UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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BROADCOM INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

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1320 Ridder Park Drive

San Jose, California 95131-2313

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

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VMware, Inc. Amended and Restated 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

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Mark Brazeal

Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer

Broadcom Inc.

1320 Ridder Park Drive

San Jose, California 95131

(408) 433-8000

(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

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Copy To:

David C. Karp

Ronald C. Chen

Viktor Sapezhnikov

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

(212) 403-1000

 

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Check one:

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with the new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

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EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

On May 26, 2022, Broadcom Inc. (“Broadcom” or the “Registrant”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with VMware, Inc. (“VMware”), Verona Holdco, Inc., Verona Merger Sub, Inc., Barcelona Merger Sub 2, Inc., and Barcelona Merger Sub 3, LLC.  On November 22, 2023, Broadcom completed certain transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement for the acquisition of VMware (the “Closing Effective Time”).

 

This Registration Statement is being filed by Broadcom to register (i) 4,579,517 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value, of Broadcom (“Common Stock”), which may be issuable upon the vesting or settlement of certain restricted stock unit awards and performance-based restricted stock unit awards granted under the VMware, Inc. Amended and Restated 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan, as amended (the “VMware Equity Plan”), which were assumed by Broadcom and converted into equity awards pursuant to the Merger Agreement (the “Assumed Awards”) and (ii) 4,824,480 shares of Common Stock, which may be issuable pursuant to equity awards to be granted after the date hereof to eligible individuals from the share reserve remaining, as of the Closing Effective Time, under the VMware Equity Plan (as adjusted to reflect the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement) assumed by Broadcom in connection with the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement.

The Assumed Awards are subject to the same terms and conditions that were applicable to them under the VMware Equity Plan, except that (i) the Assumed Awards relate to shares of Common Stock, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Assumed Awards was the result of an adjustment based upon an equity award exchange ratio pursuant to the Merger Agreement and (iii) with respect to performance-based restricted stock unit awards, the level of achievement of the applicable performance goals was determined at the Closing Effective Time pursuant to the Merger Agreement.  At the Closing Effective Time, Broadcom also assumed the VMware Equity Plan.

 

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Common Stock that become issuable by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction that results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The documents containing information specified in Part I will be delivered in accordance with Form S-8 and Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.  Such documents are not required to be, and are not, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.  These documents, and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the SEC are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

All documents that the Registrant subsequently files pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all of such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents; except as to any portion of any documents, portions of documents, exhibits or other information that is deemed to be furnished and not filed under such provisions.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Not applicable.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Registrant (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) provides that its directors and officers will be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law as it now exists or may in the future be amended, against all expenses, liabilities and loss incurred in connection with their service as a director or officer on behalf of the corporation.

 

As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director of the Registrant shall not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for such liability as is expressly not subject to limitation under the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended to further limit or eliminate such liability.

 

The Registrant has also entered into certain indemnification agreements with its directors and officers.  The indemnification agreements provide the Registrant’s directors and officers with further indemnification, to the maximum extent permitted by the DGCL.  As permitted by Section 145(g) of the DGCL, the Registrant also maintains directors’ and officers’ insurance.

 

 

Not Applicable.

 

The information required by this Item is set forth in the Exhibits Index that precedes the signature page of this Registration Statement.

Item 9.

Undertakings.

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not apply if this Registration Statement is on Form S-8 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

 

(b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Jose, State of California, on this 22nd day of November 2023.

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Hock E. Tan, Kirsten M. Spears and Mark D. Brazeal, and each of them, with full power of substitution and full power to act without the others, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act for him or her in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file this Registration Statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes, as they or he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

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Re:	Registration Statement on Form S-8

	Very truly yours,
	/s/ Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Exhibit 99.1

VMWARE, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2007 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE PLAN

1.           PURPOSE; TYPES OF AWARDS; CONSTRUCTION.

 

The purpose of the VMware, Inc. Amended and Restated 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan is to attract, motivate and retain employees and independent contractors of the Company and any Subsidiary and Affiliate and non-employee directors of the Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate. The Plan is also designed to encourage stock ownership by such persons, thereby aligning their interest with those of the Company’s stockholders. Pursuant to the provisions hereof, there may be granted Options (including incentive stock options and non-qualified stock options), and Other Stock-Based Awards, including but not limited to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights (payable in shares) and Other Cash-Based Awards.

2.           DEFINITIONS. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms are defined as set forth below:

 

(a)          “Adoption Date” means June 5, 2017, the date approved by the Board as the adoption date of the Plan, including the extension of its term as set forth in Section 7(f) below.

 

(b)          “Affiliate” means an affiliate of the Company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

 

(c)          “Award” means individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights or Other Stock-Based Awards or Other Cash-Based Awards.

 

(d)          “Award Terms” means any written agreement, contract, notice or other instrument or document evidencing an Award.

 

(e)          “Beneficial Owner” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f)          “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(g)          “Cause,” unless otherwise defined in the Award Terms for a particular Award or in any employment or other agreement between the Grantee and the Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate, means:

 

(i)         willful neglect, failure or refusal by the Grantee to perform the Grantee’s employment duties (except resulting from the Grantee’s incapacity due to illness) as reasonably directed by the Grantee’s employer;

 

(ii)        willful misconduct by the Grantee in the performance of the Grantee’s employment duties;

 

(iii)       the Grantee’s indictment for a felony (other than traffic related offense) or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or

 

(iv)       the Grantee’s commission of an act involving personal dishonesty that results in financial, reputational, or other harm to the Company, any Affiliate or any Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, an act constituting misappropriation or embezzlement of property.

 

(h)           “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

(i)          “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other Board committee delegated authority by the Board to administer and oversee this Plan. Unless other determined by the Board, the Committee will be comprised solely of directors who (a) are “non-employee directors” under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and (b) otherwise meet the definition of “independent directors” pursuant to the applicable requirements of any national stock exchange upon which the Stock is listed. Any director appointed to the Committee who does not meet the foregoing requirements should recuse themself from all determinations pertaining to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

 

(j)          “Company” means VMware, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, or any successor corporation.

 

(k)          “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and as now or hereafter construed, interpreted and applied by regulations, rulings and cases.

 

(l)          “Fair Market Value” means the closing sales price per share of Stock on the principal securities exchange on which the Stock is traded (i) on the date of grant or (ii) on such other date on which the fair market value of Stock is required to be calculated pursuant to the terms of an Award, provided that if there is no such sale on the relevant date, then on the last previous day on which a sale was reported; if the Stock is not listed for trading on a national securities exchange, the fair market value of Stock will be determined in good faith by the Committee.

 

(m)          “Grantee” means a person who, as an employee, independent contractor or non-employee director of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, has been granted an Award under the Plan.

 

(n)           “ISO” means any Option designated as and intended to be and which qualifies as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(o)          “NQSO” means any Option that is designated as a nonqualified stock option or which does not qualify as an ISO.

 

(p)          “Option” means a right, granted to a Grantee under Section 6(b)(i), to purchase shares of Stock. An Option may be either an ISO or an NQSO.

 

(q)          “Other Cash-Based Award” means a cash-based Award granted to a Grantee under Section 6(b)(iv) hereof, including cash awarded as a bonus or upon the attainment of Performance Goals or otherwise as permitted under the Plan.

 

(r)          “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted to a Grantee pursuant to Section 6(b)(iv) hereof, that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, each of which may be subject to the attainment of Performance Goals or a period of continued employment or other terms and conditions as permitted under the Plan.

 

(s)          “Performance Goals” means an objective formula or standard determined by the Committee with respect to each performance period which may utilize one or more of the following factors and any objectively verifiable adjustment(s) thereto: (i) (A) earnings including operating income, (B) earnings before or after (1) taxes, (2) interest, (3) depreciation, (4) amortization, or (5) special items or book value per share (which may exclude nonrecurring items), or (C) growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation or amortization; (ii) pre-tax income or after-tax income; (iii) earnings per common share (basic or diluted); (iv) operating profit; (v) revenue, revenue growth or rate of revenue growth; (vi) return on assets (gross or net), return on investment, return on capital, return on invested capital or return on equity; (vii) returns on sales or revenues; (viii) operating expenses; (ix) stock price appreciation; (x) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow from operations, cash flow return on investment (discounted or otherwise), net cash provided by operations, or cash flow in excess of cost of capital; (xi) implementation or completion of critical projects or processes; (xii) economic value created; (xiii) cumulative earnings per share growth; (xiv) operating margin or profit margin; (xv) common stock price or total stockholder return; (xvi) cost targets, reductions, savings, productivity or efficiencies; (xvii) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, human resources management, supervision of litigation, information technology, goals relating to acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures or similar transactions, research or development collaborations or budget comparisons; (xviii) personal professional objectives, including any of the foregoing performance goals, the implementation of policies and plans, the negotiation of transactions and the development of long term business goals; and (xix) any combination of, subset or component of, or a specified increase in, any of the foregoing. Where applicable, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of attaining a specified level of the particular criteria or the attainment of a percentage increase or decrease in the particular criteria, and may be applied to one or more of the Company, a Subsidiary or Affiliate, or a division or strategic business unit of the Company, or may be applied to the performance of the Company relative to a market index, a group of other companies or a combination thereof, all as determined by the Committee. The Performance Goals may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment will be made (or no vesting will occur), levels of performance at which specified payments will be made (or specified vesting will occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment will be made (or at which full vesting will occur). Objectively verifiable adjustment(s) to Performance Goals can include but are not limited to adjustment(s) to reflect: (1) the impact of specific corporate transactions; (2) accounting or tax law changes; (3) asset write-downs; (4) significant litigation or claim adjustment; (5) foreign exchange gains and losses; (6) disposal of a segment of a business; (7) discontinued operations; (8) refinancing or repurchase of bank loans or debt securities; or (9) unbudgeted capital expenditures. Each of the foregoing Performance Goals will be subject to certification by the Committee.

 

(t)           “Plan” means this Amended and Restated VMware, Inc. 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

(u)          “Restricted Stock” means an Award of shares of Stock to a Grantee under Section 6(b)(ii) that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.

 

(v)          “Restricted Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Grantee under Section 6(b)(iii) of the Plan to receive shares of Stock subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.

 

(w)          “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, including any successor to such Rule.

 

(x)          “Stock” means shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

 

(y)          “Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award that entitles a Grantee upon exercise to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Stock underlying the Award over the base price established in respect of such Stock.

 

(z)          “Subsidiary” means any entity in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if, at the time of granting of an Award, each of the entities (other than the last entity in the unbroken chain) owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other entities in the chain.

 

3.           ADMINISTRATION.

 

(a)          The Plan will be administered by the Committee or, at the discretion of the Board, the Board. In the event the Board is the administrator of the Plan, references herein to the Committee will be deemed to include the Board. The Board may from time to time appoint a member or members of the Committee in substitution for or in addition to the member or members then in office and may fill vacancies on the Committee however caused. Subject to applicable law, the Board or the Committee may delegate to a sub-committee or individual the ability to grant Awards to employees who are not subject to potential liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act with respect to transactions involving equity securities of the Company at the time any such delegated authority is exercised.

 

(b)          The decision of the Committee as to all questions of interpretation and application of the Plan will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons. The Committee has the authority in its discretion, subject to and not inconsistent with the express provisions of the Plan, to administer the Plan and to exercise all the power and authority either specifically granted to it under the Plan or necessary or advisable in the administration of the Plan, including without limitation, the authority to grant Awards; determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which Awards will be granted; determine the type and number of Awards to be granted, the number of shares of Stock to which an Award may relate and the terms, conditions, restrictions and Performance Goals relating to any Award; determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, canceled, forfeited, accelerated, exchanged, or surrendered (including upon a change in control or similar transaction); to make adjustments in the terms and conditions (including Performance Goals) applicable to Awards; construe and interpret the Plan and any Award; prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; to determine the terms and provisions of the Award Terms (which need not be identical for each Grantee); and make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Terms granted hereunder in the manner and to the extent it deems expedient to carry the Plan into effect and will be the sole and final judge of such expediency. No Committee member will be liable for any action or determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award.

 

4.           ELIGIBILITY.

 

(a)          Awards may be granted to officers, employees, independent contractors and non-employee directors of the Company or of any of the Subsidiaries and Affiliates; provided, that (i) ISOs may be granted only to employees (including officers and directors who are also employees) of the Company or any of its “related corporations” (as defined in the applicable regulations promulgated under the Code) and (ii) Awards may be granted only to eligible persons who are not employed by the Company or a Subsidiary if such persons perform substantial services for the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

(b)          No ISO may be granted to any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries if such employee owns, immediately prior to the grant of the ISO, stock representing more than 10% of the voting power or more than 10% of the value of all classes of stock of the Company or a Subsidiary, unless the purchase price for the stock under such ISO is at least 110% of its Fair Market Value at the time such ISO is granted and the ISO, by its terms, will not be exercisable more than five years from the date it is granted. In determining the stock ownership under this paragraph, the provisions of Section 424(d) of the Code will control.

 

(c)          No Award, except for Restricted Stock, may be granted to any employee or independent contractor who is subject to Section 409A of the Code if such person is an employee or independent contractor of an Affiliate that is not a Subsidiary, unless such Award conforms to the requirements of Section 409A.

 

5.           STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

 

(a)          The maximum number of shares of Stock reserved for the grant or settlement of Awards under the Plan (the “Share Limit”) is 170,693,838, subject to adjustment as provided herein, not including shares of stock added to the Share Limit pursuant to Section 5(c).

 

(b)          Shares issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan may, in whole or in part, be authorized but unissued shares or shares that have been or may be reacquired by the Company in the open market, in private transactions or otherwise. If any shares subject to an Award (other than Awards substituted or assumed pursuant to Section 5(c) herein) are forfeited, canceled, exchanged or surrendered or if an Award otherwise terminates or expires without a distribution of shares to the Grantee, the shares of stock with respect to such Award will, to the extent of any such forfeiture, cancellation, exchange, surrender, termination or expiration, again be available for Awards under the Plan.

 

(c)          The Company may substitute or assume equity awards of acquired entities in connection with mergers, reorganizations, separations, or other transactions to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies. The number of shares of Stock reserved pursuant to Section 5 will be increased by the corresponding number of equity awards assumed and, in the case of a substitution, by the net increase in the number of shares of Stock subject to equity awards before and after the substitution.

 

(d)          Subject to the Share Limit and Section 5(g), the aggregate maximum number of shares of Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of ISOs will be 170,693,838 shares of Stock.

 

(e)          Subject to the Share Limit and Section 5(g), the aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards granted during any fiscal year to any single individual may not exceed 4,402,658 shares of Stock.

 

(f)          The maximum value of Awards granted during a single fiscal year under this Plan or under any other equity plan maintained by the Company, taken together with any cash fees paid during such fiscal year for services on the Board, will not exceed $1,000,000 in total value for any non-employee director, except that such limit will be $1,250,000 for any non-employee director serving as the lead director of the Board or chair of the Board. Such applicable limit will include the value of any stock awards that are received in lieu of all or a portion of any annual committee cash retainers or other similar cash based payments.

 

(g)          Except as provided in an Award Term or as otherwise provided in the Plan, in the event of any extraordinary dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of cash, Stock, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, recapitalization, combination, repurchase, or share exchange, or other similar corporate transaction or event, the Committee will make such equitable changes or adjustments as it deems necessary or appropriate to any or all of (i) the number and kind of shares of Stock or other property (including cash) that may thereafter be issued in connection with Awards (including, but not limited to changes or adjustments to the limits specified in Sections 5(d) and (e)) or the total number of Awards issuable under the Plan, (ii) the number and kind of shares of Stock or other property issued or issuable in respect of outstanding Awards, (iii) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award, (iv) the Performance Goals, and (v) the individual limitations applicable to Awards; provided that, with respect to ISOs, any adjustment will be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 424(h) of the Code and any regulations or guidance promulgated thereunder, and provided further that no such adjustment will cause any Award hereunder which is or becomes subject to Section 409A of the Code to fail to comply with the requirements of such section.

 

6.           SPECIFIC TERMS OF AWARDS.

 

(a)          General. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Terms, (i) the term of each Award will be for such period as may be determined by the Committee, and (ii) payments to be made by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate upon the grant, maturation, or exercise of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee determines at the date of grant or thereafter, including, without limitation, cash, Stock or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code on a deferred basis.

 

(b)          Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant to Grantees the following Awards, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. The Committee will determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, consistent with the terms of the Plan.  Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARs”) are subject to a minimum one-year vesting period following grant, with the exception that up to 5% of the available shares of Stock reserved for grant may be subject to such Awards without such minimum vesting period.  Subject to compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, an Award may provide the Grantee with the right to receive dividend or dividend equivalent payments with respect to Stock actually or notionally subject to the Award, which payments will be credited to an account for the Grantee, and may be settled in cash or Stock, as determined by the Committee. Any such dividend or dividend equivalents will be settled in cash or Stock to the Grantee only if, when and to the extent the related Award vests. The value of dividend or dividend equivalent payments payable with respect to any Award that does not vest will be forfeited.

 

(i)          Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Grantees on the following terms and conditions:

 

(A)          The Award Terms evidencing the grant of an Option under the Plan will designate the Option as an ISO or an NQSO.

 

(B)          The exercise price per share of Stock purchasable under an Option will be determined by the Committee, but in no event may the exercise price of an Option per share of Stock be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock as of the date of grant of such Option. The purchase price of Stock as to which an Option is exercised must be paid in full at the time of exercise; payment may be made in cash, which may be paid by check, or other instrument acceptable to the Company, or, with the consent of the Committee, in shares of Stock, valued at the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise (including shares of Stock that otherwise would be distributed to the Grantee upon exercise of the Option), or if there were no sales on such date, on the next preceding day on which there were sales or (if permitted by the Committee and subject to such terms and conditions as it may determine) by surrender of outstanding Awards under the Plan, or the Committee may permit such payment of exercise price by any other method it deems satisfactory in its discretion. In addition, subject to applicable law and pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, payment of the exercise price may be made pursuant to a broker-assisted cashless exercise procedure. Any amount necessary to satisfy applicable federal, state or local tax withholding requirements must be paid promptly upon notification of the amount due. The Committee may permit the amount of tax withholding to be paid in shares of Stock previously owned by the employee, or a portion of the shares of Stock that otherwise would be distributed to such employee upon exercise of the Option, or a combination of shares of such Stock and other property, except that the amount of tax withholding to be satisfied by withholding shares of Stock and other property will be limited to the extent necessary to avoid adverse accounting consequences, including but not limited to the Award being classified as a liability award.

 

(C)          Options will be exercisable over the exercise period (which may not exceed ten years from the date of grant), at such times and upon such conditions as the Committee may determine, as reflected in the Award Terms; provided that, the Committee has the authority to accelerate the exercisability of any outstanding Option at such time and under such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

 

(D)          Upon the termination of a Grantee’s employment or service with the Company and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, the Options granted to such Grantee, to the extent that they are exercisable at the time of such termination, will remain exercisable for such period as may be provided in the applicable Award Terms, but in no event following the expiration of their term. The treatment of any Option that is unexercisable as of the date of such termination will be as set forth in the applicable Award Terms.

 

(E)          Options may be subject to such other conditions, as the Committee may prescribe in its discretion or as may be required by applicable law.

 

(ii)          Restricted Stock.

 

(A)          The Committee may grant Awards of Restricted Stock under the Plan, subject to such restrictions, terms and condi-tions, as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion and as evidenced by the applicable Award Terms (provided that any such Award is subject to the vesting requirements described herein). The vesting of a Restricted Stock Award granted under the Plan may be conditioned upon the completion of a specified period of employment or service with the Company, any Subsidiary or an Affiliate, upon the attainment of specified Performance Goals or upon such other criteria as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion.

 

(B)          The Committee will determine the purchase price, which, to the extent required by law, may not be less than par value of the Stock, to be paid by the Grantee for each share of Restricted Stock or unrestricted Stock or stock units subject to the Award. The Award Terms with respect to such Award will set forth the amount (if any) to be paid by the Grantee with respect to such Award and when and under what circumstances such payment is required to be made.

 

(C)          Except as provided in the applicable Award Terms, no shares of Stock underlying a Restricted Stock Award may be assigned, transferred, or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the Grantee until such shares of Stock have vested in accordance with the terms of such Award.

 

(D)          Upon the termination of a Grantee’s employment or service with the Company and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, the Restricted Stock granted to such Grantee will be subject to the terms and conditions specified in the applicable Award Terms.

 

(iii)          Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Units to Grantees, subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(A)          At the time of the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Committee may impose such restrictions or conditions to the vesting of such Awards as it, in its discretion, deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, the achievement of Performance Goals. The Committee has the authority to accelerate the settlement of any outstanding award of Restricted Stock Units at such time and under such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, subject compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(B)          Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Terms or except as otherwise provided in the Plan, upon the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit there will be delivered to the Grantee, as soon as practicable following the date on which such Award (or any portion thereof) vests, that number of shares of Stock equal to the number of Restricted Stock Units becoming so vested.

 

(C)          Upon the termination of a Grantee’s employment or service with the Company and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, the Restricted Stock Units granted to such Grantee will be subject to the terms and conditions specified in the applicable Award Terms.

 

(iv)          Other Stock-Based or Cash-Based Awards.

 

(A)          The Committee is authorized to grant Awards to Grantees in the form of Other Stock-Based Awards or Other Cash-Based Awards, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. The Committee will determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, consistent with the terms of the Plan, at the date of grant or thereafter, including the Performance Goals and performance periods. Stock or other securities or property delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under Section 6(iv) may be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, Stock, other Awards, notes or other property, as the Committee will determine, subject to any required corporate action.

 

(B)          The maximum value of the aggregate payment that any Grantee may receive with respect to Other Cash-Based Awards pursuant to this Section 6(b)(iv) in respect of any annual performance period is $5,000,000 and for any other performance period in excess of one year, such amount multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months in the performance period and the denominator of which is twelve. The Committee may establish other rules applicable to the Other Stock- or Cash-Based Awards.

 

(C)          Payments earned in respect of any Cash-Based Award may be decreased or increased in the sole discretion of the Committee based on such factors as it deems appropriate.

 

7.           GENERAL PROVISIONS.

 

(a)          Nontransferability, Deferrals and Settlements. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or provided in an Award Term or set forth below, but in accordance with the Code and any applicable laws, Awards will not be transferable by a Grantee except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and will be exercisable during the lifetime of a Grantee only by such Grantee or such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative. Any attempted assignment or transfer of an Award will be null and void and without effect, except as herein provided, including without limitation any purported assignment, whether voluntary or by operation of law, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition, attachment, divorce, trustee process or similar process, whether legal or equitable, upon such Award. The Committee may permit Grantees to elect to defer the issuance of shares of Stock or the settlement of Awards in cash under such rules and procedures as established under the Plan to the extent that such deferral complies with Section 409A of the Code and any regulations or guidance promulgated thereunder.

 

(b)          Leave of Absence; Reduction in Service Level. The Committee may determine, in its discretion (i) whether, and the extent to which, an Award will vest during a leave of absence, (ii) whether, and the extent to which, a reduction in service level (for example, from full-time to part-time employment), will cause a reduction, or other change, in an Award, and (iii) whether a leave of absence or reduction in service will be deemed a termination of employment or service for the purpose of the Plan and the Award Terms. The Committee will also determine all other matters relating to whether the employment or service of a recipient of an Award is continuous for purposes of the Plan and the Award Terms.

 

(c)          No Right to Continued Employment, etc. Nothing in the Plan or in any Award granted or any Award Terms, promissory note or other agreement entered into pursuant hereto confers upon any Grantee the right to continue in the employ or service of the Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate or to be entitled to any remuneration or benefits not set forth in the Plan or the applicable Award Terms or to interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any such Subsidiary or Affiliate to terminate such Grantee’s employment or service.

 

(d)          Clawback/Recoupment

 

(i)          All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company determines to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Committee may impose additional clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award agreement as the Committee determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of Cause as determined by the Committee.

 

(ii)          In the event of a restatement of incorrect financial results, the Committee will review all Awards held by executive officers (within the meaning of Rule 3b-7 of the Exchange Act) of the Company that (i) were earned based on performance or were vesting during the course of the financial period subject to such restatement or (ii) were granted during or within one year following such financial period. If any Award would have been lower or would not have vested, been earned or been granted based on such restated financial results, the Committee will, if it determines appropriate in its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by governing law, (a) cancel such Award, in whole or in part, whether or not vested, earned or payable or (b) require the Grantee to repay to the Company an amount equal to all or any portion of the value of any gains from the grant, vesting or payment of the Award that would not have been realized had the restatement not occurred.

 

(iii)          If a Grantee’s employment or service is terminated for Cause, all unvested (and, to the extent applicable, unexercised) portions of Awards will terminate and be forfeited immediately without consideration. In addition, the Committee may in its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by applicable law cause the cancellation of all or a portion of any outstanding vested Awards held by such Grantee or payable to such Grantee or require such Grantee to reimburse the Company for all or a portion of the gains from the exercise of, settlement or payment of any of the Grantee’s Awards realized after the event giving rise to Cause first occurred.

 

(e)          Taxes.  The Company, any Subsidiary and any Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under the Plan, including from a distribution of Stock, or any other payment to a Grantee, amounts of withholding and other taxes due in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Grantees to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority includes authority to withhold or receive Stock or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Grantee’s tax obligations; provided, however, that the amount of tax withholding to be satisfied by withholding Stock or other property will be limited to the extent necessary to avoid adverse accounting consequences, including but not limited to the Award being classified as a liability award.

 

(f)          Stockholder Approval; Amendment and Termination. The Board may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan and outstanding Awards thereunder, but no amendment, alteration, or discontinuation may be made that would impair the rights of a Grantee under any Award theretofore granted without such Grantee’s consent, or that without the approval of the stockholders (as described below) would, except in the case of an adjustment as provided in Section 5, increase the total number of shares of Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan. In addition, stockholder approval will be required with respect to any amendment with respect to which stockholder approval is required under the Code, the rules of any stock exchange on which Stock is then listed or any other applicable law. Unless earlier terminated by the Board pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, the Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Adoption Date. No Awards may be granted under the Plan after such termination date.

 

(g)          No Rights to Awards; No Stockholder Rights.  No Grantee haves any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Grantees. No Grantee has any right to payment or settlement under any Award unless and until the Committee or its designee determines that payment or settlement is to be made. Except as provided specifically herein, a Grantee or a transferee of an Award has no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by the Award until the date of the issuance of such shares.

 

(h)          Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Grantee pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award will give any such Grantee any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company.

 

(i)          No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock will be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee will determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property will be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto will be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

 

(j)          Regulations and Other Approvals.

 

(i)          The obligation of the Company to sell or deliver Stock or pay cash with respect to any Award granted under the Plan is subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including all applicable federal and state securities laws, and the obtaining of all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.

 

(ii)          Each Award is subject to the requirement that, if at any time the Committee determines, in its absolute discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of Stock issuable pursuant to the Plan is required by any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the grant of an Award or the issuance of Stock, no such Award may be granted or payment made or Stock issued, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Committee.

 

(iii)          In the event that the disposition of Stock acquired pursuant to the Plan is not covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Stock will be restricted against transfer to the extent required by the Securities Act or regulations thereunder, and the Committee may require a Grantee receiving Stock pursuant to the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Stock, to represent to the Company in writing that the Stock acquired by such Grantee is acquired for investment only and not with a view to distribution.

 

(iv)          Section 409A. This Plan is intended to comply and will be administered in a manner that is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code and will be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. To the extent that an Award, issuance or payment is subject to Section 409A of the Code, it will be awarded or issued or paid in a manner that will comply with Section 409A of the Code, including proposed, temporary or final regulations or any other guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto. Any provision of this Plan that would cause an Award, issuance or payment to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the Code will have no force and effect until amended to comply with Section 409A of the Code (which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by applicable law). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Terms specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Stock are publicly traded and a Grantee is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code and holds an Award that provides for “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount shall be made upon a “separation from service” before a date that is six months following the date of such Grantee’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) except that in case of the Grantee’s death, such distribution or payment will be made as soon as practicable following the Grantee’s death or as otherwise set forth in an agreement with the Grantee.

 

(k)          Governing Law. The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto is governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Committee, in order to conform with provisions of local laws and regulations in foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operate, has sole discretion to (i) modify the terms and conditions of Awards made to Grantees employed outside the United States, (ii) establish sub-plans with modified exercise procedures and such other modifications as may be necessary or advisable under the circumstances presented by local laws and regulations, and (iii) take any action which it deems advisable to obtain, comply with or otherwise reflect any necessary governmental regulatory procedures, exemptions or approvals with respect to the Plan or any sub-plan established hereunder.

 

(l)          Merger or Consolidation.  If the Company is the surviving corporation in any merger or consolidation (other than a merger or consolidation in which the Company survives but in which a majority of its outstanding shares are converted into securities of another corporation or are exchanged for other consideration), any Award granted hereunder will pertain and apply to the securities which a holder of the number of shares of stock of the Company then subject to the Award is entitled to receive. In the event of a (i) dissolution or liquidation of the Company, (ii) sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or (iii) merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or in which a majority of its outstanding shares are converted into securities of another corporation or are exchanged for other consideration, the Company must, contingent upon consummation of such transaction, either (a) arrange for any corporation succeeding to the business and assets of the Company to (x) assume each outstanding Award, or (y) issue to the Grantees replacement Awards (which, in the case of ISOs, satisfy, in the determination of the Committee, the requirements of Section 424 of the Code), for such corporation’s stock that will preserve the value, liquidity and material terms and conditions of the outstanding Awards; or (b) make the outstanding Awards fully exercisable or cause all of the applicable restrictions to which outstanding Stock Awards are subject to lapse, in each case, on a basis that gives the holder of the Award a reasonable opportunity, as determined by the Committee, following the exercise of the Award or the issuance of shares of Common Stock, as the case may be, to participate as a stockholder in any such dissolution, liquidation, asset sale or transfer, merger or consolidation, and the Award will terminate immediately following consummation of any such transaction.  The existence of the Plan will not prevent any such change or other transaction, and no Participant hereunder has any right except as herein expressly set forth. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7(l), Awards subject to and intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code will be construed and administered consistent with such intent.

 

10

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Security Type	Security Class Title	Fee Calculation Rule	Amount Registered(1)(2)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share(3)	Maximum Aggregate Offering Price	Fee Rate	Amount of Registration Fee
Equity	Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share	Other	9,403,997	$959.61	$9,024,169,561.17	0.00014760	$1,331,967.43
Total Offering Amounts							$1,331,967.43
Total Fee Offsets							–
Net Fee Due							$1,331,967.43

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover an indeterminate number of additional shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), of Broadcom Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant”), which may become issuable by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transactions effected without consideration which results in the increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(2)

Represents (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting or settlement, as applicable, of VMware, Inc. (“VMware”) equity awards, which equity awards were assumed and converted into equity awards in respect of Common Stock in connection with the completion of certain transactions for the acquisition of VMware pursuant to the Merger Agreement, dated as of May 26, 2022, by and among the Registrant, VMware, Verona Holdco, Inc., Verona Merger Sub, Inc., Barcelona Merger Sub 2, Inc., and Barcelona Merger Sub 3, LLC (the “Merger Agreement”) and (ii) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the VMware Amended and Restated 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan, as amended (as adjusted to reflect the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement), assumed by the Registrant in connection with the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement.

(3)

Estimated solely for purpose of calculating the registration fee.  Pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per unit and maximum aggregate offering price are based on the reported average of the high and low prices of Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on November 16, 2023 (rounded up to the nearest cent).

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