UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

__________________

 

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

 

 

x

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2007


o


TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from __________ to __________

 

Commission File Number: 0-21174

 

__________________

 

Avid Technology, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)

 

04-2977748

(I.R.S. Employer
 Identification No.)

 

 

Avid Technology Park, One Park West

Tewksbury, Massachusetts 01876

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

 

(978) 640-6789

(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

__________________

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

 

Yes  x        No  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of "accelerated filer and large accelerated filer" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

Large Accelerated Filer  x  

Accelerated Filer  o  

Non-accelerated Filer  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 

Yes  o        No  x

 

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's Common Stock as of October 31, 2007 was 41,063,829.

 

 

 

 


AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

 

FORM 10-Q

 

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2007

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

PART I.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

ITEM 1.

Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements:

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) for
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007 and 2006


1

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) as of
September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006


2

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) for
the nine months ended September 30, 2007 and 2006


3

 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)

4

ITEM 2.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations


18

ITEM 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk

30

ITEM 4.

Controls and Procedures

31

 

 

 

PART II.

OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

ITEM 1.

Legal Proceedings

32

ITEM 1A.

Risk Factors

32

ITEM 6.

Exhibits

33

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

34

 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

35

 

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. For this purpose, any statements contained herein regarding our strategy, future plans or operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects and objectives of management, other than statements of historical facts, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond our control, including the factors discussed in Part I - Item 1A under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, and as referenced in Part II - Item 1A of this report. In addition, the forward-looking statements contained herein represent our estimates only as of the date of this filing and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

 

 


PART I.   FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM 1.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands except per share data, unaudited)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Net revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Products

 

$

198,817

 

 

 

$

203,274

 

 

 

$

583,630

 

 

 

$

595,597

 

Services

 

 

28,009

 

 

 

 

27,959

 

 

 

 

87,420

 

 

 

 

75,932

 

Total net revenues

 

 

226,826

 

 

 

 

231,233

 

 

 

 

671,050

 

 

 

 

671,529

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Products

 

 

93,397

 

 

 

 

99,202

 

 

 

 

279,100

 

 

 

 

284,382

 

Services

 

 

16,054

 

 

 

 

13,968

 

 

 

 

49,487

 

 

 

 

41,095

 

Amortization of intangible assets

 

 

4,096

 

 

 

 

6,208

 

 

 

 

13,329

 

 

 

 

16,304

 

Restructuring costs

 

 

2,797

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,797

 

 

 

 

 

Total cost of revenues

 

 

116,344

 

 

 

 

119,378

 

 

 

 

344,713

 

 

 

 

341,781

 

Gross profit

 

 

110,482

 

 

 

 

111,855

 

 

 

 

326,337

 

 

 

 

329,748

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

 

36,471

 

 

 

 

35,250

 

 

 

 

112,657

 

 

 

 

106,363

 

Marketing and selling

 

 

48,832

 

 

 

 

50,641

 

 

 

 

157,031

 

 

 

 

153,136

 

General and administrative

 

 

20,514

 

 

 

 

16,021

 

 

 

 

56,064

 

 

 

 

47,011

 

Amortization of intangible assets

 

 

3,432

 

 

 

 

3,298

 

 

 

 

10,295

 

 

 

 

10,940

 

Restructuring costs (recoveries), net

 

 

6,297

 

 

 

 

(1,620

)

 

 

 

8,072

 

 

 

 

(554

)

In-process research and development

 

 

 

 

 

 

569

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

879

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

115,546

 

 

 

 

104,159

 

 

 

 

344,119

 

 

 

 

317,775

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

 

 

(5,064

)

 

 

 

7,696

 

 

 

 

(17,782

)

 

 

 

11,973

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

2,100

 

 

 

 

1,977

 

 

 

 

6,126

 

 

 

 

6,190

 

Interest expense

 

 

(226

)

 

 

 

(137

)

 

 

 

(448

)

 

 

 

(324

)

Other income (expense), net

 

 

106

 

 

 

 

(8

)

 

 

 

220

 

 

 

 

(183

)

Income (loss) before income taxes

 

 

(3,084

)

 

 

 

9,528

 

 

 

 

(11,884

)

 

 

 

17,656

 

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes, net

 

 

2,769

 

 

 

 

5,935

 

 

 

 

(52

)

 

 

 

8,018

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(5,853

)

 

 

$

3,593

 

 

 

$

(11,832

)

 

 

$

9,638

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per common share – basic

 

$

(0.14

)

 

 

$

0.09

 

 

 

$

(0.29

)

 

 

$

0.23

 

Net income (loss) per common share – diluted

 

$

(0.14

)

 

 

$

0.08

 

 

 

$

(0.29

)

 

 

$

0.22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – basic

 

 

40,798

 

 

 

 

41,531

 

 

 

 

40,963

 

 

 

 

41,978

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – diluted

 

 

40,798

 

 

 

 

42,281

 

 

 

 

40,963

 

 

 

 

42,845

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

1

 


AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

 

September 30,
2007

 

 

 

December 31,
2006

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

152,089

 

 

 

$

96,279

 

Marketable securities

 

 

45,150

 

 

 

 

75,828

 

Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $19,164 and $23,087 at

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively

 

 

140,363

 

 

 

 

138,578

 

Inventories

 

 

133,732

 

 

 

 

144,238

 

Deferred tax assets, net

 

 

1,303

 

 

 

 

1,254

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

10,044

 

 

 

 

8,648

 

Other current assets

 

 

21,989

 

 

 

 

19,114

 

Total current assets

 

 

504,670

 

 

 

 

483,939

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

45,780

 

 

 

 

40,483

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

78,425

 

 

 

 

102,048

 

Goodwill

 

 

360,550

 

 

 

 

360,143

 

Other assets

 

 

11,983

 

 

 

 

10,421

 

Total assets

 

$

1,001,408

 

 

 

$

997,034

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

35,442

 

 

 

$

34,108

 

Accrued compensation and benefits

 

 

29,073

 

 

 

 

22,246

 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

 

 

50,935

 

 

 

 

52,801

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

11,254

 

 

 

 

13,284

 

Deferred revenues

 

 

82,159

 

 

 

 

73,743

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

208,863

 

 

 

 

196,182

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term liabilities

 

 

19,029

 

 

 

 

20,471

 

Total liabilities

 

 

227,892

 

 

 

 

216,653

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contingencies (Note 11)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock

 

 

423

 

 

 

 

423

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

964,330

 

 

 

 

952,763

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(158,799

)

 

 

 

(134,708

)

Treasury stock at cost, net of reissuances

 

 

(44,536

)

 

 

 

(43,768

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

12,098

 

 

 

 

5,671

 

Total stockholders' equity

 

 

773,516

 

 

 

 

780,381

 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

 

$

1,001,408

 

 

 

$

997,034

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

2

 


AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(11,832

)

 

 

$

9,638

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

40,200

 

 

 

 

43,527

 

Provision for (recoveries of) doubtful accounts

 

 

742

 

 

 

 

(609

)

Non-cash provision for restructuring

 

 

2,857

 

 

 

 

 

In-process research and development

 

 

 

 

 

 

879

 

(Gain) loss on disposal of fixed assets

 

 

(109

)

 

 

 

147

 

Compensation expense from stock grants and options

 

 

12,091

 

 

 

 

13,256

 

Equity in loss of non-consolidated company

 

 

 

 

 

 

203

 

Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities, excluding initial effects of acquisitions

 

 

(2,854

)

 

 

 

(1,582

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding initial effects of acquisitions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

643

 

 

 

 

(1,083

)

Inventories

 

 

8,409

 

 

 

 

(34,740

)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

(3,484

)

 

 

 

1,098

 

Accounts payable

 

 

1,066

 

 

 

 

(3,357

)

Accrued expenses, compensation and benefits and other liabilities

 

 

4,895

 

 

 

 

(11,039

)

Income taxes payable

 

 

(2,333

)

 

 

 

7,559

 

Deferred revenues

 

 

8,695

 

 

 

 

(1,230

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

58,986

 

 

 

 

22,667

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property and equipment

 

 

(20,253

)

 

 

 

(14,711

)

Payments for other long-term assets

 

 

(1,467

)

 

 

 

(886

)

Payments for business acquisitions, including transaction costs, net of cash acquired

 

 

(529

)

 

 

 

(43,351

)

Purchases of marketable securities

 

 

(6,351

)

 

 

 

(53,198

)

Proceeds from sales of marketable securities

 

 

40,789

 

 

 

 

82,422

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

 

 

12,189

 

 

 

 

(29,724

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments on capital lease obligations

 

 

(51

)

 

 

 

(74

)

Purchases of common stock for treasury

 

 

(23,687

)

 

 

 

(50,043

)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock plans

 

 

10,139

 

 

 

 

5,736

 

Net cash used in financing activities

 

 

(13,599

)

 

 

 

(44,381

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

 

 

(1,766

)

 

 

 

1,112

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

55,810

 

 

 

 

(50,326

)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

 

96,279

 

 

 

 

123,073

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 

$

152,089

 

 

 

$

72,747

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3

 


 

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

 

1.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Avid Technology, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, "Avid" or the "Company"). These financial statements are unaudited. However, in the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments, necessary for their fair statement. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results expected for a full year. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and therefore do not include all information and footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of operations, financial position and cash flows of the Company in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 was derived from Avid's audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles. The Company filed audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2006 in its 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which included all information and footnotes necessary for such presentation. The financial statements contained in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements in the Form 10-K. Certain amounts in the prior year's financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

 

The Company's preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. The most significant estimates reflected in these financial statements include accounts receivable and sales allowances, purchase accounting, stock-based compensation, inventory valuation and income tax asset valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from the Company's estimates.

 

2.

NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE

 

Basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share are as follows (in thousands, except per share data):

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(5,853

)

 

 

$

3,593

 

 

 

$

(11,832

)

 

 

$

9,638

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic

 

 

40,798

 

 

 

 

41,531

 

 

 

 

40,963

 

 

 

 

41,978

 

Weighted-average potential common stock:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options

 

 

 

 

 

 

750

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

867

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted

 

 

40,798

 

 

 

 

42,281

 

 

 

 

40,963

 

 

 

 

42,845

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per common share – basic

 

$

(0.14

)

 

 

$

0.09

 

 

 

$

(0.29

)

 

 

$

0.23

 

Net income (loss) per common share – diluted

 

$

(0.14

)

 

 

$

0.08

 

 

 

$

(0.29

)

 

 

$

0.22

 

 

 

4

 


The following table sets forth (in thousands) potential common shares, on a weighted-average basis, that are considered anti-dilutive securities and are excluded from the diluted net income per share calculations because the exercise price per share is greater than the average market price of our common stock for the relevant period.

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

2007

 

2006

 

2007

 

2006

Options

2,855

 

2,618

 

2,818

 

2,554

Warrant

1,155

 

1,155

 

1,155

 

1,155

Non-vested restricted stock and restricted stock units

107

 

226

 

29

 

176

Anti-dilutive potential common shares

4,117

 

3,999

 

4,002

 

3,885

 

The following table sets forth (in thousands) common stock equivalents excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 because the effect would be anti-dilutive due to the net loss for the periods.

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30, 2007

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2007

Options

397

 

520

Non-vested restricted stock and restricted stock units

38

 

38

Anti-dilutive common stock equivalents

435

 

558

 

3.

ACQUISITIONS

 

Sibelius

 

In July 2006 the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Sibelius Software Limited ("Sibelius") for cash, net of cash acquired, of $20.3 million plus transaction costs of $0.7 million and $0.5 million for the fair value of stock options assumed. In the third quarter of 2006, the Company performed an allocation of the purchase price to the net tangible assets and intangible assets of Sibelius based on their fair values as of the consummation of the acquisition. The purchase price was allocated as follows: $1.0 million to net tangible assets acquired, $9.2 million to amortizable identifiable intangible assets, $0.5 million to in-process research and development ("R&D") and the remaining $10.8 million to goodwill. An additional $3.2 million was recorded as goodwill for deferred tax liabilities related to non-deductible intangible asset amortization. During the fourth quarter of 2006, the Company received a cash refund of $0.3 million related to the settlement of a purchase price adjustment clause in the acquisition agreement that was recorded as a decrease to goodwill. Also during the fourth quarter of 2006 and the first three months of 2007, the Company continued its analysis of the fair values of certain assets and liabilities, primarily deferred tax assets and tax reserves, and recorded an increase in the value of net assets acquired of $0.3 million with a corresponding decrease to goodwill.

 

The amortizable identifiable intangible assets include developed technology valued at $6.6 million, customer relationships valued at $1.8 million and a trade name valued at $0.8 million. Amortization expense for these intangibles totaled $0.5 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and $1.6 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. Accumulated amortization was $2.4 million at September 30, 2007. The allocation of $0.5 million to in-process R&D was expensed at the time of acquisition and represents technology that had not yet reached technological feasibility and had no alternative future use.

 

Sundance

 

In April 2006 the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Sundance Digital, Inc. ("Sundance") for cash, net of cash acquired, of $11.2 million plus transaction costs of $0.2 million. In the second quarter of 2006, the Company performed an allocation of the purchase price to the net tangible and intangible assets of Sundance based on their fair values as of the consummation of the acquisition. The purchase price was allocated as follows: ($4.0) million to net liabilities assumed, $5.6 million to amortizable identifiable intangible assets and the remaining $9.8 million to goodwill. During the remainder of 2006 and the first three months of 2007, the Company continued its analysis of the fair values of certain assets and liabilities primarily related to accounts receivable reserves. Accordingly, the Company recorded

 

5

 


adjustments to these assets and liabilities resulting in a net increase of $0.5 million in the value of the net liabilities assumed and a corresponding increase to goodwill.

 

The amortizable identifiable intangible assets include developed technology valued at $3.9 million, customer relationships valued at $1.0 million, non-competition agreements valued at $0.4 million and trademarks and a trade name valued at $0.3 million. Amortization expense for these intangibles totaled $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and $1.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. Accumulated amortization was $2.7 million at September 30, 2007.

 

Medea

 

In January 2006 the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Medea Corporation ("Medea") for cash of $8.9 million plus transaction costs of $0.2 million. In the first quarter of 2006, the Company performed an allocation of the purchase price to the net tangible and intangible assets of Medea based on their fair values as of the consummation of the acquisition. The purchase price was allocated as follows: ($2.1) million to net liabilities assumed, $3.8 million to amortizable identifiable intangible assets, $0.3 million to in-process R&D and the remaining $7.1 million to goodwill. During the remainder of 2006, the Company continued its analysis of the fair values of certain assets and liabilities primarily related to accruals for employee terminations and a facility closure. Accordingly, the Company recorded adjustments to these assets and liabilities resulting in a $1.1 million increase in net liabilities assumed and a corresponding increase to goodwill.

 

The amortizable identifiable intangible assets include developed technology valued at $2.7 million, customer relationships valued at $0.7 million, order backlog valued at $0.3 million and non-competition agreements valued at $0.1 million. Amortization expense for these intangibles totaled $0.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and $1.1 million and $1.3 million, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. Accumulated amortization for the customer relationships, non-competition agreements and developed technology was $2.4 million at September 30, 2007. The order backlog, which had an estimated useful life of six months, was fully amortized during the first two quarters of 2006. The allocation of $0.3 million to in-process R&D was expensed at the time of acquisition.

 

Pinnacle

 

In August 2005 the Company completed the acquisition of Pinnacle Systems, Inc. ("Pinnacle") for $72.1 million in cash plus common stock consideration of approximately $362.9 million in exchange for all of the outstanding shares of Pinnacle. Avid also incurred $6.5 million of transaction costs. During 2005 the Company allocated the total purchase price of $441.4 million as follows: $91.8 million to net assets acquired, $90.8 million to amortizable identifiable intangible assets, $32.3 million to in-process R&D and the remaining $226.5 million to goodwill. As of December 31, 2005, $135.9 million of goodwill was assigned to the Company's Consumer Video segment and $90.6 million was assigned to the Professional Video segment.

 

During 2006 the Company continued its analysis of the fair values of certain assets and liabilities, in particular accruals for employee terminations, facilities closures, contract terminations, inventory reserves, deferred tax assets and tax reserves, and certain other accruals. Accordingly, the Company recorded adjustments to these assets and liabilities resulting in a $12.7 million increase in the value of the net assets acquired and a corresponding decrease to goodwill.

 

In December 2006 the Company's annual goodwill impairment testing determined that the carrying value of the goodwill assigned to the Consumer Video segment exceeded its implied fair value by $53.0 million. The Company recorded this amount as an impairment loss and a reduction to goodwill.

 

During the first three months of 2007, the Company recorded a further $0.3 million reduction in the deferred tax liabilities assumed and a corresponding decrease in goodwill. At September 30, 2007, the total goodwill was $160.5 million with $78.0 assigned to the Consumer Video segment and $82.5 million assigned to the Professional Video segment.

 

The amortizable identifiable intangible assets include developed technology valued at $41.2 million, customer relationships valued at $34.4 million and trade names valued at $15.2 million. Amortization expense for these intangibles totaled $4.4 million and $6.5 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and $14.5 million and $19.1 million, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. Accumulated amortization was $51.5 million at September 30, 2007.

 

6

 


Wizoo

 

In August 2005 the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Wizoo Sound Design GmbH ("Wizoo") for a total purchase price of $5.1 million allocated as follows: ($0.6 million) to net liabilities assumed, $1.2 million to amortizable identifiable intangible assets, $0.1 million to in-process R&D and the remaining $4.4 million to goodwill. As part of the purchase agreement, Avid was contingently obligated to make additional payments to the former shareholders of Wizoo of up to €1.0 million, dependent upon Wizoo achieving certain engineering milestones through January 2008. During 2006 three engineering milestones were met and €0.6 million ($0.8 million) was recorded as additional purchase price. During the first quarter of 2007, the final milestone was met and an additional €0.4 million ($0.5 million) was recorded as additional purchase price. Also, during 2006, goodwill was reduced by $0.5 million primarily as a result of an increase in the value of net assets acquired due to the utilization of Wizoo deferred tax assets, resulting in a goodwill balance of $5.2 million at September 30, 2007.

 

Amortizable Identifiable Intangible Assets

 

As a result of the above acquisitions, as well as the acquisitions of M-Audio, Avid Nordic AB and NXN Software in prior years, amortizable identifiable intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30, 2007

 

 

 

December 31, 2006

 

 


Gross

 

 

 

Accumulated
Amortization

 

 

 


Net

 

 

 


Gross

 

 

 

Accumulated
Amortization

 

 

 


Net

Completed technologies
   and patents

 

$

65,727

 

 

 

$

(50,335)

 

 

 

$

15,392

 

 

 

$

66,298

 

 

 

$

(36,984)

 

 

 

$

29,314

Customer relationships
    and order backlog

 

 

71,701

 

 

 

 

(22,870)

 

 

 

 

48,831

 

 

 

 

72,041

 

 

 

 

(16,204)

 

 

 

 

55,837

Trade names

 

 

21,316

 

 

 

 

(7,486)

 

 

 

 

13,830

 

 

 

 

21,316

 

 

 

 

(5,093)

 

 

 

 

16,223

Non-compete covenants

 

 

1,704

 

 

 

 

(1,573)

 

 

 

 

131

 

 

 

 

1,704

 

 

 

 

(1,384)

 

 

 

 

320

License agreements

 

 

560

 

 

 

 

(319)

 

 

 

 

241

 

 

 

 

560

 

 

 

 

(206)

 

 

 

 

354

 

 

$

161,008

 

 

 

$

(82,583)

 

 

 

$

78,425

 

 

 

$

161,919

 

 

 

$

(59,871)

 

 

 

$

102,048

 

Amortization expense related to all intangible assets in the aggregate was $7.5 million and $9.5 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and $23.6 million and $27.2 million, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. The Company expects amortization of these intangible assets to be approximately $7 million for the remainder of 2007, $21 million in 2008, $15 million in 2009, $12 million in 2010, $10 million in 2011, $5 million in 2012 and $8 million thereafter.

 

Pro Forma Financial Information for Acquisitions (Unaudited)

 

The results of operations of Sibelius, Sundance and Medea have been included in the results of operations of the Company since the respective date of each acquisition. The following unaudited pro forma financial information presents the results of operations for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 as if the acquisitions of Sibelius and Sundance had occurred at the beginning of 2006. Pro forma results of operations giving effect to the Medea acquisition are not included as they would not differ materially from reported results. The pro forma financial information for the combined entities has been prepared for comparative purposes only and is not indicative of what actual results would have been if the acquisitions had taken place at the beginning of 2006 or of future results.

 

(in thousands except per share data)

 

Three Months Ended
September 30, 2006

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2006

 

Net revenues

 

 

$232,249

 

 

$680,902

 

Net income

 

 

$3,867

 

 

$7,025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

$0.09

 

 

$0.17

 

Diluted

 

 

$0.09

 

 

$0.16

 

 

7

 


 

4.

INCOME TAXES

 

In June 2006 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued FASB Interpretation No. ("FIN") 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes – An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109, which clarified the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise's financial statement in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. FIN 48 requires that a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained before being recognized in the financial statements. The interpretation also requires the Company to accrue interest and penalties as applicable on its unrecognized tax positions.

 

FIN 48 was effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning January 1, 2007. As a result of the adoption of FIN 48, the Company recognized no adjustment in the liability for unrecognized income tax benefits. At January 1, 2007, Avid had $6.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits, of which $4.7 million would affect the Company's effective tax rate if recognized. In March 2007 a Canadian research and development tax credit audit for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 was completed. As a result, Avid recognized $3.0 million of previously unrecognized tax benefits. This amount was included in the tax benefits for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. At September 30, 2007, the Company's unrecognized tax benefits totaled $4.2 million, of which $2.0 million would affect the Company's effective tax rate if recognized. The remaining balance of $2.2 million, if recognized, would reduce goodwill. The Company does not anticipate a significant change to the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months.

 

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of September 30, 2007 and January 1, 2007, respectively, Avid had approximately $0.6 million and $0.7 million of accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions.

 

The tax years 2000 through 2006 remain open to examination by the taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates.

 

5.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

 

Accounts receivable, net of allowances, consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,
2007

 

 

 

December 31,
2006

 

Accounts receivable

 

$

159,527

 

 

 

$

161,665

 

Less:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

 

(2,532

)

 

 

 

(2,583

)

Allowance for sales returns and rebates

 

 

(16,632

)

 

 

 

(20,504

)

 

 

$

140,363

 

 

 

$

138,578

 

 

The accounts receivable balances as of September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, exclude approximately $45.0 million and $40.1 million, respectively, for large solution sales and certain distributor sales that were invoiced, but for which revenues had not been recognized and payments were not then due.

 

6.

INVENTORIES

 

Inventories, net of related reserves, consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,
2007

 

 

 

December 31,
2006

Raw materials

 

$

31,915

 

 

 

$

41,937

Work in process

 

 

7,440

 

 

 

 

9,140

Finished goods

 

 

94,377

 

 

 

 

93,161

 

 

$

133,732

 

 

 

$

144,238

 

 

8

 


As of September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the finished goods inventory includes inventory at customer locations of $29.9 million and $23.3 million, respectively, associated with products shipped to customers for which revenues had not yet been recognized.

 

7.

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

 

Property and equipment, net, consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,
2007

 

 

 

December 31,
2006

Computer and video equipment and software

 

$

125,793

 

 

 

$

117,654

Manufacturing tooling and testbeds

 

 

8,498

 

 

 

 

8,067

Office equipment

 

 

4,016

 

 

 

 

3,890

Furniture and fixtures

 

 

13,612

 

 

 

 

13,413

Leasehold improvements

 

 

30,306

 

 

 

 

26,371

 

 

 

182,225

 

 

 

 

169,395

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

 

136,445

 

 

 

 

128,912

 

 

$

45,780

 

 

 

$

40,483

 

8.

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES

 

Long-term liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,
2007

 

 

 

December 31,
2006

Long-term deferred tax liabilities

 

$

8,659

 

 

 

$

11,116

Long-term deferred revenue

 

 

4,175

 

 

 

 

3,851

Long-term deferred rent

 

 

3,122

 

 

 

 

3,396

Long-term accrued restructuring

 

 

3,073

 

 

 

 

2,108

 

 

$

19,029

 

 

 

$

20,471

 

9.

ACCOUNTING FOR STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

The Company has several stock-based compensation plans under which employees, officers, directors and consultants may be granted stock awards or options to purchase the Company's common stock, generally at the market price on the date of grant. Some plans allow for options to be granted at below-market prices under certain circumstances, although this is typically not the Company's practice. The options become exercisable over various periods, typically four years for employees and one year for non-employee directors, and have a maximum term of ten years. Stock awards typically vest over four years. As of September 30, 2007, 1,732,930 shares of common stock remain available to cover future stock option grants under the Company's stock-based compensation plans, including 1,565,579 shares that may alternatively be issued as awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units or other forms of stock-based compensation.

 

In accordance with SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004) ("SFAS No. 123(R)"), Share-Based Payment, the Company records stock-based compensation expense for the fair value of stock options. Stock-based compensation expense resulting from the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), the acquisition of M-Audio and the issuance of restricted stock and restricted stock units was included in the following captions in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006 (in thousands):

 

9

 


 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

             

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

2007

 

2006

 

2007

 

2006

Products cost of revenues

$   182

 

$   128

 

$   505

 

$   398

Services cost of revenues

248

 

196

 

696

 

623

Research and development expense

1,018

 

1,280

 

3,415

 

3,887

Marketing and selling expense

1,092

 

1,232

 

3,228

 

3,765

General and administrative expense

1,448

 

1,560

 

4,247

 

4,583

Total stock-based compensation expense

$3,988

 

$4,396

 

$12,091

 

$13,256

 

As of September 30, 2007, the Company had $39.6 million of total unrecognized compensation cost before forfeitures related to non-vested stock-based compensation awards granted under its stock-based compensation plans. This cost will be recognized over the next four years. The Company expects this amount to be amortized as follows: $4.5 million during the remainder of 2007, $14.6 million in 2008, $11.2 million in 2009 and $9.3 million thereafter. The weighted-average recognition period of the total unrecognized compensation cost is 1.56 years.

 

The following table sets forth the weighted-average key assumptions and fair value results for stock options granted during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006:

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

2007

 

2006

 

2007

 

2006

Expected dividend yield

0.00%

 

0.00%

 

0.00%

 

0.00%

Risk-free interest rate

4.63%

 

4.97%

 

4.77%

 

4.89%

Expected volatility

30.0%

 

34.6%

 

32.4%

 

35.5%

Expected life (in years)

4.27  

 

4.29  

 

4.35  

 

4.43  

Weighted-average fair value of options granted

$10.49  

 

$13.24  

 

$11.56  

 

$14.61  

 

Based primarily on the Company's historical turnover rates, an annualized estimated forfeiture rate of 6.5% has been used in calculating the estimated compensation cost for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. Additional expense will be recorded if the actual forfeiture rates are lower than estimated and a recovery of prior expense will be recorded if the actual forfeitures are higher than estimated.

 

The following table summarizes changes in the Company's stock option plans during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007:

 

 

 

Stock Options

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

 

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)

 

Options outstanding at December 31, 2006

 

3,972,043

 

 

$38.17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted

 

749,470

 

 

$33.75

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

(595,991

)

 

$16.63

 

 

 

 

 

Forfeited

 

(413,611

)

 

$40.52

 

 

 

 

 

Canceled

 

(263,823

)

 

$51.30

 

 

 

 

 

Options outstanding at September 30, 2007

 

3,448,088

 

 

$39.67

 

5.84

 

$6,884

 

Options vested at September 30, 2007 or expected to vest

 

3,312,438

 

 

$39.65

 

5.74

 

$6,863

 

Options exercisable at September 30, 2007

 

2,295,227

 

 

$39.61

 

4.68

 

$6,604

 

 

The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006 was approximately $7.7 million and $5.8 million, respectively. Cash received from the exercise of stock options was $9.9 million and $4.6 million for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The

 

10

 


Company did not realize any actual tax benefit from the tax deductions for stock option exercises during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006 due to the full valuation allowance on the Company's U.S. deferred tax assets.

 

The following tables summarize the changes in the Company's non-vested restricted stock units and non-vested restricted stock during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007:

 

 

 

Non-Vested Restricted Stock Units

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value

 

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term

 

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)

Non-vested at December 31, 2006

 

181,619

 

 

$47.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted

 

684,477

 

 

$33.85

 

 

 

 

Vested

 

(58,164

)

 

$47.01

 

 

 

 

Forfeited

 

(128,348

)

 

$38.10

 

 

 

 

Non-vested at September 30, 2007

 

679,584

 

 

$35.60

 

3.28

 

$18,396

 

 

 

 

Non-Vested Restricted Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value

 

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term

 

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)

Non-vested at December 31, 2006

 

10,618

 

 

$48.84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vested

 

(2,155

)

 

$47.01

 

 

 

 

Forfeited

 

(2,000

)

 

$56.72

 

 

 

 

Non-vested at September 30, 2007

 

6,463

 

 

$47.01

 

2.43

 

$175

 

The Company's Amended and Restated 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan authorizes the issuance of a maximum of 1,700,000 shares of common stock in quarterly offerings to employees at a price equal to 95% of the closing price on the applicable offering termination date. As of September 30, 2007, 260,362 shares remain available for issuance under this plan. Based on the plan design, the Company's Amended and Restated 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is considered noncompensatory under SFAS No. 123(R). Accordingly, the Company is not required to assign fair value to shares issued from this plan.

 

10.

STOCK REPURCHASES

 

A stock repurchase program was approved by the Company's board of directors effective May 1, 2007. Under this program, the Company is authorized to repurchase up to $100 million of the Company's common stock through transactions on the open market, in block trades or otherwise. Between May 1, 2007 and May 11, 2007, the Company repurchased 706,001 shares of the Company's common stock for a total purchase price of $23.7 million. The average price per share, including commissions, paid for these shares was $33.55. Subsequent to September 30, 2007, from October 30, 2007 through November 2, 2007, the Company repurchased an additional 103,235 shares of the Company's common stock for a total purchase price of $2.9 million. The average price per share, including commissions, paid for these shares was $28.60. This stock repurchase program is being funded using the Company's working capital.

 

A stock repurchase program was approved by the Company's board of directors effective July 21, 2006. Under this program, the Company was authorized to repurchase up to $50 million of the Company's common stock through transactions on the open market, in block trades or otherwise. The program was completed on August 7, 2006 with 1,432,327 shares of the Company's common stock repurchased from July 25, 2006 through the completion date. The average price per share, including commissions, paid for these shares was $34.94. This stock repurchase program was funded using the Company's working capital.

 

11

 


 

At September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, treasury shares held by the Company totaled 1.3 million shares and 1.2 million shares, respectively.

 

11.

CONTINGENCIES

 

On August 16, 2006, Trevor Blumenau filed a complaint against the Company in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent 5,664,216 (the "216 patent"), entitled Iconic Audiovisual Data Editing Environment. The complaint asserted that Avid develops, markets and sells software that infringes one or more claims in the 216 patent. On March 12, 2007, Avid filed an answer, denying infringement and making counterclaims seeking a declaratory judgment that the patent is invalid and unenforceable. On November 8, 2007, the parties reached a final settlement that did not have a material effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

 

On April 10, 2007, Disc Link Corporation filed a complaint against the Company and 25 other defendants in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent 6,314,574 (the "574 patent"), entitled Information Distribution System. The complaint alleged that Avid manufactures, uses, distributes and/or offers for sale products and/or systems that infringe one or more claims in the 574 patent, or induces and/or contributes to the infringement of the 574 patent by others. On August 7, 2007, the parties reached a final settlement that did not have a material effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

 

On May 24, 2007, David Engelke and Bryan Engelke filed a complaint against the Company's Pinnacle subsidiary in Pinellas County (Florida) Circuit Court, claiming that Pinnacle breached certain contracts among them and that the Engelkes are entitled to indemnification for damages (and attorneys' fees) awarded against them in litigation with a third party. The complaint, which seeks damages of approximately $17.7 million, was served on September 4, 2007. On September 28, 2007, the Florida appellate court reversed the damages award for which the Engelkes seek indemnification and remanded the case for a new damages trial with instructions that would limit the potential award to a sum significantly lower than the amount demanded in the Engelkes’ complaint against Pinnacle. Because the Company cannot predict the outcome of this action at this time, no costs have been accrued for any loss contingency; however, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

 

In addition, the Company is involved in legal proceedings from time to time arising from the normal course of business activities, including claims of alleged infringement of intellectual property rights and commercial, employment, piracy prosecution and other matters. Avid does not believe these matters will have a material adverse effect on its financial position or results of operations. However, the Company's financial position or results of operations may be negatively impacted by the unfavorable resolution of one or more of these proceedings.

 

From time to time, the Company provides indemnification provisions in agreements with customers covering potential claims by third parties of intellectual property infringement. These agreements generally provide that the Company will indemnify customers for losses incurred in connection with an infringement claim brought by a third party with respect to the Company's products. These indemnification provisions generally offer perpetual coverage for infringement claims based upon the products covered by the agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is theoretically unlimited; however, to date, the Company has not incurred material costs related to these indemnification provisions. As a result, the Company believes the estimated fair value of these indemnification provisions is minimal.

 

As permitted under Delaware law and pursuant to Avid's Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, the Company is obligated to indemnify its current and former officers and directors for certain events that occur or occurred while the officer or director is or was serving in such capacity. The term of the indemnification period is for each respective officer's or director's lifetime. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification obligations is unlimited; however, Avid has mitigated the exposure through the purchase of directors and officers insurance, which is intended to limit the risk and, in most cases, enable the Company to recover all or a portion of any future amounts paid. As a result of this insurance coverage, the Company believes the estimated fair value of these indemnification obligations is minimal.

 

The Company has a standby letter of credit at a bank that is used as a security deposit in connection with the lease for the Company's Daly City, California office. In the event of default on this lease, the landlord would, as of September 30,

 

12

 


2007, be eligible to draw against this letter of credit up to a maximum of $0.8 million. The letter of credit will remain in effect in the amount of $0.8 million throughout the remaining lease period, which extends to September 2014. As of September 30, 2007, the Company was not in default under the terms of the lease.

 

The Company, through a third party, provides lease financing options to its customers, including end users and, on a limited basis, resellers. During the terms of these leases, which are generally three years, the Company remains liable for any unpaid principal balance upon default by the customer, but such liability is limited in the aggregate based on a percentage of initial amounts funded or, in certain cases, amounts of unpaid balances. At September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, Avid's maximum recourse exposure totaled approximately $9.2 million and $11.0 million, respectively. The Company records revenues from these transactions upon the shipment of products, provided that all other revenue recognition criteria, including collectibility being reasonably assured, are met. Because the Company has been providing these financing options to its customers for many years, the Company has a substantial history of collecting under these arrangements without providing significant refunds or concessions to the end user, reseller or financing party. To date, the payment default rate has consistently been between 2% and 4% per year of the original funded amount. This low default rate results because the third-party leasing company diligently screens applicants and collects amounts due, and because Avid actively monitors its exposures under the financing program and participates in the approval process for any lessees outside of agreed-upon credit-worthiness metrics. The Company maintains a reserve for estimated losses under this recourse lease program based on the historical default rates applied to the funded amount outstanding at period end. At September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the Company's accrual for estimated losses was $1.1 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

 

Avid provides warranties on externally sourced and internally developed hardware. For internally developed hardware and in cases where the warranty granted to customers for externally sourced hardware is greater than that provided by the manufacturer, the Company records an accrual for the related liability based on historical trends and actual material and labor costs. The warranty period for all of the Company's products is generally 90 days to one year, but can extend up to five years depending on the manufacturer's warranty or local law.

 

The following table sets forth activity for the Company's product warranty accrual (in thousands):

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Accrual balance at beginning of period

 

$

6,072

 

 

 

$

6,190

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acquired product warranties

 

 

 

 

 

 

67

 

Accruals for product warranties

 

 

4,022

 

 

 

 

3,994

 

Cost of warranty claims

 

 

(4,252

)

 

 

 

(4,253

)

Accrual balance at end of period

 

$

5,842

 

 

 

$

5,998

 

 

12.

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

 

Total comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes, consists of net income and the net changes in foreign currency translation adjustment and net unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities. The following is a summary of the Company's comprehensive income (loss) (in thousands):

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(5,853

)

 

 

$

3,593

 

 

 

$

(11,832

)

 

 

$

9,638

 

Net changes in:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

4,006

 

 

 

 

(446

)

 

 

 

6,423

 

 

 

 

3,300

 

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities

 

 

(22

)

 

 

 

98

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

(4

)

Total comprehensive income (loss)

 

$

(1,869

)

 

 

$

3,245

 

 

 

$

(5,405

)

 

 

$

12,934

 

 

 

13

 


13.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

The Company's organizational structure consists of three strategic business units, Professional Video, Audio, and Consumer Video, each of which is a reportable segment. During the first quarter of 2007, the Company revised the methodology it uses to allocate certain general and administrative and shared facility expenses among these segments. This change in methodology was implemented to allow for more consistent allocation of such expenses on a worldwide basis. Accordingly, the corresponding amounts for 2006 have been reclassified to conform to the current allocation method. As a result, for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, operating income for the Professional Video segment increased by $3.1 million, operating income for the Audio segment decreased by $2.6 million and operating loss for the Consumer Video segment increased by $0.5 million. The change in methodology did not affect the Company's consolidated operating results.

 

The following is a summary of the Company's operations by reportable segment (in thousands):

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Professional Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenues

 

$

118,855

 

 

 

$

126,579

 

 

 

$

351,844

 

 

 

$

361,642

 

Operating income

 

 

9,976

 

 

 

 

14,711

 

 

 

 

13,892

 

 

 

 

33,111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenues

 

$

77,320

 

 

 

$

74,189

 

 

 

$

233,006

 

 

 

$

221,199

 

Operating income

 

 

7,797

 

 

 

 

8,391

 

 

 

 

21,495

 

 

 

 

26,481

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumer Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenues

 

$

30,651

 

 

 

$

30,465

 

 

 

$

86,200

 

 

 

$

88,688

 

Operating loss

 

 

(1,877

)

 

 

 

(2,625

)

 

 

 

(5,210

)

 

 

 

(7,006

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Combined Segments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenues

 

$

226,826

 

 

 

$

231,233

 

 

 

$

671,050

 

 

 

$

671,529

 

Operating income

 

 

15,896

 

 

 

 

20,477

 

 

 

 

30,177

 

 

 

 

52,586

 

 

Certain expenses are not considered when evaluating the operating results of the reportable segments and have, therefore, been excluded from the calculation of segment operating income (loss). The following table reconciles operating income (loss) for reportable segments to the total consolidated amounts for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

Total operating income for reportable segments

 

$

15,896

 

 

 

$

20,477

 

 

 

$

30,177

 

 

 

$

52,586

 

Unallocated amounts:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets

 

 

(7,528

)

 

 

 

(9,506

)

 

 

 

(23,624

)

 

 

 

(27,244

)

Stock-based compensation

 

 

(3,988

)

 

 

 

(4,326

)

 

 

 

(12,091

)

 

 

 

(13,044

)

Restructuring (costs) recoveries, net

 

 

(9,094

)

 

 

 

1,620

 

 

 

 

(10,869

)

 

 

 

554

 

Other costs

 

 

(350

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,375

)

 

 

 

 

In-process research and development

 

 

 

 

 

 

(569

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(879

)

Consolidated operating income (loss)

 

$

(5,064

)

 

 

$

7,696

 

 

 

$

(17,782

)

 

 

$

11,973

 

 

 

14

 


14.

RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND ACCRUALS

 

On July 26, 2007, the Company announced corporate restructuring programs, including programs begun in the second quarter of 2007, that are intended to reduce costs and enable the Company's Professional Video and Consumer Video segments to better serve their respective customers. In connection with these restructurings, the Company intends to eliminate duplicative business functions, improve operational efficiencies and align key business skill sets with future opportunities. The restructuring programs include a net reduction in force of approximately 100 employees, reductions in office space at various Company facilities and the Company's exit from the transmission server business. The Company anticipates that it will complete the restructurings by December 31, 2007.

 

During the quarter ended September 30, 2007, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $9.1 million, of which $8.4 million related to actions taken under the Company's 2007 restructuring programs within the Professional Video and Consumer Video segments, as well as corporate operations. As a result of these actions, approximately 105 employees, primarily from the research and development teams and marketing and selling teams, were notified that their employment would be terminated, and the Company closed portions of facilities in Tewksbury, Massachusetts and Montreal, Canada. The estimated costs for the employee terminations and facilities closures were $4.0 million and $1.5 million, respectively, and $0.1 million was recorded for non-cash fixed asset disposals. Additionally, as a result of the decision to exit the transmission server business, the Company recorded charges of $2.8 million in cost of revenues for the write-down of inventory. The remaining third-quarter restructuring charge of $0.7 million was the result of revised estimates for certain costs related to 2006 and prior restructuring programs.

 

During the quarter ended June 30, 2007, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $1.5 million, of which $1.3 million related to actions taken under the Company's 2007 restructuring programs within the Professional Video and Consumer Video segments, as well as corporate operations. As a result of these actions, approximately 20 employees, primarily in the marketing and selling and general and administrative teams, were notified that their employment would be terminated, and the Company closed facilities in Munich, Germany and Chicago, Illinois. The estimated costs for the employee terminations were $0.8 million and the costs for the facility closures were $0.5 million.

 

During the fourth quarter of 2006, the Company implemented restructuring programs within both the Professional Video and Consumer Video segments resulting in restructuring charges of $2.9 million and $0.9 million, respectively. The purpose of both programs was to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of each segment. As a result of the Professional Video restructuring program, approximately 40 employees worldwide, primarily in the management and selling teams, were notified that their employment would be terminated, and the Company closed an office in Australia. The total estimated costs recorded in 2006 were $2.8 million for the employment terminations and $0.1 million for the facility closure. During the first and second quarters of 2007, the Company recorded revisions to the estimate for this restructuring resulting in additional restructuring charges of $0.2 million. As a result of the Consumer Video restructuring program, approximately 10 employees worldwide, primarily in the selling and engineering teams, were notified that their employment would be terminated and a portion of a leased facility in Braunschweig, Germany was vacated. The total estimated costs recorded in 2006 were $0.8 million for the employment terminations and $0.1 million for the facility closure.

 

Also during the fourth quarter of 2006, the Company sublet a portion of a United Kingdom facility vacated as part of a 1999 restructuring program. This resulted in a lower estimate of the restructuring accrual required for this facility and a recovery of $0.6 million was recorded in the Company's statement of operations during 2006.

 

During the third quarter of 2006, the lease for the Company's Daly City, California facility was amended and the term of the lease extended through September 2014. Based on the terms of the amendment and the Company's changing facilities requirements, the Company determined that it would re-occupy space in this building that had previously been vacated under a 2002 restructuring program. Accordingly, the $1.5 million restructuring accrual for that facility was reversed during 2006.

 

In March 2006 the Company implemented a restructuring program within the Consumer Video segment under which the employment of approximately 25 employees worldwide, primarily in the marketing and selling and research and development teams, was terminated. The purpose of this program was to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of the segment. In connection with this action, the Company recorded a charge of $1.1 million. Payments to these employees were completed during 2006, and approximately $0.1 million remaining in the related restructuring accrual was reversed.

 

15

 


 

In December 2005 the Company implemented a restructuring program under which the employment of approximately 20 employees worldwide was terminated and a portion of a leased facility in Montreal, Canada was vacated. In connection with these actions, the Company recorded charges of $0.8 million for employee terminations and $0.5 million for continuing rent obligations on excess space vacated, net of potential sublease income. During the second quarter of 2007, the Company increased its estimate for the restructuring costs for the Montreal facility resulting in a restructuring charge of $0.1 million. The revision was the result of the Company's increased estimate of the time it would take to sublet the vacated space.

 

In connection with the August 2005 Pinnacle acquisition and the January 2006 Medea acquisition, the Company recorded accruals of $14.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, related to severance agreements and lease or other contract terminations in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") Issue No. 95-3, Recognition of Liabilities in Connection with a Purchase Business Combination. These amounts are reflected in the purchase price allocations for each acquisition. Decreases in the cost estimates for such acquisition-related restructuring activities are recorded as adjustments to goodwill indefinitely, while increases in the estimates are recorded as goodwill during the purchase price allocation period (generally within one year of the acquisition date) and as operating expenses in the Company's statement of operations thereafter. Accordingly, during the third quarter of 2007, the Company recorded a $0.7 million increase in the estimate for the Pinnacle restructuring and a corresponding restructuring charge in the Company's statement of operations. Similarly, in the first quarter of 2007, the Company recorded a $0.1 million increase in the estimate for the Medea restructuring and a corresponding restructuring charge.

 

The following table sets forth the activity in the restructuring and other costs accruals for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Non-Acquisition-Related
Restructuring
Liabilities

 

 

 

Acquisition-Related
Restructuring
Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-
Related

 

 

 

Facilities-
Related & Other

 

 

 

Employee-
Related

 

 

 

Facilities-
Related

 

 

 

Total

 

Accrual balance at December 31, 2006

 

$

2,433

 

 

 

$

1,594

 

 

 

$

932

 

 

 

$

1,504

 

 

 

$

6,463

 

New restructuring charges – operating expenses

 

 

4,884

 

 

 

 

1,957

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,841

 

New restructuring charges – cost of revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,797

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,797

 

Revisions of estimated liabilities

 

 

320

 

 

 

 

69

 

 

 

 

(366

)

 

 

 

1,208

 

 

 

 

1,231

 

Accretion

 

 

 

 

 

 

81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

 

 

 

 

106

 

Cash payments for employee-related charges

 

 

(5,298

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(549

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5,847

)

Cash payments for facilities, net of sublease income

 

 

 

 

 

 

(702

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(562

)

 

 

 

(1,264

)

Non-cash charges

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2,906

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(53

)

 

 

 

(2,959

)

Foreign exchange impact on ending balance

 

 

62

 

 

 

 

114

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

49

 

 

 

 

235

 

Accrual balance at September 30, 2007

 

$

2,401

 

 

 

$

3,004

 

 

 

$

27

 

 

 

$

2,171

 

 

 

$

7,603

 

 

The employee-related accruals at September 30, 2007 represent severance and outplacement costs to former employees that will be paid within the next 12 months and are, therefore, included in the caption "accrued expenses and other current liabilities" in the condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2007.

 

The facilities-related accruals at September 30, 2007 represent estimated losses on subleases of space vacated as part of the Company's restructuring actions. The leases, and payments against the amounts accrued, will extend through 2011 unless the Company is able to negotiate earlier terminations. The non-cash restructuring charges of $2.9 million included in the non-acquisition-related facilities and other activity resulted from the write-down of inventory, related to the Company's decision to exit the transmission server business, and the disposal of fixed assets. Of the total facilities-related accruals, $2.1 million is included in the caption "accrued expenses and other current liabilities" and $3.1 million is included in the caption "long-term liabilities" in the condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2007.

 

16

 


15.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In February 2007 the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities - Including an Amendment of FASB Statement No. 115. SFAS No. 159 permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value and is effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning January 1, 2008. Adoption of SFAS No. 159 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

 

In September 2006 the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements, which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value measurements, but its provisions apply to all other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurement. SFAS No. 157 is effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning January 1, 2008. Adoption of SFAS No. 157 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

 

In June 2006 the FASB ratified EITF Issue No. 06-3, How Taxes Collected from Customers and Remitted to Governmental Authorities Should Be Presented in the Income Statement. EITF Issue No. 06-3 addresses the income statement presentation of any tax collected from customers and remitted to a government authority and provides that the presentation of taxes on either a gross basis or a net basis is an accounting policy decision that should be disclosed pursuant to Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 22, Disclosure of Accounting Policies. The Company's policy is to present revenues net of any such taxes.

 

17

 


 

ITEM 2.

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

 

Our Markets and Strategy

 

We develop, market, sell and support a wide range of software and hardware products for the production, management and distribution of digital media content. Our products help every class of user, from the home hobbyist to the feature-film professional, create and use video and audio assets. Our technology enables users to share media content for real-time collaboration and cost-effectively manage and store media assets. Our products also allow our customers to distribute media over multiple platforms, including airwaves, cable and the Internet.

 

In order to serve the needs of our customers, we are organized into strategic business units that reflect the principal markets in which our products are sold: Professional Video, Audio and Consumer Video. These business units are also our reportable segments. The following is an overview of our business units and the markets they serve.

 

Professional Video.  This business unit offers innovative video- and film-editing systems, as well as 3D and special-effects software, which allow users to manipulate moving pictures and sound in fast, creative and cost-effective ways. Our solutions include integrated workflow and asset management tools and a comprehensive range of services, from product support and training to consultancy and managed services. We market these solutions to a broad range of professional users, broadcast and cable companies, corporations, governmental entities and educational institutions. Professional users include production and post-production companies that produce feature films, music videos, commercials, entertainment and documentary programming, and industrial videos, as well as professional character animators, video-game developers and film studios. Our broadcast and cable customers include national and international broadcasters, such as the National Broadcasting Company, Reuters, CBS News, Fox Television, the British Broadcasting Corporation, DirectTV and Comcast networks including E!, Golf Channel and Versus, as well as network affiliates, local independent television stations, web news providers and local and regional cable operators.

 

Audio.  This business unit offers solutions for audio creation, mixing, post-production, collaboration, distribution and scoring to professional music studios, project studios, film and television production and post-production facilities, television and radio broadcasters, "new media" production studios (for example, creators of DVD and web content), performance venues, corporations, governmental entities and educational institutions, as well as home hobbyists and enthusiasts. Users of our audio products range from home studio novices to award-winning, multi-platinum recording artists, film and television professionals and large multinational corporations. Customers use our audio systems for a wide variety of content creation needs in both studio and live environments, including recording, editing, mixing, processing, mastering, composing and performing.

 

Consumer Video.  This business unit markets video-editing and digital lifestyle products to the home user who wishes to create, edit, share, publish and view video content easily, creatively and effectively. Our two vertical market segments consist of home video editing and TV viewing. The home video-editing market includes novice and advanced home video editors, as well as corporations, governmental entities and educational institutions. Our TV-viewing market includes virtually any consumer who wants to watch and record television programming on a personal computer.

 

Our strategy consists of four key elements:

 

 

deliver best-of-breed, stand-alone products to content creators;

 

 

deliver an integrated workflow for customers who work with multiple systems or within multiple media disciplines;

 

 

support open standards for media, metadata and application program interfaces; and

 

 

deliver excellent customer service, support and training.

 

18

 


Financial Summary

 

Our revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2007 were $226.8 million, a decrease of 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Broken down by business unit, compared to the third quarter last year, Professional Video revenues decreased 6%, Audio revenues increased 4%, primarily due to our July 2006 acquisition of Sibelius, and Consumer Video revenues were up slightly. The revenues of each business unit are discussed in further detail in the section titled "Results of Operations" below.

 

Year over year for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, decreases in our revenues, coupled with increased operating expenses, resulted in an overall decline in operating income. To address our increasing operating expenses, we announced restructuring programs in the third quarter of 2007, primarily in our Professional Video and Consumer Video segments, that are meant to improve operational efficiencies and align key business skill sets with future opportunities. In the second and third quarters of 2007, we recorded restructuring charges of $9.7 million related to these programs. We expect to record additional restructuring charges of approximately $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.

 

During the third quarter, we also announced that we have engaged the consulting firm Bain and Company to assist us in evaluating our processes, systems, strategies and culture in order to position ourselves for future growth. Through a collaborative review process, referred to as Avid 20|20, we have identified a number of potential initiatives to focus on operational efficiency and strategic analysis and improvements. Through the third quarter, the costs for this consulting arrangement have been $1.6 million and we expect to incur additional costs of approximately $1.7 million for the remainder of this year.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

 

Our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We make estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenue and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. However, actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

We believe that our critical accounting policies are those related to revenue recognition and allowances for product returns and exchanges, stock-based compensation, allowance for bad debts and reserves for recourse under financing transactions, inventories, business combinations, goodwill and intangible assets, and income tax assets. We believe these policies are critical because they are important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and they require us to make judgments and estimates about matters that are inherently uncertain. Additional information about our critical accounting policies may be found in our 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K in Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," under the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates." In June 2006 the Financial Standards Accounting Board, or FASB, issued Interpretation No. 48, or FIN 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes – An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109. As a result of our adoption of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007, our critical accounting policy titled "Income Tax Assets" has been revised as follows.

 

Income Tax Assets

 

We record deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the net tax effects of tax credits, operating loss carryforwards and temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes compared to the amounts used for income tax purposes. We regularly review our deferred tax assets for recoverability with consideration for such factors as historical losses, projected future taxable income and the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences. Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, or SFAS, No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, requires us to record a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Based on our level of deferred tax assets as of September 30, 2007 and our level of historical U.S. losses, we have determined that the uncertainty regarding the realization of these assets is sufficient to warrant the need for a full valuation allowance against our U.S. net deferred tax assets.

 

19

 


Our assessment of the valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets could change in the future based upon our levels of pre-tax income and other tax-related adjustments. Reversal of the valuation allowance in whole or in part would result in a non-cash reduction in income tax expense during the period of reversal. To the extent some or all of our valuation allowance is reversed, future financial statements would reflect an increase in non-cash income tax expense until such time as our deferred tax assets are fully utilized.

 

In addition to the tax assets described above, we have deferred tax assets resulting from the exercise of employee stock options. In accordance with SFAS No. 109 and SFAS No. 123(R), recognition of these assets would occur upon their utilization to reduce taxes payable and would result in a credit to additional paid-in capital within stockholders' equity rather than the provision for income taxes.

 

We adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. FIN 48 clarified the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise's financial statement in accordance with SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. FIN 48 requires that a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained before being recognized in the financial statements. The interpretation also requires us to accrue interest and penalties as applicable on our unrecognized tax positions. We recognized no adjustment in the liability for unrecognized income tax benefits as a result of the adoption of FIN 48.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Net Revenues

 

Our net revenues are derived mainly from sales of computer-based digital, nonlinear, media-editing and finishing systems and related peripherals, including shared-storage systems, software licenses, and related professional services and software maintenance contracts.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Net Revenues

 

% of
Consolidated
Net Revenues

 

2006
Net Revenues

 

% of
Consolidated
Net Revenues

 

Change

 

% Change
in Revenues

Professional Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

$  91,474

 

40.3%

 

$  98,789

 

42.7%

 

($7,315)

 

(7.4%)

Services revenues

27,381

 

12.1%

 

27,790

 

12.0%

 

(409)

 

(1.5%)

Total

118,855

 

52.4%

 

126,579

 

54.7%

 

(7,724)

 

(6.1%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

76,692

 

33.8%

 

74,020

 

32.0%

 

2,672 

 

3.6%

Services revenues

628

 

0.3%

 

169

 

0.1%

 

459 

 

271.6%

Total

77,320

 

34.1%

 

74,189

 

32.1%

 

3,131 

 

4.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumer Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

30,651

 

13.5%

 

30,465

 

13.2%

 

186 

 

0.6%

Total

30,651

 

13.5%

 

30,465

 

13.2%

 

186 

 

0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net revenues:

$226,826

 

100.0%

 

$231,233

 

100.0%

 

($4,407)

 

(1.9%)

 

 

20

 


 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Net Revenues

 

% of
Consolidated
Net Revenues

 

2006
Net Revenues

 

% of
Consolidated
Net Revenues

 

Change

 

% Change
in Revenues

Professional Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

$265,943

 

39.6%

 

$286,501

 

42.7%

 

($20,558)

 

(7.2%)

Services revenues

85,901

 

12.8%

 

75,141

 

11.2%

 

10,760 

 

14.3%

Total

351,844

 

52.4%

 

361,642

 

53.9%

 

(9,798)

 

(2.7%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

231,487

 

34.5%

 

220,408

 

32.8%

 

11,079 

 

5.0%

Services revenues

1,519

 

0.2%

 

791

 

0.1%

 

728 

 

92.0%

Total

233,006

 

34.7%

 

221,199

 

32.9%

 

11,807 

 

5.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumer Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product revenues

86,200

 

12.9%

 

88,688

 

13.2%

 

(2,488)

 

(2.8%)

Total

86,200

 

12.9%

 

88,688

 

13.2%

 

(2,488)

 

(2.8%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net revenues:

$671,050

 

100.0%

 

$671,529

 

100.0%

 

($479)

 

(0.1%)

 

The decrease in Professional Video product revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, was primarily due to decreased revenues from our video-editing products. The decrease in Professional Video product revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, was also primarily due to decreased revenues from our video-editing products and, to a lesser extent, decreased revenues from our broadcast products. The decrease in product revenues from our video-editing products was associated with Media Composer Adrenaline migration issues that caused longer than expected customer transitions to the latest versions, decreased revenues from our Avid DS and Symphony Nitris product family and a shift in product mix in our Media Composer product family.

 

In the second quarter of 2006, we introduced a software-only version of Media Composer that has significantly lower average selling prices than the Media Composer Adrenaline product. Although total unit sales for the Media Composer product family increased for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, the shift in product mix to the software-only version led to a revenues decrease for this product family. The decrease in revenues from our broadcast products for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007 was primarily the result of weakness in revenues from our transmission server products. In the third quarter of 2007, as part of our restructuring programs, we made a decision to exit our transmission server business because we believe we are best suited to serve our customers by delivering products that integrate with third-party transmission server offerings. We will continue to service and support our transmission server customers after the product is discontinued. The overall decrease in Professional Video product revenues for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, was partially mitigated by increased revenues from our workgroup tools and, to a lesser extent, our shared-storage systems.

 

Professional Video services revenues are derived primarily from maintenance contracts, professional and installation services, and training. The increase in services revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, as compared to the same period in 2006, was due to increased revenues generated from maintenance contracts sold in connection with our products, as well as increased revenues from professional and installation services, primarily the result of a customer's acceptance of a large broadcast installation during the quarter ended June 30, 2007.

 

Of the total $2.7 million and $11.1 million increases in Audio product revenues during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007, approximately $2.3 million and $8.9 million, respectively, related to our acquisition of Sibelius in late July 2006. Audio product revenues for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 also included increased revenues from Digidesign products, including the ICON studio systems, Venue live sound mixing consoles and Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered product lines. Revenues from the Pro Tools|HD hardware upgrade business declined from the prior year due to a large number of existing users having upgraded over several years. The increases in

 

21

 


Digidesign product revenues were partially offset by a decrease in M-Audio revenues. While M-Audio’s keyboard and speaker sales increased, audio interface sales and related software sales decreased due to increased competition and delayed M-Audio product introductions.

 

Consumer Video product revenues were up slightly for the three months ended September 30, 2007 and down $2.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same periods in 2006. In the second quarter of 2006, revenues from our TV-viewing products were relatively high due to the release of new PCTV products in Europe and increased consumer demand due to the 2006 World Cup tournament. In the absence of these revenue drivers, TV-viewing revenues were lower for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 compared to the same period last year. This decrease was partially offset by revenues of our video-editing products, which were up slightly for both 2007 periods as a result of the release of Studio version 11 in May 2007.

 

Net revenues derived through indirect channels were 72% and 70% of total net revenues, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to 70% and 72% of total net revenues, respectively, for the same periods in 2006.

 

International sales accounted for 57% and 58% of our net revenues, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to 56% for both comparable periods in 2006.

 

Gross Profit

 

Cost of revenues consists primarily of costs associated with:

 

 

the procurement of components;

 

the assembly, testing and distribution of finished products;

 

warehousing;

 

customer support costs related to maintenance contract revenues and other services; and

 

royalties for third-party software and hardware included in our products.

 

Cost of revenues also includes amortization of technology, which represents the amortization of developed technology assets acquired in the August 2005 Pinnacle acquisition and, to a lesser extent, other acquisitions we have made since August 2004. Amortization of technology is described further in the "Amortization of Intangible Assets" section below. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007, cost of revenues includes a restructuring charge of $2.8 million related to the write-down of inventory resulting from our decision to exit the transmission server business.

 

Gross margin fluctuates based on factors such as the mix of products sold, the cost and proportion of third-party hardware and software included in the products sold, the offering of product upgrades, price discounts and other sales-promotion programs, the distribution channels through which products are sold, the timing of new product introductions, sales of aftermarket hardware products such as disk drives, and currency exchange rate fluctuations.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

Gross Margin

 

2006

 

Gross Margin

 

Gross Margin
% Change

Product cost of revenues

$  93,397

 

53.0%

 

$  99,202

 

51.2%

 

1.8% 

Services cost of revenues

16,054

 

42.7%

 

13,968

 

50.0%

 

(7.3%)

Amortization of intangible assets

4,096

 

 

6,208

 

 

Restructuring costs

2,797

 

 

 

 

Total

$116,344

 

48.7%

 

$119,378

 

48.4%

 

0.3%

 

 

22

 


 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

Gross Margin

 

2006

 

Gross Margin

 

Gross Margin
% Change

Product cost of revenues

$279,100

 

52.2%

 

$284,382

 

52.3%

 

(0.1%)

Services cost of revenues

49,487

 

43.4%

 

41,095

 

45.9%

 

(2.5%)

Amortization of intangible assets

13,329

 

 

16,304

 

 

Restructuring costs

2,797

 

 

 

 

Total

$344,713

 

48.6%

 

$341,781

 

49.1%

 

(0.5%)

 

The increase in product gross margin percentage for the three-month period ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, primarily reflected a shift in product mix to increased revenues from higher margin software products and increased sales volumes.

 

The following factors influenced our product gross margins for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, when compared to the same periods in 2006.

 

 

Sales resulting from our July 2006 acquisition of Sibelius, which markets and sells higher margin software products, had a positive effect on our Audio segment product gross margins for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007.

 

 

A shift in product mix to an increased percentage of higher margin video-editing products had a positive effect on our Consumer Video segment product gross margins for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007.

 

 

During the three months ended June 30, 2007, one large Professional Video broadcast installation had a gross margin that was lower than our usual margin for such deals, due in part to the larger proportion of lower margin third-party products included in the arrangement. While having a positive effect on revenues overall, and for services revenues in particular, this transaction had a negative effect on our Professional Video product gross margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2007.

 

The decreases in the services gross margin for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same periods in 2006, primarily resulted from increased services personnel and facilities costs.

 

Research and Development

 

Research and development expenses include costs associated with the development of new products and the enhancement of existing products and consist primarily of employee salaries and benefits, facilities costs, depreciation, costs for consulting and temporary employees, and prototype and other development expenses.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

Research and development

$36,471

 

$35,250

 

$1,221

 

3.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

16.1%

 

15.2%

 

0.9%

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

Research and development

$112,657

 

$106,363

 

$6,294

 

5.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

16.8%

 

15.8%

 

1.0%

 

 

 

 

23

 


The increases in research and development expenses for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same periods in 2006, were due to higher personnel-related costs, as well as increased hardware development and computer equipment costs. The higher personnel-related costs were primarily the result of our 2006 acquisitions and a decrease in the amount of research and development costs transferred to cost of product revenues in connection with work performed on complex solution sales. The personnel-related costs increased $1.0 million and $3.8 million for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2006. The increases in personnel-related costs include offsetting effects of some employee terminations resulting from our 2007 restructuring programs. Hardware development and computer equipment costs increased $0.2 million and $1.4 million for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2006, and were primarily the result of increased expenses for the development of high-end video-editing products. The increases in research and development expenses as a percentage of revenues for the three- and nine-month periods were also related to the spending increases noted, as revenues for both comparative periods did not change significantly.

 

Marketing and Selling

 

Marketing and selling expenses consist primarily of employee salaries and benefits for selling, marketing and pre-sales customer support personnel; commissions; travel expenses; advertising and promotional expenses; and facilities costs.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

Marketing and selling

$48,832

 

$50,641

 

($1,809)

 

(3.6%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

21.5%

 

21.9%

 

(0.4%)

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

Marketing and selling

$157,031

 

$153,136

 

$3,895

 

2.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

23.4%

 

22.8%

 

0.6%

 

 

 

The decrease in marketing and selling expenses for the three-month period ended September 30, 2007 was largely due to decreased advertising, tradeshow and other promotional expenses, as well as favorable foreign exchange translations, partially offset by increased personnel-related costs. The decrease in advertising, tradeshow and other promotional expenses was $3.1 million and the increase in personnel-related costs was $2.2 million for the three-month period ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. Also in the third quarter of 2007, net foreign exchange gains (specifically, remeasurement gains and losses on net monetary assets denominated in foreign currencies, offset by hedging gains and losses), which are included in marketing and selling expenses, were $0.8 million, compared to net foreign exchange losses of $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2006. The increase in marketing and selling expenses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007 was largely due to higher personnel-related costs and higher bad debt expense, partially offset by a decrease in advertising, tradeshow and other promotional expenses. The increase in personnel-related costs was $6.4 million and bad debt expenses increased $1.2 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. The decrease in advertising, tradeshow and other promotional expenses was $3.7 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. The increases in personnel-related costs for both the three- and nine-month periods were largely the result of our 2006 acquisitions. The decreases in advertising, tradeshow and other promotional expenses were primarily due to fewer new product introductions in the 2007 periods, compared to same periods in 2006, combined with the results of our cost-reduction initiatives. The increase in bad debt expenses for the nine-month period was the result of favorable adjustments to the allowance for bad debts in the first nine months of 2006, compared to more typical provisions recorded during the first nine months of 2007. The favorable adjustments were recorded in 2006 as a result of improved bad debt experience rates. The changes in marketing and selling expenses as a percentage of revenues for the three- and nine-month periods were also related to these changes in spending, as revenues for both comparative periods did not change significantly.

 

24

 


 

General and Administrative

 

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee salaries and benefits for administrative, executive, finance and legal personnel; audit and legal fees; and insurance, information systems and facilities costs. Information systems and facilities costs reported within general and administrative expenses are net of allocations to other expenses categories.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

General and administrative

$20,514

 

$16,021

 

$4,493

 

28.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

9.0%

 

6.9%

 

2.1%

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007
Expenses

 

2006
Expenses

 

Change

 

% Change

General and administrative

$56,064

 

$47,011

 

$9,053

 

19.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

8.4%

 

7.0%

 

1.4%

 

 

 

The increases in general and administrative expenses for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 were due to increased consulting and outside services costs, as well as higher personnel-related costs that resulted primarily from our 2006 acquisitions and executive management severance and bonus compensation paid in the third quarter of 2007. The consulting and outside services costs increased $3.0 million and $4.3 million, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same periods in 2006, largely as a result of our consulting arrangement with Bain and Company and the increased use of temporary employees for short-term projects. The personnel-related costs increased $2.4 million and $5.4 million, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007, compared to the same periods in 2006. The increases in general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues for the three- and nine-month periods were also related to these spending increases, as revenues for both comparative periods did not change significantly.

 

Amortization of Intangible Assets

 

Intangible assets result from acquisitions and include developed technology, customer-related intangibles, trade names and other identifiable intangible assets with finite lives. With the exception of developed technology, these intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method. Developed technology is amortized over the greater of (1) the amount calculated using the ratio of current quarter revenues to the total of current quarter and anticipated future revenues over the estimated useful life of the developed technology, and (2) the straight-line method over each developed technology's remaining useful life. Amortization of developed technology is recorded within cost of revenues. Amortization of customer-related intangibles, trade names and other identifiable intangible assets is recorded within operating expenses.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

 

% Change

Amortization of intangible assets recorded in cost of revenues

$4,096

 

$6,208

 

($2,112)

 

(34.0%)

Amortization of intangible assets recorded in operating expenses

3,432

 

3,298

 

134 

 

4.1% 

Total amortization of intangible assets

$7,528

 

$9,506

 

($1,978)

 

(20.8%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total amortization of intangible assets as a percentage of net revenues

3.3%

 

4.1%

 

(0.8%)

 

 

 

 

 

25

 


 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

 

% Change

Amortization of intangible assets recorded in cost of revenues

$13,329

 

$16,304

 

($2,975)

 

(18.2%)

Amortization of intangible assets recorded in operating expenses

10,295

 

10,940

 

(645)

 

(5.9%)

Total amortization of intangible assets

$23,624

 

$27,244

 

($3,620)

 

(13.3%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total amortization of intangible assets as a percentage of net revenues

3.5%

 

4.1%

 

(0.6%)

 

 

 

The decrease in amortization of intangible assets for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 was primarily the result of the completion during 2007 of the amortization of certain developed technologies related to our acquisition of Pinnacle in 2005 and the completion during 2006 of the amortization of certain intangible assets related to the acquisition of M-Audio.

 

Restructuring Costs (Recoveries), Net

 

During 2007 we implemented restructuring programs within our Professional Video and Consumer Video segments, as well as corporate operations, that resulted in restructuring charges of $1.3 million and $8.4 million, respectively, in the second and third quarters. In connection with these actions, we notified approximately 125 employees, 20 in the second quarter and 105 in the third quarter, that their employment would be terminated. The terminated employees were primarily from the research and development teams and marketing and selling teams. As part of these restructuring programs, we expect to add approximately 25 new employees with skill sets, or at locations, that better fit our future plans. Actions under these programs also included the closure of facilities in Munich, Germany and Chicago, Illinois and portions of facilities in Tewksbury, Massachusetts and Montreal, Canada, and our exit from the transmission server business. The charges for the estimated costs for the employee terminations totaled $4.0 million and $0.8 million, respectively, for the three-month periods ended September 30 and June 30, 2007, and the costs for the facility closures totaled $1.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively, for the same periods. These programs also include the closure of a portion of our facility in Mountain View, California, which is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2007. We expect to complete the restructuring programs by December 31, 2007 with additional fourth-quarter restructuring charges of approximately $1 million for additional facility closures. As a result of exiting the transmission server business, in the third quarter we recorded charges totaling $2.8 million in cost of revenues for the write-down of inventory. The purpose of these restructuring programs is to eliminate duplicative business functions, improve operational efficiencies and align key business skill sets with future opportunities. We expect annual cost savings of between $10 million and $12 million to result from actions taken under these restructuring programs.

 

Also during the third quarter of 2007, we recorded restructuring charges totaling $0.7 million as a result of our increased estimate for the restructuring costs related to our Pinnacle acquisition. The revision was primarily the result of an increase in the estimated costs for the closure of a facility in Uxbridge, England, based on our conclusion that we will be unable to find a subtenant at any time during the remaining term of our lease for that facility.

 

During the second quarter of 2007, we recorded restructuring charges totaling $0.1 million as a result of our increased estimate for the restructuring costs for the vacated portion of our Montreal facility, which was part of a restructuring that took place in December 2005. The revision was the result of our increased estimate of the time it will take to find a subtenant for the vacated space.

 

During the fourth quarter of 2006, we implemented restructuring programs within both our Professional Video and Consumer Video segments resulting in restructuring charges of $2.9 million and $0.9 million, respectively. The purpose of these programs was to improve the effectiveness of each segment. Also during 2006 we recorded $1.1 million for restructuring liabilities related to the Medea acquisition. During the first and second quarters of 2007, we recorded in our statement of operations additional restructuring charges totaling $0.3 million for revisions to the estimated liabilities for the Professional Video and Medea restructuring programs.

 

In March 2006 we implemented a restructuring program within our Consumer Video segment under which 23 employees worldwide, primarily in the marketing and selling teams and research and development teams, were notified that their

 

26

 


employment would be terminated. The purpose of the program was to improve efficiency. In connection with this action, we recorded a charge of $1.1 million in the statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2006. During the three months ended September 30, 2006, we completed the payments under this restructuring and reversed approximately $0.1 million remaining in the related restructuring accrual.

 

During the three months ended September 30, 2006, we reached an agreement with the landlord of our Daly City, California facility and executed an amendment to the existing lease for that office space which extended the lease through September 2014. Based on the new terms of the amended lease and our changing facilities requirements, we have determined that we will re-occupy the space in this facility that had previously been vacated under a restructuring program. Accordingly, the existing $1.5 million restructuring accrual for that facility was reversed during the three months ended September 30, 2006.

 

In-Process Research and Development

 

We recorded in-process research and development, or R&D, charges of $0.5 million during the third quarter of 2006 related to the acquisition of Sibelius, and $0.3 million during the first quarter of 2006 related to the acquisition of Medea. These in-process R&D charges represent product development efforts that were underway at Sibelius and Medea at the time of the respective acquisitions for which technological feasibility had not yet been established. Technological feasibility is established when either detailed program design has been completed, documented and traced to product specifications and high-risk development issues have been resolved, or a working model of the product has been finished and determined to be complete and consistent with the product design. As of the acquisition dates, Sibelius and Medea had not completed product designs or working models for the in-process technologies, and we determined that the in-process technologies had no future alternative use beyond the stated purposes of the specific R&D projects. Therefore, the fair values of the in-process R&D efforts were expensed at the time of the respective acquisitions.

 

Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net

 

Interest and other income (expense), net, generally consists of interest income, interest expense and equity in income of a non-consolidated company.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

 

% Change

Interest and other income (expense), net

$1,980

 

$1,832

 

$148

 

8.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

0.9%

 

0.8%

 

0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

 

% Change

Interest and other income (expense), net

$5,898

 

$5,683

 

$215

 

3.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

0.9%

 

0.8%

 

0.1%

 

 

 

The increase in other income and expense for the three months ended September 30, 2007 was primarily the result of increased interest income earned on higher average cash and marketable securities balances. Cash and marketable securities balances were lower in the quarter ended September 30, 2006 as a result of $50.0 million in cash used to repurchase 1.4 million shares of our common stock during the third quarter of 2006.

 

The increase in other income and expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was primarily due to a $0.2 million loss recorded for an unconsolidated company in the second quarter of 2006 with no corresponding income or loss recorded during the first nine months of 2007.

 

27

 


Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes, Net

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

Provision for income taxes, net

$2,769

 

$5,935

 

($3,166)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

1.2%

 

2.6%

 

(1.4%)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

 

Change

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes, net

($52)

 

$8,018

 

($8,070)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a percentage of net revenues

(0.0%)

 

1.2%

 

(1.2%)

 

Our effective tax rate, which is our tax provision (benefit) as a percentage of income (loss) before income taxes, was 0.4%, representing a tax benefit, for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007. Our effective tax rate was 45.4%, representing a tax provision, for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2006. The decrease in the effective tax rate resulted primarily from (1) a discrete tax benefit of $3.0 million resulting from the favorable settlement of a Canadian research and development credit audit, (2) a discrete tax benefit resulting from the release of a deferred tax liability in our German entity and (3) our inability to recognize a tax benefit on U.S. losses.

 

Excluding the impact of our valuation allowance, our effective tax rate would have been 0.6% and 49.0%, respectively, for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. These rates differ from the federal statutory rate of 35% due to the mix of income and losses in foreign jurisdictions, which have tax rates that differ from the statutory rate, and the net benefits recorded for discrete tax items as discussed above.

 

No adjustment in the liability for unrecognized income tax benefits resulted from our adoption of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. At the adoption date, we had $6.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits, of which $4.7 million would affect our effective tax rate if recognized.

 

In March 2007 a Canadian research and development tax credit audit for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 was completed. As a result, we recognized $3.0 million of previously unrecognized tax benefits. This amount was included in the tax benefit for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007. As of September 30, 2007, our unrecognized tax benefits totaled $4.2 million.

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

We have funded our operations in recent years through cash flows from operations and stock option exercises. As of September 30, 2007, our principal sources of liquidity included cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $197.2 million.

 

Net cash provided by operating activities was $59.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, compared to $22.7 million for the same period in 2006. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, net cash provided by operating activities primarily reflected our net loss adjusted for depreciation and amortization and stock-based compensation expense, as well as changes in working capital items, in particular a decrease in inventory and an increase in deferred revenue. For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, net cash provided by operating activities primarily reflected net income adjusted for depreciation and amortization and stock-based compensation, partially offset by an increase in inventories and a decrease in accrued expenses.

 

Accounts receivable increased by $1.8 million to $140.4 million at September 30, 2007 from $138.6 million at December 31, 2006. These balances are net of allowances for sales returns, bad debts and customer rebates, all of which we estimate

 

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and record based primarily on historical experience. Days sales outstanding in accounts receivable increased from 52 days at December 31, 2006 to 56 days at September 30, 2007. The increase in days sales outstanding was due in part to the relative proportion of solution sales in each period, which was higher in the quarter ended December 31, 2006 than in the quarter ended September 30, 2007. These sales are typically paid prior to recognition and therefore lower our days sales outstanding in the period when revenue is recognized. To a lesser extent, the increase in days sales outstanding was due to a slight increase in the average collection period for all customer types.

 

At September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, we held inventory in the amounts of $133.7 million and $144.2 million, respectively. These balances include stockroom, spares and demonstration equipment inventories at various locations, as well as inventory at customer sites related to shipments for which we have not yet recognized revenue. The decrease of approximately $10.5 million resulted from a reduction in our stockroom inventory, including the write-down of inventory related to our decision to exit the transmission server business, partially offset by an increase in inventory at customer locations. We expect our net inventory balance to decline further during the rest of this year. We review all inventory balances regularly for excess quantities or potential obsolescence and make appropriate adjustments as needed to reserve or write down the inventories to reflect their estimated realizable value. We source inventory products and components pursuant to purchase orders placed from time to time.

 

Net cash flow provided by investing activities was $12.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, compared to $29.7 million used in investing activities for the same period in 2006. The net cash flow provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 primarily reflected net proceeds of $34.4 million resulting from the timing of the sale and purchase of marketable securities, partially offset by $20.3 million for the purchase of property and equipment. The net cash flow used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 was the result of $43.4 million in cash for acquisitions and $14.7 million for property and equipment purchases, partially offset by net proceeds of $29.2 million resulting from the timing of the sale and purchase of marketable securities. Property and equipment purchases in both periods consisted primarily of computer hardware and software to support our research and development activities and information systems.

 

During the nine months ended September 30, 2007, cash used in financing activities was $13.6 million, compared to $44.4 million for the first nine months of 2006. The cash used in financing activities in 2007 is primarily the result of $23.7 million used for our stock repurchase program in the second quarter of 2007, partially offset by proceeds from the issuance of stock related to the exercise of stock options and our employee stock purchase plan. The stock repurchase program was approved by our board of directors effective May 1, 2007. Under this program, we are authorized to repurchase up to $100 million of our common stock through transactions on the open market, in block trades or otherwise. During the second quarter of 2007, we repurchased 706,001 shares of common stock under the program at an average price per share, including commissions, of $33.55. As of September 30, 2007, $76.3 million remained authorized for future stock repurchases under the program. Subsequent to September 30, 2007, we repurchased an additional 103,235 shares at an average price per share, including commissions, of $28.60, leaving $73.4 million authorized for future stock repurchases under the program. The stock repurchase program is being funded through working capital. The cash used in financing activities in 2006 was primarily the result of $50.0 million used to repurchase 1,432,327 shares of our common stock under a stock repurchase program approved and completed in the third quarter of 2006, partially offset by proceeds from the issuance of stock related to the exercise of stock options and our employee stock purchase plan.

 

In connection with our Pinnacle acquisition in 2005, we recorded restructuring accruals totaling $14.4 million related to severance ($10.0 million) and lease or other contract terminations ($4.4 million). In connection with the January 2006 Medea acquisition, we recorded severance obligations of $0.7 million and $0.5 million for lease termination costs. As of September 30, 2007, we had future cash obligations of approximately $1.5 million under leases for which we had vacated the underlying facilities and restructuring accruals of $2.2 million related to acquisition-related lease obligations. The lease payments will be made over the remaining terms of the leases, which have varying expiration dates through 2010.

 

In connection with non-acquisition-related restructuring activities during 2007 and prior periods, as of September 30, 2007, we had restructuring accruals of $3.0 million and $2.4 million related to lease and severance obligations, respectively. Our future cash obligations for leases for which we have vacated the underlying facilities total approximately $8.6 million. The lease accrual represents the excess of our lease commitments on the vacated space over expected payments to be received on subleases of such facilities. The lease payments will be made over the remaining terms of the leases, which have varying expiration dates through 2011, unless we are able to negotiate earlier terminations. The severance payments will be made during the next 12 months. All payments related to restructuring actions are expected to be funded through working capital. See Note 14 of the Condensed Consolidated Financial

 

29

 


Statements in Item 1 of this report for the restructuring costs accrual activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2007.

 

On July 26, 2007, we announced corporate restructuring programs that are intended to reduce costs and enable our Professional Video and Consumer Video business units to better serve their respective customers. In connection with the restructurings, we intend to eliminate duplicative business functions, improve operational efficiencies and align key business skill sets with future opportunities. The restructuring programs include a net reduction in force of approximately 100 employees; reductions in office space at our facilities in Tewksbury, Massachusetts; Mountain View, California; Montreal, Canada; Munich, Germany; and Chicago, Illinois; and our exit from the transmission server business. During the second and third quarters of 2007, restructuring charges of $9.7 million were recorded that were related to these activities. With the exception of non-cash expenses of $2.9 million for the write-down of inventory and the disposal of fixed assets, these charges represented cash expenditures. We expect to record additional restructuring charges of approximately $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.

 

Our cash requirements vary depending upon factors such as our growth, capital expenditures, acquisitions of businesses or technologies and obligations under restructuring programs. We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and funds generated from operations will be sufficient to meet our operating cash requirements for at least the next twelve months. In the event that we require additional financing, we believe that we will be able to obtain such financing; however, there can be no assurance that we would be successful in doing so or that we could do so on favorable terms.

 

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

See Note 15 to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for disclosure of the impact that recent accounting pronouncements have had or may have on our consolidated financial statements.

 

 

ITEM 3.

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

 

We have significant international operations and, therefore, our revenues, earnings, cash flows and financial position are exposed to foreign currency risk from foreign currency denominated receivables, payables, sales transactions and net investments in foreign operations.

 

We derive more than half of our revenues from customers outside the United States. This business is, for the most part, transacted through international subsidiaries and generally in the currency of the end-user customers. Therefore, we are exposed to the risks that changes in foreign currency could adversely impact our revenues, net income and cash flow. To hedge against the foreign exchange exposure of certain forecasted receivables, payables and cash balances, we enter into short-term foreign currency forward contracts. There are two objectives of our foreign currency forward-contract program: (1) to offset any foreign exchange currency risk associated with cash receipts expected to be received from our customers over the next 30-day period and (2) to offset the impact of foreign currency exchange on our net monetary assets denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the legal entity. These forward contracts typically mature within 30 days of execution. We record gains and losses associated with currency rate changes on these contracts in results of operations, offsetting gains and losses on the related assets and liabilities. The success of this hedging program depends on forecasts of transaction activity in the various currencies and contract rates versus financial statement rates. To the extent these forecasts are overstated or understated during periods of currency volatility, we could experience unanticipated currency gains or losses.

 

At September 30, 2007, we had foreign currency forward contracts outstanding with an aggregate notional value of $52.6 million, denominated in the euro, British pound, Canadian dollar and Japanese yen, as a hedge against forecasted foreign currency denominated receivables, payables and cash balances. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, net losses of $1.2 million resulting from forward contracts were included in results of operations, offset by $1.7 million of net transaction and remeasurement gains on the related assets and liabilities.

 

As of September 30, 2007, we also had a foreign currency forward contract with a notional value of $24.4 million to hedge our net investment in our Canadian subsidiary. At September 30, 2007, the fair value of this forward contract was

 

30

 


($1.6) million. The currency effect of the net investment hedge is deemed effective and is, therefore, reflected as a component of foreign currency translation in accumulated other comprehensive income. Interest effects of this hedge are reported in interest income. The contract for this net investment hedge ended on October 1, 2007, and we have no plans to continue this hedging program.

 

A hypothetical 10% change in foreign currency rates would not have a material impact on our results of operations, assuming the above-mentioned forecast of foreign currency exposure is accurate, because the impact on the forward contracts as a result of a 10% change would at least partially offset the impact on the asset and liability positions of our foreign subsidiaries.

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

At September 30, 2007, we held $197.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, including short-term corporate obligations, asset-backed securities and government-agency obligations. Marketable securities are classified as "available for sale" and are recorded on the balance sheet at market value, with any unrealized gain or loss recorded in other comprehensive income (loss). A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in interest rates would not have a material impact on the fair market value of these instruments due to their short maturities.

 

 

ITEM 4.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

Our management, with the participation of our interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2007. The term "disclosure controls and procedures," as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Security and Exchange Commission's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the company's management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2007, our interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

 

No change in our internal control over financial reporting occurred during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2007 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II.   OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

ITEM 1.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

On August 16, 2006, Trevor Blumenau filed a complaint against us in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent 5,664,216, or the 216 patent, entitled Iconic Audiovisual Data Editing Environment. The complaint asserted that we develop, market and sell software that infringes one or more claims in the 216 patent. On March 12, 2007, we filed our answer, denying infringement and making counterclaims seeking a declaratory judgment that the patent is invalid and unenforceable. On November 8, 2007, the parties reached a final settlement that did not have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations.

 

On April 10, 2007, Disc Link Corporation filed a complaint against us and 25 other defendants in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent 6,314,574, or the 574 patent, entitled Information Distribution System. The complaint alleged that we manufacture, use, distribute and/or offer for sale products and/or systems that infringe one or more claims in the 574 patent, or induce and/or contribute to the infringement of the 574 patent by others. On August 7, 2007, the parties reached a final settlement that did not have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations.

 

In addition, we are involved in legal proceedings from time to time arising from the normal course of business activities, including claims of alleged infringement of intellectual property rights and commercial, employment, piracy prosecution and other matters. We do not believe these matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. However, our financial position or results of operations may be negatively impacted by the unfavorable resolution of one or more of these proceedings.

 

 

ITEM 1A.

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in Part I, Item 1A under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 in addition to the other information included or incorporated by reference in this quarterly report before making an investment decision regarding our common stock. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition or operating results would likely suffer, possibly materially, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.

 

During the three months ended September 30, 2007, there were no material changes to the risk factors that were disclosed in Part 1, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.

 

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ITEM 6.

EXHIBITS

 

 

*10.1

Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Terms and Conditions.

 

 

#10.2

Separation Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2007, between David A. Krall and the Company (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the Commission on July 19, 2007).

 

*#10.3

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Estes, dated as of July 18, 2007.

 

*#10.4

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Estes, dated as of July 18, 2007.

 

*#10.5

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Joel Legon, dated as of July 19, 2007.

 

*#10.6

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Joel Legon, dated as of July 19, 2007.

 

*#10.7

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Munster, dated as of August 3, 2007.

 

*#10.8

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Munster, dated as of August 3, 2007.

 

 

*31.1

Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

 

*31.2

Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

 

*32.1

Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

_____________________

* Documents filed herewith

# Management contract or compensatory plan

 

33

 


SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

Date:   November 9, 2007

By:

/s/ Joel E. Legon                              

 

 

Joel E. Legon
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

34

 


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.  

Description

 

 

*10.1

Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Terms and Conditions.

 

 

#10.2

Separation Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2007, between David A. Krall and the Company (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the Commission on July 19, 2007).

 

 

*#10.3

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Estes, dated as of July 18, 2007.

 

 

*#10.4

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Estes, dated as of July 18, 2007.

 

 

*#10.5

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Joel Legon, dated as of July 19, 2007.

 

 

*#10.6

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Joel Legon, dated as of July 19, 2007.

 

 

*#10.7

Executive Employment Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Munster, dated as of August 3, 2007.

 

 

*#10.8

Change-in-Control Agreement between the Company and Gregory A. Munster, dated as of August 3, 2007.

 

 

*31.1

Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

 

*31.2

Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

 

*32.1

Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

_____________________

* Documents filed herewith

# Management contract or compensatory plan

 

 

35

 


 

 

Exhibit 10.1

Avid Technology, Inc.

Incentive Stock Option Grant

Terms and Conditions

 

1.            Grant of Option. Avid Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the Optionee identified in the attached Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Notice”) an option pursuant to the Company’s Stock Plan identified in the Notice (the “Plan”) to purchase a total number of shares as identified in the Notice (the “Shares”) of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) at the price per share and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Notice and the Plan.

It is intended that the option evidenced hereby shall be an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”). Except as otherwise indicated by the context, the term “Optionee,” as used in this option, shall be deemed to include any person who acquires the right to exercise this option validly under its terms. Except where the context otherwise requires, the term “Company” shall include any of the Company’s present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code.

2.            Vesting Schedule. Except as otherwise provided herein, this option may be exercised in whole or in part prior to the tenth anniversary (the “Final Exercise Date”) of the date of grant as indicated in the Notice (the “Grant Date”), subject to the vesting schedule provided in the Notice. The right of exercise shall be cumulative so that to the extent the option is not exercised in any period to the maximum extent permissible it shall continue to be exercisable, in whole or in part, with respect to all Shares for which it is vested until the earlier of the Final Exercise Date or the termination of this option under Section 3 hereof or the Plan.

3.

Exercise of Option.

(a)          Form of Exercise. Each election to exercise this option shall be in a manner as determined by the Company from time to time and shall be accompanied by payment in full in accordance with Section 4 below. The Optionee may purchase less than the number of shares covered hereby, provided that no partial exercise of this option may be for any fractional share or for fewer than ten whole shares.

(b)          Continuous Relationship with the Company Required. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, this option may not be exercised unless the Optionee, at the time he or she exercises this option, is, and has been at all times since the Grant Date, an employee, officer or director of, or consultant or advisor to, the Company (an “Eligible Optionee”).

(c)          Termination of Relationship with the Company. If the Optionee ceases to be an Eligible Optionee for any reason, then, except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) below, the right to exercise this option shall terminate three months after such cessation (but in no event after the Final Exercise Date), provided that this option shall be exercisable only to the extent

 

 

 

- 1 -

 


that the Optionee was entitled to exercise this option on the date of such cessation. Notwithstanding anything contrary in paragraphs 3(c) and 3(d) herein, if the Optionee, prior to the Final Exercise Date, violates (as determined by the Company in its sole discretion) the non-competition, non-solicitation or confidentiality provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other similar agreement between the Optionee and the Company, the right to exercise this option shall terminate immediately upon such violation.

(d)          Exercise Period Upon Retirement, Death or Disability. If the Optionee retires, dies or becomes disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) prior to the Final Exercise Date while he or she is an Eligible Optionee and the Company has not terminated such relationship for “cause” as specified in paragraph (e) below, this option shall be exercisable, within the period of one year following the date of retirement, death or disability of the Optionee, by the Optionee (or in the case of death by an authorized transferee), provided that this option shall be exercisable only to the extent that this option was exercisable by the Optionee on the date of his or her retirement, death or disability, and further provided that this option shall not be exercisable after the Final Exercise Date. For purposes of this Section 3, “retirement” shall mean the cessation of employment with the Company for any reason other than “cause” as specified in paragraph (e) below, by an Optionee who is at least 60 years of age and who has been employed continuously by the Company for the seven years immediately preceding the date of cessation of employment.

(e)          Discharge for Cause. If the Optionee, prior to the Final Exercise Date, is discharged by the Company for “cause” (as defined below), the right to exercise this option shall terminate immediately upon the effective date of such discharge. “Cause” shall mean willful misconduct by the Optionee or willful failure by the Optionee to perform his or her responsibilities to the Company (including, without limitation, breach by the Optionee of any provision of any employment, consulting, advisory, nondisclosure, non-competition or other similar agreement between the Optionee and the Company), as determined by the Company, which determination shall be conclusive. The Optionee shall be considered to have been discharged for “Cause” if the Company determines, within 30 days after the Optionee’s resignation, that discharge for cause was warranted.

4.            Payment of Purchase Price. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of this option shall be paid for as follows:

 

(a)

in cash or by check, payable to the order of the Company;

(b)          with the prior consent of the Company (which may be withheld in its sole discretion, by (i) delivery of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding or (ii) delivery by the Optionee to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding;

(c)          if the Common Stock is registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, by delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Optionee valued at their fair market value

 

 

 

- 2 -

 


(“Fair Market Value”) as determined by (or in a manner approved by) the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), provided (i) such method of payment is then permitted under applicable law, (ii) such Common Stock, if acquired directly from the Company, was owned by the Optionee for six months or such other minimum period of time, if any, as may be established by the Board in its discretion and (iii) such Common Stock is not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements;

(d)          to the extent permitted by applicable law and by the Board, by payment of such other lawful consideration as the Board may determine; or

 

(e)

by any combination of the above permitted forms of payment.

5.

Tax Matters.

(a)          Withholding. No Shares will be issued pursuant to the exercise of this option unless and until the Optionee pays to the Company, or makes provision satisfactory to the Company for payment of, any federal, state or local withholding taxes required by law to be withheld in respect of this option. In the Board’s discretion, and subject to such conditions as the Board may establish, such tax obligations may be paid in whole or in part in shares of Common Stock, including Shares retained from the option creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value. The Company may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Optionee.

(b)          Disqualifying Disposition. If the Optionee disposes of Shares acquired upon exercise of this option within two years from the Grant Date or one year after such Shares were acquired pursuant to exercise of this option, the Optionee shall notify the Company in writing of such disposition.

(c)          Termination of Employment.  If the Optionee’s employment with the Company is terminated but such Optionee remains an Eligible Optionee, such Eligible Optionee must exercise this option (to the extent it is exercisable on the date of such termination) within three months following the Eligible Optionee’s termination in order for the option to receive incentive stock option treatment under Section 422 of the Code. If the Eligible Optionee elects to exercise this option after such three-month period, the option will convert to a nonstatuory stock option.

 

6.            Nontransferability of Option. This option may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the Optionee, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the lifetime of the Optionee, this option shall be exercisable only by the Optionee.

7.            Provisions of the Plan. This option is subject to the provisions of the Plan, a copy of which is furnished to the Optionee with this option.

 

 

 

- 3 -

 


8.

Miscellaneous.

(a)          Governing Law. This option shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to applicable conflicts of laws.

(b)          Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof, and each such other provision shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

(c)          Binding Effect. These terms and conditions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and the Optionee and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

(d)          Entire Agreement. These terms and conditions, the attached Notice and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, relating to the subject matter hereof.

(e)          Amendment. These terms and conditions may be amended or modified in accordance with Section 11(f) of the Plan.

 

 

 

- 4 -

 


Avid Technology, Inc.

Notice of Grant of Stock Option

 

[NAME]

 

Employee ID: _____

 

 

Dear ___________,

 

Effective_____________ (the “Grant Date”), you have been granted a stock option to buy ______ shares of common stock of Avid Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) at an exercise price of $____ per share.

 

Shares in each period will become fully vested on the date shown.

 

Number of Shares

Vest Type

Full Vest

Expiration

 

On Vest Date

 

 

 

Monthly

 

 

 

 

By your signature and the Company’s signature below, you and the Company agree that this option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan and the attached Terms and Conditions.

 

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

 

By _______________________________

Date _______________________

 

 

__________________________________

Date _______________________

Employee

 

 

 

 

- 5 -

 

 

Exhibit 10.3

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

This Executive Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of July 18, 2007 (the “Effective Date”) between Avid Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal executive offices at Avid Technology Park, Tewksbury, Massachusetts (the “Company”), and Gregory A. Estes (“Executive”) of 18757 Aspesi Drive, Saratoga, CA 95070.

Article 1. Services

1.1.        Service. During the Term (as defined below), the Company shall retain the services of Executive to serve as an executive employee of the Company and the Executive shall devote his time and render services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth below.

1.2.        Duties. During the Term, Executive agrees to perform such executive duties consistent with his position as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors and to devote his full working time and attention to such duties.

1.3.        No Conflicting Commitments. During the Term, Executive will not undertake any commitments, engage or have an interest in any outside business activities or enter into any consulting agreements which, in the opinion of the Company, conflict with the Company’s interests or which might impair the performance of Executive’s duties as a full time employee of the Company.

Article 2. Term

2.1.        Term. The term of this Agreement (the "Term") shall commence on the Effective Date and shall expire on July 18, 2009 unless the Term is:

2.1.1        extended pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.1;

2.1.2        terminated pursuant to Section 6.4 hereof; or

2.1.3        terminated when the Executive’s employment terminates pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Term shall continue to automatically be extended for periods of one (1) year so long as neither party provides written notice to the other of its intent to terminate by a date which is at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the then-current expiration date of the Agreement. Unless the services of the Executive have terminated prior to or upon the end of the Term in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, from and after the end of the Term, the Executive shall be an employee-at-will.

 

 


Article 3. Payments

3.1.        Base Compensation. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, the Company shall pay to Executive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) of $250,000 per annum, payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices. The Base Salary shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors’ Compensation Committee during the term of this Agreement and adjusted accordingly at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

3.2.        Incentive Payments. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, in any cash incentive payment or bonus plan established by the Company for its executive employees, as such plan is amended from time to time.

3.3.        Fringe Benefits. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, in addition to Executive’s Base Salary and incentive payments or bonuses, if any, the Company shall provide Executive and his dependents medical insurance and such other benefits as are generally made available by the Company to its full-time executive employees, as amended from time to time.

3.4.        Participation in Equity Incentive Plans. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s stock incentive plans to the extent and in the manner determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in its absolute discretion.

Article 4. Termination

4.1.        Termination. Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate immediately upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

4.1.1.     Executive’s death;

4.1.2.     The termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company for Disability (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.3.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.4.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company, without Cause and not as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, to be effective thirty (30) days after the Company delivers written notice thereof to the Executive;

4.1.5.      The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason (as defined below) to be effective thirty (30) days after Executive delivers written notice thereof from Executive to the Company; or

 

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4.1.6.     The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason (as defined below), to be effective as set forth below.

“Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s material failure to perform (other than by reason of death or Disability) his duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer or Board in accordance with Section 1.2 above, which is not remedied after thirty (30) days’ written notice from the Company (if such failure is susceptible to cure), (ii) a breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement (including the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement) between the Executive and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iii) a serious and material violation of Company policy (for purposes of this clause any violation of the Company’s Conflicts of Interest policy shall be deemed serious and material), which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iv) fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, (v) conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude or (vi) failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Cause” shall not include any failure to achieve results as a result of factors or events beyond the reasonable control of the Executive.

“Disability” shall mean the Executive’s absence from the full-time performance of his duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness, as a result of which the Executive is deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer its long-term disability plan (or any successor plan).

“Good Reason” shall mean (i) a material diminution in Executive’s authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect on the date of this Agreement, without Executive’s express written consent; (ii) a material diminution in Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be increased from time to time, without Executive’s express written consent, other than a reduction which is part of an across-the-board proportionate reduction in the salaries of all senior executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship (provided such reduction is not more than 20% and does not continue for more than twelve (12) months); (iii) a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom Executive reports, including a requirement that Executive report to a corporate officer or employee other than the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, without Executive’s express written consent; (iv) a material diminution in the budget over which Executive retains authority, without Executive’s express written consent, (v) a material change in Executive’s office location as in effect on the date hereof, without Executive’s express written consent; and (vi) any material breach of this Agreement by the Company; provided, however, that a termination for Good Reason by Executive can occur only if (i) Executive has given the Company a notice of the existence of a condition giving rise to Good Reason within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and (ii) the Company has not cured the condition giving rise to Good Reason within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice. A termination for Good Reason shall occur thirty (30) days after such failure to cure.

 

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4.2.

Adjustments Upon Termination.

4.2.1.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive or Executive’s heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to the Executive under any long-term disability plan of the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2, Executive or his or her personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to Executive’s executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through Executive.

4.2.2.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.3 or 4.1.5 hereof, (a) all payments and benefits provided to Executive under this Agreement shall cease as of the effective date of such termination (the “Date of Termination”), except that Executive shall be entitled to any amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid under Section 3.1 above and any benefits due in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefits plans and programs of the Company and (b) all vesting of all stock options then held by the Executive shall immediately cease as of the date of such termination.

4.2.3.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.4 or 4.1.6 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until the date that is twelve (12) months after the Date of Termination (the “Severance Pay Period”), (b) the Company shall pay Executive incentive compensation for the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, in the amount of Executive’s target award multiplied by the applicable actual plan payout factor and pro rated by the number of months Executive was employed by the Company during the year of the Date of Termination; the bonus will be paid only if the Company pays bonuses, on account of the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, to executives who remain employed with the Company and will be paid in a lump sum on or about the date on which the Company pays bonuses to executives who remain employed with the Company, (c) the Company shall continue to provide Executive with benefits in accordance with Section 3.3 hereof throughout the Severance Pay Period, to the extent permitted by the terms of such plans and applicable law, (d) the Company shall provide Executive with outplacement benefits in accordance with the Company’s then–current executive outplacement program, provided that no outplacement benefits shall be provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the Date

 

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of Termination occurred, (e) the Company shall continue to indemnify Executive against all claims related to actions arising prior to the termination of the Executive’s employment to the fullest extent permitted by law, (f) for forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available, and (g) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the Date of Termination shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the Date of Termination; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2.3, Executive shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to extend the time period within which any option may be exercised beyond the period specified in the applicable stock plan or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan. No other payments or benefits shall be due under this Agreement to Executive, but Executive shall be entitled to any benefits accrued or earned in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefit plans and programs of the Company.

4.2.4.     Payments to the Executive under this Article 4 shall be bifurcated into two portions, consisting of a portion that does not constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and a portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. Payments hereunder shall first be made from the portion that does not consist of nonqualified deferred compensation until it is exhausted and then shall be made from the portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However, if Executive is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation will be delayed to the date that is six (6) months and one day after Executive’s Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”); provided that this sentence does not apply to payments made under Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2. Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to the Executive hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year of the Executive following the taxable year of the Executive in which the Executive’s termination of employment occurs.

 

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Article 5. Prohibition on Unfair Competition

5.1.        The Company owns and has developed and compiled at great cost and expense, and will continue to so develop and compile, certain trade secrets, proprietary techniques and other Proprietary Information (as defined in the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement) which have great value to the business of the Company and which gives the Company or any affiliate of the Company a competitive advantage over those who do not know the secrets or information. Such information includes all Proprietary Information that has or could have commercial value or other utility in the business of the Company, whether or not such information is identified and marked as “Confidential Information” by the Company. Executive agrees that the following businesses are, as of the date of this Agreement, competitive with the Company: 360 Systems, Ableton AG, Adaptec, Inc., Adobe Systems Incorporated, ADS Technologies, Inc., Advanced Digital Information Corporation, AJA Video Systems, Inc., AKG Acoustics GmbH (a Harman International Company), AMS Neve Ltd., Apple, Inc., ATI Technologies, Inc., Autodesk, Inc.’s Media and Entertainment Solutions division, Behringer International GmbH, Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd., Bit Central, Inc., Borland Software Corporation, Chyron Corporation, Ciprico Inc., Creative Technology Ltd., Dalet, Dayang Technology Development Inc., DiGiCo Limited, Digitech (a Harman International Company), EditShare LLC, EMC Corporation, E-MU Systems (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology, Ltd.), Euphonix, Inc., EVS Broadcast Equipment, Facilis Technology, Inc., Fairlight.au Pty Ltd., Harris Corporation, Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Development Company, International Business Machines Corporation, Isilon Systems, Inc., KRK Systems, LLC, Line 6, Inc., Logitec Solutions Ltd., Loud Technologies, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Magix AG, MakeMusic Inc., Merging Technologies Inc., Midas (a division of Telex Communications, Inc.), MOTU, Inc., Native Instruments, Inc., Netgear, Inc., Newtek, Inc., Notion, Omneon Video Networks, Perforce Software, Inc., PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., Quantel Inc., Roland Corporation, Rorke Data (a subsidiary of Bell Microproducts, Inc.), Sling Media, Inc., Seachange International, Inc., Solid State Logic Ltd., Sony Corporation, Stanton Magnetics, Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, Tascam (a division of TEAC Corporation), The Associated Press (ENPS), Thomson Grass Valley, Twelve Tone Systems, Inc. (dba Cakewalk), Ulead Systems, Inc., Vizrt Ltd., Yamaha Corporation, and all subsidiaries and affiliates of the foregoing companies. As such, any use of or disclosure by Executive of the Company’s confidential, proprietary, or trade secret information to such businesses, or any other business which is competitive with the Company, would constitute unfair competition, which is prohibited under this Agreement, as well as by law.

5.2.        Executive agrees that during Executive’s employment with the Company and at all times following the termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, whether voluntary or with or without cause, Executive shall not, either directly or indirectly, engage in any unlawful competitive activities or unfair competition against the Company or use confidential trade secret information to unlawfully solicit clients, customers or vendors of the Company. Executive further agrees not to use Proprietary Information to unlawfully solicit or raid employees of the Company to terminate their employment relationship with the Company.

 

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5.3.        Remedies for Breach. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s remedies at law for a breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this Section 5 may be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, Executive agrees that, in the event of such a breach or threatened breach, in addition to any remedies at law, the Company, without posting any bond, shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, temporary restraining orders, temporary or permanent injunctions or any other equitable remedy which may then be available. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any breach of Section 5.1, if Executive is employed by the Company, the Company may immediately terminate the employment of Exec utive for Cause in accordance with Section 4.1.3, and, whether or not Executive is employed by the Company, the Company shall immediately cease to have any obligations to make payments to Executive under this Agreement.

5.4.        Survival. Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement or Executive’s services hereunder for any reason, this Article 5 shall survive any such termination.

Article 6. Miscellaneous

6.1.        Obligation of Successors. Subject to Section 6.4, any successor to substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and any successor to substantially all of the assets of the division of the Company in which Executive is employed, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the Company hereunder.

6.2.        Notice. All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and deemed effectively given (i) when delivered in person, (ii) on the third business day after mailing by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, (iii) on the next business day after delivery to an air courier for next day delivery, paid by the sender, or (iv) when sent by telecopy or facsimile transmission during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) where the recipient is located (or if sent after such hours, as of commencement of the next business day), followed within twenty-four hours by notification pursuant to any of the foregoing methods of delivery, in all cases addressed to the other party hereto as follows:

 

(a)

If to the Company:

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

Attention: Vice President, Human Resources

Facsimile: (978) 640-0065

 

(b)

If to Executive:

Gregory A. Estes

18757 Aspesi Drive

Saratoga, CA 95070

or at such other address or addresses as either party shall designate to the other in accordance with this Section 6.2.

 

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6.3.        Survival. The respective rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement shall survive any termination of Executive’s employment to the extent necessary to the intended preservation of such rights and obligations.

6.4.        Complete Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior agreements between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, except for the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Company dated the date hereof, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Change-in-Control Agreement”). Upon the occurrence of a Change-in-Control (as defined in the Change-in-Control Agreement), and for so long as the Change-in-Control Agreement shall remain in effect following a Change-in-Control, the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement shall supersede this Executive Employment Agreement with respect to all subject matters covered by the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate on the Date of Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except upon written amendment approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee, and executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and by Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may unilaterally modify or amend this Agreement if such modification or amendment is approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee and made to all other executive employment agreements entered into between the Company and its then-current executive officers.

6.5.        Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the state of California (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof) and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of that state.

6.6.        Severability. If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

6.7.        Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, assigns and personal representatives, except that the duties, responsibilities and rights of Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature and shall not be assignable or delegatable in whole or in part by Executive, except to the extent that the rights of Executive hereunder may be enforceable by his heirs, executors, administrators or legal representatives.

6.8.        Captions. Captions of sections have been added only for convenience and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

6.9.        Section 409A Compliance. The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

 

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6.10.      Further Assurances. Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne                      

Name:  Nancy Hawthorne

Title:    Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

/s/ Gregory A. Estes                           

Gregory A. Estes

 

 

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Exhibit 10.4

Change-in-Control Agreement

 

Date: July 18, 2007

 

Gregory A. Estes

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

 

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Avid Technology, Inc. (“Avid” or the “Company”) recognizes that your contributions to the future growth and success of the Company will be substantial and the Board desires to assure the Company of your continued services for the benefit of the Company, particularly in the face of a change-in-control of the Company.

This letter agreement (“Agreement”) therefore sets forth those benefits that the Company will provide to you in the event your employment within the Company is terminated after a “Change in Control of the Company” (as defined in Paragraph 2(i)) under the circumstances described below.

1.

TERM.

If a Change in Control of the Company should occur while you are still an employee of the Company, then this Agreement shall continue in effect from the date of such Change in Control of the Company for so long as you remain an employee of the Company, but in no event for more than two full calendar years following such Change in Control of the Company; provided, however, that the expiration of the term of this Agreement shall not adversely affect your rights under this Agreement which have accrued prior to such expiration. If no Change in Control of the Company occurs before your status as an employee of the Company is terminated, this Agreement shall expire on such date. Prior to a Change in Control of the Company, (a) your employment may be terminated by the Company or by you, in each case only in accordance with the provisions of your Executive Employment Agreement dated the date hereof, and (b) this Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time upon written notice to you, and in either such event (termination of your employment, or termination of this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control), you shall not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder; provided, however, that the Company may not terminate this Agreement following the occurrence of a Potential Change in Control of the Company (as defined in Paragraph 2(ii)) unless (a) at least one year has expired since the most recent event or transaction constituting a Potential Change in Control of the Company and (b) in respect of a Potential Change in Control of the Company

 

 


Gregory A. Estes

July 18, 2007

Page 2

 

which previously occurred, no facts or circumstances continue to exist which, if initially occurring at the time any termination of this Agreement is to occur, would constitute a Potential Change in Control of the Company.

 

2.

CHANGE IN CONTROL; POTENTIAL CHANGE IN CONTROL.

(i)           For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred only if any of the following events occur:

(a)          The acquisition by an individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”))(a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 30% or more of either (i) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or (D) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which satisfies the criteria set forth in clauses (A) and (B) of subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph 2(i); or

(b)          Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequently to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

(c)          Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 40% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of

 


Gregory A. Estes

July 18, 2007

Page 3

 

directors, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (which as used in this Paragraph 2(i)(c) shall include, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns all or substantially all of the Company's assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be and (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination, or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation.

(ii)          For purposes of this Agreement, a “Potential Change in Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred if (A) the Company shall enter into a merger, acquisition or similar agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company, or (B) any person shall publicly announce an intention to take actions which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any event or transaction which would otherwise constitute a Potential Change in Control of the Company shall not constitute a Potential Change in Control of the Company if the negotiations or other actions leading to such event or transaction were initiated by the Company (it being understood that the occurrence of such a Company-initiated event or transaction shall not affect the existence of any Potential Change in Control of the Company resulting from any other event or transaction).

3.

TERMINATION FOLLOWING CHANGE IN CONTROL.

If a Change in Control of the Company shall have occurred while you are still an employee of the Company, you shall be entitled to the payments and benefits provided in Paragraph 4 hereof upon the subsequent termination of your employment within twenty-four (24) months after such Change in Control, by you or by the Company, unless such termination is (a) by the Company for “Cause” (as defined below) or (b) by you other than for “Good Reason” (as defined below); in either such event, you shall not be entitled to receive benefits under this Agreement.

(i)           Disability”. If, as a result of your incapacity due to physical or mental illness, you shall have been deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan (or successor plan) because you shall have been absent from full-time performance of your duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period, the Company may terminate your employment for Disability.

(ii)          Cause”. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall have “Cause” to terminate your employment only upon

 


Gregory A. Estes

July 18, 2007

Page 4

 

(A)         the willful and continued failure by you substantially to perform your duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from your incapacity due to physical or mental illness or any failure resulting from your terminating your employment with the Company for “Good Reason” (as defined below)) after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to you by the Company which specifically identifies the manner in which the Company believes that you have not substantially performed your duties, or

(B)         a breach of the Invention and Non-Disclosure Agreement, between you and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), or

(C)         the willful engaging by you in gross misconduct materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company, or

(D)         an act by you of fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, or

(E)          conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or

(F)          failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation.

For purposes of this Paragraph, no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by you not in good faith and without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.

(iii)        Good Reason”. You may terminate your employment for Good Reason. For purpose of this Agreement, "Good Reason" shall mean:

(A)         a material diminution in your authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect immediately prior to a Change in Control of the Company, without your express written consent;

(B)         a material diminution in your base salary in effect immediately prior to a Change in Control of the Company, without your express written consent, provided, however, that a reduction in your base salary of more than [20]% shall be considered to be a material diminution (other than the reduction of up to [20]% for a period of not more than six (6) months which is part of an across the board proportionate reduction in the salaries of other peer executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship);

 

(C)

a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the

 


Gregory A. Estes

July 18, 2007

Page 5

 

supervisor to whom you report, including a requirement that you report to a corporate officer or employee other than Company’s Chief Executive Officer, without your express written consent;

(D)         a material diminution in the budget over which you retain authority, without your express written consent;

(E)          a material change in your office location at which you perform your principal duties for the Company at the time of the Change in Control of the Company, without your express written consent; or

(F)          any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Paragraph 6).

(iv)         Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company pursuant to subparagraphs (i) or (ii) above or by you pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of your termination under the provision so indicated. A termination pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above can occur only if you deliver a Notice of Termination to the Company within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and the Company has not cured such condition within thirty (30) days after receipt of such Notice of Termination.

 

(v)

Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” shall mean:

(A)         if your employment is terminated for Disability, thirty (30) days after Notice of Termination is given,

(B)         if your employment is terminated pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above, thirty (30) days after the Company’s failure to cure the condition giving rise to Good Reason, and

(C)         if your employment is terminated for any other reason, the date on which a Notice of Termination is given (or, if a Notice of Termination is not given, the date of such termination).

4.

COMPENSATION DURING DISABILITY OR UPON TERMINATION.

(i)           If, after a Change in Control of the Company, you shall fail to perform your duties hereunder as a result of incapacity due to Disability, you shall continue to receive your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect and any awards under the Executive/Senior Management Variable Compensation Plan or any successor plan shall continue to accrue and to be paid during such

 


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period until your employment is terminated (and, if the Company maintains a Long Term Disability Plan, you shall be eligible for coverage thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof and subject to the satisfaction of all applicable conditions, including without limitation, the timely filing of a notice of claim).

(ii)          If, after a Change in Control of the Company, your employment shall be terminated for Cause, the Company shall pay you for your full base salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and the Company shall have no further obligations to you under this Agreement.

(iii)        If, within two years after a Change in Control of the Company, the Company shall terminate your employment by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i), the Company shall continue to pay you, or your heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to you under any long-term disability plan of the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by you as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to your executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through you.

(iv)         If, within two years after a Change in Control of the Company, you shall terminate your employment for Good Reason or the Company shall terminate your employment, other than by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i) or 3(ii) hereof,

(A)         The Company shall pay you as severance pay (and without regard to the provisions of any benefit plan) in a lump sum in cash no more than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination, the following amounts:

 

(x)

the sum of (A) your accrued but unpaid base salary through the Date of Termination, (B) the product of (x) the greater of your highest annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs, and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the then current fiscal year through the Date

 


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of Termination, and the denominator of which is 365 and (C) any accrued vacation pay, in each case to the extent not previously paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (A), (B), and (C) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); and

 

(y)

the amount equal to one and a half (1.5) times the sum of your annual base salary at the highest rate in effect during the twelve (12) months preceding the Date of Termination and the greater of your highest annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs.

(B)         For an eighteen (18) month period after such termination, the Company shall arrange to provide you with dental, accident and group health insurance benefits substantially similar to those that you were receiving immediately prior to such termination to the extent that the Company's plans then permit the Company to provide you with such benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not provide any such benefits to you to the extent that an equivalent benefit is received by you from another employer during such period, and you shall report any such benefit actually received by you to the Company;

(C)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the applicable stock option or restricted stock agreement, the exercisability of all outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards then held by you for the purchase of common stock of the Company (or securities exchanged for such common stock in connection with the Change in Control of the Company) shall accelerate in full and you shall be entitled to exercise any such options until eighteen (18) months after the Date of Termination;

(D)         For forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available and

(E)         You shall be entitled to full executive outplacement assistance with an agency selected by the Company’ provided that no outplacement assistance will be provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which your Date of Termination occurred.

(v)          In order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under Paragraphs 4(iii) or 4(iv), you or your personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the

 


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Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement.

(vi)         You shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor, except as provided in Paragraph 4(iv)(B), shall the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by you as the result of employment by another employer after the Date of Termination, or otherwise.

(vii)       Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company to its employees and for which you may qualify nor, subject to Paragraph 11 hereof, shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any contract or agreement between you and the Company; provided, however, that to the extent you are entitled to receive any payments hereunder upon termination of your employment, you shall not be entitled to any payments under any severance plan, program, policy or practice of the Company then in effect.

(viii)      If any of the payments to be made to you under this Paragraph 4 constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), then if you are a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments will be delayed to the date that is 6 months after your Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”). Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to you hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year following the taxable year in which your termination of employment occurs.

5.

TAXES.

(i)           Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any payment or distribution by the Company to you or for your benefit and/or any acceleration of vesting of any options or restricted stock awards (whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable or provided pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise) (a “Payment”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Excise Tax”), then the Payments shall be reduced, in the aggregate, to an amount (the “Reduced Amount”) such that the receipt of Payments would not give rise to any Excise Tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 5(i), if it shall be determined that (i) the aggregate present value (determined in

 


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accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations) of the payments eliminated pursuant to the preceding sentence (the “Eliminated Payments”) exceeds by at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)(ii) the aggregate present value of the amount of any additional taxes that would be incurred by you if the Eliminated Payments (determined without regard to this sentence) were paid to you (including state and federal income taxes on the Eliminated Payments, any Excise Tax, and any withholding taxes) then no reduction in the Payments shall be made.

(ii)          Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 5(i), all determinations required to be made under this Paragraph 5, including whether any Payments need to be reduced or eliminated and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or such other certified public accounting firm as may be designated by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations to both the Company and you within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group affecting the Change of Control, the Company shall appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne by the Company.

6.

SUCCESSOR’S BINDING AGREEMENT.

(i)           The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or the assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “Company” shall mean the Company as defined above and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Paragraph 6 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law.

(ii)          This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, your personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If you should die while any amounts would still be payable to you hereunder if you had continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to your devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there be no such designee, to your estate.

7.

PROHIBITION ON UNFAIR COMPETITION.

(i)           The Company owns and has developed and compiled at great cost and expense, and will continue to so develop and compile, certain trade secrets, proprietary techniques and other Proprietary Information (as defined in the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement) which have great value to the business of the Company and

 


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which gives the Company or any affiliate of the Company a competitive advantage over those who do not know the secrets or information. Such information includes all Proprietary Information that has or could have commercial value or other utility in the business of the Company, whether or not such information is identified and marked as “Confidential Information” by the Company. You agree that the following businesses are, as of the date of this Agreement, competitive with the Company: 360 Systems, Ableton AG, Adaptec, Inc., Adobe Systems Incorporated, ADS Technologies, Inc., Advanced Digital Information Corporation, AJA Video Systems, Inc., AKG Acoustics GmbH (a Harman International Company), AMS Neve Ltd., Apple, Inc., ATI Technologies, Inc., Autodesk, Inc.’s Media and Entertainment Solutions division, Behringer International GmbH, Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd., Bit Central, Inc., Borland Software Corporation, Chyron Corporation, Ciprico Inc., Creative Technology Ltd., Dalet, Dayang Technology Development Inc., DiGiCo Limited, Digitech (a Harman International Company), EditShare LLC, EMC Corporation, E-MU Systems (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology, Ltd.), Euphonix, Inc., EVS Broadcast Equipment, Facilis Technology, Inc., Fairlight.au Pty Ltd., Harris Corporation, Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Development Company, International Business Machines Corporation, Isilon Systems, Inc., KRK Systems, LLC, Line 6, Inc., Logitec Solutions Ltd., Loud Technologies, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Magix AG, MakeMusic Inc., Merging Technologies Inc., Midas (a division of Telex Communications, Inc.), MOTU, Inc., Native Instruments, Inc., Netgear, Inc., Newtek, Inc., Notion, Omneon Video Networks, Perforce Software, Inc., PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., Quantel Inc., Roland Corporation, Rorke Data (a subsidiary of Bell Microproducts, Inc.), Sling Media, Inc., Seachange International, Inc., Solid State Logic Ltd., Sony Corporation, Stanton Magnetics, Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, Tascam (a division of TEAC Corporation), The Associated Press (ENPS), Thomson Grass Valley, Twelve Tone Systems, Inc. (dba Cakewalk), Ulead Systems, Inc., Vizrt Ltd., Yamaha Corporation, and all subsidiaries and affiliates of the foregoing companies. As such, any use of or disclosure by you of the Company’s confidential, proprietary, or trade secret information to such businesses, or any other business which is competitive with the Company, would constitute unfair competition, which is prohibited under this Agreement, as well as by law.

(ii)          You agree that during your employment with the Company and at all times following the termination of your employment for any reason, whether voluntary or with or without cause, you shall not, either directly or indirectly, engage in any unlawful competitive activities or unfair competition against the Company or use confidential trade secret information to unlawfully solicit clients, customers or vendors of the Company. You further agree not to use Proprietary Information to unlawfully solicit or raid employees of the Company to terminate their employment relationship with the Company.

(iii)        Remedies for Breach. You acknowledge and agree that the Company’s remedies at law for a breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this Section 7 may be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, you agree that, in the event of such a breach or threatened breach, in addition to any remedies at law, the Company, without posting any bond,

 


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shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, temporary restraining orders, temporary or permanent injunctions or any other equitable remedy which may then be available. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any breach of this Section 7, whether or not Executive is employed by the Company, the Company shall immediately cease to have any obligations to make payments to Executive under this Agreement.

8.

NOTICE.

For the purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement, provided that all other notices to the Company should be directed to the attention to the Corporate Secretary of the Company, or to such address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

9.

FURTHER ASSURANCES.

Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

10.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement represents the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any other agreement between the parties with respect to such subject matter, including without limitations, the Executive Employment Agreement dated the date hereof.

11.

COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one in the same instrument.

12.

LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES.

In addition to any other benefits to which you may be entitled hereunder, the Company shall pay all reasonable legal fees and expenses which you may incur as a result of the Company’s contesting the validity, enforceability or your interpretation of, or determination under, this Agreement or otherwise as a result of any termination as a result of which you are entitled to the benefits set forth in this Agreement.

 


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13.

MISCELLANEOUS.

(i)           No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived, or discharged unless such waiver, modification, or discharge is agreed to in writing signed by you and such officer as may be specifically designated by the Board of Directors of the Company.

(ii)          No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any time prior or subsequent time.

(iii)        The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of California (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof).

(iv)         If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

(v)          The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

(vi)         The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

(vii)       If this Agreement correctly sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy of this Agreement which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.

Sincerely,

 

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

 

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne

Name: Nancy Hawthorne

Title: Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

 


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I acknowledge receipt and agree with the foregoing terms and conditions.

 

 

/s/ Gregory A. Estes

Gregory A. Estes

 

Date: July 18, 2007

 

 

Exhibit 10.5

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

This Executive Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of July 19, 2007 (the “Effective Date”) between Avid Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal executive offices at Avid Technology Park, Tewksbury, Massachusetts (the “Company”), and Joel Legon (“Executive”) of 20 Pine Pasture Run, Boxborough, MA 01719.

Article 1. Services

1.1.        Service. During the Term (as defined below), the Company shall retain the services of Executive to serve as an executive employee of the Company and the Executive shall devote his time and render services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth below.

1.2.        Duties. During the Term, Executive agrees to perform such executive duties consistent with his position as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors and to devote his full working time and attention to such duties.

1.3.        No Conflicting Commitments. During the Term, Executive will not undertake any commitments, engage or have an interest in any outside business activities or enter into any consulting agreements which, in the opinion of the Company, conflict with the Company’s interests or which might impair the performance of Executive’s duties as a full time employee of the Company.

Article 2. Term

2.1.        Term. The term of this Agreement (the "Term") shall commence on the Effective Date and shall expire on July 19, 2009 unless the Term is:

2.1.1        extended pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.1;

2.1.2        terminated pursuant to Section 6.4 hereof; or

2.1.3        terminated when the Executive’s employment terminates pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Term shall continue to automatically be extended for periods of one (1) year so long as neither party provides written notice to the other of its intent to terminate by a date which is at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the then-current expiration date of the Agreement. Unless the services of the Executive have terminated prior to or upon the end of the Term in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, from and after the end of the Term, the Executive shall be an employee-at-will.

 

 

 


Article 3. Payments

3.1.        Base Compensation. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, the Company shall pay to Executive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) of $350,000 per annum, payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices. The Base Salary shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors’ Compensation Committee during the term of this Agreement and adjusted accordingly at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

3.2.        Incentive Payments. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, in any cash incentive payment or bonus plan established by the Company for its executive employees, as such plan is amended from time to time.

3.3.        Fringe Benefits. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, in addition to Executive’s Base Salary and incentive payments or bonuses, if any, the Company shall provide Executive and his dependents medical insurance and such other benefits as are generally made available by the Company to its full-time executive employees, as amended from time to time.

3.4.        Participation in Equity Incentive Plans. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s stock incentive plans to the extent and in the manner determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in its absolute discretion.

Article 4. Termination

4.1.        Termination. Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate immediately upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

4.1.1.     Executive’s death;

4.1.2.     The termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company for Disability (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.3.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.4.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company, without Cause and not as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, to be effective thirty (30) days after the Company delivers written notice thereof to the Executive;

4.1.5.      The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason (as defined below) to be effective thirty (30) days after Executive delivers written notice thereof from Executive to the Company; or

4.1.6.     The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason (as defined below), to be effective as set forth below.

 

2

 


“Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s material failure to perform (other than by reason of death or Disability) his duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer or Board in accordance with Section 1.2 above, which is not remedied after thirty (30) days’ written notice from the Company (if such failure is susceptible to cure), (ii) a breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement (including the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement) between the Executive and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iii) a serious and material violation of Company policy (for purposes of this clause any violation of the Company’s Conflicts of Interest policy shall be deemed serious and material), which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iv) fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, (v) conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude or (vi) failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Cause” shall not include any failure to achieve results as a result of factors or events beyond the reasonable control of the Executive.

“Disability” shall mean the Executive’s absence from the full-time performance of his duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness, as a result of which the Executive is deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer its long-term disability plan (or any successor plan).

“Good Reason” shall mean (i) a material diminution in Executive’s authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect on the date of this Agreement, without Executive’s express written consent; (ii) a material diminution in Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be increased from time to time, without Executive’s express written consent, other than a reduction which is part of an across-the-board proportionate reduction in the salaries of all senior executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship (provided such reduction is not more than 20% and does not continue for more than twelve (12) months); (iii) a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom Executive reports, including a requirement that Executive report to a corporate officer or employee other than the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, without Executive’s express written consent; (iv) a material diminution in the budget over which Executive retains authority, without Executive’s express written consent, (v) a material change in Executive’s office location as in effect on the date hereof, without Executive’s express written consent; and (vi) any material breach of this Agreement by the Company; provided, however, that a termination for Good Reason by Executive can occur only if (i) Executive has given the Company a notice of the existence of a condition giving rise to Good Reason within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and (ii) the Company has not cured the condition giving rise to Good Reason within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice. A termination for Good Reason shall occur thirty (30) days after such failure to cure.

 

3

 


 

4.2.

Adjustments Upon Termination.

4.2.1.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive or Executive’s heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to the Executive under any long-term disability plan of the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2, Executive or his or her personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to Executive’s executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through Executive.

4.2.2.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.3 or 4.1.5 hereof, (a) all payments and benefits provided to Executive under this Agreement shall cease as of the effective date of such termination (the “Date of Termination”), except that Executive shall be entitled to any amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid under Section 3.1 above and any benefits due in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefits plans and programs of the Company and (b) all vesting of all stock options then held by the Executive shall immediately cease as of the date of such termination.

4.2.3.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.4 or 4.1.6 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until the date that is twelve (12) months after the Date of Termination (the “Severance Pay Period”), (b) the Company shall pay Executive incentive compensation for the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, in the amount of Executive’s target award multiplied by the applicable actual plan payout factor and pro rated by the number of months Executive was employed by the Company during the year of the Date of Termination; the bonus will be paid only if the Company pays bonuses, on account of the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, to executives who remain employed with the Company and will be paid in a lump sum on or about the date on which the Company pays bonuses to executives who remain employed with the Company, (c) the Company shall continue to provide Executive with benefits in accordance with Section 3.3 hereof throughout the Severance Pay Period, to the extent permitted by the terms of such plans and applicable law, (d) the Company shall provide Executive with outplacement benefits in accordance with the Company’s then–

 

4

 


current executive outplacement program, provided that no outplacement benefits shall be provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurred, (e) the Company shall continue to indemnify Executive against all claims related to actions arising prior to the termination of the Executive’s employment to the fullest extent permitted by law, (f) for forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available, and (g) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the Date of Termination shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the Date of Termination; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2.3, Executive shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to extend the time period within which any option may be exercised beyond the period specified in the applicable stock plan or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan. No other payments or benefits shall be due under this Agreement to Executive, but Executive shall be entitled to any benefits accrued or earned in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefit plans and programs of the Company.

4.2.4.     Payments to the Executive under this Article 4 shall be bifurcated into two portions, consisting of a portion that does not constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and a portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. Payments hereunder shall first be made from the portion that does not consist of nonqualified deferred compensation until it is exhausted and then shall be made from the portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However, if Executive is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation will be delayed to the date that is six (6) months and one day after Executive’s Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”); provided that this sentence does not apply to payments made under Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2. Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to the Executive hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year of the Executive following the taxable year of the Executive in which the Executive’s termination of employment occurs.

 

5

 


Article 5. Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation

5.1.        Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation. Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the businesses of the Company and accordingly agrees that while Executive is employed by the Company and for a period of the longer of (a) one (1) year after the Date of Termination of Executive’s employment hereunder and (b) while Executive is receiving any post-employment payments by the Company:

5.1.1.     Executive will not engage in any activity which is competitive with any business which is now, or is at any time during Executive’s employment with the Company, conducted by the Company, including without limitation becoming an employee, investor (except for passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in, a company or entity listed or traded on a national securities exchange or in an over-the-counter securities market), officer, agent, partner or director of, or other participant in, any firm, person or other entity in any geographic area that competes or plans to compete with the Company in the business of the development, manufacture, promotion, distribution or sale of professional or consumer film, video or audio production tools, including but not limited to, editing, special effects, 3D, animation, live sound, broadcast or newsroom products or systems, content-creation tools, media storage or other business or services in which the Company is engaged or plans to engage at the time of Executive’s termination.

5.1.2.     Executive will not directly or indirectly assist others in engaging in any of the activities in which Executive is prohibited to engage by Section 5.1.1 above.

5.1.3.     Executive will not directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others (a) solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit, any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or (b) solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, any person who was employed by the Company at any time; provided that this clause (5.1.3) shall not apply to the solicitation, hiring or engagement of any individual whose employment with the Company has been terminated for a period of one year or longer.

5.1.4.     Executive will not directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit, any current or future customer or supplier of the Company to cease doing business in whole or in part with the Company or otherwise adversely modify his, her or its business relationship with the Company.

5.2.        Reasonableness of Restrictions. It is expressly understood and agreed that (a) although Executive and the Company consider the restrictions contained in this Article 5 to be reasonable, if a final judicial determination is made by a court of competent jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in this Article 5 is unenforceable, such restriction shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed to be enforceable to such maximum extent as such court may judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable and (b) if any

 

6

 


restriction contained in this Agreement is determined to be unenforceable and such restriction cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions contained herein.

5.3.        Remedies for Breach. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s remedies at law for a breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this Section 5 would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, Executive agrees that, in the event of such a breach or threatened breach, in addition to any remedies at law, the Company, without posting any bond, shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, temporary restraining orders, temporary or permanent injunctions or any other equitable remedy which may then be available. Executive hereby irrevocably waives any right to a trial by jury in any action, suit, or other legal proceeding arising under or relating to any provision of this Agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any breach of Section 5.1, if Executive is employed by the Company, the Company may immediately terminate the employment of Executive for Cause in accordance with Section 4.1.3, and, whether or not Executive is employed by the Company, the Company shall immediately cease to have any obligations to make payments to Executive under this Agreement.

5.4.        Survival. Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement or Executive’s services hereunder for any reason, this Article 5 shall survive any such termination.

Article 6. Miscellaneous

6.1.        Obligation of Successors. Subject to Section 6.4, any successor to substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and any successor to substantially all of the assets of the division of the Company in which Executive is employed, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the Company hereunder.

6.2.        Notice. All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and deemed effectively given (i) when delivered in person, (ii) on the third business day after mailing by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, (iii) on the next business day after delivery to an air courier for next day delivery, paid by the sender, or (iv) when sent by telecopy or facsimile transmission during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) where the recipient is located (or if sent after such hours, as of commencement of the next business day), followed within twenty-four hours by notification pursuant to any of the foregoing methods of delivery, in all cases addressed to the other party hereto as follows:

 

(a)

If to the Company:

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

Attention: Vice President, Human Resources

Facsimile: (978) 640-0065

 

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(b)

If to Executive:

Joel Legon

20 Pine Pasture Run

Boxborough, MA 01719

or at such other address or addresses as either party shall designate to the other in accordance with this Section 6.2.

6.3.        Survival. The respective rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement shall survive any termination of Executive’s employment to the extent necessary to the intended preservation of such rights and obligations.

6.4.        Complete Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior agreements between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, except for the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Company dated July 19, 2007, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Change-in-Control Agreement”). Upon the occurrence of a Change-in-Control (as defined in the Change-in-Control Agreement), and for so long as the Change-in-Control Agreement shall remain in effect following a Change-in-Control, the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement shall supersede this Executive Employment Agreement with respect to all subject matters covered by the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate on the Date of Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except upon written amendment approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee, and executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and by Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may unilaterally modify or amend this Agreement if such modification or amendment is approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee and made to all other executive employment agreements entered into between the Company and its then-current executive officers.

6.5.        Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof) and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of that state.

6.6.        Severability. If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

6.7.        Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, assigns and personal representatives, except that the duties, responsibilities and rights of Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature and shall not be assignable or delegatable in whole or in part by Executive, except to the extent that the rights of Executive hereunder may be enforceable by his heirs, executors, administrators or legal representatives.

 

8

 


6.8.        Captions. Captions of sections have been added only for convenience and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

6.9.        Section 409A Compliance. The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

6.10.      Further Assurances. Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

Remainder of page left blank intentionally.

 

9

 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne                      

Name:  Nancy Hawthorne

Title:    Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

/s/ Joel Legon                           

Joel Legon, individually

 

 

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Exhibit 10.6

Change-in-Control Agreement

 

Date: July 19, 2007

 

Joel Legon

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

 

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Avid Technology, Inc. (“Avid” or the “Company”) recognizes that your contributions to the future growth and success of the Company will be substantial and the Board desires to assure the Company of your continued services for the benefit of the Company, particularly in the face of a change-in-control of the Company.

This letter agreement (“Agreement”) therefore sets forth those benefits that the Company will provide to you in the event your employment within the Company is terminated after a “Change-in-Control of the Company” (as defined in Paragraph 2(i)) under the circumstances described below.

1.

TERM.

If a Change-in-Control of the Company should occur while you are still an employee of the Company, then this Agreement shall continue in effect from the date of such Change-in-Control of the Company for so long as you remain an employee of the Company, but in no event for more than two full calendar years following such Change-in-Control of the Company; provided, however, that the expiration of the term of this Agreement shall not adversely affect your rights under this Agreement which have accrued prior to such expiration. If no Change-in-Control of the Company occurs before your status as an employee of the Company is terminated, this Agreement shall expire on such date. Prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, (a) your employment may be terminated by the Company or by you, in each case only in accordance with the provisions of your Executive Employment Agreement dated July 19, 2007, and (b) this Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time upon written notice to you, and in either such event (termination of your employment, or termination of this Agreement, prior to a Change-in-Control), you shall not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder; provided, however, that the Company may not terminate this Agreement following the occurrence of a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company (as defined in Paragraph 2(ii)) unless (a) at least one year has expired since the most recent event or transaction constituting a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company and (b) in respect of a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company which previously occurred, no facts or circumstances continue to exist which, if initially occurring at the time any termination of this Agreement is to occur, would constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company.

 

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 2

 

 

2.

CHANGE-IN-CONTROL; POTENTIAL CHANGE-IN-CONTROL.

(i)           For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change-in-Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred only if any of the following events occur:

(a)          The acquisition by an individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”))(a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 30% or more of either (i) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Paragraph 2(i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or (D) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which satisfies the criteria set forth in clauses (A) and (B) of subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph 2(i); or

(b)          Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequently to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

(c)          Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 40% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (which as used in this Paragraph 2(i)(c) shall include, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns all or substantially all of the Company's assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be and (B) no Person (excluding any corporation

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 3

 

resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination, or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation.

(ii)          For purposes of this Agreement, a “Potential Change-in-Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred if (A) the Company shall enter into a merger, acquisition or similar agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change-in-Control of the Company, or (B) any person shall publicly announce an intention to take actions which if consummated would constitute a Change-in-Control of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any event or transaction which would otherwise constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company shall not constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company if the negotiations or other actions leading to such event or transaction were initiated by the Company (it being understood that the occurrence of such a Company-initiated event or transaction shall not affect the existence of any Potential Change-in-Control of the Company resulting from any other event or transaction).

3.

TERMINATION FOLLOWING CHANGE-IN-CONTROL.

If a Change-in-Control of the Company shall have occurred while you are still an employee of the Company, you shall be entitled to the payments and benefits provided in Paragraph 4 hereof upon the subsequent termination of your employment within twenty-four (24) months after such Change-in-Control, by you or by the Company, unless such termination is (a) by the Company for “Cause” (as defined below) or (b) by you other than for “Good Reason” (as defined below); in either such event, you shall not be entitled to receive benefits under this Agreement.

(i)           Disability”. If, as a result of your incapacity due to physical or mental illness, you shall have been deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan (or successor plan) because you shall have been absent from full-time performance of your duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period, the Company may terminate your employment for Disability.

(ii)          Cause”. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall have “Cause” to terminate your employment only upon

(A)         the willful and continued failure by you substantially to perform your duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from your incapacity due to physical or mental illness or any failure resulting from your terminating your employment with the Company for “Good Reason” (as defined below)) after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to you by the Company which specifically identifies the manner in which the Company believes that you have not substantially performed your duties, or

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 4

 

(B)         a breach of the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement, between you and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), or

(C)         the willful engaging by you in gross misconduct materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company, or

(D)         an act by you of fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, or

(E)          conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or

(F)          failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation.

For purposes of this Paragraph, no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by you not in good faith and without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.

(iii)        Good Reason”. You may terminate your employment for Good Reason. For purpose of this Agreement, "Good Reason" shall mean:

(A)         a material diminution in your authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect immediately prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent;

(B)         a material diminution in your base salary in effect immediately prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent, other than the reduction of up to 20% for a period of not more than six (6) months which is part of an across the board proportionate reduction in the salaries of other peer executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship;

(C)         a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom you report, including a requirement that you report to a corporate officer or employee other than Company’s Chief Executive Officer, without your express written consent;

(D)         a material diminution in the budget over which you retain authority, without your express written consent;

(E)          a material change in your office location at which you perform your principal duties for the Company at the time of the Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent; or

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 5

 

(F)          any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Paragraph 6.

(iv)         Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company pursuant to subparagraphs (i) or (ii) above or by you pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of your termination under the provision so indicated. A termination pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above can occur only if you deliver a Notice of Termination to the Company within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and the Company has not cured such condition within thirty (30) days after receipt of such Notice of Termination.

 

(v)

Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” shall mean:

(A)         if your employment is terminated for Disability, thirty (30) days after Notice of Termination is given,

(B)         if your employment is terminated pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above, thirty (30) days after the Company’s failure to cure the condition giving rise to Good Reason, and

(C)         if your employment is terminated for any other reason, the date on which a Notice of Termination is given (or, if a Notice of Termination is not given, the date of such termination).

4.

COMPENSATION DURING DISABILITY OR UPON TERMINATION.

(i)           If, after a Change-in-Control of the Company, you shall fail to perform your duties hereunder as a result of incapacity due to Disability, you shall continue to receive your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect and any awards under the Executive/Senior Management Variable Compensation Plan or any successor plan shall continue to accrue and to be paid during such period until your employment is terminated (and, if the Company maintains a Long Term Disability Plan, you shall be eligible for coverage thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof and subject to the satisfaction of all applicable conditions, including without limitation, the timely filing of a notice of claim).

(ii)          If, after a Change-in-Control of the Company, your employment shall be terminated for Cause, the Company shall pay you for your full base salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and the Company shall have no further obligations to you under this Agreement.

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 6

 

(iii)        If, within two years after a Change-in-Control of the Company, the Company shall terminate your employment by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i), the Company shall continue to pay you, or your heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to you under any long-term disability plan of the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by you as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to your executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through you.

(iv)         If, within two years after a Change-in-Control of the Company, you shall terminate your employment for Good Reason or the Company shall terminate your employment, other than by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i) or 3(ii) hereof,

(A)         The Company shall pay you as severance pay (and without regard to the provisions of any benefit plan) in a lump sum in cash no more than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination, the following amounts:

 

(x)

the sum of (A) your accrued but unpaid base salary through the Date of Termination, (B) the product of (x) the greater of your highest annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs, and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the then current fiscal year through the Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is 365 and (C) any accrued vacation pay, in each case to the extent not previously paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (A), (B), and (C) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); and

 

(y)

the amount equal to one and a half (1.5) times the sum of your annual base salary at the highest rate in effect during the twelve (12) months preceding the Date of Termination and the greater of your highest

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 7

 

annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs.

(B)         For an eighteen (18) month period after such termination, the Company shall arrange to provide you with dental and group health insurance benefits substantially similar to those that you were receiving immediately prior to such termination to the extent that the Company's plans then permit the Company to provide you with such benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not provide any such benefits to you to the extent that an equivalent benefit is received by you from another employer during such period, and you shall report any such benefit actually received by you to the Company;

(C)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the applicable stock option or restricted stock agreement, the exercisability of all outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards then held by you for the purchase of common stock of the Company (or securities exchanged for such common stock in connection with the Change-in-Control of the Company) shall accelerate in full and you shall be entitled to exercise any such options until eighteen (18) months after the Date of Termination;

(D)         The Company shall continue to indemnify you against all claims related to actions arising prior to the termination of your employment to the fullest extent permitted by law;

(E)          For forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available; and

(F)          You shall be entitled to full executive outplacement assistance with an agency selected by the Company’ provided that no outplacement assistance will be provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which your Date of Termination occurred.

(v)          In order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under Paragraphs 4(iii) or 4(iv), you or your personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement.

(vi)         You shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor, except as provided in Paragraph 4(iv)(B), shall the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by you as the result of employment by another employer after the Date of Termination, or otherwise.

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

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(vii)       Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company to its employees and for which you may qualify nor, subject to Paragraph 11 hereof, shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any contract or agreement between you and the Company; provided, however, that to the extent you are entitled to receive any payments hereunder upon termination of your employment, you shall not be entitled to any payments under any severance plan, program, policy or practice of the Company then in effect.

(viii)      Payments to you under this Paragraph 4 shall be bifurcated into two portions, consisting of a portion that does not constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and a portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. Payments hereunder shall first be made from the portion that does not consist of nonqualified deferred compensation until it is exhausted and then shall be made from the portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However, if you are a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation will be delayed to the date that is 6 months and one day after your Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”); provided that this sentence does not apply to payments made under Paragraph 4(iii). Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to you hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year following the taxable year in which your termination of employment occurs.

5.

TAXES.

(i)           Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any payment or distribution by the Company to you or for your benefit and/or any acceleration of vesting of any options or restricted stock awards (whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable or provided pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise) (a “Payment”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Excise Tax”), then the Payments shall be reduced, in the aggregate, to an amount (the “Reduced Amount”) such that the receipt of Payments would not give rise to any Excise Tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 5(i), if it shall be determined that (i) the aggregate present value (determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations) of the payments eliminated pursuant to the preceding sentence (the “Eliminated Payments”) exceeds by at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)(ii) the aggregate present value of the amount of any additional taxes that would be incurred by you if the Eliminated Payments (determined without regard to this sentence) were paid to you (including state and federal income taxes on the Eliminated Payments, any Excise Tax, and any withholding taxes) then no reduction in the Payments shall be made.

 


Joel Legon

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(ii)          Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 5(i), all determinations required to be made under this Paragraph 5, including whether any Payments need to be reduced or eliminated and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by such certified public accounting firm as may be designated by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations to both the Company and you within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group affecting the Change of Control, the Company shall appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne by the Company.

6.

SUCCESSOR’S BINDING AGREEMENT.

(i)           The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or the assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “Company” shall mean the Company as defined above and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Paragraph 6 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law.

(ii)          This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, your personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If you should die while any amounts would still be payable to you hereunder if you had continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to your devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there be no such designee, to your estate.

7.

COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY.

(i)           Unless the Company materially breaches this Agreement, you agree you will not while you are employed by the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months after termination of your employment with the Company:

(A)         engage in any activity that is competitive with any business which is now, or is at any time during your employment with the Company, conducted by the Company, including without limitation becoming an employee, investor (except for passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in, a company or entity listed or traded on a national securities exchange or in an over-the-counter securities market), officer, agent, partner or director of, or other participant in, any firm, person or other entity in any geographic area that competes or plans to compete with the Company in the business of the development, manufacture, promotion, distribution or sale of professional or consumer film, video or audio production tools, including but not limited to, editing, special effects, 3D, animation, live sound, broadcast or newsroom products or systems, content-creation

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 10

 

tools, media storage or other business or services in which the Company is engaged or plans to engage at the time of Executive’s termination.

(B)         directly or indirectly assist others in engaging in any of the activities in which you are prohibited to engage by Paragraph 7(i)(A) above.

(C)         directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others (1) solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit, any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or (2) solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, any person who was employed by the Company at any time; provided that this clause (C) shall not apply to the solicitation, hiring or engagement of any individual whose employment with the Company has been terminated for a period of one year or longer.

(D)         directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit, any current or future customer or supplier of the Company to cease doing business in whole or in part with the Company or otherwise adversely modify his, her or its business relationship with the Company.

(ii)          It is expressly understood and agreed that (A) although you and the Company consider the restrictions contained in this Paragraph 7 to be reasonable, if a final judicial determination is made by a court of competent jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in this Paragraph 7 is unenforceable, such restriction shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed to be enforceable to such maximum extent as such court may judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable and (B) if any restriction contained in this Agreement is determined to be unenforceable and such restriction cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions contained herein.

8.

INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.

You acknowledge and agree that the remedy of the Company at law for any breach of the covenants and agreements contained in Paragraph 7 of this Agreement will be inadequate, and that the Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any such breach or threatened breach. You represent and agree that such injunctive relief shall not prohibit you from earning a livelihood acceptable to you. You hereby irrevocably waive any right to a trial by jury in any action, suit or other legal proceeding arising under or relating to any provision of this Agreement.

9.

NOTICE.

For the purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement, provided that all other

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

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notices to the Company should be directed to the attention to the Corporate Secretary of the Company, or to such address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

10.

FURTHER ASSURANCES.

Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

11.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement represents the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any other agreement between the parties with respect to such subject matter, including without limitations, the Executive Employment Agreement dated July 19, 2007.

12.

COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one in the same instrument.

13.

LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES.

In addition to any other benefits to which you may be entitled hereunder, the Company shall pay all reasonable legal fees and expenses which you may incur as a result of the Company’s contesting the validity, enforceability or your interpretation of, or determination under, this Agreement or otherwise as a result of any termination as a result of which you are entitled to the benefits set forth in this Agreement.

14.

MISCELLANEOUS.

(i)           No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived, or discharged unless such waiver, modification, or discharge is agreed to in writing signed by you and such officer as may be specifically designated by the Board of Directors of the Company.

(ii)          No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any time prior or subsequent time.

(iii)        The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof).

 


Joel Legon

July 19, 2007

Page 12

 

(iv)         If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

(v)          The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

(vi)         The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

(vii)       If this Agreement correctly sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy of this Agreement which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.

Sincerely,

 

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

 

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne  

 

Name:

Nancy Hawthorne

 

Title:

Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

 

I acknowledge receipt and agree with the foregoing terms and conditions.

 

 

/s/ Joel Legon  

Joel Legon

 

Date: July 19, 2007

 

 

Exhibit 10.7

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.

This Executive Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of August 3, 2007 (the “Effective Date”) between Avid Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal executive offices at Avid Technology Park, Tewksbury, Massachusetts (the “Company”), and Gregory A. Munster (“Executive”) of 109 Truehart Way, Morrisville, NC 27560.

 

Article 1.  Services

1.1.        Service. During the Term (as defined below), the Company shall retain the services of Executive to serve as an executive employee of the Company and the Executive shall devote his time and render services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth below.

1.2.        Duties. During the Term, Executive agrees to perform such executive duties consistent with his position as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors and to devote his full working time and attention to such duties.

1.3.        No Conflicting Commitments. During the Term, Executive will not undertake any commitments, engage or have an interest in any outside business activities or enter into any consulting agreements which, in the opinion of the Company, conflict with the Company’s interests or which might impair the performance of Executive’s duties as a full time employee of the Company.

Article 2. Term

2.1.        Term. The term of this Agreement (the "Term") shall commence on the Effective Date and shall expire on August 3, 2009 unless the Term is:

2.1.1        extended pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.1;

2.1.2        terminated pursuant to Section 6.4 hereof; or

2.1.3        terminated when the Executive’s employment terminates pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Term shall continue to automatically be extended for periods of one (1) year so long as neither party provides written notice to the other of its intent to terminate by a date which is at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the then-current expiration date of the Agreement. Unless the services of the Executive have terminated prior to or upon the end of the Term in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, from and after the end of the Term, the Executive shall be an employee-at-will.

 

 


Article 3. Payments

3.1.        Base Compensation. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, the Company shall pay to Executive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) of $230,000 per annum, payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices. The Base Salary shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors’ Compensation Committee during the term of this Agreement and adjusted accordingly at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

3.2.        Incentive Payments. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, in any cash incentive payment or bonus plan established by the Company for its executive employees, as such plan is amended from time to time.

3.3.        Fringe Benefits. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, in addition to Executive’s Base Salary and incentive payments or bonuses, if any, the Company shall provide Executive and his dependents medical insurance and such other benefits as are generally made available by the Company to its full-time executive employees, as amended from time to time.

3.4.        Participation in Equity Incentive Plans. During the time that Executive is an employee of the Company, Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s stock incentive plans to the extent and in the manner determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in its absolute discretion.

Article 4. Termination

4.1.        Termination. Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate immediately upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

4.1.1.     Executive’s death;

4.1.2.     The termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company for Disability (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.3.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause (as defined below), to be effective immediately upon delivery of notice thereof;

4.1.4.     The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company, without Cause and not as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, to be effective thirty (30) days after the Company delivers written notice thereof to the Executive;

4.1.5.      The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason (as defined below) to be effective thirty (30) days after Executive delivers written notice thereof from Executive to the Company; or

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4.1.6.      The termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason (as defined below), to be effective as set forth below.

“Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s material failure to perform (other than by reason of death or Disability) his duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer or Board in accordance with Section 1.2 above, which is not remedied after thirty (30) days’ written notice from the Company (if such failure is susceptible to cure), (ii) a breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement (including the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement) between the Executive and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iii) a serious and material violation of Company policy (for purposes of this clause any violation of the Company’s Conflicts of Interest policy shall be deemed serious and material), which is not cured after ten (10) days’ written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), (iv) fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, (v) conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude or (vi) failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Cause” shall not include any failure to achieve results as a result of factors or events beyond the reasonable control of the Executive.

“Disability” shall mean the Executive’s absence from the full-time performance of his duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness, as a result of which the Executive is deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer its long-term disability plan (or any successor plan).

“Good Reason” shall mean (i) a material diminution in Executive’s authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect on the date of this Agreement, without Executive’s express written consent; (ii) a material diminution in Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be increased from time to time, without Executive’s express written consent, other than a reduction which is part of an across-the-board proportionate reduction in the salaries of all senior executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship (provided such reduction is not more than 20% and does not continue for more than twelve (12) months); (iii) a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom Executive reports, including a requirement that Executive report to a corporate officer or employee other than the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, without Executive’s express written consent; (iv) a material diminution in the budget over which Executive retains authority, without Executive’s express written consent, (v) a material change in Executive’s office location as in effect on the date hereof, without Executive’s express written consent; and (vi) any material breach of this Agreement by the Company; provided, however, that a termination for Good Reason by Executive can occur only if (i) Executive has given the Company a notice of the existence of a condition giving rise to Good Reason within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and (ii) the Company has not cured the condition giving rise to Good Reason within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice. A termination for Good Reason shall occur thirty (30) days after such failure to cure.

 

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4.2.

Adjustments Upon Termination.

4.2.1.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive or Executive’s heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to the Executive under any long-term disability plan of the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2, Executive or his or her personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to Executive’s executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through Executive.

4.2.2.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.3 or 4.1.5 hereof, (a) all payments and benefits provided to Executive under this Agreement shall cease as of the effective date of such termination (the “Date of Termination”), except that Executive shall be entitled to any amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid under Section 3.1 above and any benefits due in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefits plans and programs of the Company and (b) all vesting of all stock options then held by the Executive shall immediately cease as of the date of such termination.

4.2.3.     If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates pursuant to Section 4.1.4 or 4.1.6 hereof, (a) the Company shall continue to make payments to Executive in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof until the date that is twelve (12) months after the Date of Termination (the “Severance Pay Period”), (b) the Company shall pay Executive incentive compensation for the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, in the amount of Executive’s target award multiplied by the applicable actual plan payout factor and pro rated by the number of months Executive was employed by the Company during the year of the Date of Termination; the bonus will be paid only if the Company pays bonuses, on account of the year in which the Date of Termination occurred, to executives who remain employed with the Company and will be paid in a lump sum on or about the date on which the Company pays bonuses to executives who remain employed with the Company, (c) the Company shall continue to provide Executive with benefits in accordance with Section 3.3 hereof throughout the Severance Pay Period, to the extent permitted by the terms of such plans and applicable law, (d) the Company shall provide Executive with outplacement benefits in accordance with the Company’s then–current executive outplacement program, provided that no outplacement benefits shall be

 

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provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurred, (e) the Company shall continue to indemnify Executive against all claims related to actions arising prior to the termination of the Executive’s employment to the fullest extent permitted by law, (f) for forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available, and (g) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by Executive as of the Date of Termination shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the Date of Termination; provided, however, that in order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under this Section 4.2.3, Executive shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and shall be required to sign such other agreements as executive employees of the Company are generally required to sign if Executive shall not have already done so. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to extend the time period within which any option may be exercised beyond the period specified in the applicable stock plan or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan. No other payments or benefits shall be due under this Agreement to Executive, but Executive shall be entitled to any benefits accrued or earned in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefit plans and programs of the Company.

4.2.4.     Payments to the Executive under this Article 4 shall be bifurcated into two portions, consisting of a portion that does not constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and a portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. Payments hereunder shall first be made from the portion that does not consist of nonqualified deferred compensation until it is exhausted and then shall be made from the portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However, if Executive is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation will be delayed to the date that is six (6) months and one day after Executive’s Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”); provided that this sentence does not apply to payments made under Sections 4.1.1 or 4.1.2. Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to the Executive hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year of the Executive following the taxable year of the Executive in which the Executive’s termination of employment occurs.

 

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Article 5. Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation

5.1.        Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation. Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the businesses of the Company and accordingly agrees that while Executive is employed by the Company and for a period of the longer of (a) one (1) year after the Date of Termination of Executive’s employment hereunder and (b) while Executive is receiving any post-employment payments by the Company:

5.1.1.     Executive will not engage in any activity which is competitive with any business which is now, or is at any time during Executive’s employment with the Company, conducted by the Company, including without limitation becoming an employee, investor (except for passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in, a company or entity listed or traded on a national securities exchange or in an over-the-counter securities market), officer, agent, partner or director of, or other participant in, any firm, person or other entity in any geographic area that competes or plans to compete with the Company in the business of the development, manufacture, promotion, distribution or sale of professional or consumer film, video or audio production tools, including but not limited to, editing, special effects, 3D, animation, live sound, broadcast or newsroom products or systems, content-creation tools, media storage or other business or services in which the Company is engaged or plans to engage at the time of Executive’s termination.

5.1.2.     Executive will not directly or indirectly assist others in engaging in any of the activities in which Executive is prohibited to engage by Section 5.1.1 above.

5.1.3.     Executive will not directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others (a) solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit, any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or (b) solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, any person who was employed by the Company at any time; provided that this clause (5.1.3) shall not apply to the solicitation, hiring or engagement of any individual whose employment with the Company has been terminated for a period of one year or longer.

5.1.4.     Executive will not directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by Executive to solicit, any current or future customer or supplier of the Company to cease doing business in whole or in part with the Company or otherwise adversely modify his, her or its business relationship with the Company.

5.2.        Reasonableness of Restrictions. It is expressly understood and agreed that (a) although Executive and the Company consider the restrictions contained in this Article 5 to be reasonable, if a final judicial determination is made by a court of competent jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in this Article 5 is unenforceable, such restriction shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed to be enforceable to such maximum extent as such court may judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable and (b) if any restriction contained in this Agreement is determined to be unenforceable and such restriction

 

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cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions contained herein.

5.3.        Remedies for Breach. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s remedies at law for a breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this Section 5 would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, Executive agrees that, in the event of such a breach or threatened breach, in addition to any remedies at law, the Company, without posting any bond, shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, temporary restraining orders, temporary or permanent injunctions or any other equitable remedy which may then be available. Executive hereby irrevocably waives any right to a trial by jury in any action, suit, or other legal proceeding arising under or relating to any provision of this Agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any breach of Section 5.1, if Executive is employed by the Company, the Company may immediately terminate the employment of Executive for Cause in accordance with Section 4.1.3, and, whether or not Executive is employed by the Company, the Company shall immediately cease to have any obligations to make payments to Executive under this Agreement.

5.4.        Survival. Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement or Executive’s services hereunder for any reason, this Article 5 shall survive any such termination.

Article 6. Miscellaneous

6.1.        Obligation of Successors. Subject to Section 6.4, any successor to substantially all of the Company’s assets and business, and any successor to substantially all of the assets of the division of the Company in which Executive is employed, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise, shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the Company hereunder.

6.2.        Notice. All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and deemed effectively given (i) when delivered in person, (ii) on the third business day after mailing by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, (iii) on the next business day after delivery to an air courier for next day delivery, paid by the sender, or (iv) when sent by telecopy or facsimile transmission during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) where the recipient is located (or if sent after such hours, as of commencement of the next business day), followed within twenty-four hours by notification pursuant to any of the foregoing methods of delivery, in all cases addressed to the other party hereto as follows:

 

 

(a)

If to the Company:

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

Attention: Vice President, Human Resources

Facsimile: (978) 640-0065

 

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(b)

If to Executive:

 

Name:  Gregory A. Munster

 

109 Truehart Way

 

Morrisville, NC 27560

 

or at such other address or addresses as either party shall designate to the other in accordance with this Section 6.2.

6.3.        Survival. The respective rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement shall survive any termination of Executive’s employment to the extent necessary to the intended preservation of such rights and obligations.

6.4.        Complete Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior agreements between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, except for the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Company dated August 3, 2007, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Change-in-Control Agreement”). Upon the occurrence of a Change-in-Control (as defined in the Change-in-Control Agreement), and for so long as the Change-in-Control Agreement shall remain in effect following a Change-in-Control, the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement shall supersede this Executive Employment Agreement with respect to all subject matters covered by the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate on the Date of Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to the provisions of the Change-in-Control Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except upon written amendment approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee, and executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and by Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may unilaterally modify or amend this Agreement if such modification or amendment is approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee and made to all other executive employment agreements entered into between the Company and its then-current executive officers.

6.5.        Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof) and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of that state.

6.6.        Severability. If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

6.7.        Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, assigns and personal representatives, except that the duties, responsibilities and rights of Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature and shall not be assignable or delegatable in whole or in part by Executive, except to the extent that the rights of Executive hereunder may be enforceable by his heirs, executors, administrators or legal representatives.

 

8

 


6.8.        Captions. Captions of sections have been added only for convenience and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

6.9.        Section 409A Compliance. The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

6.10.      Further Assurances. Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne                      

Name:  Nancy Hawthorne

Title:    Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

/s/ Gregory A. Munster                           

Gregory A. Munster

 

 

9

 

 

Exhibit 10.8

Change-in-Control Agreement

 

Date: August 3, 2007

 

Gregory A. Munster

Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology Park

One Park West

Tewksbury, MA 01876

 

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Avid Technology, Inc. (“Avid” or the “Company”) recognizes that your contributions to the future growth and success of the Company will be substantial and the Board desires to assure the Company of your continued services for the benefit of the Company, particularly in the face of a change-in-control of the Company.

This letter agreement (“Agreement”) therefore sets forth those benefits that the Company will provide to you in the event your employment within the Company is terminated after a “Change-in-Control of the Company” (as defined in Paragraph 2(i)) under the circumstances described below.

1.

TERM.

If a Change-in-Control of the Company should occur while you are still an employee of the Company, then this Agreement shall continue in effect from the date of such Change-in-Control of the Company for so long as you remain an employee of the Company, but in no event for more than two full calendar years following such Change-in-Control of the Company; provided, however, that the expiration of the term of this Agreement shall not adversely affect your rights under this Agreement which have accrued prior to such expiration. If no Change-in-Control of the Company occurs before your status as an employee of the Company is terminated, this Agreement shall expire on such date. Prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, (a) your employment may be terminated by the Company or by you, in each case only in accordance with the provisions of your Executive Employment Agreement dated August 3, 2007, and (b) this Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time upon written notice to you, and in either such event (termination of your employment, or termination of this Agreement, prior to a Change-in-Control), you shall not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder; provided, however, that the Company may not terminate this Agreement following the occurrence of a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company (as defined in Paragraph 2(ii)) unless (a) at least one year has expired since the most recent event or transaction constituting a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company and (b) in respect of a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company which previously occurred, no facts or circumstances continue to exist which, if initially occurring at the time any termination of this Agreement is to occur, would constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company.

 

 


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2.

CHANGE-IN-CONTROL; POTENTIAL CHANGE-IN-CONTROL.

(i)           For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change-in-Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred only if any of the following events occur:

(a)          The acquisition by an individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”))(a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 30% or more of either (i) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Paragraph 2(i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or (D) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which satisfies the criteria set forth in clauses (A) and (B) of subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph 2(i); or

(b)          Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequently to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

(c)          Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 40% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (which as used in this Paragraph 2(i)(c) shall include, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns all or substantially all of the Company's assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be and (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the

 


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Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination, or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation.

(ii)          For purposes of this Agreement, a “Potential Change-in-Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred if (A) the Company shall enter into a merger, acquisition or similar agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change-in-Control of the Company, or (B) any person shall publicly announce an intention to take actions which if consummated would constitute a Change-in-Control of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any event or transaction which would otherwise constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company shall not constitute a Potential Change-in-Control of the Company if the negotiations or other actions leading to such event or transaction were initiated by the Company (it being understood that the occurrence of such a Company-initiated event or transaction shall not affect the existence of any Potential Change-in-Control of the Company resulting from any other event or transaction).

3.

TERMINATION FOLLOWING CHANGE-IN-CONTROL.

If a Change-in-Control of the Company shall have occurred while you are still an employee of the Company, you shall be entitled to the payments and benefits provided in Paragraph 4 hereof upon the subsequent termination of your employment within twenty-four (24) months after such Change-in-Control, by you or by the Company, unless such termination is (a) by the Company for “Cause” (as defined below) or (b) by you other than for “Good Reason” (as defined below); in either such event, you shall not be entitled to receive benefits under this Agreement.

(i)           Disability”. If, as a result of your incapacity due to physical or mental illness, you shall have been deemed “disabled” by the institution appointed by the Company to administer the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan (or successor plan) because you shall have been absent from full-time performance of your duties with the Company for more than one hundred and eighty (180) days during a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period, the Company may terminate your employment for Disability.

(ii)          Cause”. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall have “Cause” to terminate your employment only upon

(A)         the willful and continued failure by you substantially to perform your duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from your incapacity due to physical or mental illness or any failure resulting from your terminating your employment with the Company for “Good Reason” (as defined below)) after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to you by the Company which specifically identifies the manner in which the Company believes that you have not substantially performed your duties, or

(B)         a breach of the Company’s employee nondisclosure and invention assignment agreement, between you and the Company, which is not cured after ten (10) days’

 


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written notice from the Company (if such breach is susceptible to cure), or

(C)         the willful engaging by you in gross misconduct materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company, or

(D)         an act by you of fraud, embezzlement or other material dishonesty with respect to the Company, or

(E)          conviction of a felony or any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or

(F)          failing or refusing to cooperate as reasonably requested in any internal or external investigation of any matter in which the Company has a material interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the investigation.

For purposes of this Paragraph, no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by you not in good faith and without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.

(iii)        Good Reason”. You may terminate your employment for Good Reason. For purpose of this Agreement, "Good Reason" shall mean:

(A)         a material diminution in your authority, duties or responsibility from those in effect immediately prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent;

(B)         a material diminution in your base salary in effect immediately prior to a Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent, other than the reduction of up to 20% for a period of not more than six (6) months which is part of an across the board proportionate reduction in the salaries of other peer executives of the Company imposed because the Company is experiencing financial hardship;

(C)         a material diminution in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom you report, including a requirement that you report to a corporate officer or employee other than Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, without your express written consent;

(D)         a material diminution in the budget over which you retain authority, without your express written consent;

(E)          a material change in your office location at which you perform your principal duties for the Company at the time of the Change-in-Control of the Company, without your express written consent; or

(F)          any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Paragraph 6).

 


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(iv)         Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company pursuant to subparagraphs (i) or (ii) above or by you pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of your termination under the provision so indicated. A termination pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above can occur only if you deliver a Notice of Termination to the Company within ninety (90) days after the initial occurrence of the condition giving rise to Good Reason and the Company has not cured such condition within thirty (30) days after receipt of such Notice of Termination.

 

(v)

Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” shall mean:

(A)         if your employment is terminated for Disability, thirty (30) days after Notice of Termination is given,

(B)         if your employment is terminated pursuant to subparagraph (iii) above, thirty (30) days after the Company’s failure to cure the condition giving rise to Good Reason, and

(C)         if your employment is terminated for any other reason, the date on which a Notice of Termination is given (or, if a Notice of Termination is not given, the date of such termination).

4.

COMPENSATION DURING DISABILITY OR UPON TERMINATION.

(i)           If, after a Change-in-Control of the Company, you shall fail to perform your duties hereunder as a result of incapacity due to Disability, you shall continue to receive your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect and any awards under the Executive/Senior Management Variable Compensation Plan or any successor plan shall continue to accrue and to be paid during such period until your employment is terminated (and, if the Company maintains a Long Term Disability Plan, you shall be eligible for coverage thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof and subject to the satisfaction of all applicable conditions, including without limitation, the timely filing of a notice of claim).

(ii)          If, after a Change-in-Control of the Company, your employment shall be terminated for Cause, the Company shall pay you for your full base salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and the Company shall have no further obligations to you under this Agreement.

(iii)        If, within two years after a Change-in-Control of the Company, the Company shall terminate your employment by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i), the Company shall continue to pay you, or your heirs, successors or legal representatives, as the case may be, your full base salary in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices at the rate then in effect until twelve (12) months after the date of such death or Disability (less the amount of any payments made to you under any long-term disability plan of

 


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the Company) and (b) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Avid stock plan, or under the terms of any grant, award agreement or form for exercising any right under any such plan, any stock options or restricted stock awards held by you as of the date of death or Disability shall become exercisable or vested, as the case may be, as to an additional number of shares equal to the number that would have been exercisable or vested as of the end of the twelve (12) month period immediately following the date of death or Disability. The Company shall have no other liability or obligation under this Agreement to your executors, legal representatives, administrators, heirs or assigns or any other person claiming under or through you.

(iv)         If, within two years after a Change-in-Control of the Company, you shall terminate your employment for Good Reason or the Company shall terminate your employment, other than by reason of your death or pursuant to Paragraph 3(i) or 3(ii) hereof,

(A)         The Company shall pay you as severance pay (and without regard to the provisions of any benefit plan) in a lump sum in cash no more than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination, the following amounts:

 

(x)

the sum of (A) your accrued but unpaid base salary through the Date of Termination, (B) the product of (x) the greater of your highest annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs, and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the then current fiscal year through the Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is 365 and (C) any accrued vacation pay, in each case to the extent not previously paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (A), (B), and (C) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); and

 

(y)

the amount equal to one and a half (1.5) times the sum of your annual base salary at the highest rate in effect during the twelve (12) months preceding the Date of Termination and the greater of your highest annual bonus earned in the two most recent full fiscal years preceding the Date of Termination and your target bonus award (at a payout factor of one) for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs.

(B)         For an eighteen (18) month period after such termination, the Company shall arrange to provide you with dental and group health insurance benefits substantially similar

 


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to those that you were receiving immediately prior to such termination to the extent that the Company's plans then permit the Company to provide you with such benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not provide any such benefits to you to the extent that an equivalent benefit is received by you from another employer during such period, and you shall report any such benefit actually received by you to the Company;

(C)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the applicable stock option or restricted stock agreement, the exercisability of all outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards then held by you for the purchase of common stock of the Company (or securities exchanged for such common stock in connection with the Change-in-Control of the Company) shall accelerate in full and you shall be entitled to exercise any such options until eighteen (18) months after the Date of Termination;

(D)         The Company shall continue to indemnify you against all claims related to actions arising prior to the termination of your employment to the fullest extent permitted by law;

(E)          For forty-eight (48) months from the Date of Termination, the Company or its successor shall continue to provide coverage under a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy, or an equivalent thereto, so long as the Board of Directors in good faith shall determine that the cost of such coverage is reasonable and that such coverage is available; and

(F)          You shall be entitled to full executive outplacement assistance with an agency selected by the Company’ provided that no outplacement assistance will be provided after the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which your Date of Termination occurred.

(v)          In order to be eligible to receive any of the salary or benefits under Paragraphs 4(iii) or 4(iv), you or your personal representative shall be required to execute and deliver to the Company (without subsequent revocation if provided for therein) a general release of claims against the Company, excluding any claims concerning the Company’s obligations under this Agreement.

(vi)         You shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor, except as provided in Paragraph 4(iv)(B), shall the amount of any payment provided for in this Paragraph 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by you as the result of employment by another employer after the Date of Termination, or otherwise.

(vii)       Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company to its employees and for which you may qualify nor, subject to Paragraph 11 hereof, shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any contract or agreement between you and the Company; provided, however, that to the extent you are entitled to receive any payments hereunder upon termination of your employment, you shall not be entitled to any payments under any severance plan, program, policy or practice of the Company then in effect.

 


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(viii)      Payments to you under this Paragraph 4 shall be bifurcated into two portions, consisting of a portion that does not constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and a portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. Payments hereunder shall first be made from the portion that does not consist of nonqualified deferred compensation until it is exhausted and then shall be made from the portion that does constitute nonqualified deferred compensation. However, if you are a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, the commencement of the delivery of any such payments that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation will be delayed to the date that is 6 months and one day after your Date of Termination (the “Earliest Payment Date”); provided that this sentence does not apply to payments made under Paragraph 4(iii). Any payments that are delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid on the Earliest Payment Date. The determination of whether, and the extent to which, any of the payments to be made to you hereunder are nonqualified deferred compensation shall be made after the application of all applicable exclusions under Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9). Any payments that are intended to qualify for the exclusion for separation pay due to involuntary separation from service set forth in Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the second taxable year following the taxable year in which your termination of employment occurs.

5.

TAXES.

(i)           Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any payment or distribution by the Company to you or for your benefit and/or any acceleration of vesting of any options or restricted stock awards (whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable or provided pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise) (a “Payment”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Excise Tax”), then the Payments shall be reduced, in the aggregate, to an amount (the “Reduced Amount”) such that the receipt of Payments would not give rise to any Excise Tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 5(i), if it shall be determined that (i) the aggregate present value (determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations) of the payments eliminated pursuant to the preceding sentence (the “Eliminated Payments”) exceeds by at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)(ii) the aggregate present value of the amount of any additional taxes that would be incurred by you if the Eliminated Payments (determined without regard to this sentence) were paid to you (including state and federal income taxes on the Eliminated Payments, any Excise Tax, and any withholding taxes) then no reduction in the Payments shall be made.

(ii)          Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 5(i), all determinations required to be made under this Paragraph 5, including whether any Payments need to be reduced or eliminated and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by such certified public accounting firm as may be designated by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations to both the Company and you within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group affecting the Change of Control, the Company shall

 


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appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne by the Company.

6.

SUCCESSOR’S BINDING AGREEMENT.

(i)           The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or the assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “Company” shall mean the Company as defined above and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Paragraph 6 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law.

(ii)          This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, your personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If you should die while any amounts would still be payable to you hereunder if you had continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to your devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there be no such designee, to your estate.

7.

COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY.

(i)           Unless the Company materially breaches this Agreement, you agree you will not while you are employed by the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months after termination of your employment with the Company:

(A)         engage in any activity that is competitive with any business which is now, or is at any time during your employment with the Company, conducted by the Company, including without limitation becoming an employee, investor (except for passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in, a company or entity listed or traded on a national securities exchange or in an over-the-counter securities market), officer, agent, partner or director of, or other participant in, any firm, person or other entity in any geographic area that competes or plans to compete with the Company in the business of the development, manufacture, promotion, distribution or sale of professional or consumer film, video or audio production tools, including but not limited to, editing, special effects, 3D, animation, live sound, broadcast or newsroom products or systems, content-creation tools, media storage or other business or services in which the Company is engaged or plans to engage at the time of Executive’s termination.

(B)         directly or indirectly assist others in engaging in any of the activities in which you are prohibited to engage by Paragraph 7(i)(A) above.

(C)         directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others (1) solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit, any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or (2) solicit for employment, hire or engage as

 


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an independent contractor, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit for employment, hire or engage as an independent contractor, any person who was employed by the Company at any time; provided that this clause (C) shall not apply to the solicitation, hiring or engagement of any individual whose employment with the Company has been terminated for a period of one year or longer.

(D)         directly or indirectly either alone or in association with others solicit, or permit any organization directly or indirectly controlled by you to solicit, any current or future customer or supplier of the Company to cease doing business in whole or in part with the Company or otherwise adversely modify his, her or its business relationship with the Company.

(ii)          It is expressly understood and agreed that (A) although you and the Company consider the restrictions contained in this Paragraph 7 to be reasonable, if a final judicial determination is made by a court of competent jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in this Paragraph 7 is unenforceable, such restriction shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed to be enforceable to such maximum extent as such court may judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable and (B) if any restriction contained in this Agreement is determined to be unenforceable and such restriction cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions contained herein.

8.

INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.

You acknowledge and agree that the remedy of the Company at law for any breach of the covenants and agreements contained in Paragraph 7 of this Agreement will be inadequate, and that the Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any such breach or threatened breach. You represent and agree that such injunctive relief shall not prohibit you from earning a livelihood acceptable to you. You hereby irrevocably waive any right to a trial by jury in any action, suit or other legal proceeding arising under or relating to any provision of this Agreement.

9.

NOTICE.

For the purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement, provided that all other notices to the Company should be directed to the attention to the Corporate Secretary of the Company, or to such address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

10.

FURTHER ASSURANCES.

Each party hereto agrees to furnish and execute such additional forms and documents, and to take such further action, as shall be reasonable and customarily required in connection with the performance of this Agreement or the payment of benefits hereunder.

 


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11.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement represents the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any other agreement between the parties with respect to such subject matter, including without limitations, the Executive Employment Agreement dated August 3, 2007.

12.

COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one in the same instrument.

13.

LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES.

In addition to any other benefits to which you may be entitled hereunder, the Company shall pay all reasonable legal fees and expenses which you may incur as a result of the Company’s contesting the validity, enforceability or your interpretation of, or determination under, this Agreement or otherwise as a result of any termination as a result of which you are entitled to the benefits set forth in this Agreement.

14.

MISCELLANEOUS.

(i)           No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived, or discharged unless such waiver, modification, or discharge is agreed to in writing signed by you and such officer as may be specifically designated by the Board of Directors of the Company.

(ii)          No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any time prior or subsequent time.

(iii)        The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof).

(iv)         If any non-material provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be deemed to be deleted or qualified so as to be enforceable or valid to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

(v)          The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

(vi)         The payments to be made hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (“Section 409A”) and regulations thereunder. This Agreement shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

 


Greg Munster

Page 12

August 3, 2007

 

 

(vii)       If this Agreement correctly sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy of this Agreement which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.

Sincerely,

 

Avid Technology, Inc.

 

 

 

By: /s/ Nancy Hawthorne

Name:  Nancy Hawthorne

Title:    Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

 

I acknowledge receipt and agree with the foregoing terms and conditions.

 

 

/s/ Gregory A. Munster

Gregory A. Munster

 

Date: August 3, 2007

 

 

Exhibit 31.2

 

CERTIFICATION

 

 

I, Joel E. Legon, certify that:

 

1.

I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Avid Technology, Inc.;

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)), for the registrant and have:

 

 

a)

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

 

b)

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

 

c)

Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

 

d)

Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

 

a)

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

 

b)

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

Date:  November 9, 2007

/s/ Joel E. Legon                           

 

Joel E. Legon
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 

Exhibit 31.1

 

CERTIFICATION

 

 

I, Nancy Hawthorne, certify that:

 

1.

I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Avid Technology, Inc.;

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)), for the registrant and have:

 

 

a)

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

 

b)

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

 

c)

Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

 

d)

Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

 

a)

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

 

b)

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

Date:  November 9, 2007

/s/ Nancy Hawthorne               

 

Nancy Hawthorne
Interim Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 32.1

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Avid Technology, Inc. (the "Company") for the period ended September 30, 2007, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), the undersigned, Nancy Hawthorne, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Joel E. Legon, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, each hereby certifies, to his or her knowledge, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

 

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

 

 

Date:  November 9, 2007

/s/ Nancy Hawthorne                          

 

Nancy Hawthorne
Interim Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

Date:  November 9, 2007

/s/ Joel E. Legon                            

 

Joel E. Legon
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)