ELASTIC N.V.
INCENTIVE-BASED COMPENSATION RECOVERY POLICY
(ADOPTED ON NOVEMBER 28, 2023)
1.Policy Purpose. The purpose of this Elastic N.V. Incentive-Based Compensation Recovery Policy (this “Policy”) is to enable Elastic N.V. (the “Company”) and its affiliates to recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation in the event of an Accounting Restatement. This Policy is intended to comply with the requirements set forth in Section 303A.14 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual (the “Listing Rule”) and shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. Unless otherwise defined in this Policy, capitalized terms shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in paragraph 7.
2.Policy Administration. This Policy shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) unless the Board determines to administer this Policy itself. The Committee has full and final authority to make all determinations under this Policy, in each case to the extent permitted under the Listing Rule and in compliance with (or pursuant to an exemption from the application of) Section 409A of the Code. All determinations and decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of this Policy shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its affiliates, its shareholders , and Executive Officers. Any action or inaction by the Committee with respect to an Executive Officer under this Policy in no way shall limit the Committee’s actions or decisions not to act with respect to any other Executive Officer under this Policy or under any similar policy, agreement or arrangement, nor shall any such action or inaction serve as a waiver of any rights the Company may have against any Executive Officer other than as set forth in this Policy.
3.Policy Application. This Policy applies to all Incentive-Based Compensation received by a person: (a) after beginning service as an Executive Officer; (b) who served as an Executive Officer at any time during the performance period for such Incentive-Based Compensation; (c) while the Company had a class of securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or another national securities exchange or a national securities association; and (d) during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the Accounting Restatement Date. In addition to such last three completed fiscal years, the immediately preceding clause (d) includes any transition period that results from a change in the Company’s fiscal year within or immediately following such three completed fiscal years; provided that, a transition period between the last day of the Company’s previous fiscal year end and the first day of its new fiscal year that constitutes a period of nine to twelve months shall be deemed a completed fiscal year. For purposes of this paragraph 3, Incentive-Based Compensation shall be deemed received in the Company’s fiscal period during which the Financial Reporting Measure specified in the Incentive-Based Compensation award is attained, even if the payment or grant of the Incentive-Based Compensation occurs after the end of such fiscal period. Incentive-Based Compensation that is subject to both a Financial Reporting Measure vesting condition and a service-based vesting condition shall be considered received when the relevant Financial Reporting Measure is achieved, even if the Incentive-Based Compensation continues to be subject to the service-based vesting condition.
4.Policy Recovery Requirement. In the case of an Accounting Restatement, the Company must recover, reasonably promptly, Erroneously Awarded Compensation in amounts determined pursuant to this Policy. The Company’s obligation to recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation is not dependent on whether or when the Company files restated financial statements. Recovery under this Policy with respect to an Executive Officer shall not require a finding of any misconduct by such Executive Officer or a finding that such Executive Officer was responsible for the accounting error leading to an Accounting Restatement. In the event of an Accounting Restatement, the Company shall satisfy the Company’s obligations under this Policy to recover any amount owed from any applicable Executive Officer by exercising its sole and absolute discretion in how to accomplish such a recovery, to the extent permitted under the Listing Rule and in compliance with (or pursuant to an exemption from the application of) Section 409A of the Code.
The Company’s recovery obligation pursuant to this paragraph 4 shall not apply to the extent that the Committee or, in the absence of the Committee, a majority of the independent directors serving on the Board determines that such recovery would be impracticable and:
(a)the direct expense paid to a third party to assist in enforcing this Policy would exceed the amount to be recovered; provided that, before concluding that it would be impracticable to recover any amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation based on the expense of enforcement, the Company shall make a reasonable attempt to recover such Erroneously Awarded Compensation, document such reasonable attempt to recover, and provide such documentation to the NYSE; or
(b)recovery would violate home country law where that law was adopted prior to November 28, 2022; provided that, before concluding that it would be impracticable to recover any amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation based on a violation of home country law, the Company shall obtain an opinion of home country counsel, acceptable to the NYSE, that recovery would result in such a violation, and must provide such opinion to the NYSE; or
(c)recovery would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to employees of the Company, to fail to meet the requirements of Section 401(a)(13) of the Code or Section 411(a) of the Code.
5.Policy Prohibition on Indemnification and Insurance Reimbursement. The Company is prohibited from indemnifying any Executive Officer against the loss of Erroneously Awarded Compensation. Further, the Company is prohibited from paying or reimbursing an Executive Officer for purchasing insurance to cover any such loss.
6.Required Policy-Related Filings. The Company shall file all disclosures with respect to this Policy in accordance with the requirements of the federal securities laws, including disclosures required by rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC.
7.Definitions.
(a)“Accounting Restatement” means an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period.
(b)“Accounting Restatement Date” means the earlier to occur of: (i) the date on which the Board, a committee of the Board, or the officer or officers of the Company authorized to take such action (if Board action is not required) concludes, or reasonably should have concluded, that the Company is required to prepare an Accounting Restatement; and (ii) the date on which a court, regulator or other legally authorized body directs the Company to prepare an Accounting Restatement.
(c)“Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
(d)“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Any reference to a section of the Code or regulation thereunder includes such section or regulation, any valid regulation or other official guidance promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.
(e)“Erroneously Awarded Compensation” means, in the event of an Accounting Restatement, the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation previously received that exceeds the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation that otherwise would have been received if the Incentive-Based Compensation had been determined based on the restated amounts contained in such Accounting Restatement, which shall be computed without regard to any taxes paid by the relevant Executive Officer; provided that, for Incentive-Based Compensation based on stock price or total stockholder return, where the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in an Accounting Restatement: (i) the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation must be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the Accounting Restatement on the stock price or total stockholder return upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation was received; and (ii) the Company shall maintain documentation of the determination of such reasonable estimate and provide such documentation to the NYSE.
(f)“Executive Officer” means the Company’s president; principal financial officer; principal accounting officer (or if there is no such accounting officer, the controller); any vice-president of the Company in charge of a principal business unit, division, or function (such as sales, administration, or finance); any other officer who performs a policy-making function, or any other person who performs similar policy-making functions for the Company. An executive officer of the Company’s parent or subsidiary is deemed an “Executive Officer” if the executive officer performs such policy-making functions for the Company.
(g)“Financial Reporting Measure” means any measure that is determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing the Company’s financial statements, and any measure that is derived wholly or in part from such measure; provided that, a Financial Reporting Measure is not required to be presented within the Company’s financial statements or included in a filing with the SEC to qualify as a “Financial Reporting Measure.” For purposes of this Policy, “Financial Reporting Measure” includes, but is not limited to, stock price and total stockholder return.
(h)“Incentive-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is granted earned or vested based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a Financial Reporting Measure.
8.Acknowledgement. Each Executive Officer shall sign and return to the Company, within 30 calendar days following the later of (i) the Effective Date of this Policy or (ii) the date the individual becomes an Executive Officer, the Acknowledgement Form attached hereto as Exhibit A, pursuant to which the Executive Officer agrees to be bound by, and to comply with, the terms and conditions of this Policy.
9.Severability. The provisions in this Policy are intended to be applied to the fullest extent of the law. To the extent that any provision of this Policy is found to be unenforceable or invalid under any applicable law, such provision shall be applied to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, and shall automatically be deemed amended in a manner consistent with its objectives to the extent necessary to conform to any limitations required under applicable law.
10.Amendment; Termination. The Board may amend this Policy from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion and shall amend this Policy as it deems necessary to reflect the Listing Rule or to comply with (or maintain an exemption from the application of) Section 409A of the Code. The Board may terminate this Policy at any time.
11.Other Recovery Obligations; General Rights. To the extent that the application of this Policy would provide for recovery of Incentive-Based Compensation that the Company recovers pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or other recovery obligations, the amount the applicable Executive Officer has already reimbursed the Company shall be credited to the required recovery under this Policy. This Policy shall not limit the rights of the Company to take any other actions or pursue other remedies that the
Company may deem appropriate under the circumstances and under applicable law, in each case to the extent permitted under the Listing Rule and in compliance with (or pursuant to an exemption from the application of) Section 409A of the Code. Nothing contained in this Policy shall limit the Company’s ability to seek recoupment, in appropriate circumstances (including circumstances beyond the scope of this Policy) and as permitted by applicable law, of any amounts from any individual, in each case to the extent permitted under the Listing Rule and in compliance with (or pursuant to an exemption from the application of) Section 409A of the Code.
12.Successors. This Policy is binding and enforceable against all Executive Officers and their beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives.
13.Effective Date. This Policy shall be effective as of the date first set forth above (such date, the “Effective Date”) and shall apply to Incentive-Based Compensation approved, awarded or granted to any Executive Officer prior to the Effective Date.
EXHIBIT A
ELASTIC N.V.
Incentive-Based Compensation Recovery Policy
Acknowledgement Form
By signing below, the undersigned acknowledges and confirms that the undersigned has received and reviewed a copy of the Elastic N.V. Incentive-Based Compensation Recovery Policy (the “Policy”).
By signing this Acknowledgement Form, the undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the undersigned is and will continue to be subject to the Policy and that the Policy will apply both during and after the undersigned’s employment with Elastic N.V. or an affiliate (the “Company”). Further, by signing below, the undersigned agrees to abide by the terms of the Policy, including, without limitation, by returning any Erroneously Awarded Compensation (as defined in the Policy) to the Company to the extent required by, and in a manner consistent with, the Policy.
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