def14a
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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No fee required. |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. |
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting
fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date
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Amount Previously Paid: |
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
VF CORPORATION
March 23, 2006
Dear Shareholder:
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VF Corporation will be
held on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at the O.Henry Hotel,
Caldwell Room, 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, North
Carolina, commencing at 10:30 a.m. Your Board of Directors
and management look forward to greeting personally those
shareholders able to attend.
At the meeting, shareholders will be asked to (i) elect
four directors; (ii) ratify the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs independent registered
public accounting firm for fiscal 2006; and (iii) consider
such other matters as may properly come before the meeting.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election
of the persons nominated to serve as directors and FOR the
ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as
VFs independent registered public accounting firm.
Regardless of the number of shares you own or whether you plan
to attend, it is important that your shares be represented and
voted at the meeting.
You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting or you may vote
your shares via the Internet, via a toll-free telephone number,
or by signing, dating and mailing the enclosed proxy card in the
postage-paid envelope provided, as explained on page 1 of
the attached proxy statement.
Your interest and participation in the affairs of VF are most
appreciated.
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Sincerely, |
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Mackey J. McDonald |
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Chairman and Chief |
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Executive Officer |
VF CORPORATION
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held April 25, 2006
March 23, 2006
To the Shareholders of VF CORPORATION:
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VF Corporation will be
held at the O.Henry Hotel, Caldwell Room, 624 Green Valley
Road, Greensboro, North Carolina, on Tuesday, April 25,
2006, at 10:30 a.m., for the following purposes:
(1) to elect four directors to hold office until the 2009
Annual Meeting of Shareholders;
(2) to ratify the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
as VFs independent registered public accounting firm for
fiscal 2006; and
(3) to transact such other business as may properly come
before the meeting and any adjournments thereof.
A copy of VFs Annual Report for 2005 is enclosed for your
information.
Only shareholders of record as of the close of business on
March 7, 2006 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the
meeting.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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Candace S. Cummings |
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Vice President Administration, |
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General Counsel and Secretary |
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
You are urged to vote your shares via the Internet,
through
our toll-free telephone number or by signing, dating and
promptly returning your proxy in the enclosed envelope.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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VF CORPORATION
PROXY STATEMENT
For the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the
solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of VF
Corporation to be voted at VFs Annual Meeting of
Shareholders on April 25, 2006 and any adjournments of the
meeting (the Meeting).
ABOUT THE MEETING
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What is the purpose of the Meeting? |
At the Meeting, holders of VF Common Stock and Series B
ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock (Series B ESOP
Stock) will vote on the matters described in the notice of
the Meeting on the front page of this proxy statement, including
the election of four directors, ratification of the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs independent registered
public accounting firm for fiscal 2006, and transaction of such
other business as may properly come before the Meeting.
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Who is entitled to vote at the Meeting? |
Only shareholders of record on March 7, 2006, the record
date for the Meeting, are entitled to receive notice of and vote
at the Meeting.
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What are the voting rights of shareholders? |
Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote and each
share of Series B ESOP Stock is entitled to two votes on
each matter considered at the Meeting.
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How do shareholders vote? |
Shareholders may vote at the Meeting in person or by proxy.
Proxies validly delivered by shareholders (by Internet,
telephone or mail as described below) and received by VF prior
to the Meeting will be voted in accordance with the instructions
contained therein. If a shareholders proxy card gives no
instructions, it will be voted as recommended by the Board of
Directors. A shareholder may change any vote by proxy before the
proxy is exercised by filing with the Secretary of VF either a
notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later
date or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.
Shareholders who vote by telephone or the Internet may also
change their votes by re-voting by telephone or the Internet
within the time periods listed below. A shareholders
latest vote, including via the Internet or telephone, is the one
that is counted.
There are three ways to vote by proxy:
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1) BY INTERNET: Visit the web site
http://www.computershare.com/expressvote. To vote your shares,
you must have your proxy/voting instruction card in hand. The
web site is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
and will be accessible UNTIL 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight
Time, on April 24, 2006; |
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2) BY TELEPHONE: Call toll-free
1-800-652-VOTE
(1-800-652-8683).
Shareholders outside of the U.S. and Canada should call
1-781-575-2300. To vote
your shares, you must have your proxy/voting instruction card in
hand. Telephone voting is accessible 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, UNTIL 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on
April 24, 2006; or |
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3) BY MAIL: Mark your proxy/voting instruction card,
date and sign it, and return it in the postage-paid
(U.S. only) envelope provided. If the envelope is missing,
please address your completed proxy/voting instruction card to
VF Corporation, c/o Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O.
Box 43100, Providence, Rhode Island 02940. |
IF YOU VOTE BY INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO
RETURN YOUR PROXY/VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD.
If you are a beneficial owner, please refer to your proxy card
or other information forwarded by your bank, broker or other
holder of record to see which of the above choices are available
to you.
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What constitutes a quorum? |
Shareholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes
that all shareholders are entitled to cast must be present at
the Meeting in person or by proxy to constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. At the close of business on
March 7, 2006, there were 110,725,132 outstanding shares
consisting of 109,987,489 shares of Common Stock and
737,643 shares of Series B ESOP Stock. Holders of
these outstanding shares are entitled to cast a total of
111,462,775 votes at the Meeting.
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What are the Boards recommendations? |
The Board recommends a vote FOR the election of the four
nominees proposed for election as directors and FOR ratification
of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs
independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2006.
If any other matters are brought before the Meeting, the proxy
holders will vote as recommended by the Board of Directors. If
no recommendation is given, the proxy holders will vote in their
discretion. At the date of this proxy statement, we do not know
of any other matter to come before the Meeting. Persons named as
proxy holders on the accompanying form of proxy/voting
instruction card are Mackey J. McDonald, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of VF, and Candace S. Cummings, Vice
President-Administration, General Counsel and Secretary of VF.
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What vote is required to approve each item? |
The four nominees for election as directors who receive the
greatest number of votes will be elected directors. Ratification
of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs
independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2006 or
approval of any other matter to come before the Meeting requires
the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on such
matter at the Meeting. Shares of Common Stock and shares of
Series B ESOP Stock will vote together as a single class.
Withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes
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will not be taken into account in determining the outcome of the
election of directors or ratification of the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs independent registered
public accounting firm for fiscal 2006.
A copy of VFs Annual Report for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005 accompanies this proxy statement. No
material contained in the Annual Report is to be considered a
part of the proxy solicitation material.
VFs mailing address is P.O. Box 21488, Greensboro,
North Carolina 27420. This proxy statement and the form of
proxy/voting instruction card were first mailed or given to
shareholders on approximately March 23, 2006.
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ITEM NO. 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
VFs Board of Directors has nominated the four persons
named below to serve as directors until the 2009 Annual Meeting.
The persons named in the accompanying form of proxy/voting
instruction card intend to vote such proxy for the election as
directors of the following nominees. If any nominee becomes
unable or unwilling to serve as a director, the proxy holders
will vote for such other person or persons as may be nominated
by the Board of Directors. The nominees named below have
indicated that they are willing to serve if reelected to the VF
Board. The Board of Directors may fill vacancies in the Board,
and any director chosen to fill a vacancy would hold office
until the next election of the class for which such director had
been chosen. It is the policy of VF that a substantial majority
of the members of its Board of Directors should be independent.
Currently, 11 of VFs 12 directors have been
determined by the Board to be independent in accordance with
standards adopted by the Board, as set forth in the Boards
Corporate Governance Principles and as attached hereto as
Appendix A, and the Listing Standards of the New York Stock
Exchange, the principal securities exchange on which VFs
Common Stock is traded.
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Year in Which | |
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Service as a | |
Name |
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Principal Occupation |
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Director Began | |
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To Serve Until the
2009 Annual Meeting |
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Robert J. Hurst, 60
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Managing Director, Crestview Partners LLC |
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1994 |
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W. Alan McCollough, 56
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Chairman of the Board of Circuit City Stores, Inc. |
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2000 |
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M. Rust Sharp, 65
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Of Counsel to Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager
(Attorneys) |
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1984 |
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Raymond G. Viault, 61
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Retired; former Vice Chairman, General Mills, Inc. |
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2002 |
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Mr. Hurst has been a Managing Director of Crestview
Partners LLC, a private equity firm, since 2005. Previously, he
was Vice Chairman of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., an
international investment banking and securities firm.
Mr. Hurst is a member of the Executive, Finance and
Nominating and Governance Committees of the Board of Directors.
Mr. McCollough has served as Chairman of the Board of
Circuit City Stores, Inc. since 2002. He was also Chief
Executive Officer of the company from 2002 until his retirement
from that position at the end of February 2006, and President of
the company from 2002 until 2005. In 2000, he was elected to the
companys board of directors and added the title of Chief
Executive Officer. Mr. McCollough is a member of the
Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees of the
Board of Directors.
Mr. Sharp has been Of Counsel to Heckscher, Teillon,
Terrill & Sager, a law firm located in West
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, since 1999. He was Of Counsel to
Pepper Hamilton LLP, a national law firm headquartered in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1996 to 1999.
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Mr. Sharp is a member of the Executive and Compensation
Committees of the Board of Directors. (Also see Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.)
Mr. Viault was Vice Chairman of General Mills, Inc. with
responsibility for General Mills Meals, Baking Products,
Pillsbury USA and Bakeries and Foodservice businesses until his
retirement in 2005. Mr. Viault joined General Mills as Vice
Chairman in 1996. Mr. Viault also serves as a director of
Safeway Inc., a food and drug retailer in North America, and of
Newell Rubbermaid Inc., a consumer products company. He is a
member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees of
the Board of Directors.
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Principal Occupation |
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Directors Whose Terms
Expire at the 2008
Annual Meeting |
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Juan Ernesto de Bedout, 61
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Group President Latin American Operations, Kimberly-Clark
Corporation |
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2000 |
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Ursula O. Fairbairn, 63
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Fairbairn Group LLC |
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1994 |
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Barbara S. Feigin, 68
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Consultant |
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1987 |
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Mackey J. McDonald, 59
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Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of VF |
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1993 |
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Mr. de Bedout has served as Group President of Latin American
Operations for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a global health and
hygiene company, responsible for business units in Central and
South America as well as the Caribbean, since 1999. He is a
member of the Audit and Finance Committees of the Board of
Directors.
Mrs. Fairbairn has served as President and Chief Executive
Officer, Fairbairn Group LLC, a human resources and executive
management consulting company, since April 2005. She served as
Executive Vice President Human Resources &
Quality, American Express Co., a diversified global travel and
financial services company, from 1996 until her retirement in
2005. Mrs. Fairbairn also serves as a director of Air
Products and Chemicals, Inc., Centex Corporation, Circuit City
Stores, Inc. and Sunoco, Inc. She is a member of the Executive
and Compensation Committees of the Board of Directors. (Also see
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management.)
Mrs. Feigin has been a Consultant specializing in strategic
marketing and branding since 1999. She served as Executive Vice
President and Worldwide Director of Strategic Services of Grey
Advertising Inc. from 1983 until her retirement from that
position in 1999. Mrs. Feigin also serves as a director of
Circuit City Stores, Inc. She is a member of the Audit and
Nominating and Governance Committees of the Board of Directors.
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Mr. McDonald has served as Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of VF Corporation since 1998. He also served as
President from 1993 until March 2006. Mr. McDonald was
elected a director of VF in 1993 and Chief Executive Officer in
1996. Mr. McDonald joined VFs Lee division in 1983
and served in various managerial positions with VFs
subsidiaries until 1991 when he was named a VF Group Vice
President. He is a director of Wachovia Corporation, Hershey
Foods Corporation, and, since November 2002, Tyco International
Ltd. Mr. McDonald is Chairman of the Executive Committee
and serves as an ex officio member of all other
committees of the Board, except the Audit, Nominating and
Governance and Compensation Committees.
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Year in Which | |
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Service as a | |
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Principal Occupation |
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Director Began | |
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Directors Whose Terms
Expire at the 2007
Annual Meeting |
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Edward E. Crutchfield, 64
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Retired; former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, First
Union Corporation |
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1992 |
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George Fellows, 63
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Callaway Golf Company |
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1997 |
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Daniel R. Hesse, 52
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Chief Executive Officer, Local Telecommunications Division of
Sprint Nextel Corporation |
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1999 |
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Clarence Otis, Jr., 49
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Chief Executive Officer, Darden Restaurants, Inc. |
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2004 |
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Mr. Crutchfield was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
First Union Corporation (now known as Wachovia Corporation), a
banking and financial services company, from 1985 until his
retirement in 2000. Mr. Crutchfield serves as a director of
The Liberty Corp., a television broadcasting company. He is a
member of the Executive, Compensation and Finance Committees of
the Board of Directors.
Mr. Fellows is President and Chief Executive Officer of
Callaway Golf Company and a member of its Board of Directors.
Previously, he served as a consultant to Investcorp
International, Inc. and other private equity firms from 2000
through July 2005, and served as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Revlon, Inc. and of Revlon Consumer Products
Corporation from 1997 through 1999. He is a member of the Audit
and Nominating and Governance Committees of the Board of
Directors.
Mr. Hesse is Chief Executive Officer of the Local
Telecommunications Division of Sprint Nextel Corporation. He
previously served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Terabeam Corporation, a telecommunications company,
from 2000 until 2004. Prior to his service at Terabeam,
Mr. Hesse served as President and Chief Executive Officer
of AT&T Wireless Services. He also serves as a director of
Nokia Corporation, a mobile communications company. He is a
member of the Finance and Compensation Committees of the Board
of Directors.
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Mr. Otis is the Chief Executive Officer of Darden
Restaurants, Inc. Previously, he served as the Executive Vice
President of Darden Restaurants, Inc., and President of its
Smokey Bones Restaurants division, from December 2002 until
December 2004. He served as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of Darden Restaurants from April 2002 to
December 2002 and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer from 1999 to 2002. Mr. Otis also serves as a
director of Darden Restaurants, Inc., Verizon Communications,
Inc. and St. Pauls Travelers Property Casualty Corp.,
a property casualty insurance company. He is a member of the
Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees of the Board of
Directors.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AT VF
As provided by the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law and
VFs By-Laws, VFs business is managed under the
direction of its Board of Directors. Members of the Board are
kept informed of VFs business through discussions with the
Chairman and CEO and other officers, by reviewing VFs
annual business plan and other materials provided to them and by
participating in meetings of the Board and its committees. In
addition, to promote open discussion among the independent
directors, those directors meet in regularly scheduled executive
sessions without management present. During 2005, the
independent directors met in executive session without
management present five times. The chairs of the Nominating and
Governance, Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board
preside at meetings or executive sessions of non-management
directors on a rotating basis.
Corporate Governance
VFs Board of Directors has a long-standing commitment to
sound and effective corporate governance practices. A foundation
of VFs corporate governance is the Boards policy
that a substantial majority of the members of the Board should
be independent. This policy is included in the Boards
written Corporate Governance Principles, which address a number
of other important governance issues such as:
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qualifications for Board membership; |
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mandatory retirement for Board members at age 70; |
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a requirement that directors submit their resignation for
consideration upon a substantial change in principal occupation
or business affiliation; |
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Board leadership; |
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committee responsibilities; |
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Board consideration of majority shareholder votes; |
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authority of the Board to engage outside independent advisors as
it deems appropriate; |
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succession planning for the chief executive officer; and |
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annual Board self-evaluation. |
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In addition, the Board of Directors has for many years had in
place formal charters stating the powers and responsibilities of
each of its committees.
The Boards Corporate Governance Principles, the Audit,
Nominating and Governance, Compensation and Finance Committee
charters, code of business conduct and ethics applicable to the
principal executive officer, the principal financial officer,
and the principal accounting officer as well as other employees
and all directors of VF, and other corporate governance
information are available on VFs web site (www.vfc.com)
and will be provided free of charge to any person upon request
directed to the Secretary of VF at P.O. Box 21488,
Greensboro, North Carolina 27420. Anyone wishing to communicate
directly with the non-management members of the Board of
Directors (including the directors who preside at meetings or
executive sessions of non-management directors) may contact the
Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee,
c/o the Secretary of VF at the address set forth in the
preceding sentence, or call the VF Ethics Helpline at
1-877-285-4152 or send
an email message to corpgov@vfc.com.
Management has reviewed internally and with the Board of
Directors the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and
the related rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
the New York Stock Exchange Listing Standards regarding
corporate governance policies and procedures. We believe that
the Boards Corporate Governance Principles and committee
charters meet these requirements.
Board of Directors
In accordance with VFs By-Laws, the Board of Directors has
set the number of directors at 12. Eleven of VFs directors
are non-employee directors. The Board considered transactions
and relationships between each director and members of his or
her immediate family and VF and determined that 11 of VFs
12 directors are free of any material relationship with VF,
other than their service as directors, and are
independent directors both under the New York Stock
Exchange Listing Standards and the categorical standards adopted
by the Board that are part of the Corporate Governance
Principles and are attached hereto as Appendix A. The Board
determined that Mrs. Fairbairn and Mrs. Feigin and
Messrs. Crutchfield, de Bedout, Fellows, Hesse, Hurst,
McCollough, Otis, Sharp and Viault are independent directors and
that Mr. McDonald is not an independent director.
During 2005, VFs Board of Directors held eight meetings.
Under VFs Corporate Governance Principles, directors are
expected to attend all meetings of the Board, all meetings of
committees of which they are members and the annual meetings of
shareholders. Every member of the Board attended at least 75% of
the total number of meetings of the Board and all committees on
which he or she served, and every member of the Board attended
the annual meeting of shareholders in 2005.
Board Committees and Their Responsibilities
The Board has Executive, Audit, Finance, Nominating and
Governance, and Compensation Committees. The Board has
determined that each of the members of the Audit, Nominating and
Governance and Compensation Committees is independent. Each of
these committees is governed by a written charter approved by
the Board of Directors. Each is
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required to perform an annual self-evaluation and each committee
may engage outside independent advisors as the committee deems
appropriate. A brief description of the responsibilities of the
Audit, Finance, Nominating and Governance and Compensation
Committees follows.
Audit Committee: The Audit Committee monitors and makes
recommendations to the Board concerning the financial policies
and procedures to be observed in the conduct of VFs
affairs. Its duties include:
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selecting the independent registered public accounting firm for
VF; |
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reviewing the scope of the audit to be conducted by the
independent registered public accounting firm; |
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meeting with the independent registered public accounting firm
concerning the results of their audit and VFs selection
and disclosure of critical accounting policies; |
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reviewing with management and the independent registered public
accounting firm VFs annual and quarterly statements prior
to filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission; |
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overseeing the scope and adequacy of VFs system of
internal accounting controls; |
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preparing a report to shareholders annually for inclusion in the
proxy statement; and |
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serving as the principal liaison between the Board of Directors
and VFs independent registered public accounting firm. |
As of the date of this proxy statement, the members of the
committee are Messrs. Fellows (Chairman), de Bedout, Otis
and Viault and Mrs. Feigin. The committee held eight
meetings during 2005. The Board of Directors has determined that
all of the members of the Committee are independent as
independence for audit committee members is defined in the New
York Stock Exchange Listing Standards and the Securities and
Exchange Commission regulations and are financially literate.
The Board of Directors has further determined that
Messrs. Fellows, Otis and Viault qualify as audit
committee financial experts in accordance with the
definition of audit committee financial expert set
forth in the Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and
have accounting and related financial management expertise
within the meaning of the Listing Standards of the New York
Stock Exchange. Messrs. Fellows, Otis and Viault acquired
those attributes through acting as or actively overseeing a
principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of a
public company. Each of them has experience overseeing or
assessing the performance of companies with respect to the
evaluation of financial statements in their roles as chairman
and chief executive officer, vice chairman or president of a
public company. In addition to his service as vice chairman of
General Mills, Mr. Viault acted as chief financial officer
of General Mills for two years and currently serves on the audit
committee of another public company.
9
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee monitors and
makes recommendations to the Board concerning the financial
policies and procedures of VF. The responsibilities of the
committee include reviewing and recommending to the Board
actions concerning:
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dividend policy; |
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changes in capital structure, including debt or equity issuances; |
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the financial aspects of proposed acquisitions or
divestitures; and |
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VFs annual capital expenditure budgets and certain capital
projects. |
As of the date of this proxy statement, the members of the
committee are Messrs. Crutchfield (Chairman), de Bedout,
Hesse and Hurst. The committee held five meetings during 2005.
Nominating and Governance Committee: The responsibilities
of the Nominating and Governance Committee include:
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screening potential candidates for director and recommending
candidates to the Board of Directors; |
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recommending to the Board a succession plan for the Chairman of
the Board and Chief Executive Officer; and |
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reviewing and recommending to the Board governance policies and
principles for VF. |
The committee generally identifies nominees for director by
engaging a third party search firm whose function is to assist
in the identification of potential nominees. The search firm is
paid a fee for its services. Candidates are selected for their
character, judgment, business experience and acumen. The
committee will consider suggestions received from shareholders
regarding nominees for election as directors, which should be
submitted to the Secretary of VF. If the committee does not
recommend a nominee proposed by a shareholder for election as a
director, then the shareholder seeking to propose the nominee
would have to follow the formal nomination procedures set forth
in VFs By-Laws. VFs By-Laws provide that a
shareholder may nominate a person for election as a director if
written notice of the shareholders intent to nominate a
person for election as a director is received by the Secretary
of VF (1) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than
150 days prior to the date of the annual meeting or
(2) in the case of a special meeting at which directors are
to be elected, not later than seven days following the day on
which notice of the meeting was first mailed to shareholders.
The notice must contain specified information about the
shareholder and the nominee, including such information as would
be required to be included in a proxy statement pursuant to the
rules and regulations established by the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The
committees policy with regard to consideration of any
potential director is the same for candidates recommended by
shareholders and candidates identified by other means. As of the
date of this proxy statement, the members of the committee are
Mrs. Feigin (Chairman) and Messrs. Fellows, Hurst,
McCollough, Otis and Viault. The committee held four meetings
during 2005.
10
Compensation Committee: The responsibilities of the
Compensation Committee include:
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reviewing and approving VFs goals and objectives relevant
to the Chief Executive Officers compensation, evaluating
the Chief Executive Officers performance in light of these
goals and objectives, and setting the Chief Executive
Officers compensation level based on this evaluation; |
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annually reviewing the performance evaluations of the other
executive officers of VF; |
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administering and interpreting VFs employee incentive
compensation plans, in accordance with the terms of each
plan; and |
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preparing a report to shareholders annually for inclusion in the
proxy statement. |
The members of the committee are Mrs. Fairbairn (Chairman)
and Messrs. Crutchfield, Hesse, McCollough and Sharp. The
committee held six meetings during 2005.
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Committee Membership and Number of Meetings Held | |
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Nominating and |
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Audit |
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Compensation |
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Governance |
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Finance |
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Director |
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Committee |
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Committee |
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Committee |
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Committee |
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Edward E. Crutchfield
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Member |
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Chairman |
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Juan Ernesto de Bedout
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Member |
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Member |
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Ursula O. Fairbairn
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Chairman |
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Barbara S. Feigin
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Member |
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Chairman |
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George Fellows
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Chairman |
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Member |
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Daniel R. Hesse
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Member |
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Member |
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Robert J. Hurst
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Member |
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Member |
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W. Alan McCollough
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Member |
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Member |
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Clarence Otis, Jr.
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Member |
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Member |
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M. Rust Sharp
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Member |
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Raymond G. Viault
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Member |
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Member |
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Number of Meetings
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8 |
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6 |
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4 |
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5 |
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Directors Compensation
The components of directors compensation are cash
retainer, committee fees and equity-based grants.
Directors compensation increased for 2006. Effective
January 1, 2006, each director other than Mr. McDonald
receives an annual retainer of $45,000 (unchanged from 2005),
payable in quarterly installments, plus a fee of $1,500 for each
Board meeting attended (increased from $1,250 in 2005). Each
director who serves on a committee is
11
paid $1,500 for each meeting attended (increased from $1,250 in
2005). Each director serving as chairman of a committee also
receives an additional retainer of $5,000 per year
(unchanged from 2005). Each director is paid $1,000 per day
(unchanged from 2005) for special assignments in connection with
Board or committee activity as designated by the Chairman of the
Board. Travel and lodging expenses are reimbursed.
Mr. McDonald, the only director who is also an employee of
VF, does not receive any compensation in addition to his regular
compensation for attendance at meetings of the Board or any of
its committees. Each director may elect to defer all or part of
his or her retainer and fees into equivalent units of
VF Common Stock under the VF Deferred Savings Plan for
Non-Employee Directors. All Common Stock equivalent units
receive dividend equivalents. Deferred sums, including Common
Stock equivalent units, are payable in cash to the participant
upon termination of service or such later date specified in
advance by the participant. Eight directors elected to defer
compensation in 2005. VF does not provide pension, medical or
life insurance benefits to its non-employee directors. Directors
traveling on VF business are covered by VFs business
travel accident insurance policy which generally covers all
VF employees and directors.
In order to link compensation of directors to VFs stock
performance, each director is eligible to receive grants of
non-qualified stock options to purchase shares of Common Stock
and restricted awards (restricted stock or restricted stock
units) under VFs 1996 Stock Compensation Plan. In 2006,
stock options were granted to non-employee directors in the
amount of 5,800 (increased from 5,400 in 2005). Such options
have an exercise price equal to fair market value at the date of
grant, have a stated term of ten years and become exercisable
one year after the date of grant. Options are exercisable only
so long as the optionee remains a director of VF except that,
subject to earlier expiration of the option term, options are
not forfeited and are exercisable for 36 months after the
directors retirement or death and 36 months after
termination due to disability. It is VFs policy to
strongly encourage stock ownership by VF directors to closely
align the interests of management and shareholders. Accordingly,
directors are expected to accumulate, over a specific period of
time, and then retain, shares having a fair market value equal
to three times their annual retainer.
From time to time directors attend formal training programs in
areas relevant to the discharge of their duties as directors. VF
reimburses expenses incurred by directors attending such
programs.
12
Each director is eligible to participate in VFs matching
gift program for institutions of higher learning and National
Public Television and Radio up to an aggregate of
$10,000 per year.
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Stock Options, Retainer and Fees Received by the Independent Directors in 2005 | |
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Stock Option |
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Total Cash |
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Director |
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Award |
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Retainer |
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Chair Fees |
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Meeting Fees |
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Compensation |
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Edward E. Crutchfield
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5,400 |
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$ |
45,000 |
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$ |
5,000 |
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$ |
23,750 |
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$ |
73,750 |
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Juan Ernesto de Bedout
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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26,250 |
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71,250 |
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Ursula O. Fairbairn
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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5,000 |
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16,250 |
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66,250 |
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Barbara S. Feigin
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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5,000 |
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25,000 |
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75,000 |
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George Fellows
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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5,000 |
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22,500 |
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72,500 |
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Daniel R. Hesse
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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18,750 |
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63,750 |
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Robert J. Hurst
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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18,750 |
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63,750 |
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W. Alan McCollough
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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22,500 |
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67,500 |
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Clarence Otis, Jr.
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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22,500 |
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67,500 |
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M. Rust Sharp
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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17,500 |
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62,500 |
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Raymond G. Viault
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5,400 |
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45,000 |
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0 |
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23,750 |
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68,750 |
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT
The Compensation Committee (the Committee) reports
as follows with respect to compensation of executive officers
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005:
Principles of Executive Compensation Program
The goals of VFs Executive Compensation Program (the
Program) are to attract and retain highly competent
executives, to provide incentives for achieving and exceeding
VFs short-term and long-term financial goals and to align
the financial objectives of VFs executives with those of
its shareholders, both in the short and long term. The Committee
has retained an outside consultant to assist the Committee in
developing the Program to realize these goals. The outside
consultant is engaged by, and reports directly to, the
Committee. The outside consultant attends all meetings of the
Committee.
The Program incorporates three compensation objectives. First,
the Program seeks to offer total compensation that is
competitive with other large
U.S.-based companies
with which VF may compete for executive talent. Second, the
Program aims to provide annual incentives to executives based on
corporate and individual performance and to reward superior
performance with superior levels of compensation. Third, the
Program seeks to maximize long-term total shareholder return by
providing executives with incentives tied to
13
stock ownership and value, thus aligning interests of
shareholders and executives. VF balances each of the
Programs objectives by establishing target compensation
levels for executive pay that are achieved through a combination
of base salary, annual cash incentives and long-term incentives
consisting of performance-contingent Common Stock units and
stock options.
VFs philosophy is that a significant portion of each
executives total compensation should be at-risk based on
VFs financial performance. The at-risk components of total
compensation are progressively greater for higher level
positions. For 2005, the at-risk components of the targeted cash
compensation and performance-contingent Common Stock unit
packages ranged from 73% for the Chief Executive Officer to
between 63% and 68% for the other executive officers named in
this proxy statement. Stock options, which are not included in
these at-risk calculations, are completely at risk because they
have no value to recipients unless the stock price appreciates
above the exercise price during the period in which the option
is exercisable.
Competitive Compensation Targets
Total compensation targets, consisting of base salary, annual
incentive awards and long-term incentive awards, are set
annually for designated management positions. The Committee used
information provided by Towers Perrin, its outside compensation
consultant, regarding its executive compensation database, which
includes executive compensation data for over 500 large
U.S.-based companies
(the Comparison Group), as well as information about
companies within the S&P 1500 Apparel,
Accessories & Luxury Goods Index to establish
compensation targets for 2005. In general, VF targets total
direct compensation for each VF executive officer to be
competitive with compensation paid to executives in comparable
positions within VFs Comparison Group based on targeted
performance goals established by the Committee. Benefits and
indirect compensation are set at levels intended to be
competitive but are not included in the Committees
evaluation of total direct compensation.
Base Salary: Salary ranges and individual salaries for
senior executives are reviewed annually by the Committee. In
determining individual salaries, the Committee considers the
scope of job responsibilities, individual contribution,
VFs salary budget, tenure, labor market conditions and
current compensation, as compared to market practice, based on
guidance provided by the Committees outside compensation
consultant.
Annual Incentives: Under the VF Executive Incentive
Compensation Plan (EIC Plan), performance goals are
set each year by the Committee. In 2005, performance goals were
based on VFs reported earnings per share (excluding the
effects of extraordinary and non-recurring items and change in
accounting policy for the expensing of stock-based
compensation), net sales of existing businesses and net sales of
recent acquisitions. The Committee establishes a fixed
percentage of the mid-point of each executives salary
grade as the executives targeted annual incentive
opportunity under the EIC Plan. Depending upon the level of
achievement of each of the performance goals, annual cash awards
could range from 0% to 200% of the targeted incentive
opportunity for each EIC Plan participant. For the years 2003,
2004 and 2005, levels of achievement of performance goals under
the EIC Plan have ranged between 98% and 171% of the targeted
incentive opportunity. The
14
maximum individual award is $3,000,000 plus the amount of the
participants unused annual limit as of the close of the
previous year. The Committee may exercise discretion to reduce
awards under the EIC Plan generally or for any individual
participant. While it is the policy of the Committee to provide
opportunities for annual incentive compensation for achievement
of pre-established performance goals based primarily on
financial measures, the Committee also retains discretion to pay
bonuses apart from the EIC Plan reflecting its subjective
assessment of the value of accomplishments of VFs
executive officers which, in the Committees view, cannot
always be anticipated in advance or reflected in such
pre-established goals.
Long-Term Incentives: Long-term incentives consist of
performance-contingent Common Stock units and stock options.
Under VFs Mid-Term Incentive Plan (implemented under the
VF 1996 Stock Compensation Plan) as in effect for the
three-year performance cycle 2003-2005, executives were awarded
performance-contingent Common Stock units which gave them the
opportunity to earn shares of VF Common Stock. Actual pay-out of
these shares for the three-year performance cycle 2003-2005
could be made if VFs average total shareholder return
(Common Stock price change plus dividend yield) for the
three-year performance period compared favorably to that of a
performance peer group, or alternatively, if a specified
increase in earnings per share was achieved in the last year of
the performance period. For the three-year performance period
ended December 31, 2005, the performance peer group
consisted of 15 companies significantly engaged in the
apparel industry. Depending on the level of achievement of the
performance goal, each participant may earn from 0% to 200% of
the number of performance-contingent Common Stock units, plus
dividend equivalents, targeted by the Committee. For the years
2003, 2004 and 2005, pay-outs have ranged from 50% to 95% of the
targeted number of performance-contingent Common Stock units.
Awards are paid in shares of VF Common Stock. At the election of
a participant, receipt of awards may be deferred until
retirement or until dates specified by the participant.
For three-year performance cycles beginning in 2004 and
thereafter, awards under the 2004 Mid-Term Incentive Plan will
depend on the level of achievement of performance goals set by
the Committee at the beginning of each performance cycle. The
Committee has determined that actual pay-out of shares awarded
for the three-year performance cycles beginning in 2004, 2005
and 2006 is determined based on the average level of achievement
of the performance goals under the EIC Plan during the three
years of the performance period.
Stock options are typically granted annually under the VF 1996
Stock Compensation Plan. Non-qualified stock options have a
stated term of ten years and become exercisable not less than
one year after the date of grant. Options are exercisable only
so long as the option holder remains an employee of VF or its
subsidiaries, except that, subject to earlier expiration of the
option term, and to the specific terms and definitions contained
in the Stock Compensation Plan, options generally remain
exercisable during the period severance payments (if any) are
made in the case of involuntary termination of employment, for
36 months after death or retirement or for 36 months
after termination of employment due to disability. The Committee
determines a value of options granted to executive officers as a
15
component of the total targeted compensation. This value is
based on an accepted valuation methodology.
The size of individual grants of performance-contingent Common
Stock units and options generally increase with the level of
responsibility of the executive officer. The grants to each
executive officer named in this proxy statement also depend upon
the Committees assessment of the individuals
performance. The Committee does not assign specific weighting to
these factors.
Stock Ownership Commitment: It is VFs policy to
strongly encourage stock ownership by VF senior management. This
policy closely aligns the interests of management with those of
the shareholders. Senior executives are subject to share
ownership guidelines that require them to accumulate, over a
five year period, and then retain, shares of VF Common Stock
having a market value ranging from one to five times annual base
salary, depending upon the position. The Chief Executive Officer
and the other named executive officers are required to
accumulate VF Common Stock having market values as follows:
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Share Ownership Guidelines |
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|
Officer |
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|
VF Common Stock having a market value of |
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|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
five times annual base salary |
|
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|
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|
Other named executive officers
|
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three times annual base salary |
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|
Until a senior executive has met the targeted ownership level,
whenever he or she exercises a stock option, he or she must
retain shares equal to 50% of the after-tax value of each option
exercised.
Summary of Actions Taken by the Compensation Committee
2005 Base Salary Increases
At its February 2005 meeting, the Committee approved salary
increases to be effective as of January 1, 2005. The base
salary increase for each executive officer was based on
(i) the Committees adjustment of the executives
salary grade range, if appropriate, based on market guidance
provided by the Committees outside compensation
consultant, (ii) the Committees assessment of the
individuals salary within his or her salary grade based on
the individuals performance and (iii) VFs
overall merit increase budget for 2005 of approximately 3% for
salaries of senior employees after adjustment for salary range
changes. Also, in May 2005, Mr. Shearer, Mr. Wiseman
and Mr. Derhofer received interim salary adjustments
commensurate with changes in their job responsibilities.
Annual Incentive Awards
At its February 2005 meeting, the Committee established the 2005
EIC Plan performance target and the targeted annual incentive
awards for each participating executive as described above. At
its February 2006 meeting, the Committee granted EIC Plan awards
to the named executive officers based on the level of
achievement of the EIC Plan performance target for 2005,
resulting in pay-outs of up to 139% of the targeted awards.
16
Long-Term Incentive Awards
At its February 2005 meeting, the Committee reviewed VFs
philosophy with respect to stock option grants. In order to
instill an entrepreneurial spirit among its employees, it is
VFs practice to grant stock-based awards to a significant
number of management-level employees. In 2005, stock options
were granted to 706 management-level employees. The stock
options awarded to the named executive officers were based on
the Committees assessment of the individuals total
compensation from a competitive perspective, within the
guidelines established by the Committee, and the
executives performance.
At the February 2005 meeting, the Committee established target
awards of performance-contingent Common Stock units for the
121 participants in the Mid-Term Incentive Plan for the
2005-2007 performance cycle. At the February 2006 meeting, the
Committee approved awards to the 27 participants in the
Mid-Term Incentive Plan for the three-year performance period
2003-2005. These awards were based on the level of achievement
of comparative total shareholder return over the performance
period. Executive officer participants were awarded 80% of the
target number of shares of Common Stock potentially earnable
under the Mid-Term Incentive Plan for the 2003-2005 performance
period.
Compensation of the Chief Executive Officer
The fiscal year 2005 compensation for Mr. McDonald,
VFs Chief Executive Officer, consisted of base salary, an
annual incentive award and long-term incentive awards. The
Committee determined the level for each of these elements using
methods consistent with those used for other senior executives.
Mr. McDonalds base salary was increased to $1,100,000
in 2005. In determining Mr. McDonalds 2005 annual
incentive the Committee noted, among other things, that for the
year 2005 VFs total revenue rose 6% to
$6,502.4 million from $6,124.6 million in 2004, net
income rose 9% to $518.5 million from $474.7 million,
before a one-time after tax cumulative effect adjustment related
to the early adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board
Statement No. 123 (Revised 2004), Share-Based
Payments, which requires the expensing of stock options.
Earnings per share before the change in accounting were $4.69 in
2005, an increase of 11% over the $4.21 per share in 2004.
Including the cumulative effect adjustment, net income in 2005
was $506.7 million or $4.44 per share. The Committee
also considered Mr. McDonalds performance against
pre-established goals in a number of areas including building
lifestyle brands, expanding VFs share with certain major
customers, stretching VFs brands to new geographies,
leveraging VFs supply chain capabilities, leadership
development and succession planning, and maintaining a high
level of confidence in VF management by the financial community.
Based on the foregoing evaluation and the level of achievement
of the EIC Plan performance target for 2005, Mr. McDonald
received an annual incentive award of $1,474,000 for 2005.
Mr. McDonald was granted options for 250,000 shares of
VF Common Stock in 2005 based on the Committees assessment
of competitor compensation data, together with the projection of
total targeted compensation within the guidelines described
above, and the Committees assessment of
Mr. McDonalds performance.
17
Mr. McDonald was awarded 6,271 shares of Common Stock
for the 2003-2005 performance period under the Mid-Term
Incentive Plan. The basis for this pay-out is described above.
Mr. McDonalds target award under the Mid-Term
Incentive Plan for the 2005-2007 performance cycle was set at
50,100 shares. As in the case of other long-term incentive
awards, this grant level was determined based on the
Committees projection of total targeted compensation
within the guidelines described above and the Committees
assessment of Mr. McDonalds performance.
At its February 2006 meeting, the Board of Directors increased
Mr. McDonalds salary to $1,140,000. The Committee
granted him options to purchase 273,000 shares of VF
Common Stock and set his target award under the Mid-Term
Incentive Plan for the 2006-2008 performance cycle at
60,300 shares.
The Committee has reviewed all components of
Mr. McDonalds compensation, including salary, bonus,
equity and long-term incentive compensation, stock option and
restricted stock gains, the dollar value to the executive and
the cost to VF of all perquisites and other personal benefits,
pay-out obligations under VFs pension plan, pay-out
obligations under VFs Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan (SERP), pay-out obligations under VFs
deferred compensation plan, and projected pay-out obligations
under several termination of employment scenarios, including
voluntary termination and
change-in-control
scenarios, affixing dollar amounts under the various pay-out
scenarios. Tally sheets setting forth all the above components
were reviewed by the Committee. Based on this review, the
Committee finds Mr. McDonalds total compensation to
be consistent with the overall compensation philosophy of VF,
appropriate in relationship to his peers, and reflective of the
Committees assessment of his performance as Chief
Executive Officer.
Tax Deductibility Considerations
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, limits the deductibility of compensation in excess of
$1 million paid to the executive officers named in this
proxy statement, unless certain requirements are met. Stock
options and certain performance-based awards under the 1996
Stock Compensation Plan are designed to meet these requirements
as are annual bonuses under VFs EIC Plan. It is the
present intention of the Compensation Committee to preserve the
deductibility of compensation under Section 162(m) to the
extent the Committee believes that to do so is consistent with
the best interests of shareholders; however, tax deductibility
is only one consideration in determining the type and amount of
compensation. The Board of Directors maintains discretion to set
salaries and grant awards based on the Boards assessment
of individual performance and other relevant factors. Such
salaries and awards may not meet the requirements for full
deductibility of Section 162(m). In making compensation
decisions the Board takes into consideration any potential loss
of deductibility.
Ursula O. Fairbairn, Chairman
Edward E. Crutchfield
Daniel R. Hesse
W. Alan McCollough
M. Rust Sharp
18
The following table sets forth a summary of the compensation
paid or accrued for the years 2003 through 2005 by VF to or for
the benefit of the named executive officers.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
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Long-Term |
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Compensation |
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Annual Compensation |
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Awards1 |
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Payouts |
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Securities |
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Other |
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Restricted |
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Underlying |
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Annual |
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Stock |
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|
Options/ |
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|
LTIP |
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All Other |
Name and |
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Compen- |
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|
Award(s) |
|
|
SARs |
|
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Pay-outs |
|
|
Compen- |
Principal Position |
|
|
Year |
|
|
Salary($) |
|
|
Bonus($) |
|
|
sation($)2 |
|
|
($) |
|
|
(#) |
|
|
($) |
|
|
sation($)4 |
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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Mackey J. McDonald
|
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2005 |
|
|
|
$ |
1,100,000 |
|
|
|
$ |
1,474,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
550,500 |
3 |
|
|
|
250,000 |
|
|
|
$ |
345,971 |
|
|
|
$ |
12,500 |
|
Chairman, President and |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
990,000 |
|
|
|
|
1,985,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
213,400 |
|
|
|
|
198,869 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Chief Executive
Officer5 |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
990,000 |
|
|
|
|
1,039,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
350,000 |
|
|
|
|
169,733 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George N. Derhofer
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
514,700 |
|
|
|
|
485,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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44,700 |
|
|
|
|
105,429 |
|
|
|
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12,500 |
|
Senior Vice President |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
465,200 |
|
|
|
|
579,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43,600 |
|
|
|
|
60,609 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Global Operations |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
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410,000 |
|
|
|
|
330,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44,700 |
|
|
|
|
51,710 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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John P. Schamberger
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|
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2005 |
|
|
|
|
557,300 |
|
|
|
|
514,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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55,700 |
|
|
|
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126,946 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Vice President and |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
541,100 |
|
|
|
|
614,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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54,300 |
|
|
|
|
72,994 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Chairman |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
525,300 |
|
|
|
|
355,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
62,251 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Cross Coalition |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Management |
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Robert K. Shearer
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|
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2005 |
|
|
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514,400 |
|
|
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449,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44,700 |
|
|
|
|
105,429 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Senior Vice President and |
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|
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2004 |
|
|
|
|
481,700 |
|
|
|
|
579,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43,600 |
|
|
|
|
60,609 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Chief Financial Officer |
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2003 |
|
|
|
|
440,000 |
|
|
|
|
325,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
|
51,710 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Eric C. Wiseman
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
575,900 |
|
|
|
|
631,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55,700 |
|
|
|
|
126,946 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Executive Vice |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
485,600 |
|
|
|
|
698,700 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54,300 |
|
|
|
|
72,994 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
President |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
423,300 |
|
|
|
|
315,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
|
62,251 |
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
Global
Brands5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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1 |
The aggregate target number and aggregate value of
performance-contingent Common Stock units earnable for the
three-year performance cycles ending in 2006 and 2007 by the
named executive officers at December 31, 2005, were as
follows: Mr. McDonald 117,900, $6,524,586;
Mr. Derhofer 24,731, $1,368,614;
Mr. Schamberger 30,839, $1,706,630;
Mr. Shearer 24,731, $1,368,614; and
Mr. Wiseman 30,839, $1,706,630. If designated
performance levels corresponding to a maximum earning of
performance-contingent Common Stock units are achieved, the
number of units that may be earned and the related dollar values
for each executive officer in the preceding sentence would
double. Dividend equivalents accrue on these
performance-contingent Common Stock units. In the case of
Mr. McDonald, at December 31, 2005, the
performance-contingent Common Stock units potentially earnable
assuming target performance, together with restricted stock
units held at December 31, 2005 (see footnote 3
below), totaled 127,900 in number with a value at that date of
$7,077,986. |
|
2 |
The incremental cost to VF of perquisites and other personal
benefits provided to each named executive officer did not exceed
the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the executives Salary plus
Bonus. |
|
3 |
Mr. McDonald received an award of 10,000 restricted stock
units on February 7, 2005. These restricted stock units
will vest on February 7, 2007. Dividend equivalents accrue
on these restricted stock units. |
|
4 |
The amount in this column for 2005 represents VFs matching
contribution under the Executive Deferred Savings Plan. |
|
5 |
From May 2005 until March 2006, Mr. Wiseman served as
Executive Vice President Global Brands.
Mr. Wiseman was named President and Chief Operating Officer
in March 2006. Mr. McDonald, Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer prior to Mr. Wisemans election as
President and Chief Operating Officer, continues to serve as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. |
19
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE AWARDS
Stock Options
This table sets forth for the named executive officers
information regarding the grant of stock options by VF in the
2005 fiscal year and their potential realizable values. All
stock options were granted under VFs 1996 Stock
Compensation Plan, as amended, which is a shareholder-approved
plan. This Plan is VFs only plan under which stock options
and other equity awards are granted.
Options Granted in the Last Fiscal Year
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
Potential Realizable Value | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
at Assumed Annual Rates | |
|
|
|
|
of Stock Price Appreciation | |
|
|
Individual Grants1 | |
|
for Option Term2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
% of Total | |
|
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
Options | |
|
Exercise | |
|
|
|
|
Underlying | |
|
Granted to | |
|
or Base | |
|
|
|
|
Options | |
|
Employees in | |
|
Price | |
|
Expiration | |
|
|
Name |
|
Granted(#) | |
|
Fiscal Year | |
|
($/Sh) | |
|
Date | |
|
5% | |
|
10% | |
|
|
|
M.J. McDonald
|
|
|
250,000 |
|
|
|
10.4% |
|
|
$ |
60.20 |
|
|
|
2/10/2015 |
|
|
|
$9,465,000 |
|
|
|
$23,985,000 |
|
|
|
G.N. Derhofer
|
|
|
44,700 |
|
|
|
1.9% |
|
|
$ |
60.20 |
|
|
|
2/10/2015 |
|
|
|
1,691,000 |
|
|
|
4,288,000 |
|
|
|
J.P. Schamberger
|
|
|
55,700 |
|
|
|
2.3% |
|
|
$ |
60.20 |
|
|
|
2/10/2015 |
|
|
|
2,108,000 |
|
|
|
5,343,000 |
|
|
|
R.K. Shearer
|
|
|
44,700 |
|
|
|
1.9% |
|
|
$ |
60.20 |
|
|
|
2/10/2015 |
|
|
|
1,691,000 |
|
|
|
4,288,000 |
|
|
|
E.C. Wiseman
|
|
|
55,700 |
|
|
|
2.3% |
|
|
$ |
60.20 |
|
|
|
2/10/2015 |
|
|
|
2,108,000 |
|
|
|
5,343,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
All of the options were non-qualified stock options granted in
February 2005. Each option becomes vested and exercisable in
thirds on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date
of grant, respectively. Options generally become fully vested
and exercisable upon a Change in Control. All options have a
ten-year term but, in the event of certain terminations of the
optionees employment, the option will expire on an
accelerated basis, as follows: 36 months after retirement
or death; 36 months after termination due to disability; at
the end of the period severance payments are made (if any) in
the case of involuntary termination; and at the time of any
voluntary termination. |
|
2 |
The dollar gains under these columns result from calculations
assuming 5% and 10% growth rates as set by the Securities and
Exchange Commission and are not intended to forecast future
price appreciation of VF Common Stock. It is important to note
that options will result in receipt of no value to recipients,
including the named executive officers, unless the stock price
appreciates above the exercise price shown in the table during
the period in which the option is exercisable. |
20
The following table sets forth for the named executive officers
information regarding stock options exercised by them during the
2005 fiscal year, together with the number and value of stock
options held at 2005 fiscal year end, each on an aggregate basis.
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregated Option Exercises in the 2005 Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values |
|
|
|
Value of | |
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
Unexercised | |
|
|
|
|
Unexercised | |
|
In-the-Money | |
|
|
|
|
Options at | |
|
Options at | |
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year-End | |
|
Fiscal Year-End1 | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
(#) | |
|
($) | |
|
|
|
|
Shares Acquired | |
|
Value | |
|
Exercisable/ | |
|
Exercisable/ | |
|
|
Name |
|
on Exercise(#) | |
|
Realized($) | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
|
M.J. McDonald
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,268,530/ |
508,932 |
|
|
$22,131,866/ |
$3,919,136 |
|
|
G.N. Derhofer
|
|
|
138,000 |
|
|
$ |
3,133,004 |
|
|
|
147,868/ |
100,432 |
|
|
2,414,536/ |
859,408 |
|
|
J.P. Schamberger
|
|
|
96,667 |
|
|
|
2,389,104 |
|
|
|
118,000/ |
125,233 |
|
|
1,634,774/ |
1,072,874 |
|
|
R.K. Shearer
|
|
|
36,100 |
|
|
|
1,182,551 |
|
|
|
276,768/ |
100,432 |
|
|
4,633,492/ |
859,408 |
|
|
E.C. Wiseman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
273,434/ |
118,566 |
|
|
4,808,201/ |
934,601 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Market value of underlying shares at fiscal year-end based on
the fiscal year-end market price of $55.34 per share, minus
the exercise price. |
|
Performance-Contingent Common Stock Units
This table gives information concerning the awards to the named
executive officers made in 2005 for the three-year performance
period of 2005 through 2007 under the Mid-Term Incentive Plan, a
subplan under the VF 1996 Stock Compensation Plan. Under this
Plan, the executives were awarded performance-contingent Common
Stock units, which gives them the opportunity to earn shares of
VF Common Stock. Actual pay-out of these shares is determined
based on the average level of achievement of the performance
goals under the EIC Plan during the three years of the
performance period. The EIC Plan performance goals for 2005
were, and those set for 2006 are, based on earnings per share
(excluding the effects of extraordinary and non-recurring items
and change in accounting policy for the expensing of stock-based
compensation) and net sales. The Compensation Committee will set
new EIC Plan performance goals in 2007, although the Committee
retains discretion to set performance goals under this Plan that
differ from those under the EIC Plan. In order for the CEO and
certain other highly compensated executives to earn Common Stock
units under this Plan, in addition to meeting the other goals
under the Plan, the Company must have positive earnings per
share throughout the performance period. These awards are
forfeitable upon an executives termination of employment,
except (i) a pro rata portion of the award will be deemed
earned in the event of death, disability, or retirement,
(ii) a pro rata portion of the award will be deemed earned
in the event of a termination by the Company without cause prior
to a change in control, with pro ration based on the part of the
performance period in which the executive remained employed plus
any period during which severance payments will be made, and
(iii) the full award at the higher of target performance or
actual performance achieved through the date
21
of termination will be deemed earned in the event of a
termination by the Company without cause or by the executive for
good reason after a change in control.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Long-Term Incentive Plans Awards in Last Fiscal Year | |
| |
|
|
Estimated Future Pay-out Under | |
|
|
Non-Stock Price-Based Plans1 | |
| |
Name |
|
Threshold(#) | |
|
Target(#) | |
|
Maximum(#) | |
| |
M.J. McDonald
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
50,100 |
|
|
|
100,200 |
|
G.N. Derhofer
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
11,300 |
|
|
|
22,600 |
|
J.P. Schamberger
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
14,100 |
|
|
|
28,200 |
|
R.K. Shearer
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
11,300 |
|
|
|
22,600 |
|
E.C. Wiseman
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
14,100 |
|
|
|
28,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
The actual number of shares, if any, that will be paid out at
the end of the applicable period cannot be determined because
the shares earned by the named executive officers will be based
on VFs performance over the 2005-2007 performance period. |
|
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION TABLE
The following table provides information as of December 31,
2005 regarding the number of shares of VF Common Stock that may
be issued under VFs equity compensation plans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) | |
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of securities | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
remaining available | |
|
|
securities to be | |
|
|
|
for future issuance | |
|
|
issued upon | |
|
Weighted-average | |
|
under equity | |
|
|
exercise of | |
|
exercise price of | |
|
compensation plans | |
|
|
outstanding | |
|
outstanding | |
|
(excluding securities | |
|
|
options, warrants | |
|
options, warrants | |
|
reflected in | |
Plan Category1 |
|
and rights2 | |
|
and rights2 | |
|
column (a))3 | |
| |
Equity compensation plans approved by shareholders
|
|
|
10,761,911 |
|
|
$ |
44.62 |
|
|
|
5,926,993 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by shareholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
10,761,911 |
|
|
$ |
44.62 |
|
|
|
5,926,993 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
The table does not include information regarding the following
VF plans: |
|
|
|
|
|
Employee Stock Ownership Plan. As of December 31, 2005,
there were 755,518 shares of Series B ESOP Stock
outstanding, all of which were allocated to the accounts of
participants in this Plan. Each share of Series B ESOP
Stock is convertible into 1.6 shares of VF Common Stock. |
|
|
|
Executive Deferred Savings Plan and Deferred Savings Plan for
Non-Employee Directors. These plans permit the deferral of
salary, bonus and director compensation into, among other
things, stock equivalent accounts. Deferrals in a stock
equivalent account are valued as if deferrals were invested in
VF Common Stock as of the deferral date, and are paid out only
in cash. VF maintains a rabbi trust that holds shares that
approximately correspond in number to the stock equivalents, and
provides pass-through voting rights with respect to those stock
equivalents. Stock equivalents are credited with dividend
equivalents. As of December 31, 2005, there were 269,043
stock equivalents outstanding in the stock equivalent accounts
under these plans. |
|
|
2 |
Includes 1,265,611 restricted stock units that were outstanding
on December 31, 2005 under VFs Mid-term Incentive
Plan, a subplan under the 1996 Stock Compensation Plan. Under
this Plan, participants are awarded performance-contingent
Common Stock units, which gives them the opportunity to earn
shares of VF Common Stock. The number of restricted stock units
included in the table assumes a maximum pay-out of shares.
Actual pay-out of these shares is determined based on the level
of achievement of the performance goals under the EIC Plan. The
EIC Plan performance goals for 2005 were, and those set for 2006
are, based on earnings per share (excluding the effects of
extraordinary and non-recurring items) and net sales. Also
includes 108,096 restricted |
22
|
|
|
stock units that have been awarded
to participants but that participants have elected to defer.
Restricted stock unit awards do not have an exercise price
because their value is dependent upon the achievement of the
specified performance criteria and may be settled only for
shares of Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Accordingly, the
restricted stock units have been disregarded for purposes of
computing the weighted-average exercise price. Had these
restricted stock units been included in the calculation, the
weighted-average exercise price reflected in column
(b) would have been $38.92.
|
|
3 |
Of the shares remaining available
for future issuance, a total of 1,658,101 shares (assuming
a maximum pay-out of shares) may be issued as restricted stock
and restricted stock units under VFs 1996 Stock
Compensation Plan, VFs only plan under which restricted
stock/unit awards may be granted. This Plan also authorizes the
grant of options and other types of equity awards, so that
shares will not necessarily be issued as restricted stock/unit
awards.
|
FUTURE REMUNERATION
Pension Plan and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
VF maintains and contributes to the VF Corporation Pension Plan
(the Pension Plan), a defined benefit plan that
covers all of VFs domestic employees who were employed by
VF on December 31, 2004, including the named executive
officers. Benefits under the Pension Plan are determined based
on average annual salary and bonus compensation from
January 1, 2004, with no less than five years immediately
preceding retirement included in the average. If an employee
does not have five years of compensation from January 1,
2004, such employees compensation for a sufficient number
of years immediately prior to 2004 shall be included to produce
a minimum five compensation years.
The Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) is
an unfunded, non-qualified plan for eligible participants
primarily designed (i) to restore benefits lost under the
Pension Plan due to (a) the maximum legal limit of pension
benefits imposed under the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code
(the Code) and (b) an election to defer
compensation under VFs Deferred Compensation Plan and/or
Executive Deferred Savings Plan and (ii) to supplement the
Pension Plan benefits of those senior executives whose tenure
may be relatively short by virtue of having joined VF in
mid-career or who lost pension benefits with former employers as
a result of an early separation from service. The combined
retirement income from the Pension Plan and the SERP for each of
the named executive officers, upon retirement at age 65,
would be an amount equal to his Pension Plan benefit calculated
(i) without regard to any limitation imposed by the Code or
ERISA, (ii) without regard to his participation in the
Deferred Compensation Plan or the Executive Deferred Savings
Plan, (iii) on the basis of the average of the highest
three years of his salary and bonus compensation during the
ten-year period immediately preceding retirement, and
(iv) without deduction or offset of amounts of Social
Security benefits.
23
The following table reflects estimated annual benefits that
would be payable under the Pension Plan and the SERP upon
retirement at age 65 of individuals in the specified
remuneration and years of service classifications.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Assumed Average | |
|
|
Remuneration | |
|
Years of Service: | |
| |
|
|
10 years | |
|
15 years | |
|
20 years | |
|
25 years or more | |
| |
$ |
600,000 |
|
|
$ |
105,000 |
|
|
$ |
157,000 |
|
|
$ |
210,000 |
|
|
$ |
262,000 |
|
|
800,000 |
|
|
|
141,000 |
|
|
|
211,000 |
|
|
|
282,000 |
|
|
|
352,000 |
|
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
|
195,000 |
|
|
|
292,000 |
|
|
|
390,000 |
|
|
|
487,000 |
|
|
1,250,000 |
|
|
|
222,000 |
|
|
|
333,000 |
|
|
|
444,000 |
|
|
|
555,000 |
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
267,000 |
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
|
|
534,000 |
|
|
|
667,000 |
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
357,000 |
|
|
|
535,000 |
|
|
|
714,000 |
|
|
|
892,000 |
|
|
2,250,000 |
|
|
|
402,000 |
|
|
|
603,000 |
|
|
|
804,000 |
|
|
|
1,005,000 |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
447,000 |
|
|
|
670,000 |
|
|
|
894,000 |
|
|
|
1,117,000 |
|
|
2,750,000 |
|
|
|
492,000 |
|
|
|
738,000 |
|
|
|
984,000 |
|
|
|
1,230,000 |
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
537,000 |
|
|
|
805,000 |
|
|
|
1,074,000 |
|
|
|
1,342,000 |
|
|
3,250,000 |
|
|
|
582,000 |
|
|
|
873,000 |
|
|
|
1,164,000 |
|
|
|
1,455,000 |
|
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
|
627,000 |
|
|
|
940,000 |
|
|
|
1,254,000 |
|
|
|
1,567,000 |
|
|
3,750,000 |
|
|
|
672,000 |
|
|
|
1,008,000 |
|
|
|
1,344,000 |
|
|
|
1,680,000 |
|
|
4,000,000 |
|
|
|
717,000 |
|
|
|
1,075,000 |
|
|
|
1,434,000 |
|
|
|
1,792,000 |
|
|
The amounts in the table have been computed on a straight-life
annuity basis. Final Average Compensation is based on salary and
bonus as such amounts are computed and reflected in the Summary
Compensation Table. Each of the named executive officers has
credited years of service under the Pension Plan as follows:
Mr. McDonald 23 years;
Mr. Derhofer 10 years;
Mr. Schamberger 34 years;
Mr. Shearer 19 years; and
Mr. Wiseman 10 years.
The Pension Plan provides that if it is Overfunded
upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of VF (as
those terms are defined in the Pension Plan), certain Pension
Plan assets in excess of those needed to meet expected benefit
entitlements are to be used fully and irrevocably to vest each
participants accrued benefit and provide increases in
accrued benefits for active participants, retired participants,
surviving spouses and beneficiaries and terminated vested
participants. The Pension Plan is considered
Overfunded to the extent that the fair market value
of Pension Plan assets exceeds Pension Plan liabilities
(primarily the actuarial present value of Pension Plan benefit
entitlements). As of the end of VFs most recent fiscal
year, the Pension Plan was not Overfunded. SERP benefits will
become funded upon a Change in Control of VF, as
defined in the Change in Control Agreements described below. In
this regard, VF has established a trust with Wachovia
Corporation, as Trustee (the SERP Trust). VF may
fund the SERP Trust at any time to secure payment of certain
SERP benefits not otherwise paid by VF. Upon a Change in
Control, VF is required to fund the SERP Trust, which becomes
irrevocable.
Had there been a Change in Control as of March 7, 2006, the
combined estimated annual benefits vested under the Pension Plan
and the SERP and payable beginning at
24
age 65 for each of the named executive officers would have
been as follows: Mr. McDonald $1,207,740;
Mr. Derhofer $181,680;
Mr. Schamberger $495,504;
Mr. Shearer $289,224; and
Mr. Wiseman $208,716.
Change in Control and Other Arrangements
VF has entered into Change in Control Agreements with certain of
its executives. These Agreements provide severance benefits to
the designated executives in the event their employment is
terminated within a specified period after a Change in
Control of VF, as such term is defined in the Agreements.
Other than these Agreements, VF does not have employment
agreements with its executive officers.
The Agreements generally have a term of three years with
automatic annual extensions. The Agreements may be terminated,
subject to the limitations outlined below, by VF upon notice to
the executive and are automatically terminated if the
executives employment with VF ceases. VF may not terminate
the Agreements (i) if it has knowledge that any third
person has taken steps or has announced an intention to take
steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or
(ii) within a specified period of time after a Change in
Control occurs. Severance benefits payable to the named
executive officers include the lump sum payment of an amount
equal to 2.99 times the sum of the executives current
annual salary plus the highest amount of bonus awarded to the
executive during the five fiscal years ending prior to the date
on which the executives employment is terminated following
a Change in Control of VF.
There are no limitations on the total payments to be made to an
executive in the event of termination of employment upon a
Change in Control to prevent such payments from constituting
excess parachute payments (as that term is defined
in the Code). Executives also receive additional payments under
the Agreements to reimburse them for any increased golden
parachute excise taxes, other increased taxes, penalties and
interest resulting from any payments under the Agreements by
reason of such payments being treated as excess parachute
payments.
Had there been a Change in Control as of March 7, 2006
approximate severance payments under the Agreements upon
severance of the named executive officers would have been as
follows (excluding applicable reimbursements for increased
taxes, penalties and interest, if any):
Mr. McDonald $9,344,000;
Mr. Derhofer $3,376,000;
Mr. Schamberger $3,502,000;
Mr. Shearer $3,346,000; and
Mr. Wiseman $4,182,000.
Under the terms of the Agreements, the executives also would be
entitled to supplemental benefits, such as accelerated rights to
exercise stock options, accelerated lapse of restrictions on
restricted stock and restricted stock units, lump sum payments
under the VF SERP, continued life and medical insurance for
specified periods after termination, entitlements under
retirement plans and a lump sum payment upon attaining
retirement age. Upon a Change in Control, VF also will pay all
reasonable legal fees and related expenses incurred by the
executives as a result of the termination of their employment or
in obtaining or enforcing any right or benefit provided by the
Agreements.
25
VF maintains an Executive Deferred Savings Plan (the EDS
Plan), which is an unfunded, non-qualified deferred
compensation arrangement for a select group of management and
highly compensated employees of VF and certain of its
subsidiaries. The EDS Plan permits an eligible employee to defer
the receipt of a specified portion of his or her compensation
until the date of retirement, disability, death or termination
of employment. In 2005, VF matched 50% of the first $25,000
deferred by each participant. Upon a Change in Control of VF,
matching contributions become fully vested and VF is required to
fully fund the amount accrued for each employee. As of
March 7, 2006, all matching contributions made for the
benefit of the named executive officers were fully vested based
on their years of service with VF.
VF announced in December 2005 that Mr. Schamberger would be
retiring from VF in the first quarter of 2006 after
34 years of service. In connection with the retirement of
Mr. Schamberger, VF entered into an agreement with him that
prohibits him from working for certain specified competitors and
from hiring VF employees for two years following his retirement
from VF. Subject to Mr. Schambergers compliance with
his obligations, benefits under the agreement include a lump sum
payment of $340,350 on September 31, 2006 and payments at
the rate of $56,725 per month from October 1, 2006
through March 31, 2008, as well as health insurance and
financial counseling benefits through March 31, 2008. The
agreement also provided for an annual bonus for 2005 under
VFs Executive Incentive Compensation Plan and a Mid-Term
Incentive Plan award for the performance cycle ending in 2005,
which amounts are reflected in the Summary Compensation Table.
26
PERFORMANCE GRAPH
The following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder
return on VF Common Stock with that of the Standard &
Poors (S&P) 500 Stock Index and the
S&P 1500 Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Index
(S&P Apparel Index) for the five years ended
December 31, 2005. The graph assumes that $100 was invested
on January 1, 2001, in each of VF Common Stock, the S&P
500 Stock Index and the S&P Apparel Index, and that all
dividends were reinvested. The graph plots the respective values
on the five single days that are the last trading days of
calendar years 2001 through 2005. Past performance is not
necessarily indicative of future performance.
Comparison of Five-Year Total Return of
VF Common Stock, S&P 500 Index, and S&P Apparel
Index
VF Common Stock closing price on December 31, 2005 was
$55.34
TOTAL SHAREHOLDER RETURNS
27
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
Certain Beneficial Owners
Shown below are persons known by VF to have voting power and/or
dispositive power over more than 5% of its Common Stock or
Series B ESOP Stock, as well as certain other information,
all as of March 7, 2006, except that information regarding
the number of shares beneficially owned by certain of the
shareholders (but not the calculation of the percentage of the
outstanding class) is as of December 31, 2005, as indicated
in the footnotes below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Beneficial Owner |
|
Amount of Beneficial | |
|
Percent | |
and Nature of Ownership |
|
Ownership1 | |
|
of Class | |
| |
Common Stock |
Ursula O. Fairbairn, M. Rust Sharp and PNC Bank, N.A.,
P.O. Box 7648,
Philadelphia, PA 19101,
as Trustees under Deeds of Trust dated August 21, 1951
2,3,4 |
|
|
12,868,851 shares |
|
|
|
11.7 |
% |
Ursula O. Fairbairn, M. Rust Sharp and PNC Bank, N.A.,
P.O. Box 7648,
Philadelphia, PA 19101,
as Trustees under the Will of John E. Barbey, deceased
2,3,4 |
|
|
8,977,952 shares |
|
|
|
8.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
21,846,803 shares |
|
|
|
19.9 |
% |
Capital Research Management Company
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA
900715 |
|
|
5,750,000 shares |
|
|
|
5.2 |
% |
Dodge & Cox
One Sansome St., 35th Floor
San Francisco, CA
941046 |
|
|
6,772,984 shares |
|
|
|
6.1 |
% |
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
270 Park Avenue
New York, NY
100177 |
|
|
9,394,185 shares |
|
|
|
8.4 |
% |
Series B ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock |
Fidelity Management Trust Company,
82 Devonshire Street, H11D,
Boston, MA 02109-3614,
as Trustee of VFs Retirement Savings Plan for
Salaried Employees |
|
|
737,643 shares |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
1 |
None of the shares in this column is known to be a share with
respect to which any of the listed owners has the right to
acquire beneficial ownership, as specified in
Rule 13d-3(d)(1)
under the 1934 Act. |
|
2 |
Mrs. Fairbairn and Mr. Sharp are directors of VF. |
|
3 |
Present life tenants and remaindermen under the Will are
various. All present life tenants and all or most future life
tenants and/or remaindermen under the Deeds of Trust are, or
will be, descendants of John E. Barbey. No individual life
tenant or remainderman may, within 60 days, attain
beneficial ownership, as specified in
Rule 13d-3(d)(1)
under the 1934 Act, which exceeds 5% of the outstanding
shares. |
|
4 |
Including shares in the above table, PNC Bank, N.A. and its
affiliates held a total of 22,080,362 shares (19.9% of the
class outstanding) of the VF Common Stock in various trust and
agency accounts on December 31, 2005, according to a
Schedule 13G/A filed by the Bank with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on February 14, 2006. As to all such
shares, the Bank and its affiliates had sole voting power over
233,559 shares, |
28
|
|
|
shared voting power over
21,846,803 shares, sole dispositive power over
182,008 shares and shared dispositive power over
21,891,353 shares.
|
|
5 |
The information in the above table
concerning Capital Research Management Company
(Capital) was obtained from a Schedule 13G/A
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
February 10, 2006, reporting beneficial ownership at
December 31, 2005. Capital reported that it had sole
dispositive power over all of such shares, sole voting power
over 1,950,000 such shares and shared voting power over none of
such shares.
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6 |
The information in the above table
concerning Dodge & Cox was obtained from a
Schedule 13 G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on February 8, 2006, reporting beneficial
ownership at December 31, 2005. Dodge & Cox
reported that it had sole voting power over
6,351,684 shares, shared voting power over
73,600 shares and sole dispositive power over all of such
shares.
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7 |
The information in the above table
concerning JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMorgan)
was obtained from a Schedule 13G filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on February 10, 2006, reporting
beneficial ownership at December 31, 2005, on behalf of JP
Morgan and its wholly owned subsidiaries Chase Manhattan Bank
USA, National Association, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National
Association, J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc.,
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association,
J.P. Morgan Fleming Asset Management (UK) Limited,
Bank One Trust Co., N.A., and JPMorgan Investment Advisors Inc.
JPMorgan reported that it and its subsidiaries had sole voting
power over 7,238,388 such shares, shared voting power over
1,323,301 such shares, sole dispositive power over 7,855,987
such shares and shared dispositive power over 1,400,359 such
shares.
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29
Common Stock Ownership of Management
The following table reflects, as of March 7, 2006, the
total beneficial ownership of VF Common Stock by each director
and nominee for director, and each named executive officer, and
by all directors and executive officers as a group. Each named
individual and all members of the group exercise sole voting and
dispositive power, except as indicated in the footnotes. Share
ownership of Mrs. Fairbairn and Mr. Sharp includes
21,846,803 shares reported above under Certain Beneficial
Owners, as to which they share voting and dispositive power with
PNC Bank, N.A., as Trustees, as of December 31, 2005.
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Total Shares Beneficially |
Name of Beneficial Owner |
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Owned1,2,3,4 |
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Directors:
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Edward E. Crutchfield
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29,995 |
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Juan Ernesto de Bedout
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32,771 |
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Ursula O. Fairbairn
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21,904,091 |
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Barbara S. Feigin
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53,589 |
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George Fellows
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40,000 |
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Daniel R. Hesse
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37,171 |
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Robert J. Hurst
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67,325 |
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W. Alan McCollough
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31,036 |
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Clarence Otis, Jr.
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12,371 |
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M. Rust Sharp
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21,893,109 |
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Raymond G. Viault
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22,149 |
Named Executive Officers:
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Mackey J.
McDonald5
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1,647,579 |
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George N. Derhofer
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232,734 |
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John P. Schamberger
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227,053 |
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Robert K. Shearer
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359,851 |
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Eric C. Wiseman
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375,220 |
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (19 persons)
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25,442,938 |
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1 |
Shares owned include shares held in trusts as of
December 31, 2005 in connection with employee benefit
plans, as to which the following participants share voting power
but have no present dispositive power:
Mr. McDonald 21,838 shares;
Mr. Derhofer 14,660;
Mr. Wiseman 3,707 shares; and all
directors and executive officers as a group
55,931 shares. Does not include shares of Series B
ESOP Stock held in trust in connection with an employee benefit
plan, as to which participants also share voting power but have
no present dispositive power and no power to direct conversion
into Common Stock, as follows: Mr. McDonald
121 shares; Mr. Schamberger
370 shares; Mr. Shearer 411 shares;
and all directors and executive officers as a group
1,184 shares. Shares owned also include shares held as of
December 31, 2005 in trust in connection with employee
benefit plans, as to which the following participants have no
dispositive power and shared voting power:
Mr. McDonald 709 shares;
Mr. Derhofer 892 ; Mr. Shearer
463 shares; Mr. Schamberger
62 shares; and all directors and executive officers as a
group 3,529 shares. Shares owned also include
shares held in a trust in connection with the VF Deferred
Savings Plan for Non-Employee Directors as to which the
following directors have shared voting power but do not have
dispositive power: Mr. de Bedout
6,171 shares; Mrs. Fairbairn
11,429 shares; Mrs. Feigin
5,989 shares; Mr. Hesse 7,771 shares;
Mr. Hurst 14,525 shares;
Mr. McCollough |
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6,436 shares;
Mr. Otis 2,171 shares;
Mr. Sharp 5,306 shares;
Mr. Viault 4,349 shares; and all directors
and executive officers as a group 64,147 shares.
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2 |
Shares owned also include the
following number of stock options that are exercisable as of
March 7, 2006, or within 60 days thereafter:
Mr. McDonald 1,539,663;
Mr. Derhofer 203,967;
Mr. Schamberger 188,100;
Mr. Shearer 332,867;
Mr. Wiseman 336,767;
Mr. Crutchfield 10,200; Mr. de
Bedout 24,600; Mrs. Fairbairn
43,800; Mrs. Feigin 43,800;
Mr. Fellows 39,000; Mr. Hesse
29,400; Mr. Hurst 43,800;
Mr. McCollough 24,600;
Mr. Otis 10,200; Mr. Sharp
39,000; Mr. Viault 15,000; and all directors
and executive officers as a group
3,214,699. |
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3 |
Other than Mrs. Fairbairn and
Mr. Sharp, who are deemed to beneficially own 19.9% of the
Common Stock outstanding, and Mr. McDonald, who
beneficially owns 1.5% of the Common Stock outstanding, the
percentage of shares owned beneficially by each named person
does not exceed 1% of the Common Stock outstanding. The
percentage of shares owned beneficially by all directors and
executive officers as a group was 23% of the Common Stock
outstanding.
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4 |
Shares owned include units of VF
Common Stock equivalents that are deferred under the VF Stock
Compensation Plan, as follows: Mr. McDonald
38,121; Mr. Derhofer 10,464;
Mr. Schamberger 14,419;
Mr. Shearer 11,959;
Mr. Wiseman 5,159; and all directors and
executive officers as a group 88,490 shares.
These units are fully vested and will be paid out in shares of
Common Stock upon expiration of the deferral period, including
upon certain types of termination of service. Holders of these
units do not have current voting or dispositive power with
respect to the shares deliverable in settlement of these units.
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5 |
Mr. McDonald is also a
director.
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ITEM NO. 2
RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm. The Audit Committee has retained
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs independent registered
public accounting firm the fiscal year ending December 30,
2006. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP served as VFs independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005. In connection with its decision to
retain PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as VFs independent
registered public accounting firm, the Audit Committee
considered whether the provision of non-audit services by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was compatible with maintaining
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPs independence and concluded
that it was. A representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will
be present at the Meeting. The representative will be given an
opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so
and to respond to appropriate questions. Although we are not
required to do so, we believe it is appropriate to ask
shareholders to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP as VFs independent registered public accounting firm.
If shareholders do not ratify the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Audit Committee will reconsider
the selection of independent registered public accounting firm.
The VF Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR
ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Professional Fees of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The
following chart summarizes the estimated fees of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for services rendered to VF during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 and the fiscal year
ended January 1, 2005.
31
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Type of Fees | |
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2005 |
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2004 |
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Description of Fees |
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Audit Fees |
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$4,084,000 |
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$3,500,000 |
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Audit Fees are fees that VF paid to
PricewaterhouseCoopers for the audit of VFs consolidated
financial statements included in VFs Annual Report on
Form 10-K and review of financial statements included in
the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and for services that
are normally provided by the auditor in connection with
statutory and regulatory filings and engagements; and for the
audit of VFs internal control over financial reporting;
and for the attestation of managements report on the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. |
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Audit Related Fees |
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463,000 |
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954,000 |
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Audit Related Fees are fees billed for assurance and
related services that are reasonably related to the performance
of the audit or review of VFs financial statements and are
not reported above under the caption Audit Fees.
Audit Related Fees in 2005 consisted primarily of
due diligence on certain acquisition efforts, employee benefit
plan audits and a social security audit and in 2004 consisted
primarily of due diligence on certain acquisition efforts and
employee benefit plan audits. |
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Tax Fees |
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667,000 |
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1,360,000 |
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Tax Fees are fees billed for professional services
for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. Tax
Fees in 2005 consisted primarily of tax compliance, tax
audit assistance and VAT services, and in 2004 consisted
primarily of expatriate tax support, tax compliance, tax audit
assistance, VAT services, transfer pricing and customs and
duties matters. |
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All other Fees |
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-0- |
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-0- |
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PricewaterhouseCoopers performed no services in 2005 and 2004
other than the services reported under Audit Fees,
Audit-Related Fees and Tax Fees. |
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Total |
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$5,214,000 |
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$5,814,000 |
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All audit related services and all other permissible non-audit
services provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP were
pre-approved by the Audit Committee. The pre-approval policies
adopted by the Audit Committee provide that annual, recurring
services that will be provided by VFs independent
registered public accounting firm and related fees are presented
to the Audit Committee for its consideration and advance
approval at each
32
February Audit Committee meeting. At each February Audit
Committee meeting, criteria are established by the Audit
Committee for its advance approval of specified categories of
services and payment of fees to VFs independent registered
public accounting firm for changes in scope of recurring
services or additional non-recurring services during the current
year. On a quarterly basis, the Audit Committee is informed of
each previously approved service performed by VFs
independent registered public accounting firm and the related
fees.
Report of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee
reports as follows with respect to the audit of VFs
consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005 (the 2005 Financial
Statements). At the meeting of the Audit Committee held in
February 2006, the Audit Committee (i) reviewed and
discussed with management the 2005 Financial Statements and
audit of internal control over financial reporting;
(ii) discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP the matters
required to be discussed by the Statement of Auditing Standards
No. 61 (Communication with Audit Committees) which include,
among other items, matters related to the conduct of the audit
of the 2005 Financial Statements; and (iii) received from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP written disclosures regarding their
independence required by Independence Standards Board Standard
No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit Committees) and
discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP their independence
from VF. Based on the foregoing review and discussions, the
Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the
2005 Financial Statements as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP be included in VFs Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
George Fellows, Chairman
Juan Ernesto de Bedout
Barbara S. Feigin
Clarence Otis, Jr.
Raymond G. Viault
OTHER INFORMATION
Other Matters
The Board of Directors does not know of any other matter that is
intended to be brought before the Meeting, but if any other
matter is presented, the persons named in the enclosed proxy
will be authorized to vote on behalf of the shareholders in
their discretion and intend to vote the same according to their
best judgment. As of February 7, 2006, VF had not received
notice of any matter to be presented at the Meeting other than
as described in this proxy statement.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
requires directors and certain officers of VF, as well as
persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of VFs
33
equity securities (Reporting Persons), to file
reports of ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4
and 5 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New
York Stock Exchange. VF believes that during the preceding year
all Reporting Persons timely complied with all filing
requirements applicable to them, except the following. Through
an administrative oversight, on February 11, 2005, a
Form 4 was filed two days late reporting the Companys
payout to Mr. Schamberger of 1,332 shares of Common
Stock earned from performance-contingent Common Stock Units.
Through an administrative oversight, on November 10, 2005,
a Form 4 was filed seven days late reporting officer
Bradley Battens phantom stock investment in
290 units of ownership as a participant in the VF Common
Stock Fund of the Executive Deferred Savings Plan.
Expenses of Solicitation
VF will bear the cost of this proxy solicitation. In addition to
the use of mail, proxies may be solicited in person or by
telephone by VF employees without additional compensation. VF
has engaged D.F. King & Co., Inc. to solicit proxies in
connection with the proxy statement, and employees of that
company are expected to solicit proxies in person, by telephone
and by mail. The anticipated cost to VF of such solicitation is
approximately $11,500, plus expenses. VF will reimburse brokers
and other persons holding stock in their names or in the names
of nominees for their expenses incurred in sending proxy
material to principals and obtaining their proxies.
2007 Shareholder Proposals
In order for shareholder proposals for the 2007 Annual Meeting
of Shareholders to be eligible for inclusion in VFs proxy
statement, VF must receive them at its principal office in
Greensboro, North Carolina on or before November 23, 2006.
In order for shareholder proposals that are not intended to be
included in VFs proxy statement but which are to be
presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be
timely, VF must receive notice of such at its principal office
in Greensboro, North Carolina on or before February 6, 2007.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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Candace S. Cummings |
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Vice President Administration, |
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General Counsel and Secretary |
Dated: March 23, 2006
34
APPENDIX A
V.F. CORPORATION
INDEPENDENCE STANDARDS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
To be considered independent under the Listing Standards of the
NYSE, the Board must determine that a director does not have any
direct or indirect (as a partner, shareholder or officer of an
organization that has a relationship with VF) material
relationship with VF by broadly considering all relevant facts
and circumstances. Material relationships can include
commercial, industrial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting,
charitable and familial relationships, among others. The
Boards determination of each directors independence
will be disclosed annually in the Companys proxy
statement. The Board has established the following categorical
standards to assist it in determining director independence in
accordance with the NYSE rules:
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No director who is an employee, or whose immediate family member
is an executive officer, of VF can be considered independent
until three years after termination of such employment
relationship. |
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No director who is affiliated with or employed by, or whose
immediate family member is affiliated with or employed in a
professional capacity by, a present or former internal or
external auditor of the company can be considered independent
until three years after the end of the affiliation or employment
or auditing relationship. |
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No director can be considered independent if he or she is
employed, or if his or her immediate family member is employed,
as an executive officer of another company where any of
VFs present executives serve on the other companys
compensation committee until three years after the end of such
service or employment relationship. |
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No director can be considered independent if he or she receives,
or his or her immediate family member receives, more than
$100,000 per year in direct compensation from the Company,
other than director and committee fees and pension or other
forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such
compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service)
until three years after he or she or his or her immediate family
member ceases to receive more than $100,000 per year in
such compensation. |
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No director can be considered independent if he or she is an
executive officer or employee of another company not including a
charitable organization (or an immediate family member of the
director is an executive officer of such company) that makes
payments to, or receives payments from, VF for property or
services in an amount which, in any single fiscal year, exceeds
the greater of $1 million or 2% of such other
companys consolidated gross revenues until three years
after falling below such threshold. |
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VF will disclose, in its annual proxy statement, any charitable
contributions made by VF to a charitable organization if the
charitable organization is one in which a VF director serves as
an executive officer and, within the preceding three years,
charitable contributions made by VF in any single fiscal year
exceed the greater of $1 million or 2% of such charitable
organizations consolidated gross revenues. This |
A-1
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disclosure does not automatically result in a determination
against that directors independence; however, the Board
will consider the materiality of this relationship in its
overall affirmative determination of that directors
independence status. |
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The Board, as part of its self-evaluation will review all
commercial, industrial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting,
charitable, and familial relationships between the Company and
its directors. |
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For relationships not qualifying within the above guidelines,
the determination of whether the relationship is material, and
therefore whether the director is independent, shall be made by
the Board. The Company will explain in the next proxy statement
the basis for any Board determination that a relationship was
immaterial despite the fact that it did not meet the categorical
standards of immateriality set forth in the above guidelines. |
In addition, members of the Audit Committee of the Board are
subject to heightened standards of independence under the NYSE
rules and the SEC rules and regulations.
A-2
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Mark this box with an X if you have made
changes to your name or address details above. |
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Annual Meeting Proxy Card
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PLEASE REFER TO THE REVERSE SIDE FOR TELEPHONE AND INTERNET VOTING INSTRUCTIONS.
Shares subject to this proxy/voting instruction card will be voted in the manner indicated below,
when the card is properly executed and returned. If no indication is made, such shares will be
voted FOR the election of all nominees as Directors and FOR ratification of the selection of the
independent registered public accounting firm. For participants in the VF Corporation employee
benefit plans: This card will be treated as voting instructions to the plan trustees or
administrator, as explained on the reverse side of this card.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of the nominees in Item No. 1 and FOR Item No. 2.
A Election of Directors
1. The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the listed nominees.
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For |
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Withhold |
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01 Robert J. Hurst
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02 W. Alan McCollough
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03 M. Rust Sharp
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04 Raymond G. Viault
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B Issues
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the following proposal.
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For |
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Against |
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Abstain |
2.
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Ratification of the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP as VFs independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending December 30, 2006.
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I will attend the Annual Meeting. |
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Mark this box with an X if you have made
comments below. |
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C Authorized Signatures Sign Here This section must be completed for your instructions to be executed.
NOTE: Please sign name(s) exactly as printed hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When
signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such.
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Signature 1 Please keep signature within the box
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Signature 2 Please keep signature within the box
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Date (mm/dd/yyyy) |
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VF Corporation
PROXY SOLICITATION/VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD
Proxy Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors for
Annual Meeting on April 25, 2006
The undersigned hereby appoints M.J. McDonald and C S. Cummings, and each of them acting
individually, proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to represent and vote,
as directed on the reverse side of this card, all shares of Common Stock of VF Corporation held of
record by the undersigned on March 7, 2006, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VF
Corporation to be held on April 25, 2006, and at any adjournments thereof, and, in their
discretion, upon such other matters not specified as may come before said meeting. The undersigned
hereby revokes any prior proxies.
You are encouraged to specify your choice by marking the appropriate boxes, SEE REVERSE SIDE, but
you need not mark any boxes if you wish to vote in accordance with the Board of Directors
recommendations.
UNLESS
YOU VOTE BY TELEPHONE, INTERNET, OR BY SIGNING AND RETURNING THIS
CARD, THE PROXIES CANNOT VOTE YOUR SHARES.
PLEASE VOTE, DATE AND SIGN THIS PROXY ON THE OTHER SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
Voting Instructions for the VF Corporation Retirement Savings Plan
for Salaried Employees (the Salaried 401(k)):
This card constitutes voting instructions to Fidelity Management Trust Company, the Trustee for
the Salaried 401(k), to vote in person or by proxy any shares of Common Stock and Series B ESOP
Convertible Preferred Stock allocated to the undersigned as of March 7, 2006 under the Salaried
401(k), at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VF Corporation to be held on April 25, 2006, and
at any adjournments thereof, and also constitutes voting instructions to the Trustee for a
proportionate number of shares of Common Stock and Series B ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock in
the Salaried 401(k) for which no instruction card has been received from other participants. If
you do not return this card, the Trustee will vote any shares allocated to you in the same
proportion as the shares for which instructions were received from other participants in the
Salaried 401(k).
Voting Instructions for the VF Corporation Retirement Savings Plan
for Hourly Employees (the Hourly 401(k)):
This card also constitutes voting instructions to Fidelity Management Trust Company, the Trustee
for the Hourly 401(k), to vote in person or by proxy any shares of Common Stock allocated to the
undersigned as of March 7, 2006 under the Hourly 401(k), at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of
VF Corporation to be held on April 25, 2006, and at any adjournments thereof, and also constitutes
voting instructions to the Trustee for a proportionate number of shares of Common Stock in the
Hourly 401(k) for which no instruction card has been received from other participants. If you do
not return this card, the Trustee will vote any shares allocated to you in the same proportion as
the shares for which instructions were received from other participants in the Hourly 401(k).
Voting Request for the VF Executive Deferred Savings Plan and the VF Executive Deferred Savings Plan II (collectively, the EDSP):
This card constitutes a voting request to the VF Corporation Pension Plan Committee (the
Committee"), Administrator of the EDSP, to vote the VF Corporation shares held by the trustee of
the grantor trust relating to the EDSP and credited to the participants EDSP account as of March
7, 2006, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VF Corporation to be held on April 25, 2006, and
at any adjournments thereof, with the understanding that the Committee, pursuant to its
discretionary powers under the EDSP, may reject this request and
direct that the shares be voted in a contrary manner.
Telephone and Internet Voting Instructions
You can vote by telephone or Internet! Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week!
Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the two other voting methods outlined below to vote your proxy.
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Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) in the
United States or Canada any
time on a touch
tone telephone. Shareholders
outside of the
U.S. and Canada should call
1-781-575-2300.
There is NO CHARGE to you for
the call. |
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Follow the simple
instructions provided by
the recorded message. |
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Go to the following web site: WWW.COMPUTERSHARE.COM/EXPRESSVOTE |
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Enter the information requested on your computer screen and follow the simple instructions. |
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Mark, sign and date the proxy card. |
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Return the proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided. |
VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED ON THE FRONT OF THIS FORM IN THE COLORED BAR.
If you
vote by telephone or the Internet, please DO NOT mail back this proxy card.
Proxies submitted by telephone or the Internet must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 24, 2006.
THANK YOU FOR VOTING
VOTING REQUEST
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To: |
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VF Corporation Pension Plan Committee (the Committee), Administrator
of the VF Deferred Savings Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the Plan) |
As a participant in the Plan with certain Deferrals being credited with gains and losses as if
invested in the VF Corporation Common Stock Fund, and in accordance with the Committees procedures
permitting each such participant the right to request that the VF shares held by the trustee of the
grantor trust relating to the Plan and credited to the participants Plan account at the record
date be voted in a specific manner, I hereby request that my VF shares so credited be voted, in
person or by proxy, in the manner shown below:
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of the Corporation recommends a vote FOR the election of all
nominees as Directors.
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Nominees:
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For a 3-year term:
Robert J. Hurst, W. Alan McCollough,
M. Rust Sharp and Raymond G. Viault |
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VOTE FOR all nominees listed above,
except vote withheld from individual
nominees as follows:
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VOTE WITHHELD
from all nominees |
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RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP AS VFS INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 30, 2006.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation recommends a vote FOR ratification of the
selection of the independent auditors.
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FOR
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AGAINST
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ABSTAIN
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I understand that if I return this form properly signed but do not otherwise specify my
choices, this will be deemed to be a request to vote FOR the election of all nominees as Directors
and FOR ratification of the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm.
Signature of Participant:
_________________________________
Dated: _____________________, 2006
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IMPORTANT: Please sign and date
these instructions exactly as your
name appears hereon.
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PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN
THESE INSTRUCTIONS PROMPTLY
IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. NO
POSTAGE REQUIRED IF MAILED IN
THE UNITED STATES. |
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