Benchmark electronics, inc.
Clawback Policy
The Board of Directors of Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (the “Board”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (the “Company”) and its shareholders to adopt this Clawback Policy (the “Policy”). In addition to any amounts that are to be recovered on behalf of the Company by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, this Policy enables the Company to recover the amount of Incentive Compensation (as defined below) paid to certain Covered Individuals (as defined below) in the instances described below. This Policy is effective as of August 15, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) and shall supersede and replace any prior similar clawback or recoupment policies adopted by the Company. Each Covered Individual shall be required to execute the acknowledgement in Appendix A of this Policy as soon as practicable after the later of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the date on which the employee is designated as an Covered Individual; provided, however, that failure to execute such acknowledgement shall have no impact on the enforceability of this Policy.
1. Administration; Interpretation. The Human Capital and Compensation Committee of the Board (“HCCC”) shall have sole and express authority to interpret and administer this Policy. All determinations made by the HCCC, in the good faith exercise of its discretion, shall be final and binding on all affected Covered Individuals (as defined below). This Policy is intended to comply with Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and Section 303A.14 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (the “NYSE Clawback Rules”) and this Policy shall be interpreted, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with such intent. To the extent that any provision of this Policy is inconsistent with applicable law or the attendant regulations, in each case as then in effect, the HCCC shall administer this Policy to comply with the law or regulations then in effect.
2. Covered Individual. A “Covered Individual” means any individual who is currently or was formerly considered by the Company to be: (i) a Section 16 officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and Rule 16a-1(f) promulgated thereunder; (ii) the Company’s president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer (or if there is no such person, the controller), any vice-president in charge of a principal business unit, division, or function, or any other officer who performs a policy making function for the Company; and (iii) any other individual who may from time to time be designated in writing to be subject to this Policy by the HCCC. An individual shall be considered a Covered Individual without regard to whether the individual was an employee of the Company at the time of the act or event that triggered a recovery under this Policy.
3. Incentive Compensation. “Incentive Compensation” means and includes, but is not limited to, annual bonuses and other short-term and long-term cash incentives (including commissions), stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units or any other equity-based compensation or synthetic equity-based compensation, provided, that in each case such compensation is granted, earned or vested based wholly or in part on the attainment of a Financial Reporting Measure (as defined below). Incentive Compensation also shall include any other plan, program or agreement that expressly incorporates or references the provisions of this Policy. For the avoidance of doubt, Incentive Compensation only includes amounts received after an individual becomes a Covered Individual.
“Financial Reporting Measures” are measures that are determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing the Company’s financial statements, and any measures that are derived wholly or in part from such measures. Stock price and total shareholder return are also financial reporting measures. A financial reporting measure need not be presented within the financial statements or included in a filing with the SEC.
4. Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Incentive Compensation. The Company is required to recover Incentive Compensation from any Covered Individual in the following instances (except where the HCCC determines that recovery would be impracticable):
(a) If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirements under the securities laws. This includes any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period. For this purpose, the date that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement is the first to occur of: (i) the date the Company’s HCCC concludes, or reasonably should have concluded, that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement (or if HCCC action is not required, the date the Company’s officers conclude, or reasonably should have concluded, the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement); or (ii) the date a court, regulator or other legally authorized body directs the Company to prepare an accounting restatement.