£ |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
|
£ |
Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
|
x |
Definitive
Proxy Statement
|
£ |
Definitive
Additional Materials
|
ANSWERS
CORPORATION
|
(Name
of registrant as specified in its
charter)
|
(Name
of person(s) filing proxy statement, if
other than the registrant)
|
x |
No
fee required
|
£ |
Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
|
(1) |
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
|
(2) | Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
(3) | Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
(4) | Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
(5) | Total fee paid: |
£
|
Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
|
£ |
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
|
(1) |
Amount
Previously Paid:
|
(2) | Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
(3) | Filing Party: |
(4) | Date Filed: |
(1)
|
To
elect three Class III directors to hold office for a three-year term
or
until their respective successors are elected and qualified;
|
(2)
|
To
consider and vote on a proposal to ratify the appointment by the
Company’s
Audit Committee of Somekh Chaikin, a member of KPMG International,
to
serve as Answers’ independent registered public accounting firm for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2007;
and
|
(3)
|
To
consider and act on any other matters that properly may be presented
at
the annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the annual
meeting.
|
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE MEETING
|
1
|
|
|
WHO
CAN HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
|
3
|
|
|
THE
2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
|
4
|
|
|
General
|
4
|
Date,
Time and Place
|
4
|
Matters
to be Considered at the Annual Meeting
|
4
|
Record
Date
|
4
|
Vote
Required
|
4
|
Voting
of Proxies; Abstentions; and Broker Non-Votes
|
5
|
Revocability
of Proxies
|
5
|
Adjournments
|
5
|
Voting
by Telephone or Via the Internet
|
6
|
Solicitation
of Proxies and Expenses of Solicitation
|
6
|
|
|
PROPOSAL
NO. 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
|
7
|
|
|
Director
Nominees
|
7
|
Independence
of Directors
|
9
|
Meetings
of the Board of Directors and its committees
|
9
|
Corporate
Governance and Board Committees
|
9
|
Director
Nominations
|
11
|
Director
Compensation
|
12
|
Communications
by Stockholders with Directors
|
13
|
Director
Attendance at Annual Meetings
|
13
|
Vote
Required and Recommendation of the Company’s Board of
Directors
|
13
|
|
|
PROPOSAL
NO. 2: SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
|
14
|
|
|
Vote
Required and Recommendation of the Company’s Board of
Directors
|
14
|
Auditors
|
14
|
Audit
Fees
|
14
|
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
|
15
|
Audit
Committee Report
|
15
|
|
|
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
|
|
AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY
|
16
|
|
|
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
|
18
|
|
|
Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
|
19
|
|
|
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION AND RELATED MATTERS
|
20
|
|
|
Compensation
Committee Report
|
20
|
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
|
20
|
Introductory
Remark
|
20
|
General
Philosophy
|
20
|
Compensation
Program and Forms of Compensation
|
21
|
Option
Grant Practice
|
22
|
Executive
Equity Ownership
|
22
|
Performance-Based
Compensation and Financial Restatement
|
22
|
Tax
and Accounting Considerations
|
22
|
Employment
Contracts and Termination of Employment and
|
|
Change-in-Control
Agreements
|
22
|
Summary
Compensation Table
|
25
|
Grants
of Plan-Based Awards
|
26
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
|
26
|
Option
Exercises - Fiscal 2006
|
27
|
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
|
27
|
|
|
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
|
27
|
|
|
COMPARISON
OF STOCKHOLDER RETURN
|
28
|
|
|
ANNUAL
REPORT
|
28
|
|
|
DEADLINE
FOR SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
|
|
FOR
THE 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
COMPANY'S STOCKHOLDERS
|
29
|
|
|
INTEREST
OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
|
29
|
|
|
OTHER
MATTERS
|
29
|
|
|
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
|
29
|
FORM
OF PROXY
|
30
|
Q:
|
When
and where will the annual meeting be
held?
|
A:
|
The
annual meeting will be held at the offices
of Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference LLP, 61 Broadway, 32nd
Floor, New York, NY 10006,
on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern
Daylight Time.
|
Q:
|
Who
is making this proxy
solicitation?
|
A:
|
This
proxy statement is furnished to holders of the Company’s common stock as
of the close of business on May 1, 2007, the record date for the
annual
meeting (the “Record Date”), as part of the solicitation of proxies by the
Company’s board of directors for use at the annual meeting and any
adjournments or postponements of the annual meeting.
|
Q:
|
What
am I being asked to vote on at the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
At
the annual meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote
on:
|
· |
a
proposal to elect three Class III directors to hold office for a
three-year term or until their respective successors are elected
and
qualified; and
|
· |
a
proposal to ratify the appointment by the Company’s Audit Committee of
Somekh Chaikin, a member of KPMG International, to serve as Answers’
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending
December 31, 2007.
|
A:
|
Our
board of directors recommends that you vote your shares “FOR”
the election of each of the three nominees named herein to the board
of
directors of Answers and “FOR”
the ratification of the appointment of Somekh Chaikin, a member of
KPMG
International, to serve as our independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2007.
|
A:
|
In
the election of directors, the three persons receiving the highest
number
of “FOR”
votes will be elected. The proposal regarding the ratification of
Somekh
Chaikin, a member of KPMG International, as our independent registered
public accounting firm requires the affirmative “FOR”
vote of a majority of those shares of the Company’s common stock present
in person or represented by properly executed proxies and entitled
to vote
at the annual meeting.
|
Q.
|
What
is the quorum requirement with respect to the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
The
presence, in person or by properly executed proxy, of the holders
of a
majority of the shares of the Company’s common stock entitled to vote at
the annual meeting will constitute a
quorum.
|
Q:
|
Under
what circumstances will the annual meeting be
adjourned?
|
A:
|
Although
it is not expected, the annual meeting may be adjourned in the absence
of
a quorum for the purpose of obtaining a quorum. Any adjournment may
be
made without notice, other than by an announcement made at the annual
meeting, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of the
Company’s common stock present in person or by properly executed proxy at
the annual meeting.
|
Q:
|
What
shares can be voted at the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
All
shares of the Company’s common stock that you own as of the Record Date
may be voted by you. You may cast one vote per share of the Company’s
common stock that you held on the Record Date. These shares include
shares
that are: (1) held directly in your name as the stockholder of record,
and
(2) held for you as the beneficial owner through a stockbroker, bank
or
other nominee.
|
Q:
|
What
is the difference between a holder of record and a beneficial owner
of the
Company’s common stock?
|
A:
|
Most
of the Company’s stockholders hold their shares through a stockbroker,
bank or other nominee, rather than directly in their own name. As
summarized below, there are some distinctions between shares held
as a
holder of record and those beneficially
owned.
|
Q: |
How
can I vote my shares in person at the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
Shares
of the Company’s common stock held directly in your name as the holder of
record may be voted in person at the annual meeting. If you choose
to do
so, please bring the enclosed proxy card or proof of identification.
Even
if you plan to attend the annual meeting, we recommend that you vote
your
shares in advance as described below, so that your vote will be counted
if
you later decide not to attend the annual meeting. Shares held in
street
name may be voted in person by you only if you obtain a signed proxy
from
the record holder giving you the right to vote the
shares.
|
Q:
|
How
can I vote my shares without attending the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
Whether
you hold shares directly as the holder of record or beneficially
in street
name, without attending the annual meeting you may direct your vote
by
telephone or by completing and mailing your proxy card or voting
instruction card in the enclosed postage pre-paid envelope. You may
also
be able to direct your vote via the Internet. Please refer to the
enclosed
materials for details.
|
Q:
|
Can
I change my vote after I have voted by
proxy?
|
A:
|
Yes.
You can change your vote at any time before your proxy is voted at
the
annual meeting by revoking your
proxy.
|
· |
attending
the annual meeting and voting your shares in person at the annual
meeting.
Your attendance at the annual meeting alone will not revoke your
proxy --
you must also vote at the annual
meeting;
|
· |
filing
an instrument in writing with the Secretary of the Company stating
that
you would like to revoke your proxy;
or
|
· |
filing
another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary
of the
Company so that it arrives prior to the annual
meeting.
|
Q:
|
What
does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction
card?
|
A:
|
It
means your shares are registered differently or are in more than
one
account. Please provide voting instructions for each proxy and voting
instruction card you receive.
|
Q:
|
Where
can I find the voting results of the annual
meeting?
|
A:
|
We
will announce preliminary voting results at the annual meeting and
publish
final results in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2007.
|
· |
a
proposal to elect three Class III directors to hold office for a
three-year term or until their respective successors are elected
and
qualified; and
|
· |
a
proposal to ratify the appointment by the Company’s Audit Committee of
Somekh Chaikin, a member of KPMG International, to serve as Answers’
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending
December 31, 2007.
|
· |
attending
the annual meeting and voting your shares in person at the annual
meeting.
Your attendance at the annual meeting alone will not revoke your
proxy --
you must also vote at the annual
meeting;
|
· |
filing
an instrument in writing with the Secretary of the Company at Answers
Corporation, 237 West 35th
Street, Suite 1001, New York, New York 10001, stating that you would
like
to revoke your proxy; or
|
· |
filing
another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary
of the
Company at Answers Corporation, 237 West 35th
Street, Suite 1001, New York, New York 10001, stating that you would
like
to revoke your proxy, so that it arrives prior to the annual
meeting.
|
Name
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Class
I directors whose
terms expire at the 2008 annual meeting of
stockholders:
|
|||
Mark
A. Tebbe (1)(2)
|
46
|
|
Vice
Chairman of the Board and Lead Director
|
Lawrence
S. Kramer (3)(4)
|
57
|
|
Director
|
Class
II directors whose
terms expire at the 2009 annual meeting of
stockholders:
|
|||
Edward
G. Sim (1)(2)
|
36
|
|
Director
|
Jerry
Colonna (2)(3)
|
43
|
|
Director
|
Class
III directors nominated
for election at this annual meeting of
stockholders:
|
|||
Robert
S. Rosenschein
|
53
|
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
Yehuda
Sternlicht (1)(4)
|
52
|
|
Director
|
Mark
B. Segall (3)(4)
|
44
|
Director
|
· |
Audit
Committee - six meetings
|
· |
Compensation
Committee - five meetings
|
· |
Nominations
/ Corporate Governance Committee - four
meetings
|
· |
Financing
Committee - two meetings
|
Name
|
Fees
Earned or
Paid
in Cash
($)
|
|
Option
Awards
($)(*)
|
Total
($)
|
|
Jerry
Colonna (1)
|
38,958
|
26,763
|
65,721
|
||
Lawrence
S. Kramer (2)
|
35,417
|
26,763
|
62,180
|
||
Mark
B. Segall (3)
|
38,958
|
26,
763
|
65,721
|
||
Edward
G. Sim (4)
|
42,500
|
26,
763
|
69,293
|
||
Yehuda
Sternlicht (5)
|
43,750
|
26,
763
|
70,513
|
||
Mark
A. Tebbe (6)
|
38,958
|
26,
763
|
65,721
|
||
Total:
|
238,541
|
160,578
|
399,119
|
* |
Amounts
represent stock-based compensation expense for fiscal year 2006 for
stock
options granted in 2006 under SFAS 123R as discussed in Note 2,
"Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" subheading (i), “Valuation
Assumptions for Stock Options,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements included elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-KSB.
|
(1)
|
43,050
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 20,478 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
(2)
|
43,050
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 13,901 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
(3)
|
43,050
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 16,891 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
(4)
|
43,021
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 23,446 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
(5)
|
28,050
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 5,478 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
(6)
|
38,297
options were outstanding as of 12/31/06, of which 18,722 were exercisable
as of December 31, 2006.
|
Director
fee base
|
Audit
membership
|
Compensation
membership
|
Governance
membership
|
Financing
membership
|
Audit
Chair
|
Other
Chair
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||||
Mr.
Colonna
|
$
|
20,000
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
27,500
|
|||||||||
Mr.
Kramer
|
20,000
|
-
|
-
|
2,500
|
2,500
|
-
|
-
|
25,000
|
|||||||||||||||||
Mr.
Segall
|
20,000
|
-
|
-
|
2,500
|
2,500
|
-
|
2,500
|
27,500
|
|||||||||||||||||
Mr.
Sim
|
20,000
|
5,000
|
2,500
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2,500
|
30,000
|
|||||||||||||||||
Mr.
Sternlicht
|
20,000
|
5,000
|
-
|
-
|
2,500
|
7,500
|
-
|
35,000
|
|||||||||||||||||
Mr.
Tebbe
|
20,000
|
5,000
|
2,500
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
27,500
|
||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
20,000
|
$
|
15,000
|
$
|
7,500
|
$
|
7,500
|
$
|
7,500
|
$
|
7,500
|
$
|
7,500
|
$
|
172,500
|
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||
|
$
|
$
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||||
Audit
Fees (1)
|
216,000
|
155,000
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||||
Tax
Fees (2)
|
3,750
|
5,000
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||||
All
other fees (3)
|
0
|
0
|
|||||
Total
|
219,750
|
160,000
|
(1)
|
This
category includes fees associated with the audit of the Company’s annual
financial statements, review of financial statements included in
our Form
10-QSB quarterly reports, and services that are normally provided
by the
independent registered public accounting firm in connection with
statutory
and regulatory filings or engagements, for those fiscal years.
|
(2)
|
This
category consists of services provided by KPMG for tax
compliance.
|
(3)
|
This
category consists of all other services provided by KPMG that are
not
reported above.
|
· |
each
person or group who is known to us to beneficially own more than
5% of the
Company’s outstanding common stock;
|
· |
each
of the Company’s directors;
|
· |
the
Company’s chief executive officer and other executive officers whose total
compensation exceeded $100,000 during the year ended December 31,
2006;
and
|
· |
all
of the Company’s directors and executive officers as a
group.
|
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)
|
|
Shares Beneficially Owned
|
|
Common
Stock %
|
||
Executive
Officers and Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert
S. Rosenschein
c/o
Answers Corporation, Jerusalem Technology Park, The Tower, Jerusalem
91481
Israel
|
|
534,303
|
(2)
|
|
6.80
|
|
Steven
Steinberg
c/o
Answers Corporation, Jerusalem Technology Park, The Tower, Jerusalem
91481
Israel
|
|
70,141
|
(3)
|
|
*
|
|
Jeff
Schneiderman
c/o
Answers Corporation, Jerusalem Technology Park, The Tower, Jerusalem
91481
Israel
|
|
65,983
|
(4)
|
|
*
|
|
Jeffrey
S. Cutler
|
|
119,166
|
(5)
|
|
1.52
|
|
Bruce
D. Smith
|
|
49,687
|
(6)
|
|
*
|
|
Jerry
Colonna
|
|
26,756
|
(7)
|
|
*
|
|
Lawrence
S. Kramer
|
|
20,178
|
(8)
|
|
*
|
|
Mark
B. Segall
|
|
25,668
|
(9)
|
|
*
|
|
Edward
G. Sim
|
|
30,636
|
(10)
|
|
*
|
|
Yehuda
Sternlicht
|
|
11,756
|
(11)
|
|
*
|
|
Mark
A. Tebbe
|
|
60,058
|
(12)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
All
directors and executive officers
|
|
|
|
|
||
As
a group (11 individuals):
|
|
1,014,332
|
|
12.92
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
5%
or greater stockholders:
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
Royce
& Associates, LLC
1414
Avenue of the Americas
New
York, NY 10019
|
|
972,610
|
(13)
|
|
12.38
|
|
Trellus
Management Company, LLC
350
Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
New
York, New York 10017
|
|
440,000
|
(14)
|
|
5.60
|
|
1)
|
Unless
otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the following
is c/o
Answers Corporation, 237 West 35th
Street, Suite 1101, New York, NY 10001.
|
2)
|
Consists
of 300,960 shares of common stock and 233,343 shares of common stock
issuable upon exercise of options.
|
3)
|
Consists
of 7,500 shares of common stock and 62,641 shares of common stock
issuable
upon exercise of options.
|
4)
|
Consists
of 65,983 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
options.
|
5)
|
Consists
of 119,166 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
options.
|
6)
|
Consists
of 5,000 shares of common stock and 44,687 shares of common stock
issuable
upon exercise of options.
|
7)
|
Consists
of 26,756 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
options.
|
8)
|
Consists
of 20,178 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
options.
|
9)
|
Consists
of 2,500 shares of common stock and 23,168 shares of common stock
issuable
upon exercise of options.
|
10)
|
Consists
of 916 shares of common stock and 29,720 shares of common stock issuable
upon exercise of options.
|
11)
|
Consists
of 11,756 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
options.
|
12)
|
Consists
of 35,062 shares of common stock and 24,996 shares of common stock
issuable upon exercise of options.
|
13)
|
Based
on information included on Form 13-G filed with the SEC on January
17,
2007
|
14)
|
Based
on information included on Form 13-G filed with the SEC on February
13,
2007
|
Name
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
|
Robert
S. Rosenschein
|
53
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board
|
|
Steven
Steinberg
|
46
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
Jeff
Schneiderman
|
43
|
|
Chief
Technical Officer
|
|
Jeffrey
S. Cutler
|
44
|
|
Chief
Revenue Officer
|
|
Bruce
D. Smith
|
46
|
|
Vice-President
Strategic Development
|
Name
&Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
|
Option
Awards ($) *
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
Change
in
Pension
Value
And
Non-Qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
|
|
All
Other
Compensation
($)
(6)
|
|
Total
($)
|
Robert
S. Rosenschein (1)
|
|
2006
|
|
209,724(9)
|
—
|
—
|
98,406
|
—
|
—
|
31,884(7)
|
340,014
|
|||||||
Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
2005
|
|
189,924(9)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
58,442(8)
|
248,366
|
|||||||
And
Chairman
|
|
2004
|
|
179,563(9)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
22,451
|
202,014
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Steve
Steinberg (2)
|
|
2006
|
|
131,928(9)
|
—
|
—
|
93,982
|
—
|
—
|
27,371
|
253,281
|
|||||||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
2005
|
|
125,317(9)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
26,958
|
152,275
|
|||||||
|
|
2004
|
|
111,924(9)
|
30,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
26,374
|
168,298
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Jeffrey
S. Cutler (3)
|
|
2006
|
|
225,000(9)
|
130,526
|
—
|
493,022
|
—
|
—
|
34,077
|
882,625
|
|||||||
Chief
Revenue Officer
|
|
2005
|
|
178,990(9)
|
30,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
26,370
|
235,360
|
|||||||
|
2004
|
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Jeff
Schneiderman (4)
|
|
2006
|
|
131,400
|
—
|
—
|
94,619
|
—
|
—
|
27,341
|
253,360
|
|||||||
Chief
Technical Officer
|
|
2005
|
|
107,342
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
25,568
|
132,910
|
|||||||
|
2004
|
|
96,924
|
500
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
25,399
|
122,823
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Bruce
D. Smith (5)
|
|
2006
|
|
182,952
|
—
|
—
|
147,959
|
—
|
—
|
29,299
|
360,210
|
|||||||
VP
- Strategic
|
|
2005
|
|
74,936
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
14,760
|
89,696
|
|||||||
Development
|
|
2004
|
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||
|
* |
Amounts
represent stock-based compensation expense for fiscal year 2006,
resulting
from the adoption of SFAS 123R, as discussed in Note 2 (i),
"Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation," of the Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements included elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report
on
Form 10-KSB.
|
(1) |
Mr.
Rosenschein was appointed our Chief Executive Officer in May 2001.
|
(2) |
Mr.
Steinberg was appointed our Chief Financial Officer in January
2004.
|
(3) |
Mr.
Cutler was appointed our Chief Revenue Officer in March
2005.
|
(4) |
Mr.
Schneiderman was appointed our Chief Technical Officer in March
2003.
|
(5) |
Mr.
Smith was appointed VP - Strategic Development in July 2005.
|
(6) |
With
the exception of reimbursement of expenses incurred by our
named executive
officers during the scope of their employment and unless expressly
stated
otherwise in a footnote below, none of the named executive
officers received other compensation, perquisites
and/or personal benefits in excess of
$10,000.
|
(7) |
Includes
a deposit of $10,486 into a pension fund for the benefit of Mr.
Rosenschein.
|
(8) |
Includes
a one-time lump sum payment of $26,000 for unused vacation days
that
accrued over the course of 2004 and previous
years.
|
(9) |
Does
not include benefit associated with possession of company-leased
vehicle.
|
Name
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
All
Other
Option
Awards:
Number
of Securities
Underlying Options
(#)
|
|
Exercise
or Base
Price
of Option
Awards
($/Sh)
|
Total
Grant-Date
Fair
Value
($)
|
|
Robert
S. Rosenschein
|
|
January
30, 2006(1)
|
|
80,000
|
13.75
|
429,407
|
||
Steve
Steinberg
|
|
January
30, 2006(1)
|
|
55,000
|
13.75
|
295,218
|
||
Jeffrey
S. Cutler
|
|
January
30, 2006(1)
|
|
20,000
|
13.75
|
107,352
|
||
Jeff
Schneiderman
|
|
January
30, 2006(1)
|
|
65,000
|
13.75
|
348,894
|
||
Bruce
D. Smith
|
January
30, 2006(1)
|
15,000
|
13.75
|
80,514
|
||||
June
21, 2006(1)
|
15,000
|
9.65
|
56,014
|
(1)
|
25%
of the grant exercisable as of 12 months following the Grant Date;
1/36 of
the remainder exercisable on each of the following 36 monthly
anniversaries.
|
|
|
||||||||||
Name
|
|
Number
of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
|
|
Number
of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
($/Sh)
|
|
Option
Expiration
Date
|
|
||
Robert
S. Rosenschein
|
176,432
|
65,532
|
5.06
|
August
5, 2013
|
|||||||
|
—
|
80,000
|
13.75
|
January
30, 2012
|
|
||||||
Steve
Steinberg
|
10,634
|
227
|
11.51
|
August
5, 2013
|
|||||||
10,521
|
544
|
0.69
|
August
5, 2013
|
||||||||
17,648
|
4,073
|
2.76
|
August
5, 2013
|
||||||||
13,725
|
12,628
|
5.25
|
November
9, 2014
|
||||||||
|
—
|
55,000
|
13.75
|
January
30, 2012
|
|
||||||
Jeffrey
S. Cutler
|
87,500
|
112,500
|
20.35
|
March
15, 2015
|
|||||||
|
—
|
20,000
|
13.75
|
January
30, 2012
|
|
||||||
Jeff
Schneiderman
|
5,648
|
—
|
1.15
|
March
21, 2009
|
|||||||
10,861
|
—
|
2.76
|
October
20, 2009
|
||||||||
4,345
|
—
|
6.91
|
April
8, 2010
|
||||||||
8,689
|
—
|
11.51
|
August
1, 2011
|
||||||||
6,081
|
—
|
0.69
|
August
5, 2013
|
||||||||
11,914
|
10,962
|
5.25
|
November
9, 2014
|
||||||||
—
|
65,000
|
13.75
|
January
30, 2012
|
||||||||
Bruce
D. Smith
|
26,562
|
48,438
|
15.35
|
July
17, 2015
|
|||||||
—
|
15,000
|
13.75
|
January
30, 2012
|
||||||||
|
—
|
15,000
|
9.65
|
June
21, 2012
|
|
Options
Awards
|
||||
Name
|
Number
of
Shares
Acquired
on
Exercise
(#)
|
Value
Realized
Upon
Exercise
($)
|
||
Robert
S. Rosenschein
|
—
|
—
|
||
Steve
Steinberg
|
15,000
|
145,336
|
||
Jeffrey
S. Cutler
|
—
|
—
|
||
Jeff
Schneiderman
|
26,500
|
279,514
|
||
Bruce
D. Smith
|
—
|
—
|
|
|
No.
of Securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options,
warrants
and rights
(a)
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
(b)
|
|
No.
of securities
remaining
available
for
future issuance
under
equity
compensation
plans
(excluding
securities
reflected
in column
(a))
(c)
|
|
|||
Equity
compensation plans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
approved
by security holders
|
|
|
1,904,844
|
|
$
|
10.80
|
|
|
401,853
|
|
Equity
compensation plans not
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
approved
by security holders
|
|
|
1,193,414
|
|
$
|
15.79
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
|
|
|
3,098,258
|
|
|
|
|
|
401,853
|
|
January
1, 2006
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||
Company/Market/Index
|
$
|
$
|
|||||
Answers
Corporation
|
100
|
116.64
|
|||||
Nasdaq
Composite Index
|
100
|
109.52
|
|||||
Goldman-Sachs
Internet Index
|
100
|
97.35
|
o FOR ALL THREE NOMINEES (except as marked to the contrary) | NOMINEES | |
o WITHHOLD AUTHORITY (to withhold authority to vote for any of the nominees, strike a line through the nominee’s name. |
Robert S. Rosenschein Yehuda
Sternlicht
|
|
Mark B. Segall |
2.
|
To
ratify the appointment by our Audit Committee of
|
|||||||
|
Somekh
Chaikin, a member of KPMG International,
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
to
serve as Answers' independent registered public
accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending
December
31, 2007.
|
FOR
o
|
|
AGAINST
o
|
|
ABSTAIN
o
|
3. |
In
their discretion, the proxies are authorized to
vote
|
upon any other business that may properly come before |
the Annual Meeting. |
Note:
|
Please
sign exactly as your name appears hereon and mail it promptly even
though
you may plan to attend the Annual Meeting. When joint tenants hold
shares,
both should sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator,
trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If you are signing
as
a representative of the named stockholders (e.g., as a trustee, corporate
officer or other agent on behalf of a trust, corporation, partnership
or
other entity) you should indicate your title or the capacity in which
you
sign.
|
1. |
Meet
to review and discuss with management and the independent accountants
the
annual audited financial statements, including disclosures made in
"management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and
results
of operations" section of the Company's Exchange Act reports, and
recommend to the full Board whether the audited financial statements
should be included in the Company's Form
10-K.
|
2. |
Meet
to review and discuss with management and the independent accountants
the
Company's quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of its
Form
10-Q, including the results of the independent accountants' review
of the
quarterly financial statements.
|
3. |
Discuss
with management and the independent accountants significant financial
reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation
of
the Company's financial statements, including any significant changes
in
the Company's selection or application of accounting principles,
any major
issues as to the adequacy of the Company's internal controls and
any
special steps adopted in light of material control
deficiencies.
|
4. |
Meet
to review and discuss quarterly results from the independent accountants
review procedures on:
|
1. |
All
critical accounting policies and practices to be used, including
critical
and significant accounting
releases.
|
2. |
All
alternative treatments of financial information within accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America that
have
been discussed with management, ramifications of the use of such
alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred
by the
independent accountants.
|
3. |
Other
material written communications between the independent accountants
and
management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted
differences.
|
5. |
Discuss
with management the Company's earnings press releases, including
the use
of "pro forma" or "adjusted" non-GAAP information, as well as financial
information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating
agencies. Such discussion may be done generally (consisting of discussing
the types of information to be disclosed and the types of presentations
to
be made).
|
6. |
Discuss
with management and the independent accountants the effect of regulatory
and accounting initiatives as well as off-balance sheet items on
the
Company's financial statements.
|
7. |
Discuss
with management the Company's major financial risk exposures and
the steps
management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including
the
Company's risk assessment and risk management policies and periodically
review the Company's cash and investment
positions.
|
8. |
Discuss
with the independent accountants the matters required to be discussed
by
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 relating to the conduct of
the
audit including any difficulties encountered in the course of the
audit
work, any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to requested
information, and any significant disagreements with
management.
|
9. |
Review
disclosures made to the Audit Committee by the Company's CEO and
CFO
during their certification process for the Form 10-K and Form 10-Q
about
any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
controls or material weaknesses therein and any fraud involving management
or other employees who have a significant role in the Company's internal
controls.
|
10. |
Review
and evaluate the lead partner of the independent accountants'
team.
|
11. |
Obtain
and review a report from the independent accountants at least annually
regarding (a) the independent accountants' internal quality-control
procedures, (b) any material issues raised by the most recent internal
quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by any inquiry
or
investigation by governmental or professional authorities within
the
preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried
out
by the firm, (c) any steps taken to deal with any such issues, and
(d) all
relationships between the independent accountants and the Company.
Evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence of the
independent accountants, including considering whether the accountants'
quality controls are adequate and the provision of permitted non-audit
services is compatible with maintaining the accountants' independence,
and
taking into account the opinions of management and internal
auditors.
|
12. |
Ensure
the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary
responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for
reviewing the audit at least every five years, and consider whether
the
auditing firm should be rotated at prescribed intervals as
well.
|
13. |
Recommend
to the Board policies for the Company's hiring of employees or former
employees of the independent accountants who participated in any
capacity
in the audit of the Company as well as monitoring the effect any
such
hiring has on independence.
|
14. |
Meet
with the independent accountants prior to the audit to discuss the
planning and staffing of the audit.
|
15. |
Review
the appointment and replacement of the senior internal
auditor.
|
16. |
Review
the significant reports to management prepared by the internal auditing
department and management's
responses.
|
17. |
Discuss
with management the internal audit department responsibilities, budget
and
staffing and any recommended changes in the planned scope of the
internal
audit.
|
18. |
Obtain
from the independent accountants assurance that Section 10A(b) of
the
Exchange Act has not been
implicated.
|
19. |
Obtain
reports from management, the Company's internal audit department
that the
Company and its subsidiary/foreign affiliated entities are in conformity
with applicable legal requirements and the Company's Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics. Review reports and disclosures of insider and
affiliated party transactions. Advise the Board with respect to the
Company's policies and procedures regarding compliance with applicable
laws and regulations and with the Company's Code of Business Conduct
and
Ethics. Review management's assertion on its assessment of the design,
implementation, adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls as
of the
end of the Company's most recent fiscal year. Review with the independent
accountants their report and attestation with respect to management's
evaluation of internal financial
controls.
|
20. |
Establish
procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints
received
by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls
or
auditing matters, and the confidential, anonymous submission by employees
of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing
matters.
|
21. |
Discuss
with management and the independent accountants any correspondence
with
regulators or governmental agencies and any published reports which
raise
material issues regarding the Company's financial statements or accounting
policies.
|
22. |
Discuss
with the Company's General Counsel legal matters that may have a
material
impact on the financial statements or the Company's compliance
policies.
|
Service
|
Range
of Fees
|
Statutory
audits or financial audits for subsidiaries or affiliates of the
Company
|
|
Services
associated with SEC registration statements, periodic reports and
other
documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection
with
securities offering (e.g., comfort letters, consents), and assistance
in
responding to SEC comment letters
|
|
Consultations
by the Company's management as to the accounting or disclosure treatment
of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of
final
or proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB,
or other
regulatory or standard setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some
consultations may be "audit-related" services rather than "audit"
services
|
Service
|
Range
of Fees
|
Due
diligence
services pertaining to potential business
acquisitions/dispositions
|
|
Financial
statement audits of employee benefit plans
|
|
Agreed-upon
or expanded audit procedures related to accounting and/or billing
records
required to respond to or comply with financial, accounting or regulatory
reporting matters
|
|
Internal
control reviews and assistance with internal control reporting
requirements
|
|
Consultations
by the Company's management as to the accounting or disclosure treatment
of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of
final
or proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB,
or other
regulatory or standard-setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some
consultations may be "audit" services rather than "audit-related"
services)
|
|
Attest
services not required by statute or regulation
|
Service
|
Range
of Fees
|
U.S.
federal, state and local tax planning and advice
|
|
U.S.
federal, state and local tax compliance
|
|
International
tax planning and advice
|
|
International
tax compliance
|
|
Review
of federal, state, local and international income, franchise, and
other
tax returns
|
|
Licensing
[or purchase] of income tax preparation software from the independent
auditor, provided the functionality is limited to preparation of
tax
returns
|
Service
|
Range
of Fees
|
· |
Bookkeeping
or other services related to the accounting records or financial
statements of Answers Corporation
|
· |
Financial
information systems design and
implementation
|
· |
Appraisal
or valuation services, fairness opinions or contribution-in-kind
reports
|
· |
Actuarial
services
|
· |
Internal
audit outsourcing services
|
· |
Management
functions
|
· |
Human
resources
|
· |
Broker-dealer,
investment advisor or investment banking
services
|
· |
Legal
services
|
1. |
The
Committee will only consider director candidates recommended by any
stockholder who has continuously held at least 1% of the Company’s voting
securities (either directly or as part of a group) for at least one
year
prior to the date such stockholder’s written recommendation was submitted
to the Company.
|
2. |
The
Committee will only consider recommendations it receives by no later
than
January 31st of any given year.
|
3. |
In
order to provide for an orderly and informed review and selection
process
for director candidates, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”)
has determined that stockholders who wish to recommend director candidates
for consideration by the Committee must comply with the
following:
|
a. |
The
recommendation must be made in writing to the Company’s corporate
secretary, Caleb Chill, Answers Corporation, 237 West 35th
Street, Suite 1101, New York, New York
10001;
|
b. |
The
recommendation must include the candidate’s name, home and business
contact information, detailed biographical data and qualifications,
information regarding any relationships between the candidate and
the
Company within the last three years and appropriate evidence of the
recommending stockholder’s requisite ownership of the Company’s common
stock;
|
c. |
The
recommendation shall also contain a statement from the recommending
stockholder in support of the candidate; professional references,
particularly within the context of those relevant to board membership,
including issues of character, judgment, diversity, age, independence,
expertise, corporate experience, length of service, other commitments
and
the like, and personal references;
|
d. |
The
recommendation shall also contain a statement as to whether, in the
view
of the recommending stockholder, the candidate, if elected, would
represent all stockholders and not serve for the purpose of advancing
or
favoring any particular stockholder or other constituency of the
Company;
and
|
e. |
A
statement from the recommended candidate indicating that such person
(i)
is interested in being a Board candidate, (ii) is not prevented for
any
reason whatsoever form serving on the Board and (iii) could be considered
"independent" under the Rules and Regulations of Nasdaq and the Securities
and Exchange Commission, as in effect at that
time.
|
4. |
The
Committee, according to the criteria discussed above and in the same
manner as with all other director candidates, will evaluate all candidates
submitted by stockholders. The Committee will advise the recommending
stockholder of its final decision.
|