Person to whom Executive has an obligation of
confidentiality unless consented to in writing by the former employer or
Person. Executive will use in the
performance of his duties only information which is (i) generally known
and used by persons with training and experience comparable to Executives and
which is (x) common knowledge in the industry or (y) otherwise legally in the
public domain, (ii) otherwise provided or developed by the Company,
Employer or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or (iii) in
the case of materials, property or information belonging to any former employer
or other Person to whom Executive has an obligation of confidentiality,
approved for such use in writing by such former employer or Person.
3. Non-competition
and No Solicitation. Executive
acknowledges that in the course of his employment with Employer he will become
familiar with the Companys, Employers and their respective Subsidiaries
trade secrets and with other confidential information concerning the Company,
Employer and such Subsidiaries and that his services will be of special, unique
and extraordinary value to the Company, Employer and such Subsidiaries. Therefore, Executive agrees that:
(a) Non-competition. During the Employment Period and also during
the period commencing on the date of termination of the Employment Period and
ending on the first anniversary of the date of termination, he shall not
without the express written consent of the Company, anywhere in the United
States, directly
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or indirectly,
own, manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, or in
any manner engage in any business (i) competing with a brand of the
Company, Employer, Medtech Products, Inc., The Denorex Company, The Spic
and Span Company, The Comet Products Corporation, Prestige Brands International, Inc.,
Vetco, Inc., or any business acquired by such Persons, or any Subsidiaries
of such Persons, representing 10% or more of the consolidated revenues or
EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the trailing 12 months ending on
the last day of the last completed calendar month immediately preceding the
date of termination of the Employment Period (collectively, the Prestige
Companies) or (ii) in which the Prestige Companies, any business
acquired by such Persons, or any Subsidiaries of such Persons have conducted
discussions or has requested and received information relating to the
acquisition of such business by such Person (x) within one year prior to the
Separation and (y) during the Severance Period, if any. Nothing herein shall prohibit Executive from
being a passive owner of not more than 2% of the outstanding stock of any class
of a corporation that is publicly traded, so long as Executive has no active
participation in the business of such corporation.
(b) No solicitation. During the Employment Period and also during
the period commencing on the date of termination of the Employment Period and
ending on the first anniversary of the date of termination, Executive shall not
directly or indirectly through another entity (i) induce or attempt to
induce any employee of the Prestige Companies to leave the employ of the
Company, Employer or any such Subsidiary, or in any way interfere with the
relationship between the Prestige Companies or any of their respective
Subsidiaries and any employee thereof, (ii) hire any person who was an
employee of the Prestige Companies or any of their respective Subsidiaries
within 180 days after such person ceased to be an employee of the Company,
Employer or any of their respective Subsidiaries (provided, however,
that such restriction shall not apply for a particular employee if the
Company has provided its written consent to such hire, which consent, in the
case of any person who was not a key employee of the Prestige Companies or any
of their respective Subsidiaries, shall not be unreasonably withheld), (iii) induce
or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business
relation of the Prestige Companies or any of their respective Subsidiaries to
cease doing business with the Prestige Companies or any of their respective
Subsidiaries or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such
customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and the Prestige Companies or
any of their respective Subsidiaries or (iv) directly or indirectly
acquire or attempt to acquire an interest in any business relating to the
business of the Prestige Companies or any of their respective Subsidiaries and
with which the Prestige Companies and any of their respective Subsidiaries has
conducted discussions or has requested and received information relating to the
acquisition of such business by the Prestige Companies or any of their
respective Subsidiaries in the two year period immediately preceding a
Separation.
(c) Enforcement. If, at the time of enforcement of Section 2
or this Section 3, a court holds that the restrictions stated
herein are unreasonable under
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circumstances then
existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum duration, scope or geographical
area reasonable under such circumstances shall be substituted for the stated
period, scope or area and that the court shall be allowed to revise the
restrictions contained herein to cover the maximum duration, scope and area
permitted by law. Because Executives
services are unique and because Executive has access to Confidential
Information, the parties hereto agree that money damages would be an inadequate
remedy for any breach of this Agreement.
Therefore, in the event of a breach or threatened breach of this
Agreement, the Company, Employer, their respective Subsidiaries or their
successors or assigns may, in addition to other rights and remedies existing in
their favor, apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for specific
performance and/or injunctive or other relief in order to enforce, or prevent
any violations of, the provisions hereof (without posting a bond or other
security).
(d) Additional
Acknowledgments. Executive
acknowledges that the provisions of this Section 3 are in consideration
of: (i) employment with the
Employer, (ii) the issuance of Restricted Stock and Non-qualified Stock
Options by the Company pursuant to the Plan and (iii) additional good and
valuable consideration as set forth in this Agreement. In addition, Executive agrees and
acknowledges that the restrictions contained in Section 2 and this Section 3
do not preclude Executive from earning a livelihood, nor do they unreasonably
impose limitations on Executives ability to earn a living. In addition, Executive acknowledges (i) that
the business of the Company, Employer and their respective Subsidiaries will be
conducted throughout the United States, (ii) notwithstanding the state of
incorporation or principal office of the Company, Employer or any of their respective
Subsidiaries, or any of their respective executives or employees (including the
Executive), it is expected that the Company and Employer will have business
activities and have valuable business relationships within its industry
throughout the United States and (iii) as part of his responsibilities,
Executive will be traveling throughout the United States in furtherance of
Employers business and its relationships.
Executive agrees and acknowledges that the potential harm to the Company
and Employer of the non-enforcement of Section 2 and this Section 3
outweighs any potential harm to Executive of its enforcement by injunction or
otherwise. Executive acknowledges that
he has carefully read this Agreement and has given careful consideration to the
restraints imposed upon Executive by this Agreement, and is in full accord as
to their necessity for the reasonable and proper protection of confidential and
proprietary information of the Company, Employer and their Subsidiaries now
existing or to be developed in the future.
Executive expressly acknowledges and agrees that each and every
restraint imposed by this Agreement is reasonable with respect to subject
matter, time period and geographical area.
4. Definitions.
Affiliate
means, with respect to any Person, any Person that controls, is controlled by
or is under common control with such Person or an Affiliate of such Person.
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Board
means the Companys board of directors.
Cause
means (i) Executives willful and continued failure to substantially
perform his duties with the Company, Employer or any of their respective
Subsidiaries (other than any such failure resulting from Executives incapacity
due to physical or mental illness) that has not been cured within 10 days after a written demand for
substantial performance is delivered to Executive by the Board, which demand
specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that Executive
has not substantially performed his duties, (ii) the willful engaging by
Executive in conduct which is demonstrably and materially injurious to the
Company or its Affiliates, monetarily or otherwise, (iii) Executives
conviction (or plea of nolo contendere) for any felony or any other crime
involving dishonesty, fraud or moral turpitude, (iv) Executives breach of
fiduciary duty to the Company or its Affiliates, (v) any violation of the
Companys policies relating to compliance with applicable laws which have a
material adverse effect on the Company or its Affiliates or (vi) Executives
breach of any restrictive covenant. For
purposes of clauses (i) and (ii) of this definition, (x) no act, or
failure to act, on Executives part shall be deemed willful unless done, or
omitted to be done, by Executive not in good faith and without reasonable
belief that Executives act, or failure to act, was in the best interest of the
Company.
Change in
Control means the occurrence of one of the following events:
(ii) if
any person or group as those terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Exchange Act or any successors thereto, other than an Exempt Person, is or becomes the beneficial owner
(as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor
thereto), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 80% or more of the combined voting
power of the Companys then outstanding securities; or
(iii) during
any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such
period constitute the Board and any new directors whose election by the Board
or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by at
least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were
directors at the beginning of the period or whose election was previously so
approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(iv) consummation
of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other
than a merger or consolidation (A) which would result in a portion of 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) more than 20% of the combined
voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation or (B) by which
the corporate existence of the Company is not affected and following which the
Companys chief executive
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officer and
directors retain their positions with the Company (and constitute at least a
majority of the Board); or
(v) consummation
of a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or a sale or disposition by
the Company of all or substantially all the Companys assets, other than a sale to an Exempt Person.
Compensation
Committee means the Companys Board of Directors Compensation Committee
(or its equivalent).
Credit
Agreement means the Credit Agreement, dated as of April 6, 2004,
among Employer, Prestige Brands International, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, the lenders and issuers party thereto, Citicorp North
America, Inc., as administrative agent and Tranche C Agent (as defined
therein), Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent for the lenders and
issuers, Merrill Lynch Capital, a division of Merrill Lynch Business Financial
Services Inc., as documentation agent for the lenders and issuers, and the
other parties named therein, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time, at any renewal, extension, refunding,
restructuring, replacement or refinancing thereof (whether with the original
agent or lenders or another agent or agents or other lenders and whether
provided under the original Credit Agreement or any other credit agreement).
Disability
means a disability that would entitle an eligible participant to payment of
monthly disability payments under any Company disability plan or as otherwise
determined by the Compensation Committee.
EBITDA
means Adjusted EBITDA as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement.
Exchange Act
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exempt Person
means (i) GTCR Golder Rauner, L.L.C., GTCR Golder Rauner II, L.L.C. or any
of their respective affiliates, (ii) any person, entity or group under the
control of any party included in clause (i), or (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company or a trustee or other administrator or fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company.
Good Reason
means, without your consent, (i) the assignment to you of any duties
inconsistent with your status as the Companys President & COO or a
substantial adverse alteration in the nature or status of the your
responsibilities, unless the Company has cured such events within 10 business
days after the receipt of written notice thereof from you, (ii) a
reduction in your annual base salary or target annual bonus percentage, except
for across-the-board salary reductions similarly affecting all senior Company
executives, or (iii) the relocation of the Companys headquarters by more
than 30 miles.
Person means an
individual, a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, an
association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an
9
unincorporated organization, investment fund, any other business entity
and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision
thereof.
Separation
means the cessation of employment of Executive with the Company, Employer and
their respective Subsidiaries for any reason.
Subsidiary
means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, association, or business entity of which (i) if a
corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled
(without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election
of directors, managers, or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries
of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability
company, partnership, association, or other business entity (other than a
corporation), a majority of partnership or
other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that
Person or a combination thereof. For
purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority
ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association, or
other business entity (other than a corporation) if such Person or Persons
shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership,
association, or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or control
any managing director or general partner of such limited liability company,
partnership, association, or other business entity. For purposes hereof, references to a Subsidiary
of any Person shall be given effect only at such times that such Person has one
or more Subsidiaries, and, unless otherwise indicated, the term Subsidiary
refers to a Subsidiary of the Company.
Welfare Plans
mean the welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs provided by
Employer to the extent applicable generally to other senior executives of the
Company.
5. Notices. Any notice provided for in this Agreement
must be in writing and must be either personally delivered, mailed by first
class mail (postage prepaid and return receipt requested) or sent by reputable
overnight courier service (charges prepaid) to the recipient at the address
below indicated:
If
to Employer:
Prestige
Brands, Inc.
90
North Broadway
Irvington,
New York 10533
Attention: General Counsel
If
to the Company:
Prestige
Brands Holdings, Inc.
90
North Broadway
Irvington, New York 10533
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
10
If
to Executive:
Frank
Palantoni
12
Apple Hill Court
South
Salem, New York 105590
or such other address or to the attention of such
other Person as the recipient party shall have specified by prior written
notice to the sending party. Any notice
under this Agreement will be deemed to have been given when so delivered or
sent or, if mailed, five days after deposit in the U.S. mail.
6 General
Provisions.
(a) Severability.
Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such
manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision
of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision
or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and
enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable
provision had never been contained herein.
(b) Complete
Agreement. This Agreement and those
documents expressly referred to herein embody the complete agreement and
understanding among the parties and supersede and preempt any prior
understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written
or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.
(c) Conformity
with the Plan. The Restricted Stock
and Non-qualified Stock Options are intended to conform in all respects with,
and are subject to all applicable provisions of, the Plan (which is
incorporated herein by reference).
Inconsistencies between this Agreement and the Plan shall be resolved in
accordance with the terms of the Plan.
By executing this Agreement, Executive agrees to be bound by all of the
terms of the Plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, to the extent this Agreement contains defined terms that are
inconsistent with the definitions for such terms contained in the Plan, the
definitions for such terms found in this Agreement shall apply mutatis mutandis.
(d) No
Strict Construction. The language
used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties
hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction
shall be applied against any party.
(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered
in separate counterparts (including by means of facsimile), each of which is
deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the
same agreement.
11
(f) Successors
and Assigns. Except as otherwise
provided herein, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by Executive and the Company and their respective successors and
assigns.
(g) Choice
of Law. The law of the State of
Delaware will govern all questions concerning the relative rights of the
Company, Employer and Executive. All
other questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of
this Agreement and the exhibits hereto will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving
effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether
of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the
application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
(h) MUTUAL
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. BECAUSE
DISPUTES ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH COMPLEX TRANSACTIONS ARE MOST QUICKLY AND
ECONOMICALLY RESOLVED BY AN EXPERIENCED AND EXPERT PERSON AND THE PARTIES WISH
APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS TO APPLY (RATHER THAN ARBITRATION RULES), THE
PARTIES DESIRE THAT THEIR DISPUTES BE RESOLVED BY A JUDGE APPLYING SUCH
APPLICABLE LAWS. THEREFORE, TO ACHIEVE
THE BEST COMBINATION OF THE BENEFITS OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND OF ARBITRATION,
EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY
ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN OR AMONG ANY
OF THE PARTIES HERETO, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
OUT OF, CONNECTED WITH, RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND/OR THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED AMONG THE PARTIES
HEREUNDER.
(i) Executives
Cooperation. During the Employment
Period and thereafter, Executive shall cooperate with the Company, Employer and
their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates in any disputes with third
parties, internal investigation or administrative, regulatory or judicial
proceeding as reasonably requested by the Company (including, without
limitation, Executive being available to the Company upon reasonable notice for
interviews and factual investigations, appearing at the Companys request to
give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process,
volunteering to the Company all pertinent information and turning over to the
Company all relevant documents which are or may come into Executives
possession, all at times and on schedules that are reasonably consistent with
Executives other permitted activities and commitments). In the event the
Company requires Executives cooperation in accordance with this paragraph
after the Employment Period, the Company shall reimburse Executive for
reasonable travel expenses (including lodging and meals, upon submission of
receipts) and compensate Executive for his time at a rate that is mutually agreeable
to Executive and the Company.
12
(j) Remedies. Each of the parties to this Agreement will be
entitled to enforce its rights under this Agreement specifically, to recover
damages and costs (including attorneys fees) caused by any breach of any
provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights existing in its
favor. The parties hereto agree and
acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of
the provisions of this Agreement and that any party may in its sole discretion
apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting
any bond or deposit) for specific performance and/or other injunctive relief in
order to enforce or prevent any violations of the provisions of this Agreement.
(k) Amendment
and Waiver. The provisions of this
Agreement may be amended and waived only with the prior written consent of the
Company, Employer and Executive.
(l) Insurance. The Company, at its discretion, may apply for
and procure in its own name and for its own benefit life and/or disability
insurance on Executive in any amount or amounts considered available. Executive agrees to cooperate in any medical
or other examination, supply any information, and to execute and deliver any
applications or other instruments in writing as may be reasonably necessary to
obtain and constitute such insurance.
Executive hereby represents that he has no reason to believe that his
life is not insurable at rates now prevailing for healthy men of his age.
(m) Business
Days. If any time period for giving
notice or taking action hereunder expires on a day which is a Saturday, Sunday
or holiday in the state in which the Companys chief executive office is
located, the time period shall be automatically extended to the business day
immediately following such Saturday, Sunday or holiday.
(n) Indemnification
and Reimbursement of Payments on Behalf of Executive. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall be
entitled to deduct or withhold from any amounts owing from the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries to Executive any federal, state, local or foreign
withholding taxes, excise taxes, or employment taxes (Taxes) imposed
with respect to Executives compensation or other payments from the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or Executives ownership interest in the Company,
including, without limitation, wages, bonuses, dividends, the receipt or
exercise of equity options and/or the receipt or vesting of restricted
equity. In the event the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries does not make such deductions or withholdings, Executive
shall indemnify the Company and its Subsidiaries for any amounts paid with
respect to any such Taxes, together with any interest, penalties and related
expenses thereto.
(o) Termination. This Agreement (except for the provisions of Sections
1(a) and (b) shall survive a Separation and shall remain
in full force and effect after such Separation.
13
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have executed this Executive Employment Agreement on the
date first written above.
|
PRESTIGE
BRANDS HOLDINGS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Peter Anderson
|
|
|
Name:
Peter Anderson
|
|
Title: Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
|
|
PRESTIGE BRANDS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
Peter Anderson
|
|
|
Name:
Peter Anderson
|
|
Title: Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Frank P. Palantoni
|
|
|
Frank
P. Palantoni
|
Signature Page to
Executive Employment Agreement - Palantoni
EXHIBIT A
The Restricted Stock
shall become vested in accordance with the following schedules, if and only if
as of the earlier of the third anniversary of the grant and the achievement of
100% of the Revenue and Earnings per Share Growth objectives (i) Executive
has been continuously employed by the Company, Employer or any of their
respective Subsidiaries and (ii) the Company has achieved the
average annual growth in earnings per share and revenue applicable for such
date.
Average Annual
Revenue Growth
|
|
Average
Annual Earnings Per Share Growth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<6
|
%
|
6.0
|
|
9.0
|
|
12.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<2.50
|
|
0
|
%
|
0
|
%
|
0
|
%
|
0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.50
|
|
0
|
%
|
50
|
%
|
68
|
%
|
85
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.75
|
|
0
|
%
|
58
|
%
|
75
|
%
|
93
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.00
|
|
0
|
%
|
65
|
%
|
83
|
%
|
100
|
|
Both Earnings per Share growth and Revenue Growth
shall be subject to equitable adjustment by the Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors to reflect extraordinary circumstances such as brand or
business acquisition or divestiture, stock buy back or similar circumstance.
In the event that the three year Average Annual
Revenue Growth and the three year Average Earnings Per Share Growth are both
achieved prior to the third anniversary of the grant date as determined by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, the shares shall be deemed
fully vested with no further time vesting required.