SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
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[ ][_] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section 240.14a-12
Sprint Corporation
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(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
Don A. Jensen, Vice President and Secretary
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(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)Statement, if other than the Registrant)
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Notes:
LOGO Post Office Box
11315
William T. Esrey Kansas City, Missouri 64112
William T. Esrey
Chairman
March 10, 199414, 1995
Dear Stockholder:
On behalf of the Board of Directors and Management, I cordially invite you to
attend the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of Sprint Corporation. The Annual
Meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19, 1994,18, 1995, at Sprint World
Headquarters, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Westwood, Kansas. The enclosed
notice of the meeting and Proxy Statement contain detailed information about
the business to be transacted at the meeting.
The Board of Directors has nominated two of the sixthree present Directors whose
termterms of office expiresexpire this year to continue to serve as Directors of Class
II.III. Paul Henson, Director of our company since 1960 and a present Class III
Director, will retire when his term of office expires at the Annual Meeting. In
order to balance the number of Directors among the three classes, the Board of
Directors has nominated Stewart Turley, a present Class II Director, and
myself, presently a Director of Class I, to serve as Directors of Class III.
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote for the nominees.
You are also being asked to approve amendments to the 1988 Employeesa Management Incentive Stock Purchase Plan, to approve performance goals under certain executiveOption Plan.
The plan would permit approximately 13,000 employees who participate in
Sprint's annual incentive compensation plans andto elect to receive stock options
at 100% of fair market value in lieu of a portion of their cash incentive plan
opportunity. In addition, you are asked to approve the appointment of Ernst &
Young LLP as independent auditors of Sprint for 1994.1995. The Board of Directors
recommends that you vote for these proposals.
FourTwo Stockholder proposals are also included in the Proxy Statement. The
proposals relate to the method of selecting Sprint's independent auditors,
limiting the annual increases in executives' compensation,retirement plan for outside Directors and establishing
ana Stockholder advisory committee on facilities closures and adopting a confidential voting
policy.committee. For the reasons set forth in the Proxy
Statement, the Board of Directors recommends a vote against each proposal.
The prompt return of your proxy in the enclosed business return envelope will
save Sprint additional expenses of solicitation and will help ensure that as
many shares as possible are represented.
Sincerely,
LOGO
Chairman
SPRINT CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11315
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64112
----------------
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD APRIL 19, 199418, 1995
----------------
TO THE STOCKHOLDERS OF SPRINT CORPORATION:
The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of Sprint Corporation (Sprint) will be
held at the corporate headquarters of Sprint, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway,
Westwood, Kansas on Tuesday, April 19, 1994,18, 1995, at 10:00 a.m. (local time) for the
following purposes:
1. To elect sixfour Class IIIII Directors to serve for a term of three years.
2. To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve amendments to the 1988
EmployeesManagement
Incentive Stock PurchaseOption Plan.
3. To consider and approve performance goals under certain compensation
plans in accordance with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.
4. To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve the appointment of
Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditors of Sprint for 1994.
5.1995.
4. To act upon such matters, including fourtwo Stockholder proposals (set
forth on pages 2119 through 2622 of the accompanying Proxy Statement), as may
properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
The close of business on February 22, 1994,21, 1995, has been designated as the record
date for the determination of Stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at
the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.
By order of the Board of Directors
Westwood, Kansas Don A. Jensen
March 10, 199414, 1995 Vice President and
Secretary
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
We consider the vote of each Stockholder important, whatever the number
of shares held. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please
sign, date and return your proxy in the enclosed envelope at your earliest
convenience. The prompt return of your proxy will save expense to Sprint.
SPRINT CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11315
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64112
MARCH 10, 199414, 1995
PROXY STATEMENT
PROXIES, SOLICITATION AND VOTING
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the
Board of Directors of proxies in the accompanying form to be used at the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders on April 19, 1994.18, 1995. Properly executed and dated proxies
received will be voted in accordance with instructions thereon. If the proxy
card is signed and returned and no instructions are given on the proxy with
respect to the matters to be acted upon, the shares represented by the proxy
will be voted for the election of the nominees for Directors designated below,
for approval of amendments to the 1988 EmployeesManagement Incentive Stock PurchaseOption Plan, for
approval of performance goals under certain compensation plans in accordance
with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, for approval of the
appointment of the auditors of Sprint and against the Stockholder proposals.
A Stockholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is exercised
by filing with the Secretary of Sprint an instrument of revocation or a duly
executed proxy bearing a later date. A proxy may also be revoked by attending
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and voting in person. Attendance at the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders will not in and of itself constitute the
revocation of a proxy.
In addition to solicitation by mail, proxies may be solicited by officers of
Sprint in person or by telephone. Sprint has retained D. F. King & Co., Inc. to
assist in the solicitation of proxies for an anticipated fee of $6,000 plus
out-of-pocket expenses. The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by Sprint.
As of the record date, February 22, 1994,21, 1995, Sprint had outstanding and entitled
to vote 342,676,861347,567,416 shares of Common Stock, 55,02154,022 shares of Preferred Stock-
First Series, Convertible, 338,800321,238 shares of Preferred Stock-Second Series,
Convertible, and 95 shares of Preferred Stock-Fifth Series. Each share of
Common Stock, Preferred Stock-First Series, Convertible, Preferred Stock-Second
Series, Convertible, and Preferred Stock-Fifth Series is entitled to one vote
on each matter to be voted on at the meeting.
The sixfour nominees for Director receiving the greatest number of votes at the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be elected as Directors. For all other
matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting, the affirmative vote of a
majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy, and entitled to
vote on the matter, is necessary for approval. For purposes of determining the
outcome of the vote on these matters, an instruction to "abstain" from voting
on a proposal will be treated as shares present and entitled to vote, and will
have the same effect as a vote against a proposal. "Broker non-votes", which
occur when brokers are prohibited from exercising discretionary voting
authority for beneficial owners who have not provided voting instructions, are
not counted for the purpose of determining the number of shares present in
person or represented by proxy on a voting matter and have no effect on the
outcome of the vote.
Sprint's policy is that all Stockholder meeting proxies, ballots and voting
tabulations that identify the vote of a specific Stockholder shall, with
certain specific and limited exceptions, be kept confidential from Sprint's
Directors, officers or employees. One exception to Sprint's confidential voting
policy occurs when a Stockholder writes comments on his or her proxy card. This
exception is designed to accommodate the Stockholders who express their
opinions and views by writing comments on their proxy cards and expect Sprint
to receive these comments.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
The following table states the number of shares of Sprint Common Stock
beneficially owned, as of December 31, 1993,1994, by each current Director, each
executive officer named in the "Summary Compensation
1
Table" and by all Directors and executive officers as a group. The number of
shares beneficially owned by all Directors and executive officers as a group
represented less than one percent of the outstanding shares. Except 1
as
otherwise indicated, each individual named has sole investment and voting power
with respect to the securities shown.
NAME NUMBER OF SHARES
---- ----------------
DuBose Ausley.......................................... 45,629(1)Ausley......................................... 46,792(1)
Warren L. Batts........................................ 11,000(1)Batts....................................... 11,500(1)
Ruth M. Davis.......................................... 12,007(1)Davis......................................... 12,569(1)
J. Richard Devlin...................................... 51,392(1)
Joseph L. Dionne....................................... 10,400(1)Devlin..................................... 86,683(1)
William T. Esrey....................................... 535,844(1)Esrey...................................... 701,963(1)(2)
Donald J. Hall......................................... 30,200(1)Hall........................................ 30,700(1)
Paul H. Henson......................................... 467,473(1)Henson........................................ 407,545(1)(2)
Harold S. Hook......................................... 26,000(1)Hook........................................ 26,500(1)
Robert E. R. Huntley................................... 41,456(1)
George N. Hutton Jr.................................... 249,973(1)(2)Huntley.................................. 27,043(1)
Arthur B. Krause....................................... 120,523(1)Krause...................................... 173,865(1)(2)
Ronald T. LeMay........................................ 136,019(1)LeMay....................................... 203,865(1)
Linda Koch Lorimer..................................... 40,026(1)Lorimer.................................... 41,026(1)
D. Wayne Peterson...................................... 88,487(1)Peterson..................................... 87,343(1)
Charles H. Price II.................................... 13,400(1)II................................... 12,900(1)(2)
Frank E. Reed.......................................... 40,275(1)Reed......................................... 41,275(1)
Charles E. Rice........................................ 13,000(1)Rice....................................... 13,500(1)
Stewart Turley......................................... 13,400(1)Turley........................................ 13,900(1)
All Directors and executive officers as a group (29(26
persons).............................................. 2,450,995(1)............................................. 2,347,828(1)(2)
-
--------
(1) Includes shares which may be acquired upon the exercise of stock options
exercisable on or within sixty days after December 31, 1993,1994, under Sprint's
stock option plans as follows: 38,519, 10,000, 10,000, 43,167, 10,000,
319,143, 10,000, 212,100, 10,000, 38,519, 38,519, 68,281, 80,958, 38,519,
60,950 10,000, 38,519, 10,00039,519, 10,500, 10,500, 64,992, 427,022,
10,500, 2,000, 10,500, 24,106, 101,046, 145,818, 39,519, 45,403, 10,500,
39,519, 10,500 and 10,00010,500 shares for Mr. Ausley, Mr. Batts, Dr. Davis,
Messrs. Devlin, Dionne, Esrey, Hall, Henson, Hook, Huntley,
Hutton, Krause, LeMay, Ms.
Lorimer, Messrs. Peterson, Price, Reed, Rice and Turley, respectively, and
1,430,4761,297,741 for all Directors and executive officers as a group.
(2) Includes shares held by or for the benefit of family members in which
beneficial ownership has been disclaimed: 8,33814,802 shares held in trust for
Mr. Esrey's children, 854880 shares owned by Mr. Henson's wife, 23,858 shares
owned by Mr. Hutton's wife, 13,340 shares
owned by Mr. Krause's wife, 1,000 shares held each by Mr. Price's wife and
son and 88,64031,052 shares held by or for the benefit of family members for all
Directors and executive officers as a group.
I. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
(Item 1 on Proxy Card)
The Board of Directors of Sprint is divided into three classes, with the term
of office of each class ending in successive years. The terms of the Directors
of Class IIIII expire with this Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Each of the sixfour
nominees for Class II,III, if elected, will serve three years until the 19971998
Annual Meeting and until a successor has been elected and qualified. The currentTwo of the
nominees are now Directors of ClassesClass III, and two of the nominees, Mr. Esrey and
Mr. Turley, are currently members of Class I and Class II, respectively. The
Directors remaining in Classes I and II will continue in office until the 19951996
and 19961997 Annual Meetings, respectively.
Each share is entitled to one vote for each of sixfour Directors. The persons
named in the accompanying proxy will vote it for the election of the nominees
named below as Directors of Class IIIII unless otherwise directed by the
Stockholder. All of the nominees are now Directors of Class II and haveEach nominee has consented to be named and to continue to serve if
elected. If any of the nominees become unavailable for election for any reason,
the proxies will be voted for the other nominees and for any substitutes.
2
NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS
The following information is given with respect to the nominees for election.
Class II--NomineesIII--Nominees to Serve Three Years Until 19971998 Annual Meeting
RUTH M. DAVIS,WILLIAM T. ESREY, age 65. President and Chief Executive Officer
of The Pymatuning Group, Inc., a technology management serv-
ices company, Alexandria, Virginia; Director of Air Products
and Chemicals, Inc., Consolidated Edison Company of New York,
Inc., Ceridian Corporation, Giddings & Lewis, Inc., Premark
International, Inc., SofTech, Inc. and Varian Associates,
Inc. Dr. Davis has been President and Chief Executive Officer
of The Pymatuning Group, Inc. for more than five years. Di-
rector of Sprint since 1981; Member of Audit Committee and
Pension and Savings Trusts Committee.
HAROLD S. HOOK, age 62.55. Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerOffi-
cer of American General Corporation, a financial services holding
corporation, Houston, Texas;Sprint, Westwood, Kansas; Director of Chemical Banking
Corporation, Cooper Industries,The Equitable
Life Assurance Society of the United States, General Mills,
Inc. and Panhandle Eastern Corporation. Mr. HookEsrey has been Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of American General CorporationSprint for more than five years.
Director of Sprint since 1982; Member of Finance Com-
mittee and Pension and Savings Trusts Committee.
RONALD T. LEMAY, age 48. President and Chief Operating Offi-
cer--Long Distance Division of Sprint, Westwood, Kansas; Di-
rector of Mercantile Bancorporation, Inc. Prior to becoming
President and Chief Operating Officer--Long Distance Division
of Sprint in 1989, Mr. LeMay was Executive Vice President--
Corporate Affairs of Sprint from 1987 to 1989. Director of
Sprint since 1993.
FRANK E. REED, age 58. President and Chief Executive Officer
of Philadelphia National Bank, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Director of Harleysville Group, Inc. Mr. Reed has been Presi-
dent and Chief Executive Officer of Philadelphia National
Bank since 1990. From 1984 until 1990, he was President and
Chief Operating Officer of First Pennsylvania Bank, N.A.
Prior to becoming a Director of Sprint in 1993, Mr. Reed was
a Director of Centel Corporation since 1978; Member of Fi-
nance Committee and Nominating and Corporate Responsibility
Committee.
CHARLES E. RICE, age 58. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Barnett Banks, Inc., a bank holding company, Jacksonville,
Florida; Director of CSX Corporation. Mr. Rice has been
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Barnett Banks, Inc.
for more than five years. Director of Sprint since 1975;1985; Chairman of Nominating and Corporate ResponsibilityExecutive Commit-
tee, member of Audit and Executive Committees.
3
STEWART TURLEY, age 59. Chairman, President and Chief Execu-
tive Officer of Jack Eckerd Corporation, a diversified re-
tailer, Clearwater, Florida; Director of Barnett Banks, Inc.
and Springs Industries, Inc. Mr. Turley has been Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Jack Eckerd Corpora-
tion for more than five years. Director of Sprint since 1980;
Chairman of Organization and Compensation Committee, member
of Executive Committee and Nominating and Corporate Responsi-
bility Committee.
MEMBERS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE
The following information is given with respect to the Directors of Class III
and I, who will continue to serve as Directors of Sprint until the 1995 and
1996 Annual Meetings, respectively.
Class III--Serving Until 1995 Annual Meeting
PAUL H. HENSON, age 68. Chairman of the Board of Kansas City
Southern Industries, Inc., a railroad and financial services
holding company, Kansas City, Missouri; Director of Armco,
Inc. and Duke Power Company. Prior to becoming Chairman of
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. in 1990, Mr. Henson was
Chairman of the Board of Sprint for more than five years. Di-
rector of Sprint since 1960; Member of Finance Committee and
Pension and Savings Trusts Committee.
GEORGE N. HUTTON JR., age 64. Private investor, North Palm
Beach, Florida; Director of M/A-COM, Inc. Mr. Hutton has been
a private investor for more than five years. Prior to becom-
ing a Director of Sprint in 1993, Mr. Hutton was a Director
of Centel Corporation since 1968; Member of Audit and Finance
Committees.tee.
LINDA KOCH LORIMER, age 41.42. Secretary of the University, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut; Director of First Colony
Life Insurance Company.McGraw-Hill,
Inc. Prior to becoming Secretary of Yale University in 1993,
Ms. Lorimer was President of Randolph-Ma-
conRandolph-Macon Woman's College
for more than fivesix years. She is also a
member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Ameri-
can Colleges and a former Trustee of Yale University. Prior to becoming a Director of
Sprint in 1993, Ms. Lorimer was a Director of Centel CorporationCorpora-
tion since 1988; Chairman of Pen-
sionPension and Savings Trusts Committee,Com-
mittee, member of Executive Com-
mitteeCommittee and Organization and
Compensation Committee.
CHARLES H. PRICE II, age 62.63. Chairman of the Board of Mercan-
tile Bank of Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri; Director of
British Airways PLC, Hanson PLC, Mercantile Bancorporation,
Inc., The New York Times Company and Texaco, Inc. Mr. Price
was elected Chairman of the Board of Mercantile Bank of Kan-
sas City in 1992. He was President and Chief Executive Offi-
cer of Ameribanc, Inc. from 1989 to 1992 and the United
States Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland from 1983 to 1989. Director of Sprint since
1989; Member of Finance Committee and Nominating and Corpo-
rate Responsibility Committee.
4STEWART TURLEY, age 60. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Eckerd Corporation, a diversified retailer, Clearwater,
Florida; Director of Barnett Banks, Inc. and Springs Indus-
tries, Inc. Mr. Turley has been Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Eckerd Corporation for more than five years. Di-
rector of Sprint since 1980; Chairman of Organization and
Compensation Committee, member of Executive Committee and
Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee.
3
MEMBERS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE
The following information is given with respect to the Directors of Classes I
and II, who will continue to serve as Directors of Sprint until the 1996 and
1997 Annual Meetings, respectively.
Class I--Serving Until 1996 Annual Meeting
DUBOSE AUSLEY, age 56. President57. Chairman of Macfarlane, Ausley, McMullen, Mc-
Gehee, CarothersFergu-
son & Proctor, P.A.,McMullen, a law firm, Tallahassee, Florida; Director of
Capital City Bank Group, Inc., Tampa Electric Co., Inc. and
TECO Energy, Inc. Prior to becoming Chairman of Macfarlane,
Ausley, Ferguson & McMullen in February of 1994, Mr. Ausley
has beenwas President of Ausley, McMullen, McGehee, Carothers & Proctor,Proc-
tor, P.A. for more than five years. Mr. Ausley has also been
Chairman of the Capital City Bank Group, Inc. for more than
five years. Prior to becoming a Director of Sprint in 1993,
Mr. Ausley was a Director of Centel Corporation since 1982;
Member of Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee
and Pension and Savings Trusts Committee.
WARREN L. BATTS, age 61.62. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Premark International, Inc., a diversified consumer prod-
ucts company, Deerfield, Illinois; Director of The Allstate
Corporation, Cooper Industries, Inc. and Sears, Roebuck &
Company. Mr. Batts has been Chairman and Chief Executive Of-
ficer of Premark International, Inc. for more than five
years. Director of Sprint since 1982; Chairman of Finance
Committee, member of Executive Committee and Organization and
Compensation Committee.
JOSEPH L. DIONNE, age 60. Chairman and Chief Executive Offi-
cer of McGraw-Hill, Inc., publisher, New York, New York; Di-
rector of The Equitable Companies Incorporated, The Equitable
Life Assurance Society of the United States and Harris Corpo-
ration. Mr. Dionne has been Chairman and Chief Executive Of-
ficer of McGraw-Hill, Inc. for more than five years. Director
of Sprint since 1987; Member of Nominating and Corporate Re-
sponsibility Committee and Organization and Compensation Com-
mittee.
WILLIAM T. ESREY, age 54. Chairman and Chief Executive Offi-
cer of Sprint, Westwood, Kansas; Director of The Equitable
Life Assurance Society of the United States, General Mills,
Inc. and Panhandle Eastern Corporation. Mr. Esrey has been
Chief Executive Officer of Sprint for more than five years.
Director of Sprint since 1985; Chairman of Executive Commit-
tee.
DONALD J. HALL, age 65.66. Chairman of Hallmark Cards, Inc.,
manufacturer of greeting cards, Kansas City, Missouri. Mr.
Hall has been Chairman of Hallmark Cards, Inc. for more than
five years.since 1983.
Director of Sprint since 1986; Member of Audit Committee and
Organization and Compensation Committee.
5
ROBERT E. R. HUNTLEY, age 64.65. Counsel to Hunton & Williams, a
law firm, Richmond, Virginia; Director of Philip Morris Com-
panies, Inc. Mr. Huntley has been counsel to Hunton & Wil-
liams for more than five years. Prior to becoming a Director
of Sprint in 1993, Mr. Huntley was a Director of Centel Cor-
poration since 1975; Chairman of Audit Committee, member of
Executive Committee and Organization and Compensation Commit-
tee.
4
Class II--Serving Until 1997 Annual Meeting
RUTH M. DAVIS, age 66. President and Chief Executive Officer
of The Pymatuning Group, Inc., a technology management serv-
ices company, Alexandria, Virginia; Chairman of the Aerospace
Corporation, Director of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.,
Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., Ceridian Cor-
poration, Giddings & Lewis, Inc., Premark International,
Inc., SofTech, Inc. and Varian Associates, Inc. Dr. Davis has
been President and Chief Executive Officer of The Pymatuning
Group, Inc. for more than five years. Director of Sprint
since 1981; Member of Audit Committee and Pension and Savings
Trusts Committee.
HAROLD S. HOOK, age 63. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of American General Corporation, a financial services holding
corporation, Houston, Texas; Director of Chemical Banking
Corporation, Cooper Industries, Inc. and Panhandle Eastern
Corporation. Mr. Hook has been Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of American General Corporation for more than five
years. Director of Sprint since 1982; Member of Finance Com-
mittee and Pension and Savings Trusts Committee.
RONALD T. LEMAY, age 49. President and Chief Operating Offi-
cer--Long Distance Division of Sprint, Westwood, Kansas; Di-
rector of Mercantile Bancorporation, Inc. and Yellow Corpora-
tion. Mr. LeMay has been President and Chief Operating Offi-
cer--Long Distance Division of Sprint for more than five
years. Director of Sprint since 1993.
FRANK E. REED, age 59. Former President and Chief Executive
Officer of CoreStates Philadelphia National Bank, Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania; Director of Harleysville Group, Inc. Mr.
Reed had been President and Chief Executive Officer of
CoreStates Philadelphia National Bank for more than five
years prior to December 31, 1994. Prior to becoming a Direc-
tor of Sprint in 1993, Mr. Reed was a Director of Centel Cor-
poration since 1978; Member of Audit and Finance Committees.
CHARLES E. RICE, age 59. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Barnett Banks, Inc., a bank holding company, Jacksonville,
Florida; Director of CSX Corporation. Mr. Rice has been
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Barnett Banks, Inc.
for more than five years. Director of Sprint since 1975;
Chairman of Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Commit-
tee, member of Audit and Executive Committees.
5
DIRECTOR MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES
The Board of Directors held six regular meetings and twosix special meetings in
1993.1994. The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate
Responsibility Committee and an Organization and Compensation Committee. The
Board of Directors also has an Executive Committee, a Finance Committee and a
Pension and Savings Trusts Committee. The members of each committee are
identified in the above description of Directors. In 19931994 the Organization and
Compensation Committee held six meetings, the Finance Committee held four
meetings and the Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee held fourthree
meetings. The Audit Committee, the FinanceExecutive Committee and the Pension and
Savings Trusts Committee each held two meetings
and the Executive Committee held one meeting. Except for Mr. Reed, eachmeetings. Each current Director attended
at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board of
Directors and the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board
of Directors on which the Director served during 1993.1994.
The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to ensure: (a) that
proper accounting principles are being followed; (b) that the total audit
coverage of Sprint and its affiliates is satisfactory; and (c) that an adequate
system of internal controls has been implemented by Sprint and is being
effectively followed. The Audit Committee provides an open avenue of
communication between management, the external and internal auditors and the
Board of Directors. The Committee reviews the nature of all services performed
by the external auditors, including the scope and general extent of their audit
examination and the basis for their compensation. The Committee recommends to
the Board of Directors the auditors for formal ratification by the Stockholders
at the Annual Meeting.
The principal responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Responsibility
Committee, as they relate to the Director nomination process, are to: (a)
periodically review the size and composition of the Board of Directors and make
recommendations to the Board with respect to such matters; (b) recommend to the
Board of Directors persons proposed as nominees whose election at the next
Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be recommended by the Board of Directors;
and (c) recommend persons proposed to be elected to fill any vacancy on the
Board of Directors between Stockholder meetings. The Committee will consider
qualified nominees recommended by Stockholders. Such recommendations should be
sent to the Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee, c/o Corporate
Secretary, at the corporate headquarters of Sprint, Post Office Box 11315,
Kansas City, Missouri 64112.
The principal responsibilities of the Organization and Compensation Committee
are to: (a) assess and appraise the performance of the Chief Executive Officer
and review the performance of executive management; (b) recommend to the Board
of Directors base salaries, incentive compensation and other benefits for the
Chief Executive Officer and other key officers; (c) counsel and advise
management on plans for orderly development and succession of executive
management; (d) take any and all action required or permitted to be taken by
the Board of Directors under the stock option and restricted stock plans, stock
purchase plans, incentive compensation plans and the deferred compensation
plans of Sprint; and (e) review recommendations for major changes in
compensation and benefit and retirement plans which have application to
significant numbers of Sprint's total employees and which require review or
approval of the Board of Directors.
6
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
Directors who are not officers of Sprint (the Outside Directors) are each
paid $20,000$35,000 annually plus $1,250 for each meeting attended and $1,000 for each
committee meeting attended. Mr. Rice, a Director of Sprint, received $6,400$8,000 in
19931994 as fees for serving as a Director of United Telephone Company of Florida,
a Sprint subsidiary.
The Long-Term Stock Incentive Program, which was approved at the 1989 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders, provides for the grant of stock options to Outside
Directors. Under the program each Outside
6
Director receives an annual grant of an option to purchase 2,000 shares at an
option price equal to 100% of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the
date of grant. The options expire ten years from the date of grant; 25% of the
shares subject to each option become exercisable as of December 31 of the year
in which the option is granted and an additional 25% become exercisable on
December 31 of each of the three succeeding years.
In 1982 Sprint adopted a retirement plan for its Outside Directors. Any
Director of Sprint who has served five years as a Director without
simultaneously being employed by Sprint or any of its subsidiaries is eligible
to receive benefits under the plan. An eligible Director retiring after March
30, 1989, will receive monthly benefit payments equal to the monthly fee (not
including meeting fees) being paid to Directors at the time of the Director's
retirement. The monthly retirement benefit would be $1,667$2,917 for any Director
retiring while the current $20,000$35,000 annual fee remains in effect. The number of
monthly benefit payments to a Director under the plan will equal the number of
months served as a Director without simultaneously being employed by Sprint or
any of its subsidiaries, up to a maximum of 120 payments.
Outside Directors of Sprint and certain of its subsidiaries are also eligible
for a Director's Deferred Fee Plan under which Outside Directors may elect to
defer all or some of their fees.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ORGANIZATION AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Organization and Compensation Committee of the Board, which is composed
of independent, non-employee Directors and has the principal responsibilities
described on page 6 of this Proxy Statement, has furnished the following report
on executive compensation:
Sprint's compensation philosophy is to link, by using specific objectives,
executives' compensation to the short-term and long-term performance of Sprint
so as to maximize long-term Stockholder value. Sprint's executive compensation
program consists of four elements: (1) base salary, (2) short-term incentive
compensation, (3) long-term incentive compensation and (4) stock options. To
develop a competitive compensation package, both base salary and total
compensation (i.e., the sum of all four elements) are compared to a defined
competitive group. This comparison group is composed of approximately 140
companies similar to Sprint in size as measured by annual sales. The Committee
believes that the comparison group accurately reflects the market in which
Sprint competes for executive talent. Most, but not all, of the companies in
the S&P Telephone Utility Index and the S&P Telecommunications (Long Distance)
Index which are used in the Stock Performance Graph on page 15 of this Proxy
Statement are included in the comparison group. The Committee's policy is to
target base salaries at the 50th percentile for base pay of similar positions
within the comparison group, and total compensation at the 75th percentile
provided certain performance objectives are achieved.
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code denies a tax deduction to any
publicly held corporation, such as Sprint, for compensation in excess of $1
million paid to any Named Officer. Sprint took all action required under
Section 162(m) for Sprint's incentive compensation plans to be performance-
based so as to preserve Sprint's tax deduction for 1994.
Base SalarySalary. Each year the Committee makes a recommendation to the Board
establishing base pay for all executive officers. Merit increases are based on
individual performance over the previous year and are consistent with the
policy to pay base salaries approximating the median of the comparison group.
As a result of his performance evaluations during his tenure as Chief Executive
Officer, Mr. Esrey's base salary exceeds the median of the comparison group.
Short-Term Incentive Plans. Sprint maintained two short-term incentive plans
covering its executive officers for 1994. Mr. Esrey and Mr. LeMay are covered
under the Executive Management Incentive Plan
7
(EMIP). The Committee evaluates Mr. Esrey's performance and recommends his annual
compensation level to the Board. Mr. Esrey's current salary is reviewed
relative to national surveys. The Committee also considers the overall
performancematerial terms of the company duringperformance goals under EMIP were approved by
the fiscal year, and makes its judgments as
toStockholders at the past and expected future performance contributions of Mr. Esrey.
Finally,1994 Annual Meeting. Sprint's other executive officers
are covered under the Committee periodically is advised by independent compensation
consultants concerning salary competitiveness.
Short-Term Incentive Plan. The Corporate Center Management Incentive Plan (CCMIP). Each
plan is thea performance-driven short-term, annual incentive plan designed to
promote the near-termnear term objectives of the organization.
Target incentive opportunity is established as a percentage of salary range midpoint andfor each plan is based on job level and
potential impact on organization results. Seventy-five
percentThe entire EMIP payout, and 75% of
the CCMIP payout, wasis based on the achievement of sixseven financial objectives--twoobjectives--
three for each of the Local Telecommunications Division (LTD), and two for each of the
Long Distance Division (LDD) and the Cellular Division. For each objective,
targets were established and compared to actual 19931994 financial results. The
relative weights assigned to the objectives depended on an executive's
responsibilities with Sprint.
. The
objectives for the LTD related to regulated operating income (50% weighting),
cash generation (35%), and cash generation.
Actual results were 105.3% of target fornonregulated operating income and 107.3% of
target for cash generation.
(15%). The objectives
for the LDD related to operating income (50%) and net collectible revenue
growth relative to market growth. Actual results were 115.9% of
target for operating income and 207.6% of target for net collectible revenue
growth.
growth (50%). The objectives for the Cellular
Division related to operating income (40%) and net collectible revenue and adjusted operating income as a percent of net revenues (referred to as
the "adjusted operating ratio"(60%).
Actual results were 106.6% of targetThe weights assigned for net
collectible revenuesa particular executive as between the LTD, LDD and
103.4% of target for the adjusted operating ratio.Cellular Division depended on an executive's responsibilities with Sprint.
Twenty-five percent of the CCMIP payout was based on the achievement of
certain personal objectives in 1993. These personal objectives included
qualitative factors relating to business unit and departmental results of a
nonfinancial nature, the support the executive provided in furthering strategic
and tactical objectives, contributing to the progress of the quality
improvement process, and individual professional growth and development.1994. Based on the financial results described
above, and the Committee's
evaluation of his performance relating to achievement of histheir personal objectives, the executive officers
earned CCMIP payouts on average of 126.4% of target. Mr. Esrey's EMIP payout
was based on the financial results described above using relative weights for
objectives by division as follows: 35% for the LTD, 45% for LDD, and 20% for
the Cellular Division. Based on these factors, Mr. Esrey receivedearned a payout under the CCMIP of
139.7%133.5% of target.
Long-Term Incentive Plan. The company's Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) is a
three-year performance-driven incentive plan designed to promote the long-term
objectives of the organization. Key employees who are in a position to make a
substantial contribution to the accomplishment of the long-term strategic and
financial objectives of the organization are eligible to participate. Target
incentive opportunity is established as a percentage of the three-year average
salary range midpoint and is based on job level and potential impact on
organization results.
Unlike the CCMIP payouts which were based partly on achievement of an
executive's personal objectives, the entire LTIP payouts were based entirely on the achievement of financial objectives.
These financial objectives related to the LTD and the LDD. The Cellular
Division was acquired with the merger with Centel Corporation in March of 1993
and was not included in the LTIP criteria for the three year period from
January 1, 19911992 to December 31, 1993.1994. Beginning with the performance period
January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1995 the Cellular Division will beis included in the
LTIP. The objectives for the LTD, which were weighted equally in computing the
payouts, related to return on assets and earnings before interest, income taxes
and depreciation as a percent of revenues. The objectives for the LDD, which
were weighted equally in computing the payouts, related to net collectible
revenue growth relative to market and cumulative operating income. As with the
CCMIP, the relative weights assigned to the LTIP objectives dependedas between the LTD
and LDD depend on an executive's responsibilities with Sprint.
. The objectives for the LTD related to return on assets (ROA) and earnings
before interest, income taxes and depreciation as a percent of revenues
(EBITD). Actual results were 103.1% of target for ROA and 103.8% of target
for EBITD.
. The objectives for the LDD related to growth in the consolidated earnings
before interest and income taxes over 1992 and 1993 (Earnings) and 1993 net
collectible revenue (Revenue). Actual results were 92.6% of target for
Earnings and 102.1% for Revenue.
8
The Committee believes these four objectives have been key determinants of
Sprint's stock price over time.
The specific amounts of the LTIP payouts were determined by comparing actual
financial results to the pre-established targets for each objective. The payout
is also adjusted by a stock price factor under which the payout based on
financial objectives as described above is multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the market price of Sprint Common Stock on December 31,
19931994 and the denominator of which is the market price on January 1, 1991.1992. The
three-year increase in the price of Sprint Common Stock resulted in a
multiplier of 149.6%118.7%.
Mr. Esrey's LTIP payout was based on the financial results described above
using relative weights for each objective as follows: 40% for the LTD and 60%
for the LDD. Based on the financial results and the methodology described
above, Mr. Esrey received a payout of 123.6%143.4% of target. The payout for Mr.
Esrey and the other executive officers was paid 55% in Sprintrestricted Common Stock of
Sprint.
8
Stock Options and 45% in cash.Restricted Stock Options.Grants. Stock option grants combined with
LTIP comprise long-term incentive compensation awarded to executive officers of
Sprint. Total long-term incentive compensation is targeted at the 75th
percentile of the comparison group. The Committee believes stock options
encourage increased ownership of Sprint Common Stock by executive officers
which, in turn, more closely aligns Stockholder and employee interests by
focusing executives on long-term growth and profitability of Sprint and its
Common Stock.
The option price for shares of Sprint Common Stock issuable under stock
option plans is 100% of the fair market value of the shares on the date of
grant. Generally, 25% of the shares subject to options granted become
exercisable one year from the date of the grant and an additional 25% of the
shares become exercisable on each of the three succeeding anniversaries. Some
grants may be subject to longer vesting schedules. If there is a change in
control of Sprint, all options outstanding for more than one year become
immediately exercisable.
In making option grants, the Committee does not consider the number of
options already held by an executive. ActionA grant of options was made on July 12,
1994 in response to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. At the
Annual Meeting, the Stockholders will be asked to approve the material termsrecognition of the performance goals under Sprint's Executive Management Incentive Plan and
Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan. In addition,extraordinary effort made by the Stockholders will be askedNamed Officers in
pursuing major strategic initiatives. Grants of restricted stock have recently
been made as consideration for executive officers to approve an amendment to Sprint's Long-Term Stock Incentive Program under
which stock options are granted. This amendment limitsenter into noncompetition
agreements with Sprint. The number of restricted shares granted was determined
in the grant of stock
options to an individual employee during any year to 500,000 shares. These
approvals are intended to preserve Sprint's tax deduction for compensation
under the plans as required under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1993. These proposals are described on pages 18 through 20discretion of the Proxy
Statement.Committee.
Stewart Turley, Chairman
Warren L. Batts
Joseph L. Dionne
Donald J. Hall
Robert E. R. Huntley
Linda Koch Lorimer
9
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following table reflects the cash and non-cash compensation for services
in all capacities to Sprint by those persons who were, as of December 31, 1993,1994,
the chief executive officer and the other four most highly compensated
executive officers of Sprint (the Named Officers):
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
LONG-TERM COMPENSATION
------------------------------
ANNUAL COMPENSATION AWARDS PAYOUTS
----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- --------
OTHER
SECURITIES ALL
ANNUAL RESTRICTED UNDERLYINGSECURITIES ALL OTHER
COMPEN- STOCK OPTIONS/UNDERLYING LTIP COMPEN-
NAME AND PRINCIPAL SALARY BONUS SATION AWARD(S) SARSOPTIONS/ PAYOUTS SATION
POSITION YEAR SALARY ($)(1) BONUS ($)(1) ($)(1) ($)(2) SARS (#) ($)(3) (#) ($)(4)
($)(2)(5)
------------------------------------- ---- -------- --------------------- ------------ ------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------
William T. Esrey 1994 $863,918 $1,085,569 $76,109(5) $1,113,750 230,000 $424,040 $22,871
Chairman and Chief 1993 $802,084 $817,825 $72,271(6)802,084 817,825 72,271 0 105,218 $357,206 $18,627
Chairman and Chief357,206 18,627
Executive Officer 1992 762,500 537,713 12,480 0 113,856 82,504 15,379
Executive Officer 1991 675,000 328,511 -- 0 61,529 145,132 --
J. Richard Devlin 1994 286,131 268,447 3,241 371,250 50,000 101,956 6,209
Executive Vice 1993 259,489 215,201 3,661 0 15,000 83,607 5,759
Executive VicePresident--Law and 1992 238,935 132,431 1,244 0 2,650 18,869 4,364
President--Law and 1991 207,000 86,598 -- 0 1,042 0 --
External Affairs
Arthur B. Krause 1994 310,570 303,779 9,273 371,250 60,000 111,518 12,751
Executive Vice 1993 278,819 235,602 5,652 0 33,964 91,299 13,168
Executive VicePresident--Chief 1992 251,884 147,069 6,124 0 12,761 20,566 10,587
President--Chief 1991 226,000 89,635 -- 0 4,420 32,856 --
Financial Officer
Ronald T. LeMay 1994 556,494 637,481 20,265 0 157,022 201,588 6,390
President--Long 1993 444,773 435,309 9,446 $745,000745,000 54,260 134,379 5,979
President--LongDistance Division 1992 399,251 198,844 6,414 0 12,408 20,373 4,364
Distance Division 1991 300,000 103,850 -- 0 0 40,019 --
D. Wayne Peter-
son(7)Peterson(6) 1994 321,010 331,972 8,845 0 94,970 107,633 35,780
President--Local 1993 266,412 191,540 6,811 372,500 11,000 89,783 42,431
President--Local
Telecommunications
Division
-
--------
(1) Includes all amounts earned for the respective years, even if deferred
under Sprint's Executive Deferred Compensation Plan. All bonuses were paid
under Sprint's Management Incentive Plan.Plans.
9
(2) In accordance with the transitional provisions applicable to the revised
rules on executive compensation disclosure adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), amounts of Other Annual Compensation and All
Other Compensation are excluded for 1991.
(3) The value of the Restricted Stock Awards shown for 1994 are based on the
closing price of Sprint Common Stock on October 20, 1993,August 8, 1994, the date of the
grant. As of December 31, 1993,1994, Mr. LeMayEsrey held 20,00030,000 shares of restricted
stock valued at $695,000$828,750, Messrs. Devlin, Krause and Mr. Peterson each held
10,000 shares valued at $347,500$276,250, and Mr. LeMay held 20,000 shares valued
at $552,500 (based on the closing price of Sprint Common Stock on December
31, 19931994 equal to $34.75)$27.625). Both Mr. LeMay and Mr. Peterson haveEach of the Named Officers has the right to
vote and receive dividends on the restricted shares. Twenty-five percent ofFor Messrs. Esrey,
Devlin and Krause, each award vests five years from the date of grant (on
August 8, 1999). The awards to Messrs. LeMay and Peterson vest 25% on July
12, 1996, 25% on July 12, 1997, and 50% on July 12, 1998.
(4) Under Sprint's long-term incentive compensation plan, executives may earn
awards based on the achievement of certain financial objectives. The value
of the final payout is also based on the increase or decrease(3) Payments for 1994 were made in the market
pricerestricted shares of Sprint Common Stock over a period of time (not less than two
calendar years in length). Payments under the plan are made in Sprint
Common Stock with a portion of the awards paid in cash. Amounts shown in
this column reflect the cash and market value of Sprint Common Stock,
valued as of December 31 of the year of the award, paid for the three-year
performance period ended on December 31 of each such year.
10
(5)Stock.
(4) Consists of the following amounts for 1993:1994: (a) $6,488, $5,759, $5,809,
$5,979$6,390, $6,209, $6,170,
$6,390 and $5,862$6,195 contributed on behalf of Messrs. Esrey, Devlin, Krause,
LeMay and Peterson, respectively as matching contributions under the Sprint
Retirement Savings Plan; (b) $12,139, $7,359$16,481, $6,581 and $2,114$650 for Messrs. Esrey,
Krause and Peterson, respectively, representing the portion of interest
credits on deferred compensation accounts under Sprint's Executive Deferred
Compensation Plan that are deemed by SECSecurities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) rules to be at above-market rates; and (c) $34,455$28,935 in relocation
expenses for Mr. Peterson.
(6)(5) Includes the cost to Sprint of providing tax and financial services of
$20,737$15,145 and automobile allowance of $18,000.
(7)(6) Mr. Peterson became President--Local Telecommunications Division on August
10, 1993. Formerly, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of
Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company, a Sprint subsidiary.
10
OPTION GRANTS
The following table summarizes options granted during 19931994 under Sprint's
stock option plans to the Named Officers. The amounts shown as potential
realizable values on these options are based on arbitrarily assumed annualized
rates of appreciation in the price of Sprint Common Stock of five percent and
ten percent over the term of the options, as set forth in SEC rules. The Named
Officers will realize no gain on these options without an increase in the price
of Sprint Common Stock which will benefit all Stockholdersshareholders proportionately. No
stock appreciation rights were granted during 1993.1994.
OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
NUMBER OF POTENTIAL REALIZABLE NUMBER OFVALUE
SECURITIES % OF TOTAL VALUE AT ASSUMED SECURITIES OPTIONS ANNUAL RATES
UNDERLYING OPTIONS EXERCISE OF STOCK UNDERLYINGPRICE APPRECIATION
OPTIONS GRANTED TO EXERCISE PRICE APPRECIATION FOR
OPTIONS EMPLOYEES OR BASE FOR OPTION TERM(2)
GRANTED EMPLOYEES IN PRICE EXPIRATION ---------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME (#)(1) FISCAL YEAR ($/SH) DATE 0% 5% 10%
---- ----------- ----------------------- -------- ---------- -- -------------- ---------------
William T. Esrey........ 85,000 5.2% 30.8125 3/9/03115,000 4.2% $36.6875 2/11/04 $ 0 $ 1,647,1152,653,346 $ 4,174,110
20,218 1.2% 30.8125 4/13/97 $6,724,099
115,000 4.2% 35.8125 7/12/04 0 132,232 284,3682,590,063 6,563,729
J. Richard Devlin....... 15,00025,000 0.9% 30.8125 3/9/03 $36.6875 2/11/04 0 290,667 736,608576,814 1,461,761
25,000 0.9% 35.8125 7/12/04 0 563,057 1,426,898
Arthur B. Krause........ 19,000 1.2% 30.8125 3/9/03 $30,000 1.1% 36.6875 2/11/04 0 368,179 933,036
14,964 0.9% 36.3125 10/11/98 $692,177 1,754,113
30,000 1.1% 35.8125 7/12/04 0 149,107 329,229675,669 1,712,277
Ronald T. LeMay......... 31,000 1.9% 30.812575,000 2.7% 36.6875 2/11/04 0 1,730,443 4,385,282
75,000 2.7% 35.8125 7/12/04 0 1,689,172 4,280,693
7,022 0.3% 37.375 3/9/03 $ 0 600,713 1,522,322
19,538 1.2% 31.1875 4/13/97 $ 0 129,636 278,844
1,167 0.1% 35.1875 2/12/98 $ 0 9,528 20,664
1,236 0.1% 35.1875 4/13/97 $ 0 7,951 16,881
1,319 0.1% 35.1875 8/10/97 $ 0 9,365 20,048141,604 347,247
D. Wayne Peterson....... 11,000 0.7% 30.8125 3/9/03 $30,000 1.1% 36.6875 2/11/04 0 213,156 540,179692,177 1,754,113
30,000 1.1% 35.8125 7/12/04 0 675,669 1,712,277
1,892 0.1% 36.5625 4/23/95 0 4,093 8,220
3,525 0.1% 36.5625 4/22/96 0 14,450 29,735
4,041 0.1% 36.5625 4/13/97 0 24,551 51,750
4,895 0.2% 36.5625 2/12/98 0 38,425 82,720
3,512 0.1% 32.1875 2/12/98 0 19,721 41,721
10,444 0.4% 32.1875 2/17/99 0 78,665 170,754
6,661 0.2% 32.1875 2/15/01 0 77,212 176,594
All Stockholders(3)..... 342,676,861347,567,416 -- 30.8125 3/9/03 $36.4676 7/12/04 0 $6,640,332,994 $16,827,892,7107,971,207,638 20,200,605,196
Named Officers' gain as
a % of All
Stockholders' gain..... -- -- -- -- .05% .05%.15% .15%
-
--------
(1) The options shown for each Named Officer include both annual option grantsawards and
"reload" option grants. The first granttwo grants shown for each individual is
the annual grantare
option awards and the remaining grants, if any, are reload grants.
A reload option is an option granted when an optionee exercises a stock
option and makes payment of the purchase price using shares of previously
owned Sprint Common Stock. A reload option grant is granted for the number of
shares equal to the
shares utilized in payment of the purchase price and tax withholding, if
any. The option price for a reload option is equal to the market price of
Sprint Common Stock on the date of exercise of the original option. The expiration date of a reload option is the same as the
expiration date of the option that was exercised. A
reload option becomes exercisable one year from the date the original
option was exercised,
provided the shares acquired on the exercise of the original option are
held by the optionee for at least six months.
11
exercised.
Twenty-five percent of the annual grantsfirst option shown for each Named Officer
became exercisable on March 9, 1994,February 11, 1995, and an additional 25% will become
exercisable on March 9February 11 of each of the three successive years. Twenty-
five percent of the second option shown for each Named Officer will become
exercisable on July 12, 1995, and an additional 25% will become exercisable
on July 12 of each of the three successive years. The annual optionsoption awards each
have a reload feature. The reload feature is designed to encourage early exercise of the
annual options, without foregoing the opportunity for further appreciation,
and to promote retention of the Sprint Common Stock acquired.
(2) The dollar amounts in these columns are the result of calculations at the
five percent and ten percent rates set by the SEC and are not intended to
forecast future appreciation of Sprint Common Stock.
11
(3) The amounts shown as potential realizable value for all Stockholders, which
are presented for comparison purposes only, represent the aggregate net
gain for all holders of record, as of February 22, 1994,21, 1995, of Sprint Common
Stock assuming a hypothetical option granted at $30.8125$36.4676 per share (the
weighted average price of the option awards) on July 12, 1994 and expiring
on March 9, 2003,July 12, 2004, if the price of Sprint Common Stock appreciates at the
rates shown in the table. There can be no assurance that the potential
realizable values shown in the table will be achieved. Sprint will neither
make nor endorse any prediction as to future stock performance.
OPTION EXERCISES AND FISCAL YEAR-END VALUES
The following table summarizes the net value realized on the exercise of
options in 1993,1994, and the value of the outstanding options at December 31, 1993,1994,
for the Named Officers.
AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR1994
AND FY-ENDYEAR-END OPTION VALUES
NUMBER OF SECURITIES VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED IN-THE-MONEY
OPTIONS AT 12/31/9394 OPTIONS AT 12/31/93(2)94(2)
------------------------- -------------------------
SHARES ACQUIRED VALUE REALIZED(1) EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
NAME ON EXERCISE (#) ($) (#) (#) ($) ($)
- ----
--------------- ----------------- ----------- ------------- ----------- -------------
William T. Esrey........ 32,757 $528,981 275,793 191,918 $2,125,821 $489,0015,689 $ 63,290 354,922 337,100 $699,826 $ 0
J. Richard Devlin....... 0 0 31,342 38,650 98,377 80,29746,917 73,075 21,880 0
Arthur B. Krause........ 22,500 357,578 55,681 59,164 475,561 97,2507,049 175,989 80,946 86,850 128,936 0
Ronald T. LeMay......... 35,400 624,928 58,108 99,960 163,046 231,3527,750 50,859 104,218 203,122 32,571 0
D. Wayne Peterson....... 0 0 53,200 27,000 738,554 166,76645,650 704,188 18,050 111,470 11,419 14,953
-
--------
(1) The value realized upon exercise of an option is the difference between the
fair market value of the shares of Sprint Common Stock received upon the
exercise, valued on the exercise date, and the exercise price paid.
(2) The value of unexercised, in-the-money options is the difference between
the exercise price of the options and the fair market value of Sprint
Common Stock at 12/31/93December 31, 1994 ($34.6875)27.625).
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN AWARDS
The following table represents potential awards under Sprint's Long-Term
Incentive Planlong-term
incentive plan which, subject to Sprint's right to amend the plan at any time
prior to the Organization and Compensation Committee's approval of payouts, can
be earned by the achievement of certain financial objectives over the three
year period ending December 31, 1995.1996. Payouts of awards are tied to achieving
specified levels of performance criteria, based on certain financial
objectives, within the Long Distance Division (LDD), the Local
Telecommunications Division (LTD) and the Cellular Division (CD). The relative
weight given to the performance criteria of the LDD, the LTD and the CD in
computing an executive's payout is based on the executive's responsibilities
with Sprint.
12
The portion of the payout applicable to the LDD is tied to achieving
specified levels of operating margin and net collectible revenue growth. The
target amount will be earned if 100% of the targeted levels of such criteria is
achieved. The threshold amount will be earned with the achievement of 85% of
the operating margin target and 83% of the revenue growth target and the
maximum award will be earned at achieving 114% of the operating margin target
and 146% of the revenue growth target. An award payout will not be earned for
the portion of the payout applicable to the LDD criteria for performance below
the threshold.
The portion of the payout applicable to the LTD is tied to achieving specified
levels of earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation as a
percent of net revenues (EBITD), and return on assets, (ROA). The target amount
will be earned if 100% of the targeted level of such criteria is achieved. The
threshold amount will be earned with the achievement of 95% of the ROA targetnonregulated net collectible revenues and
97% of the EBITD target and the maximum award will be earned at achieving
103% of the ROA target and 104% of the EBITD target. An award payout will not
be earned for the portion of the payout applicable to the LTD criteria for
performance below the threshold.nonregulated operating income. The portion of the payout applicable to the CD
is tied to achieving specified levels of operating income and net collectible
revenue. The target amount will be earned if 100% of the targeted levellevels of
such criteria is achieved. The
threshold amount will be earned with the achievement of 70% of the operating
income target and 90% of the revenue target and the maximum award will be
earned at achieving 130% of the operating income and revenue targets. An award payout will not be earned for the portion of the payout applicable to the CD
criteria for performance
below the threshold.
The calculated payout, based on the achievement of the above financial
criteria, is adjusted (increased or decreased) by the percent change in the
market price of Sprint Common Stock as determined by the change in the average
of the high and low prices on January 1, 19931994 and December 31, 1995.1996. If stock
price increases over the three-year performance period, the payout is adjusted
by the percentage increase in stock price. Conversely, if the stock price
decreases over the three-year performance period, the payout is reduced by the
percentage decrease in stock price. Upon approval of the payouts by the
Organization and Compensation
12
Committee, a portion of each payout will be paid as specified by the executive in Sprint Common Stock, based on the market valuerestricted
or unrestricted shares of Sprint Common Stock, onor deferred under the date of such approval, and the remaining portion in cash. Currently the payouts
are made 55% in Sprint Common Stock and 45% in cash to meet tax withholding
requirements.Executive
Deferred Compensation Plan.
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLANS--AWARDS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
ESTIMATED FUTURE PAYOUTS
PERFORMANCE OR UNDER NON-STOCK PRICE BASED
OTHER PERIOD PLANS(1)
UNTIL ---------------------------
MATURATION OR THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM
NAME PAYOUT ($) ($) ($)
---- --------------- --------- -------- --------
William T. Esrey...................Esrey.................... 1/1/93-12/94-12/31/95 $98,219 $302,213 $536,42996 $76,730 $306,920 $572,406
J. Richard Devlin..................Devlin................... 1/1/93-12/94-12/31/95 23,912 73,575 130,59696 18,756 75,025 139,922
Arthur B. Krause...................Krause.................... 1/1/93-12/94-12/31/95 26,171 80,525 142,93296 20,525 82,100 153,117
Ronald T. LeMay....................LeMay..................... 1/1/93-12/94-12/31/95 42,842 149,017 281,26996 39,270 157,080 303,557
D. Wayne Peterson..................Peterson................... 1/1/93-12/94-12/31/95 43,964 106,580 161,20296 27,278 109,110 186,305
-
--------
(1) Awards are based on a percentage of the Named Officers' average base salary
midpoint over the three-year performance cycle which ends December 31,
1995.1996. In calculating the average base salary midpoint, the table assumes
the base salary midpoint for 1995 and 1996 will equal the 1994 base salary
midpoint. In addition, the estimated future payouts shown assume that the
average of the high and low price of Sprint Common Stock on December 31,
19951996 will be the same as it was on January 1, 1993.1994.
PENSION PLANS
The following table reflects the estimated annual pension benefit payable to
an individual retiring in 19941995 at age 65. The amounts include all prospective
benefits under Sprint's plans, whether tax-qualified or not.
13
PENSION PLAN TABLE
YEARS OF SERVICE(2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REMUNERATION(1) 15 20 25 30 35
- --------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ----------------- ------- ------- --------- ---------
$ 400,000........................ $ 91,835 $122,446 $153,058 $183,669 $ 214,281
500,000........................ 115,085 153,446 191,808 230,169 268,531
600,000........................ 138,335 184,446 230,558 276,669 322,781
700,000........................ 161,585 215,446 269,308 323,169 377,031
800,000........................ 184,835 246,446 308,058 369,669 431,281
900,000........................ 208,085 277,446 346,808 416,169 485,531
1,000,000........................ 231,335 308,446 385,558 462,669 539,781
1,100,000........................ 254,585 339,446 424,308 509,169 594,031
1,200,000........................ 277,835 370,446 463,058 555,669 648,281
1,300,000........................ 301,085 401,446 501,808 602,169 702,531
1,400,000........................ 324,335 432,446 540,558 648,669 756,781
1,500,000........................ 347,585 463,446 579,308 695,169 811,031
1,600,000........................ 370,835 494,446 618,058 741,669 865,281
1,700,000........................ 394,085 525,446 656,808 788,169 919,531
1,800,000........................ 417,335 556,446 695,558 834,669 973,781
1,900,000........................ 440,585 587,446 734,308 881,169 1,028,031
2,000,000........................ 463,835 618,446 773,058 927,669 1,082,281500,000........................... 115,022 153,362 191,703 230,043 268,384
700,000........................... 161,522 215,362 269,203 323,043 376,884
900,000........................... 208,022 277,362 346,703 416,043 485,384
1,100,000........................... 254,522 339,362 424,203 509,043 593,884
1,300,000........................... 301,022 401,362 501,703 602,043 702,384
1,500,000........................... 347,522 463,362 579,203 695,043 810,884
1,700,000........................... 394,022 525,362 656,703 788,043 919,384
1,900,000........................... 440,522 587,362 734,203 881,043 1,027,884
2,100,000........................... 487,022 649,362 811,703 974,043 1,136,384
2,300,000........................... 533,522 711,362 889,203 1,067,043 1,244,884
2,500,000........................... 580,022 773,362 966,703 1,160,043 1,353,384
-
--------
(1) Compensation, for purposes of estimating a pension benefit, includes salary
and bonus as reflected under Annual Compensation in the Summary
Compensation Table on page 10.9. The calculation of benefits under the pension
plans generally is based upon average compensation for the highest five
consecutive years of the ten years preceding retirement.
(2) These amounts are straight life annuity amounts and would not be subject to
reduction because of Social Security benefits. For purposes of estimating a
pension benefit, the years of service credited are 29, 7, 23, 830, 16, 31, 18 and 2637
years for Messrs. Esrey, Devlin, Krause, LeMay and Peterson, respectively.
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
Sprint has contingency employment agreements with Messrs. Esrey, Devlin,
Krause and LeMay. The agreementsLeMay which provide thatfor separation pay and benefits if an officer's employment is
involuntarily terminated afterfollowing a change in control of Sprint, he may receive certain
benefits, limited to the amount deductible by Sprint under the Internal Revenue
Code.control. A change of control is
deemed to occur if someone acquires 20% or more of the outstanding voting
13
stock of Sprint or if there is a change of a majority of the Directors within a
two-year period. The agreements are not intended as an
anti-takeover provision but could discourage an attempt to acquire control of
Sprint by increasing the cost. Benefits maywill include monthly salary payments for 35 months
(or until the officer reaches age 65 if this occurs earlier) and three payments
each equal to the highest short-term plus the highest long-term incentive
compensation awards received in any ofduring the three years preceding termination. In
addition, life, disability, medical and dental insurance coverages will be
provided for 35 months. For purposes of the Key Management Benefit Plan, an
officer will be deemed to have remained a Key Executive (as defined in the
plan) until age 60; interest will be credited under the Executive Deferred
Compensation Plan at the maximum rate allowed under the plan. Retirement
benefits will be determined assuming three years of additional service and no
early retirement pension reduction will be imposed. If any excise tax is
imposed under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, Sprint will make the
executive whole with respect to any additional taxes due. The officer may elect a lump-sum payment. Benefits may also
include insurance, pension and other benefits whichagreements are
not intended as an anti-takeover provision but could otherwise be lost duediscourage an attempt to
termination.acquire control of Sprint by increasing its cost.
The total present value of all the benefits must be less than
three times the officer's average annual taxable compensation.
Mr. LeMay and Mr. PetersonNamed Officers have each signed non-competition agreements with Sprint. Generally,Sprint
which provide that he will not associate himself with a competitor for an 18-
month period following termination of employment. In addition, the agreements
provide that each executive maywill receive 18 months of compensation and benefits
following hisan involuntary termination of employment if he does not associate himself with a competitor during that
period.employment.
Sprint has a Key Management Benefit Plan providing for a survivor benefit in
the event of the death of a participant or, in the alternative, a supplemental
retirement benefit. Participants are key executives of Sprint and its
subsidiaries as designated by the Chief Executive Officer of Sprint and
approved by the Organization and Compensation Committee. Under the plan, if a participant dies prior to retirement,
the participant's
14
beneficiary will receive ten annual payments each equal to
25% of the participant's highest annual salary during the five-year period
immediately prior to the time of death. If a participant dies after retiring or
becoming permanently disabled, the participant's beneficiary will receive a
benefit equal to 300% (or a reduced percentage if the participant retires
before age 60) of the participant's highest annual salary during the five-year
period immediately prior to the time of retirement or disability, payable
either in a lump sum or in installments at the election of the participant.
Prior to reaching age 60 and at least 13 months before retirement, a
participant may elect a supplemental retirement benefit in lieu of all or a
portion of the survivor benefit. The supplemental retirement benefit will be the actuarial
equivalent of the survivor benefit and will be paid in a lump sum, in
installments, or as a single life or joint and survivor annuity, at the
election of the participant. Each Named Officer is a participant in the
plan.
14
PERFORMANCE GRAPHSGRAPH
The graph below compares the yearly percentage change in the cumulative total
Stockholder return for Sprint Common Stock as compared with the S&P(R) 500
Stock Index, the S&P(R) Telephone Utility Index and the S&P(R)
Telecommunications (Long Distance) Index, for the five-
yearfive-year period from
January 1,December 29, 1989 to December 31, 1993.30, 1994. The companies which comprise the S&P
Telephone Utility Index are Ameritech, Inc., Bell Atlantic Corp., BellSouth,
GTE, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis Group, Southwestern Bell and U.S. West, Inc. The
companies which comprise the S&P Telecommunications (Long Distance) Index are
American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T)AT&T Corp., MCI Communications (MCI) and Sprint.
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN BASED ON REINVESTMENT OF $100 BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1989
[GRAPH APPEARS HERE]LOGO
1988
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Sprint 100.00 168.69 106.67 113.33 127.03 178.4863.24 67.19 75.31 105.80 86.53
S&P 500 100.00 131.68 127.58 166.47 179.20 197.2696.88 126.42 136.08 149.80 151.78
S&P (Long Distance) 100.00 168.05 107.82 144.12 190.45 215.2964.16 85.77 113.33 128.11 116.66
S&P Telephone 100.00 157.40 150.24 161.58 177.31 204.7795.46 102.66 112.65 130.10 124.72
15
The graph below compares the cumulative total Stockholder return for Sprint
Common Stock with the S&P 500 Stock Index, AT&T, MCI and a peer group, for the
ten-year period from January 1, 1984 to December 31, 1993. The companies
included in the peer group are identical to the companies in the S&P Telephone
Utility Index. Standard & Poor's compiles the S&P Telephone Utility Index and
the S&P Telecommunication (Long Distance) Index for only partCERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Ausley is Chairman of the ten-year
period and, therefore, the two indexes cannot be includedlaw firm of Macfarlane, Ausley, Ferguson &
McMullen, which provided legal services to certain subsidiaries of Sprint in
this graph.
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN BASED ON REINVESTMENT OF $100 BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1984
[GRAPH APPEARS HERE]
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
SPRINT 100 116 134 155 160 318 536 339 360 403 566
S&P 500 100 106 140 166 175 204 268 260 339 365 402
AT&T 100 122 165 174 196 218 356 244 328 441 465
MCI 100 52 78 43 65 157 306 139 212 278 398
Peer Group 100 128 180 238 242 287 450 432 457 503 588
1994 for which it billed $364,596.
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires Sprint's
Directors and executive officers to file with the SEC and the New York Stock
Exchange initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of
Sprint Common Stock and other equity securities of Sprint. Directors and
executive officers are required by SEC regulations to furnish Sprint with
copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.
To Sprint's knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such reports
furnished to Sprint and written representations that no other reports were
required, during 19931994 all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its
Directors and executive officers were complied with, except that Mr. PriceHenson
inadvertently failed to timely report two transactions when26 shares of Sprint Common Stock acquired by his
wife through Sprint's automatic dividend reinvestment plan, and son acquired shares
ofMr. John R.
Hoffman, Sprint's Common Stock without Mr. Price's knowledge. Mr. Price promptly
reported the purchase of such shares as soon as the acquisitions became
16
known to him and disclaimed beneficial ownership of such shares. In addition,
Mr. PetersonSenior Vice President--External Affairs, inadvertently failed
to timely report 1,0002,000 shares of Sprint Common Stock held in nominee name and 85 shares acquired in September and
December of last yearJune through
Sprint's automatic dividend reinvestment plan.Employees Stock Purchase Plan. Both Mr. PetersonHenson and Mr. Hoffman
promptly reported these amounts as soon as he discovered the errors.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Ausley is President of the law firm of Ausley, McMullen, McGehee,
Carothers & Proctor, P.A. which provided legal services to certain subsidiaries
of Sprint in 1993 for which it billed $500,825.
LITIGATION
In January 1992, after a dismissal without prejudice of an original complaint
filed in 1990, an amended class action complaint was filed by certain
shareholders of Sprint in the United States District Court for the District of
Kansas against Sprint and certain of its executive officers and directors. The
plaintiffs in the class action alleged the defendants violated various federal
securities laws and related state laws by making misrepresentations and
omitting to state material facts in connection with public disclosures. Among
other relief, plaintiffs sought unspecified compensatory damages. A related
shareholders' derivative complaint was dismissed without prejudice by the same
court in March 1993. Pursuant to a memorandum of agreement executed in
September 1993, Sprint will pay $28.5 million in settlement of both the class
action and derivative claims. Sprint admits no wrongdoing, but settled to avoid
the costs and uncertainties of further litigation and the disruption of
business activities that would have resulted from trial. The settlement is
subject to the approval of the court.errors were discovered.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 19951996 ANNUAL MEETING
Stockholder proposals for the 19951996 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Sprint
must be received by the Corporate Secretary at Sprint's principal office, 2330
Shawnee Mission Parkway, Westwood, Kansas 66205, no later than November 10,
1994.15,
1995.
II. PROPOSAL TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TOAUTHORIZE THE
1988 EMPLOYEESMANAGEMENT INCENTIVE STOCK PURCHASEOPTION PLAN
In 1988(Item 2 on Proxy Card)
The Stockholders are asked to consider and vote upon a proposal to adopt the
StockholdersManagement Incentive Stock Option Plan (Plan). The summary of its principal
features which follows is subject to the specific provisions contained in the
official text set forth in Exhibit A to this Proxy Statement.
On February 18, 1995, the Board of Directors adopted the Plan, subject to
approval by the Stockholders. If approved, the 1988Plan will become effective on
February 18, 1995, and will remain in effect for ten years from the date of
Stockholder approval. The Plan is designed to give Sprint employees the
opportunity to receive option grants to purchase Sprint Common Stock (Options)
in lieu of a portion of their annual incentive compensation earned under
Sprint's management incentive plans. If the Plan is not approved, all amounts
earned under the management incentive plans will be paid in cash in accordance
with the terms of the plans.
The intent of the Plan is to increase the proportion of employee compensation
and benefits tied to stock ownership and to reduce the proportion related to
cash compensation. Sprint believes that increased share ownership by employees
more closely aligns Stockholder and employee interests by encouraging greater
focus on long-term growth and profitability of Sprint and the performance of
its Common Stock. The Plan also gives Sprint an immediate benefit of lower cash
payments of incentive compensation. Sprint's Long Term Stock Incentive
Compensation Program, approved by Stockholders on April 18, 1989, will remain
in effect until April 18, 1999, and stock options may continue to be granted
under such plan.
16
The Plan will be administered by the Organization and Compensation Committee
(Committee) appointed by the Board of Directors and composed of members of the
Board who are ineligible to receive grants under the Plan (see the description
of the Organization and Compensation Committee on page 6 of this Proxy
Statement).
Eligibility for the Plan and Consideration for the Options. Employees of
Sprint and its subsidiaries who participate in Sprint's annual management
incentive compensation plans will be eligible to receive Options under the
Plan. Any salaried employee of Sprint and its subsidiaries shall be eligible to
be selected as a participant in the annual management incentive compensation
plans. Approximately 13,000 employees currently participate in such plans. Non-
employee directors will not be eligible to receive Options under the Plan.
Shares subject to Options granted to any individual employee during any
calendar year shall not exceed a total of 500,000 shares. The Committee will
determine each year whether Options will be granted in such year, whether
participation will be elective or automatic, and the amount of incentive
compensation to be given up for an Option. The exercise price per share of
Sprint Common Stock Purchasepurchasable under any Option shall be 100% of the fair
market value of the stock on the date of the grant of such Option. In the first
year of the Plan, (the
ESPP)employees can elect to receive Options for Sprint Common
Stock in lieu of receiving 25% of their target opportunity as cash incentive
compensation. For each $5.00 reduction in an employee's target opportunity
resulting from such an election, the employee will receive an Option to
purchase one share of Sprint Common Stock. In addition, an employee may elect
to receive more than 25% of target opportunity in Options. In that case, the
employee will receive the lesser of 50% of target opportunity or a prorata
portion of the shares available under which 9,000,000the Plan for 1995. The number of shares
available for elections by employees to receive more than 25% of target will
depend upon the number of employees who elect to receive cash rather than to
receive Options. If all eligible employees elect to receive Options in lieu of
25% of their cash incentive opportunity, approximately 87% of the shares
available for 1995 would be utilized.
Shares subject to the Plan. Subject to adjustment as described below, nine-
tenths of one percent (0.9%) of the outstanding shares of Sprint Common Stock
wereas of the first day of each calendar year for which the Plan is in effect shall
be available for grant under the Plan in such year. At January 1, 1995, that
percentage equaled 3,134,605 shares. The closing price of one share as reported
in the New York Stock Exchange Composite Transactions for March 1, 1995 was
$28.75. All shares available in any year which are not subject to an Option
granted under the Plan shall be available for grant in subsequent years. The
shares of stock deliverable under the Plan may consist in whole or in part of
authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares. If any Option is terminated
without issuance of shares, the shares subject to such Options shall again be
available for grant pursuant to the Plan.
Administration. The Committee shall be authorized to interpret the Plan, to
establish, amend, and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan,
and to make all other determinations which may be necessary or advisable for
the administration of the Plan.
The Board may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan or any portion thereof at
any time, provided that no such action shall materially impair the rights of a
participant without the participant's consent and provided that no amendment
shall be made without Stockholder approval which shall increase the total
number of shares reserved for issuance (adjusted from 4,500,000 shares as a resultpursuant to the Plan.
Terms and Conditions of the two-for-one stock
splitOptions. The Options shall have a ten-year term
and vested Options shall be exercisable during such term by active employees.
Vested options of employees whose employment with Sprint has been terminated
other than for cause shall remain exercisable as follows (but in December, 1989). Afterno event may
an Option be exercised after the third offering underend of the ESPP, which willten-year term): (i) involuntary
termination by Sprint other than for cause, for ten years from date of grant;
(ii) in the case of death, one year from date of death; (iii) in the event of
retirement or disability, five years from date of termination of employment;
and (iv) voluntary termination, three months from date of termination. Options
shall be concludedexercised by payment of the purchase price, either in June 1994, itcash or in
Sprint Common Stock having a fair market value on the date the Option is
anticipated that approximately 2,000,000
shares will remain, which will not be sufficient for an additional offering. At
its meeting on December 14, 1993, the Board of Directors approved amendmentsexercised equal to the ESPP (the "Plan Amendments") and recommended that the Plan Amendments be
submitted to the Stockholders at the Annual Meeting for their approval.
If approved, the Plan Amendments will:
1. increase the number of shares authorized for issuance by 7,000,000
shares, to a total of 16,000,000 shares, so that approximately 9,000,000
shares will be available for future offerings;
2. permit participants to name a beneficiary to exercise options upon the
death of the participant; and
3. prohibit elections to purchase less than ten shares.
The ESPP, restated to incorporate the proposed Plan Amendments, is set forth
in Exhibit A attached to this Proxy Statement and reference is made to such
Exhibit for a complete statement of its terms and provisions.price.
17
UnderAdjustments. In the ESPP,event of any change affecting the Board of Directors is authorized to offer to all eligible
employees of Sprint and its subsidiaries the right to elect to purchase shares of Sprint Common
Stock by reason of any stock dividend or split, recapitalization, merger,
consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other corporate
change, or any distribution to Stockholders other than cash dividends, the
Committee shall make such adjustment in the amounts and at the prices hereinafter set forth.
The maximumaggregate number of shares which
any employee may elect to purchase in an
offering is one share for each $50 of annual pay (as definedbe distributed under the Plan and in the ESPP);number and exercise price of
shares subject to the outstanding Options granted under the Plan as it deems to
be appropriate in addition,order to maintain the purpose of the original grant.
Tax Aspects of the Plan. Under present law, the following are the federal tax
consequences generally arising with respect to awards granted under the Plan.
The grant or vesting of an Option will create no tax consequences for an
optionee or Sprint. Upon exercising an Option and receiving unrestricted
shares, the optionee must recognize ordinary income equal to the difference
between the exercise price and the fair market value of the stock to be purchased may not accrue at a rate which
exceeds $25,000 in any calendar year. If the market price of Sprint Common
Stock is $37.25 on June 1, 1994, then the maximum number of shares that any
employee could purchase would be 1,342. In no event may an employee purchase
more than 2,000 shares, and the Plan Amendments provide that a minimum of ten
shares must be elected. The length of the purchase period is twenty-four
months. If the total number of shares which employees elect to purchase under
an offering exceeds the shares available, the available shares will be
allocated among such employees.
The price for shares purchased under each offering will be 85% of the average
market price of Sprint Common Stock (such average market price being defined by
the ESPP to be the mean of the high and low prices for composite transactions
as published by major newspapers) on the date
of grant orexercise. Sprint will be entitled to a deduction for the same amount.
Certain optionees may elect to receive restricted stock from the exercise when
they use previously owned shares to pay the purchase price. These optionees
will not recognize ordinary income until the date the restrictions lapse. The
ordinary income will be equal to the difference between the fair market value
of the stock (i.e., shares received which are in excess of the shares given up
for payment of the purchase price) on the date the restrictions lapse and any
cash paid for the shares. Sprint will be entitled to a deduction for the same
amount. The treatment of a disposition of the shares acquired through the
exercise of an option will result in short-term or long-term capital gain
depending on how long the option, whichever is lower, but in any event not less than $12.00 per
share. On February 22, 1994, the high and low prices of Sprint Common Stock
were $37.75 and $36.75, respectively.
The Plan Amendments provide that a participating employee may designate a
beneficiary to exercise the options upon the employee's death. Otherwise, the
employee may not assign any rights under the ESPP and a violation thereof
terminates the right to purchase any shares.
The Subscription Period for the 1994 Offeringshares have been held. There will be from June 1no tax
consequence to June 30
and the 24-month Purchase Period will begin July 1. It is anticipated that
interest at the rateSprint in connection with a disposition of 3.5% per annum compounded semiannuallyshares acquired under
an Option. There will be allowed
on employee's accounts for the 1994 offering; however, the Board of Directors
may set a different rate of interest at any time priorno tax consequences to the commencementoptionee or Sprint if an
Option is canceled or expires.
Adoption of this proposal requires the 1994 offering should market interest rates warrant such a change.
The affirmative vote of the majority of
the shares present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for adoption of the Plan Amendments. If
approved by the Stockholders the Plan Amendments will apply to any options
granted under the ESPP on or after June 1, 1994. There is no specified date of
termination of the ESPP; however, its duration is limited by the maximum number
of shares that may be sold pursuant to the ESPP.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL
OF THE PLAN AMENDMENTS.
III. APPROVAL OF PERFORMANCE GOALS UNDER
THE OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1993
Tax legislation known as the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA)
was signed into law on August 10, 1993. OBRA limits the tax deduction for
compensation in excess of $1 million per year paid by a publicly-traded
corporation to the chief executive officer and the four most highly compensated
executive officers. Compensation which is based on performance goals approved
by stockholders, however, may be excluded from the deduction limitation.
Consequently, under Proposals A, B and C below, the Stockholders are being
asked to approve the material terms of the performance goals under the
Executive Management Incentive Plan, the Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan and
the Long-Term Stock Incentive Program. These approvals are not required by the
plans or by applicable securities laws or stock exchange rules. If the
Stockholders do not approve the performance goals, payments under the Executive
Management Incentive Plan and the Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan will not
be made. The Organization and Compensation Committee may consider other
incentive compensation arrangements. Specifically, the proposed regulations
under the Internal Revenue Code require the Stockholders to approve, for these
plans, the business criteria on which the performance goals are based, the
maximum amount which may be paid to an employee and the individuals eligible to
receive compensation under the plans. These approvals are intended to preserve
Sprint's tax deduction for compensation paid under these plans. Therefore, the
Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR Proposals III. A, III. B and III. C
described below.
18
A. APPROVAL OF PERFORMANCE GOALS UNDER
THE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN
Under the Executive Management Incentive Plan adopted effective January 1,
1994, executives may earn incentive payouts based on achievement of financial
objectives. These objectives will be established by the Organization and
Compensation Committee for each calendar year prior to the beginning of that
year and payouts are earned based on actual financial results compared to pre-
established targets. For future payouts, including any payout earned based on
performance during 1994, the Stockholders are asked to approve the following:
. Business criteria--Separate business criteria are used for each of
Sprint's three divisions. Performance is evaluated based on operating
income and net collectible revenue growth relative to market rate of
growth for the Long Distance Division, regulated operating income, cash
generation and non-regulated operating income for the Local
Telecommunications Division, and operating income and net collectible
revenue for the Cellular Division.
. Annual maximum--The maximum payment in any year to any employee is
limited to $2,500,000.
. Eligible employees--Executive officers of Sprint designated by the
Organization and Compensation Committee.
Subject to the Organization and Compensation Committee's discretion to reduce
the payouts, the following table shows the payouts which would have been
received by all participants in the Executive Management Incentive Plan for
1993 if such plan had been in effect:
NEW PLAN BENEFITS
DOLLAR
NAME AND POSITION VALUE
----------------- ------
William T. Esrey, Chairman $850,291
and Chief Executive Officer
Ronald T. LeMay, President-- 459,817
Long Distance Division
Meeting. THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSALAPPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MANAGEMENT
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN.
III. A.
B. APPROVAL OF PERFORMANCE GOALS UNDER
THE EXECUTIVE LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
Under Sprint's Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan adopted effective January
1, 1994, the Organization and Compensation Committee determines a period of
time (at least two years, and usually three years, in length) during which
Sprint's performance will be measured. Under this plan, executives may earn
incentive payouts based on achievement of financial objectives over the
performance period. These objectives will be established by the Organization
and Compensation Committee prior to the beginning of each performance period
and payouts are earned based on actual financial results compared to pre-
established targets. In addition, the payout is increased (or decreased) by the
percentage increase (or decrease) in the market price of Sprint Common Stock
over the performance period. Payouts will be made in Sprint Common Stock with a
portion of the payout in cash to meet tax withholding requirements. For payouts
earned based on performance periods beginning in 1994 and thereafter, the
Stockholders are asked to approve the following:
. Business criteria--Separate business criteria are used for each of
Sprint's three divisions. Performance is evaluated based on cumulative
operating margin and net collectible revenue growth relative to market
rate of growth for the Long Distance Division, average return on net
assets, non-regulated cumulative net collectible revenue and non-
regulated operating income for the Local Telecommunications Division, and
cumulative operating income and cumulative net collectible revenue for
the Cellular Division.
. Annual maximum--The maximum payout in any year to any employee is limited
to $2,500,000.
19
. Eligible employees--Executive officers of Sprint designated by the
Organization and Compensation Committee.
Subject to the Organization and Compensation Committee's discretion to reduce
the payouts, the following table shows the payouts which would have been
received by all participants in the Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan for 1993
if such plan had been in effect:
NEW PLAN BENEFITS
DOLLAR
NAME AND POSITION VALUE
----------------- ------
William T. Esrey, Chairman $198,947
and Chief Executive Officer
Ronald T. LeMay, President-- 51,870
Long Distance Division
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL III. B.
C. APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE LONG-TERM
STOCK INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Sprint's Long-Term Stock Incentive Program (the Omnibus Plan) was approved by
the Stockholders at the 1989 Annual Meeting. A copy of the Omnibus Plan was
presented to the Stockholders in the 1989 Proxy Statement and its provisions
were described, including the form of benefits that could be provided under the
Omnibus Plan, eligibility for participation, and administration of the Omnibus
Plan.
Sprint's stock options must be granted at a price not less than the fair
market value of Sprint Common Stock on the date of grant. These options are
deemed to be performance-based compensation under OBRA. Any employee designated
by the Organization and Compensation Committee is eligible to receive an option
grant. OBRA requires that, in order to preserve the tax deduction to which
Sprint is entitled when an employee exercises an option, the Omnibus Plan must
specify the maximum number of shares for which grants may be made to any
employee in any year. To this end, the Board of Directors amended the Omnibus
Plan on February 12, 1994, subject to approval of the Stockholders, to limit
the grant of stock options or stock appreciation rights to an individual
employee during any calendar year to 500,000 shares. The Stockholders are being
asked to approve this amendment.
A copy of the Omnibus Plan, as proposed to be amended, is attached to this
Proxy Statement as Exhibit B. Section 3 on page 2 of Exhibit B contains the
proposed modification in italics. As of February 22, 1994, the fair market
value of Sprint Common Stock was $37.25 and the number of such shares
authorized under the Omnibus Plan was 8,456,945.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL III. C.
IV. SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
(Item 3 on Proxy Card)
The Board of Directors of Sprint has voted to appoint Ernst & Young LLP as
independent auditors to examine the consolidated financial statements of Sprint
and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year 1994,1995, subject to approval of the
Stockholders at the Annual Meeting. Such subsidiaries include Centel
Corporation and its subsidiaries (Centel) as a result of the merger between
Sprint and Centel Corporation on March 9, 1993.
Ernst & Young has examined the financial statements of Sprint since 1965.
Representatives of Ernst & Young will be present at the Annual Meeting with the
opportunity to make a statement and to respond to appropriate questions. The
affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present and entitled to vote at
the 20
Annual Meeting is necessary for the approval of the appointment of Ernst &
Young as independent auditors. If the appointment of Ernst & Young is not
approved at the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors will consider the
selection of another accounting firm.
As a result of the merger with Centel, Arthur Andersen & Co.,LLP, which had been
Centel's auditors for many years, was dismissed; however, Ernst & Young relied
on the report of Arthur Andersen & Co. with respect to the 1992 and 1991 consolidated
financial statements of Centel in Ernst & Young's report on Sprint's
consolidated financial statements for each of the three years in the period
ended December 31, 1993,1994, as restated in 1993 to reflect the merger. Arthur
Andersen &
Co.'s reportsAndersen's report on Centel's consolidated financial statements for the 1992
and
1991 fiscal yearsyear did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor
werewas the reportsreport qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or
accounting principles. During 1992 or 1991 or in any subsequent interim period
preceding the dismissal of Arthur Andersen, & Co., there were no disagreements between
Centel and Arthur Andersen & Co. on any matters of accounting principles or practice,
financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure which, if not
resolved to the satisfaction of Arthur Andersen, & Co., would have caused Arthur
Andersen & Co. to make reference to the matter in their report.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL
OF THE APPOINTMENT.
V.18
IV. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
A. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL CONCERNING METHOD OF SELECTING
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
George R. Speight and Shirley J. Speight, Route 3, Box 376, Nashville, North
Carolina 27856, owners of more than 800 shares of Sprint Common Stock, have
given notice of their intention to introduce the following resolution at the
Annual Meeting:
RESOLVED, that the stockholders of Sprint Corporation ("Company") request
that the Board of Directors: (1) ask for competitive bids from firms that
may wish to serve as the independent auditor of Sprint, prior to its annual
appointment of an independent auditor; (2) consider whether there is
evidence that an applicant has failed to adhere to recognized standards of
ethical, legal or professional conduct in the past; and (3) disclose, in
the proxy statement that is submitted to stockholders prior to the Annual
meeting, the number of bids which were received, the names of the firms
which submitted bids, and the reasons for selecting the bid which is being
submitted to stockholders for approval.
STOCKHOLDER'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL A
Ernst & Young has been the independent auditor of Sprint since 1965, or
approximately 28 years.
On November 24, 1992, the New York Times reported that Ernst & Young "paid a
record $400 million to Federal regulators . . . to settle government claims
that it improperly audited federally insured banks and savings institutions
that later failed." The report added that, "According to the government's
description of the case . . . the firm worked as auditor and accountant to at
least 300 banks and savings institutions that ended up in receivership, costing
the Government's insurance agencies billions of dollars."
The New York Times report also stated that "The Government said the
accountants had repeatedly failed to adhere to generally accepted accounting
principles when auditing the books of the failed institutions." In a chart
accompanying the report, it was pointed out that Ernst & Young had previously
agreed to pay $41 million to government agencies in a different case that
involved savings and loan failures.
The approval of this proposal by shareholders will help ensure that the
Company is the subject of an audit of the highest integrity and independence,
which adheres strictly to generally accepted accounting principles, and which
also is cost effective.
21
THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL A
Each year the Board appoints, subject to formal ratification by the
Stockholders, Sprint's independent auditors for the ensuing year. One of the
principal responsibilities of the Board's Audit Committee is to recommend this
appointment. In making its recommendation, the Audit Committee attempts to
secure the best possible auditing services at competitive costs. The members of
the Audit Committee are officers and/or directors of other corporations which
employ major accounting firms. The committee is familiar with the various
accounting firms and is well qualified to make judgments concerning the
selection of Sprint's auditors.
There are several reasons why the Audit Committee has concluded that the
current auditors are the best auditors to engage for the ensuing year. Sprint's
current auditors, Ernst & Young, have broad experience with issues confronting
Sprint and the telecommunications industry and the Board believes their
expertise and commitment to providing quality professional services has
benefited, and will continue to benefit, Sprint and its Stockholders.
Furthermore, the time and effort required for a new accounting firm to acquaint
itself with Sprint's operations, systems and personnel would involve
substantial additional costs for Sprint and would require Sprint's employees to
devote a significant amount of time educating a new firm. For these and other
reasons Sprint, like many other companies, has benefited from a long-term
association with its independent auditors. Because the Audit Committee has
concluded Ernst & Young is providing competent auditing services at a
competitive cost, it would be a waste of corporate time and resources and,
therefore, not in the best interests of the Stockholders, to solicit
competitive bids.
In their statement in support of the proposal, the proponents make reference
to Ernst & Young's settlement with government regulators. This settlement,
however, is wholly unrelated to Ernst & Young's services to Sprint. The
proponents goRETIREMENT PLAN FOR OUTSIDE DIRECTORS
(Item 4 on to state that the proposal will "help ensure that the Company
is the subject of an audit of the highest integrity and independence . . . ",
thereby suggesting that Sprint's current audits do not meet these standards.
The Board believes that Sprint's audits already meet these standards and that
the settlement is no reflection on the quality of the services Sprint receives
from Ernst & Young.
For these reasons the Board recommends a vote against the proposal.
ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE
AGAINST PROPOSAL V. A.
B. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL CONCERNING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Jasper Gurganus, 201 Knight Place, Jacksonville, North Carolina 28546,
beneficial owner of more than 120 shares of Sprint Common Stock, has given
notice of his intention to introduce the following resolution at the Annual
Meeting:
RESOLVED, The shareholders of Sprint Corporation recommend that the Board
of Directors consider the following nonbinding proposal: With respect to
future compensation of active executive officers of Sprint, the Sprint
shareholders recommend that the Board of Directors voluntarily take
whatever steps it deems necessary and proper to implement a plan which
would limit the total annual cash compensation (salary plus bonuses awarded
under the Executive Incentive Plan) of Sprint executive officers so that
this compensation will not be increased by an amount greater than the
average percentage pay increase granted to Sprint employees annually.
STOCKHOLDER'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL B
In recent years, there has been widespread public debate concerning executive
compensation policies and practices. Often this debate has focused on what is
perceived by many to be excessive salaries, bonuses and incentives granted to
senior executive officers. Many have observed that senior executives in America
are compensated at a much higher rate than their counterparts in Japan and
Germany. The issue of executive compensation is particularly relevant during
the recent recession which has resulted in layoffs to many American workers,
both managerial and nonmanagerial alike.
22
This proposal recommends that the Board of Directors implement a plan to
limit annual executive compensation so that this compensation increases no more
than the average annual pay increase granted to other Sprint employees. This
proposal is intended to assure shareholders and employees that Sprint's hard
earned profits will be used for research and development, equipment
modernization and other endeavors which build a stronger, more competitive
corporation. Furthermore, this proposal could establish Sprint as a leader in
creatively addressing the issue of executive compensation, thereby enhancing
its corporate image.
If you agree, please mark your proxy FOR this proposal.
THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL B
The Board believes the interests of Sprint and its Stockholders are best
served by the current executive compensation program and that the arbitrary
limit proposed by the proponent, which focuses on annual increases in
executives' cash compensation, is inappropriate.
A key principle of Sprint's executive compensation program is that
compensation should link pay to corporate performance by emphasizing "at risk"
incentives which pay bonuses based on how the executive has performed in
building long-term Stockholder value. This principle is pursued by tying
incentive compensation to objective financial measures, including the price of
Sprint Common Stock. When these incentives are tied to financial objectives,
executives earn larger payouts when Sprint's performance is good and smaller
payouts when Sprint experiences below par performance. Historically this has
led to fluctuation in executives' cash compensation. For example, certain
Sprint executives saw their total annual compensation (as defined by the
proponent) decrease from 1990 to 1991 by as much as 22% and increase from 1991
to 1992 by as much as 17%.
If a significant portion of an executive's compensation consists of "at risk"
incentives, inevitably there will be years when the average pay increase for
all Sprint employees will exceed that of the executives (who may actually take
a pay cut) and years when the increase to executives exceeds the average
increase for all Sprint employees. The Board believes, however, that Sprint's
compensation philosophy, which links pay to performance, is appropriate because
it is the best way to build Stockholder value. The proposal is inconsistent
with this philosophy.
ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE
AGAINST PROPOSAL V. B.
C. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL CONCERNING FACILITIES CLOSURE
AND RELOCATION OF WORK COMMITTEE
Gerald E. Day and Janet E. Day, 331 N.E. 950, Calhoun, Missouri 65323, owners
of more than 1,700 shares of Sprint Common Stock, have given notice of their
intention to introduce the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:
BE IT RESOLVED: That the shareholders request that the Board of Directors
of the Sprint Corporation: (1) establish a Facilities Closure and
Relocation of Work Committee composed of four outside board members, two
representatives of employees and two representatives of communities that
have been affected by closures of facilities or relocations of work; (2)
choose the non-Board members from a list of nominees to be submitted by the
collective bargaining representatives of the employees; and (3) give the
Committee the task of weighing decisions on the closure of facilities and
the movement of work, including decisions that have been made during the
past three years and decisions that will be made in the future, for the
purpose of providing advice and information to the Board with respect to
the impact of such decisions on the morale of the workforce, the
communities in which the facilities of the Corporation are located, and the
good will or loyalty of customers, so that the Board may evaluate
management's performance in anticipating and minimizing such impacts.
STOCKHOLDER'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL C
Corporate decisions concerning the closure of facilities and the relocation
of work involve significant economic and other considerations that are
attendant to such decisions in general, including the impact of
23
such decisions on the morale of the workforce, the communities in which the
facilities of the Corporation are located and the good will or loyalty of
customers. For example, one issue that arises in connection with such decisions
is how affected employees should be informed.
In August and October of 1991, management personnel told the Richmond
operating center employees that there was no need to close that center or
layoff employees. Yet, on November 21, 1991, the Corporation informed 270
customer agents that their operating center in Richmond would be closed in
February of 1992.
In its 1993 proxy statement, Sprint responded to a virtually identical
proposal, and the information concerning the Richmond closing, by declaring
that "Sprint works with the community and employees to implement . . .
[decisions to close] as fairly, compassionately and rationally as possible."
The proxy statement added, "Sprint endeavors to notify employees well in
advance of a facility closure or relocation."
Despite those reassuring statements, Sprint mishandled an announcement, on
August 27, 1993, that it was closing an operator services center in
Indianapolis. A total of 1,100 jobs have been, or are about to be eliminated,
including 190 at Indianapolis.
According to one employee, who described the Indianapolis announcement, "We
heard rumors about closing but management would always say "To our knowledge it
won't close.' " When the closing was announced, "Some were pulled off the
phones and told to log out. . . . Some people were shocked real bad . . . when
one started crying others couldn't hold back and they started crying. . . ."
The Corporation can ill afford repeated treatment of employees in such an
insensitive manner. For a corporation that provides a service to the public,
where the employee is the interface between the public and the Corporation, the
repercussions may be severe.
THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL C
The Board understands and is very aware of the concerns raised by the
proponents. Sprint strives to be a good corporate citizen in the communities
across the nation where employees have lived and worked over the years and in
the many communities where new facilities have recently opened. The proposal
suggests, incorrectly in our view, that a formal committee would provide
information and insight concerning plant closing, employee relocation or
downsizing that is not already available.
In recent years, technological advances and competition in the
telecommunications industry have required significant changes in facilities and
relocation of workers and equipment. Prior to any decision to close or relocate
a facility, the feasibility of modernizing existing facilities or moving to a
new facility within the community or within commuting distance is considered.
However, rapid developments in technology and competition often require more
fundamental changes for Sprint to maintain high quality service at competitive
cost. When thorough analysis indicates it is necessary to close a facility,
Sprint works with the community and employees to implement the decision as
fairly, compassionately and rationally as possible. These decisions are
extremely difficult to make and any facility closure is likely to be painful
for the employees and communities involved, even when handled with utmost
fairness and compassion.
The Board disagrees with the proponent's statement that Sprint treated its
employees in an insensitive manner during the closing of the Indianapolis
operator service center. Sprint notified the employees as soon as possible
after the decision to close the center was made and well in advance of the
closure. The Indianapolis operator center closed in January of 1994, nearly
five months after the announcement. In addition, Sprint took steps to assist
the affected employees in finding other employment. Sprint contacted 25 local
employers, along with state and local agencies, to identify potential
employment opportunities. A total of 27 organizations responded with
descriptions of current job opportunities. The agents at the Indianapolis
center had the opportunity to relocate to other regional operator service
centers within Sprint and received financial assistance to defray the cost of
relocating. In addition, Sprint provided severance benefits and on-site
outplacement training.
For these reasons the Board believes this proposal is unnecessary and not in
the interests of Sprint or the Stockholders.
24
ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE
AGAINST PROPOSAL V. C.
D. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL VOTINGProxy Card)
The National Electrical Benefit Fund, 1125 15th Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20005, beneficial owners of more than 70,000 shares of Sprint Common
Stock, has given notice of its intention to introduce the following resolution
at the Annual Meeting:
BE IT RESOLVED: That the stockholdersshareholders of the Sprint Corporation
("Corporation"Company") recommend that our board of directors take the necessary
steps to adopt and implement a policy of confidential voting at all
meetings of its stockholders which includes the following provisions:
1.request that
the votingBoard of all proxies, consents and authorizations be
secret, and that noDirectors in the future refrain from providing pension or
other retirement benefits to non-employee or outside Directors unless such
document shall be available for examination
nor shall the vote or identity of any shareholder be disclosed exceptbenefits are specifically submitted to the extent necessary to meet the legal requirements, if any, of the
Corporation's state of incorporation; and
2. that the receipt, certification and tabulation of such votes shall
be performed by independent election inspectors.shareholders for approval.
STOCKHOLDER'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL D
It isA
The Board of Directors should play a vital and independent role in helping to
determine overall corporate policy and strategic direction. They should
actively monitor senior management in faithfully implementing these policies.
In their capacity on the proponents' belief that it is vitally important that a system of
confidential proxy voting be established atBoard, Directors owe their fundamental allegiance to
the Corporation. Confidential
balloting is a basic tenet of our political electoral process ensuring its
integrity. The integrity of corporate board elections should also be protected
against potential abuses given the importance of corporate policies and
practices to corporate owners and our national economy.
The implementation of a confidential voting system would enhance shareholder
rights in several ways. First, in protecting the confidentialityshareholders of the corporate ballot, shareholders would feel freecorporation--the owners who elect them, and not to
oppose management nominees
and issue positions without fearmanagement.
We believe, however, that certain business or financial relationships can
adversely affect the ability of retribution.Directors to function in their appropriate
oversight role. This is especially importantcritical for professional money managers whose business relationships can be jeopardized
by their voting positions.
A second importantso-called outside or
independent Directors who are not employee/Directors and who should bring a
certain arms-length objectivity to Board deliberations. According to the
Company's most recent proxy statement, in 1982 the Company established a
retirement or pension plan for non-employee Directors with at least five years
of service who will receive a monthly retirement benefit of confidential voting would befor ten years equal to
invigorate the corporate governance processannual Board retainer in effect at the Corporation.time of the Director's retirement
from the Board. That retainer is now a generous $20,000. Directors are also
entitled to expense reimbursements.
While non-employee or outside Directors should be entitled to reasonable
compensation for their time and expertise, we are of the opinion that
additional layers of compensation in the form of retirement benefits, which are
100 percent of the Director's base compensation, has the pernicious effect of
compromising their independence and impartiality. It is our view that such
generous and unnecessary extra compensation for outside Directors of the
Company is management's way to insure their unquestioning loyalty and
acquiescence to whatever policy management initiates. Accordingly, when viewed
from this perspective, these types of retirement benefits become yet another
device to enhance and entrench management's control over corporate policy while
being accountable only to themselves, and not to the company's owners. We
believe that shareholder
activism would be promoted withinthis additional layer of compensation to Directors may influence
their ability to exercise that degree of independence from management which is
critical to the Corporation. It isproper functioning of the Board.
Because of our belief that
shareholders empowered withstrong concern for maximizing the ability of Boards of
Directors to act in a free and protected vote would be more active in
the proposing of corporate policy resolutions and alternate board candidates.
Finally, it is our beliefshareholder's interest, we feel that the enhancementlong-term best
interests of the proxy voting process
would change the system where too often shareholders vote "withCompany are not well-served by such retirement policies. The
vast preponderance of Directors at various corporations are undoubtedly covered
by generous retirement policies at their feet,"principal place of employment, and
they need not with their ballots. This change would help to develop a long-term
investment perspective where corporate assets could be deployed, and used in a
more effective and efficient manner.
Confidential voting is gaining popularity. By 1993, 94 major U.S. publicly-
traded companies had adopted confidential proxy voting procedures"double-dipping" at this Company or any others.
We urge your support for corporate
elections, up from 74 in 1992. The list of Fortune 500 companies with
confidential voting includes AT&T, American Express, American Home Products,
American Brands, Amoco, Avon Products, Bear Sterns, Boeing, CitiCorp, Coca-
Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, DuPont, Eastman Kodak, Exxon, General Electric,
General Mills, General Motors, Gillette, Honeywell, IBM, Lockheed, Mobil, J. P.
Morgan, Phillips Petroleum, Rockwell International, Sara Lee, US West, Xerox,
Westinghouse Electric Inc., 3M, and many others. It is time for our Corporation
to do the same.
For the reasons outlined above, we urge you to VOTE FOR THIS PROPOSAL.this Proposal.
THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL D
The concept of confidential voting by Stockholders may seem to have appeal
because ballots are cast in secret in the political electoral process. However,
there are important distinctions between the political electoral process and
the corporate voting process. In the political process, representatives are
elected by
25
secret ballot, but these representatives vote by open ballot so that their vote
may be determined and understood. In the corporate voting process, many of
those voting are managers of pension and mutual funds who are acting in a
representative capacity for the individuals whose money they manage. As
representatives, their vote should be open and understood, not anonymous and
unexplained.A
The Board believes that the best interests of Sprint and thoseits Stockholders are
served by continuing to provide a retirement plan for Outside Directors.
Therefore, we are recommending a vote against the proposal.
19
To remain competitive, Sprint must attract and retain individuals to serve as
Outside Directors who solicit proxies on its behalf,
should continueare recognized for their leadership, knowledge,
experience and ability. To this end, Sprint provides a compensation package
competitive with that offered by other major corporations and which recognizes
the increasing time commitment, diligence, and risks associated with Board
service. The compensation package for outside directors of most large companies
includes retirement benefits. According to havea 1994 study of 220 major
corporations by Executive Compensation Reports, an independent research
organization, 82% of companies similar in size to Sprint provide retirement
plans to their non-employee directors. Sprint believes that it would be placed
at a competitive disadvantage if it were to refrain in the opportunityfuture from
providing retirement benefits for Outside Directors as requested under the
proposal.
Sprint, like most other companies, has found retirement plans to contact Stockholdersbe a
reasonable and appropriate part of an overall compensation package for several
reasons including assuring presence ofOutside
Directors. Under Sprint's plan, an Outside Director earns retirement benefits
by serving Sprint as a quorumDirector for at Stockholder meetings and
correction of errors or deficiencies on proxy cards.least five years. In addition, many
Stockholders express their opinions and views to Sprint by writing comments on
their proxy cards. The Board believes it is desirable to maintain this dialogue
through the
open voting process.
The Board believes this proposal is unnecessary because any Stockholder who
wishes to cast a confidential vote may do soretirement benefit under the current voting system
simply by registering his or her shares inplan is proportionate to the namelength of the
Director's service to Sprint. Benefits are paid for the number of years the
Director has served up to a bank, broker or other
nominee. Because nominee holders do not disclosemaximum of ten years. These features of the identity of beneficial
owners without specific permission, privacyplan
encourage Directors to remain with Sprint for greater continuity and stability
within the Board. At the same time, the plan is already guaranteed. For
employees who own shares through Sprint's savings plansreasonable and consistent with
industry standards and cannot register
their shares in nominee name, Sprint has provided for themfairly be said to give confidential
voting instructions tocompromise the plans' independent trustee.
The proposal as it relates to receipt, certificationindependence and
tabulationobjectivity of votes
to be performed by independent election inspectors is unnecessary because
Sprint has used independent, nonemployee inspectors of election and tabulators
for several years and will continue to do so.
Finally, the proponent states "that shareholders empowered with a free and
protected vote would be more active in the proposing of corporate policy
resolutions . . ." The Board disagrees. When a Stockholder makes a proposal,
such as the Stockholder proposals made in this Proxy Statement, Sprint is
required under federal law to reveal his or her identity. It is unclear how
Stockholders, who cannot propose corporate policy resolutions anonymously,
would be more active in proposing such resolutions with a confidential voting
policy.Outside Directors.
ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE
AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
B. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A STOCKHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(Item 5 on Proxy Card)
Ann Bohlander, 415 West Madison, Decatur, Indiana 46733, owner of 116 shares
of Sprint Common Stock, has given notice of her intention to introduce the
following resolution at the Annual Meeting. In addition, she has indicated her
intention to present an amended proposal at the Annual Meeting. This amended
proposal was not timely submitted to Sprint and is therefore not set forth in
this Proxy Statement. If the amended proposal, as described in correspondence
received on behalf of Ms. Bohlander, is presented at the Annual Meeting, Sprint
intends to use the discretionary authority conferred under the accompanying
proxy to vote against the amended proposal pursuant to Rule 14a-4(c)(4) of the
SEC proxy rules.
Resolved: That the following by-law be adopted:
Article III, Section 10. The Corporation shall have a Stockholder
Advisory Committee consisting of at least three members, who shall agree to
review the management of the business and affairs of the corporation by the
Board of Directors, and advise the Board of their views, and whose first
subject for consideration shall be whether the Corporation has adopted and
effectively administered a compliance program that is adequate to prevent,
detect and respond to violations of law, and of administrative rules or
regulations. Following each annual meeting, each beneficial owner of five
per cent or more of a class of the Corporation's stock, and each collective
bargaining representative of the Corporation's employees, shall have the
right, but not the obligation, to appoint one stockholder to the Committee
to serve until the date of the next annual meeting, provided that each
appointee shall qualify for service by filing a written acceptance with the
Secretary, in which the appointee agrees to serve without expense to the
Corporation, unless the Board decides to authorize payments for expenses
that the Committee may incur.
STOCKHOLDER'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL B
The proposed by-law would permit stockholders to provide advice and
information to the Board on a broad range of issues. The first subject for
consideration would focus on legal compliance, because Sprint and its
management have recently been made the subject of certain lawsuits and
administrative charges.
20
In 1993, Sprint agreed to a $29 million settlement of a class action against
Sprint and certain of its officers and directors, which had alleged violations
of the federal securities laws.
On September 22, 1994, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed an
administrative proceeding against Sprint as a result of the Corporation's
closing of its La Conexion Familiar subsidiary in San Francisco, alleging "over
50 separate incidents of employer conduct [that it] deemed violative of . . .
the [National Labor Relations Act], which prohibits interference with employees
in their exercise of their rights to engage in union activity."
In connection with a related federal court action, the NLRB asserted that
Carl Doerr, Sprint Vice President for Employee/Labor Relations, Fair Employment
Practices, had submitted "fabricated evidence" to the NLRB during its
investigation and "was required to resign" by Sprint.
On October 23, 1994, the Rocky Mountain News reported that one employee had
recently filed a lawsuit against Sprint claiming that his dismissal was
racially motivated, that another employee had filed a lawsuit alleging
unsolicited sexual advances, and that two other female employees had filed
complaints alleging racial and gender discrimination.
These cases, and others which space does not allow to be mentioned, have
already resulted in negative publicity for Sprint, as well as substantial
litigation and settlement costs. While the pending charges may prove to be
unfounded, it would be prudent to establish the proposed Committee to determine
whether management has established an effective legal compliance program and,
if not, what remedial action is needed.
THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL B
The Board of Directors believes that the proposed Stockholder Advisory
Committee is unnecessary and will not be truly representative of Sprint's
Stockholders.
The proponent states that the committee would review the actions taken by
management in connection with legal compliance programs. While the Board of
Directors values the advice and opinions of Stockholders, it is the right and
duty of the Directors, as fiduciaries elected to represent the Stockholders, to
manage the company's business and affairs. In fact, the Board of Directors has
recently undertaken the kind of review suggested in this proposal. The Board
established an Ethics Committee, composed of members of the Board. The Ethics
Committee examined Sprint's compliance program and recommended various
measures, all of which have been fully implemented. The efforts of this
Committee and the results of its studies were reported to the Stockholders in
Sprint's Third Quarter Report in 1992. On a continuing basis, one of the
principal duties of the Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee of
Sprint's Board of Directors is to review periodically the effectiveness of the
ethical and legal compliance program.
Sprint also has a uniform ethics policy which is printed and distributed to
all employees. Ethics seminars have been held to discuss the policy and respond
to employees' questions. A Chief Ethics Officer oversees compliance company-
wide, and several employees work in the administration of the program. An 800-
number Ethics Hotline (with caller identity protected) is available 24 hours a
day to assist employees who report or seek help with potential ethics issues.
Additionally, Sprint has similar programs specifically designed to address
discrimination and sexual harassment issues. An internal dispute resolution
system affords many employees an opportunity to choose between a peer panel or
an executive panel to hear issues relating to fair treatment.
The proponent has pointed out that the allegations she cites may prove to be
unfounded. Companies as large as Sprint--even with the best of policies and
compliance efforts--are likely to receive some complaints from employees. At
Sprint, ethical and fairness issues raised by employees are given careful
consideration. If Sprint identifies a problem through any of its established
programs or otherwise, it takes prompt remedial action. On the other hand, if
complaints are unfounded, Sprint defends its position. Sprint is seriously
committed to implementing and enforcing its Code of Ethics and to ensuring fair
and consistent treatment of all employees in accordance with the law.
21
Even if the Shareholder Advisory Committee were necessary, the proposed
procedures for appointing members to the committee will not permit Sprint's
Stockholders to be truly represented. Because there are no beneficial owners of
5% of Sprint's common stock, the proposal would not allow a single holder of
the more than 347 million shares of Sprint's Common Stock, representing more
than 99.5% of the stock of the company, to appoint a member to the committee.
The proposal does specify that organized labor unions, which represent only
approximately 25% of the more than 51,000 employees of Sprint, will have the
right to make appointments to the committee.
For these reasons the Board recommends a vote against the proposal.
ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE
AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
V. D.
VI. OTHER MATTERS TO COME BEFORE THE MEETING
No other matters are intended to be brought before the meeting by Sprint nor
does Sprint know of any matters to be brought before the meeting by others. If,
however, any other matters properly come before the meeting, the persons named
in the proxy will vote the shares represented thereby in accordance with the
judgment of management on any such matter.
By order of the Board of Directors
Don A. Jensen
Vice President and
Secretary
March 10, 199414, 1995
A COPY OF SPRINT'S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K, AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1993,1994 WILL BE SENT TO
STOCKHOLDERS UPON REQUEST WITHOUT CHARGE. REQUESTS SHOULD BE SENT TO INVESTOR
RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 11315, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64112.
2622
EXHIBIT A
1988 EMPLOYEESMANAGEMENT INCENTIVE STOCK PURCHASEOPTION PLAN
AMENDED AND RESTATED
FOR 1994 AND SUBSEQUENT OFFERINGS
1. PURPOSEEstablishment and Purpose. Sprint Corporation, a Kansas corporation (the
"Company"), hereby establishes a stock option plan to be named the Management
Incentive Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The purpose of this Employees Stock Purchasethe Plan (the "Plan") is to encourage and enable eligiblepermit
employees of Sprint Corporation ("Sprint")the Company and its subsidiaries who are eligible to acquire proprietary interestsreceive
annual incentive compensation to receive nonqualified stock options in Sprint throughlieu of
a portion of the ownership of Common Stock in ordertarget incentive under the Company's management incentive
plans ("MIPs"), thereby encouraging the employees to establish a closer identification of
their interests with those of Sprint by providing them with another and more
direct means of participating in itsfocus on the growth and
earnings which,profitability of the Company and the performance of its common stock. Subject
to approval of the Company's stockholders, the Plan provides for options to be
granted beginning March 15, 1995, and ending April 18, 2005. Stock options
granted prior to or as of April 18, 2005, may extend beyond that date.
2. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Organization and
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee"). The Company
shall grant options under the Plan in turn, will
provide motivationaccordance with determinations made by
the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Committee from time
to time may adopt (and thereafter amend and rescind) such rules and regulations
for participating employees to remaincarrying out the Plan and take such action in the employadministration of and
to give greater effort on behalf of Sprint. It is the intention of Sprint that the
Plan, qualify as an "employee stock purchase plan" under Section 423 ofnot inconsistent with the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The provisions of the Plan, as it shall accordingly, be construed so asdeem
proper. The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile
any inconsistency in the Plan, or in any option or restricted shares of common
stock granted or issued pursuant to extendthe Plan, in the manner and limit participation
in a manner consistent with the requirements of that Section of the Code.
2. DEFINITIONS
The following words or terms, when used herein, shall have the following
respective meanings:
(a) "Annual Pay" shall mean and refer to annual basic rate of pay
determined as of the date on which eligibility is determined under
Section 2(g) hereof, excluding payments for overtime, shift premium,
commissions, incentive compensation, bonuses and other special payments
except to the extent
thatit shall deem desirable to effect the inclusionterms of the Plan. The interpretation and
construction of any such item is
specifically approvedprovisions of the Plan by the Committee.
(b) "Average Market Price"Committee shall, mean and refer to the mean of the high and
low prices for Sprint shares for composite transactions as published by
major newspapers.
(c) "Committee" shall mean and refer to the committee appointedunless
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of Sprint to administer this Plan.
(d) "Date of Grant" shall mean the date on which Options shall be deemed
granted, which shall be the first day of the Subscription Period.
(e) "Date of Exercise" shall mean the date on which Options shall be deemed
exercised, which shall be the last day of the Purchase Period, or such
other date as specified in this Plan.
(f) "Election to Purchase Shares" shall mean a statement signed by an
Eligible Employee on a form provided by Sprint indicating the number of
shares the employee elects to purchase and authorizing a payroll
deduction for the purchase of shares.
(g) "Eligible Employee" or "Employee" shall mean and refer to all persons
regularly employed by a participating subsidiary of Sprint five
business days prior to the Date of Grant of Options; provided, however,
persons whose customary employment is for less than twenty hours per
week or for not more than five months in any calendar year shall not be
an "Employee" or an "Eligible Employee" as those terms are used herein;
and provided further that the Committee may determine, as to any
offering of Common Stock made under this Plan, that the offer will not
be extended to highly compensated employees (within the meaning of
Section 414(q) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
(h) "Local Plan Administrator" shall mean and refer to the person
designated by the employer company to assist the company's Employees in
Plan matters.
(i) "Option" or "Options" shall mean and refer to the right or rights
granted to Eligible Employees to purchase Sprint's Common Stock under
an offering made under this Plan.
(j) "Plan" shall mean and refer to this 1988 Employees Stock Purchase Plan,
as amended.
Exhibit A-Page 1
(k) "Purchase Period" shall mean and refer to the 24-month period from July
1 of the year in which an offering commences through the last business
day of June two years thereafter relating to the payroll deductions for
payment for stock purchased under the offering.
(l) "Shares", "Stock" or "Common Stock" shall mean and refer to shares of
$2.50 par value common stock of Sprint.
(m) "Subscription Period" shall mean and refer to that period of time from
the first business day through the last business day of June at the
beginning of any offering of stock under this Plan. Elections to
Purchase Shares must be received prior to the end of the Subscription
Period, as provided in Paragraph 6(a).
(n) "Sprint" shall mean and refer to Sprint Corporation and its
subsidiaries collectively.
3. NUMBER OF SHARES UNDER THE PLAN
A total of 16,000,000 Shares of Sprint's Common Stock may be sold to Eligible
Employees under this Plan. These may be new issue Shares or may be Shares
purchased for the Plan on the open market or from private sources, at the
option of Sprint. Such Shares may be sold pursuant to one or more offerings
under the Plan. With respect to each offering, the Board of Directors will
specify the Sprint companies participating in the offering, the number of
Shares to be made available, the interest rate on payments withheld for
offerings subsequent to the 1988 offering, and such other terms and conditions
not inconsistent with this Plan as may be necessary or appropriate.
In the event of a subdivision or combination of Sprint's Shares, the maximum
number of Shares which may thereafter be sold under the Plan and the number of
Shares under Elections to Purchase Shares at the time of such subdivision or
combination will be proportionately increased or decreased, the terms relating
to the price at which Shares under Elections to Purchase Shares will be sold
will be appropriately adjusted, and such other action will be taken as in the
opinion of the Board of Directors of Sprint is appropriate under the
circumstances. In the case of reclassification or other changes in Sprint's
Shares, the Board of Directors will make appropriate adjustments.
4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
This Plan shall be administered by a Committee appointed by the Board of
Directors, consisting of three or more members of the Board who are not
eligible to participate in this Plan and one of whom shall be designated as
Chairman of the Committee. The Committee is vested with full authority to make,
administer and interpret such equitable rules and regulations regarding this
Plan as it may deem advisable. Its determinations as to the interpretation and
operation of this Plan shallCompany, be final and
conclusive. The Committee may act by a majority vote at a regular or special meetingNo member of
the Committee or by decision reduced to writing and signed by a majority of the
Committee without holding a formal meeting.
Vacancies in the membership of the Committee arising from death, resignation
or other inability to serve shall be filled by appointment by the Board of
Directors.
To aid in administering the Plan, the Board of Directors or the Committee shall appoint abe
liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the
Plan or any option granted under it. The Corporate Secretary shall act as Plan
Administrator and the Committee shall allocate to him
certain limited responsibilities to carrycarrying out the directives of the Committee
in all phases of theday-to-day administration of the Plan.
SprintPlan unless the
Committee appoints another officer or employee of the Company as Plan
Administrator.
3. Eligibility. The Committee will pay all expenses incidentdetermine each year whether options will
be granted in such year, whether participation will be elective or automatic
and the amount of incentive compensation to establishing and administering the
Plan and purchasing or issuing Shares.
Exhibit A-Page 2
5. NUMBER OF SHARES WHICH MAY BE PURCHASED
Each Eligible Employee may elect to purchase one full Sharebe given up for each full
$50.00stock option.
Any salaried employee of Annual Paythe Company and its subsidiaries shall be eligible to
be selected for participation in the MIPs. The Committee will, in its
discretion, determine the employees who participate in the MIPs and, therefore,
who will be eligible for options, the dates on which options shall be granted,
an Option to purchaseand any conditions on the numberexercise of Shares so elected, which Option shall be deemed tothe options.
No option may be granted onto any individual who immediately after the first day
of the Subscription Period; provided, however, that no such Employee shall be
granted an Option to purchaseoption
grant owns directly or indirectly stock possessing more than 2,000 Shares pursuant to any one
offering made under this Plan; provided, further, that no Employee shall be
granted an Option to purchase Shares under this Plan if such Employee,
immediately after such Option is granted, owns or holds Options to purchase
stock possessing five percent or more(5%)
of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of Sprint or of any of its subsidiaries;
provided, further, no Employee may be granted an Option to purchase Shares
which permits his rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase
plans of Sprint to accrue at a rate which exceeds in any one calendar year
$25,000 of the fair market value of the stock determined as of the date the
Option to purchase is granted. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan,
no Employee will be granted an Option for fewer than ten (10) shares.
An Employee may elect to purchase less than the total number of Shares which
he is entitled to elect to purchase. In the event the total number of Shares
included in all Elections to Purchase Shares under any offering of Shares made
under this Plan exceeds the number of Shares offered, Sprint reserves the right
to reduce the number of Shares which Employees may purchase pursuant to their
Elections to Purchase Shares, to allot the Shares available in such manner as
it shall determine and to grant Options to purchase only for such reduced
number of Shares.
All Shares included in any offering under this Plan in excess of the total
number of Shares which all Eligible Employees elect to purchase and all Shares
with respect to which Elections to Purchase Shares are canceled as provided in
Paragraph 12 shall be available for inclusion in any subsequent offering under
this Plan.
6. PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN; PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
(a) An Eligible Employee may become a participant by completing an Election
to Purchase Shares and filing it with the Administrator or the Local Plan
Administrator prior to the end of the Subscription Period. Notice that an
Employee has been granted an Option to purchase Shares and showing the number
of Shares included in the Option shall be delivered to each participating
Employee.
(b) Payroll deductions for a participant shall be made with respect to the
entire Purchase Period unless sooner terminated by a cancellation of Election
to Purchase Shares as provided in Paragraph 6(d), 12 or 14.
(c) Sums shall be withheld which when accumulated and credited with interest
as hereinafter provided will produce at the end of the Purchase Period an
amount at least equal to the Grant Date Price per Share as defined in Paragraph
7(a) multiplied by the number of Shares for which the Employee has an Option to
purchase. Such deductions shall be in uniform amounts in conformity with the
Employee's payroll deduction schedule. There shall be no right of prepayment.
(d) If for any reason it is not possible to make the appropriate payroll
deduction, the Employee may continue participation by making the necessary
payments to the Administrator or Local Plan Administrator on or before the date
the amount would have been withheld. If such payment is not made, the
Employee's Election to Purchase Shares shall be deemed canceled as of the last
business day of the latest month for which all scheduled payments were made.
Unless a written election to obtain Shares is made within thirty (30) days
after the due date of the missed payment, the Employee's only right will be to
receive in cash the total amount credited to his account. The last business day
of the month in which the election to obtain Shares is received by the
Administrator or Local Plan Administrator shall be deemed to be the Date of
Exercise. The purchase price of the Shares will be the lesser of the Grant Date
Price or the Exercise Date Price but will in no event be less than $12.00 per
Share as provided in Paragraph 7. If the Employee's account has a positive
balance after being reduced by the total purchase price for the Shares issued,
the Employee shall receive the balance in cash.
Exhibit A-Page 3
7. PURCHASE PRICE
The Option price per Share shall be the lower of: (a) 85% of the Average
Market Price on the Date of Grant ("Grant Date Price"); or (b) 85% of the
Average Market Price on the Date of Exercise ("Exercise Date Price"); provided,
further, the purchase price will in no event be less than $12.00 per Share.
8. INTEREST ON PAYMENTS
During the first offering under this Plan, interest at the rate of 7 1/2% per
annum compounded semiannually will be allowed on sums withheld from an
Employee's pay for purchase of Shares and credited to each Employee's stock
purchase account until the end of the Purchase Period or, in the event of
cancellation, until the last day of the month in which cancellation occurs. The
interest rate to be allowed in subsequent offerings shall be set by the Board
of Directors. For the purpose of computing allowable interest, installment
payments will be regarded as received as of the first day of the month in which
they are made.
9. RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDER
An Employee will not become a stockholder, and will have no rights as a
stockholder, with respect to Shares being purchased under this Plan until after
his Option is exercised. A certificate for the Shares purchased will be issued
as soon as practicable following the exercise of the Option.
10. RIGHTS TO PURCHASE SHARES NOT TRANSFERABLE
An Employee's Options may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in
any manner, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and
during the Employee's lifetime are exercisable only by him, or if applicable
law permits, by the guardian or representative of the Employee; provided,
however, that an Employee may, in the manner determined by the Administrator,
designate a beneficiary to exercise the Options upon the death of the Employee.
If this provision is violated, the right of the Employee to purchase Shares
shall terminate and the only right remaining to such Employee under the Plan
will be to have paid over to the person entitled thereto the amount then
credited to the Employee's account.
11. TRANSFER OF SHARES AND ACCOUNT BALANCE TO EMPLOYEE AFTER PURCHASE PERIOD
Unless an Election to Purchase Shares is canceled as provided in Paragraph
6(d), 12 or 14 prior to the end of the Purchase Period, the participant's
Option will be automatically exercised for him. The Shares will be issued in
the name of the Employee as it appears on the records maintained by the Plan
Administrator, or, if the Employee so directs by written notice delivered to
the Administrator or Local Plan Administrator prior to the end of the Purchase
Period, in the names of the participant and one such other person as may be
designated by the participant, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, to
the extent permitted by applicable law. The Employee's Option shall be deemed
to be exercised on the last day of the Purchase Period. If the Employee's
account has a positive balance after being reduced by the total purchase price
(determined pursuant to Paragraph 7) for the Shares issued, the Employee shall
receive the balance in cash.
12. CANCELLATION OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE SHARES
An Employee who has elected to purchase Shares may cancel his election as to
any or all of such Shares by written notice of cancellation delivered to the
Administrator or Local Plan Administrator, but any such notice of cancellation
must be so delivered prior to the end of the Purchase Period. If an Employee
cancels his election as to only a part of the Shares, he shall continue to make
the remaining required installment payments (if any) with respect to the number
of Shares for which his election is not canceled.
Exhibit A-Page 4
An Employee's rights with respect to the Shares for which his election is
canceled shall be limited to the following:
(a) he may receive in cash, as soon as practicable after delivery of the
notice of cancellation, the amount credited to his account with respect
to such canceled Shares (including interest to the effective date of
cancellation), or
(b) he may have the amount which is credited to his account with respect to
such canceled Shares at the time the cancellation becomes effective
(including interest) applied to the purchase of the number of Shares
such amount will then purchase, not exceeding, however, the number of
Shares for which his election is canceled, and receive the balance of
the account, if any, in cash.
If option (b) is elected, installment payments must be continued for the
month in which notice of cancellation is given. The cancellation will become
effective and the Option will be deemed exercised at the close of business on
the last business day of such month. The purchase price of the Shares will be
the lesser of the Grant Date Price or the Exercise Date Price but will in no
event be less than $12.00 per Share as provided in Paragraph 7.
13. TWENTY-SEVEN MONTH LIMITATION
In no event shall an Employee be permitted to complete payment for or to
exercise an Option to purchase Shares after twenty-seven months from the Date
of Grant.
14. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
If, before an Employee has completed payments, he ceases to be employed by
Sprint for any reason, his Election to Purchase Shares shall be deemed to have
been canceled as of the last business day of the month preceding the month in
which termination occurs. Unless an election to obtain Shares is made, the
Employee's only right will be to receive in cash the total amount credited to
his account; in the case of a deceased Employee a written election to obtain
Shares must be delivered to the Administrator or Local Plan Administrator by
the Employee's representative within six months of the date of death or within
27 months of Date of Grant, whichever is earlier; in all other cases the
election to obtain Shares must be so delivered within thirty (30) days after
the date of termination.
The last business day of the month in which the election to obtain Shares is
received by the Administrator or Local Plan Administrator shall be deemed to be
the Date of Exercise. The purchase price of the Shares will be the lesser of
the Grant Date Price or the Exercise Date Price but will in no event be less
than $12.00 per Share as provided in Paragraph 7. If the Employee's account has
a positive balance after being reduced by the total purchase price for the
Shares issued, the Employee shall receive the balance in cash.
15. APPLICATION OF FUNDS
All funds received by Sprint in payment for Shares purchased under this Plan
may be used for any valid corporate purpose.
16. COMMENCEMENT OF PLAN
This Plan shall commence on the first day of June, 1988.
17. GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS OR CONSENTS; AMENDMENTS OR TERMINATION
This Plan and any offering and sales to Employees under it are subject to any
governmental approvals or consents that may be or become applicable in
connection therewith. The Board of Directors of Sprint may terminate the Plan
or make such changes in the Plan and include such terms in any offering under
this Plan
Exhibit A-Page 5
as may be necessary or desirable, in the opinion of Counsel for Sprint, to
comply with the rules or regulations of any governmental authority, or to be
eligible for tax benefits under the Code or the laws of any state; or for any
other reason provided that no termination or amendment may adversely affect the
rights of any participant, nor may any amendment require the sale of more
Shares than are authorized without prior approval of the Shareholders.
18. NOTICES
All notices or other communications by a participant to Sprint under or in
connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received
in the form specified by Sprint at the location, or by the person, designated
for the receipt thereof.
Exhibit A-Page 6
EXHIBIT B
THE SPRINT LONG-TERM STOCK INCENTIVE PROGRAM
SECTION 1. PURPOSE. The purposes of the Sprint Long-Term Stock Incentive
Program (the "Plan") are to encourage directors of Sprint Corporation (the
"Company") and officers and selected key employees of the Company and its
Affiliates to acquire a proprietary and vested interest in the growth and
performance of the Company, to generate an increased incentive to contribute to
the Company's future success and prosperity, thus enhancing the value of the
Company for the benefit of stockholders, and to enhance the ability of the
Company and its Affiliates to attract and retain individuals of exceptional
talent upon whom, in large measure, the sustained progress, growth and
profitability of the Company depends.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:
(a) "Affiliate" shall mean (i) any Person that directly, or through one or
more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the
Company or (ii) any entity in which the Company has a
significant equity interest, as determined by the Committee.
(b) "Award" shall mean any Option,subsidiary.
4. Common Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted
Stock Award, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Dividend Equivalent,
Other Stock Unit Award, or any other right, interest, or option
relating to Shares granted pursuantSubject to the provisions of the Plan. (c) "Award Agreement" shall mean any written agreement, contract, or other
instrument or document evidencing any Award granted hereunder and
signed by both the Company and the Participant or by both the Company
and an Outside Director.
(d) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from
time to time.
(f) "Committee" shall mean the Organization and Compensation Committee of
the Board, composed of not less than three directors each of whom is a
Disinterested Person.
(g) "Company" shall mean Sprint Corporation.
(h) "Disinterested Person" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16b-
3(d)(3) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor
definition adopted by the Commission.
(i) "Dividend Equivalent" shall mean any right granted pursuant to Section
14(h) hereof.
(j) "Employee" shall mean any salaried employee of the Company or of any
Affiliate.
(k) "Fair Market Value" shall mean, with respect to any property, the
market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures
as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.
(l) "Incentive Stock Option" shall mean an Option granted under Section 6
hereof that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422A of the
Code or any successor provision thereto.
(m) "Nonstatutory Stock Option" shall mean an Option granted to a
Participant under Section 6 hereof, and an Option granted to an Outside
Director pursuant to Section 11 hereof, that is not intended to be an
Incentive Stock Option.
(n) "Option" shall mean any right granted to a Participant under the Plan
allowing such Participant to purchase Shares at such price or prices
and during such period or periods as the Committee shall determine.
"Option" shall also mean the right granted to an Outside Director under
Section 11 hereof allowing such Outside Director to purchaseThe shares of
the common stock of the Company on the terms set forth in Section 11.
(o) "Other Stock Unit Award" shall mean any right granted to a Participant
by the Committee pursuant to Section 10 hereof.
(p) "Outside Director" shall mean a member of the Board who is not an
Employee of the Company or of any Affiliate.
Exhibit B-Page 1
(q) "Participant" shall mean an Employee who is selected by the Committee
to receive an Award under the Plan.
(r) "Performance Award" shall mean any Award of Performance Shares or
Performance Units pursuant to Section 9 hereof.
(s) "Performance Period" shall mean that period established by the
Committee at the time any Performance Award is granted or at any time
thereafter during which any performance goals specified by the
Committee with respect to such Award are to be measured.
(t) "Performance Share" shall mean any grant pursuant to Section 9 hereof
of a unit valued by reference to a designated number of Shares, which
value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as
the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash,
Shares, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such
performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall
establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.
(u) "Performance Unit" shall mean any grant pursuant to Section 9 hereof of
a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of property other
than Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of
such property as the Committee shall determine, including, without
limitation, cash, Shares, or any combination thereof, upon achievement
of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the
Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.
(v) "Person" shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization,
or government or political subdivision thereof.
(w) "Restricted Stock" shall mean any Share issued with the restriction
that the holder may not sell, transfer, pledge, or assign such Share
and with such other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole
discretion, may impose (including, without limitation, any restriction
on the right to vote such Share, and the right to receive any cash
dividends), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination
at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee
may deem appropriate.
(x) "Restricted Stock Award" shall mean an award of Restricted Stock under
Section 8 hereof.
(y) "Senior Officer" shall mean any employee of the Company holding the
office of Vice President or higher.
(z) "Shares" shall mean shares of the common stock of the
Company, $2.50 par value, and such other securitiesto be issued upon the exercise of a nonqualified
option to purchase common stock granted in lieu of MIP payout may be made
available from the authorized but unissued common stock of the Company, asshares
of common stock held in the Committee
may from time to time determine.
(aa) "Stock Appreciation Right" shall mean any right granted to a
Participant pursuant to Section 7 hereof to receive, upon exercisetreasury, or common stock purchased on the open
market or otherwise.
Approval of the Plan by the Participant, the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of one Share
on the date of exercise or, if the Committee shall so determine in the
case of any such right other than one related to any Incentive Stock
Option, at any time during a specified period before the date of
exercise over (ii) the grant price of the right as specified by the
Committee, in its sole discretion, on the date of grant, which shall
not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on such date. Any
payment by the Company in respect of such right may be made in cash,
Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee,
in its sole discretion, shall determine.
(bb) "Stockholder Meeting" shall mean the annual meeting of stockholdersStockholders of the Company in each year.
SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATION. Theshall constitute
authorization to use such shares for the Plan shallsubject to the discretion of the
Board or as such discretion may be administered bydelegated to the Committee.
The Committee shall have full power and authority, subjectSubject to such orders or
resolutions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as may from time
to time be adopted by the Board, to: (i) select the Employees of the Company
and its Affiliates to whom Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder;
(ii) determine the type or types of Award to be granted to each Participant
hereunder; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award
granted hereunder; [provided,however, that Shares subject to Options and Stock
Appreciation Rights granted to any individual employee during any calendar year
shall not exceed a total of 500,000 Shares;] (iv) determine the terms and
conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, of any Award
granted
Exhibit B-Page 2
hereunder; (v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances
Awards may be settled in cash, Shares or other property or canceled or
suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances
cash, Shares and other property and other amounts payable with respect to an
Award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election
of the Participant; (vii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument
or agreement entered into under the Plan; (viii) establish such rules and
regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper
administration of the Plan; and (ix) make any other determination and take any
other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for administration
of the Plan. Decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding
upon all persons, including the Company, any Participant, any stockholder, and
any employee of the Company or of any Affiliate. Notwithstanding the above, the
Committee shall not have any discretion with respect to the Options granted to
Outside Directors pursuant to Section 11 hereof. A majority of the members of
the Committee may determine its actions and fix the time and place of its
meetings.
SECTION 4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(b),following paragraph, the total number of
Shares availableshares for grantwhich options may be granted under the Plan in each calendar year shall be three-
fifths of one percent (0.6%)0.9%
of the total outstanding Sharesshares of common stock of the Company as of the first
day of such year for which the Plan is in effect;year; provided, however, that such number shall be increased in any
year by the number of Sharesshares available for grant
hereunder in previous years butfor which options have
not covered by Awards granted hereunder in such
years;been granted. If and provided further, that no more than four million (4,000,000)* Shares
shall be cumulatively available for the grant of Incentive Stock Options under
the Plan. In addition, any Shares issued by the Company through the assumption
or substitution of outstanding grants fromwhen an acquired company shall not reduce
the shares available for grants under the Plan. Any Shares issued hereunder may
consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury
shares. If any Shares subject to any Award granted hereunder are forfeited or
such Award otherwise terminates without the issuance of such Shares or of other
consideration in lieu of such Shares, the Shares subject to such Award, to the
extent of any such forfeiture or termination, shall again be available for
grant under the Plan.
(b) In the event of any merger, reorganization, consolidation,
recapitalization, stock dividend, or other change in corporate structure
affecting the Shares, such adjustment shall be made in the aggregate number and
class of Shares which may be delivered under the Plan, in the number, class and
option price of Shares subject to outstanding Options granted under the Plan andis terminated
without having been exercised in full, the value of,unpurchased or number or class of Shares subjectforfeited shares
shall become available for grant to Awards granted
under the Plan as may be determined to be appropriate by the Committee, in its
sole discretion, provided that the number of Shares subject to any Award shall
always be a whole number, and provided further, that the number and price of
shares subject to outstanding Options granted to Outside Directors pursuant to
Section 11 hereof and theother employees.
Exhibit A-Page 1
The number of shares subject to future Options tothe Plan may be granted pursuant to Section 11 shall be subject to adjustment only as set forthappropriately adjusted by the
Committee in the circumstances outlined in Section 11.
SECTION5(k).
5. ELIGIBILITY. Any Employee (excluding any memberStock Options; Terms and Conditions. Each option will represent the right
to purchase a specific number of shares of common stock of the Committee)
shall be eligible to be selected as a Participant.
SECTION 6. STOCK OPTIONS. Options may be granted hereunder to Participants
either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Option
granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award
Agreement in such form as the Committee may from time to time approve. Any such
OptionCompany and
shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and to such additional
terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisionsterms of the Plan, as the
Committee shall deem desirable:
(a) Option Price. The purchase price per Share purchasable under an Optiona. Consideration for and Number of Options. Each option shall be determined by the Committeegranted
in its sole discretion; provided that such
purchase price shall not be less than the Fair Market Valuelieu of a portion of the Share on the
date of the grant of the Option.
(b) Option Period. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee in
its sole discretion; provided that no Incentive Stock Option shall be
exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date the Option is
granted.
Exhibit B-Page 3
(c) Exercisability. Options shall be exercisable at such time or times as
determined by the Committee at or subsequent to grant. Unless otherwise
determined by the Committee at or subsequent to grant, no Incentive Stock
Option shall be exercisable during the year ending on the day before the first
anniversary date of the granting of the Incentive Stock Option.
(d) Method of Exercise. Subject to the other provisions of the Plan and any
applicable Award Agreement, any Option may be exercised by the Participant in
whole or in part at such time or times, and the Participant may make payment of
the option price in such form or forms, including, without limitation, payment
by delivery ofoptionee's cash Shares or other consideration (including, where permitted
by law and the Committee, Awards) having a Fair Market Value on the exercise
date equal to the total option price, or by any combination of cash, Shares and
other consideration as the Committee may specify in the applicable Award
Agreement.
(e) Incentive Stock Options. In accordance with rules and procedures
established by the Committee, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of
the time of grant) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options
held by any Participant which are exercisable for the first time by such
Participant during any calendar yearpayout under the Plan (and under any other
benefit plans of the Company or of any parent or subsidiary corporation of the
Company)MIPs. The
Committee shall not exceed $100,000 or, if different, the maximum limitation in
effect at the time of grant under Section 422A of the Code, or any successor
provision, and any regulations promulgated thereunder. The terms of any
Incentive Stock Option granted hereunder shall comply in all respects with the
provisions of Section 422A of the Code, or any successor provision, and any
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(f) Form of Settlement. In its sole discretion, the Committee may provide, at
the time of grant, that the shares to be issued upon an Option's exercise shall
be in the form of Restricted Stock or other similar securities, or may reserve
the right so to provide after the time of grant.
SECTION 7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. Stock Appreciation Rights may be
granted hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards
granted under the Plan and may, but need not, relate to a specific Option
granted under Section 6. The provisions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not
be the same with respect to each recipient. Any Stock Appreciation Right
related to a Nonstatutory Stock Option may be granted at the same time such
Option is granted or at any time thereafter before exercise or expiration of
such Option. Any Stock Appreciation Right related to an Incentive Stock Option
must be granted at the same time such Option is granted. In the case of any
Stock Appreciation Right related to any Option, the Stock Appreciation Right or
applicable portion thereof shall terminate and no longer be exercisable upon
the termination or exercise of the related Option, except that a Stock
Appreciation Right granted with respect to less than the full number of Shares
covered by a related Option shall not be reduced until the exercise or
termination of the related Option exceedsdetermine the number of shares not covered byor the Stock Appreciation Right. Any Option related to any Stock Appreciation
Right shall no longer be exercisablemanner of calculating
the number of shares available for each option each year, subject to the
extent the related Stock
Appreciation Right has been exercised. The Committee may impose such conditions
or restrictions on the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right as it shall
deem appropriate.
SECTION 8. RESTRICTED STOCK.
(a) Issuance. Restricted Stock Awards may be issued hereunder to
Participants, for no cash consideration or for such minimum consideration as
may be required by applicable law, either alone or in addition to other Awards
granted under the Plan. The provisions of Restricted Stock Awards need not be
the same with respect to each recipient.
(b) Registration. Any Restricted Stock issued hereunder may be evidenced in
such manner as the Committee in its sole discretion shall deem appropriate,
including, without limitation, book-entry registration or issuance of a stock
certificate or certificates. In the event any stock certificate is issued in
respecttotal number of shares of Restricted Stock awardedavailable under the Plan such certificate
shall be registered in the name of the Participant, and shall bear an
appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions
applicable to such Award.
Exhibit B-Page 4
(c) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time
of grant, upon termination of employment for any reason during the restriction
period, all shares of Restricted Stock still subject to restriction shall be
forfeited by the Participant and reacquired by the Company; provided that in
the event of a Participant's retirement, permanent disability, other
termination of employment or death, or in cases of special circumstances, the
Committee may, in its sole discretion, when it finds that a waiver would be in
the best interests of the Company, waive in whole or in part any or all
remaining restrictions with respect to such Participant's shares of Restricted
Stock. Unrestricted Shares, evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall
deem appropriate, shall be issued to the grantee promptly after the period of
forfeiture, as determined or modified by the Committee.
SECTION 9. PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Performance Awards may be issued hereunder to
Participants, for no cash consideration or for such minimum consideration as
may be required by applicable law, either alone or in addition to other Awards
granted under the Plan. The performance criteria to be achieved during any
Performance Period and the length of the Performance Period shall be determined
by the Committee upon the grant of each Performance Award. Except as provided
in Section 12, Performance Awards will be paid only after the end of the
relevant Performance Period. Performance Awards may be paid in cash, Shares,
other property or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the
Committee at the time of payment. The performance levels to be achieved for
each Performance Periodyear, and the
amount or the method of determining the amount of annual incentive
compensation to be given up by each participant in return for an option,
taking into consideration appropriate factors in making such
determinations, such as interest rates, volatility of the Award to be distributed shall be
conclusively determined by the Committee. Performance Awards may be paid in a
lump sum or in installments following the closemarket price of the Performance Period or,
in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on a deferred
basis.
SECTION 10. OTHER STOCK UNIT AWARDS.
(a) Stock and Administration. Other Awards of Shares and other Awards that
are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on,
Shares or other property ("Other Stock Unit Awards") may be granted hereunder
to Participants, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the
Plan. Other Stock Unit Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or any other form of
property as the Committee shall determine. Subject to the provisions of the
Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the
Employees of the Company and its Affiliates to whom and the time or times at
which such Awards shall be made, the number of Shares to be granted pursuant to
such Awards, and all other conditions of the Awards. The provisions of Other
Stock Unit Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.
(b) Terms and Conditions. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and any
applicable Award Agreement, Shares subject to Awards made under this Section 10
may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered prior
to the date on which the Shares are issued, or, if later, the date on which any
applicable restriction, performance or deferral period lapses. Shares granted
under this Section 10 may be issued for no cash consideration or for such
minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law; Shares purchased
pursuant to a purchase right awarded under this Section 10 shall be purchased
for such consideration as the Committee shall in its sole discretion determine,
which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of such Shares as of the
date such purchase right is awarded.
SECTION 11. OUTSIDE DIRECTORS' OPTIONS.
(a) Grant of Options. On the date of the 1989 Stockholders Meeting, each
Outside Director shall automatically be granted an Option to purchase 5,000**
shares of the
common stock of the Company $2.50 par value; onand the dateterm of the 1990 Stockholders Meeting, each Outside Director who became an Outside Director
afteroption, provided, however
that shares subject to options granted to any individual employee during
any calendar year shall not exceed a total of 500,000 shares.
b. Participation in the 1989 Stockholders Meeting shall automaticallyPlan. Participation in the Plan may be granted an Option to
purchase 8,000* shares ofvoluntary
or automatic, as determined by the common stock of the Company; on the date of the
1991 Stockholders Meeting, each Outside Director who became an Outside Director
after the 1990 Stockholders Meeting shall automatically be granted an Option to
purchase 6,000* shares of the common stock of the Company; on the date of the
1992 Stockholders Meeting, each Outside Director who became an Outside Director
after the 1991 Stockholders Meeting shall automatically be granted an Option to
purchase 4,000* shares of the common stock of the
Exhibit B-Page 5
Company; on the date of the 1993 Stockholders Meeting, each Outside Director
who became an Outside Director after the 1992 Stockholders Meeting shall
automatically be granted an Option to purchase 2,000* shares of the common
stock of the Company;Committee. The rules and on the date of each Stockholders Meeting after the
1993 Stockholders Meeting, each Outside Director shall automatically be granted
an Option to purchase 2,000* shares of the common stock of the Company. All
such optionsprocedures for
voluntary participation, when applicable, shall be Nonstatutory Stock Options.established and
implemented by the Plan Administrator.
c. Exercise Price. The price at which each share of common stock covered by such Optionsan option may
be purchased shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value
of the Company's common stock on the date the Optionoption is granted. Fair
market value for purposes of this Section 11 shall be deemed to be the average of the high and low prices
of the Company's common stock for composite transactions as published by
major newspapers for the date the Optionoption is granted or, if no sale of the
Company's common stock shall have been made on that day, the next preceding
day on which there was a sale of such stock.
d. Vesting. Unless the common stock.
(b) Exercise of Options. Except as set forth in this Section 11, 25% ofCommittee determines otherwise, stock option
grants shall provide that the total number of the shares subject to an Option granted to an Outside Directoroption
shall become exercisable on December 31 ofin the year in which the option is
granted and 25% on December 31 of each of the three succeeding years. The right
to purchase shares with respect to shares which have become exercisable shall
be cumulative during the term of the Option. Any Option that has been
outstanding for more than one (1) year shall immediately become exercisable in
the event of a Change in Control, as hereinafter defined. The Option may be
exercised by the Outside Director during the period that the Outside Director
remains a member of the Board and for a period of five (5) years following
retirement, provided that only those Options exercisable at the date of the
Outside Director's retirement may be exercised during the period following
retirement and, provided further, that in no event shall the Option be
exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date of grant.
In the evente. Term of the death of an Outside Director, the OptionOption. Options shall not be exercisable only withinafter the twelve (12) months next succeeding the dateexpiration
of
death, and then only (i) by the executor or administrator of the Outside
Director's estate or by the person or persons to whom the Outside Director's
rights under the Option shall pass by the Outside Director's will or the laws
of descent and distribution, and (ii) if and to the extent that the Outside
Director was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of the Outside
Director's death, provided that in no event shall the Option be exercisable
more than ten (10) years afterfrom the date of grant.
(c) Payment. An Option granted to an Outside Directorf. Payment of Exercise Price. Options shall be exercisable only upon
payment to the Company of the full purchase price of the shares with
respect to which the Option is beingoptions are exercised. Payment for the shares shall be
either in United States dollars, payable in cash or by check.
(d) Adjustmentcheck, or by
surrender of Options. In case therestock certificates representing like common stock of the
Company having an aggregate fair market value, determined as of the date of
exercise, equal to the number of shares with respect to which such options
are exercised multiplied by the exercise price per share. The fair market
value of common stock on the date of exercise of options shall be
determined in the same manner as the fair market value of common stock on
the date of grant of options is determined. Certain optionees may use
restricted stock as payment for the exercise price in accordance with
Section 6 hereof. In that event, fair market value of the shares of
restricted stock will be determined as if the shares were not restricted.
g. Manner of Exercise. A completed exercise form and the exercise price,
whether in the form of cash or stock, must be delivered to the Plan
Administrator in order to exercise an option. An option shall be deemed
exercised on the date such exercise form and payment are received by the
Plan Administrator.
h. Time for Exercise. Each option expires if it has not been exercised
within its term. Once an option has expired for any reason, it can no
longer be exercised. If employment with the Company or a merger, reorganization,
consolidation, recapitalization,subsidiary of the
Company is terminated, the optionee may exercise options which are
exercisable on the date of termination of employment until the earlier of
(1) the date on which the option expires and (2) the end of the applicable
time period below:
(i) retirement: five years after retirement date.
Exhibit A-Page 2
(ii) disability (qualifying for long-term disability benefits under
the Company's Basic Long-Term Disability Plan): five years after
qualification date.
(iii) death: one year after death for the estate or designated
beneficiary to exercise the decedent's options.
(iv) involuntary termination other than for cause: the date on which
the option expires.
(v) voluntary termination: three months from the date of termination
of employment.
If an optionee's employment is terminated for a reason constituting good
cause, any outstanding options granted under the Plan and held by such
optionee at such time will automatically terminate. For this purpose, "good
cause" shall mean conduct by the optionee which reflects adversely on his
or her honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as an employee, or the
optionee's willful engagement in conduct which is demonstrably and
materially injurious to the Company.
If an optionee becomes associated with, becomes employed by, renders
services to, or owns any interest in (other than a nonsubstantial interest,
as determined by the Committee) any business in competition with the
Company, all outstanding options whether vested or unvested shall
automatically terminate and shares of restricted stock dividendreceived upon the
exercise of an option pursuant to Section 6 hereof which continue to be
restricted shall be forfeited.
i. Restricted Stock. Certain optionees may elect to deliver restricted
shares or receive restricted shares in connection with an exercise of an
option, as provided in Section 6 hereof.
j. Assignment of Benefits; Beneficiary Designations. Options may not be
executed, levied, garnished, attached, pledged, assigned or transferred
other changethan by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, except that
an optionee may designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise
unexpired options after the optionee's death. Designations must be made in
corporate
structure suchwriting on a form provided by the Plan Administrator. Designations shall
become effective on the date that the form--properly completed, signed and
notarized--is received by the Plan Administrator.
k. Change in Stock, Adjustments. In the event that the outstanding shares
of common stock of the Company are hereafter increased or decreased or
changed into or become exchangeableexchanged for a larger or smallerdifferent number of shares thereafter the
numberor kind of
shares subject to outstanding Options andor other securities of the numberCompany or of another corporation, by
reason of reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization,
reclassification, stock split up, combination of shares, subject to Options to be granted to Outside Directors pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 11or a dividend
payable in capital stock, appropriate adjustment shall be increased or decreased, asmade by the
case may
be, in direct proportion to the increase or decreaseCommittee in the number of shares as to which outstanding options, or
portions thereof then unexercised, shall be exercisable, to the end that
the optionee's proportionate interest shall be maintained as before the
occurrence of such event, and such adjustment of outstanding options shall
be made without change of the total price applicable to unexercised options
and with a corresponding adjustment in the exercise price per share.
6. Restricted Stock. Certain optionees, as determined by the Committee, may
elect to receive restricted shares upon payment for the exercise of an option
in the form of unrestricted common stock. The optionee will receive the same
number of unrestricted shares as the number of shares surrendered to pay the
exercise price, while the shares received in excess of the number surrendered
to pay the exercise price may be restricted. Such optionees may also elect to
deliver restricted shares of the Company's common stock in payment of the
exercise price notwithstanding restrictions on transferability to which such
shares are subject. The Company shall be authorized to issue restricted shares
of common stock upon such exercises of stock options, subject to the following
conditions:
a. The optionee shall elect a vesting period for the restricted common
stock to be received upon exercise of the option of between six (6) months
and ten (10) years, subject to rules and procedures established by the Plan
Administrator, but in no event may an optionee elect a vesting period
shorter than the period provided in paragraph (d) of this Section 6.
b. The optionee who receives the restricted stock may not sell, transfer,
assign, pledge, or otherwise encumber or dispose of shares of restricted
stock, except in payment of the exercise price of a stock option issued by
the Company, until such time as all restrictions on such stock have lapsed.
Exhibit A-Page 3
c. An optionee who elects to receive restricted common stock upon an
exercise shall have the right to satisfy tax withholding obligations in the
manner provided in Section 8 hereof.
d. Restricted common stock received in such an exercise or from an
election to receive a Long-Term Incentive Plan payout in restricted stock,
or any Restricted Stock Award granted pursuant to the Long-Term Stock
Incentive Program, shall be eligible for use in payment of the exercise
price of a stock option, so long as all the shares received as a result of
such an exercise are restricted for a period at least as long as, and with
terms at least as restrictive as the terms of, the restricted common stock
used in payment.
e. The shares of restricted common stock received in an exercise of a
stock option that continue to be restricted shall be forfeited in the event
that vesting conditions are not satisfied, subject to the discretion of the
Committee, except in the case of death, disability, normal retirement, or
involuntary termination for reasons other than cause, in which case all
restrictions lapse; provided, however, that in no event shall restrictions
lapse if the restrictions on shares used to pay for the exercise have not
lapsed under the same conditions. If restricted shares are forfeited, the
optionee or his representative shall sign any document and take any other
action required to assign said restricted shares back to the Company.
f. The optionee will have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to
shares of restricted stock received upon the exercise of an option,
including the right to vote the shares of stock and the right to dividends
on the stock. Unless the Plan Administrator establishes alternative
procedures, the shares of restricted stock will be registered in the name
of the optionee and the certificates evidencing such shares shall bear an
appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions
applicable to the award and shall be held in escrow by the Company. The
optionee shall execute a stock power or powers assigning the shares of
restricted stock back to the Company, which stock powers shall be held in
escrow by the Company and used only in the event of the forfeiture of any
of the shares of restricted stock. A certificate evidencing unrestricted
shares of common stock shall be issued to the optionee promptly after the
restrictions lapse on any restricted shares.
g. The Plan Administrator shall have the discretion and authority to
establish any rules in connection with the use of restricted stock,
including but not limited to regulating the timing of the lapse of
restrictions within the six-month to ten-year period and prescribing
election forms as the Plan Administrator deems necessary or desirable for
the orderly administration of such exercises.
7. Reload Options. The Committee may provide that optionees have the right to
a reload option, which shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
a. Grant of the Reload Option; Number of Shares; Price. Subject to
subsections (b) and (c) of this Section 7 and to the availability of shares
to be optioned under the Plan, if an optionee has an option (the "original
option") with reload rights and pays for the exercise of the original
option by surrendering common stock of the Company, by reason of such change in corporate structure,
provided thatthe optionee shall
receive a new option ("reload option") for the number of shares shall always be a whole number, and the
purchase price per share of any outstanding Options shall, in the case of an
increase inso
surrendered (or, if applicable, the number of shares provided for in
paragraph (h) of this Section 7) at an exercise price equal to the fair
market value of the stock on the date of the exercise of the original
option.
b. Minimum Purchase Required. A reload option will be proportionately reduced,granted only if the
exercise of the original option is an exercise of at least 25% of the total
number of shares granted under the original option (or an exercise of all
the shares remaining under the original option if less than 25% of the
shares remain to be exercised).
c. Other Requirements. A reload option will not be granted: (1) if the
market value of the common stock of the Company on the date of exercise of
the original option is less than the exercise price of the original option;
(2) if the optionee is no longer an employee of the Company or its
subsidiary; or (3) if the original option is exercised less than one year
prior to the expiration of the original option.
d. Term of Option. The reload option shall expire on the same date as the
original option.
e. Type of Option. The reload option shall be a nonqualified option.
f. No Additional Reload Options. The reload options shall not include any
right to a second reload option.
Exhibit A-Page 4
g. Date of Grant, Vesting. The date of grant of the reload option shall
be the date of the exercise of the original option. The reload options
shall be exercisable in full beginning one year from date of grant;
provided, however, that all shares purchased upon the exercise of the
original option (except for any shares withheld for tax withholding
obligations) shall not be sold, transferred or pledged within six months
from the date of exercise of the original option. In no event shall a
reload option be exercised after the original option expires as provided in
subsection (d) of this Section 7.
h. Stock Withholding; Grants of Reload Options. If the other requirements
of this Section 7 are satisfied, and in the case
ofif shares are withheld or shares
surrendered for tax withholding, a decrease inreload option will be granted for the
number of shares shall be proportionately increased.
SECTION 12. CHANGE IN CONTROL.
(a)surrendered as payment for the exercise of the original
option plus the number of shares surrendered or withheld to satisfy tax
withholding. In connection with reload options for officers who are subject
to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Committee may at
any time impose any limitations which, in the Committee's sole discretion,
are necessary or desirable in order to maintain the Participants' rights in the event of any Change
in Controlcomply with Section 16(b) of the
Company,Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder,
or in order to obtain any exemption therefrom.
i. Other Terms and Conditions. Except as otherwise provided in this
Section 7, all the provisions of the Plan shall apply to reload options.
8. Stock Withholding Election. When taxes are withheld in connection with the
exercise of a stock option by delivering shares of stock in payment of the
exercise price, or upon the lapse of restrictions on restricted stock received
upon the exercise of an option (the date on which income is recognized in
connection with any such exercise or lapse of such restrictions hereinafter
defined,referred to as the Committee, as
constituted before such Change in Control,"Tax Date"), the optionee may in its sole discretion, aselect to any Award (except Options granted pursuantmake payment for the
withholding of federal, state and local taxes, excluding Social Security and
Medicare taxes, up to Section 11), either at the time
an Award is made hereunder or any time thereafter, take anyoptionee's marginal tax rates, by one or moreboth of the
following actions:methods:
(i) providedelivering part or all of the payment in previously-owned shares
(which shall be valued at fair market, as defined herein, on the Tax Date)
held for at least six months, whether or not received through the accelerationprior
exercise of any time periods
relatinga stock option; or
(ii) requesting the Company to withhold from those shares that would
otherwise be received upon exercise of the exerciseoption, or realization of any such Award so that such Award
may be exercised or realized in full on or before a date fixed by the
Committee; (ii) provide for the purchase of any such Award, upon the Participant's request, for an amountlapse of
cashrestrictions, a number of shares having a fair market value (as defined
herein) on the Tax Date equal to the amount that could
have been attained uponto be withheld. The amount of
tax withholding to be satisfied by withholding shares from the option
exercise or from the restricted stock received through the exercise of such Awardan
option upon the lapse of restrictions is limited to the minimum amount of
taxes, excluding Social Security and Medicare taxes, required to be
withheld under federal, state and local law.
Such election is irrevocable. Any Social Security and Medicare taxes, any
fractional share amount and any additional withholding not paid by the
withholding or realizationsurrender of shares must be paid in cash. If no timely election
is made, cash must be delivered to satisfy all tax withholding requirements.
Optionees who are subject to Section 16 of the Participant's rights had such Award
Exhibit B-Page 6
been currently exercisableSecurities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Insiders") making an election pursuant to (i) or payable; (iii) make such adjustment to any such
Award then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such
Change in Control; or (iv) cause any such Award then outstanding to be assumed,
or new rights substituted therefor, by the acquiring or surviving corporation
after such Change in Control. The Committee may, in its discretion, include
such further provisions and limitations in any agreement documenting such
Awards as it may deem equitable and in the best interests(ii) of the Company.
(b) A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any Person
other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee
benefit planimmediately
preceding paragraph must do so: (a) at least six months after the date of grant
of the Company,option; and other than the Company or(b) within a corporation owned,
directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the
same proportions"window period" as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-316b-3(e)(3)
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly1934 or indirectly, of securitiesat least six months in advance of
the Company representing 20%Tax Date. An election by an Insider to deliver stock or morehave stock retained
to satisfy tax obligations is subject to the approval of the combined voting powerCommittee and to
such rules as the Committee may from time to time adopt.
9. Miscellaneous.
a. Amendment. The Company reserves the right to amend the Plan at any
time by action of the Company's thenBoard of Directors provided that no such amendment
may materially and adversely affect any outstanding securities; or (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who
atstock options without
the beginning of such period constitute the Board and any new Director
(other than a Director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement
with the Company to effect a transaction described in (i) above) whose election
by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds ( 2/3)consent of the Directors then still in
office who either were Directors at the beginning of the period or whose
election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any
reason to constitute a majority thereof.
SECTION 13. AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION. The Board may amend, alter or
discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, or discontinuation shall be
made that would impair the rights of an optionee or Participant under an Award
theretofore granted, without the optionee's or Participant's consent, orrespective participants, and provided that, without the
approval of the Stockholders would:
(a) except as is provided in Section 4(b) of the Plan,stockholders, no such amendment may increase the total
number of shares reserved for the purposes of the Plan;
(b) change the employees or classPlan.
Exhibit A-Page 5
b. Effectiveness of employees eligiblePlan. This Plan shall be effective as of February 18,
1995, subject to participate in the
Plan; or
(c) change in any way the Options provided for in Section 11approval of Stockholders of the Plan.
The Committee may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted (except
Options granted pursuantCompany prior to Section 11 hereof), prospectively or retroactively,
but no such amendment shall impair the rights of any Participant without his
consent. The Committee may also substitute new Awards for Awards previously
granted to Participants, including without limitation previously granted
Options having higher option prices.
SECTION 14. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) No Award shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant or an
Outside Director otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution; provided that, if so determined by the Committee, a Participant
may,February
18, 1996.
c. Rights in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to
exercise the rights of the Participant with respect to any Award upon the death
of the Participant. Each Award shall be exercisable, during the lifetime of the
Participant or the Outside Director, only by the Participant or the Outside
Director or, if permissible under applicable law, by the guardian or legal
representative of the Participant or Outside Director.
(b) The term of each Award shall be for such period of months or years from
the date of its grant as may be determined by the Committee; provided that in
no event shall the term of any Incentive Stock Option or any Stock Appreciation
Right related to any Incentive Stock Option exceed a period of ten (10) years
from the date of its grant.
Exhibit B-Page 7
(c) No Employee or Participant shall have any claim to be granted any Award
under the Plan and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of
Employees or Participants under the Plan.
(d) The prospective recipient of any Award under the Plan shall not, with
respect to such Award, be deemed to have become a Participant, or to have any
rights with respect to such Award, until and unless such recipient shall have
executed an agreement or other instrument evidencing the Award and delivered a
fully executed copy thereof to the Company, and otherwise complied with the
then applicable terms and conditions.
(e) The Committee shall be authorized to make adjustments in performance
award criteria or in the terms and conditions of other Awards in recognition of
unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company or its financial
statements or changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles.
The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any
inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent it shall
deem desirable to carry it into effect. In the event the Company shall assume
outstanding employee benefit awards or the right or obligation to make future
such awards in connection with the acquisition of another corporation or
business entity, the Committee may, in its discretion, make such adjustments in
the terms of Awards under the Plan as it shall deem appropriate.
Notwithstanding the above, the Committee shall not have the right to make any
adjustments in the terms or conditions of Options granted pursuant to Section
11.
(f) The Committee shall have full power and authority to determine whether,
to what extent and under what circumstances any Award (other than an Option
granted pursuant to Section 11) shall be canceled or suspended. In particular,
but without limitation, all outstanding Awards to any Participant shall be
canceled if the Participant, without the consent of the Committee, while
employed by the Company or after termination of such employment, becomes
associated with, employed by, renders services to, or owns any interest in
(other than any nonsubstantial interest, as determined by the Committee), any
business that is in competition with the Company or with any business in which
the Company has a substantial interest as determined by the Committee or any
one or more Senior Officers or committee of Senior Officers to whom the
authority to make such determination is delegated by the Committee.
(g)Securities. All certificates for Sharesshares delivered under the
Plan pursuant to any
Award shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions
as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange
upon which the Sharesshares are then listed, and any applicable Federalfederal or state
securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put
on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such
restrictions. (h) Subject toNo optionee or optionee's beneficiary, executor or
administrator, legatees or distributees, as the provisions of this Plan and any Award Agreement, the
recipient of an Award (including, without limitation, any deferred Award, but
excluding Options granted pursuant to Section 11)case may if so determined by the
Committee, be, entitled to receive, currentlywill be, or
on a deferred basis, interest
or dividends, or interest or dividend equivalents, with respect to the number
of shares covered by the Award, as determined by the Committee, in its sole
discretion, and the Committee may provide that such amounts (if any) shallwill be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Sharesbe, a holder of any shares subject to an option unless
and until a stock certificate or otherwise reinvested.
(i) Except as otherwise required in any applicable Award Agreementcertificates for such shares are issued to
such person or bypersons under the terms of the Plan, recipientsPlan. No adjustment shall be
made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities
or other property) or distributions or other rights for which the record
date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued, except as
provided in Section 5(k) hereof.
d. Date of Awards under the PlanGrant. The grant of an option shall not be required to
make any payment or provide consideration othereffective no earlier
than the rendering of services.
(j) Thedate the Committee may delegate to one or more Senior Officers or a committee
of Senior Officers the rightdecides to grant Awardsthe option, except that grants
of reload options shall be effective as provided in Section 7(g) hereof.
e. Application of Funds. The proceeds received by the Company from the
sale of stock subject to Employees whooption are not officers
or directorsto be added to the general funds of the
Company and used for its corporate purposes.
f. No Obligation to cancel or suspend AwardsExercise Option. Granting of an option shall impose
no obligation on the optionee to Employees who
are not officers or directors of the Company.
(k) The Company shall be authorized to withhold from any Award granted or
payment due under the Plan the amount of withholding taxes due with respect to
an Award or payment hereunder and to takeexercise such option.
Exhibit B-Page 8
other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all
obligations for the payment of such taxes. The Company shall also be authorized
to accept the delivery of shares by a Participant in payment for the
withholding of federal, state and local taxes (but not for social security and
medicare taxes) up to the Participant's marginal tax rates.
(l) Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board of Directors from
adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to stockholder
approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either
generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
(m) The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and
regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the
laws of the State of Kansas and applicable Federal law.
(n) If any provision of this Plan is or becomes or is deemed invalid, illegal
or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award
under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be
construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws or if it cannot be
construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee,
materially altering the intent of the Plan, it shall be stricken and the
remainder of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 15. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN. The Plan shall be effective as of April
18, 1989.
SECTION 16. TERM OF PLAN. No Award shall be granted pursuant to the Plan
after 10 years from the date of stockholder approval, but any Award theretofore
granted may extend beyond that date.
- --------
*The initial number of shares authorized was doubled due to the December, 1989
two-for-one stock split.
**The number of shares under the option was increased to 10,000 due to the
December, 1989 two-for-one stock split.
Exhibit B-Page 9
The following narrative descriptions of graphic and image material
appearing in the Proxy Statement in connection with the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of Sprint Corporation to be held on April 19, 1994, are provided
pursuant to Rule 304(b)(2) of Regulation S-T:
1. Pages 3, 4, 5 andA-Page 6 contain photographs of the members
of Sprint's Board of Directors to the right of each member's biographical
description.
2. Page 15 contains a graph comparing the cumulative total
Stockholder return for Sprint Common Stock with the S&P 500 Stock Index, the
S&P Telephone Utility Index and the S&P Telecommunications (Long Distance)
Index, for the five-year period from January 1, 1989 to December 31, 1993. The
graph contains four lines, one for each of Sprint and the three S&P indexes,
plotted consistently with the data contained in a table included with the
electronic filing.
3. Page 16 contains a graph comparing the cumulative total
Stockholder return for Sprint Common Stock with the S&P 500 Stock Index,
American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T), MCI Communications (MCI) and a
peer group, for the ten-year period from January 1, 1984 to December 31, 1993.
The graph contains five lines, one for each of Sprint, the S&P 500, AT&T, MCI,
and a peer group, plotted consistently with the data contained in a table
included with the electronic filing.
P
R
O
X
Y
SPRINT CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11315, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64112
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ANNUAL MEETING
ON APRIL 19, 1994
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ITEMS 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 3C AND 4 AND
AGAINST ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C AND 5D.
The undersigned hereby appoints W.T. Esrey, J.R. Devlin and A.B. Krause, and
each of them, with full power of substitution as proxies, to vote all shares
of Common and Preferred Stock of Sprint Corporation (Sprint) which the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the 1994 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to
be held April 19, 1994, and any adjournment thereof, upon the following
matters, and in their discretion upon such other matters as may properly come
before the meeting:
1. To elect the nominees listed below, and each of them, as Directors of Class
II; and while Sprint has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will
decline or be unable to serve, if any do, to vote with discretionary
authority.
[_] FOR all nominees listed below [_] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
(except as marked to the contrary below) to vote for all nominees listed below
(TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE STRIKE A LINE
THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.)
Ruth M. Davis Ronald T. LeMay Charles E. Rice
Harold S. Hook Frank E. Reed Stewart Turley
2. To approve amendments to the 1988 Employees Stock Purchase Plan.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3A. To approve performance goals under the Executive Management Incentive
Plan.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3B. To approve performance goals under the Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3C. To approve an amendment to the Long-Term Stock Incentive Program.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
4. To approve the appointment of Ernst & Young as independent auditors of
Sprint for 1994.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE AGAINST ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C AND 5D.
5A. Stockholder proposal concerning method of selecting independent auditors.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5B. Stockholder proposal concerning executive compensation.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5C. Stockholder proposal concerning a facilities closure committee.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5D. Stockholder proposal concerning confidential voting.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
(PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE)
THIS PROXY, IF SIGNED AND RETURNED, WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED ON THE REVERSE
SIDE. IF THIS CARD IS SIGNED AND RETURNED WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS, YOUR SHARES
WILL BE VOTED FOR ITEMS 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 3C AND 4 AND AGAINST ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C
AND 5D. A majority of said proxies, or any substitute or substitutes, who
shall be present and act at the meeting (or if only one shall be present and
act, then that one) shall have all the powers of said proxies hereunder.
Please sign exactly as name appears. If shares are held jointly, any one of
the joint owners may sign. Attorneys-in-fact, executors, administrators,
trustees, guardians or corporation officers should indicate the capacity in
which they are signing. PLEASE SIGN, DATE, AND MAIL THIS PROXY PROMPTLY
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING. YOU MAY NEVERTHELESS VOTE IN
PERSON IF YOU DO ATTEND.
DATE ___________________________________________________________________ , 1994
PLEASE ________________________________________________________________________
Signature
SIGN
HERE __________________________________________________________________________
Signature
SPRINT RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN CENTEL EMPLOYEES' STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
SPRINT RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN FOR CENTEL RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN FOR
FOR BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES
FIDELITY MANAGEMENT TRUST COMPANY
UNITED MISSOURIUMB BANK, N.A., and FIRSTIER BANK, N.A., TRUSTEES
P.O. Box 9107, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043-9107
VOTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF SPRINT CORPORATION ON
APRIL 19, 199418, 1995
I hereby direct Fidelity Management Trust Company, United MissouriUMB Bank, N.A.n.a., and
FirsTier Bank, N.A.n.a., either in person or by proxy, to vote all shares of Common
Stock of Sprint Corporation (Sprint) which have been allocated to my account(s)
under the Sprint Retirement Savings Plan, the Sprint Retirement Savings Plan for
Bargaining Unit Employees, the Centel Retirement Savings Plan for Bargaining
Unit Employees, and the Centel Employees' Stock Ownership Plan at the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders to be held April 19, 1994,18, 1995, and any adjournments thereof,
upon the following matters, and in their discretion upon
such other matters as may properly come before the meeting:
- ------------------PLEASEAND IN THEIR DISCRETION UPON SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS
MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING INCLUDING ANY STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL OMITTED
FROM THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 14A-8 OF THE PROXY RULES
OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION:
------------PLEASE DETACH AT PERFORATION BEFORE MAILING-------------------MAILING----------
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ITEMS 1, 2 3A, 3B, 3C AND 43
AND AGAINST ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C4 AND 5D.5.
1. To elect the nominees listed below, and each of them, as Directors of Class
II;III; and while Sprint has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will
decline or be unable to serve, if any do, to vote with discretionary
authority.
[_]FOR all nominees listed below [_]WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
(except as marked to the to vote for all nominees
contrary below) listed below
(TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE STRIKE A LINE
THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.)
Ruth M. Davis RonaldWilliam T. LeMayEsrey Charles E. Rice
Harold S. Hook Frank E. ReedH. Price II
Linda Koch Lorimer Stewart Turley
2. To approve amendments to the 1988
EmployeesManagement Incentive
Stock PurchaseOption Plan. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3A. To approve performance goals under
Executive Management Incentive Plan. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3B. To approve performance goals under
Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3C. To approve amendment to Long-Term Stock
Incentive Program. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
4.3. To approve the appointment of Ernst
& Young LLP as independent auditors
of Sprint for 1994.1995. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE AGAINST ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C4 AND 5D.
5A.5.
4. Stockholder proposal concerning
method
of selecting independent auditors.retirement plan for outside
directors. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5B.5. Stockholder proposal concerning
executive compensation. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5C.to establish a
Stockholder proposal concerning a
facilities closureadvisory committee. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5D. Stockholder proposal concerning
confidential voting. FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
(PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE.)
You are entitled to direct the voting of the total number of shares of
Common Stock of Sprint allocated to your accounts through February 22, 1994,21, 1995, the
record date for voting at the April 19, 1994,18, 1995, Stockholders Meeting. Your
accounts include one or more of the following: (a) Company Stock Investment Fund
(your contributions), (b) Company Stock Match account, (c) Centel Profit Sharing
account, (d) TRASOP account (formerly Sprint's ESOP), (e) Centel Employees'
Stock Ownership Plan account (Centel ESOP). The Centel ESOP and the Centel
Retirement Savings Plan for Bargaining Unit Employees provide for the trustees
to vote all shares held in the trusts for these two plans for which they do not
receive voting instructions in the same proportions as instructions received for
shares voted. The trustees will vote all unallocated shares held in the Sprint
Retirement Savings Plan (including the TRASOP) and the Sprint Retirement Savings
Plan for Bargaining Unit Employees in the same proportions as instructions
received for shares voted, and any shares allocated to participant accounts in
these plans for which the trustees do not receive voting instructions will not
be voted.
Statements of your accounts will be provided separately.
- ------------------PLEASE----------PLEASE DETACH AT PERFORATION BEFORE MAILING-------------------MAILING-------
VOTING INSTRUCTIONS, SPRINT CORPORATION ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
If you sign and return this card in the enclosed
envelope for receipt by Fidelity Management Trust
Company by April 14, 1994,12, 1995, YOUR SHARES WILL BE VOTED AS
SPECIFIED ON THE REVERSE SIDE, OR IF THIS CARD IS
SIGNED AND RETURNED WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS, YOUR SHARES
WILL BE VOTED FOR ITEMS 1 , 2 3A, 3B, 3C AND 43 AND AGAINST ITEMS
5A, 5B, 5C4 AND 5D. YOUR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TRUSTEES ARE CONFIDENTIAL.5. Your voting instructions to the trustees are
confidential.
___________________________________
Signature
Date ________________________, 1994__________________________, 1995
P
R
O
X
Y
SPRINT CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11315, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64112
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ANNUAL
MEETING ON APRIL 18, 1995
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ITEMS 1, 2 AND 3 AND AGAINST
ITEMS 4 AND 5.
The undersigned hereby appoints W.T. Esrey, J.R. Devlin and A.B. Krause, and
each of them, with full power of substitution as proxies, to vote all the
shares of Common and Preferred Stock of Sprint Corporation (Sprint) which the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the 1995 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to
be held April 18, 1995, and any adjournment thereof, upon the following
matters, AND IN THEIR DISCRETION UPON SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS MAY PROPERLY COME
BEFORE THE MEETING INCLUDING ANY STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL OMITTED FROM THE
ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 14A-8 OF THE PROXY RULES OF THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION:
1. To elect the nominees listed below, and each of them, as Directors of Class
III; and while Sprint has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will
decline or be unable to serve, if any do, to vote with discretionary
authority.
[_] FOR all nominees listed below
[_] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
(except as marked to the contrary below)
to vote for all nominees listed below
(TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE STRIKE A LINE
THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.)
William T. Esrey
Charles H. Price II
Linda Koch Lorimer
Stewart Turley
2. To approve the Management Incentive Stock Option Plan.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
3. To approve the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditors for
1995.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE AGAINST ITEMS 4 AND 5.
4. Stockholder proposal concerning retirement plan for outside directors.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
5. Stockholder proposal to establish a Stockholder advisory committee.
FOR [_] AGAINST [_] ABSTAIN [_]
(PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE)
THIS PROXY, IF SIGNED AND RETURNED, WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED ON THE REVERSE
SIDE. IF THIS CARD IS SIGNED AND RETURNED WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS, YOUR SHARES
WILL BE VOTED FOR ITEMS 1, 2 AND 3 AND AGAINST ITEMS 4 AND 5. A majority of
said proxies, or any substitute or substitutes, who shall be present and act
at the meeting (or if only one shall be present and act, then that one) shall
have all the powers of said proxies hereunder.
Please sign exactly as name appears. If shares are held jointly, any one of
the joint owners may sign. Attorneys-in-fact, executors, administrators,
trustees, guardians or corporation officers should indicate the capacity in
which they are signing. PLEASE SIGN, DATE, AND MAIL THIS PROXY PROMPTLY
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING. YOU MAY NEVERTHELESS VOTE IN
PERSON IF YOU DO ATTEND.
DATE ___________________________________________________________________ , 1995
PLEASE ________________________________________________________________________
Signature
IGNS
EREH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature