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Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

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Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Related-Person Transactions Policy and Procedures

Symantec has adopted a written related person transactions policy which provides for the Company’s policies and procedures regarding the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of “related person transactions.” The Nominating and Governance Committee reviews transactions that may be “related person transactions,” which are transactions between Symantec and any related persons in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed $120,000, and in which the related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. For purposes of the policy, a related person is any Symantec executive officer, director, nominee for director, or stockholder holding more than 5% of any class of Symantec’s voting securities, in each case, since the beginning of the previous fiscal year, and their immediate family members.

Under the policy, absent any facts or circumstances indicating special or unusual benefits to the related person, the following transactions are deemed not to be “related person transactions” (meaning the related person is deemed to not have a direct or indirect material interest in the transaction):

•compensation to executive officers determined by Symantec’s Compensation Committee;
•any transaction with another company at which a related person is a director or an employee (other than an executive officer) if the aggregate amount involved does not exceed the greater of $2,000,000, or three percent of that company’s total annual gross revenues, provided that the transaction involves the purchase of either company’s goods and services and the transaction is subject to usual trade terms and is in the ordinary course of business and the related person is not involved in the negotiation of the transaction;
•any compensation paid to a director if the compensation is required to be reported in Symantec’s proxy statement;
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•any transaction where the related person’s interest arises solely from the ownership of the Company’s common stock and all holders of the Company’s common stock received the same benefit on a pro rata basis;
•any charitable contribution, grant or endowment by Symantec or the Symantec Foundation to a charitable organization, foundation or university at which a related person’s only relationship is as a director or an employee (other than an executive officer), if the aggregate amount involved does not exceed $120,000, or any non-discretionary matching contribution, grant or endowment made pursuant to a matching gift program;
•any transaction where the rates or charges involved are determined by competitive bids;
•any transaction involving the rendering of services as a common or contract carrier, or public utility, at rates or charges fixed in conformity with law or governmental authority; or
•any transaction involving services as a bank depositary of funds, transfer agent, registrar, trustee under a trust indenture, or similar services.

Under the policy, members of Symantec’s legal department review transactions involving related persons that do not fall into one of the above categories. If they determine that a related person could have a significant interest in a transaction, the transaction is referred to the Nominating and Governance Committee. In addition, transactions may be identified through Symantec’s Code of Conduct or other Symantec policies and procedures, and reported to the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee determines whether the related person has a material interest in a transaction and may approve, ratify, rescind or take other action with respect to the transaction.

Certain Related Person Transactions

Investments by Firms Affiliated with our Directors

On February 3, 2016, Symantec entered into an investment agreement with investment entities affiliated with Silver Lake, relating to the issuance to Silver Lake of $500 million principal amount of 2.5% convertible unsecured notes, due 2021. In connection with the investment, Kenneth Y. Hao, a managing partner and managing director of Silver Lake, was appointed to our Board.

On June 12, 2016, Symantec entered into an investment agreement with investment entities affiliated with Silver Lake and Bain Capital relating to the issuance of $1.25 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.0% convertible unsecured notes due 2021. Pursuant to the investment agreement, Silver Lake, a private equity firm of which Mr. Hao is a managing partner and managing director, has agreed to purchase $500 million aggregate principal amount of the notes, and Bain Capital, private equity firm of which Mr. Humphrey is a managing director, has agreed to purchase $750 million aggregate principal amount of the notes. The transactions contemplated by this investment agreement closed concurrently with the closing of the Blue Coat acquisition on August 1, 2016. In connection with the investment, David W. Humphrey, a managing director of Bain Capital, was appointed to our Board.

The 2.5% convertible unsecured notes, due 2021 (the “2.5% Notes”), bear interest at a rate of 2.5% per annum. The 2.0% convertible unsecured notes, due 2021 (the “2.0% Notes” and, together with the 2.5% Notes, collectively, the “Notes”), bear interest at a rate of 2.0% per annum. Interest is payable semiannually in cash under the Notes. The initial conversion rate for the 2.5% Notes was 59.6341 shares of our common stock, and cash in lieu of fractional shares, per $1,000 principal amount of the 2.5% Notes, which was equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $16.77 per share of common stock. The initial conversion rate for the 2.0% Notes was 48.9860 shares of our common stock, and cash in lieu of fractional shares, per $1,000 principal amount of the 2.0% Notes, which was equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $20.41 per share of common stock. The conversion rates under the Notes are subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. Holders may surrender their Notes for conversion at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the maturity date for the Notes.

As of March 31, 2017, $1.75 billion in aggregate principal amount of the Notes was outstanding. During fiscal 2017, we paid an aggregate of $20.66 million in interest on the Notes.

Symantec also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to which holders of the Notes have certain registration rights with respect to the Notes and the shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes.

Reinvestment Agreements with our Executive Officers

On June 12, 2016, we entered into reinvestment agreements with Mr. Clark and GSC-OZ Investment LLC, an entity controlled by Mr. Clark, pursuant to which the parties agreed to purchase, in the aggregate, 2,329,520 shares our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $40,300,696. On August 1, 2016, we issued and sold these shares to Mr. Clark and GSC-OZ Investment LLC. The agreements provide that, in the aggregate, 207,907 of such shares will vest monthly until October 30, 2019, subject to Mr. Clark’s continued service to the Company, and that all of the shares are subject to transfer restrictions until August 1, 2018 but may be released from such restrictions on or after August 1, 2017 if our common stock achieves a specified volume weighted average trading price over a defined period as set forth in the agreements.

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On June 12, 2016, we entered into a reinvestment agreement with each of Mr. Fey and Mr. Noviello pursuant to which each of Mr. Fey and Mr. Noviello agreed not to transfer certain shares of common stock to be issued upon exercise of options held by Mr. Fey and Mr. Noviello until such shares may be released from such restrictions on or after August 1, 2017 if our common stock achieves a specified volume weighted average trading price over a defined period as set forth in the agreements.

Board Independence

It is the policy of the Board and NASDAQ’s rules require that listed companies have a board of directors with at least a majority of independent directors, as defined under NASDAQ’s Marketplace Rules. Currently, each member of our Board, other than our Chief Executive Officer, Gregory S. Clark, is an independent director, and all standing committees of the Board are composed entirely of independent directors, in each case under NASDAQ’s independence definition. The NASDAQ independence definition includes a series of objective tests, such as that the director is not an employee of the company and has not engaged in various types of business dealings with the company. In addition, the Board has made a subjective determination as to each independent director that no relationship exists which, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. In making these determinations, the directors reviewed and discussed information provided by the directors and our company with regard to each director’s business and other activities as they may relate to Symantec and our management. Based on this review and consistent with our independence criteria, the Board has affirmatively determined that the following current directors and director nominees are independent: Frank E. Dangeard, Kenneth Y. Hao, David W. Humphrey, Geraldine B. Laybourne, David L. Mahoney, Robert S. Miller, Anita M. Sands, Daniel H. Schulman, V. Paul Unruh and Suzanne M. Vautrinot.

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