Document


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 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): April 26, 2017
 

WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
 

 
Delaware
 
001-31234
 
75-2969997
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
200 Crescent Court, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75201
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(214) 756-6900
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not applicable
(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 obligations 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 Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
As previously announced and as further described under Item 5.07, on April 26, 2017, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (the “Company”) held its annual meeting of stockholders in Dallas, Texas (the “Annual Meeting”). The Company’s stockholders approved the Fourth Amended and Restated Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”). The material revisions of the Incentive Plan included:
Increase the total number of shares currently authorized under the Incentive Plan by 250,000 shares;
Require a minimum one-year vesting limitation on awards granted under the Incentive Plan (with exception for death, disability, or a change in control), with a carve-out exception for up to 5% of the total shares currently authorized under the Incentive Plan;
Eliminate option share repricing;
Eliminate the ability to accelerate vesting of shares other than for death, disability, or change in control;
Prohibit utilizing shares of stock that are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations for subsequent awards under the Incentive Plan;
Prohibit the payment of dividends on unvested shares;
Set a limitation, such that the grant of an award to a non-employee director, acting in his or her capacity as director, taken together with cash fees paid to the non-employee director, cannot exceed $350,000 in the case of a non-employee director other than the Chairman of the Board or $500,000 in the case of the Chairman of the Board; and
Extend the term of the Incentive Plan to March 10, 2027.
The Incentive Plan was included as Appendix A to the Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on March 20, 2017.
Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
At the Annual Meeting, the following Proposals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were approved by the Company’s stockholders. No other business was brought before the Annual Meeting. The Proposals are described in detail in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 20, 2017. The voting results for the Annual Meeting are set forth below.
 
(a)
Proposal 1: The stockholders elected the directors listed below to hold office until the next annual meeting and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified. The voting results for this Proposal 1 were as follows:
Nominee
 
For
 
Withheld
 
Broker Non-Vote
Brian O. Casey
 
7,048,388

 
46,240

 
849,592

Richard M. Frank
 
7,028,782

 
65,846

 
849,592

Susan M. Byrne
 
7,050,331

 
44,297

 
849,592

Ellen H. Masterson
 
7,006,524

 
88,104

 
849,592

Robert D. McTeer
 
7,023,613

 
71,015

 
849,592

Geoffrey R. Norman
 
7,028,902

 
65,726

 
849,592

Martin J. Weiland
 
7,021,981

 
72,647

 
849,592

Raymond E. Wooldridge
 
7,010,741

 
83,887

 
849,592

 

(b)
Proposal 2: The stockholders ratified Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for the year ending December 31, 2017. The voting results for this Proposal 2 were as follows:
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
7,807,463

 
132,635

 
4,122

 






(c)
Proposal 3: The stockholders approved the Fourth Amended and Restated Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan. The voting results for this Proposal 3 were as follows:
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Vote
6,122,638

 
953,689

 
18,301

 
849,592


(d) Proposal 4: The stockholders approved, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the Company's executive compensation. The voting results for this Proposal 4 were as follows:
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Vote
5,340,667

 
1,729,575

 
24,386

 
849,592


(e) Proposal 5: The stockholders approved, on a non-binding, advisory basis, an annual advisory vote on the Company's executive compensation. The voting results for this Proposal 5 were as follows:
1 Year
 
2 Years
 
3 Years
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Vote
6,107,499

 
18,160

 
965,759

 
3,211

 
849,591

In light of the stockholder vote on Proposal 5, the Company will include an advisory stockholder vote on the compensation of named executive officers in its proxy materials once every year until the next required vote on the frequency of stockholder votes on the Company's executive compensation.

(f) Proposal 6: The stockholders approved the amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and Amended and Restated Bylaws to eliminate the provisions prohibiting removal of directors without cause. The voting results for this Proposal 6 were as follows:
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
7,907,399

 
17,475

 
19,346









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.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC.
 
 
 
 
Date: May 1, 2017
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Brian O. Casey
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brian O. Casey,
 
 
 
 
 
 
President and Chief Executive Officer