Attached files
file | filename |
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8-K - FORM 8-K - Hicks Acquisition CO II, Inc. | d281015d8k.htm |
EX-10.1 - EXHIBIT 10.1 - Hicks Acquisition CO II, Inc. | d281015dex101.htm |
EX-10.2 - EXHIBIT 10.2 - Hicks Acquisition CO II, Inc. | d281015dex102.htm |
EX-10.3 - EXHIBIT 10.3 - Hicks Acquisition CO II, Inc. | d281015dex103.htm |
Exhibit 99.1
CHARTER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
HICKS ACQUISITION COMPANY II, INC.
I. | Purpose |
The Audit Committee (the Committee) is appointed by the Board of Directors (Board) of Hicks Acquisition Company II, Inc. (the Company) to assist the Board in monitoring (i) the quality and integrity of the annual, quarterly and other financial statements of the Company, (ii) the independent auditors qualifications and independence, (iii) the performance of the Companys independent auditor and internal audit function, and (iv) the compliance by the Company with legal and regulatory requirements. The Committee shall also review and approve all related-party transactions arising after the date hereof; maintain, through regularly scheduled meetings, a line of communication between the Board and the Companys financial management, internal auditors and independent auditors; and prepare the report required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to be included in the Companys annual proxy statement.
II. | Committee Membership |
The Committee shall consist of three or more members, absent a temporary vacancy. The Committee shall meet the independence requirements of the NASDAQ Stock Market and the independence and experience requirements of Section 10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the rules and regulations of the SEC.
The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board. Committee members may be replaced by the Board. There shall be a Chairman of the Audit Committee (the Chairman), whom shall also be appointed by the Board. The Chairman shall be a member of the Committee and, if present, shall preside at each meeting of the Committee. The Chairman shall advise and counsel with the executives of the Company and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to the Chairman by the Committee or the Board.
Each member of the Committee shall be financially literate and at least one member of the Committee shall have past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting or any other comparable experience or background which results in the individuals financial sophistication, including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief financial officer or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities, as each such qualification is interpreted by the Board in its business judgment. In addition, to the extent practicable at least one member of the Committee shall be an audit committee financial expert as such term is defined by the SEC.
III. | Meetings |
The Committee shall meet as often as it determines, but not less frequently than quarterly. The Committee shall meet periodically with management and the Companys independent auditor in separate executive sessions. The Committee may request any officer or employee of the Company or the Companys outside counsel or independent auditor to attend a meeting of the Committee or to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Committee.
IV. | Committee Authority and Responsibilities |
The Committee shall have the sole authority to appoint or replace the Companys independent auditor and approve the engagement letter and the fees to be paid to the independent auditor. The Committee shall be directly responsible for determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the Companys independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the Companys independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work. The Companys independent auditor shall report directly to the Committee.
The Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for the Company by the Companys independent auditor, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimus exceptions for non-audit services described in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act which are approved by the Committee prior to the completion of the audit).
The Committee shall have the authority, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, to retain independent legal, accounting or other advisors. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to (i) the Companys independent auditor for the purpose of rendering or issuing an audit report and (ii) any advisors employed by the Committee and for the ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.
The Committee shall make regular reports to the Board. The Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this charter annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval. The Committee annually shall review the Committees own performance.
The Committee shall:
A. | Financial Statement and Disclosure Matters |
1. | Meet with the Companys independent auditor prior to the audit to review the scope, planning and staffing of the audit. |
2. | Review and discuss with management and the Companys independent auditor the Companys annual audited financial statements, and recommend to the Board whether the Companys audited financial statements should be included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K. |
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3. | Review and discuss with management and the Companys independent auditor the Companys quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q with the SEC, including the results of the review of the Companys quarterly financial statements by the Companys independent auditor. |
4. | Discuss with management and the Companys independent auditor, as appropriate, significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Companys financial statements, including: |
(a) | any significant changes in the Companys selection or application of accounting principles; |
(b) | the Companys critical accounting policies and practices; |
(c) | all alternative treatments of financial information within GAAP that have been discussed with management and the ramifications of the use of such alternative accounting principles; |
(d) | any major issues as to the adequacy of the Companys internal controls and any special steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies; and |
(e) | any material written communications between the Companys independent auditor and management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences. |
5. | Discuss with management the Companys earnings press releases generally, including the use of pro forma or adjusted non-GAAP information, and any financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies. Such discussion may be general and include the types of information to be disclosed and the types of presentations to be made. |
6. | Discuss with management and the independent auditor the effect on the Companys financial statements of (i) regulatory and accounting initiatives and (ii) off-balance sheet structures. |
7. | Discuss with management the Companys major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including the Companys risk assessment and risk management policies. |
8. | Discuss with the Companys independent auditor the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 (as may be |
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modified or supplemented) relating to the conduct of the audit and the matters in the written disclosures required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountants communications with the audit committee concerning independence, including any difficulties encountered in the course of the audit work, any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management. |
9. | Review disclosures made to the Committee by the Companys chief executive officer and chief financial officer (or individuals performing similar functions) during their certification process for the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q about any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and any fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in the Companys internal control over financial reporting. |
B. | Oversight of the Companys Relationship with the Independent Auditor |
1. | At least annually, obtain and review a report from the Companys independent auditor, consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard 1, regarding (i) the internal quality-control procedures of the Companys independent auditor, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm, (iii) any steps taken to deal with any such issues and (iv) all relationships between the Companys independent auditor and the Company. |
2. | Evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence of the Companys independent auditor, including whether the independent auditors quality controls are adequate and the provision of permitted non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the auditors independence, and taking into account the opinions of management and the internal auditor. The Committee shall present its conclusions with respect to the Companys independent auditor to the Board. |
3. | Meet with the independent auditors prior to the annual audit to discuss planning and staffing of the audit. |
4. | Verify the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law. Consider whether, in order to assure continuing auditor independence, it is appropriate to adopt a policy of rotating the Companys independent auditing firm on a regular basis. |
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5. | Oversee the Companys hiring of employees or former employees of the Companys independent auditor who participated in any capacity in the audit of the Company. |
6. | Be available to the Companys independent auditor during the year for consultation purposes. |
C. | Compliance Oversight Responsibilities |
1. | Obtain assurance from the Companys independent auditor that Section 10A(b) of the Exchange Act has not been implicated. |
2. | Oversee internal audit coverage. In connection with its oversight responsibilities, the Committee will: |
a. | Review the appointment or replacement of the senior internal auditing executive; |
b. | Review, in consultation with management, the independent auditors and the senior internal auditing executive, the plan and scope of internal audit activities; |
c. | Review internal audit activities, budget and staffing; and |
d. | Review significant reports to management prepared by the internal auditing department and managements responses to such reports. |
3. | Review and approve all transactions between the Company and related persons (as defined in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K). |
4. | Inquire and discuss with management the Companys compliance with applicable laws and regulations and with the Companys Code of Ethics in effect at such time, if any, and, where applicable, recommend policies and procedures for future compliance. |
5. | Establish procedures (which may be incorporated in the Companys Code of Ethics, in effect at such time, if any) for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding the Companys financial statements or accounting policies. |
6. | Discuss policies and guidelines to govern the process by which risk assessment and risk management is undertaken |
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7. | Discuss with management and the Companys independent auditor any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Companys financial statements or accounting policies. |
8. | Discuss with the Companys legal counsel legal matters that may have a material impact on the Companys financial statements or the Companys compliance policies. |
9. | Review and approve all payments made to the Companys officers and directors or its or their affiliates (including, without limitation, Hicks Holdings, LLC and its affiliates). Any payments made to members of the Committee will be reviewed and approved by the Board, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. |
8. | Review the terms of all agreements (the IPO Agreements) between the Company and any of its officers or directors included as exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company with the SEC to register the Companys initial public offering at each quarterly meeting of the Committee to determine whether the parties to each IPO Agreement are in compliance with such agreement. If any noncompliance is identified, then the Committee shall immediately take all action necessary to rectify the noncompliance or otherwise cause compliance with the requirements of the Companys certificate of incorporation as in effect on the such date, or the terms and provisions of each IPO Agreement. |
V. | Action |
A majority of the members of the entire Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall act on the affirmative vote a majority of members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Without a meeting, the Committee may act by unanimous written consent of all members. The Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees of the Committee consisting of one or more Committee members when appropriate, including the authority to grant pre-approvals of audit and permitted non-audit services, provided that decisions of such subcommittee to grant pre-approvals shall be presented to the full Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
VI. | Limitation of Committees Role |
While the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this charter, it is not the duty of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Companys financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and are in accordance with GAAP and applicable rules and regulations. These are the responsibilities of management and the Companys independent auditor.
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