Silicon Laboratories Inc.
400 West Cesar Chavez
Austin, Texas 78701
October 23, 2007
Via FEDEX /EDGAR
Ms. Hanna T. Teshome
Special Counsel
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
Mail Stop 3561
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549-3561
Re: |
Silicon Laboratories Inc. |
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Definitive 14A |
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Filed March 14, 2007 |
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SEC File No. 000-29823 |
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter provides the response of Silicon Laboratories Inc. (the Company) to the comments in your letter dated August 21, 2007 concerning the Companys definitive proxy statement. For your convenience, we have restated your comments in full in italics and have included our response below each comment.
Policies and Procedures, page 14
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The material features of our policies and procedures with respect to such transactions are set forth in our 2007 proxy statement under the heading Policies and Procedures with Respect to Related Party Transactions. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee shall review and approve any transaction that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a). As a function of the fiduciary duties imposed by law on the members of the Audit Committee in their capacity as directors of the Company, the standard to be applied is whether any such proposed transaction is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders. The Audit Committee is responsible for applying such policies and procedures. Apart from the Audit Committee Charter, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Corporate Governance Policy described in the proxy statement, there is no additional written policy with respect to such transactions.
To assist with the identification of potential related party transactions, the Company solicits information through questionnaires in connection with the appointment of new directors and executive officers and on an annual basis with respect to existing directors and executive officers.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis, page 18
Compensation Philosophy, page 18
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The competitive market data prepared by the Compensation Committees independent compensation consultant is the most important factor used in determining compensation. The CEO reviews the competitive market data and reviews the performance of each executive officer and considers market competitive pressures, business conditions, the vesting and value of current equity grants, our overall performance and the potential financial impact and then makes recommendations regarding adjustments to base salary, cash incentives or equity incentives relative to the compensation levels set forth in the competitive market data. The CEO conducts this review with assistance from the Companys human resources department. The CEO discusses his recommendations regarding compensation and the underlying rationale with the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has full discretion to accept or reject the CEOs recommendations. The Compensation Committee conducts its own analysis and has full access to the competitive market data as well as the CEOs proposed adjustments. The Compensation Committee meets with the compensation consultant in executive session (without the CEO present) before making the ultimate decision regarding compensation.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The compensation consultants were engaged to provide competitive market analysis and advice regarding each material element of compensation.
Competitive Analysis
At the direction of the Compensation Committee, the compensation consultants developed a proposed peer group based upon companies with comparable revenues in the Companys industry and circulated the list to the CEO and the director of human resources for their comments. The consultants had independent discussions with the Compensation Committee regarding such comments and final approval of the peer group was made by the Compensation Committee.
Consultation with Management
With the approval of the Compensation Committee, the compensation consultants provided advice to the CEO and the director of human resources regarding pay positioning, both by element and in total, so that managements final recommendations reflect the Companys compensation philosophy.
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Discussions included potential adjustments in the cash incentive plan to reinforce the Companys pay for performance culture. Watson Wyatt also provided advice regarding the mix between RSUs and stock options associated with the Companys equity grants. Discussions were held to ensure that management was fully acquainted with the relative merits of using options versus RSUs as well as the mix between these two forms of equity incentives in relation to the Companys compensation philosphy.
Advice to the Compensation Committee
The consultants provided advice to the Compensation Committee regarding:
development of the peer group and competitive market data;
discussions with the Compensation Committee regarding interpretation of the competitive data and how the compensation levels established helped to promote the goals espoused in the companys compensation philosophy, both as to specific compensation elements as well as regarding total compensation;
the potential implications of adopting the CEOs and managements recommendations regarding adjustments to the cash incentive plan;
review of the CEOs and managements recommendations regarding type and magnitude of the equity grants, including how the suggested grants would compare to those of the peer group; and
direct and independent discussions with the Compensation Committee regarding their proposed adjustments to each element of the CEOs pay package.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. As disclosed in the 2007 proxy statement, the Company targets base salaries at the median level, cash incentives as a percentage of base salary at the 75th percentile and long term incentives at the 75th percentile, in each case, relative to the comparator companies. For 2006, targeted cash incentives as a percentage of base salary were somewhat higher than the 75th percentile, but the bonuses were subject to an adjusted operating income multiplier which could materially reduce the bonus. As a result of the multiplier and the Companys actual financial results, actual cash incentives as a percentage of base salary were substantially lower than the 75th percentile. The degree to which the applicable targeted cash incentives were achieved can be seen through a comparison of the Non-equity Incentive Plan Compensation column of the Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal 2006 on page 22 against the Estimated Future Payouts Under Non-equity Incentive Plan Awards columns of the Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table for Fiscal 2006 on page 23. As disclosed in the 2007 proxy statement, after reviewing competitive practices and consulting with Watson Wyatt, the Compensation Committee concluded that the use of such multiplier was not competitive and discontinued the use of such multiplier for 2007.
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Concurrent with the removal of the multiplier, the Compensation Committee reduced the target bonus as a percentage of base salary from 100% to 75% for the Vice President of Worldwide Sales and the Vice President of Worldwide Operations (the two executive offices whose performance metrics do not include any adjusted operating income component). The Company does not believe that the variance with respect to the other elements of compensation was material.
Elements of Compensation, page 19
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment to elaborate further regarding the difficulty associated with achieving the undisclosed target levels. These performance targets are set at levels that represent challenging performance goals linked to achievement of the Companys operating plan. This pay for performance philosophy has been adhered to consistently over the Companys history and bonuses have been less than target in three of the past six years.
We have not disclosed specific targets with respect to adjusted operating income, corporate revenue, gross margin and MBOs as we believe this disclosure would result in competitive harm for the Company. The Company has not disclosed and does not intend to publicly disclose such confidential information. The targets contained in the confidential information are based upon the Companys internal financial plan which, even following the period covered by the financial plan, is not publicly disclosed by the Company.
The Company is a mixed-signal semiconductor company and is a relatively small company compared to many of its competitors. One of the more significant business risks to the Company is competition. The Company is subject to competition on a number of levels, including competition for employees (including executives), customers, contract manufacturers and suppliers. Many of the Companys competitors have far greater financial resources, name recognition and support services than the Company and are able to leverage such advantages in their pursuit of customer targets.
Public disclosure of such confidential information would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the Company since disclosure could compromise not only the Companys ability to attract and retain qualified employees, including executive employees, but also reveal to competitors the Companys internal plans. Following the end of the compensation period, if such targets were disclosed, a competitor could use this information against the Company in competitive situations or where the competitor is seeking to hire an employee of the Company.
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Disclosure of such confidential information would furnish the Companys current and potential competitors with valuable forecast, business planning and other financial information which would otherwise remain confidential. For example, revenue objectives might reveal important insight into our new product introduction and growth strategies. Combined with gross margin objectives, competitors could also glean insight into our pricing strategies. Disclosure of this information would thereby benefit competitors at a great expense to the Company and the Companys stockholders.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment.
The cash incentives represented the actual performance relative to the applicable performance metrics established under the bonus plan (which were established at the beginning of the year and which are confidential as described under Comment 5 above) without any discretionary adjustment by the Compensation Committee. In 2006, achievement of MBOs represented 20% of the bonus criteria for the Vice President of Worldwide Sales and the Vice President of Worldwide Operations and 71% of the bonus criteria for the Vice President of Finance. The extent to which our executives achieved their MBOs was determined by our CEO during the performance of his annual review of the named executive officers.
Individual performance was one of the factors in determining the size of the equity awards allocated to each named executive officer as described in the 2007 proxy statement. The ultimate equity award was subjectively determined by the Compensation Committee, as there was no defined formula used to weight individual performance relative to the other factors mentioned in the 2007 proxy statement.
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In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The Compensation Committee determined the compensation (including base salary, cash incentives and equity) of our named executive officers based upon the competitive market data prepared by the Compensation Committees independent compensation consultant (and the Companys targeted percentile level with respect to each element of compensation as described in the response to Comment 4 above), the CEOs performance review of each executive officer, the market competitive pressures, business conditions, the vesting and value of current equity grants, our overall performance and the potential financial impact of the compensation decisions.
The cash incentive plan targets are established based upon the combination of the Companys targeted performance bonus and the Companys annual operating plan. The ultimate bonuses paid to such officers under the cash incentive plan were a function of the Companys actual financial performance during 2006 combined with, as applicable, the executives achievement of the applicable MBOs.
There was no defined formula with respect to the relative weighting of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in setting base salary, cash incentives and equity awards. The Compensation Committee ultimately exercised its judgment and established compensation levels consistent with the Companys short-term and long-term strategic goals and values and to reward and retain talented individuals.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The variation in compensation among the executive officers is a function of the Compensation Committees judgment, following the Committees review of competitive market data, review of the CEOs performance, review of the CEOs performance evaluations for each executive officer, and consideration of the market competitive pressures, business conditions, the vesting and value of current equity grants, overall Company performance and the potential financial impact of its compensation decisions. A key contributor to the variance amongst the officers is the variance in the competitive market data for each position.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. With respect to the employment agreements with the CEO and CFO, such post-employment termination benefits were determined through arms-length negotiations between the applicable executive and the Companys management and the Companys Compensation Committee in connection with the hiring of each such executive.
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With respect to the acceleration provided generally under 2000 Stock Incentive Plan in the event that (a) the equity awards are not assumed in connection with a change in control or (b) the employee is demoted, relocated or terminated other than for misconduct within 18 months following a change in control, such acceleration is based upon the Companys philosophy that such provisions ensure that the executives remain focused on their responsibilities and maximize the return for our shareholders.
Cash Incentives, page 20
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The specific dollar amount of the awards are determined based upon achievement of the applicable performance metrics which were established at the beginning of the year and which have been described in the Cash Incentives section of the 2007 proxy statement. With respect to financial metrics, such amounts are determined by reference to the Companys recorded financial performance. With respect to MBOs, such amounts are determined based upon the CEOs assessment of the executive officers achievement of the applicable MBO. No additional discretion was exercised by the Board or Compensation Committee to increase or decrease the size of the specific award. The degree to which the applicable targeted performance goals were achieved can be seen through a comparison of the Non-equity Incentive Plan Compensation column of the Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal 2006 on page 22 against the Estimated Future Payouts Under Non-equity Incentive Plan Awards columns of the Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table for Fiscal 2006 on page 23.
In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. Such discretion can be exercised by the Board or the Compensation Committee, but was not exercised with respect to the period covered by the 2007 proxy statement. Given the standard, broad discretion of the Board with respect to compensation under applicable law and the lack of exercise of such discretion during the relevant period, no further disclosure regarding this topic was deemed material with respect to the 2007 proxy statement.
Equity Incentives, page 20
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In future proxy statements, we will expand our disclosure in response to this comment. The Company does not have a program, plan or practice designed to (a) set the exercise price of stock options at a price other than the fair market value on the grant date or (b) alter the timing of the grant of stock options to take advantage of positive or negative material non-public information.
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As requested, Silicon Laboratories Inc. acknowledges that:
Silicon Laboratories Inc. is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in its filing;
Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff comments in the filings reviewed by the staff do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and
Silicon Laboratories Inc. may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.
If you have any further questions or comments, please contact Philip Russell of DLA Piper US LLP at (512) 457-7015, our outside corporate counsel.
Very truly yours, |
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/s/ William G. Bock |
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William G. Bock
Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial
Officer
cc: |
Necip Sayiner, CEO of Silicon Laboratories Inc. |
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Philip Russell, DLA Piper US LLP |
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