SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant (X)
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ( )
Check the appropriate box:
(X) Preliminary Proxy Statement ( ) Confidential, for Use of the
Commission Only (as permitted
by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
( ) Definitive Proxy Statement
( ) Definitive Additional Materials
( ) Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section 240.14a-12
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
(X) $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(i)(2) or
Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.
( ) $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
14a-6(i)(3).
( ) Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the
filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
5) Total fee paid:
( ) Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
( ) 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 of its filing.
1) Amount Previously Paid:
2) Form, Schedule, or Registration Statement No.:
3) Filing Party:
4) Date Filed:
<PAGE>
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
-------------------------
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
TO BE HELD AUGUST 28, 1996
As a stockholder of SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), you are cordially invited to be present, either in person or by
proxy, at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held at the
Omni Waterside Hotel, 777 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia at 2:00 p.m., local
time, on August 28, 1996, for the following purposes:
1. To elect a Board of seventeen (17) directors of the Company to
serve until the next Annual Meeting or until their successors are duly elected
and qualified;
2. To approve the 1997 Incentive Bonus Plan applicable to the
Company's President and Chief Operating Officer;
3. To ratify the selection of Arthur Andersen LLP as independent
public accountants of the Company for the fiscal year ending April 27, 1997; and
4. To transact such other business as may properly come before the
meeting or any continuation or adjournment thereof.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on July 12, 1996
will be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any
adjournment thereof. The transfer books will not be closed.
We hope you can attend the Annual Meeting in person. However, even if
you plan to attend, we ask that you MARK, SIGN, DATE and RETURN the enclosed
proxy promptly in the enclosed self-addressed envelope, so that we may be
assured of a quorum to transact business. If you receive more than one proxy
because you own shares registered in different names or addresses, each proxy
should be completed and returned. Your proxy is revocable and will not affect
your right to vote in person in the event you are able to attend the meeting.
Your attention is directed to the attached Proxy Statement.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
AARON D. TRUB
SECRETARY
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
JULY 26, 1996
<PAGE>
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
EXECUTIVE OFFICES
900 DOMINION TOWER
999 WATERSIDE DRIVE
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23510
--------------------------
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD AUGUST 28, 1996
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), will be held on August 28, 1996, at the time and
place and for the purposes set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders accompanying this Proxy Statement. This Proxy Statement is
furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf the Board of
Directors of the Company in connection with such meeting and any continuation or
adjournment thereof.
The costs of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. In
addition to solicitation by mail, certain directors, officers and employees of
the Company may solicit proxies in person or by telephone at no additional
compensation. The Company will also request record holders of Common Stock who
are brokerage firms, custodians and fiduciaries to forward proxy material to the
beneficial owners of such shares and upon request will reimburse such record
holders for the costs of forwarding the material in accordance with customary
charges. The Company has retained Corporate Communications, Inc. to assist in
the solicitation of proxies at an anticipated cost to the Company of $3,500 plus
expenses.
Any proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked by the
filing with and receipt by the Secretary of the Company of a written revocation
or duly executed proxy bearing a later date and does not preclude the
stockholder from voting in person at the Annual Meeting if he or she so desires.
The persons named in the form of proxy solicited by the Board of Directors will
vote all proxies which have been properly executed. If a stockholder specifies
on such proxy a choice with respect to the proposal to be acted upon, the proxy
will be voted in accordance with such specification. IF NO DIRECTIONS TO THE
CONTRARY ARE INDICATED, THE PERSONS NAMED IN THE PROXY WILL VOTE THE SHARES
REPRESENTED THEREBY FOR THE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE NAMED NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR
AND FOR EACH OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS LISTED ON THE PROXY CARD. If necessary, and
unless the shares represented by the proxy are voted against the proposals
herein, the persons named in the proxy may also vote in favor of a proposal to
recess the Annual Meeting and to reconvene it on a subsequent date or dates
without further notice, in order to solicit and obtain sufficient votes to
approve the matters being considered at the Annual Meeting.
This Proxy Statement and the enclosed form of proxy are first being sent
to the stockholders on or about July 26, 1996.
<PAGE>
VOTING SECURITIES
Only holders of record of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.50
per share ("Common Stock"), at the close of business on July 12, 1996 (the
"Record Date") have the right to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual
Meeting. As of the Record Date, <18,016,015> shares of Common Stock were issued
and outstanding. Each holder of record of Common Stock is entitled to one vote
for each share held with respect to all matters to be voted upon at the Annual
Meeting. Voting rights of the Common Stock are noncumulative, so that holders of
a majority of the outstanding shares represented at the Meeting can elect all of
the directors.
Presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will
constitute a quorum. With respect to the election of directors, the 17 nominees
receiving the greatest number of votes cast for the election of directors will
be elected. The affirmative vote by the holders of a majority of the shares
present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to
vote on the subject matter will be required to act on all other matters to come
before the meeting, including Proposals 2 and 3. Shares for which the holder has
elected to abstain or has withheld authority to vote (including broker
non-votes) on a matter will count toward a quorum but will have different
effects on the outcome of the vote on such matter. An abstention from voting on
a matter (other than the election of directors) has the same legal effect as a
vote against the matter, even though the stockholder may interpret such action
differently. A "broker non-vote" is a vote withheld by a broker on a particular
matter in accordance with stock exchange regulations because the broker has not
received instructions from the customer for whose account the shares are held.
Under applicable Delaware law, broker non-votes on a matter will have no effect
on the outcome of the vote.
2
<PAGE>
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
The only persons known by the Company to beneficially own more than five
percent of the Company's Common Stock as of June 20, 1996, are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AMOUNT AND NATURE OF
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
(NUMBER OF SHARES) (1)
------------------------------------------------------------
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERCENT
BENEFICIAL OWNER DIRECT OTHER TOTAL OF CLASS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
Joseph W. Luter, III 1,361,236 825,032 (2) 2,186,268 (2) 11.8%
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
900 Dominion Tower
999 Waterside Drive
Norfolk, VA 23510
Carroll's Swine 1,478,000 -- 1,478,000 (3) 8.2%
Investment Partnership
P. O. Drawer 356
Warsaw, NC 28398
The Clark Estates, Inc. 1,348,085 -- 1,348,085 (4) 7.5%
30 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
Chiquita Brands 1,094,273 -- 1,094,273 (5) 6.1%
International, Inc.
250 East Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
</TABLE>
- --------------------
(1) Pursuant to current regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, securities must be listed as "beneficially owned" by a person who
directly or indirectly has or shares the power to vote ("voting power") or the
power to dispose of ("dispositive power") the securities, whether or not the
person has any economic interest in the securities. In addition, a person is
deemed a beneficial owner if he has the right to acquire beneficial ownership
within 60 days, whether upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant,
conversion of a convertible security or otherwise. Shares of Common Stock listed
under the "Direct" column are those which are owned and held as outstanding
shares and over which such person, except as noted below, has sole voting power
and sole dispositive power. Shares shown under the "Other" column are those
subject to other forms of deemed "beneficial ownership" pursuant to the
aforesaid regulations, as described in the indicated footnotes.
3
<PAGE>
(2) Includes 325,032 shares owned by a corporation of which Mr. Luter is
an officer, director and the owner of 81% of its capital stock and 500,000
shares which Mr. Luter has the right to acquire pursuant to the exercise of
presently exercisable stock options. Mr. Luter has sole voting power and sole
dispositive power with respect to the 325,032 shares owned by the corporation.
Mr. Luter may be deemed a control person of the Company.
(3) Carroll's Swine Investment Partnership is a North Carolina
partnership between Carroll's Foods, Inc. and Carroll's Foods of Virginia, Inc.
F. J. Faison, Jr., a director of the Company, is an officer and director of
Carroll's Foods, Inc. and Carroll's Foods of Virginia, Inc., but is not a
stockholder of either corporation. Mr. Faison disclaims beneficial ownership of
the shares owned by Carroll's Swine Investment Partnership.
(4) The Clark Estates, Inc. provides administrative assistance to
numerous trust and fiduciary accounts which beneficially own an aggregate
1,348,085 shares of the Company's Common Stock. The Clark Estates, Inc. has or,
in certain instances, shares, voting power and/or dispositive power with respect
to such shares. The Clark Estates, Inc. has no remainder or other economic
interest in such trust or fiduciary accounts.
(5) As reported in Amendment No. 1 to a Schedule 13D dated April 22,
1996, filed jointly by Chiquita Brands International, Inc. ("Chiquita"),
American Financial Group, Inc. ("American Financial"), and Carl H. Lindner, Carl
H. Lindner III, S. Craig Lindner, and Keith E. Lindner (collectively, the
"Lindner Family"). Chiquita acquired the shares from the Company as partial
payment for the Company's purchase from Chiquita pursuant to a Stock Purchase
Agreement dated December 20, 1995 between the Company and Chiquita (the "Stock
Purchase Agreement") of all of the outstanding capital stock of John Morrell &
Co. ("John Morrell"), then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita. American
Financial directly and indirectly through its subsidiaries, owns approximately
44% of the outstanding common stock of Chiquita. The Lindner Family beneficially
owns approximately 44% of the oustanding common stock of American Financial.
Pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, for so long as Chiquita has at least
five percent of the Company's issued and outstanding Common Stock, Chiquita has
the right to request, and the Company upon such request, has the obligation to
take all reasonable good faith efforts as may be available to cause a
representative nominated by Chiquita to be elected to the Company's Board of
Directors. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, Chiquita has made no such
request.
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The persons named below have been nominated for election to the Board of
Directors at the Annual Meeting. Robert L. Burrus, Jr., Thomas D. Davis, H.
Gordon Maxwell, III and Joseph B. Sebring are first-time nominees for election
to the Board of Directors. All of the other nominees are currently directors and
were elected at the last Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The persons elected
will hold office as directors of the Company until the next Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and until their successors are elected and qualified. It is
expected that each of the nominees will be able to serve, but in the event that
any such nominee is unable to serve for any reason, the shares represented by
properly executed proxies may be voted at the discretion of the persons named
therein for a substitute nominee or nominees.
4
<PAGE>
The following table sets forth the names, ages, principal occupations of
the nominees and other information with respect to them:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME -- AGE -- PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION -- OTHER INFORMATION DIRECTOR SINCE
------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------
<S> <C>
JOSEPH W. LUTER, III (57) 1975
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company
since May 1995; Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company prior to May 1995
ROBERT L. BURRUS, JR. (61)
Partner in law firm of McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, L.L.P.,
Richmond, Virginia; Director, CSX Corporation, Heilig-Meyers Company,
Concepts Direct, Inc., S&K Famous Brands, Inc., and O'Sullivan Corp.
THOMAS D. DAVIS (40)
President and Chief Operating Officer of The Smithfield Packing
Company, Incorporated ("Smithfield Packing"), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, since December 1995; Senior Vice
President of Smithfield Packing from June 1995 until December 1995;
Vice President of Triad Food Marketing, Inc., from February 1995
until June 1995; a senior management position with Chiquita Brands
International, Inc. from October 1994 until February 1995; Executive
Vice President of John Morrell prior to October 1994
F. J. FAISON, JR. (62) 1991
President of Carroll's Foods, Inc., Warsaw, North Carolina, a hog
and turkey producer
JOEL W. GREENBERG (58) 1987
Commodity Analyst, Alaron Trading Corp., Chicago, Illinois, commodities
brokerage firm; Director, Incomnet, Inc.
CECIL W. GWALTNEY (85) 1971
Chairman of the Board, Gwaltney Motor Company, Smithfield, Virginia
GEORGE E. HAMILTON, JR. (80) 1970
Retired; President and Chief Operating Officer of Smithfield Packing
prior to June 1994
RICHARD J. HOLLAND (70) 1978
Chairman of the Board of The Farmers Bank, Windsor, Virginia
ROGER R. KAPELLA (54) 1992
President and Chief Operating Officer of Patrick Cudahy Incorporated
("Patrick Cudahy"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME -- AGE -- PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION -- OTHER INFORMATION DIRECTOR SINCE
------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------
<S> <C>
LEWIS R. LITTLE (52) 1993
President and Chief Operating Officer of Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd.
("Gwaltney"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since May
1993; Executive Vice President of Gwaltney prior to May 1993
ROBERT W. MANLY, IV (43) 1991
Executive Vice President of the Company since June 1995 and prior
to June 1994; President and Chief Operating Officer of Smithfield
Packing From June 1994 to June 1995
H. GORDON MAXWELL, III (57)
President and Chief Executive Officer of Goldsboro Milling Co., Inc.,
Goldsboro, North Carolina, a hog and turkey producer
WENDELL H. MURPHY (57) 1991
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Murphy
Family Farms, Inc., Rose Hill, North Carolina, a hog producer
JOHN O. NIELSON (65) 1995
President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since May
1995; consultant and private investor from June 1989 to May 1995;
President and Chief Operating Officer of John Morrell prior to
June 1989
WILLIAM H. PRESTAGE (61) 1994
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Prestage Farms, Inc., Clinton, North Carolina, a hog and turkey
producer; Director, North Carolina Natural Gas Corporation
JOSEPH B. SEBRING (49)
President and Chief Operating Officer of John Morrell since
May 1994; President and Chief Executive Officer of Indiana
Packers Company from 1992 until May 1994; Executive Vice President
of Fresh Mark, Inc. prior to 1992
AARON D. TRUB (61) 1986
Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Company
</TABLE>
No family relationship exists between any of the nominees for election
as directors of the Company.
6
<PAGE>
NOMINATING PROCEDURE
In accordance with the Company's Bylaws, a stockholder entitled to vote
in the election of directors may nominate one or more persons for election as a
director at the Annual Meeting only if written notice of such stockholder's
intent to make such nomination has been given, either by personal delivery to
the Secretary of the Company not later than the close of business on August 5,
1996, or by United States mail, postage prepaid, to the Secretary postmarked not
later than August 5, 1996. Any such notice must set forth (i) the name and
address of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination, (ii) the name,
address and principal occupation of each proposed nominee, (iii) a
representation that the stockholder is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
and intends to appear in person or by proxy at such meeting to nominate the
person or persons specified in the notice, and (iv) the consent of each proposed
nominee to serve as a director of the Company if so elected. The Chairman of the
meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person not made in
compliance with the foregoing procedure.
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the
Company's directors, executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of the
Company's Common Stock to file with the Securities Exchange Commission initial
reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of the Company's Common
Stock and to provide copies of such reports to the Company. Based solely on a
review of the copies of such reports furnished to the Company and written
representations that no other reports were required to be filed during the
fiscal year ended April 28, 1996, the Company believes that all filing
requirements applicable to its officers, directors and beneficial owners of
greater than 10% of its Common Stock have been complied with, except that (i)
each of Thomas D. Davis, John O. Nielson and Joseph B. Sebring was late to file
a Form 3 Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership of Securities upon becoming
an executive officer of the Company, and (ii) each of Thomas D. Davis, Roger R.
Kapella, Joseph W. Luter, III, Lewis R. Little, Robert W. Manley, IV, John O.
Nielson, C. Larry Pope, Joseph B. Sebring and Aaron D. Trub was late to file a
Form 5 Annual Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership in 1994 or 1996
reporting a grant of stock options under the Company's 1992 Stock Incentive
Plan, which have not yet vested.
7
<PAGE>
COMMON STOCK OWNERSHIP OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
The following information with respect to beneficial ownership, as of
June 20, 1996, of shares of Common Stock is furnished with respect to (i) each
director and nominee for director of the Company, (ii) each executive officer
named in the Summary Compensation Table appearing on page 10 of this Proxy
Statement, and (iii) all directors and executive officers as a group, together
with their respective percentages:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AMOUNT AND NATURE OF
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
(NUMBER OF SHARES) (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------
PERCENT
NAME DIRECT OTHER TOTAL OF CLASS
- ------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
Robert L. Burrus, Jr. -- -- -- *
Thomas D. Davis -- -- -- *
F. J. Faison, Jr. -- 1,478,000 (2) 1,478,000 (2) 8.2%
Joel W. Greenberg 2,000 1,000 (3) 3,000 (3) *
Cecil W. Gwaltney 33,475 -- 33,475 *
George E. Hamilton, Jr. 111,000 1,500 (4) 112,500 (4) *
Richard J. Holland 32,000 -- 32,000 *
Roger R. Kapella 4,000 56,000 (5) 60,000 (5) *
Lewis R. Little -- -- -- *
Joseph W. Luter, III 1,361,236 825,032 (6) 2,186,268 (6) 11.8%
Robert W. Manly, IV 54,000 -- 54,000 *
H. Gordon Maxwell, III -- -- -- *
Wendell H. Murphy -- 483,500 (7) 483,500 (7) 2.7%
John O. Nielson -- -- -- *
William H. Prestage -- 60,000 (8) 60,000 (8) *
Joseph B. Sebring -- -- -- *
Aaron D. Trub 42,682 107,000 (9) 149,682 (9) *
All executive officers
and directors as a
group (16 persons) 1,667,393 3,032,032 (10) 4,699,425 (10) 25.2%
</TABLE>
- --------------------
* Less than 1% of class
(1) Pursuant to current regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, securities must be listed as "beneficially owned" by a person who
directly or indirectly has or shares voting power or dispositive power with
respect to the securities, whether or not the person has any economic interest
in the securities. In addition, a person is deemed a beneficial owner if he has
the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days, whether upon the
exercise of a stock option or warrant, conversion of a convertible security or
otherwise. Shares of Common Stock listed under the "Direct" column are those
which are owned and held as outstanding shares and over which such person,
except as noted below, has sole voting power and sole dispositive power. Shares
shown
8
<PAGE>
under the "Other" column include other forms of "beneficial ownership" pursuant
to the aforesaid regulations, as described in the indicated footnotes.
(2) Reflects 1,478,000 shares owned by Carroll's Swine Investment
Partnership, a North Carolina partnership between Carroll's Foods, Inc. and
Carroll's Foods of Virginia, Inc. Mr. Faison is an officer and director of
Carroll's Foods, Inc. and Carroll's Foods of Virginia, Inc., but is not a
stockholder of either corporation. Carroll's Swine Investment Partnership has
sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to such shares. Mr.
Faison disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(3) Includes 1,000 shares owned by Mr. Greenberg's spouse with respect
to which Mr. Greenberg disclaims beneficial ownership.
(4) Includes 500 shares owned by Mr. Hamilton's wife and 1,000 shares
owned by Mr. Hamilton's son, with respect to all of which Mr. Hamilton disclaims
beneficial ownership.
(5) Includes 56,000 shares subject to presently exercisable stock
options.
(6) Reflects Includes 325,032 shares owned by a corporation of which Mr.
Luter is an officer, director and the owner of 81% of its capital stock and
500,000 shares which Mr. Luter has the right to acquire pursuant to the exercise
of presently exercisable stock options. Mr. Luter has sole voting power and sole
dispositive power with respect to the 325,032 shares owned by the corporation.
Mr. Luter may be deemed a control person of the Company.
(7) Reflects 483,500 shares owned by Murphy Family Farms, Inc., of which
Mr. Murphy is an officer, director and the principal stockholder. Murphy Family
Farms, Inc. has sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to
such shares.
(8) Reflects 60,000 shares owned by Prestage Farms, Inc., of which Mr.
Prestage is an officer, director and the principal stockholder. Prestage Farms,
Inc. has sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to such
shares.
(9) Includes 50,000 shares subject to presently exercisable stock
options. Also includes 41,000 shares owned by Mr. Trub's spouse and 16,000
shares owned by Mr. Trub's children, with respect to all of which Mr. Trub
disclaims beneficial ownership.
(10) Includes 626,000 shares subject to presently exercisable stock
options.
9
<PAGE>
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES
The Company has an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee and a
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Company does not have a
Nominating Committee.
The Executive Committee is composed of Messrs. Holland, Luter and
Nielson and, with certain limitations, exercises the power of the Board of
Directors between board meetings. The Executive Committee did not hold any
meetings in fiscal 1996.
The Audit Committee is composed of Messrs. Faison and Murphy. The
principal functions of the Audit Committee are the recommendation to the Board
of Directors of a firm to be engaged by the Company as its independent public
accountants, conferring with the independent public accountants selected
regarding the scope of the audit and services to be performed, and reviewing the
results of the independent public accountants' examination and recommendations
with respect to accounting practices and procedures and internal control. The
committee held one meeting in fiscal 1996.
The Compensation Committee is composed of Messrs. Greenberg and Holland.
The principal functions of the Compensation Committee are to administer the
Company's stock option and certain other benefit plans, to review
recommendations submitted to it by the Company's management with respect to the
compensation of the officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and the
directors of the Company, and to make such recommendations to the Board of
Directors of the Company as its review indicates. The committee held five
meetings in fiscal 1996.
The Board of Directors held six meetings during fiscal 1996, including
three regular meetings. With the exception of Messrs. Greenberg and Prestage,
all directors attended 75% or more of these meetings, including regularly
scheduled and special meetings, and the meetings of all committees of the Board
on which they served that were held in the past fiscal year during the periods
in which they were directors or served on such committees.
Directors who are not employees of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries received in fiscal 1996 an annual retainer of $3,000, $500 for each
board meeting attended, $500 for each committee meeting attended if the
committee meeting was not held in connection with, or on the same day as, a
board meeting, plus reimbursement of travel expenses incurred in connection with
such attendance.
Pursuant to an agreement which expired in June 1996, the Company
compensated George E. Hamilton, Jr., a director of the Company and the retired
President and Chief Operating Officer of Smithfield Packing, for consulting
services provided to the Company at a rate of approximately $4,800 per week. The
Company paid Mr. Hamilton $250,000 for consulting services provided under such
agreement during fiscal 1996.
10
<PAGE>
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The table below sets forth, for the fiscal years ended April 28, 1996,
April 30, 1995, and May 1, 1994, the annual and long-term compensation for
services in all capacities to the Company and its subsidiaries of those persons
who at April 28, 1996 were the Company's Chief Executive Officer and the next
four highest compensated executive officers (collectively, the "Named Executive
Officers").
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LONG-TERM
COMPENSATION
ANNUAL COMPENSATION (1) AWARDS
--------------------------- --------------
SECURITIES
UNDERLYING
FISCAL SALARY BONUS OPTIONS/SARS
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION YEAR ($) ($) (#)
------------------------------- -------- ------------- ----------- -------------
<S> <C>
Joseph W. Luter, III 1996 420,000 402,786 --
Chairman of the Board 1995 420,000 807,298 --
and Chief Executive Officer 1994 432,923 595,893 100,000
of the Company
John O. Nielson 1996 309,692 276,393 100,000
President and Chief 1995 -- -- --
Operating Officer of the 1994 -- -- --
Company
Lewis R. Little 1996 270,000 190,555 --
President and Chief 1995 270,000 234,424 --
Operating Officer of 1994 274,317 58,777 65,000
Gwaltney
Roger R. Kapella 1996 157,500 217,985 --
President and Chief 1995 157,500 256,466 --
Operating Officer of 1994 157,500 292,120 35,000
Patrick Cudahy
Aaron D. Trub 1996 185,000 100,000 --
Vice President, Secretary 1995 185,000 140,000 --
and Treasurer of the Company 1994 190,692 90,000 35,000
</TABLE>
- ------------------
(1) While the Named Executive Officers received perquisites or other
personal benefits in the years shown, in accordance with Securities and Exchange
Commission regulations, the value of these benefits are not indicated since they
did not exceed the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the individual's salary and bonus
in any year.
11
<PAGE>
Stock Options. Under the Company's 1984 Stock Option Plan (the "1984
Plan"), officers and certain key employees were granted incentive and
nonstatutory stock options to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock for
periods not exceeding 10 years at prices that were not less than the fair market
value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock appreciation rights
("SARs") which are exercisable upon a change of control of the Company are
attached to options granted pursuant to the 1984 Plan. The Company granted
options for 1,400,000 shares of Common Stock under the 1984 Plan, which expired
in May 1994.
In fiscal 1993, the Company adopted the 1992 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"1992 Plan"). Under the 1992 Plan, management and other key employees may be
granted nonstatutory stock options to purchase shares of Common Stock
exercisable five years after grant for periods not exceeding 10 years. The
exercise price for options granted prior to August 31, 1994 is not less than
150% of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. On
August 31, 1994, the Company amended and restated the 1992 Plan, changing the
exercise price of options granted on or after that date to not less than the
fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. The Company has
reserved 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance upon the exercise of
options granted under the 1992 Plan.
The following table sets forth additional information concerning
individual grants of stock options made under the 1992 Plan during the last
completed fiscal year to any of the Named Executive Officers:
OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
POTENTIAL
REALIZABLE VALUE AT
ASSUMED ANNUAL
RATES OF STOCK PRICE
APPRECIATION
INDIVIDUAL GRANTS FOR OPTION TERM(1)
% OF
TOTAL
OPTIONS
GRANTED TO EXERCISE
OPTIONS EMPLOYEES OR BASE
GRANTED(2) IN FISCAL PRICE EXPIRATION 5% 10%
NAME (#) YEAR ($/SH) DATE ($) ($)
- --------------------- ----------- ------------ --------------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C>
John O. Nielson 100,000 29.0% $ 21.88 8/30/2005 $ 1,375,707 $ 3,486,312
</TABLE>
- ----------------
(1) The potential realizable values in the table assume that the market
price of the Company's Common Stock appreciates in value from the date
of grant to the end of the option term at the annualized rates of 5% and
10%, respectively. The actual value, if any, an executive may realize
will depend on the excess, if any, of the stock price over the exercise
price on the date the option is exercised. There is no assurance that
the value realized by an executive will be at or near the value
estimated in the table.
(2) The options awarded to Mr. Nielson were granted on August 30, 1995 and
will become exercisable on the fifth anniversary of the grant date. The
options were granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of
the Company's Common Stock on the grant date.
12
<PAGE>
The table below sets forth information with respect to option exercises
during fiscal 1996 and the number and value of options held at April 28, 1996 by
each of the Named Executive Officers.
AGGREGATED OPTION\SAR EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND
FISCAL YEAR-END UNEXERCISED OPTION VALUES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
NUMBER OF
SECURITIES VALUE OF
UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED
UNEXERCISED IN-THE-MONEY(2)
OPTIONS\SARS AT OPTIONS\SARS AT
FY-END (#) FY-END ($)
SHARES ACQUIRED VALUE(1) EXERCISABLE/ EXERCISABLE/
NAME ON EXERCISE (#) REALIZED ($) UNEXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
- ----------------------- --------------- -------------- -------------------- ---------------------
<S> <C>
Joseph W. Luter, III -- -- 500,000 / 100,000 $10,687,500 / $643,700
John O. Nielson -- -- 0 / 100,000 $0 / $762,500
Lewis R. Little 10,000 $212,500 0 / 65,000 $0 / $418,405
Roger R. Kapella -- -- 56,000 / 35,000 $ 1,291,500 / $225,295
Aaron D. Trub -- -- 50,000 / 35,000 $ 1,068,750 / $225,295
</TABLE>
- ----------------
(1) The dollar values referred to in columns (C) and (E) are calculated by
determining the difference between the fair market value of the
securities underlying the options and the exercise price of the options
at exercise or fiscal year-end, respectively. In each case, fair market
value has been based on the last sales price of the Common Stock as
reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market on the relevant date.
(2) Options are in-the-money if the fair market value of the underlying
securities exceeds the exercise price of the option.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY
The Compensation Committee (the "Committee") believes strongly that
corporate performance and, in turn, stockholder value depend to a significant
extent on the establishment of a close alignment between the financial interests
of stockholders and those of the Company's employees, including its senior
managers. Accordingly, the Committee and the Company adhere both in principle
and in practice to the concept of pay-forperformance. The Company relies heavily
on incentive compensation programs to motivate employees. These programs are
variable and closely tied to corporate, business unit and/or individual
performance, and place "at risk" a major portion of executive compensation in a
manner that encourages a sharp and continuing focus on
13
<PAGE>
building stockholder value. The Company encourages executives to hold
significant amounts of Company stock, and in part the compensation programs are
designed to accomplish that objective.
COMPONENTS OF THE COMPENSATION PROGRAM
Senior management compensation at the Company includes two components:
first, a base salary, and second, short- and long-term incentive compensation
programs, both cash and non-cash, that are tied to the financial performance of
the Company or certain of its subsidiaries.
Base salaries are generally established at the minimum levels believed
by the Committee to be necessary to attract and retain a highly efficient
management group when considered along with the performance-based components of
the program. Except in the case of executive officers who assumed significant
new responsibilities, the base salaries of the Chief Executive Officer and the
Company's other executive officers have remained basically unchanged since
fiscal 1992. Upon the recommendation of management, the base salaries of some
executive officers were actually reduced for part of fiscal 1993; these amounts
were subsequently repaid to the executive officers in fiscal 1994 because of the
significant improvement in the Company's financial performance.
A cash bonus is the principal short-term incentive. Bonus awards for
most executive officers are calculated pursuant to formulas based on pre-tax
income, either on a consolidated basis or for a particular subsidiary, as the
Committee finds most appropriate, and are subject to adjustment based on the
officer's individual performance. Bonus awards for the remaining executive
officers are based primarily on individual performance, as evaluated by the
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer and reviewed by the
Committee, with consideration given to the Company's financial performance
measured principally in terms of its pre-tax income. Consistent with the
Committee's policy that a major portion of executive compensation be "at risk,"
bonus awards for executive officers in recent years have ranged from 18% to 66%
of an executive officer's total cash compensation depending on Company, relevant
subsidiary and individual performance. Bonus awards for fiscal 1996 averaged
approximately 43% of the total cash compensation paid to all executive officers
as compared to 54% in fiscal 1995 and 53% in fiscal 1994.
Long-term incentives are provided by stock options, awarded from time to
time, whose ultimate value to the employee is tied to the market price of the
Company's Common Stock. The Company's stock option program ties the employee's
economic interests directly to those of the stockholders. In recommending the
recipients and size of stock option awards, the Committee considers the level of
incentive already provided by the size and status of prior grants as well as a
subjective evaluation of the employee's potential contribution to the Company's
future success. During fiscal 1996, 15 eligible employees (including one
executive officer) were awarded stock options to acquire a total of 345,000
shares of Common Stock.
CEO COMPENSATION
The Committee determined the compensation of Joseph W. Luter, III, the
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, for fiscal
1996 in accordance with the guidelines described above. Consistent with the
Committee's policy that a major part of each executive officer's compensation be
performance-based, and therefore at risk, Mr. Luter's base salary has remained
basically unchanged since fiscal 1992. Mr. Luter was among those executive
officers who received a reduction in base salary for part of fiscal 1993, as
recommended by management, with the amount foregone being repaid in fiscal 1994
when the Company's financial performance improved significantly.
14
<PAGE>
Mr. Luter's bonus award for fiscal 1996 was determined pursuant to the
1994 Incentive Bonus Plan approved by stockholders, under which he was entitled
to 1% of the first $15 million of the Company's fiscal 1996 net income before
income taxes, incentive payments due to executives, and accounting for minority
interests, and 2% of such net income in excess of $15 million. Mr. Luter's bonus
represented approximately 49% of his total cash compensation. No stock options
were awarded to Mr. Luter during fiscal 1996.
ADMINISTRATION OF COMPENSATION PROGRAMS
Messrs. Greenberg and Holland, neither of whom has been or is an officer
or employee of the Company, are the members of the Committee. The Committee
principally formulates compensation policies and reviews recommendations
submitted to it by management with respect to the cash and non-cash compensation
of the officers of the Company and its subsidiaries, as well as of Company
directors. The Committee then makes specific recommendations on an annual basis
to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has never modified or rejected
in any material way any recommendation of the Committee.
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), which was enacted in 1993, imposes a $1 million limit on the amount of
annual compensation that can be deducted by the Company with respect to each of
the Chief Executive Officer and the four other most highly compensated executive
officers. Performance-based compensation that meets certain requirements will
not be subject to this deductibility limit. It is currently the Company's policy
to seek to qualify the performance-based components of its compensation program
for this exclusion from the section 162(m) limitation as necessary to maximize
the deductibility of executive compensation.
Joel W. Greenberg Richard J. Holland
15
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE GRAPH
The graph below presents a comparison of the Company's five-year
cumulative total return on its Common Stock with the Meat Packing Index (SIC
Code 2011) and the NASDAQ Market Value Index, each prepared by Media General
Financial Services, Inc., assuming that investments of $100 were made on April
28, 1991 and that dividends were reinvested.
COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
OF COMPANY, PUBLISHED INDUSTRY INDEX AND BROAD MARKET INDEX
[Graph]
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Smithfield Foods, Inc. 100.00 82.43 73.48 122.68 116.29 150.80
Meat Packing Index 100.00 87.86 90.26 104.27 129.44 152.75
Nasdaq Market Value Index 100.00 102.58 122.56 137.56 150.21 209.67
PENSION PLAN
The Company, Gwaltney, Patrick Cudahy, Smithfield Packing and Brown's of
Carolina, Inc. maintain a qualified non-contributory pension plan covering their
salaried and non-union-eligible hourly employees. This plan is the only
contingent form of remuneration provided by these companies to officers and
directors. A similar plan covers salaried and non-union-eligible hourly
employees of John Morrell.
The qualified pension plan provides for retirement benefits which are a
function of each participant's average earnings during his highest five calendar
years of employment and his aggregate years of service with any company in the
Company's controlled group. Subject to the qualified plan limits in the 1986
Code, all compensation paid to a participant within a calendar year is included
in determining average earnings used to calculate pension benefits. These
benefits are calculated by applying a certain percentage to the average earnings
up to a given level (based on the participant's year of birth) and a higher
percentage to the average earnings above this level and then multiplying the sum
by the years of service. This method of calculation has the effect of
coordinating the benefits provided by the qualified pension plan with those
provided by Social Security.
16
<PAGE>
The following table indicates the estimated annual benefits payable upon
retirement at age 65 in 1996 to participants in the Company's qualified pension
plan, based on the specific remuneration and years of service classifications
set forth below.
AVERAGE EARNINGS
DURING PARTICIPANT'S SELECTED YEARS OF SERVICE WITH COMPANIES
HIGHEST FIVE CALENDAR IN THE COMPANY'S CONTROLLED GROUP
YEARS (1)-(4) 15 20 25 30 35
$120,000 $26,877 $35,836 $44,795 $53,754 $62,714
160,000 34,115 45,487 56,858 68,230 79,602
200,000 34,537 56,036 58,009 71,193 84,377
240,000 38,493 54,531 70,570 86,609 102,647
280,000 42,107 59,651 77,196 94,740 112,284
320,000 42,107 59,651 77,196 94,740 112,284
360,000 42,107 59,651 77,196 94,740 112,284
(1) The maximum annual retirement benefit is $120,000 for benefits
commencing in 1996 at age 65. The maximum amount is subject to annual
cost-of-living adjustments.
(2) The remuneration covered by the plan is the remuneration paid during
the calendar year, whereas the remuneration reported in the summary compensation
table is the remuneration paid for the fiscal year ended April 28, 1996.
(3) In accordance with changes in federal pension law which became
effective January 1, 1994, annual compensation in excess of $150,000 cannot be
considered when calculating a qualified pension benefit. However, benefits
accrued through December 31, 1993, which may have been based on higher
compensation, are not reduced.
(4) A new benefit formula became effective January 1, 1995. However,
benefits accrued through December 31, 1994 under the old benefit formula are not
reduced.
As of April 28, 1996, Messrs. Luter, Nielson, Little, Kapella and Trub
are credited with 28, 1, 33, 11 and 26 years of service, respectively, under the
pension plan. The benefits shown in the table are not subject to any reduction
for benefits paid from other sources, including Social Security.
17
<PAGE>
OTHER TRANSACTIONS
Joseph W. Luter, III, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company, is an officer, director and the owner of 81% of the
capital stock of Luter Packing Company, a wholesale distributor of meat and
other food products. The Company sold $299,000 of its fresh pork and processed
meat products to Luter Packing Company in fiscal 1996. The sales to Luter
Packing Company were made by the Company in the ordinary course of its business,
and in the opinion of the Company's management, the terms of those transactions
were as favorable to the Company as those made to unaffiliated parties. In
addition, Gwaltney purchased $10,069,000 of comminuted chicken meat for use in
its frank and bologna products from a company 48% of the capital stock of which
is owned by Mr. Luter's three adult children. The Company believes that the
terms under which Gwaltney made such purchases were as advantageous to Gwaltney
as those Gwaltney would have received from any other comminuted chicken meat
producer.
Mr. Luter's daughter and son-in-law are the sole members of Fishing
Creek Farms LLC ("Fishing Creek"). Brown's of Carolina, Inc. ("Brown's"), an
86%-owned subsidiary of the Company, has arrangements with B&G Farms LLC
("B&G"), a limited liability company in which Brown's and Fishing Creek each
have a 50% interest, for the production of hogs for the Company's pork
processing plants. The arrangements involve, inter alia, (i) the lease of
certain hog production facilities by B&G to Brown's until December 31, 2009 at
an annual rent of approximately $465,000 per year and (ii) advances by B&G to
Brown's of cash for working capital. Working capital advances totaling
$1,527,000 were outstanding as of April 28, 1996. All profits and losses from
the hog production operations are shared equally by Brown's and Fishing Creek.
All advances made pursuant to the arrangements accrue interest at a rate equal
to the prime rate charged by one of the Company's lending banks. The Company
purchased $7,990,000 of live hogs from B&G in fiscal 1996 and anticipates an
equal or greater volume of business in fiscal 1997. The Company believes that
the terms of the foregoing arrangements are no less favorable to the Company
than if entered into with unaffiliated parties.
F. J. Faison, Jr., a director of the Company, is the president and a
director of Carroll's Foods, Inc. ("CFI") and its affiliates, Carroll's Farms of
Virginia, Inc. ("CFAV") and Carroll's Foods of Virginia, Inc. ("CFOV"). The
Company has arrangements with CFI and its affiliates for production of hogs for
the Company's meat processing plants. The arrangements involve, inter alia, (i)
Smithfield-Carroll's Farms, a partnership consisting of Smithfield Hog Farms,
Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and CFAV, which partnership owns
hog raising facilities and leases them to CFOV, and (ii) contracts between the
Company and CFOV and CFI which obligate the Company to purchase hogs produced by
CFOV and CFI. Substantially all revenues of the SmithfieldCarroll's Farms
partnership consist of CFOV's lease payments, which cover debt service,
depreciation charges and other operating expenses. Such revenues were $8,912,000
in fiscal 1996 and are expected to equal or exceed that amount in fiscal 1997.
Pursuant to the purchase agreements, the Company purchased $70,540,000 and
$201,878,000 of live hogs from CFOV and CFI, respectively, in fiscal 1996 and
anticipates a greater volume of business under these agreements in fiscal 1997.
The Company believes that the prices paid under the purchase agreement with CFI
are equivalent to market. The purchase agreement with CFOV results in decreased
raw material costs to the Company during periods when hog production is
profitable and, conversely, an increase in such costs when such production is
unprofitable. The agreement with CFOV resulted in decreased raw material costs
to the Company (as compared to market costs) of $2,617,000 in fiscal 1996
compared to increased costs of $2,615,000 in fiscal 1995.
18
<PAGE>
Wendell H. Murphy, a director of the Company, is the chairman of the
board and chief executive officer and the principal stockholder of Murphy Family
Farms, Inc. ("MFF"), a hog producer located in Rose Hill, North Carolina. The
Company has a contract with MFF which obligates the Company to purchase hogs
finished by MFF in the Southeast. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, the
Company purchased $253,033,000 of live hogs from MFF in fiscal 1996 and
anticipates a greater volume of business under this agreement in fiscal 1997.
The Company believes that the prices paid under the purchase agreement with MFF
are equivalent to market.
William H. Prestage, a director of the Company, is the chairman of the
board, president and chief executive officer of Prestage Farms, Inc. ("PFI"), a
hog and turkey producer located in Clinton, North Carolina. The Company has a
contract with PFI which obligates the Company to purchase hogs produced by PFI
in the States of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Pursuant to the
purchase agreement, the Company purchased $129,577,000 of live hogs from PFI in
fiscal 1996 and anticipates a greater volume of business under this agreement in
fiscal 1997. The Company believes that the prices paid under the purchase
agreement with PFI are equivalent to market.
Smithfield of Utah, Inc. ("Smithfield-Utah"), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Company, has entered into a joint hog production arrangement with three
companies to produce hogs in the state of Utah for sale to an unrelated party.
The other companies participating in the joint hog production arrangement are
(i) Carroll's Foods of Utah, Inc. (an affiliate of Carroll's Foods, Inc.), of
which F. J. Faison, Jr., a director of the Company, is the president and a
director, (ii) West Isle Partners, Inc., of which Wendell H. Murphy, a director
of the Company, is the president and a director and members of Mr. Murphy's
family are the sole stockholders, and (iii) Prestage Farms of Utah, Inc., of
which William H. Prestage, a director of the Company, is the president and a
director and Mr. Prestage and his wife are the sole stockholders. As of April
28, 1996, Smithfield-Utah had contributed a total of $7,083,000 to the
arrangement and had a 33% interest in its profits or losses. The Company
believes that the terms of the joint arrangement are no less favorable to the
Company than if entered into with unaffiliated parties.
Cecil W. Gwaltney, a director of the Company, is chairman of the board
of Gwaltney Motor Company ("GMC"), which was paid $556,000 by the Company in
fiscal 1996 for automotive equipment and parts, and maintenance and leasing
services. The Company leases substantially all of its automobiles under
three-year leases arranged by GMC. As of April 28, 1996, the Company was
obligated to make a total of $1,256,000 in future lease payments under such
leases in effect on that date. The Company's management believes that the terms
of all of its purchase transactions with GMC and the terms of the leases
arranged by GMC are comparable to those available from other suppliers.
In December 1995, the Company issued 1,094,273 shares of its Common
Stock to Chiquita in a private transaction (the "Chiquita Shares"). On that
date, the Company acquired from Chiquita all of the outstanding capital stock of
its then subsidiary, John Morrell, for a total purchase price of $58 million,
consisting of $25 million in cash and the issuance of the Chiquita Shares.
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement between Chiquita and the Company
entered into as a part of the December 1995 transaction (the "Registration
Rights Agreement"), in April 1996, Chiquita requested that the Company file a
registration statement registering the Chiquita Shares for resale. The Company
estimates that the costs of registering the Chiquita Shares (which costs will be
borne by the Company) will be approximately $100,000. Chiquita (and under
certain circumstances, its transferee) retains the right to make one further
such demand, subject to the customary terms and conditions of the Registration
Rights Agreement.
19
<PAGE>
Robert L. Burrus, Jr., a nominee for director of the Company, is a
partner in the law firm of McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, L.L.P., which has
provided legal services to the Company on a regular basis since <1991.>
H. Gordon Maxwell, III, a nominee for director of the Company, is a
director and owns 50% of the voting stock of Maxwell Foods, Inc. ("MFI"), a hog
producer located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The Company has a contract with
MFI which obligates the Company to purchase hogs produced by MFI in the State of
North Carolina. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, the Company purchased
$68,598,000of live hogs from MFI in fiscal 1996 and anticipates a greater volume
of business under this agreement in fiscal 1997. The Company believes that the
prices paid under the purchase agreement with MFI are equivalent to market. In
addition, during fiscal 1996, the Company purchased $653,000 of comminuted
chicken meat from Carolina Turkeys, Inc., a company of which Mr. Maxwell is a
controlling stockholder. The Company believes that the terms under which it made
such purchases were as advantageous to the Company as those it would have
received from any other comminuted chicken meat producer.
PROPOSAL 2
APPROVAL OF 1997 INCENTIVE BONUS PLAN
INTRODUCTION
On May 24, 1996, the Compensation Committee adopted the 1997 Incentive
Bonus Plan applicable to John O. Nielson, the Company's President and Chief
Operating Officer, subject to approval by the Company's stockholders. The
purpose of the plan is to provide the Chief Operating Officer with incentive
bonuses that are related to and measured by the Company's financial performance.
The plan is intended to satisfy the statutory requirements under section 162(m)
of the Code for performance-based compensation so that the amounts paid
thereunder will not be subject to the $1million limitation on the amount of Mr.
Nielson's annual compensation income which may be deducted by the Company. If
approved by the stockholders, the plan will be applicable to fiscal years
beginning on and after April 29, 1996, unless and until terminated by the Board
of Directors. A similar incentive bonus plan applicable to Joseph W. Luter, III,
the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, was adopted by the
Compensation Committee and approved by the Company's stockholders in 1994.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN
The Incentive Bonus Plan establishes a linkage between the cash bonus
awards to the Chief Operating Officer and the Company's financial performance.
For the fiscal year ending April 27, 1997, and each fiscal year thereafter,
until the plan is terminated or the Committee changes the threshold and
percentage requirements for receipt of a bonus payment, Mr. Nielson will be
entitled to receive 1% of the Company's net income before income taxes,
incentive payments due to executives and accounting for minority interests.
PAYMENT OF AWARDS
Before any award may be paid pursuant to the Incentive Bonus Plan, the
Committee must certify that the performance goals have been achieved and any
other requirements of the plan have been satisfied. If the Chief Operating
Officer's employment is terminated before the last day of the fiscal year
because of death, disability or retirement, or voluntarily by the executive or
by the Company without cause, the Chief Operating Officer will
20
<PAGE>
be entitled to receive a bonus computed as though the date the event occurred
were the last day of the fiscal year. If termination of employment occurs for
cause, no award will be paid.
ADMINISTRATION
The Incentive Bonus Plan will be administered by the Compensation
Committee as long as the composition of the Committee consists solely of two or
more "outside directors" as that term is defined in section 162(m) of the Code.
The Compensation Committee has the authority to establish performance goals and
targets under the plan and may reduce the amount of, or eliminate entirely, any
award if the Committee determines it is in the best interests of the Company to
do so.
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
The Board of Directors may amend or terminate the plan at any time as it
deems appropriate; provided that (i) no amendment or termination of the plan
after the end of a fiscal year may increase the awards for the fiscal year just
ended and (ii) to the extent required to meet the requirements under section
162(m) of the 1986 Code for performance-based compensation, any amendment that
makes a material change to the plan must be approved by the Company's
stockholders. The Board of Directors is specifically authorized to amend the
plan as necessary or appropriate to comply with section 162(m) of the Code and
the regulation issued thereunder.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The executive will not incur federal income tax until a payment is made
and will include the amount received in his gross income as compensation income
in the year received.
The Company will usually be entitled to a business expense deduction in
the amount that the executive recognizes compensation income. As previously
discussed, the plan is intended to satisfy the statutory requirements under
section 162(m) of the Code for performance-based compensation. If for any reason
the plan or the administration thereof is determined not to meet such
requirements for any fiscal year, any cash award paid under the plan for that
year will be subject to the $1 million limit on deductibility.
RECOMMENDATION
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the proposed Incentive
Bonus Plan.
21
<PAGE>
PROPOSAL 3
RATIFICATION OF
SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
The Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of its Audit Committee,
has selected Arthur Andersen LLP as independent public accountants to examine
and report upon the financial statements of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries for the year ending April 27, 1997, and is submitting this matter
to the stockholders for their ratification. Arthur Andersen LLP has served as
the Company's independent public accountants since 1981. One or more
representatives of Arthur Andersen LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders to make a statement if they desire to do so and to be available to
respond to appropriate questions that may be asked by stockholders.
In the event the proposal to ratify the selection of Arthur Anderson LLP
is defeated, the adverse vote will be considered as a direction to the Board of
Directors to select other independent auditors for the next year. However,
because of the expense and difficulty in changing independent auditors after the
beginning of a year, the Board of Directors intends to allow the appointment for
fiscal 1997 to stand unless the Board of Directors finds other reasons for
making a change.
The Board of Directors of the Company recommends that you vote FOR the
ratification of the selection of Arthur Andersen LLP as independent public
accountants to examine and report upon the financial statements of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries for the year ending April 27, 1997.
OTHER MATTERS
The Board of Directors does not know of any matter to be brought before
the Meeting, other than the matters described in the Notice of Meeting. If any
matters not set forth in the Notice of Meeting accompanying this proxy statement
are properly brought before the Meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy
will vote thereon in accordance with their best judgment.
22
<PAGE>
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Proposals of stockholders intended to be presented at the Company's 1997
Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by the Secretary of the Company
for inclusion in the Company's proxy statement and form of proxy relating to
that meeting by March 29, 1997. Any such proposal must meet the applicable
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
COPIES OF THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED
APRIL 28, 1996, AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, CAN BE
OBTAINED WITHOUT CHARGE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE COMPANY, 900 DOMINION TOWER,
999 WATERSIDE DRIVE, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23510, ATTENTION: AARON D. TRUB,
SECRETARY.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
AARON D. TRUB
SECRETARY
July 26, 1996
23
<PAGE>
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints Joseph W. Luter, III, Richard J.
Holland, Aaron D. Trub, and each of them, proxies with full power of
substitution, to vote the shares of Common Stock in Smithfield Foods, Inc. which
the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present at the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held on August 28, 1996 or any
adjournments thereof.
1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS ( ) FOR all nominees listed ( ) WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to
(except as indicated to vote for all nominees
the contrary below) listed below
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Joseph W. Luter, III Robert L. Burrus, Jr. Thomas D. Davis F. J. Faison, Jr. Joel W. Greenberg
Cecil W. Gwaltney George E. Hamilton, Jr. Richard J. Holland Roger R. Kapella Lewis R. Little
Robert W. Manly, IV H. Gordon Maxwell, III Wendell H. Murphy John O. Nielson William H. Prestage
Joseph B. Sebring Aaron D. Trub
</TABLE>
(INSTRUCTION: TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE, WRITE
THAT NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW)
2. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE 1996 INCENTIVE BONUS PLAN applicable to the Company's
Chief Operating Officer:
( ) FOR ( ) AGAINST ( ) ABSTAIN
3. PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE SELECTION OF ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP as the Company's
independent public accountants for the fiscal year ending April 27, 1997
( ) FOR ( ) AGAINST ( ) ABSTAIN
4. In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
business as may properly come before the meeting.
THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY
THE UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
"FOR" THE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE NOMINEES NAMED IN PROPOSAL 1 AND "FOR"
PROPOSALS 2 AND 3.
The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the Notice of said Annual Meeting and of
the Proxy Statement attached thereto.
Dated , 1996
PLEASE SIGN EXACTLY AS NAME
APPEARS AT LEFT. WHEN SIGNING AS
ATTORNEY, EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR,
TRUSTEE, GUARDIAN, ETC., GIVE FULL
TITLE AS SUCH.
Please mark, sign, date and return the
proxy card using the enclosed
envelope.
