AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
Purpose
The Audit Committee is established by and among the
Board of Directors for the primary purpose of assisting the Board
in oversight of:
- Integrity of the Company's financial statements,
- Company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements,
- Independent auditor's qualifications and independence,
and
- Performance of the Company's internal audit function
and independent auditor.
In fulfilling their responsibilities hereunder, it is recognized that
the members of the Audit Committee are not fulltime employees of the
Company and are not, and do not represent themselves to be, accountants
or auditors by profession. As such, it is not the duty of the Audit
Committee or its members to conduct "field work" or other types of
auditing or accounting reviews or procedures, and each member of the
Audit Committee shall be entitled to rely on (i) the judgment of those
persons and organizations within and outside the Company that it receives
information from and (ii) the accuracy of the financial and other information
provided to the Audit Committee by such persons or organizations.
The Audit Committee has the authority to obtain advice and assistance
from outside legal, accounting, or other advisors as deemed necessary
to perform its duties and responsibilities.
The Company shall provide appropriate funding, as determined by the
Audit Committee, for payment of compensation to the independent auditor,
outside legal, accounting or other advisors that the Audit Committee
chooses to engage.
Organization
Members:
The Audit Committee shall consist of three or more directors who are
not members of management and meet the independence and expertise requirements
as defined by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Listed Company Manual
who are free from any relationship, including disallowed compensatory
arrangements, that, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with
the exercise of his or her independent judgment as a member of the
Committee. The chairperson and members of the Committee shall be appointed
by the Board of Directors at the annual organization meeting of the
Board. At least one member of the Committee shall be a "financial expert," as
determined by the Board, in compliance with the criteria established
by the SEC.
Meetings:
Audit Committee meetings shall be in conjunction with regular Board
of Directors meetings and at such other times as called by or on behalf
of the chairperson of the Committee.
A majority of the members of the Audit Committee shall constitute
a quorum. The Committee shall act only on the affirmative vote of at
least two of the members.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to:
- Appoint, retain, compensate, evaluate and terminate, if necessary,
the independent auditor. The audit committee should present its conclusions
with respect to the independent auditor to the Board of Directors.
The independent auditor is the public accounting firm that will be
retained to perform audit services for the Company, any of its subsidiaries,
or any related parties, including employee benefit plans sponsored
by the Company.
- Review and pre-approve both audit and non-audit services to be
provided by the independent auditor.
- Review and advise on the selection and removal of the General Auditor.
Additionally, the Audit Committee will review and recommend changes
to the Internal Audit Charter.
- Review, on an annual basis, a formal written statement prepared
by the independent auditor describing:
- The firm's internal quality control procedures
- 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, and any steps taken to deal with such issues
- All relationships relevant to auditor independence between the
independent auditor and the Company. This includes discussion of
such relationships, and recommending that the Board of Directors
take appropriate action in response to the outside auditor's report
to satisfy itself of the outside auditor's independence
- Discuss with management or the independent auditor, as
appropriate, the matters required to be discussed by Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61 and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 relating
to the conduct of the audit or quarterly review. This includes:
- Independent auditor responsibility under generally
accepted auditing standards
- All significant and critical accounting policies and practices
- Management judgments and accounting estimates
- All alternative treatments of financial information
within generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) that have
been discussed with management, including the ramifications of
the use of such alternative treatments and disclosures, and the
treatment preferred by the independent auditor
- Material written communications between the independent auditor
and management including, but not limited to, the engagement letter,
independence letter, management representation letter, management
letter, and schedule of audit adjustments
- Report on Form 10-K and other information in the Annual Report
- Disagreements with management, including management's
response
- Difficulties encountered in performing the audit, including
management's response
- Consultations with other accountants
- Major issues discussed with management prior to retention
- An analysis of the auditor's judgment about the quality
of the Company's accounting principles, setting forth significant
reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation
of the financial statement
- Review with the independent auditors, internal auditors
and members of senior management the adequacy and effectiveness of
the Company's financial controls and financial reporting processes.
- Meet periodically or at least annually with management,
the senior internal auditing executive, and the independent auditors
in separate executive sessions.
- Review and discuss with management and the independent
auditors, prior to filing, the Company's quarterly and annual reports
filed with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, including the Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,
any management certifications as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 and relevant reports rendered by the independent auditors.
- Review and discuss earnings press releases with management
as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to
analysts and rating agencies. Discussions of earnings press releases
as well as financial information and earnings guidance may be done
generally (i.e. discussion of the types of information to be disclosed
and the type of presentation to be made). Discussions need not occur
in advance of each earnings press release or each instance in which
earnings guidance is provided.
- Prepare a report and other additional information required
for inclusion in the annual proxy statement to include at least the
following:
- A statement that the Committee has reviewed and discussed
the audited financial statements with management
- A statement that the Committee has discussed with the independent
auditors the matters required by Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 61, Required Communications with Audit Committees
- A statement that the Committee has discussed with the independent
auditors the matters required by Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 61, Required Communications with Audit Committees
- A conclusion as to the Committee's Recommendation
to the Board of Directors as to the filing of the Annual Report
on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission
- A statement outlining the Company's policies and procedures
related to pre-approval by the Committee of audit and non-audit
services to be provided by the independent auditor
- A schedule showing fees paid to the independent auditor for
audit and non-audit services for the most recent two fiscal years.
Fees must be categorized as follows: Audit Fees, Audit-Related
Fees, Tax Fees, All Other Fees. Other than for Audit Fees, a description
of the types of services provided under these categories must be
included
- A statement indicating that Audit Committee members
are independent as defined under the listing standards of the NYSE
- A statement identifying which member of the Committee is the "financial
expert"
- Review this charter on an annual basis and recommend
to the Board of Directors changes to the charter as appropriate to
support an affirmation by the Board of Directors.
- Discuss with management, policies with respect to risk
assessment and risk management.
- Review management's assessment of compliance with laws,
regulations, and Company policies relative to payments to individuals
or organizations retained as foreign sales consultants.
- Meet with the Office of Internal Governance to review
the Company's ethics and business conduct program and Company compliance
with the principles of the Defense Industry Initiative on Business
Ethics and Conduct.
- Review significant pending and threatened litigation,
the status of advancement of expenses to employees involved in company-related
legal proceedings, and related indemnification.
- Set clear hiring policies, compliant with governing
laws or regulations, for employees or former employees of the independent
auditor.
- Establish and maintain procedures for:
- The receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints
received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting
controls, or auditing matters
- The confidential, anonymous submission by Company employees
of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters
- Annually, perform a self-assessment relative to the
Audit Committee's purpose, duties and responsibilities outlined herein.
- Report annually to the Board of Directors regarding
the execution of the Committee's duties and responsibilities as well
as any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity
of the Company's financial statements, the Company's compliance with
legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence
of the Company's independent auditors, or the performance of the
internal audit function.
- Present to the Board of Directors such comments and
recommendations as the Audit Committee deems appropriate, and perform
such other duties as may be assigned by the Board or deemed appropriate
by the Committee within the context of this charter.
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