UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                                Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

FINANCIAL ENGINES, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT—SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 21, 2018

You are cordially invited to attend a special meeting of the stockholders of Financial Engines, Inc., which we will hold at [            ], on [             ], at [            ] local time.

At the special meeting, our stockholders will be asked to consider and vote on a proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger that we entered into on April 29, 2018, which we refer to as the “merger agreement,” providing for the acquisition of Financial Engines, Inc. by Edelman Financial, L.P. in a transaction that we refer to as the “merger.” If the merger agreement is adopted and the merger is completed, each share of our common stock (other than certain shares specified in the merger agreement) will be converted into the right to receive $45.00 per share in cash, without interest and subject to required withholding taxes, representing a premium of approximately 41% over the trailing 90-day volume weighted average price of our common stock for the period ended April 27, 2018, the last trading day prior to the execution of the merger agreement.

The Financial Engines, Inc. board of directors unanimously recommends that our stockholders vote “FOR” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and “FOR” the other matters to be considered at the special meeting.

The enclosed proxy statement describes the merger agreement, the merger and related matters, and attaches a copy of the merger agreement. We urge stockholders to read the entire proxy statement carefully, as it sets forth the details of the merger agreement and other important information related to the merger.

Your vote is very important. The merger cannot be completed unless a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote at the special meeting vote in favor of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement. If you fail to vote in person or by proxy, or fail to instruct your broker on how to vote, it will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement.

On behalf of the entire board of directors, I want to thank you for your continued support.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities regulatory agency has approved or disapproved the merger, passed upon the merits or fairness of the merger, the merger agreement or the other transactions contemplated thereby or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the disclosure in this document. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

This proxy statement is dated [        ] and is first being mailed to stockholders on or about [        ].

FINANCIAL ENGINES, INC.

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Meeting Agenda:

To consider and vote upon the following proposals:

The Financial Engines, Inc. board of directors has unanimously determined that the merger is advisable, fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its stockholders, and unanimously approved and adopted the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. The Financial Engines, Inc. board of directors unanimously recommends that the stockholders of Financial Engines, Inc. vote (1) “FOR” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, (2) “FOR” the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger, and (3) “FOR” the proposal to approve the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies or in the absence of a quorum. If you sign, date and return your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote on a proposal, your proxy will be voted “FOR” each of the foregoing proposals in accordance with the recommendation of the Financial Engines, Inc. board of directors.

Your vote is important, regardless of the number of shares of common stock you own. The adoption of the merger agreement requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the special meeting and is a condition to the completion of the merger. The approval of the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger and the approval of the proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies or in the absence of a quorum, each requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the special meeting and entitled to vote thereon, but approval of these two proposals is not a condition to the completion of the merger. If you fail to vote in person or by proxy, or fail to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee on how to vote, the shares of common stock that you own will not be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the special meeting, which will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement.

Under Delaware law, stockholders who do not vote in favor of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement will have the right to seek appraisal of the fair value of their shares of the Company as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery if the merger is completed, but only if they submit a written demand for an appraisal before the vote on the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and comply with the other Delaware law procedures explained in the accompanying proxy statement. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Appraisal Rights.”

You may revoke your proxy at any time before the vote at the special meeting by following the procedures outlined in the accompanying proxy statement.

Only holders of record of Financial Engines, Inc. common stock as of the close of business on [        ], the record date for the special meeting, are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the special meeting.

Before voting your shares, we urge you to, and you should, read the entire proxy statement carefully, including its annexes and the documents incorporated by reference in the proxy statement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING AND THE MERGER

The following questions and answers address briefly some questions you may have regarding the special meeting and the proposals to be voted on at the special meeting. These questions and answers may not address all of the questions that may be important to you as a stockholder of the Company. Please refer to the more detailed information contained elsewhere in this proxy statement, the annexes to this proxy statement and the documents referred to or incorporated by reference in this proxy statement, which you should read carefully and in their entirety. You may obtain the documents incorporated by reference into this proxy statement without charge by following the instructions under the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

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As of the close of business on [                ], the record date for the special meeting, there were [                ] shares of common stock outstanding.

If you submit a proxy but fail to provide voting instructions or abstain on any of the proposals listed on the proxy card, your shares will be counted for the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present at the special meeting.

If your shares are held in “street name” by your broker, bank or other nominee and you do not instruct the nominee how to vote your shares, your broker, bank or other nominee will not vote on your behalf with respect to any of the proposals, and your shares will not be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present for the transaction of business at the special meeting.

An abstention with respect to the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, or a failure to vote your shares of common stock (including a failure to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf), will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” this proposal.

An abstention with respect to either proposal will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” these proposals. A failure to return your proxy card or otherwise vote your shares of common stock (including a failure of your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf), will have no effect on these proposals, assuming a quorum is present.

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For a discussion of the factors that the Financial Engines board of directors considered in determining to recommend in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement, see the section of this proxy statement entitled “The Merger — Reasons for the Merger; Recommendation of the Financial Engines Board of Directors.” In addition, in considering the recommendation of the Financial Engines board of directors with respect to the merger agreement, you should be aware that some of our directors and executive officers have interests that may be different from, or in addition to, the interests of Financial Engines stockholders generally. For a discussion of these interests, see the section of this proxy statement entitled “The Merger — Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger.”

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Voting in Person

Stockholders of record will be able to vote in person at the special meeting. If you are not a stockholder of record but instead hold your shares of common stock in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you must provide a legal proxy executed in your favor from your broker, bank or other nominee in order to be able to vote in person at the special meeting.

It is not necessary to attend the special meeting in order to vote your shares. To ensure that your shares of common stock are voted at the special meeting, we recommend that you provide voting instructions promptly by proxy, even if you plan to attend the special meeting in person.

Attending the special meeting in person does not itself constitute a vote on any proposal.

Shares of Common Stock Held by Record Holder

You can ensure that your shares are voted at the special meeting by submitting your proxy via:

The telephone and Internet voting facilities for stockholders of record will close at [                ] on [                ].

If you sign, date and return your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your proxy will be voted “FOR” (1) the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, (2) the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger and (3) the proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to approve the proposal to adopt the merger agreement or in the absence of a quorum.

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We encourage you to vote by proxy even if you plan on attending the special meeting.

A failure to vote or an abstention will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the adoption of the merger agreement.

Shares of Common Stock Held in “Street Name”

If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you should follow the directions provided by your broker, bank or other nominee regarding how to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote your shares. Without those instructions, your shares will not be voted, which will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement.

If you hold your shares in “street name” and you have instructed a broker, bank or other nominee to vote your shares, you should instead follow the instructions received from your broker, bank or other nominee to revoke your prior voting instructions. If you hold your shares in “street name,” you may also revoke a prior proxy by voting in person at the special meeting if you obtain a legal proxy executed in your favor from your broker, bank or other nominee in order to be able to vote in person at the special meeting.

The requisite number of shares to approve the other two proposals is based on the total number of shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the special meeting and entitled to vote thereon. If you abstain from voting on (1) the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger and (2) the proposal regarding adjournment of the special meeting, it will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” these proposals. If you do not return your proxy card or otherwise fail to vote your shares of common stock (including a failure of your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf), it will have no effect on these proposals, assuming a quorum is present.

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The record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting is earlier than the completion of the merger. If you transfer your shares of common stock after the record date but before the closing of the merger, you will have the right to vote at the special meeting but not the right to receive the merger consideration.

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If your broker, bank or other nominee holds your shares, you should also call your broker, bank or other nominee for additional information.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This proxy statement, the documents incorporated by reference in this proxy statement and the documents we subsequently file with the SEC and incorporate by reference in this proxy statement may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, any statement that is not based on historical fact, including statements containing the words “plan to,” “designed to,” “allow,” “will,” “can,” “expect,” “estimates,” “believes,” “intends,” “may,” “continues,” “to be” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to:

and other factors described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC, and in other reports filed by the Company with the SEC from time to time. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.” You are cautioned not to unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Unless required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date such forward-looking statements are made or to report the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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THE COMPANIES

Financial Engines, Inc.

Financial Engines (NASDAQ: FNGN) is a Delaware corporation. Financial Engines is a leading provider of independent, technology-enabled financial advisory services, discretionary portfolio management, personalized investment advice, financial and retirement income planning, and financial education and guidance. Financial Engines helps individuals, either online or with an advisor, develop a strategy to reach financial goals by offering a comprehensive set of services, including holistic, personalized plans for saving and investing, assessments of retirement income, and the option to meet face-to-face with a financial advisor at one of more than 140 advisor centers nationwide. Financial Engines’ advice and planning services cover employer-sponsored defined contribution (DC) accounts (401(k), 457, and 403(b) plans), IRA accounts, and taxable accounts. Financial Engines uses its proprietary advice technology platform to provide our services to millions of individual investors, both DC plan participants in the workplace as well as retail investors, on a cost-efficient basis. We believe that our services have significantly increased the accessibility of low-cost, high-quality, independent, personalized portfolio management services, investment advice and financial planning.

Financial Engines’ principal executive offices are located at 1050 Enterprise Way, 3rd Floor, Sunnyvale, CA 94089, and its telephone number is (408) 498-6000.

A detailed description of the Company’s business is contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is incorporated by reference into this proxy statement. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

Edelman Financial, L.P.

Parent is one of the nation’s largest independent financial planning firms providing financial planning and investment management services to over 35,000 individuals and families, and managing more than $21.7 billion in assets. Edelman Financial has won more than 100 financial, business, community and philanthropic awards, and offers an investment philosophy that puts clients first and delivers value through in-depth financial education, personalized financial plans and access to experienced financial planners.

Parent’s principal executive offices are located at 4000 Legato Road, 9th Floor, Fairfax, Virginia 22033, and its telephone number is 1-888-751-6742.

Flashdance Merger Sub, Inc.

Merger Sub is a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent that will function as the merger subsidiary in the merger. Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of acquiring us and it has not carried on any activities on or prior to the date of this proxy statement except for activities incidental to its formation and activities in connection with Parent’s acquisition of Financial Engines. Upon completion of the merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into Financial Engines and will cease to exist.

Merger Sub’s principal executive offices are located at 4000 Legato Road, 9th Floor, Fairfax, Virginia 22033, and its telephone number is 1-888-751-6742.

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THE SPECIAL MEETING

We are furnishing this proxy statement to the Company’s stockholders as part of the solicitation of proxies by the Financial Engines board of directors for use at the special meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. This proxy statement provides the Company’s stockholders with the information they need to know to be able to vote or instruct their vote to be cast at the special meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Date, Time and Place of the Special Meeting

This proxy statement is being furnished to our stockholders as part of the solicitation of proxies by the Financial Engines board of directors for use at the special meeting to be held at [                    ], on [                 ], at [                ] local time, or at any adjournment or postponement thereof.

For information regarding attending the special meeting, see “The Special Meeting — Voting; Proxies; Revocation — Attendance.”

Purposes of the Special Meeting

At the special meeting, Financial Engines stockholders will be asked to consider and vote on the following proposals:

Our stockholders must adopt the merger agreement for the merger to occur. If our stockholders fail to adopt the merger agreement, the merger will not occur. A copy of the merger agreement is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A, and certain provisions of the merger agreement are described in the section of this proxy statement entitled “The Merger Agreement.”

The vote on the named executive officer merger-related compensation proposal is a vote separate and apart from the vote on the proposal to adopt the merger agreement. Accordingly, you may vote to adopt the merger agreement and vote not to approve the named executive officer merger-related compensation proposal and vice versa. Because the vote on the named executive officer merger-related compensation proposal is advisory only, it will not be binding on either Financial Engines or Parent. Accordingly, if the merger agreement is adopted and the merger is completed, the compensation will be payable, subject only to the conditions applicable thereto under the applicable compensation agreements and arrangements, regardless of the outcome of the non-binding, advisory vote of Financial Engines’ stockholders.

We do not expect that any matters other than the proposals set forth above will be brought before the special meeting. If, however, such a matter is properly presented at the special meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the persons appointed as proxies will have discretionary authority to vote the shares represented by duly executed proxies.

This proxy statement and the enclosed form of proxy are first being mailed to our stockholders on or about [                ].

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Record Date, Notice and Quorum

The holders of record of Financial Engines common stock as of the close of business on [                ], the record date for the special meeting, are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the special meeting. At the close of business on the record date, [                ] shares of common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote at the special meeting.

The presence at the special meeting, in person or represented by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the special meeting at the close of business on the record date will constitute a quorum. Once a share is represented at the special meeting, it will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the special meeting. However, if a new record date is set for an adjourned special meeting, a new quorum will have to be established. Proxies received but marked as abstentions will be included in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the special meeting.

Required Vote

Each share of common stock outstanding at the close of business on the record date is entitled to one vote on each of the proposals to be considered at the special meeting.

For the Company to complete the merger, Financial Engines stockholders holding a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding at the close of business on the record date must vote “FOR” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement. An abstention with respect to the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, or a failure to vote your shares of common stock (including a failure to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf), will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” this proposal.

Approval of each of (1) the advisory (non-binding) proposal on certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the merger and (2) the adjournment proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the special meeting and entitled to vote thereon, but is not a condition to the completion of the merger. An abstention with respect to either proposal will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” these proposals. A failure to return your proxy card or otherwise vote your shares of common stock (including a failure to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf), will have no effect on these proposals, assuming a quorum is present.

Stock Ownership and Interests of Certain Persons

Voting by the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers

At the close of business on the record date, directors and executive officers of the Company were entitled to vote approximately [                ] shares of common stock, or approximately [                ]% of the shares of common stock issued and outstanding on that date and entitled to vote at the special meeting. The Company’s directors and executive officers have informed us that they intend to vote their shares in favor of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and the other proposals to be considered at the special meeting, although they have no obligation to do so.

Voting; Proxies; Revocation

Attendance

All holders of shares of common stock as of the close of business on [                ], the record date, including stockholders of record and beneficial owners of common stock registered in the “street name” of a broker, bank or other nominee, are invited to attend the special meeting.

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To attend the special meeting in person, you must provide proof of ownership of Financial Engines common stock as of the record date, such as an account statement indicating ownership on that date, and a form of personal identification for admission to the meeting. If you hold your shares in “street name,” and you also wish to be able to vote at the meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy, executed in your favor, from your bank, broker or other nominee.

Voting in Person

Stockholders of record will be able to vote in person at the special meeting. If you are not a stockholder of record, but instead hold your shares of common stock in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you must provide a legal proxy executed in your favor from your broker, bank or other nominee in order to be able to vote in person at the special meeting. Attending the special meeting in person does not itself constitute a vote on any proposal.

Providing Voting Instructions by Proxy

To ensure that your shares of common stock are voted at the special meeting, we recommend that you provide voting instructions promptly by proxy, even if you plan to attend the special meeting in person.

Shares of Common Stock Held by Record Holder

If you are a stockholder of record, you may provide voting instructions by proxy using one of the methods described below.

Submit a Proxy by Telephone or via the Internet. This proxy statement is accompanied by a proxy card with instructions for submitting voting instructions. You may vote by telephone by calling the toll-free number or via the Internet by accessing the Internet address specified on the enclosed proxy card. Your shares of common stock will be voted as you direct in the same manner as if you had completed, signed, dated and returned your proxy card, as described below.

Submit a Proxy Card. If you complete, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card by mail so that it is received in time for the special meeting, your shares of common stock will be voted in the manner directed by you on your proxy card.

If you sign, date and return your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your proxy will be voted in favor of each of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger, and the proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to approve the proposal to adopt the merger agreement or in the absence of a quorum. If you fail to return your proxy card or vote by telephone or via the Internet, and you are a holder of record on the record date, unless you attend the special meeting and vote in person, your shares of common stock will not be considered present at the special meeting for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the special meeting, which will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and, assuming a quorum is present, will have no effect on the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger, or the vote regarding the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies or in the absence of a quorum.

Shares of Common Stock Held in “Street Name”

If your shares of common stock are held by a broker, bank or other nominee on your behalf in “street name,” your broker, bank or other nominee will send you instructions as to how to provide voting instructions for

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your shares. Many brokerage firms and banks have a process for their customers to provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet, in addition to providing voting instructions by a voting instruction form.

In accordance with applicable stock exchange rules, brokers, banks and other nominees that hold shares of common stock in “street name” for their customers do not have discretionary authority to vote the shares with respect to (1) the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, (2) the advisory (non-binding) proposal to approve certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger, or (3) the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies or in the absence of a quorum. Accordingly, if brokers, banks or other nominees do not receive specific voting instructions from the beneficial owner of such shares, they cannot vote such shares with respect to these proposals. Therefore, unless you attend the special meeting in person with a properly executed legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee, your failure to provide instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee will result in your shares of Financial Engines common stock not being present at the meeting and not being voted on any of the proposals. As a result, a failure to vote your shares of common stock (including a failure to instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote shares held on your behalf) will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, but it will have no effect on the other proposals, assuming a quorum is present.

Revocation of Proxies

Any person giving a proxy pursuant to this solicitation has the power to revoke and change it before it is voted. If you are a stockholder of record, you may revoke your proxy before the vote is taken at the special meeting by:

Please note, however, that only your last-dated proxy will count. Attending the special meeting without taking one of the actions described above will not in itself revoke your proxy. Please note that if you want to revoke your proxy by mailing a new proxy card to the Company or by sending a written notice of revocation to the Company, you should ensure that you send your new proxy card or written notice of revocation in sufficient time for it to be received by the Company before the special meeting.

If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you will need to follow the instructions provided to you by your broker, bank or other nominee in order to revoke your proxy or submit new voting instructions. If you hold your shares in “street name,” you may also revoke a prior proxy by voting in person at the special meeting if you obtain a legal proxy executed in your favor from your broker, bank or other nominee in order to be able to vote in person at the special meeting.

Abstentions

An abstention occurs when a stockholder attends the special meeting, either in person or represented by proxy, but abstains from voting. Abstentions will be included in the calculation of the number of shares of common stock present or represented at the special meeting for purposes of determining whether a quorum has been achieved.

Abstaining from voting will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, a vote “AGAINST” the advisory (non-binding) proposal on certain compensation that may be paid or

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become payable to the named executive officers of the Company in connection with the merger and a vote “AGAINST” the proposal regarding the adjournment of the special meeting.

Solicitation of Proxies

The Financial Engines board of directors is soliciting your proxy, and the Company will bear the costs of this solicitation. We will reimburse brokerage firms and others for their reasonable expenses of forwarding solicitation material to beneficial owners of Financial Engines’ outstanding common stock. Proxies may be solicited by mail, personal interview, e-mail, telephone or via the Internet or, without additional compensation, by certain of the Company’s directors, officers and employees. At this time, we have not engaged a proxy solicitor. If we do engage a proxy solicitor we will pay the customary costs associated with such engagement.

Adjournments and Postponements

Although it is not currently expected, the special meeting may be adjourned or postponed if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to approve the proposal to adopt the merger agreement or in the absence of a quorum.

Holders of a majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the special meeting, whether or not constituting a quorum, and entitled to vote may adjourn the special meeting. Any adjournment may be made without notice (provided the adjournment is not for more than 30 days) by an announcement at the special meeting of the time, date and place of the adjourned meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. In addition, at any time prior to convening the special meeting, the Financial Engines board of directors may postpone the special meeting. Adjournments and postponements are subject to certain restrictions in the merger agreement, including that the special meeting may not be adjourned or postponed to a date that is more than five business days prior to the termination date (as defined below) without Parent’s prior written consent.

Other Information

You should not return your stock certificates or send in other documents evidencing ownership of common stock with the proxy card. If the merger is completed, if your shares of common stock are evidenced by stock certificates, the paying agent for the merger will send you a letter of transmittal and related materials and instructions for exchanging your shares of common stock evidenced by stock certificates for the merger consideration (without interest and subject to required withholding taxes).

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THE MERGER

The description of the merger in this section and elsewhere in this proxy statement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the merger agreement, a copy of which is attached as Annex A and is incorporated by reference into this proxy statement. This summary does not purport to be complete and may not contain all of the information about the merger that is important to you. You are encouraged to read the merger agreement carefully and in its entirety.

Certain Effects of the Merger

Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, if the merger agreement is adopted by the Company’s stockholders and the other conditions to the closing of the merger are satisfied or waived, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the merger as an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the merger agreement, at the effective time, each share of common stock issued and outstanding immediately before the effective time (other than shares owned by the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or any wholly owned subsidiary of the Company or Parent, and shares that are owned by stockholders who have properly demanded and not withdrawn a demand for, or lost their right to, appraisal rights pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL) will be converted into the right to receive the merger consideration of $45.00 per share in cash, without interest and subject to required withholding taxes.

The Company common stock is currently registered under the Exchange Act and is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol “FNGN.” As a result of the merger, the Company will cease to be a publicly traded company and will be indirectly wholly owned by Parent. Following the completion of the merger, the Company common stock will be delisted from the NASDAQ and deregistered under the Exchange Act, following which the Company will no longer be required to file periodic reports with the SEC with respect to its common stock in accordance with applicable law, rules and regulations.

Background of the Merger

As part of its ongoing consideration and evaluation of its long-term prospects and strategies, the Financial Engines board of directors and senior management regularly review and assess the Company’s business strategies, objectives and key initiatives, including strategic opportunities and challenges, and have considered various strategic options potentially available to the Company, all with the goal of enhancing value for the Company’s stockholders. The strategic considerations have focused on, among other things, the business environment facing the Company and its industry as well as the Company’s business prospects—including resource requirements, the continuing need to invest in the business, challenges, competition and market forces, including those involved with operating as a public company—and have from time to time included consideration of capital structure, potential business combination or sale transactions. For purposes of conducting these reviews, and in the ordinary course of business, senior management of the Company maintains regular dialogues with other industry participants. Periodically, representatives of senior management of the Company and Parent have engaged in discussions regarding trends and developments in the industries in which they operate.

During the course of 2017, these ongoing strategic discussions of the Financial Engines board of directors focused on exploring possibilities for maximizing value for stockholders by understanding the potential level of interest of third parties in acquiring the Company. During the fourth quarter of 2017, in consultation with the Financial Engines board of directors, the Company’s senior management conducted exploratory conversations with a number of potential counterparties regarding a potential strategic transaction with the Company.

On December 19, 2017, an affiliate of Hellman & Friedman and the Company entered into a confidentiality agreement containing customary provisions, including a customary standstill provision. The standstill provision

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provided that such standstill provision would terminate upon the occurrence of certain events, including the entry by the Company into an agreement providing for the sale or change in control of the Company.

In January and February 2018, the Company’s management and representatives of Hellman & Friedman discussed Hellman & Friedman’s potential interest in acquiring the Company, and the Company began to make available to Hellman & Friedman and its representatives certain due diligence materials with respect to the Company, including the Financial Engines Forecasts (see the section of this proxy statement entitled “— Certain Financial Engines Unaudited Prospective Financial Information”).

On February 14, 2018, a regularly scheduled meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (“Wachtell Lipton”), the Company’s outside legal counsel. During the meeting, the Company’s management described recent third-party inquiries and indications of interest regarding a potential acquisition of the Company in response to the exploratory conversations described above, including with Hellman & Friedman. Representatives of Wachtell Lipton discussed the Financial Engines board of directors’ fiduciary duties under Delaware law in connection with its evaluation of such inquiries and interest.

On March 12, 2018, a regularly scheduled meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton. The Company’s management reported on continuing discussions with potential counterparties regarding their interest in a potential acquisition of the Company. The Financial Engines board of directors also discussed with the Company’s management the potential engagement of Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. (“Sandler O’Neill”) as financial advisor to assist the Company in considering such a potential transaction and alternatives thereto.

In mid-March 2018, two additional financial sponsors, Bidder A and Bidder B entered into separate confidentiality agreements with the Company, each containing customary provisions, including a customary standstill provision. On March 30, 2018, Bidder C entered into a confidentiality agreement with the Company, and on April 11, 2018, Bidder D (together with Hellman & Friedman, Bidder A, Bidder B and Bidder C, the “Bidders”) entered into a confidentiality agreement with the Company, also containing a customary standstill provision. In each case, the standstill provision in the relevant confidentiality agreement provided that such standstill provision would terminate upon the occurrence of certain events, including the entry by the Company into an agreement providing for the sale or change in control of the Company.

In March and April 2018, the Company made available to the Bidders and their respective representatives due diligence materials with respect to the Company, including the Financial Engines Forecasts (see the section of this proxy statement entitled “— Certain Financial Engines Unaudited Prospective Financial Information”), and the Company and its advisors participated in due diligence discussions with the Bidders and their advisors.

In late March 2018, in response to requests from representatives of the Company for additional specific information from each interested party as to the level of their interest in acquiring the Company, preliminary indications of interest were delivered by three parties. Hellman & Friedman submitted to the Company a preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire the Company for $45.00 per share in cash. Hellman & Friedman’s non-binding proposal also conveyed that Hellman & Friedman would like to combine the Company with Hellman & Friedman’s existing portfolio company, Edelman Financial, L.P., in order to, among other things, capitalize on opportunities for meaningful synergies. Bidder A submitted to the Company a preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire the Company for consideration in a range of $43.50—$45.00 per share in cash. Bidder B submitted to the Company a preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire the Company for $42.00 per share in cash. Bidder B ultimately determined not to proceed further with its proposal to acquire the Company because the Company’s expectations regarding valuation were higher than the price Bidder B was willing to pay.

On March 29, 2018, a special meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton. The Company’s management discussed the Company’s mission,

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strategy and performance in executing upon the Company’s strategy, including resource requirements, the continuing need to invest in the business, challenges, competition and market forces, including those involved with operating as a public company. The Company’s management then reviewed with the Financial Engines board of directors the preliminary non-binding proposals received from Hellman & Friedman, Bidder A and Bidder B, and recommended that the Company further engage with Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A, as the Bidders that had submitted the preliminary non-binding proposals with the highest price per share. Representatives of Wachtell Lipton provided legal advice with respect to a potential transaction. The Financial Engines board of directors approved the engagement of Sandler O’Neill as the Company’s financial advisor in connection with a potential transaction, which engagement was subsequently formalized through the execution of an engagement letter, dated April 9, 2018.

During the week of April 1, 2018, at the direction of the Financial Engines board of directors, representatives of Sandler O’Neill engaged in further discussions with representatives of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill also discussed with Bidder A the possibility of partnering with Bidder C or Bidder D with a view to improving its proposal, and discussed with Hellman & Friedman the possibility of partnering with Bidder B. Also during this week, representatives of the Company distributed a draft merger agreement to Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A and their respective representatives.

At the direction of the Company’s management, in mid-April 2018, representatives of Sandler O’Neill also participated in discussions with representatives of Bidder C to discuss a potential transaction with the Company. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill communicated to each Bidder that the Financial Engines board of directors was willing to review proposals that delivered substantial and certain value to stockholders, that multiple Bidders had submitted preliminary indications of interest, and that any final proposals submitted by such Bidder should take into account this competitive dynamic, including with respect to purchase price.

On April 10, 2018, a special meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton and Sandler O’Neill. The Company’s management and representatives of Sandler O’Neill discussed with the Financial Engines board of directors the challenges facing the Company’s standalone execution plans, including the current competitive landscape, and other strategic rationales for a potential transaction. Among other things, the Financial Engines board of directors discussed with the Company’s management and its advisors the significant risks to future growth and earnings performance posed by the Company’s public reporting obligations and the requirement for substantial continued investment in the Company to achieve its standalone growth objectives, including to expand its relationships with existing clients and its on-the-ground retail strategy to reach a broader base of potential clients. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill next reviewed with the Financial Engines board of directors its preliminary financial analyses of the Company (including, among others, with respect to comparable companies and precedent transactions in both the asset management and financial technology sectors) and compared the preliminary non-binding proposals submitted by each of Hellman & Friedman, Bidder A and Bidder B. Sandler O’Neill and the Company’s management noted that despite the outreach to investment banking firms and potential financial acquirers occasioned by the process conducted by Company management and Sandler O’Neill, the Company had not received any indications of interest from potential strategic acquirers (other than Hellman & Friedman resulting from its ownership of Parent). Sandler O’Neill then reviewed a list of theoretically interested strategic acquirers of the Company. The Company’s management and representatives of Sandler O’Neill discussed with the Financial Engines board of directors that the Company’s unique business model—including the Company’s requirement to deliver conflict-free advice to clients, which would conflict with potential strategic acquirers’ proprietary products; the Company’s focus on the direct retail advisory market, which would conflict with potential strategic acquirers’ use of retail intermediaries that compete with the Company; the Company’s relationships with multiple defined contribution recordkeepers; and the Company’s approach with respect to ownership of client relationships—limited the interest of potential strategic acquirers in pursuing an acquisition of the Company. The Financial Engines board of directors discussed, among themselves and with their financial and legal advisors, the business and competitive risks of directly reaching out to potential strategic acquirers and concluded that, at the current time, the risks outweighed any possible benefits. The Financial Engines board of directors also discussed the diligence that had been conducted by the Company with respect to each Bidder to

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obtain comfort that following the closing of any transaction, the Bidders would continue to properly discharge the Company’s obligations and fiduciary duties to its clients under ERISA and the Investment Advisers Act. Representatives of Wachtell Lipton then reported on the status of the negotiation of the draft merger agreements with each of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A, and provided legal advice with respect to a potential transaction. Following a discussion, the Financial Engines board of directors directed management to continue negotiations and diligence discussions with each of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A.

During the following weeks, the Company made available to Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A and their respective representatives additional due diligence materials with respect to the Company and participated in due diligence discussions with Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A.

In mid-April 2018, representatives of Sandler O’Neill engaged in discussions with representatives of Hellman & Friedman regarding Hellman & Friedman’s preliminary proposal and the key terms of a potential transaction, including with respect to purchase price. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill also engaged in discussions with Bidder A throughout the week of April 15, 2018 regarding Bidder A’s preliminary proposal and the key terms of a potential transaction, including with respect to purchase price. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill also engaged in separate discussions with Bidder D in mid-April, 2018 with respect to potentially partnering with Bidder A with respect to a potential acquisition of the Company.

On April 17, 2018, a special meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton and Sandler O’Neill. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill provided an update of the status of negotiations with each Bidder and reviewed its updated preliminary financial analyses of the Company. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill explained that Bidder C, which had considered partnering with Bidder A, had determined to not proceed with a proposal to acquire the Company because the Company’s expectations regarding valuation were higher than the price Bidder C was willing to pay. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill again reviewed the universe of potential strategic acquirers and inherent limitations to their interest in a potential acquisition of the Company as a result of the Company’s unique business model. Following discussion, the Financial Engines board of directors reconfirmed its view that the business risks of directly reaching out to potential strategic acquirers at the current time outweighed any possible benefits. Representatives from Wachtell Lipton then reviewed the status of the negotiation of the draft merger agreements with each of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A.

On April 23, 2018, a special meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton and Sandler O’Neill. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill and Wachtell Lipton discussed the status of negotiations with each of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A (who had elected to partner with Bidder D on the potential transaction) since the prior meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill explained that the Company had requested final proposals, including with respect to purchase price, from each of Hellman & Friedman and Bidder A not later than April 29, 2018.

During the course of late April 2018, representatives of Wachtell Lipton exchanged drafts of the merger agreements and the other transaction documents with representatives of Bidder A and Hellman & Friedman’s counsel and negotiated substantially final terms of such documents.

On April 28, 2018, representatives of Bidder A (who had elected to partner with Bidder D on the potential transaction), informed representatives of Sandler O’Neill that their final proposed purchase price would be in the range of $41.00 to $43.50 per share. On April 28, 2018, representatives of Hellman & Friedman informed representatives of Sandler O’Neill that its final proposed purchase price would remain at $45.00 per share, and that Hellman & Friedman would also permit the Company to pay its regular dividend of up to $0.08 per share until the closing of the merger, which would deliver additional value to the Company’s stockholders.

On April 29, 2018, a special meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors was held, which was attended by representatives of Wachtell Lipton and Sandler O’Neill. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill and

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Wachtell Lipton updated the Financial Engines board of directors on the status of negotiations with each of Hellman & Friedman, on the one hand, and Bidder A and Bidder D, on the other hand, since the prior meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors, noting that the negotiations had remained very competitive until these Bidders had communicated their final purchase price indications on April 28, 2018. Representatives of Wachtell Lipton reviewed the final terms of the proposed transaction documents, including the merger agreement, the related equity and debt commitment letters and the limited guarantees. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill presented its financial analyses with respect to the $45.00 per share merger consideration to be paid in cash to the holders of Company common stock pursuant to Hellman & Friedman’s proposal. Representatives of Sandler O’Neill then rendered an oral opinion to the Financial Engines board of directors, which was confirmed by delivery of a written opinion, dated April 29, 2018, that, as of such date and subject to and based upon the factors and assumptions set forth in its opinion, the consideration to be paid to the holders of Company common stock in the merger was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.

After careful consideration and discussion, and taking into consideration the matters discussed during the April 29, 2018 meeting and prior meetings of the Financial Engines board of directors, including the factors described under the section of this proxy statement entitled “— Reasons for the Merger; Recommendation of the Financial Engines Board of Directors,” the Financial Engines board of directors unanimously approved and adopted the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, determined that the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, directed that the adoption of the merger agreement and the approval of the transactions contemplated thereby to be submitted to a vote at a meeting of the stockholders of the Company, and recommended that the stockholders of the Company approve the adoption of the merger agreement and approve the transactions contemplated thereby (including the other proposals set forth in this proxy statement).

On the evening of April 29, 2018, following the meeting of the Financial Engines board of directors, the merger agreement and related transaction documents were executed and delivered by the parties. On the morning of April 30, 2018, the Company and Hellman & Friedman publicly announced their entry into the merger agreement via a joint press release.

Reasons for the Merger; Recommendation of the Financial Engines Board of Directors

The Financial Engines board of directors, with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors, evaluated the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, and unanimously determined that the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and unanimously approved and adopted the merger agreement, the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. Accordingly, on April 29, 2018, the Financial Engines board of directors unanimously resolved to recommend that the stockholders of Financial Engines approve the adoption of the merger agreement and approve the transactions contemplated thereby (including the other proposals set forth in this proxy statement).

In the course of reaching its recommendation, the Financial Engines board of directors considered a number of positive factors relating to the merger agreement and the merger, each of which the Financial Engines board of directors believed supported its decision, including the following:

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In the course of reaching its recommendation, the Financial Engines board of directors also considered certain risks and potentially adverse factors relating to the merger agreement and the merger, including:

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The foregoing discussion of the information and factors considered by the Financial Engines board of directors includes the material factors considered by the Financial Engines board of directors but is not intended to be exhaustive and does not necessarily include all of the factors considered by the Financial Engines board of directors. In view of the complexity and variety of factors considered in connection with its evaluation of the merger agreement and the merger, the Financial Engines board of directors did not find it practicable to, and did not, quantify or otherwise assign relative weights to the specific factors considered in reaching its determination and recommendation. In addition, individual directors may have given different weights to different factors. The above factors are not presented in any order of priority. The explanation of the factors and reasoning set forth above contain forward-looking statements that should be read in conjunction with the section of this proxy statement entitled “Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements.”

The Financial Engines board of directors unanimously resolved to recommend that the stockholders of Financial Engines approve the adoption of the merger agreement and approve the transactions contemplated thereby (including the other proposals set forth in this proxy statement) based upon the totality of information it considered.

Certain Financial Engines Unaudited Prospective Financial Information

In connection with the Company’s internal planning processes, Financial Engines’ management prepared financial forecasts for the full-year and each quarter of fiscal year 2018 (referred to in this proxy statement as the “Financial Engines Forecasts”). The Financial Engines Forecasts were provided to the Financial Engines board of directors and Financial Engines’ financial advisor in connection with their respective consideration and evaluation of the merger, and the Financial Engines Forecasts were provided to certain affiliates of the guarantors and the equity financing sources (referred to in this proxy statement as “Hellman & Friedman”) and Parent in connection with their consideration and evaluation of the merger.

Except for quarterly and annual guidance, Financial Engines does not as a matter of course make public forecasts as to future performance, and is especially wary of making forecasts for extended periods, due to, among other reasons, the inherent difficulty of accurately predicting financial performance for future periods and the uncertainty of underlying assumptions and estimates. However, Financial Engines is including in this proxy statement a summary of certain limited unaudited prospective financial information for Financial Engines on a standalone basis, without giving effect to the merger, solely because such financial information was given to the Financial Engines board of directors, Financial Engines’ financial advisor, Parent and/or Hellman & Friedman for purposes of considering and evaluating the merger. The inclusion of the Financial Engines Forecasts should not be regarded as an indication that the Financial Engines board of directors, Financial Engines’ financial advisor, Financial Engines or its management, Hellman & Friedman, Parent, Merger Sub or any other recipient of this information considered, or now considers, it to be an assurance of the achievement of future results or an accurate prediction of future results, and they should not be relied on as such.

The Financial Engines Forecasts and the underlying assumptions upon which the Financial Engines Forecasts were based are subjective in many respects, and subject to multiple interpretations and frequent revisions and based on actual experience and business developments. The Financial Engines Forecasts, while presented with numerical specificity, reflect numerous assumptions with respect to company performance, industry performance, general business, economic, regulatory, market and financial conditions and other matters, many of which are difficult to predict, subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and beyond Financial Engines’ control. Multiple factors, including those described in the section of this proxy statement entitled “Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements,” could cause the Financial Engines Forecasts or the underlying assumptions to be inaccurate. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Financial Engines Forecasts will be realized or that actual results will not be significantly higher or lower than projected. The Financial Engines Forecasts do not take into account any circumstances or events occurring after the date on which they were prepared, including the merger. Economic and business environments can and do change

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quickly, which adds an additional significant level of uncertainty as to whether the results portrayed in the Financial Engines Forecasts will be achieved. As a result, the inclusion of the Financial Engines Forecasts in this proxy statement does not constitute an admission or representation by Financial Engines, Financial Engines’ financial advisor or any other person that the information is material. Financial Engines made no representation to Hellman & Friedman, Parent, Merger Sub or any other person, in the merger agreement or otherwise, concerning the Financial Engines Forecasts. The summary of the Financial Engines Forecasts is not provided to influence Financial Engines stockholders’ decisions regarding whether to vote for the merger proposal or any other proposal. The Financial Engines Forecasts should be evaluated, if at all, in conjunction with the historical financial statements and other information contained in Financial Engines’ public filings with the SEC.

The Financial Engines Forecasts were not prepared with a view toward public disclosure or toward compliance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (referred to in this proxy statement as “GAAP”), published guidelines of the SEC or the guidelines established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for preparation and presentation of prospective financial information. Neither KPMG LLP (referred to in this proxy statement as “KPMG”), Financial Engines’ independent registered public accounting firm nor any other accounting firm, has examined, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the Financial Engines Forecasts, and accordingly, KPMG does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. The KPMG report incorporated by reference in this proxy statement relates to Financial Engines’ historical financial information. It does not extend to the prospective financial information contained herein and should not be read to do so.

The Financial Engines Forecasts

Financial Engines’ management prepared non-public, unaudited financial forecasts with respect to Financial Engines’ business, as a standalone company, for the full-year and each quarter of fiscal year 2018.

The Financial Engines Forecasts are based on the information contained in Financial Engines’ financial model, which was prepared by Financial Engines’ management in connection with internal planning processes.

The Financial Engines Forecasts were provided to the Financial Engines board of directors and Financial Engines’ financial advisor to assist them in evaluating the merger and various strategic alternatives potentially available to the Company, including remaining a standalone company.

The following is a summary of the Financial Engines Forecasts:

Net Income P&L (based on financial market data as of December 31, 2017)

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

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Adjusted EBITDA P&L (based on financial market data as of December 31, 2017)

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

Note: Financial Engines also made available to Financial Engines’ financial advisor, Parent and Hellman & Friedman forecasts of 2018 Adjusted EBITDA ($172.6 million) and 2018 Net Income ($79.0 million) to reflect changes in financial market data as of February 16, 2018.

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The Financial Engines Forecasts do not take into account the possible financial and other effects on Financial Engines of the merger and do not attempt to predict or suggest future results following the merger. The Financial Engines Forecasts do not give effect to the merger, including the impact of negotiating or executing the merger agreement, the expenses that may be incurred in connection with completing the merger, the potential synergies that may be achieved by the combined company as a result of the merger, the effect on Financial Engines of any business or strategic decision or action that has been or will be taken as a result of the merger agreement having been executed, or the effect of any business or strategic decisions or actions that would likely have been taken if the merger agreement had not been executed, but that were instead altered, accelerated, postponed or not taken in anticipation of the merger. Further, the Financial Engines Forecasts do not take into account the effect on Financial Engines of any possible failure of the merger to occur.

For the foregoing reasons, and considering that the special meeting will be held several months after the Financial Engines Forecasts were prepared, as well as the uncertainties inherent in any forecasting information, readers of this proxy statement are cautioned not to place unwarranted reliance on the Financial Engines Forecasts set forth above. No one has made or makes any representation to any investor or stockholder regarding the information included in the Financial Engines Forecasts. Financial Engines urges all Financial Engines stockholders to review its most recent SEC filings for a description of its reported financial results. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

In addition, the Financial Engines Forecasts have not been updated or revised to reflect information or results after the date the Financial Engines Forecasts were prepared (except as set forth above) or as of date of this proxy statement, and except as required by applicable securities laws, Financial Engines does not intend to update or otherwise revise the Financial Engines Forecasts or the specific portions presented to reflect circumstances existing after the date when made or to reflect the occurrence of future events, even in the event that any or all of the assumptions are shown to be in error.

Opinion of Financial Engines’ Financial Advisor

Pursuant to an engagement letter dated April 9, 2018, Financial Engines retained Sandler O’Neill to act as an independent financial advisor to the Financial Engines’ board of directors in connection with Financial Engines’ consideration of a possible business combination. Sandler O’Neill is a nationally recognized investment banking firm whose principal business specialty is financial institutions. In the ordinary course of its investment banking business, Sandler O’Neill is regularly engaged in the valuation of financial technology and asset management companies and their securities in connection with mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Sandler O’Neill acted as an independent financial advisor to Financial Engines in connection with the proposed transaction and participated in certain of the negotiations leading to the execution of the merger

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agreement. At the April 29, 2018 meeting at which the Financial Engines board of directors considered and discussed the terms of the merger agreement and the merger, Sandler O’Neill delivered to the Financial Engines board of directors its oral opinion, which was subsequently confirmed in writing on April 29, 2018, to the effect that, as of such date, the merger consideration set forth in the merger agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of Financial Engines common stock. The full text of Sandler O’Neill’s opinion is attached as Annex B to this proxy statement. The opinion outlines the procedures followed, assumptions made, matters considered and qualifications and limitations on the review undertaken by Sandler O’Neill in rendering its opinion. The description of the opinion set forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the opinion. Holders of Financial Engines common stock are urged to read the entire opinion carefully in connection with their consideration of the merger agreement and the merger.

Sandler O’Neill’s opinion speaks only as of the date of the opinion. Sandler O’Neill’s opinion is directed to the Financial Engines board of directors in connection with its consideration of the merger agreement and the merger and does not constitute a recommendation to any stockholder of Financial Engines as to how any such stockholder should vote at any meeting of stockholders called to consider and vote upon the adoption of the merger agreement and approval of the merger. Sandler O’Neill’s opinion is directed only to the fairness, from a financial point of view, of the merger consideration to the holders of Financial Engines common stock and does not address the underlying business decision of Financial Engines to engage in the merger, the form or structure of the merger or any other transactions contemplated in the merger agreement, the relative merits of the merger as compared to any other alternative transactions or business strategies that might exist for Financial Engines or the effect of any other transaction in which Financial Engines might engage. Sandler O’Neill also did not express any opinion as to the fairness of the amount or nature of the compensation to be received in the merger by any officer, director or employee of Financial Engines, or any class of such persons, if any, relative to the amount of compensation to be received in the merger by any other stockholder. The opinion was approved by Sandler O’Neill’s fairness opinion committee.

In connection with its opinion, Sandler O’Neill reviewed and considered, among other things:

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Sandler O’Neill also discussed with certain members of the senior management of Financial Engines the business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects of Financial Engines.

In performing its review, Sandler O’Neill relied upon the accuracy and completeness of all of the financial and other information that was available to and reviewed by Sandler O’Neill from public sources, that was provided to Sandler O’Neill by Financial Engines or its representatives or that was otherwise reviewed by Sandler O’Neill and Sandler O’Neill assumed such accuracy and completeness for purposes of rendering its opinion without any independent verification or investigation. Sandler O’Neill relied on the assurances of the senior management of Financial Engines that they were not aware of any facts or circumstances that would have made any of such information inaccurate or misleading. Sandler O’Neill was not asked to and did not undertake an independent verification of any of such information and Sandler O’Neill did not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness thereof. Sandler O’Neill did not make an independent evaluation or perform an appraisal of the specific assets, the collateral securing assets or the liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of Financial Engines or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, nor was Sandler O’Neill furnished with any such evaluations or appraisals. Sandler O’Neill rendered no opinion or evaluation on the collectability of any assets of Financial Engines or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.

In preparing its analyses, Sandler O’Neill used certain internal financial forecasts, including estimated adjusted EBITDA, for Financial Engines for the year ending December 31, 2018, as provided by the senior management of Financial Engines, as well as estimated annual growth rates of pro forma adjusted EBITDA for Financial Engines for the years thereafter, as discussed with the senior management of Financial Engines. With respect to the foregoing information, the senior management of Financial Engines confirmed to Sandler O’Neill that such information reflected the best currently available estimates of management of the future financial performance of Financial Engines at such time and Sandler O’Neill assumed that such performance would be achieved. Sandler O’Neill did not express any opinion as to such estimates, or the assumptions on which they were based. Sandler O’Neill also assumed that there had been no material change in Financial Engines’ or any of its affiliates’ or subsidiaries’ assets, financial condition, results of operations, business or prospects since the date of the most recent financial statements made available to Sandler O’Neill. Sandler O’Neill assumed in all respects material to its analyses that Financial Engines would remain as a going concern for all periods relevant to its analyses.

Sandler O’Neill also assumed, with Financial Engines’ consent, that (1) each of the parties to the merger agreement would comply in all material respects with all material terms and conditions that were pertinent to Sandler O’Neill’s analysis of the merger agreement and all related agreements, that all of the representations and warranties contained in such agreements were true and correct except as would not give rise to the failure of a condition to the closing of the merger as set forth in the merger agreement, that each of the parties to such agreements would perform in all material respects all of the covenants and other obligations required to be performed by such party under such agreements and that were pertinent to Sandler O’Neill’s analysis and that the conditions precedent in such agreements were not and would not be waived, (2) in the course of obtaining the necessary regulatory or third party approvals, consents and releases with respect to the merger, no delay, limitation, restriction or condition would be imposed that would have an adverse effect on Financial Engines, Parent, Merger Sub, the merger or any related transactions, and (3) the merger and any related transactions would be consummated in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement without any waiver, modification or amendment of any material term, condition or agreement thereof and in compliance with all applicable laws and other requirements. Sandler O’Neill expressed no opinion as to any of the legal, accounting or tax matters relating to the merger or any other transactions contemplated in connection therewith.

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Sandler O’Neill’s opinion was necessarily based on financial, economic, market and other conditions as in effect on, and the information made available to Sandler O’Neill as of, the date thereof. Events occurring after the date thereof could materially affect Sandler O’Neill’s opinion. Sandler O’Neill has not undertaken to update, revise, reaffirm or withdraw its opinion or otherwise comment upon events occurring after the date thereof.

In rendering its opinion, Sandler O’Neill performed a variety of financial analyses. The summary below is not a complete description of all the analyses underlying Sandler O’Neill’s opinion rendered to the Financial Engines board of directors on April 29, 2018 or the presentation made by Sandler O’Neill to Financial Engines’ board of directors on such date, but is a summary of the material analyses performed and presented by Sandler O’Neill. The summary includes information presented in tabular format. In order to fully understand the financial analyses, these tables must be read together with the accompanying text. The tables alone do not constitute a complete description of the financial analyses. The preparation of a fairness opinion is a complex process involving subjective judgments as to the most appropriate and relevant methods of financial analysis and the application of those methods to the particular circumstances. The process, therefore, is not necessarily susceptible to a partial analysis or summary description. Sandler O’Neill believes that its analyses must be considered as a whole and that selecting portions of the factors and analyses to be considered without considering all factors and analyses, or attempting to ascribe relative weights to some or all of such factors and analyses, could create an incomplete view of the evaluation process underlying its opinion. The order of analyses does not represent the relative importance or weight given to those analyses by Sandler O’Neill. Also, no company included in Sandler O’Neill’s comparative analyses described below is identical to Financial Engines and no transaction is identical to the merger. Accordingly, an analysis of comparable companies or transactions involves complex considerations and judgments concerning differences in financial and operating characteristics of the companies and other factors that could affect the public trading values or merger transaction values, as the case may be, of Financial Engines and the companies to which they were compared. In arriving at its opinion, Sandler O’Neill did not attribute any particular weight to any analysis or factor that it considered. Rather, Sandler O’Neill made qualitative judgments as to the significance and relevance of each analysis and factor. Sandler O’Neill did not form an opinion as to whether any individual analysis or factor (positive or negative) considered in isolation supported or failed to support its opinion; rather, Sandler O’Neill made its determination as to the fairness of the merger consideration on the basis of its experience and professional judgment after considering the results of all of its analyses taken as a whole.

In performing its analyses, Sandler O’Neill also made numerous assumptions with respect to industry performance, business and economic conditions and various other matters, many of which are beyond the control of Financial Engines and Sandler O’Neill. The analyses performed by Sandler O’Neill are not necessarily indicative of actual values or future results, both of which may be significantly more or less favorable than suggested by such analyses. Sandler O’Neill prepared its analyses solely for purposes of rendering its opinion and provided such analyses to the Financial Engines board of directors at its April 29, 2018 meeting. Estimates on the values of companies do not purport to be appraisals or necessarily reflect the prices at which companies or their securities may actually be sold. Such estimates are inherently subject to uncertainty and actual values may be materially different. Accordingly, Sandler O’Neill’s analyses do not necessarily reflect the value of Financial Engines common stock or the price at which Financial Engines common stock may be sold at any time. The analyses of Sandler O’Neill and its opinion were among a number of factors taken into consideration by the Financial Engines board of directors in making its determination to approve the merger agreement and the analyses described below should not be viewed as determinative of the decision of the Financial Engines board of directors or management with respect to the fairness of the merger.

Summary of Proposed Merger Consideration and Implied Transaction Metrics

Sandler O’Neill reviewed the financial terms of the proposed merger. Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, upon the effective time, each share of Financial Engines common stock issued and outstanding immediately before the effective time (other than certain shares specified in the merger agreement) will be converted into the right to receive $45.00 per share in cash, without interest and subject to required withholding

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taxes. Sandler O’Neill calculated a transaction value of approximately $3,018 million, assuming 67.1 million fully diluted shares of Financial Engines common stock outstanding, comprised of 63.5 million shares of common stock outstanding as of April 27, 2018, 4.6 million options outstanding at a weighted average strike price of $32.65, and 2.2 million restricted stock units. Sandler O’Neill calculated a total enterprise value of approximately $2,779 million, assuming $238.8 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of March 31, 2018, as provided by Financial Engines management. For purposes of this section, enterprise value is referred to as “EV,” and last twelve months is referred to as “LTM.” Sandler O’Neill calculated the following transaction pricing multiples based on the per share merger consideration:

Note: Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before net interest expense (income), income tax expense (benefit), depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, including internal use software, amortization and impairment of direct response advertising, amortization of deferred sales commissions, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, expenses related to the closing and integration of acquisitions, severance and benefits expenses related to restructuring activities and losses incurred on acquisitions, if applicable for the period; Adjusted net income represents net income before non-cash stock-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets related to assets acquired, including customer relationships, trade names and trademarks, expenses related to the closing and integration of acquisitions, severance and benefits expenses related to restructuring activities, losses incurred on acquisitions, if applicable for the period, partially offset by the estimated tax impact of these items, and certain other items such as the income tax benefit from the release of valuation allowances, income tax impacts from non-deductible transaction expenses related to acquisitions, and the accounting effects of the 2017 Tax Act, if applicable for the period.

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Stock Trading History

Sandler O’Neill reviewed the history of the publicly reported trading price from S&P Global Market Intelligence of Financial Engines common stock for the three-year period ended April 27, 2018. Sandler O’Neill then compared the relationship between the movements in the price of Financial Engines common stock to the Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group and the Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group (both defined below) as well as certain stock indices.

Financial Engines Three-Year Stock Performance

Comparable Company Analysis

Sandler O’Neill used publicly available information, including from FactSet Research Systems, to compare selected financial information for Financial Engines with two groups of companies selected by Sandler O’Neill. The first group consisted of U.S. publicly traded asset managers with research analyst coverage, excluding asset managers whose primary business is managing client assets in private equity, real estate, or hedge funds (referred to in this proxy statement as the “Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group”). The Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group consisted of the following companies:

The analysis compared publicly available financial information for Financial Engines with the corresponding data for the Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group as of April 27, 2018. The table below sets forth the data for Financial Engines and the median, mean, low and high data for the Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group.

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Comparable Company Analysis: Financial Engines Asset Management Peer Group

Note: Market data as of market close on April 27, 2018.

Note: 2018 Estimated Revenue, 2019 Estimated Revenue, 2018 Estimated EBITDA, 2019 Estimated EBITDA, 2018 Estimated Earnings, and 2019 Estimated Earnings reflect Wall Street median consensus analyst estimates.

The second group consisted of publicly traded financial technology companies including exchanges, financial software providers and information service companies (referred to in this proxy statement as the “Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group”). The Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group consisted of the following companies:

The analysis compared publicly available financial information for Financial Engines with the corresponding data for the Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group as of April 27, 2018. The table below sets forth the data for Financial Engines and the median, mean, low and high data for the Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group.

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Comparable Company Analysis: Financial Engines Financial Technology Peer Group

Note: Market data as of market close on April 27, 2018.

Note: 2018 Estimated Revenue, 2019 Estimated Revenue, 2018 Estimated EBITDA, 2019 Estimated EBITDA, 2018 Estimated Earnings, and 2019 Estimated Earnings reflect Wall Street median consensus analyst estimates.

Analysis of Precedent Merger Transactions

Sandler O’Neill reviewed two groups of merger and acquisition transactions. The first group consisted of sales of asset management companies whose operations are predominantly based in the U.S., announced over the last five years with disclosed deal values in excess of $500 million and with transaction enterprise value to LTM EBITDA multiples publicly available (referred to in this proxy statement as the “Asset Management Precedent Transactions”).

The Asset Management Precedent Transactions group was composed of the following transactions:

The second group consisted of sales of financial technology companies which serve the asset management or broader financial services industries, announced over the last five years with disclosed deal values in excess of $500 million and with transaction enterprise values to LTM EBITDA multiples publicly available (referred to in this proxy statement as the “Financial Technology Precedent Transactions”).

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The Financial Technology Precedent Transactions group was composed of the following transactions:

Using the latest publicly available information, including from SEC company filings, company press releases, PitchBook and S&P Global Market Intelligence, prior to the announcement of the relevant transaction, Sandler O’Neill reviewed the following transaction metrics: enterprise value to LTM EBITDA, enterprise value to LTM Revenue and, in the case of the Asset Management Precedent Transactions, enterprise value to AUM. Sandler O’Neill compared the indicated transaction metrics for the merger to the median, mean, low and high metrics of each of the Asset Management Precedent Transactions group and the Financial Technology Precedent Transactions group.

Asset Management Precedent Transactions

Financial Technology Precedent Transactions

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Public Company Premiums Paid Analysis

Sandler O’Neill reviewed a group of merger and acquisition transactions involving public companies across all industries in order to compare the market premium in the proposed merger to similarly sized transactions. The group of transactions included 117 transactions across all industries that were closed after January 1, 2016 and before April 27, 2018. These transactions included public targets with 100% cash consideration and equity value at announcement between $1.5 billion and $4.0 billion (referred to in this proxy statement as the “All Industries Precedent Transactions”). Sandler O’Neill then compared the market premium in the proposed merger to the All Industries Precedent Transactions.

Premium to Target Spot Price

Discounted Cash Flow Analysis

Sandler O’Neill performed an analysis that estimated the net present value per share of Financial Engines common stock utilizing internal financial forecasts, including estimated adjusted EBITDA, for Financial Engines for the year ending December 31, 2018, as provided by the senior management of Financial Engines, as well as estimated annual growth rates (described below) of pro forma adjusted EBITDA for Financial Engines for the years thereafter, as discussed with the senior management of Financial Engines. Sandler O’Neill also utilized estimated cash flow from operating activities less estimated cash used in investing activities for the year ending December 31, 2018, as provided by senior management of Financial Engines. For the purposes of this analysis, Sandler O’Neill treated non-cash stock-based compensation as a cash expense of $40.0 million ($30.0 million on an after-tax basis, assuming a 25% tax rate) and excluded $20.9 million in cash flow from deferred tax assets for the year ending December 31, 2018 (as it is non-recurring), as discussed with the senior management of Financial Engines. The resulting estimated pro forma cash flows and pro forma adjusted EBITDA were grown from year-end 2018 to 2022 at compound annual growth rates ranging from 8.0% to 16.0%, as discussed with the senior management of Financial Engines. Sandler O’Neill also applied a range of enterprise value / forward pro forma adjusted EBITDA exit multiples from 10.0x to 18.0x, taking into account the results of the comparable company analyses and the precedent merger transaction analyses and applying its professional judgment and applied a discount rate of 13.1%, reflecting Sandler O’Neill’s estimate of Financial Engines’ weighted average cost of capital. In its normal course of business, Sandler O’Neill employs the Duff & Phelps valuation handbook in determining an appropriate discount rate in which the discount rate equals the 10-year U.S. Treasury Yield plus the product of Financial Engines’ 2-year beta and the equity risk premium.

Net Present Value Per Financial Engines Share

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Note: Assumes $238.8 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, less assumed minimum cash balance of $25.0 million, as provided by Financial Engines management; assumes fully diluted Financial Engines common stock outstanding of 67.1 million, as provided by Financial Engines management.

Sandler O’Neill’s Relationship

Sandler O’Neill is acting as financial advisor to Financial Engines in connection with the merger. Financial Engines has agreed to pay Sandler O’Neill a transaction fee in an amount equal to 0.75% of the aggregate merger consideration, which fee at the time of announcement was approximately $22.6 million and is contingent upon the closing of the merger. Sandler O’Neill also received a fee in an amount equal to $1,000,000 upon Sandler O’Neill rendering its fairness opinion, which opinion fee will be credited in full toward the transaction fee becoming payable to Sandler O’Neill upon the closing of the merger. Financial Engines has also agreed to indemnify Sandler O’Neill against certain claims and liabilities arising out of its engagement and to reimburse Sandler O’Neill for certain of its out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the engagement.

Sandler O’Neill did not provide any other investment banking services to Financial Engines in the two years preceding the date of its opinion, nor did Sandler O’Neill provide any investment banking services to entities affiliated with Parent or Flashdance Merger Sub, Inc. in the two years preceding the date of its opinion. In the ordinary course of Sandler O’Neill’s business as a broker-dealer, Sandler O’Neill may purchase securities from and sell securities to Financial Engines and its affiliates. Sandler O’Neill may also actively trade the equity and debt securities of Financial Engines for its own account and for the accounts of its customers.

Limited Guarantees

Concurrently with the execution of the merger agreement, the guarantors entered into limited guarantees, pursuant to which they agreed to guarantee, on the terms and conditions set forth in the limited guarantees, Parent’s obligation to pay any termination fee, reimburse and indemnify the Company with respect to certain expenses in connection with the merger and pay certain other amounts.

Each of the limited guarantees will terminate upon the earliest to occur of (1) the consummation of the merger, (2) receipt in full in cash by the Company of the payment obligations of Parent that is the subject of the limited guarantee, (3) the valid termination of the merger agreement in any circumstance other than one in which Parent could be obligated to pay any of the obligations that is the subject of the limited guarantee, and (4) the date that is the three-month anniversary of the date of the termination of the merger agreement in any circumstance in which Parent could be obligated to pay any of the obligations that is the subject of the limited guarantee (unless a claim for payment of any of such obligations is presented by the Company to Parent, Merger Sub or the guarantor on or prior to such three-month anniversary).

Financing

The equity financing sources have committed to capitalize Parent, on the date of the closing of the merger, with an aggregate equity subscription of up to $1.45 billion, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the equity commitment letter.

In connection with the execution of the merger agreement, Parent entered into the debt commitment letter, pursuant to which each of Morgan Stanley, JPM, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and UBS committed, upon certain terms and subject to certain conditions, to lend the borrower $1.905 billion in the aggregate in connection with the financing of the amounts payable pursuant to the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby and the refinancing of certain debt by Parent and to make available to the borrower a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $150 million. We have agreed to use our reasonable best efforts to, and to cause our subsidiaries to use their reasonable best efforts to, and to use our reasonable best efforts to

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cause our and our subsidiaries’ representatives to, provide all cooperation reasonably requested by Parent in connection Parent’s efforts to arrange the financing contemplated by the debt commitment letter. For more information, see “The Merger Agreement — Financing and Financing Cooperation.”

Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger

In considering the recommendations of the Financial Engines board of directors with respect to the merger, Financial Engines’ stockholders should be aware that the directors and executive officers of Financial Engines have certain interests, including financial interests, in the merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the interests of Financial Engines’ stockholders generally. The Financial Engines board of directors was aware of these interests and considered them, among other matters, in approving the merger agreement, and in making its recommendation that Financial Engines’ stockholders vote in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement. These interests are described in more detail below, and certain of them are quantified in the narrative and the tables below. The transactions contemplated by the merger agreement will be a “change in control,” “change of control,” or term of similar meaning for purposes of the Company’s executive compensation and benefit plans and agreements described below.

Certain Assumptions

Except as otherwise specifically noted, for purposes of quantifying the potential payments and benefits described in this section, the following assumptions were used:

Equity Compensation

Treatment of Stock Options. Each Company stock option, whether vested or unvested, that is (x) outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the effective time and (y) granted prior to the date of the merger agreement shall, as of the effective time, become fully vested (to the extent unvested) and be converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of the merger consideration over the exercise price per share of such option, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of Company common stock subject to such Company stock option, subject to applicable tax withholding. Any Company stock option that has an exercise price per share of Company common stock that is greater than or equal to the merger consideration shall be cancelled for no consideration.

Treatment of Company Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Company restricted stock unit award that is outstanding immediately prior to the effective time shall, as of the effective time, (i) if granted prior to the date of the merger agreement or held by a non-employee director, become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and shall be cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the merger consideration in respect of each vested share of Company commons stock subject to such restricted stock unit award, subject to applicable tax withholding, or (ii) if granted after the date of the merger agreement as permitted by the merger agreement (other than any such award granted to a non-employee director), be converted into an award representing the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the merger consideration in respect of each

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share of Company common stock subject to such Company restricted stock unit award (without interest and subject to applicable tax withholding) on the same schedule, and subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting), as were applicable to such Company restricted stock unit award as of immediately prior to the effective time.

Quantification of Equity Compensation

See the section entitled “— Quantification of Potential Payments and Benefits to the Company’s Named Executive Officers in Connection with the Merger” for an estimate of the value of the unvested equity awards held by each of the Company’s named executive officers that will become vested at the effective time. Based on the assumptions described above under “— Certain Assumptions,” (i) the estimated aggregate value of the unvested equity awards held by the Company’s two executive officers who are not named executive officers that will become vested at the effective time is $2,777,888, and (ii) the estimated aggregate value of the unvested equity awards held by the Company’s eight non-employee directors that will become vested at the effective time is $2,497,860. In addition, in accordance with the Company’s director compensation program, the Company’s eight non-employee directors will receive restricted stock unit awards on the first business day following the Company’s 2018 annual meeting of stockholders with an aggregate grant date value of $1,600,000 and such awards will become fully vested at the effective time. The executive officers do not hold any restricted stock units or stock options that were granted on or after the date of the merger agreement. For more information on equity holdings of the Company’s non-employee directors and named executive officers, see the table entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.”

Change in Control Employment Agreements

Change in Control Employment Agreements with Executive Officers

The Company has entered into a Severance and Change in Control Agreement (referred to in this proxy statement as a “CIC Agreement”) with six executive officers, including each named executive officer other than Mr. Bunch, whose severance benefits are set forth in his employment agreement.

Under each CIC Agreement, upon a termination of the executive officer’s employment by the Company without cause, or due to the executive officer’s resignation for good reason, in each case within two months prior to or 12 months following a change in control, the officer is entitled to receive the following benefits, in addition to the acceleration of equity awards discussed above:

The foregoing benefits are contingent upon the the executive officer executing and not revoking a release of claims against the Company and its affiliates and adhering to certain restrictive covenants.

Each CIC Agreement provides that if the payments and benefits to the named executive officer in connection with a change in control would be subject to an excise tax by reason of Sections 4999 and 280G of the Code, the payments and benefits under the CIC Agreement will be reduced to the extent necessary to prevent any portion of the officer’s change in control-related payments and benefits from becoming subject to such excise tax, but only if, by reason of that reduction, the net after-tax benefit received by the officer exceeds the net after-tax benefit that the officer would receive if no reduction was made.

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Bunch Employment Agreement

The Company has entered into an employment agreement with John Bunch. Pursuant to the agreement, upon termination of Mr. Bunch’s employment by the Company without cause, or due to Mr. Bunch’s resignation for good reason, he is entitled to receive a severance payment equal to 50% of his annual base salary in effect at the time of termination, plus 50% of his prior year annual bonus. This severance payment is contingent on Mr. Bunch entering into and not revoking a release of claims against the Company and its affiliates and adhering to certain restrictive covenants.

Quantification of Severance Payments

See the section entitled “— Quantification of Potential Payments and Benefits to the Company’s Named Executive Officers in Connection with the Merger” for an estimate of the value of the severance benefits payable to each of the Company’s named executive officers upon a qualifying termination following the effective time. The estimated aggregate amount of the cash severance that would be payable to the Company’s two executive officers who are not named executive officers upon a qualifying termination immediately after the effective time is $1,024,500.

Indemnification and Insurance

Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, the Company directors and executive officers will be entitled to certain ongoing indemnification and coverage under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies following the merger. Such indemnification and insurance coverage is further described in the section entitled “The Merger Agreement — Indemnification and Insurance.”

Quantification of Potential Payments and Benefits to the Company’s Named Executive Officers in Connection with the Merger

The information set forth in the table below is intended to comply with Item 402(t) of the SEC’s Regulation S-K, which requires disclosure of information about certain compensation for each named executive officer of the Company that is based on, or otherwise relates to, the merger. The amounts shown in the table below are estimates based on multiple assumptions that may or may not actually occur or be accurate on the relevant date, including the assumptions described below and in the footnotes to the table, and do not reflect certain compensation actions that may occur before completion of the merger. For purposes of calculating such amounts, the following assumptions were used:

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Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger

The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the merger to U.S. holders (as defined below) of common stock whose shares are exchanged for cash pursuant to the merger. This discussion is based on the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (referred to in this proxy

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statement as the “Code”), applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations, judicial opinions and administrative rulings and published positions of the Internal Revenue Service (referred to in this proxy statement as the “IRS”), each as in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with a retroactive basis, and any such change or interpretation could affect the accuracy of the statements and conclusions set forth in this discussion. This discussion does not address any tax consequences arising under the unearned income Medicare contribution tax pursuant to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, nor does it address any tax considerations under state, local or foreign laws or U.S. federal laws other than those pertaining to the U.S. federal income tax.

For purposes of this discussion, the term “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of common stock that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

This discussion applies only to U.S. holders of shares of common stock who hold such shares as a capital asset under the Code (generally, property held for investment). Further, this discussion does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a U.S. holder in light of its particular circumstances, or that may apply to U.S. holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws (including, for example, insurance companies, dealers or brokers in securities or foreign currencies, traders in securities who elect to apply the mark-to-market method of accounting, holders subject to the alternative minimum tax, U.S. holders that have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, tax-qualified retirement plans, banks and other financial institutions, mutual funds, certain former citizens or former long-term residents of the United States, partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or other flow-through entities (and investors therein), S corporations, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, U.S. holders who hold shares of common stock as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion or other integrated transaction, a holder required to accelerate the recognition of any item of gross income with respect to our common stock as a result of such income being recognized on an applicable financial statement, and U.S. holders who acquired their shares of common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or other compensation arrangements). This discussion also does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to holders of shares of common stock who exercise appraisal rights in connection with the merger under the DGCL.

If a partnership (including for this purpose any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership will generally depend on the status of the partners and the activities of the partnership. If you are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a partner in a partnership holding shares of common stock, you should consult your tax advisor.

Holders of common stock are urged to consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular tax consequences to them of the merger, including the applicability and effect of the alternative minimum tax, the unearned income Medicare contribution tax and any other U.S. federal, or state, local, foreign or other tax laws.

The receipt of cash by U.S. holders in exchange for shares of common stock pursuant to the merger will be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a U.S.

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holder who receives cash in exchange for shares of common stock pursuant to the merger will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between (1) the amount of cash received and (2) the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares (which generally will equal the price the U.S. holder paid for such shares).

Any such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if a U.S. holder’s holding period in the shares of common stock surrendered in the merger is greater than one year as of the date of the merger. Long-term capital gains of certain non-corporate holders, including individuals, are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at preferential rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. If a U.S. holder acquired different blocks of common stock at different times and different prices, such U.S. holder must determine its adjusted tax basis, gain or loss and holding period separately with respect to each block of common stock.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments made in exchange for shares of common stock pursuant to the merger may be subject, under certain circumstances, to information reporting and backup withholding (currently at a rate of 24% for payments made before January 1, 2026). To avoid backup withholding, a U.S. holder that does not otherwise establish an exemption should complete and return to the applicable withholding agent a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9, certifying that such U.S. holder is a U.S. person, that the taxpayer identification number provided is correct, and that such U.S. holder is not subject to backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against a holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that such holder furnishes the required information to the IRS in a timely manner.

Regulatory Approvals

Under the HSR Act and related rules and regulations, certain transactions, including the merger, may not be completed until notifications have been given and information furnished to the Antitrust Division and the FTC and all statutory waiting period requirements have been satisfied. Completion of the merger is subject to the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the HSR Act. The Company and Parent filed their respective Notification and Report Forms with the Antitrust Division and the FTC on May 4, 2018, and received early termination of the HSR waiting period on May 16, 2018.

At any time before or after the expiration of the statutory waiting periods under the HSR Act, the Antitrust Division or the FTC may take action under the antitrust laws, including seeking to enjoin the completion of the merger, to rescind the merger or to conditionally permit completion of the merger subject to regulatory conditions or other remedies. In addition, non-U.S. regulatory bodies and U.S. state attorneys general could take action under the antitrust laws as they deem necessary or desirable in the public interest, including, without limitation, seeking to enjoin the completion of the merger or permitting completion subject to regulatory conditions. Private parties may also seek to take legal action under the antitrust laws under some circumstances. There can be no assurance that a challenge to the merger on antitrust grounds will not be made or, if such a challenge is made, that it would not be successful.

The Company and Parent are each required to use reasonable best efforts to take all actions necessary to complete the merger, including cooperating and doing all things necessary, proper or advisable to obtain regulatory approvals. This includes, if required by regulatory authorities, (1) agreeing to sell, divest or dispose of any assets or businesses of Parent, the Company, or their respective subsidiaries and (2) taking or agreeing to take other actions that after the closing date limit Parent’s or its subsidiaries’ (including the surviving corporation’s) freedom of action with respect to, or its ability to retain, one or more businesses, product lines or assets of Parent’s or its subsidiaries (including the surviving corporation). However, the Company will only be required to take or commit to take such actions if they are binding on the Company only if and when the closing

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of the merger occurs. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “The Merger Agreement — Efforts to Complete the Merger — Antitrust Matters.”

There can be no assurance that regulatory authorities will not impose conditions on the completion of the merger or require changes to the terms of the transaction.

Delisting and Deregistration of Company Common Stock

If the merger is completed, the Company common stock will be delisted from the NASDAQ and deregistered under the Exchange Act.

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THE MERGER AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the merger agreement, a copy of which is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A and which is incorporated by reference into this proxy statement. This summary does not purport to be complete and may not contain all of the information about the merger agreement that is important to you. We encourage you to read carefully the merger agreement in its entirety, as the rights and obligations of the parties thereto are governed by the express terms of the merger agreement and not by this summary or any other information contained in this proxy statement.

Explanatory Note Regarding the Merger Agreement

The following summary of the merger agreement, and the copy of the merger agreement attached as Annex A to this proxy statement, are intended to provide information regarding the terms of the merger agreement and are not intended to provide any factual information about Financial Engines or modify or supplement any factual disclosures about Financial Engines in its public reports filed with the SEC. In particular, the merger agreement and the related summary are not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, disclosures regarding the actual state of any facts and circumstances relating to Financial Engines. The merger agreement contains representations and warranties by and covenants of Financial Engines, Parent and Merger Sub, and they were made only for purposes of the merger agreement and as of specified dates. The representations, warranties and covenants in the merger agreement were made solely for the benefit of the parties to the merger agreement, may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties, including being qualified by confidential disclosures made for the purposes of allocating contractual risk between the parties to the merger agreement instead of establishing these matters as facts, and may be subject to contractual standards of materiality or material adverse effect applicable to the contracting parties that generally differ from those applicable to investors. In addition, information concerning the subject matter of the representations, warranties and covenants may change after the date of the merger agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in Financial Engines’ public disclosures. The representations, warranties and covenants in the merger agreement and any descriptions thereof should be read in conjunction with the disclosures in Financial Engines’ periodic and current reports, proxy statements and other documents filed with the SEC. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.” Moreover, the description of the merger agreement below does not purport to describe all of the terms of such agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annex A and is incorporated herein by reference.

Additional information about Financial Engines may be found elsewhere in this proxy statement and Financial Engines’ other public filings. See the section of this proxy statement entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

Structure of the Merger; Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws; Directors and Officers

At the effective time, Merger Sub will merge with and into Financial Engines, and the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub will cease. Financial Engines will be the surviving corporation in the merger and will continue its corporate existence as a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. At the effective time, the certificate of incorporation of the surviving corporation will be amended and restated in its entirety to be in the form of the certificate of incorporation of Merger Sub, except that the name of the surviving corporation will be “Financial Engines, Inc.” At the effective time, the bylaws of the surviving corporation will be amended and restated in their entirety to be in the form of the bylaws of Merger Sub, except that the name of the surviving corporation will be “Financial Engines, Inc.”

The individuals holding positions as directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the effective time will become the initial directors of the surviving corporation. The individuals holding positions as officers of Financial Engines immediately prior to the effective time will become the initial officers of the surviving corporation.

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When the Merger Becomes Effective

The closing of the merger will take place (1) at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, no later than the third business day following the satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions set forth in the merger agreement (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing of the merger, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at the closing), unless the marketing period (as defined below) has not ended on or prior to the time the closing would have otherwise been required to occur, in which case the closing will not take place until the earlier of (i) a business day during the marketing period specified by Parent on at least three business days’ written notice to Financial Engines and (ii) the first business day following the final day of the marketing period (subject in each case to the satisfaction or waiver (to the extent permitted by applicable law) of all of the conditions set forth in the merger agreement (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing of the merger, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at the closing) as of the date determined pursuant to this clause (i) or (ii)), or (2) at another date and time mutually agreed upon in writing between Financial Engines and Parent. For purposes of the merger agreement, “business day” refers to any day except a Saturday, a Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks are required or authorized to close in New York, New York.

On the closing date, Financial Engines and Parent will file a certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The merger will become effective at the time when the certificate of merger has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, or at such later time as may be agreed by the parties in writing and specified in the certificate of merger.

For purposes of the merger agreement, “marketing period” means the first period of 15 consecutive business days commencing after the date of the merger agreement throughout which (1) Parent must have the required financial information (as defined below) (which must be the same information throughout the period), (2) the conditions to Parent’s obligation to effect the merger (set forth in sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the merger agreement) must have been satisfied (other than the conditions relating to stockholder approval and the expiration or termination of the waiting period applicable to the completion of the merger under the HSR Act and those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing), assuming that the closing date were to be scheduled for any time during such 15 consecutive business-day period, or (to the extent permitted by applicable law) waived, and (3) during the last three business days of such 15 consecutive business-day period, the conditions relating to stockholder approval and the expiration or termination of the waiting period applicable to the completion of the merger under the HSR Act must have been satisfied; provided, however, that (i) July 5, 2018 and July 6, 2018 will not constitute business days for purposes of the 15 consecutive business-day period (although such exclusions will not restart such period), (ii) if such 15 consecutive business-day period has not been completed on or prior to August 17, 2018, then such period will be deemed to have not commenced prior to September 4, 2018, and (iii) the marketing period will be deemed not to have commenced if, after the date of the merger agreement and prior to the completion of such 15 consecutive business-day period, (A) the independent auditors of Financial Engines will have withdrawn its audit opinion with respect to any year-end audited financial statements of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries included in the required financial information, in which case the marketing period will be deemed not to commence unless and until such independent auditors or another nationally recognized independent accounting firm reasonably acceptable to Parent has issued an unqualified audit opinion with respect to such financial statements or (B) any of the financial statements of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries included in the required financial information will have been restated or Financial Engines will have determined or publicly announced that a restatement of any financial statements of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries included in the required financial information is required, in which case the marketing period will be deemed not to commence unless and until such restatement has been completed and the required financial information has subsequently been amended and delivered to Parent or Financial Engines has determined in writing or publicly announced, as applicable, that no such restatement will be required. However, that if Financial Engines in good faith reasonably believes that it has provided the required financial information, it may deliver to Parent a written notice to that effect (stating the date upon which it believes it completed such delivery or provided such access to required financial information), in which case (subject to satisfaction of any other

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conditions, and compliance with the terms of each other provision, of this definition (including the requirement that required financial information be the same information throughout the period)) such 15 consecutive business-day period referred to above will be deemed to have commenced on the date such notice is delivered to Parent unless Parent in good faith reasonably believes Financial Engines has not provided the required financial information or that clauses (2) or (3) of this definition have not been satisfied and, within three business days after Financial Engines’ giving of such notice, gives a written notice to Financial Engines to that effect (stating with specificity any elements of noncompliance and/or nonsatisfaction). Notwithstanding anything in this definition to the contrary, the marketing period will end on any date earlier than the date indicated in the definition above if the debt financing is consummated and the full proceeds thereof received on such earlier date.

For purposes of the merger agreement, “required financial information” means certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries required by the debt commitment letter.

Effect of the Merger on the Common Stock

At the effective time, each share of Company common stock issued and outstanding immediately before the effective time (other than (1) shares held by Financial Engines in treasury or by Parent or Merger Sub (referred to in this proxy statement as “cancelled shares”), (2) shares held by any wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Engines or any wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (other than Merger Sub) (referred to in this proxy statement as “converted shares”) and (3) shares held by stockholders of the Company who have not voted in favor of, or consented in writing to, the adoption of the merger agreement and who have properly exercised appraisal rights with respect to their shares in compliance with Section 262 of the DGCL (referred to in this proxy statement as “dissenting shares,” and the shares referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3), “excluded shares”)) will automatically be cancelled and converted into the right to receive the merger consideration, upon surrender of certificates or book-entry shares. The merger consideration will be $45.00 per share in cash, without interest and subject to required withholding taxes.

At the effective time, each of the cancelled shares will automatically be cancelled without payment of any consideration and will cease to exist. In addition, at the effective time, each of the converted shares held by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company or Parent (other than Merger Sub) will automatically be converted into shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the surviving corporation, such that each such subsidiary’s ownership percentage of the surviving corporation immediately after the effective time will equal its ownership percentage in Financial Engines immediately prior to the effective time. As of the date hereof, there are not expected to be any converted shares.

At the effective time, each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time will be converted into one fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the surviving corporation.

Treatment of Company Equity Awards

Treatment of Stock Options. Each Company stock option, whether vested or unvested, that is (x) outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the effective time and (y) granted prior to the date of the merger agreement shall, as of the effective time, become fully vested (to the extent unvested) and be converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of the merger consideration over the exercise price per share of such option, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of Company common stock subject to such Company stock option, subject to applicable tax withholding. Any Company stock option that has an exercise price per share of Company common stock that is greater than or equal to the merger consideration shall be cancelled for no consideration.

Treatment of Company Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Company restricted stock unit award that is outstanding immediately prior to the effective time shall, as of the effective time, (i) if granted prior to the date of

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the merger agreement or held by a non-employee director, become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and shall be cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the merger consideration in respect of each vested share of Company commons stock subject to such restricted stock unit award, subject to applicable tax withholding, or (ii) if granted after the date of the merger agreement as permitted by the merger agreement (other than any such award granted to a non-employee director), be converted into an award representing the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the merger consideration in respect of each share of Company common stock subject to such Company restricted stock unit award (without interest and subject to applicable tax withholding) on the same schedule, and subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting), as were applicable to such Company restricted stock unit award as of immediately prior to the effective time.

Payment for Common Stock in the Merger

At or prior to the effective time, Parent will deposit, or cause to be deposited, with a paying agent in trust for the benefit of holders of shares cash sufficient to pay the aggregate merger consideration.

As soon as reasonably practicable (and no later than three business days) after the effective time, Parent will cause the paying agent to mail to each holder of record of a certificate or certificates that immediately prior to the effective time represented outstanding shares of Company common stock (other than excluded shares) (1) a letter of transmittal and (2) instructions for effecting the surrender of such certificates to the paying agent in exchange for payment of the merger consideration (without interest and subject to required withholding taxes). Upon surrender to the paying agent of certificates, together with the letter of transmittal, duly completed and validly executed, and such other customary documents as may be reasonably required, the holder of such certificates will be entitled to receive payment of the merger consideration which the holder is entitled to pursuant to the merger agreement in respect of each share formerly represented by such certificate (without interest and after giving effect to any required tax withholding).

No holder of book-entry shares of Company common stock will be required to deliver a certificate or letter of transmittal to the paying agent to receive the merger consideration in the merger (without interest and subject to required withholding taxes). In lieu thereof, the registered holder of each book-entry share of Company common stock will automatically upon the effective time be entitled to receive, and, upon receipt by the paying agent of an “agent’s message” in customary form (or such other evidence, if any, as the paying agent may reasonably request), Parent will or will cause the surviving corporation to cause the paying agent to pay and deliver in exchange therefor as soon as reasonably practicable after the effective time, the merger consideration (without interest and after giving effect to any required tax withholding).

Representations and Warranties

The merger agreement contains representations and warranties of Financial Engines, subject to certain exceptions in the merger agreement, in the company disclosure schedule delivered in connection with the merger agreement and in Financial Engines’ public filings, as to, among other things:

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The merger agreement also contains representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub, subject to certain exceptions in the merger agreement and the parent disclosure schedule delivered in connection with the merger agreement, as to, among other things:

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Some of the representations and warranties in the merger agreement are qualified by materiality qualifications or a “company material adverse effect” or “parent material adverse effect” qualification, as discussed below.

For purposes of the merger agreement, a “company material adverse effect” means any fact, circumstance, change, event, occurrence or effect that (1) has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the financial condition, business or results of operations of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (2) materially impairs, materially delays or prevents, or would reasonably be expected to materially impair, materially delay or prevent, Financial Engines from completing the merger. However, for the purposes of clause (1), none of the following, and no effect arising out of, relating to or resulting from the following, will constitute or be taken into account in determining whether a company material adverse effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur:

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However, with respect to the matters described in the first bullet point above and in clauses (a), (c), (d) and (e) of the second bullet point above, such facts, circumstances, changes, events occurrences or effects may be taken into account to the extent that they have a disproportionate adverse effect on Financial Engines and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in relation to others in the industries of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries, but only to the extent of the incremental disproportionate impact on Financial Engines and its subsidiaries. In addition, the underlying cause of any decline, change or failure referred to in clauses (i) and (j) of the second bullet point above may be taken into account unless the underlying clause is otherwise excluded by the merger agreement. For purposes of the merger agreement, a “parent material adverse effect” means any fact, circumstance, change, event occurrence or effect that, individually or in the aggregate, materially impairs, materially delays or prevents, or would reasonably be expected to materially impair, materially delay or prevent, Parent or Merger Sub from completing the merger.

Conduct of Business Pending the Merger

The merger agreement provides that, from and after the date of the merger agreement and prior to the effective time or termination of the merger agreement, except with Parent’s prior written consent (which may not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), as required by applicable law, as expressly contemplated by the merger agreement or as set forth in the disclosure schedules to the merger agreement, Financial Engines will, and will cause its subsidiaries to, carry on its business in all material respects in the ordinary course of business and use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve its business organization intact and maintain existing relations with key customers, suppliers and other third parties with whom Financial Engines and its subsidiaries have significant business relationships, and will not and will cause its subsidiaries not to, take any of the following actions:

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In addition, Financial Engines, Parent and Merger Sub have agreed that, except as contemplated by the merger agreement, they will not, and will not permit their respective subsidiaries to, take any action that could reasonably be expected to prevent or to impede, interfere with, hinder or delay in any material respect the completion of the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement.

Access

Subject to certain exceptions and limitations, from and after the date of the merger agreement and prior to the effective time or earlier termination of the merger agreement, upon reasonable prior written notice, Financial Engines is required to, and required to cause its subsidiaries to, afford to Parent, Merger Sub and each of their representatives (including, to the extent requested by Parent, the debt commitment parties) reasonable access, during normal business hours, to Financial Engines’ officers, employees, properties, offices and other facilities, books, contracts and records, provided that (1) the foregoing will not require Financial Engines or its subsidiaries to permit access to (a) any inspection or information that would violate any of its confidentiality obligations in effect as of the date of the merger agreement, (b) any information subject to attorney-client privilege or other privilege or trade secret protection or the work product doctrine, (c) information that, in Financial Engines’ reasonable opinion, would result in a breach of a contract to which Financial Engines or any of its subsidiaries were bound as of April 29, 2018 or (d) information related to Financial Engines’ sale process, including any information related to the negotiation and execution of the merger agreement or to transactions potentially competing with or alternative to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or proposals from other third parties relating to any competing or alternative transactions (including acquisition proposals (as defined below)) and the actions of Financial Engines’ board of directors (or any committee thereof) with respect to any of the foregoing; (2) any such investigation must be conducted in a manner so as not to unreasonably interfere with the normal business operations of Financial Engines or its subsidiaries or otherwise result in any undue burden with respect to the prompt and timely discharge of their respective employees’ normal duties; and (3) no investigation pursuant to this section will affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty made by Financial Engines in the merger agreement; provided that Financial Engines will use its reasonable best efforts to allow for any access or disclosure in a manner that does not result in the effects in the foregoing clauses (1)(a)-(c), including by making appropriate substitute arrangements.

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In addition, Financial Engines and Parent are required to promptly notify the other (1) of any notice or communication received from any governmental entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or from any person alleging that such person’s consent is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, if such communication or failure to obtain such consent would reasonably be expected to be material to Financial Engines, the surviving corporation or Parent, (2) of any actions commenced against such Financial Engines, Parent or any of their affiliates in connection with, arising from or relating to the merger agreement or the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or (3) if Financial Engines or Parent becomes aware of the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to cause any condition to the merger or the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement not to be satisfied.

Acquisition Proposals; No Solicitation

Except as permitted by the merger agreement, the Company must not, and must cause its subsidiaries, and must use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and their directors, officers, employees, other affiliates, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and other advisors or representatives not to, directly or indirectly:

Pursuant to the merger agreement, an “acquisition proposal” means any inquiry, proposal or offer from any person (other than Parent, its subsidiaries) relating to, in a single transaction or series of transactions:

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Existing Discussions or Negotiations

Pursuant to the merger agreement, Financial Engines has agreed to, and to cause its subsidiaries and its and its subsidiaries’ directors, officers and employees to, and to instruct its affiliates and other representatives to, (1) immediately cease all solicitations, discussions and negotiations with any other persons that were ongoing with respect to an acquisition proposal as of the date of the merger agreement and request that each such person promptly return or destroy all confidential information furnished to such person by or on behalf of Financial Engines in connection with any acquisition proposal and (2) not terminate, amend, release or modify any provision of any standstill agreement to which Financial Engines or any of its subsidiaries is a party, except that Financial Engines may grant a limited waiver, amendment or release under any confidentiality or standstill agreement to the extent necessary to allow for a confidential acquisition proposal to be made to Financial Engines or Financial Engines’ board of directors as long as Financial Engines promptly (and in any event within 24 hours thereafter) notifies Parent thereof (including the identity of such counterparty (except to the extent prohibited by any contract in effect as of the date of the merger agreement)) after granting such limited waiver, amendment or release as provided below.

Receipt of Acquisition Proposals

Notwithstanding certain provisions of the merger agreement described above, at any time following the date of the merger agreement and prior to the time the company stockholder approval is obtained, if Financial Engines receives a written, unsolicited, bona fide acquisition proposal that did not result from a breach of the provisions of the merger agreement described above, then Financial Engines and its representatives may contact the person or group of persons making the acquisition proposal to clarify the terms and conditions thereof so as to determine whether it constitutes or could reasonably be expected to result in a superior proposal (as defined below) and, if the Financial Engines board of directors determines in good faith after consultation (1) with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel that the acquisition proposal constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a superior proposal and (2) with its outside legal counsel that failure to take the actions described below would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable law, then Financial Engines and its representatives may:

Pursuant to the merger agreement, a “superior proposal” means a bona fide written acquisition proposal that the Financial Engines board of directors has determined in its good faith judgment, after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel, and taking into consideration, among other things, all legal, financial,

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regulatory, timing and other aspects and risks of the proposal (including required conditions) and the person making the proposal and all of the other terms, conditions and other aspects of such acquisition proposal and the merger agreement that the Financial Engines board of directors deems relevant, to be more favorable to Financial Engines’ stockholders from a financial point of view than the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement (including, if applicable, any revisions to the merger agreement made or proposed in writing by Parent pursuant to the merger agreement); provided, that for purposes of the definition of “superior proposal,” the references to “20%” and “80%” in the definition of acquisition proposal will be deemed to be references to “50%.”

Change in Board Recommendation

The Financial Engines board of directors has unanimously recommended that Financial Engines stockholders vote “FOR” the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby.

Except as expressly permitted by the merger agreement, neither the Financial Engines board of directors (nor any committee thereof) may:

The actions described in the bullet points above are referred to in this proxy statement as a “change of recommendation,” except that any “stop-look-and-listen” or similar communication described below or the failure by the Financial Engines board of directors to take a position with respect to an acquisition proposal referred to in the fourth bullet point above or a tender offer or exchange offer referred to in the fifth bullet point above will not be deemed a change of recommendation if the communication is made or the position is taken prior to the tenth business day after the commencement of the tender offer or exchange offer or the public disclosure of the acquisition proposal, as applicable (or such earlier time as referenced above).

However, before the company stockholder approval is obtained, the Financial Engines board of directors may (1) make a change of recommendation contemplated by the first and second bullet points above if, upon the occurrence of an intervening event (as defined below), the Financial Engines board of directors determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable law or (2) if the Company receives after the date of the merger agreement an unsolicited, written, bona fide acquisition proposal that the Financial Engines board of directors concludes in good faith, after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel,

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constitutes a superior proposal and such acquisition proposal did not result from a material breach by the Company of the provisions of the merger agreement described under the section of this proxy statement entitled “— Acquisition Proposals; No Solicitation,” effect a change of recommendation and/or terminate the merger agreement in order to enter into an alternative acquisition agreement providing for such superior proposal, provided that in either case:

Any amendment to the financial terms or any other material change to the terms of a superior proposal requires Financial Engines to deliver a new notice of change of recommendation and to comply with the requirements in the bullets above, provided that the subsequent notice period will only be two business days instead of three business days.

Under the merger agreement, an “intervening event” means a material event, occurrence, development or change in circumstances with respect to Financial Engines and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that occurred or arose after the date of the merger agreement, which was unknown to, nor reasonably foreseeable by, the Financial Engines board of directors as of the date of the merger agreement and becomes known to or by the Financial Engines board of directors before the time stockholder approval is obtained, provided that the following do not constitute, and will not be considered in determining whether there has been, an intervening event: (1) the receipt, existence of or terms of an inquiry or acquisition proposal or any matter relating thereto or consequence thereof and (2) changes in the market price or trading volume of the shares of Financial Engines or the fact that Financial Engines meets or exceeds internal or published projections, budgets, forecasts or estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial results for any period (provided that the underlying causes of such change or fact will not be excluded by clause (2)).

The merger agreement does not prohibit Financial Engines or the Financial Engines board of directors (or any committee thereof) from (1) complying with its disclosure obligations under applicable law or the NASDAQ, including taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication to stockholders) or (2) making any “stop-look-and-listen” communication to stockholders of Financial Engines pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act (or any similar communications to stockholders, including any similar communication in response to an acquisition

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proposal that is not a tender offer or exchange offer), provided that (i) except as provided in the next sentence, any disclosure made as permitted under clause (1) (other than any “stop-look-and-listen” or similar communication) that relates to an acquisition proposal will be deemed a change of recommendation unless the Financial Engines board of directors expressly publicly reaffirms the company recommendation in connection with such disclosure and (ii) neither Financial Engines nor the Financial Engines board of directors (nor any committee thereof) will be permitted to recommend any acquisition proposal (including that the Financial Engines stockholders tender any securities in connection with any tender offer or exchange offer that is an acquisition proposal) or otherwise make a change of recommendation with respect thereto, except as permitted as described above. Any “stop-look-and-listen” or similar communication permitted under clause (2) above made prior to the tenth business day after the commencement of such tender offer or exchange offer (or, if earlier, no fewer than two business days prior to the date on which the stockholders meeting is scheduled to be held) will not constitute a change of recommendation or otherwise constitute a basis for Parent to terminate the merger agreement.

Financial Engines must promptly (and in any event within 24 hours) notify Parent orally and in writing if any acquisition proposal or inquiry (including any request for non-public information in connection therewith) is received by Financial Engines, any of its subsidiaries or any of its representatives, indicating (except to the extent prohibited by any applicable law or contract in effect as of the date of the merger agreement) the identity of the person or group of persons making the acquisition proposal, inquiry or request and the material terms and conditions of any such acquisition proposal (including, if applicable, copies of any written inquiries and any proposed agreements related thereto). Financial Engines must (1) promptly (and in any event within 24 hours) notify Parent orally and in writing (a) if Financial Engines determines to begin providing non-public information or to engage in negotiations or discussions concerning an acquisition proposal and (b) thereafter of any change to the financial and other material terms and conditions of any acquisition proposal, and (2) otherwise keep Parent reasonably informed of the status and material terms of any such inquiry, acquisition proposal, discussions or negotiations on a reasonably current basis, including by providing a copy of all proposals, offers or drafts of proposed agreements. Financial Engines and its subsidiaries may not enter into any confidentiality or similar agreement that would prohibit them from providing such information to Parent.

Financial Engines Stockholders’ Meeting

Financial Engines has agreed to take all action necessary to convene a meeting of the holders of Financial Engines common stock (which meeting, together with any adjournment or postponement, is referred to in this proxy statement as the “Financial Engines stockholders’ meeting”) as promptly as reasonably practicable after the SEC confirms that it has no further comments on this proxy statement, to consider and vote upon the adoption of the merger agreement; provided that Financial Engines may postpone or adjourn the Financial Engines stockholders’ meeting with Parent’s written consent (which may not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), for the absence of a quorum, to allow reasonable additional time to solicit additional proxies if the Company has not received proxies representing a sufficient number of shares of common stock to adopt the merger agreement, whether or not a quorum is present, if required by applicable law, or to allow reasonable time additional for the filing and dissemination of any supplemental or amended disclosure if, in the good faith judgment of the Financial Engines board of directors (after consultation with outside legal counsel), the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable law. However, unless agreed by Parent, the Financial Engines stockholders’ meeting will not be postponed or adjourned to a date that is more than five business days prior to the termination date (as defined below).

Subject to the Financial Engines board of directors’ right to make a change of recommendation, as described in the section of this proxy statement entitled “— Change in Board Recommendation,” the Financial Engines board of directors must include the company recommendation in this proxy statement and must use its reasonable best efforts to lawfully obtain the company stockholder approval, including actively soliciting proxies in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement at the Financial Engines stockholders’ meeting.

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In the event that the Financial Engines board of directors makes a change of recommendation, Financial Engines will be required to submit the merger agreement to holders of Financial Engines common stock to obtain the company stockholder approval at the Financial Engines stockholders’ meeting unless the merger agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms. In addition, Financial Engines is not permitted to submit to the vote of its stockholders any other acquisition proposal unless the merger agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.

Financing and Financing Cooperation

Concurrently with the execution of the merger agreement, Parent delivered to Financial Engines (1) a copy of the fully executed debt commitment letter, pursuant to which each of Morgan Stanley, JPM, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and UBS have committed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, to lend the borrower $1.410 billion in aggregate principal amount of first lien term loans and $495 million in aggregate principal amount of second lien term loans in connection with the financing of the amounts payable pursuant to the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby and the refinancing of certain debt by Parent and to make available to such borrower a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $150 million (such financing, collectively, is referred to in this proxy statement as the “debt financing”) and (2) a redacted copy of the related fee letter.

Parent and Merger Sub have agreed to use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to use reasonable best efforts to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable to obtain the proceeds of the debt financing and any replacement financing on the terms and conditions described in the debt commitment letter or replacement financing documents, as applicable, as promptly as possible, taking into account the expected timing of the marketing period but in any event prior to the date upon which the merger is required to be completed pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement. Financial Engines is required to use reasonable best efforts to, and to cause its subsidiaries to use their reasonable best efforts to, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and its subsidiaries’ representatives to, provide all cooperation reasonably requested by Parent necessary and customary for the arrangement of the debt financing, subject to certain limitations.

Employee Matters

During the period commencing on the closing date and ending on the first anniversary thereof, Parent has agreed to, or cause its applicable subsidiary to, provide each continuing employee of the Company and its subsidiaries with (i) a base salary or regular hourly wage (whichever is applicable) and a short-term cash incentive compensation opportunity, that, in each case, is not less than the base salary or regular hourly wage and short-term cash incentive compensation opportunity in effect for, or available to, the applicable continuing employee as of immediately prior to the effective time, and (ii) other compensation opportunities (excluding any equity award or other long-term compensation opportunities) and employee benefits (excluding any severance-related benefits) that are, in each case, substantially similar in the aggregate to the other compensation (excluding any equity award or other long-term compensation opportunities) and employee benefits (excluding any severance-related benefits), respectively, provided or available to the applicable continuing employee as of immediately prior to the effective time.

During the period commencing on the closing date and ending on the first anniversary thereof, the surviving corporation shall provide each continuing employee whose employment is terminated by Parent or one of its subsidiaries with severance benefits and on terms and conditions, in each case, that are no less favorable than the severance benefits and protections provided to each such continuing employee as of immediately prior to the effective time as set forth in the disclosure schedules to the merger agreement (or, if greater, those applicable to similarly situated employees of Parent and its subsidiaries pursuant to any broad-based severance program).

Parent has agreed to cause any employee benefit plans of Parent and its subsidiaries in which the continuing employees are entitled to participate after the closing date to take into account for purposes of eligibility, vesting

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and benefit accruals (other than benefit accruals under any defined benefit pension plan or as would result in a duplication of benefits), service prior to the effective time by such employees to the Company and its subsidiaries (and any predecessors) as if such service were with Parent or its subsidiaries.

In addition, with respect to any employee benefit plans maintained by Parent and its subsidiaries for the benefit of the continuing employees following the closing date Parent has agreed to, and cause the surviving corporation and its subsidiaries to, (i) waive any eligibility requirements or pre-existing condition limitations or waiting period requirements with respect to any such plan providing medical, dental, pharmaceutical or vision benefits to any continuing employee to the same extent waived under the analogous Company benefit plan prior to the closing date, and (ii) give effect, in determining any deductible, co-insurance and maximum out-of-pocket limitations, to any eligible expenses paid by such employees during the calendar year in which the effective time occurs (or such later date on which a continuing employee commences participation in any new plan of the surviving corporation and its subsidiaries) under analogous Company benefit plans.

Parent has agreed to pay, or cause its applicable subsidiary to pay, to each continuing employee who remains employed through December 31, 2018 (whether or not employed on the payment date), an annual incentive bonus in respect of 2018, payable no later than March 15, 2019, equal to the bonus that such employee would have earned based upon actual performance through December 31, 2018. For such purpose, actual performance shall be determined in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s past practice and shall exclude any costs and expenses associated with the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or any nonrecurring charges that would not reasonably be expected to have been incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries had the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement not occurred. Each continuing employee whose employment is terminated on or after the closing date and before December 31, 2018 in a severance-qualifying termination will be entitled to receive a prorated bonus in respect of 2018 equal to the product of (A) such continuing employee’s target bonus opportunity, multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days from January 1, 2018 through the date of such continuing employee’s termination of employment and the denominator of which is 365.

Efforts to Complete the Merger

The Company, Parent and Merger have agreed to, and to cause their respective subsidiaries to, each use its reasonable best efforts to promptly take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or to cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other in doing (and, in the case of Parent, to use reasonable best efforts to cause its equity financing sources for the merger and their affiliates to assist and cooperate as necessary or appropriate with the other parties), all things necessary, proper or advisable under the merger agreement or applicable law or otherwise complete and make effective the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement as soon as practicable, including to (1) obtain from any governmental entities and any third parties any actions, non-actions, clearances, waivers, consents, approvals, expirations or terminations of waiting periods, permits or orders required to be obtained by the Company, Parent, or any of their respective affiliates in connection with the authorization, execution, delivery and performance of the merger agreement and the completion of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, (2) make all registrations, filings, notifications or submissions which are necessary or advisable with respect to the merger agreement and transactions contemplated thereby under (i) any applicable federal or state securities law, (ii) the HSR Act and any other applicable regulatory law and (iii) any other applicable law, (3) defend against any lawsuits or other legal proceedings, whether judicial or administrative, challenging the merger agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby and (4) execute and deliver any additional instruments necessary to complete the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. However, the Company and its subsidiaries will not be required to pay prior to the effective time any fee, penalty or other consideration to any third party to obtain consent or approval required for the completion of the merger under any contract. Further, without Parent’s prior written consent, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries may pay or commit to pay any third party whose consent or approval is being solicited any amount of cash or other consideration, or make any commitment or incur any liability or other obligation in connection therewith, in each case other than fees for the filings described in clause (2) above and certain other agreed costs.

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The Company, Parent and Merger Sub must (1) subject to any restrictions under any regulatory law, promptly notify each other of any communication to that party from any governmental entity with respect to the merger agreement and the transactions and other agreements contemplated by the merger agreement and permit the other parties to review in advance any proposed material communication to any governmental entity, (2) unless required by applicable law, not agree to participate in any meeting or teleconference with any governmental entity in respect of any filing, investigation or other inquiry with respect to the merger agreement and the transactions and other agreements contemplated by the merger agreement unless it consults with the other parties in advance and, to the extent permitted by such governmental entity, gives the other parties the opportunity to attend and participate thereat, (3) subject to any restrictions under any regulatory law, furnish the other parties with copies of all correspondence, filings and communications (and memoranda setting forth the substance thereof) between it and its subsidiaries and their respective representatives on the one hand, and any governmental entity or members of its staff on the other hand, with respect to the merger agreement and the transactions and other agreements contemplated by the merger agreement (excluding documents and communications subject to the attorney client privilege or other privilege or trade secret protection or the work product doctrine), and (4) furnish the other parties with such necessary information and reasonable assistance as such other parties may reasonably request in connection with their preparation of necessary filings, registrations or submissions of information to any governmental entity in connection with the merger agreement and the transactions and other agreements contemplated by the merger agreement, including any filings necessary or appropriate under the provisions of any regulatory law; provided that the Company, Parent and Merger Sub may each reasonably designate competitively sensitive material as “outside counsel only material.” Materials provided to the other party or its counsel pursuant to the foregoing may be redacted to remove references concerning the valuation of the Company, privileged communications or other competitively sensitive material.

The Company has agreed, to the extent required by applicable law or contract, within 20 business days after the date of the merger agreement, to inform its investment advisory clients in writing of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement by sending such clients a notice thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company and Parent, and use reasonable best efforts to seek such client’s consent to any “assignment” (as defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended) of its applicable advisory agreement (and unless affirmative consent is required by the applicable advisory agreement, such consent may take the form of implied or negative consent).

Antitrust Matters

The Company, Parent and Merger Sub have agreed to make, or cause to be made, an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement as promptly as practicable after the date of the merger agreement (and in any event, within five business days), and to make, or cause to be made, all filings and authorizations, if any, required under any other applicable regulatory law as promptly as reasonably practicable and supply as promptly as reasonably practicable any additional information and material that may be requested by a governmental entity pursuant to any regulatory law. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, Parent and Merger Sub must request and use reasonable best efforts to obtain early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act, and no party may agree to extend any waiting period under any regulatory law applicable to, or commit not to complete any of the transactions contemplated by, the merger agreement without the prior written consent of all other parties to the merger agreement.

The Company will (and will cause its subsidiaries to), Parent will (and will cause its subsidiaries to) and Merger Sub will use its reasonable best efforts to resolve any objections that may be asserted with respect to the transactions contemplated under the merger agreement under any regulatory law. If any action, including any action by a private party, is instituted (or threatened to be instituted) challenging the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement as violative of any regulatory law, the Company will (and will cause its subsidiaries to), Parent will (and will cause its subsidiaries to) and Merger Sub will cooperate in all respects and use its reasonable best efforts to contest and resist any such action and have vacated, lifted, reversed or overturned any

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order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in effect and that restricts, prevents or prohibits completion of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, including by pursuing all reasonable avenues of administrative and judicial appeal. The Company, Parent and Merger Sub must, and the Company and Parent must cause their respective subsidiaries to, (1) negotiate, commit to and effect, by consent decree, hold separate order or otherwise, the sale, divestiture or disposition of any assets or businesses of Parent or any of its subsidiaries, or of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and (2) otherwise take or commit to take any actions that after the closing date limit Parent’s or its subsidiaries’ (including the surviving corporation’s) freedom of action with respect to, or its ability to retain, one or more businesses, product lines or assets of Parent or any of its subsidiaries (including the surviving corporation), in each case as may be required in order to avoid the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any order which would otherwise have the effect of preventing the closing, materially delaying the closing or delaying the closing beyond the termination date. However, the Company will only be required to take or commit to take any such action, or agree to any such condition or restriction, if such action, commitment, agreement, condition or restriction is binding on the Company only if and when the closing occurs.

Indemnification and Insurance

Parent and the surviving corporation must, jointly and severally, (1) indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, each present and former director and officer of Financial Engines and its subsidiaries and each fiduciary of a company benefit plan (collectively referred to in this proxy statement, together with such person’s heirs, executors or administrators, as the “indemnified parties”), against any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages, liabilities and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with any actual or threatened action, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of, related to or in connection with any action or omission occurring or alleged to have occurred whether prior to or at the effective time (including in connection with such indemnified parties’ service as a director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a fiduciary of a company benefit plan or services performed by such persons at the request of or for the benefit of the Company or its subsidiaries), whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the effective time, including, in connection with (1) the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and (2) actions to enforce the provision of the merger agreement described here or any other indemnification, exculpation or advancement right of any indemnified party. For a period of six years from and after the effective time, Parent is required, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law, to cause the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the surviving corporation to contain provisions no less favorable to the indemnified parties with respect to indemnification, exculpation from liabilities and rights to advancement of expenses than those set forth as of the date of the merger agreement in the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Financial Engines, and not to amend, repeal or otherwise modify those provisions in a manner that would adversely affect the rights of any indemnified party. In addition, from and after the effective time, each of Parent and the surviving corporation must advance costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) as incurred by any indemnified party promptly (and in any event within 10 days) after receipt by Parent of a written request for such advance to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, provided that any person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to repay the advances if it is ultimately determined by final adjudication that such person is not entitled to indemnification.

In addition, prior to the effective time, Financial Engines must obtain and fully pre-pay the premium for (and, following the effective time, the surviving corporation must, and Parent must cause the surviving corporation to, maintain with reputable and financially sound carriers) the extension of (1) the directors’ and officers’ liability coverage of Financial Engines’ existing directors’ and officers’ insurance policies and (2) Financial Engines’ existing fiduciary liability insurance policies (referred to in this proxy statement as “D&O insurance”), in each case for a claims reporting or discovery period (whichever is greater) of six years from and after the effective time with respect to any claim arising from facts or events that existed or occurred at or prior to the effective time with terms, conditions, retentions, coverage limits and limits of liability that are at least as favorable as the coverage provided under Financial Engines’ existing policies in effect on the date of the merger agreement, or the surviving corporation will, and Parent will cause the surviving corporation to, maintain the

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D&O insurance for such six-year period or purchase comparable insurance as the D&O insurance for such six-year period with terms, conditions, retentions and limits of liability that are at least as favorable as the coverage provided under Financial Engines’ existing policies as of the date of the merger agreement. In no event will Financial Engines or the surviving corporation be required to expend for any such policies pursuant to the foregoing an annual premium amount in excess of 300% of the current aggregate annual premium paid by Financial Engines for such insurance and, if the annual premiums of such insurance coverage exceeds such maximum amount, Financial Engines or the surviving corporation will obtain a policy with the greatest coverage available for such maximum amount.

Coordination on Transaction Litigation

Financial Engines, Parent and Merger Sub have agreed, subject to the preservation of attorney-client or other applicable privilege, trade secret protection and the provisions of the merger agreement governing the use and disclosure of confidential information, to keep the other party reasonably informed on a current basis with respect to any actions commenced against it or any of its affiliates arising from or relating to the merger agreement or the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement (referred to in this proxy statement as “transaction litigation”), to reasonably consult with the other party and give consideration to the other’s advice regarding transaction litigation, and to give the other party the opportunity to participate in the defense, settlement or prosecution of any transaction litigation, provided that the Company will in any event control any such defense, settlement or prosecution. Financial Engines, Parent and Merger Sub have agreed not to settle any transaction litigation without the written consent of the other party (which may not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).

Other Covenants and Agreements

The merger agreement also contains additional covenants, including covenants relating to (1) the filing of this proxy statement, (2) public announcements with respect to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, (3) other actions related to takeover statutes and reporting requirements under Section 16 of the Exchange Act and (4) the conduct prior to the effective time of Parent and Merger Sub.

Conditions to Completion of the Merger

Each party’s obligation to complete the merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the effective time of the following conditions:

The respective obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to complete the merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver by Parent at or prior to the effective time of the following additional conditions:

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The obligation of the Company to complete the merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver by the Company at or prior to the effective time of the following additional conditions:

No party may rely, either as a basis for not completing the merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or terminating the merger agreement and abandoning the merger, on the failure of a condition to closing set forth in the merger agreement to be satisfied if such failure was caused by such party’s failure to act in good faith or to use the efforts to cause the closing to occur as required by the merger agreement.

Termination

The merger agreement may be terminated and the merger may be abandoned in the following circumstances: