KKR & Co. 2021 10-K Annual Report
KKR · CIK 1404912 · Form 10-K · Fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 · Filed February 28, 2022
23 sections, 1981K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
Risk FactorsBusinessMD&AFinancial StatementsWhat changed vs 2020
Cover and table of contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
or
☐ 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 001-34820
KKR & CO. INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 26-0426107 | |||||||
| (State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
30 Hudson Yards
New York, New York 10001
Telephone: (212) 750-8300
(Address, zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of registrant's principal executive office.)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| Common Stock | KKR | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
| 6.00% Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock | KKR PR C | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
| 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 of KKR Group Finance Co. IX LLC | KKRS | New York Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No ý
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter periods that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth 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.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of common stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2021, was approximately $33.1 billion. As of February 24, 2022, the registrant had 591,145,410 shares of common stock outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
None
KKR & CO. INC.
FORM 10-K
For the Year Ended December 31, 2021
INDEX
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believe," "think," "expect," "potential," "continue," "may," "should," "seek," "approximately," "predict," "intend," "will," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," the negative version of these words, other comparable words or other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or factual matters. Without limiting the foregoing, statements regarding the declaration and payment of dividends on common or preferred stock of KKR & Co. Inc.; the timing, manner and volume of repurchase of common stock pursuant to its repurchase program; expansion and growth opportunities and other synergies resulting from acquisitions, reorganizations or strategic partnerships; and the timing and completion of the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement (as defined below) may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements or cause the anticipated benefits and synergies from transactions to not be realized. We believe these factors include those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in this report. These factors should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this report and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
CERTAIN TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT
In this report, references to "KKR," "we," "us" and "our" refer to KKR & Co. Inc. and its subsidiaries, including The Global Atlantic Financial Group LLC ("TGAFG" and, together with its subsidiaries, "Global Atlantic"), unless the context requires otherwise. On February 1, 2021, KKR completed its acquisition of Global Atlantic. KKR holds all of the voting interests in Global Atlantic and owns 61.5% of the economic equity interests in Global Atlantic, following the completion of certain post-closing purchase price adjustments in the second quarter of 2021. Accordingly, the results of Global Atlantic included in our consolidated results of operations are from February 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Global Atlantic conducts its insurance business through its subsidiaries that are regulated insurance companies.
For periods between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019, references to “common stock” refer to Class A common stock of KKR & Co. Inc., and references to “Series I preferred stock” and “Series II preferred stock” refer to Class B common stock and Class C common stock of KKR & Co. Inc., respectively. Prior to July 1, 2018, KKR & Co. Inc. was a limited partnership named KKR & Co. L.P. References to the “Series I preferred stockholder” or “KKR Management” are to KKR Management LLP, the holder of the sole outstanding share of our Series I preferred stock. References to our “senior principals” are to our senior employees who hold interests in the Series I preferred stockholder, including Mr. Henry Kravis and Mr. George Roberts (our "Co-Founders"). References to “non-employee operating consultants” for periods prior to January 1, 2020 refer to employees of KKR Capstone Americas LLC and its affiliates (“KKR Capstone”), which were then owned and controlled by their senior management and not subsidiaries or affiliates of KKR.
Unless otherwise indicated, references to equity interests in KKR’s business, or to percentage interests in KKR’s business, reflect the aggregate equity interests in KKR Group Partnership L.P. ("KKR Group Partnership"), which is the intermediate holding company that owns the entirety of KKR’s business, and are net of amounts that have been allocated to the holders of certain minority interests, including our principals and carry pool participants (who are explained further below). References to “KKR Group Partnership” for periods prior to January 1, 2020 refer to KKR Fund Holdings L.P., KKR Management Holdings L.P. and KKR International Holdings L.P., collectively, which were combined on that date to form KKR Group Partnership. References to a “KKR Group Partnership Unit” refer to (i) one Class A partner interest in each of KKR Fund Holdings L.P., KKR Management Holdings L.P. and KKR International Holdings L.P., collectively, for periods prior to prior to January 1, 2020, and (ii) one Class A partner interest in KKR Group Partnership for periods on and after January 1, 2020.
References to “principals” are to current and former employees who hold interests in KKR’s business through KKR Holdings L.P. (“KKR Holdings”). As of December 31, 2021, KKR Holdings owned, as a limited partner, 258,726,163 Group Partnership Units representing 30.2% of the then outstanding Group Partnership Units. References to “principals” also includes our current employees who hold interests in KKR’s business through KKR Holdings II L.P. KKR Holdings II L.P. is a subsidiary of KKR & Co. Inc. but has an equity ownership in KKR Group Partnership similar to KKR Holdings. As of December 31, 2021, KKR Holdings II L.P. owned, as a limited partner, less than 0.2% of the outstanding Group Partnership Units. References to “carry pool participants” are to our current and former employees who hold interests in our “carry pool,” which refers to the carried interest generated by KKR’s business that is allocated to KKR Associates Holdings L.P. (“KKR Associates Holdings”), in which carry pool participants are limited partners. Neither KKR Holdings nor KKR Associates Holdings is currently a subsidiary of KKR & Co. Inc.
On October 8, 2021, KKR entered into a Reorganization Agreement (the "Reorganization Agreement") with KKR Holdings, KKR Management, KKR Associates Holdings, and the other parties thereto. Pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement, the parties agreed to undertake a series of integrated transactions to effect a number of transformative structural and governance changes, including (a) the acquisition by KKR of KKR Holdings and all of the KKR Group Partnership Units held by it, (b) the future elimination of voting control by KKR Management and the Series I preferred stock held by it, (c) the future establishment of voting rights for all common stock on a one vote per share basis, including with respect to the election of directors, and (d) the future control of the carry pool by KKR. For more information about the Reorganization Agreement, see "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Reorganization Agreement" in this report.
In this report, the term "GAAP" refers to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We disclose certain financial measures in this report that are calculated and presented using methodologies other than in accordance with GAAP, including after-tax distributable earnings, distributable operating earnings, fee related earnings ("FRE"), asset management segment revenues, book value and book value per adjusted share. We believe that providing these performance measures on a supplemental basis to our GAAP results is helpful to stockholders in assessing the overall performance of KKR's businesses. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as a substitute for similar financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We caution readers that these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the calculations of other investment managers, and as a result, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other investment managers. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, where applicable, are included under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Reconciliations to GAAP Measures." This report also uses the terms assets under management ("AUM"), fee paying assets under management ("FPAUM") and capital invested. You should note that our calculations of these and other operating metrics may differ from the calculations of other investment managers and, as a result, may not be comparable to similar metrics presented by other investment managers. These non-GAAP and operating metrics are defined in the section "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Non-GAAP Performance Measures and Other Operating Measures."
References to our "funds" or our "vehicles" refer to investment funds, vehicles and accounts that are advised, managed or sponsored by one or more subsidiaries of KKR, including collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and commercial real estate mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS") vehicles, unless the context requires otherwise. They do not include investment funds, vehicles or accounts of any hedge fund or other manager with which we have formed a strategic partnership where we have acquired an ownership interest. References to “strategic investor partnerships” refers to separately managed accounts with certain investors, which have investment periods longer than our traditional funds and typically provide for investments across different investment strategies. References to “hedge fund partnerships” refers to strategic partnerships with third-party hedge fund managers in which KKR owns a minority stake.
Unless otherwise indicated, references in this report to our outstanding common stock on a fully exchanged and diluted basis reflect (i) actual shares of common stock outstanding, (ii) shares of common stock into which KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings are exchangeable pursuant to the terms of the exchange agreement described elsewhere in this report, (iii) shares of common stock into which all outstanding shares of Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock are convertible, and (iv) shares of common stock issuable pursuant to any equity awards actually granted from the Amended and Restated KKR & Co. Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2010 Equity Incentive Plan") or the Amended and Restated KKR & Co. Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2019 Equity Incentive Plan" and, together with the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan, our "Equity Incentive Plans"), including equity awards comprised of units in KKR Holdings II L.P. Our outstanding common stock on a fully exchanged and diluted basis does not include shares of common stock available for issuance pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plans for which equity awards have not yet been granted.
The use of any defined term in this report to mean more than one entity, person, security or other item collectively is solely for convenience of reference and in no way implies that such entities, persons, securities or other items are one indistinguishable group. For example, notwithstanding the use of the defined terms "KKR," "we" and "our" in this report to refer to KKR & Co. Inc. and its subsidiaries, each subsidiary of KKR & Co. Inc. is a standalone legal entity that is separate and distinct from KKR & Co. Inc. and any of its other subsidiaries. Any KKR entity (including any Global Atlantic entity) referenced herein is responsible for its own financial, contractual and legal obligations.
SUMMARY RISK FACTORS
The following is a summary of the risk factors associated with investing in our securities. You should read this summary together with a more detailed description of these risks in the "Risk Factors" section of this report and in other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC.
We are subject to risks related to our business, including risks involving:
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difficult market and economic conditions;
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disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
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changes in the debt financing markets*;*
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transition away from the London interbank offered rate ("LIBOR") as a benchmark reference for interest rates;
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significant liquidity requirements and sources of liquidity;
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"clawback" provisions in our governing agreements;
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increased risks related to strategic investor partnerships;
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use of the term perpetual capital;
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high variability in our earnings and cash flow;
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decline in the pace or size of investment by our funds;
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inability to raise additional or successor funds at all or at a comparable size to predecessor funds;
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less favorable economic terms of our future funds;
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intense competition in the investment management business;
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increasing focus by stakeholders on environmental, social and governance matters;
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changes in relevant tax laws, regulations and treaties or adverse interpretations by tax authorities;
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our dependence on our founders and other key personnel;
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recruiting, retaining and motivating our employees and other key personnel;
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operational risks, cyber-security failures and data security breaches;
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entering into new lines of business and expansion into new investment strategies, geographic markets and businesses;
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complexities of new investment strategies, markets and businesses;
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sponsoring a special purpose acquisition company ("SPAC");
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ability to syndicate the securities or indebtedness and realize returns on investments financed with our balance sheet;
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extensive regulation of our businesses;
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increased regulatory focus or legislative or regulatory change;
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complex regulations affecting capital raising activities;
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federal, state and foreign anti-corruption and trade sanctions laws;
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litigation allegations and negative publicity;
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certain types of investment vehicles with increased risk of litigation and regulatory scrutiny;
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misconduct of our employees, consultants or sub-contractors or by our portfolio companies;
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our capital markets activities; and
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use of third-party service providers.
We are subject to risks related to assets we manage, including risks involving:
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historical returns not being indicative of future results;
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valuation methodologies;
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various economic conditions and events outside our control;
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dependence on significant leverage in investments;
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limitation inherent in the due diligence process;
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investments in relatively high-risk, illiquid assets;
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risks inherent in our investments including risks specific to real assets and growth equity investments;
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investments in real assets, such as real estate, infrastructure and energy, and emerging and less established companies;
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failure to protect intellectual property rights;
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investments in high-yield, below investment grade or unrated debt or in companies in distress;
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investments involving business, regulatory, legal or other complexities;
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large size of our private equity and real assets investments;
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investments in companies that we do not control;
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investments in companies that are based outside of the United States;
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third-party investors' contractual obligation to fund capital calls;
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ranking of our equity and debt investments compared to investments made by others;
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hedging transactions and other risk management activities undertaken by us;
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concentration of investments by our funds or by our balance sheet;
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conflicts of interest between our businesses and our clients;
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redemption by fund investors in certain of our real asset funds;
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termination of our investment advisory arrangements; and
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our hedge fund partnerships.
We are subject to risks related to our common stock, including risks involving:
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significant voting power held by the Series I preferred stockholder;
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exemptions available to us as a "controlled company" under the NYSE corporate governance rules;
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exemptions from proxy rules under U.S. securities laws;
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provisions in our certificate of incorporation limiting the obligation and liability of the Series I preferred stockholder;
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exclusive forum provision included in our certificate of incorporation;
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volatility of market price and trading volume of our common stock;
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assets and revenues of our funds not being directly available to us or our common stockholders;
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large number of shares eligible for future sale or for exchange and issuable as grants or in acquisitions;
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ability to issue preferred stock may cause the price of our common stock to decline; and
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our right to repurchase all outstanding shares of common stock under specific circumstances.
We are subject to risks related to our organizational structure, including risks involving:
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potential conflicts of interest among the Series I preferred stockholder and our common stockholders;
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certain actions by our board of directors requiring the approval of the Series I preferred stockholder;
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limitations on our ability to pay periodic dividends;
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our obligations to pay under tax receivable agreement;
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potential application of restrictions under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act");
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reorganizations undertaken by us; and
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anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents.
We are subject to risks related to Global Atlantic, including risks involving:
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possibility of not achieving the intended benefit of the acquisition;
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inclusion of Global Atlantic as our consolidated subsidiary;
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interest rate fluctuations and sustained periods of low or high interest rates;
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use of derivative financial instruments in risk management strategy;
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competitiveness of the insurance industry;
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dependence on third-party service providers, including distribution partners and agents;
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guarantees within certain of Global Atlantic's products;
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volatility in its net income under GAAP;
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acceleration of amortization of deferred revenues and expenses;
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difference between policyholder behavior estimates, reserve assumptions and actual claim experience;
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estimates used in preparation of financial statements and models for insurance products;
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ability to execute Global Atlantic's growth strategies successfully;
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any gaps in Global Atlantic's risk management policies and procedures;
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Global Atlantic's actual or perceived financial strength and ratings of Global Atlantic and its insurance subsidiaries;
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failure to comply with covenants in credit facilities or agreements;
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lack of captive or proprietary distribution or direct sale;
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businesses Global Atlantic reinsures and business it cedes to reinsurers;
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natural and man-made disasters and other catastrophes;
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protection of confidentiality of client information;
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changes in accounting standards;
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ability to cover policyholder benefits, withdrawals, recaptures or collateralization requirements;
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reinsurance assets held in trust, which limits Global Atlantic's ability to invest those assets;
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reinsurance agreements that permit the reinsurance client to recapture some or all of the reinsurance portfolio;
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determination of the amount of impairments and allowances for credit losses;
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Global Atlantic's membership in Federal Home Loan Banks;
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repurchase and reverse repurchase transactions that subject Global Atlantic to liquidity risks;
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applicability of the U.S. federal income taxes, changes to U.S. tax laws or Global Atlantic's tax status in Bermuda; and
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insurance and other regulations, including those related to statutory accounting rules, reserves, guaranty association laws and licensing requirements, that apply to Global Atlantic and its insurance subsidiaries.
PART I
Item 1. BUSINESS
Overview
We are a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. We aim to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in our portfolio companies and communities. We sponsor investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and have strategic partners that manage hedge funds. Our insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic.
Our asset management business offers a broad range of investment management services to fund investors around the world. Throughout our history, we have consistently been a leader in the private equity industry, having completed more than 650 private equity investments in portfolio companies with a total transaction value in excess of $675 billion as of December 31, 2021. Since the inception of our firm in 1976, we have expanded our investment strategies and product offerings from traditional private equity to areas such as leveraged credit, alternative credit, infrastructure, energy, real estate, growth equity, core and impact investments. We also provide capital markets services for our firm, our portfolio companies and third parties. Our balance sheet provides a significant source of capital in the growth and expansion of our business, and it has allowed us to further align our interests with those of our fund investors. Building on these efforts and leveraging our industry expertise and intellectual capital have allowed us to capitalize on a broader range of the opportunities we source.
Our insurance business is operated by Global Atlantic, in which we acquired a majority controlling interest on February 1, 2021. Global Atlantic is a leading U.S. retirement and life insurance company that provides a broad suite of protection, legacy and savings products and reinsurance solutions to clients across individual and institutional markets. Global Atlantic primarily offers individuals fixed-rate annuities, fixed-indexed annuities and targeted life products through a network of banks, broker-dealers and independent marketing organizations. Global Atlantic provides its institutional clients customized reinsurance solutions, including block, flow and pension risk transfer reinsurance, as well as funding agreements. Global Atlantic primarily generates income by earning a spread between its investment income and the cost of policyholder benefits. As of December 31, 2021, Global Atlantic served approximately three million policyholders.
Our Firm
We seek to work proactively and collaboratively across business lines, departments, and geographies, as appropriate, to achieve what we believe are the best investment results for our clients and the firm. Through our offices around the world, we have a pre-eminent global integrated platform for sourcing transactions, raising capital and carrying out capital markets activities. We have multilingual and multicultural investment teams with local market knowledge and significant business, investment and operational experience in the countries in which we invest. We believe that our global capabilities and one-firm philosophy have helped us to raise capital, capture a greater number of investment opportunities, and assist our portfolio companies in their increasing reliance on global markets and sourcing, while enabling us to diversify our operations.
Though our operations span multiple continents and asset classes, our investment professionals are supported by an integrated infrastructure and operate under a common set of principles and business practices that are monitored by a variety of committees. Our investment teams operate with a single culture that rewards investment discipline, creativity, determination and patience and emphasizes the sharing of information, resources, expertise and best practices across offices and asset classes. When appropriate, we staff investment transactions across multiple offices and businesses in order to take advantage of the industry-specific expertise of our investment professionals, and we hold regular meetings in which investment professionals throughout our offices share their knowledge and experiences. We believe that the ability to draw on the local cultural fluency of our investment professionals while maintaining a centralized and integrated global infrastructure distinguishes us from other investment firms and has been a substantial contributing factor to our ability to raise funds, invest internationally and expand our businesses.
Our Business
We operate in two segments, our asset management business and, beginning in the first quarter of 2021, our insurance business.
Asset Management
In our asset management business, we have four business lines: (1) Private Markets, (2) Public Markets, (3) Capital Markets, and (4) Principal Activities. Information about our business lines below should be read together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
As an asset management firm, we earn fees, including incentive fees, and carried interest for providing investment management and other services to our funds, vehicles, CLOs, managed accounts and portfolio companies, and we generate transaction-specific income from capital markets transactions. We earn additional investment income by investing our own capital alongside that of our fund investors and from other assets on our balance sheet. Carried interest we receive from our funds and certain other investment vehicles entitles us to a specified percentage of investment gains that are generated on third-party capital that is invested.
Our investment teams have deep industry knowledge and are supported by a substantial and diversified capital base; an integrated global investment platform; the expertise of operating professionals, senior advisors and other advisors; and a worldwide network of business relationships that provide a significant source of investment opportunities, specialized knowledge during due diligence and substantial resources for creating and realizing value for stakeholders. These teams invest capital, a substantial portion of which is of a long duration or not subject to predetermined redemption requirements, which provides us with significant flexibility to grow investments and select exit opportunities. As of December 31, 2021, approximately 90% of our AUM consists of capital that is not subject to redemption for at least 8 years from inception and what we refer to as perpetual capital. For more information about the limitations of perpetual capital, please see "Risks Related to Our Business—AUM referred to as perpetual capital is subject to material reduction, including through withdrawal, redemption, or dividends, and termination." We believe that these aspects of our business help us continue to grow our asset management business and deliver strong investment performance in a variety of economic and financial conditions.
Since our inception, one of our fundamental investment philosophies has been to align the interests of the firm and our employees with the interests of our fund investors, portfolio companies and other stakeholders. We achieve this by putting our own capital behind our ideas. As of December 31, 2021, we and our employees and other personnel have approximately $26.9 billion invested in or committed to our own funds and portfolio companies, including $11.1 billion of capital funded from our balance sheet, $11.9 billion of additional capital committed by our balance sheet to our investment funds, $2.8 billion funded from personal investments, and $1.1 billion of additional capital commitments from personal investments.
Private Markets
Through our Pri
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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risk. Persons investing in our securities should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information contained in this report and other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC, including our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could also be materially and adversely affected by additional factors that apply to all companies generally, as well as other risks that are not currently known to us or that we currently view to be immaterial. In any such case, the trading price of our securities could decline and you may lose all or part of your original investment. While we attempt to mitigate known risks to the extent we believe to be practicable and reasonable, we can provide no assurance, and we make no representation, that our mitigation efforts will be successful.
Risks Related to Our Business
Difficult market and economic conditions can adversely affect our business in many ways, including by reducing the value or performance of the investments that we manage or by reducing the ability of our funds to raise or deploy capital, each of which could negatively impact our net income and cash flow and adversely affect our financial prospects and condition.
Our business and the businesses of the companies in which we invest are materially affected by financial markets and economic conditions or events throughout the world, such as interest rates, fiscal and monetary stimulus and withdrawal of stimulus, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws (including laws relating to taxation), trade barriers, commodity prices, currency exchange rates and controls, national and international political circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts or security operations), and the continued global outbreak of the strain of coronavirus identified as SARS-CoV-2 and its different strains ("COVID-19") in 2021 and 2022. See “—COVID-19 continues to impact the United States and other countries throughout the world, and it has caused and may further cause disruptions to our business and adversely affect our financial results.” See also “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Business Environment” for a discussion of recent developments in market and business conditions that may affect our business.
Such financial markets and economic conditions are outside our control and may affect the level and volatility of securities prices and liquidity and as a result, the value of our investments and our financial results. In addition, we may not be able to or may choose not to manage our exposure to these conditions or events. If not otherwise offset, declines in equity markets (including but not limited to multiple contraction), debt markets or commodity markets would likely cause us to write down the valuations of our investments held by us or in our funds. For example, during the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, valuations of our private equity funds declined across all geographies, with investments in private equity funds marked down to as low as 67% of original cost and multiples of invested capital reaching as low as 0.5x, 0.6x, 0.7x and 0.8x for the European Fund II, European Fund III, 2006 Fund and Asian Fund, respectively, as of March 31, 2009. Our profitability may also be materially and adversely affected by our fixed costs and the possibility that we would be unable to scale back other costs within a time frame sufficient to match any decreases in net income relating to a downturn in market and economic conditions.
Unfavorable market and economic conditions may reduce opportunities for us and our funds to make, exit and realize value from our investments. Challenging market and economic conditions, including those caused by changes in tax laws and other regulatory restrictions, may make it difficult for us to find suitable investments or secure financing for investments on attractive terms. Such conditions may also result in reduced opportunities for us and our funds to exit and realize value from their existing investments and lower-than-expected returns on existing investments. Although the equity markets are not the only means by which we exit investments, in challenging equity markets, we and our funds may experience greater difficulty in realizing value from investments. In addition, when financing is not available or becomes too costly, it is difficult for potential buyers to raise sufficient capital to purchase our and our funds' investments. Consequently, we may earn lower-than-expected returns on investments, which could cause us to realize diminished or no carried interest.
We generally raise capital for a successor fund following the substantial and successful deployment of capital from the existing fund. In the event of poor performance by existing funds, our ability to raise new funds is impaired. Our fundraising may also be negatively impacted by any change in or rebalancing of fund investors' asset allocation policies. During periods of unfavorable fundraising conditions, fund investors may negotiate for lower fees, different fee sharing arrangements for transaction or other fees, and other concessions. The outcome of such negotiations could result in our agreement to terms that are materially less favorable to us than for prior funds we have managed. Our current funds, including all our current private equity funds, have performance hurdles, which require us to generate a specified return on investment prior to our right to receive carried interest. This requirement will likely be in all our future funds, and the hurdle rate could increase for our future funds. In addition, successor funds raised by us when such unfavorable circumstances described above exist would also likely result in smaller funds than our comparable predecessor funds. Fund investors may also seek to redeploy capital away from
certain of our credit or other non-private equity investment vehicles, which permit redemptions on relatively short notice, in order to meet liquidity needs or invest in other asset classes or with other managers. Any of these developments could materially and adversely affect our future revenues, net income, cash flow, financial condition or ability to retain our employees. See "—Our inability to raise additional or successor funds (or raise successor funds of a comparable size as our predecessor funds) could have a material adverse impact on our business" and "—Our investors in future funds may negotiate to pay us lower management fees, reimburse us for fewer expenses or change the economic terms of our future funds, including with respect to transaction fees, management fees or monitoring fees, to be less favorable to us than those of our existing funds, which could materially and adversely affect our revenues or profitability."
During periods of difficult market or economic conditions or slowdowns (which may occur across one or more industries as well as various sectors or geographies), the various companies or assets in which we have investments may experience several issues, including decreased revenues, increased costs, credit rating downgrades, difficulty in obtaining financing and even severe financial losses or insolvency. For example, certain investments with floating interest rate loans may become unable to meet their debt service obligations if their benchmark interest rates were to rise materially, or if these investments' lenders or debt holders generally are unwilling to extend or refinance their loans or debt securities on similarly attractive terms. In addition, during periods of difficult market or economic conditions or slowdowns, our and our funds' portfolio companies may
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Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
Item 2. PROPERTIES
On January 1, 2021, we relocated our principal executive offices to 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York. We also lease space for our other offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. We consider these facilities to be suitable and adequate for the management and operations of our business.
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
For a discussion of KKR's legal proceedings, see the section entitled "Litigation" appearing in Note 24 "Commitments and Contingencies" in our financial statements included elsewhere in this report, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.
Shares of our common stock are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "KKR."
The number of holders of record of our common stock as of February 24, 2022 was 24. This does not include the number of stockholders that hold shares in "street-name" through banks or broker-dealers.
Dividend Policy
Under our current dividend policy for common stock that we announced on February 8, 2022, we expect to pay our common stockholders an annualized dividend of $0.62 per share of common stock, equal to a quarterly dividend of $0.155 per share of common stock, beginning with the dividend to be declared with respect to the first quarter of 2022. On February 8, 2022, we declared a regular dividend of $0.145 per share of common stock under our prior dividend policy for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.
Because we make our investment in our business through a holding company structure and the applicable holding companies do not own any material cash-generating assets other than their direct and indirect holdings in KKR Group Partnership Units, dividends are expected to be funded in the following manner:
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First, KKR Group Partnership will make distributions to holders of KKR Group Partnership Units, which consists of our wholly-owned corporate subsidiary (which acts as the general partner of KKR Group Partnership), KKR Holdings (which is not a subsidiary of ours) and KKR Holdings II L.P. ("KKR Holdings II," which is our subsidiary that provides for restricted holdings units under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan), in proportion to their percentage interests in KKR Group Partnership;
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Second, our wholly-owned corporate subsidiary will distribute to us the amount of any distributions that it receives from KKR Group Partnership, after deducting any applicable taxes; and
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Third, we will distribute to holders of our common stock and Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock the amount of dividends declared by our board of directors from the distributions that we receive from our wholly-owned corporate subsidiary.
The limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership provides for cash distributions, which are referred to as "tax distributions," to the partners of the partnership if we determine that the taxable income of the partnership will give rise to taxable income for its partners, including KKR Holdings and KKR Holdings II. KKR Group Partnership may make tax distributions in the future, from time to time, to provide distributions to pay for the U.S. or non-U.S. tax liabilities of the partners of KKR Holdings and KKR Holdings II.
The declaration and payment of any dividends to holders of our common stock or Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock are subject to the discretion of our board of directors, which may change our dividend policy at any time or from time to time, and the terms of our certificate of incorporation. There can be no assurance that dividends will be made as intended or at all or that any particular dividend policy will be maintained. When KKR & Co. Inc. receives distributions from the KKR Group Partnership (the intermediate holding company of the KKR business), KKR Holdings and KKR Holdings II receives their pro rata share of such distributions from KKR Group Partnership. Furthermore, the declaration and payment of distributions and dividends is subject to legal, contractual and regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends and distributions by us or our subsidiaries, including restrictions contained in our debt agreements, the terms of our preferred stock, and such other factors as the board of directors considers relevant including, among others: our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, including funding of investment commitments and debt service and future debt repayment obligations; general economic and business conditions; our strategic plans and prospects; our results of operations and financial condition; and our capital requirements. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity—Sources of Cash." In addition, under Section 170 of the DGCL, our board of directors may only declare and pay dividends either out of our surplus (as defined in DGCL) or in case there is no such surplus, out of our net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year.
Common Stock Repurchases in the Fourth Quarter of 2021
On December 27, 2021, KKR announced an increase to the total available amount under its repurchase program to $500 million. Prior to this increase, there was approximately $37 million remaining under the program. As of February 24, 2022, there is approximately $163 million remaining under the program.
Under our current repurchase program, KKR is authorized to repurchase its common stock from time to time in open market transactions, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The timing, manner, price and amount of any common stock repurchases will be determined by KKR in its discretion and will depend on a variety of factors, including legal requirements, price and economic and market conditions. KKR expects that the program, which has no expiration date, will be in effect until the maximum approved dollar amount has been used. The program does not require KKR to repurchase any specific number of shares of common stock, and the program may be suspended, extended, modified or discontinued at any time.
In addition to the repurchases of common stock described above, subsequent to May 3, 2018, the repurchase program has been used for the retirement (by cash settlement or the payment of tax withholding amounts upon net settlement) of equity awards issued pursuant to our Equity Incentive Plans representing the right to receive shares of common stock. From October 27, 2015 through December 31, 2021, KKR has paid approximately $573 million in cash to satisfy tax withholding and cash settlement obligations in lieu of issuing shares of common stock or its equivalent upon the vesting of equity awards representing 22.5 million shares of common stock. Of these amounts, equity awards representing 11.0 million shares of common stock or its equivalent were retired for $190 million prior to May 3, 2018 and did not count against the amounts remaining under the repurchase program.
The table below sets forth the information with respect to repurchases made by or on behalf of KKR & Co. Inc. or any "affiliated purchaser" (as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Exchange Act) of our common stock during the fourth quarter of 2021. During the fourth quarter of 2021, 1.8 million shares of common stock were repurchased and 1.0 million equity awards were retired. From inception of the repurchase program through December 31, 2021, we have repurchased or retired a total of approximately 68.3 million shares of common stock under the program at an average price of approximately $23.45 per share.
| Issuer Purchases of Common stock | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| (amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid Per Share | Cumulative Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Month #1 (October 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021) | — | $ | — | 54,951,833 | $ | 158,567 | |||||||||||||||||
| Month #2 (November 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021) | 591,467 | $ | 77.62 | 55,543,300 | $ | 112,654 | |||||||||||||||||
| Month #3 (December 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021) | 1,203,071 | $ | 73.04 | 56,746,371 | $ | 490,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1,794,538 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) Amounts have been reduced by retirements of equity awards occurring after May 3, 2018. On May 6, 2020, KKR announced the increase to the total available amount under the repurchase program to $500 million. On December 27, 2021, KKR announced the increase to the total available amount under the repurchase program to $500 million. |
Unregistered Sale of Equity Securities
Following the closing of the Global Atlantic acquisition, on February 2, 2021, KKR & Co. Inc. issued 0.96 million newly issued shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price equal to $38.5 million to certain members of Global Atlantic's senior management who agreed to invest a portion of their proceeds from the acquisition into KKR & Co. Inc. common stock. These members of Global Atlantic's senior management agreed not to transfer the shares received in this issuance for a three-year period following the acquisition, subject to certain exceptions, and to continue to own at least 25% of such shares so long as such person is employed with Global Atlantic. These shares were issued in a private placement exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Other Equity Securities
During the fourth quarter of 2021, 12,301,588 KKR Group Partnership Units were exchanged by KKR Holdings for an equal number of shares of our common stock. This resulted in an increase in our ownership of the KKR Group Partnership and a corresponding decrease in the ownership of the KKR Group Partnership by KKR Holdings. As of February 24, 2022, there are no pending elections to exchange any KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings into shares of our common stock, although elections to make exchanges may be made after this date.
Item 6. [Reserved]
Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of KKR & Co. Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries, and the related notes included elsewhere in this report. The historical consolidated financial data discussed below reflects the historical results and financial position of KKR and does not reflect the Global Atlantic acquisition. In addition, this discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements and involves numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described under "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements" and "Risk Factors." Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
Business Environment
Economic and Market Conditions
Impact of COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19 continues to impact the United States and other countries throughout the world. For a description of the impact that COVID-19 had and may in the future have on our business, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—COVID-19 continues to impact the United States and other countries throughout the world, and it has caused and may further cause disruptions to our business and adversely affect our financial results" and "Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Assets We Manage—Our investments are impacted by various economic conditions and events outside of our control that are difficult to quantify or predict, which may have a significant impact on the valuation of our investments and, therefore, on the investment income we realize and our results of operations and financial condition".
Economic Conditions. As a global investment firm, we are affected by financial and economic conditions globally. Global and regional economic conditions, including those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have substantial impact on our financial condition and results of operations, impacting the values of the investments we make, our ability to exit these investments profitably, our ability to raise capital from investors, and our ability to make new investments. Financial and economic conditions in the United States, European Union, Japan, China, and other major economies are significant contributors to the global economy.
In 2021, the United States showed signs of economic improvement driven primarily by government fiscal and monetary support, consumer savings and vaccine rollouts. Inflation, however, is on the rise, driven by multiple factors, including supply chain disruptions, consumer demand, employment levels, and residential vacancy rates. In the United States, real GDP is estimated to have expanded by 5.6% for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to a contraction of 3.4% in the prior year; the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.9% as of December 31, 2021, from 6.7% as of December 31, 2020; the U.S. core consumer price index rose 5.5% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2021, up from 1.6% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2020; and the effective federal funds rate set by the U.S. Federal Reserve was 0.1% as of December 31, 2021, flat from 0.1% as of December 31, 2020.
In January 2022, the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled its intention to be more aggressive at the start of the tightening cycle to dampen inflation running broadly through the U.S. economy, leading to significant market volatility. In February 2022, actions taken by Russia in the Ukraine have also led to uncertainty and volatility. As of February 24, 2022, the VIX ended at 30.3, compared to 17.2 as of December 31, 2021, an increase of 76.1%. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed down more than 21% since the start of the year; and Brent crude oil prices topped $100 for the first time since 2014.
In 2021, the Euro Area rebounded into expansion as real GDP is estimated to have risen by 5.1% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to a contraction of 6.4% in the prior year; the Euro Area unemployment is estimated to have been 7.2% as of December 31, 2021, down from 8.1% as of December 31, 2020; Euro Area core inflation was 2.6% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2021, up from 0.2% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2020; and the short-term benchmark interest rate set by the European Central Bank was 0.0% as of December 31, 2021, unchanged from December 31, 2020.
In 2021, policymakers in China introduced a campaign for “common prosperity” focused on promoting a balance among growth, inclusion, and national security considerations, which could weigh on the outlook for economic growth over the medium term. Also, China’s zero COVID tolerance policies may further impact growth over the near term as outbreaks occur. Estimated real GDP in China grew by 8.0% for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to growth of 2.2% reported for the year ended December 31, 2020. Estimated core inflation in China was 1.0% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2021, down from 2.5% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2020. In Japan, the economy has begun to embark on post-pandemic economic recovery. In Japan, real GDP growth for the year ended December 31, 2021 is estimated to be 1.8%, up from -4.6% for the year ended December 31, 2020. Core inflation on a year-over-year basis in Japan is estimated to have been -0.2% as of December 31, 2021, down from 0% on a year-over-year basis as of December 31, 2020. In Japan, the short-term benchmark interest rate set by the Bank of Japan was -0.1% as of December 31, 2021, unchanged from December 31, 2020.
These and other key issues could have repercussions across regional and global financial markets, which could adversely affect the valuations of our investments. In particular, in response to persistent inflationary pressure, short- and medium-term interest rates may rise, which may adversely impact equity and credit markets and in turn both increase volatility in equity and debt markets and reduce economic growth. As noted above, the U.S. Federal Reserve has indicated that it is prepared to take action to manage inflation, including raising interests rates, tapering its asset purchases and shrinking the size of its balance sheet. In addition, commodity prices are generally expected to rise in inflationary environments, and foreign exchange rates are often affected by countries monetary and fiscal responses to inflationary trends. The Russian-Ukraine conflict, including the sanctions imposed in response to Russia's actions in February 2022, may exacerbate these issues and trends. Other key issues include (i) further developments regarding COVID-19, including the spread of variants such as Delta and Omicron, which may prolong the adverse economic impact of the pandemic on the U.S. and global economies, including supply chain disruptions that promote cost inflation for critical goods and labor shortages, (ii) geopolitical uncertainty such as U.S.-China relations, (iii) political uncertainty caused by, among other things, economic nationalist sentiments, tensions surrounding socioeconomic inequality issues, and partisan sentiments in the United States, all of which have potentially global ramifications with regards to policy, (iv) regulatory changes regarding, for example, taxation, international trade, cross-border investments, immigration, stimulus programs and rising levels of debt, (v) increased volatility and/or downturn in equity or credit markets, (vi) unexpected shifts in central banks' monetary policies, and (vii) technological advancements and innovations that may disrupt marketplaces and businesses. For a further discussion of how market conditions may affect our businesses, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Difficult market and economic conditions can adversely affect our business in many ways, including by reducing the value or performance of the investments that we manage or by reducing the ability of our funds to raise or deploy capital, each of which could negatively
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Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Our exposure to market risks primarily relates to movements in the fair value of investments, including the effect that those movements have on our management fees, carried interest, and net gains from investment activities. The fair value of investments may fluctuate in response to changes in the values of investments, foreign currency exchange rates, and interest rates. Additionally, interest rate movements can adversely impact the amount of interest income we receive on credit instruments bearing variable rates and could also impact the amount of interest that we pay on debt obligations bearing variable rates. Following our acquisition of Global Atlantic, we expect to be affected by market risks arising from Global Atlantic’s business. Global Atlantic has material exposure to market volatility in interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices through its insurance liabilities, many of which are structured to have exposure to market level changes, its investment portfolio and its hedge program. The quantitative information provided in this section was prepared using estimates and assumptions that management believes are appropriate. The actual impact of a hypothetical adverse movement in these risks could be materially different from the amounts shown below.
Management of Market Risk
The firm uses various committees to help manage market risk and general business risks.
Asset Management
When we commit capital from our Principal Activities business line to investments or transactions, a balance sheet committee of senior employees, including our Co-Executive Chairmen, one of our Co-Chief Executive Officers, and the Chief Financial Officer, must approve the investment or transaction before it may be made. The committee has delegated authority to other senior employees to approve certain investments or transactions, subject to maximum commitment sizes or other limitations determined by the committee. In addition, this committee supervises activities governing KKR's capital structure, liquidity, and the composition of our balance sheet.
Certain securities transactions by our capital markets business are subject to risk tolerance limits, regulatory capital requirements, and the review and approval of one or more committees in compliance with rules applicable to broker-dealers pursuant to the Exchange Act. When our capital is committed to capital markets transactions after diligence is conducted, such transactions are subject to the review and approval of a capital markets underwriting committee. These transactions are also subject to risk tolerance limits. The risk tolerance limits establish the level of investment we may make in a single company or type of transaction, for example, and are designed to avoid undue concentration and risk exposure. Regulatory capital requirements also place limits on the size of securities underwritings the capital markets business can conduct based on quantitative measure of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance-sheet items. Aggregate balance sheet risk and capital deployed for transactions are monitored on an ongoing basis by the balance sheet committee referenced above.
With respect to the funds and other investment vehicles through which we make investments for our fund investors, KKR manages risk by subjecting transactions to the review and approval of an applicable investment committee or portfolio manager; a portfolio management committee (or other designated senior employees) then regularly monitors these investments. Before making an investment, investment professionals identify risks in due diligence, evaluating, among other things, business, financial, legal and regulatory issues, financial data, and other information relevant to a particular investment. An investment team presents the investment and its identified risks to an investment committee or a portfolio manager, which must approve each investment before it may be made. If an investment is made, a portfolio management committee (or other designated senior employees) is responsible for working with our investment professionals to monitor the investment on an ongoing basis.
Insurance
The board of directors of TGAFG, which is the holding company for Global Atlantic, has established a risk committee that has primary oversight of market risk at Global Atlantic. This risk committee has adopted Global Atlantic’s risk appetite principles that form the foundation of Global Atlantic’s enterprise risk management program. The risk appetite principles include: (1) protect policyholders by seeking to maintain adequate capital and liquidity resources to honor its obligations to policyholders under situations reflecting stress scenarios calibrated to the worst modern economic cycles; (2) deliver value by remaining in a position of strength during periods of adverse market conditions, and (3) protect the franchise by identifying and cost-effectively managing risks that could adversely and materially impact franchise value. The Global Atlantic enterprise risk management program formalizes the review of financial and non-financial risks and establishes risk management controls. Global Atlantic monitors risks on an aggregate, legal entity and product basis, monitoring different factors, including financial and insurance, investment, hedge management, operational, and legal, compliance and regulatory risks to confirm that its risks remain within established risk limits and tolerances.
For a discussion of Global Atlantic's hedge program, see "—Insurance Segment Market Risks—Hedge Program".
Management of General Business Risk
Asset Management
KKR has an investment management and distribution committee comprised of senior employees across our Asset Management business lines, and it includes our Co-Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officer. The investment management and distribution committee focuses on coordinating investment and distribution activities across the firm.
KKR has a risk and operations committee comprised of senior employees from across our Asset Management business and operations, and it includes our Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer. The risk and operations committee focuses on KKR's operations and enterprise risk management. This committee is aided by various other committees focused on the oversight of risks to our business, including a global conflicts and compliance committee and a technology and information security committee.
KKR's global conflicts and compliance committee is responsible for analyzing and addressing new or potential conflicts of interest that may arise in KKR's business, including conflicts relating to specific transactions as well as potential conflicts involving the overall activities of KKR and its various businesses. This committee also reviews and monitors certain compliance matters. Our Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer are included as members of this committee.
KKR's technology and information security committee is responsible for reviewing and monitoring global technology risks including information security, business disruption and fraud related risks.
Insurance
The TGAFG board of directors is responsible for oversight and the overall governance of Global Atlantic's business and operations. The TGAFG board includes among its members our Co-Chief Executive Officers. To assist with its oversight of Global Atlantic, the TGAFG board of directors has established an audit, risk, investment, operations & technology, nominating & governance, compensation and special transaction review committee.
Asset Management Segment Market Risks
The following is a discussion of the significant market risk exposures for KKR's Asset Management business.
Changes in Fair Value
The majority of our investments as of December 31, 2021, are reported at fair value. Net changes in the fair value of investments impact the net gains (losses) from investment activities in our consolidated statements of operations. Based on investments held as of December 31, 2021, we estimate that an immediate 10% decrease in the fair value of investments generally would result in a commensurate change in the amount of net gains (losses) from investment activities (except that carried interest would likely be more significantly impacted), regardless of whether the investment was valued using observable market prices or management estimates with significant unobservable pricing inputs. The impact that the consequential decrease in investment income would have on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. would generally be significantly less than the amount described above, given that a significant portion of the change in fair value would be attributable to noncontrolling interests and therefore we are only impacted to the extent of our carried interest and our balance sheet investments and to a lesser extent our management fees. Because of this, the quantitative information that follows represents the impact that a reduction to each of the income streams shown below would have on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. before income taxes. The actual impact to individual line items within the consolidated statements of operations would differ from the amounts shown below as a result of (i) the inclusion of amounts attributable to KKR Holdings in individual line items within the consolidated statement of operations, (ii) the elimination of management fees and carried interest as a result of the consolidation of certain investment funds and CFEs, and (iii) the gross-up of net gains (losses) from investment activities, in each case as a result of the consolidation of certain investment funds and CFEs.
Based on the fair value of investments as of December 31, 2021, we estimate that an immediate, hypothetical 10% decline in the fair value of investments would result in declines in net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. before income taxes in 2022 from reductions in the following items, if not offset by other factors:
| Management Fees | Carried Interest, Net of Carry Pool Allocation | Net Gains/(Losses) From Investment Activities Including General Partner Capital Interest | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10% Decline in Fair Value of Investments (1) | $ | 33,959 | (2) | $ | 685,824 | (3) | $ | 1,236,343 | (3) |
(1)An immediate, hypothetical 10% decline in the fair value of investments would also impact our ability to earn incentive fees. Since the majority of our incentive fees are earned at December 31st or September 30th of each calendar year and are not subject to clawback, a 10% decline in fair value would generally result in the recognition of no incentive fees on a prospective basis and result in lower net income relative to prior years where such incentive fees may have been earned.
(2)Represents an annualized reduction in management fees.
(3)Decrease would impact our statement of operations in a single quarter. With respect to carried interest, for purposes of this analysis the impact of preferred returns are ignored.
Management Fees
Our management fees in our Private Markets business line are generally calculated based on the amount of capital committed or invested by a fund, as described under "Business—Our Business Lines—Private Markets." Accordingly, movements in the fair value of investments do not significantly affect the amount of fees we may charge in Private Markets funds. Management fees in our infrastructure funds are calculated based on the net asset value ("NAV") of the fund and, in some cases, we additionally earn management fees on the fund's remaining commitment.
In the case of our Public Markets business line, management fees are often calculated based on the average NAV of the fund for that particular period, although certain funds in our Public Markets business line have management fees based on the amount of capital invested. In the case of our CLO vehicles, management fees are calculated based on the collateral of the vehicle. The collateral is based on the par value of the investments and cash on hand.
To the extent that management fees are calculated based on the NAV of the fund's investments, the amount of fees that we may charge will increase or decrease in direct proportion to the effect of changes in the fair value of the fund's investments. The proportion of our management fees that are based on NAV depends on the number and type of funds in existence. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the fund management fees that were recognized based on the NAV of the applicable funds was approximately 24%.
Publicly Traded Securities
Our investment funds and KKR's balance sheet hold certain investments in portfolio companies whose securities are publicly traded. The market prices of securities may be volatile and are likely to fluctuate due to a number of factors beyond our control. These factors include actual or anticipated fluctuations in the quarterly and annual results of such companies or of other companies in the industries in which they operate, market perceptions concerning the availability of additional securities for sale, general economic, social or political developments, industry conditions, changes in government regulation, shortfalls in operating results from levels forecasted by securities analysts, the general state of the securities markets and other material events, such as significant management changes, re-financings, acquisitions, and dispositions. In addition, although a substantial portion of our investments are comprised of investments in portfolio companies whose securities are not publicly traded, the value of these privately held investments may also fluctuate as our Level III investments are valued in part using a market comparables analysis. Consequently, due to similar factors beyond our control as described above for portfolio companies whose securities are publicly traded, the value of these Level III investments may fluctuate with market prices. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Business Environment."
Exchange Rate Risk
Our investment funds, CLO vehicles, and KKR's balance sheet hold investments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Those investments expose us and our fund investors to the risk that the value of the investments will be affected by changes in exchange rates between the currency in which the investments are denominated and the currency in which the investments are made. Additionally, a portion of our management fees are denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies. Our policy is to reduce these risks by employing hedging techniques, including using foreign currency options and foreign exchange forward contracts to reduce exposure to future changes in exchange rates when a meaningful amount of capital has been invested in currencies other than the currencies in which the investments are denominated.
Our primary exposure to exchange rate risk relates to movements in the value of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and other currencies in which our investments are denominated (including euros, British pounds, Japanese yen, among others), net of the impact of foreign exchange hedging strategies. The quantitative information that follows represents the impact that a reduction to each of the income streams shown below would have on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. before income taxes. The actual impact to individual line items within the statements of operations would differ from the amounts shown below as a result of (i) the inclusion of amounts attributable to KKR Holdings in individual line items within the consolidated statement of operations, (ii) the elimination of carried interest as a result of the consolidation of certain investment funds, and (iii) the gross-up of net gains (losses) from investment activities, in each case as a result of the consolidation of certain investment funds and CLO vehicles.
We estimate that an immediate, hypothetical 10% decline in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and all of the major foreign currencies in which our investments were denominated as of December 31, 2021 (i.e., an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar against these foreign currencies) would result in declines in net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. before income taxes in 2022 from reductions in the following items, net of the impact of foreign exchange hedging strategies, if not offset by other factors:
| Carried Interest, Net of Carry Pool Allocation | Net Gains/(Losses) From Investment Activities Including General Partner Capital Interest | ||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
| 10% Decline in Foreign Currencies Against the U.S. Dollar (1) | $ | 183,349 | (2) | $ | 151,497 | (2) |
(1)An immediate, hypothetical 10% decline in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and all of the major foreign currencies in which our investments were denominated would not be expected to materially impact our management fees or incentive fees. The majority of our funds in which we are entitled to earn incentive fees are denominated in U.S. dollars. Additionally, our management fees that are denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies are generally hedged.
(2)Decrease would impact our statement of operations in a single quarter. With respect to carried interest, for purposes of this analysis the impact of preferred returns are ignored.
Interest Rate Risk
Valuation of Investments
Changes in credit markets and in particular, interest rates, can impact investment valuations, particularly our Level III investments, and may have offsetting results depending on the valuation methodology used. For example, we typically use a discounted cash flow analysis as one of the methodologies to ascertain the fair value of our investments that do not have readily observable market prices. If applicable interest rates rise, then the assumed cost of capital for those portfolio companies would be expected to increase under the discounted cash flow analysis, and this effect would negatively impact their valuations if not offset by other factors. Conversely, a fall in interest rates can positively impact valuations of certain portfolio companies if not offset by other factors. These impacts could be substantial depending upon the magnitude of the change in interest rates. In certain cases, the valuations obtained from the discounted cash flow analysis and the other primary methodology we use, the market multiples approach, may yield different and offsetting results. For example, the positive impact of falling interest rates on discounted cash flow valuations may offset the negative impact of the market multiples valuation approach and may result in less of a decline in value than for those investments that had a readily observable market price. Finally, low interest rates related to monetary stimulus and economic stagnation may also negatively impact expected returns on all investments, as the demand for relatively higher return assets increases and supply decreases.
Interest Income
We and certain consolidated funds, including CLOs, hold credit investments that generate interest income based on variable interest rates. We are exposed to interest rate risk relating to investments that generate yield since a meaningful portion of credit investments held by us and our consolidated funds, including CLOs, earn income based on variable interest rates. However, the contractual interest rate structure for a large portion of our credit investments bearing variable rates have "floors," which establish a minimum rate of interest that will be earned. In the current low interest rate environment, a large portion of the credit investments held by us and our consolidated funds, including CLOs, are earning interest marginally above the contractual floor and therefore, for these investments, a decrease in variable interest rates would not materially impact the amount of interest income earned. The impact on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. resulting from a decrease of a hypothetical 100 basis points in variable interest rates used in the recognition of interest income would not be expected to be material since (i) many variable rate credit investments are subject to floors as described above and (ii) a substantial portion of this decrease would be attributable to noncontrolling interests.
Interest Expense
We and certain consolidated funds, including CLOs, have debt obligations that include revolving credit agreements, certain investment financing arrangements and debt securities issued by CLO vehicles that accrue interest at variable rates. Changes in these rates would affect the amount of interest payments that our consolidated funds, including CLOs, would have to make. With respect to consolidated funds and CLOs, the impact on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. resulting from an increase of a hypothetical 100 basis points in variable interest rates used in the recognition of interest expense would not be expected to be material since a substantial portion of this increase would be attributable to noncontrolling interests. With respect to debt obligations held by KKR and not in the consolidated funds or CLOs, as of December 31, 2021, KKR had debt obligations outstanding with an aggregate principal amount of approximately $258.5 million that accrues interest at a variable rate. Our policy is to reduce these risks by employing hedging techniques, including using interest rate swaps. The impact on net income attributable to KKR & Co. Inc. resulting from an increase of a hypothetical 100 basis points in variable interest rates used in the recognition of interest expense, net of the impact of interest rate hedging strategies, would not be expected to be material.
Credit Risk
We are party to agreements providing for various financial services and transactions that contain an element of risk in the event that the counterparties are unable to meet the terms of such agreements. In these agreements, we depend on these counterparties to make payment or otherwise perform. We generally endeavor to reduce our risk of exposure by limiting the counterparties with which we enter into financial transactions to reputable financial institutions. In addition, availability of financing from financial institutions may be uncertain due to market events, and we may not be able to access these financing markets.
Insurance Segment Market Risks
The following is a discussion of the significant market risk exposures for Global Atlantic.
Hedge Program
To manage market risk, Global Atlantic established a hedge program that seeks to mitigate economic impacts primarily from interest rate and equity price movements, while taking into consideration accounting and capital impacts. For Global Atlantic's fixed-indexed annuity and indexed universal life policies, Global Atlantic generally seeks to use static hedges to offset the exposure primarily created by changes in embedded derivative balances. For Global Atlantic's variable policies, including variable annuity policies and variable universal life policies, Global Atlantic generally seeks to dynamically hedge its exposure to changes in the value of the guarantee Global Atlantic provides to policyholders. In the context of specific reinsurance or other transactions in Global Atlantic's institutional channel or strategic acquisitions, Global Atlantic may also enters into hedges which are designed to limit short-term market risks to the economic value of the target assets. From time to time, Global Atlantic also enters into hedges designed to limit the volatility associated with changes in the value of its general account assets or changes to net investment income as a result of interest rate or credit spread movements, while also taking into consideration economic impacts. While not the primary focus of its hedging strategy, Global Atlantic also enters into currency swaps and forwards to manage foreign exchange rate risks with respect to certain investments denominated in foreign currencies. Global Atlantic also enters into inflation swaps to manage inflation risk associated with inflation-indexed preneed policies. Where Global Atlantic has derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as accounting hedges, these derivative instruments receive hedge accounting.
Global Atlantic's hedge program is not designed to, and may not be effective in, offsetting all impacts to net income, assets under management, statutory capital or economic values. Movements in market variables other than interest rates and equity market prices that are not explicitly hedged can also cause net income volatility. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Global Atlantic—Global Atlantic's use of derivative financial instruments within its risk management strategy may not be effective or sufficient." and "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Global Atlantic—Global Atlantic may experience volatility in its net income under GAAP due to its funds withheld coinsurance transactions" in this report.
Sensitivities
Global Atlantic evaluates the sensitivity of net income to specific changes in interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices projected using internal models. All of the estimated sensitivities assume that all other factors remain constant and reflect the impact of related hedges assuming no hedge rebalancing in Global Atlantic's dynamic program, as explained further below.
Global Atlantic's internal models project impacts as of a specific date, and are measured relative to a starting level reflecting its assets and liabilities at that date and the actuarial factors, investment activity, and assumed investment returns associated with insurance liabilities. The models measure the impact of changing one factor at a time and assume that all other factors remain unchanged. Actual results can differ significantly from these estimates for a variety of reasons, including the interaction among these factors when more than one changes, discretionary actions by management in response to such changes, differences between the return of the underlying fund and the return on the index being hedged, actual experience differing from the assumptions, changes in business mix, effective tax rates and other market factors, and limitations inherent in the use of models. For these reasons, the sensitivities should only be viewed as directional estimates of the impacts on Global Atlantic's net income and shareholders’ equity, excluding accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI"), and actual changes in response to such scenarios may differ materially from estimates provided.
For the dynamic portion of the hedge program, Global Atlantic primarily uses interest rate and equity futures to hedge liabilities which have option-like embedded derivatives. As such, Global Atlantic's program requires frequent rebalancing as markets move to ensure that the hedges are being re-sized to the new liability exposure. In addition, certain of the underlying variable annuity separate account funds are managed volatility funds, so Global Atlantic's market exposures may change substantially after sharp market moves. The point-in-time estimates provided in this section assume no hedge rebalancing and, as such, the impact on Global Atlantic's consolidated net income may be different from what is shown below.
Interest rate risk
Global Atlantic is exposed to interest rate risk as a result of changes in the level and volatility of interest rates. Changes in the level and volatility of interest rates primarily impacts the fair value reported in our consolidated financial statements of the following:
-
embedded derivatives associated with modified coinsurance and coinsurance with funds withheld payables or receivables;
-
embedded derivatives associated with variable annuities, fixed-indexed annuities and indexed universal life products;
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policy liabilities accounted under the fair value option, and
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financial instruments held in Global Atlantic's investment portfolio and used in its hedge program.
Changes in fair value of the foregoing are generally recorded as gains or losses in the consolidated statement of operations. For specific derivatives designated as cash flow hedges of forecasted bond purchases and receiving hedge accounting treatment, gains or losses are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income and reclassified to net investment income following the qualifying purchases of available-for-sale securities, as an adjustment to the yield earned over the life of the purchased securities, using the effective interest method.
Due to the dynamic lapse sensitivities within Global Atlantic's models, market volatility in interest rates also impacts the reserves and deferred acquisition costs of certain fixed annuity products, changes in which are recorded in the consolidated statement of operations.
In periods following interest rate moves, Global Atlantic will also recognize a change in the income earned on certain of its floating-rate assets and the cost of funding on certain of Global Atlantic's liabilities recorded in the consolidated statement of operations.
Effect of interest rate sensitivity
In the table below, Global Atlantic estimates the impact of a 50 basis point increase/(decrease) in interest rates, from a parallel shift in the yield curve, from levels as of December 31, 2021 to its net income and shareholders’ equity, excluding AOCI. These sensitivities include the impact of related hedges and adjustments to DAC attributable to interest rate changes.
| December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| Hypothetical change**(1)** | ||||||||||||||
| +50 Basis points | -50 Basis points | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Total estimated net income and shareholders’ equity excluding AOCI sensitivity (point in time) | $ | 107,211 | $ | (90,201) | ||||||||||
| Total estimated net income and shareholders’ equity excluding AOCI sensitivity (over 12 months)(2) | $ | 25,779 | $ | (25,779) |
1.The point in time and over 12 months total estimated impacts reflect the impact of hedges within Global Atlantic's liability hedging program, as well as hedges designed to limit surplus volatility resulting from interest rate movements.
2.Excludes point in time impact. Estimated sensitivity to a hypothetical change over 12 months does not take into account any management actions that may be taken to mitigate actual impacts.
The estimated point in time impact is driven by a net decrease/(increase) in the value of the embedded derivatives associated with Global Atlantic's modified coinsurance and coinsurance with funds withheld payables and receivables and the embedded derivatives associated with its variable annuity, fixed-indexed annuity and indexed universal life products, and largely offset by a loss/(gain) in financial instruments used in its hedging program, investments classified as trading, and loans designated under the fair value option, based on balances in place at quarter end. These estimated changes include the impact of related amortization of deferred revenue and expenses and related income tax impacts. In addition, the point in time impact includes a decrease/(increase) in the value of the reserve and (decrease)/increase in the deferred acquisition cost balance of certain fixed annuity blocks of business due to the dynamic lapse sensitivities within Global Atlantic's models.
The impact over 12 months is driven by an increase/(decrease) in the income earned on Global Atlantic's floating rate assets, and partially offset by an increase/(decrease) in the cost of its floating-rate liabilities.
In the table below we estimate the impact of a 50 basis point increase/(decrease) in interest rates, for a parallel shift in the yield curve, from levels as of December 31, 2021 to Global Atlantic's AOCI.
| December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| Hypothetical change**(1)** | ||||||||||||||
| +50 Basis points | -50 Basis points | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Total estimated AOCI sensitivity (point in time) | $ | (1,767,222) | $ | 1,768,655 |
The estimated point in time impact is driven by a net (decrease)/increase in the value of Global Atlantic's available-for-sale fixed maturity securities which are carried at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net of certain offsets, reported in AOCI. The estimated changes include the impact of related amortization of deferred revenue and expenses and related income tax impacts.
Credit spread risk
Global Atlantic is exposed to credit spread risk as a result of changes in the spread between the yields on its funds withheld payables and receivables at interest and yields on comparable U.S. Treasury securities. Global Atlantic's reinsurance agreements include modified coinsurance and funds withheld coinsurance arrangements. Such arrangements are deemed to contain embedded derivatives, which are measured at fair value, and are therefore impacted by the mark-to-market value of the related assets. Changes in the credit spreads associated with the assets impact the mark-to-market value of the assets. There is additional credit spread risk exposure inherent in Global Atlantic's own credit spread used in valuing embedded derivative liabilities, which serves to mitigate net credit exposure. Global Atlantic may choose to enter into hedge positions to manage credit spread risk. As of December 31, 2021, Global Atlantic had a $1.5 million credit derivative position.
Effect of credit spread sensitivity
In the table below, Global Atlantic estimates the impact of a 50 basis points increase/(decrease) in credit spreads from levels as of December 31, 2021 to its net income and shareholders’ equity, excluding AOCI.
| December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| Hypothetical change | ||||||||||||||
| +50 Basis points | -50 Basis points | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Total estimated net income and shareholders’ equity excluding AOCI sensitivity (point in time) | $ | 140,900 | $ | (154,580) |
These estimated changes include the impact of related amortization of deferred revenues and expenses and related income tax impacts and include impacts on Global Atlantic's own credit spread used in valuing embedded derivative liabilities.
Equity price risk
Global Atlantic is exposed to equity price risk as a result of changes in the level and volatility of equity prices.
Changes in the level and volatility of equity prices primarily impacts the fair value reported in the consolidated financial statements of the following:
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embedded derivatives and policy liabilities associated with Global Atlantic's variable annuities, fixed-indexed annuities and indexed universal life products;
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financial instruments held in Global Atlantic's investment portfolio and used in its hedge program; and
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certain of Global Atlantic's alternative assets.
Changes in fair value of the foregoing are recorded as gains or losses in our consolidated statements of operations.
In addition, certain of the fees Global Atlantic earns in its variable annuity and variable universal life blocks are calculated on the account values, which are exposed to equity price risk. These changes impact our net income over the periods following equity price moves.
Effect of equity price sensitivity
In the table below, Global Atlantic estimates the impact of a 10% increase/(decrease) in equity prices from levels as of December 31, 2021 to its net income and shareholders’ equity, excluding AOCI. These sensitivities include the impact of related hedges but exclude the potential impact of alternative assets, because the fair value of these investments do not necessarily move directly in line with movements in public equity markets.
| December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| Hypothetical change**(1)** | ||||||||||||||
| +10% Equity Prices | -10% Equity Prices | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Total estimated net income and shareholders’ equity excluding AOCI sensitivity (point in time) | $ | (20,066) | $ | 8,415 | ||||||||||
| Total estimated net income and shareholders’ equity excluding AOCI sensitivity (over 12 months)(2) | $ | 3,391 | $ | (3,890) |
(1)From time to time, Global Atlantic may choose to enter into additional hedges to mitigate economic exposure to equity markets. Sensitivities as of December 31, 2021 include a macro equity hedge position established in December 2018.
(2)Excludes point in time impact. Estimated sensitivity to a hypothetical change over 12 months does not take into account any management actions that may be taken to mitigate actual impacts.
The estimated point-in-time impact is driven by an increase/(decrease) in the value of the embedded derivatives associated with Global Atlantic's fixed-indexed annuity and indexed universal life products, and largely offset by a decrease / (increase) in Global Atlantic's variable annuity embedded derivatives and policy benefits, and gains or losses on financial instruments used in Global Atlantic's hedging program. These estimated changes include the impact of related amortization of deferred revenue and expenses and related income tax impacts.
For a discussion of current market conditions, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Business Environment."
Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | 211 | ||||
| Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 | 215 | ||||
| Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 | 219 | ||||
| Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 | 221 | ||||
| Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 | 222 | ||||
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 | 225 | ||||
| Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | 228 | ||||
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of KKR & Co. Inc.:
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of financial condition of KKR & Co. Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes and the schedule listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
Basis for Opinions
The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures to respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed 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. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Fair Value—Level III Investments—Refer to Notes 2, 7, and 9 to the financial statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
KKR & Co. Inc. (“the Company”) and the funds it sponsors and manages have Level III Investments reported at fair value. The fair values of certain investments are determined based on unobservable pricing inputs. These Level III investments have limited observable market activity and the inputs used in the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.
In addition, the Company recognizes carried interest from vehicles and accounts that are advised, sponsored or managed by one or more of its subsidiaries (“investment funds”) based on cumulative fund performance to date.
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Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports filed or submitted by us under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Co-Chief Executive Officers and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurances of achieving the desired control objectives.
We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Co-Chief Executive Officers and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2021. Based upon that evaluation, our Co-Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of December 31, 2021, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to accomplish their objectives at the reasonable assurance level.
Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, a company's principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by the board of directors, management and other personnel, 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 and includes those policies and procedures that:
-
Pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
-
Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and
-
Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control—Integrated Framework that was issued in 2013. Based on its assessment, our management has concluded that, as of December 31, 2021, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
No changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) occurred during the fourth quarter of 2021 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm that audited our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report, has issued its attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting, which is included in Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
Item 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
None.
PART III
Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table presents certain information concerning our Board of Directors and executive officers.
| Name | Age | Position(s) | |||||||||
| Henry R. Kravis | 78 | Co-Executive Chairman and Director | |||||||||
| George R. Roberts | 78 | Co-Executive Chairman and Director | |||||||||
| Joseph Y. Bae | 50 | Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director | |||||||||
| Scott C. Nuttall | 49 | Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director | |||||||||
| Adriane M. Brown | 63 | Director | |||||||||
| Matthew R. Cohler | 44 | Director | |||||||||
| Mary N. Dillon | 60 | Director | |||||||||
| Joseph A. Grundfest | 70 | Director | |||||||||
| Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández | 55 | Director | |||||||||
| John B. Hess | 67 | Director | |||||||||
| Dane E. Holmes | 51 | Director | |||||||||
| Xavier B. Niel | 54 | Director | |||||||||
| Patricia F. Russo | 69 | Director | |||||||||
| Thomas M. Schoewe | 69 | Director | |||||||||
| Robert W. Scully | 72 | Director | |||||||||
| Evan T. Spiegel | 31 | Director | |||||||||
| Robert H. Lewin | 42 | Chief Financial Officer | |||||||||
| David J. Sorkin | 62 | General Counsel and Secretary | |||||||||
| Ryan D. Stork | 50 | Chief Operating Officer |
Henry R. Kravis co-founded KKR in 1976 and serves as our Co-Executive Chairman. Prior to his current position, he was our Co-Chief Executive Officer until October 2021. He is actively involved in managing the firm and serves on each of the regional Private Equity Investment Committees. Mr. Kravis currently serves on the boards of Axel Springer and ICONIQ Capital, LLC. He also serves as a director, chairman emeritus, or trustee of several cultural, professional, and educational institutions, including The Business Council (former chairman), Claremont McKenna College, Columbia Business School (co-chairman), Mount Sinai Hospital, the Partnership for New York City (former chairman), the Partnership Fund for New York City (founder), Rockefeller University (vice chairman), Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (chairman), and the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in China. He earned a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College in 1967 and an M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School in 1969. Mr. Kravis has more than four decades of experience financing, analyzing, and investing in public and private companies, as well as serving on the boards of a number of KKR portfolio companies. As our Co-Founder, Co-Executive Chairman and former Co-Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kravis has an intimate knowledge of KKR's business, which allows him to provide insight into various aspects of our business and is of significant value to the board of directors. Mr. Kravis and Mr. Roberts are first cousins.
George R. Roberts co-founded KKR in 1976 and serves as our Co-Executive Chairman. Prior to his current position, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer until October 2021. He is actively involved in managing the firm and serves on each of the regional Private Equity Investment Committees. Mr. Roberts has served as a director or trustee of several cultural and educational institutions, including Claremont McKenna College. He is also Founder and Chairman of the board of directors of REDF, a San Francisco nonprofit organization. He earned a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College in 1966 and a J.D. from the University of California (Hastings) Law School in 1969. Mr. Roberts has more than four decades of experience financing, analyzing, and investing in public and private companies, as well as serving on the boards of a number of KKR portfolio companies. As our Co-Founder, Co-Executive Chairman and former Co-Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roberts has an intimate knowledge of KKR's business, which allows him to provide insight into various aspects of our business and is of significant value to the board of directors. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Kravis are first cousins.
Joseph Y. Bae joined KKR in 1996 and is our Co-Chief Executive Officer. Prior to his current position, he served as Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer from 2017 to 2021, and he has been a member of our Board of Directors since July 2017. Mr. Bae has held numerous leadership roles at KKR. He was the architect of KKR’s expansion in Asia, building one of the largest and most successful platforms in the market. In addition to his role developing KKR’s Asia-Pacific platform, he has presided over business building in the firm’s private markets businesses, which included leading or serving on all of the investment committees and implementing the firm’s modern thematic investment approach. Mr. Bae serves on the firm’s Inclusion and Diversity Council. He is active in a number of non-profit educational and cultural institutions, including co-founding and serving on the board of The Asian American Foundation, a member of Harvard University’s Global Advisory Council and as a board member of the Lincoln Center. Mr. Bae’s intimate knowledge of KKR’s business and operations and his
experience in a variety of senior leadership roles within KKR provide significant value to the Board of Directors.
Scott C. Nuttall joined KKR in 1996 and is our Co-Chief Executive Officer. Prior to his current position he served as Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer from 2017 to 2021, and he has been a member of our Board of Directors since July 2017. Mr. Nuttall has had numerous leadership roles at KKR. He was the architect of the firm’s major strategic development initiatives, including leading KKR’s public listing, developing the firm’s balance sheet strategy, overseeing the development of KKR’s Public Markets businesses in the credit and hedge fund space as well as the creation of the firm’s capital markets, capital raising and insurance businesses. Mr. Nuttall serves on KKR’s Balance Sheet Committee and the firm’s Inclusion and Diversity Council. He is currently a member of the board of directors of Fiserv, Inc. Nuttall has served on the boards of various non-profit institutions with a particular focus on education, most recently as Co-Chairman of Teach for America – New York. Mr. Nuttall's intimate knowledge of KKR's business and operations and his experience in a variety of senior leadership roles within KKR provide significant value to the Board of Directors.
Adriane M. Brown has been a member of our Board of Directors since June 2021. Ms. Brown joined Flying Fish Ventures, as a Venture Partner in November 2018 and became a Managing Partner of the venture capital firm in February 2021. Prior to that, Ms. Brown served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Intellectual Ventures, an invention and investment company, from January 2010 through July 2017, and served as a Senior Advisor until December 2018. Before joining Intellectual Ventures, Ms. Brown served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell Transportation Systems. Over the course of 10 years at Honeywell, she held leadership positions serving the aerospace and automotive markets globally. Prior to Honeywell, Ms. Brown spent 19 years at Corning, Inc., ultimately serving as Vice President and General Manager, Environmental Products Division, having started her career there as a shift supervisor. Ms. Brown serves on the boards of directors of American Airlines Group Inc., Axon Enterprise, Inc., e-Bay Inc., Washington Research Foundation, and the Pacific Science Center. Ms. Brown previously served on the boards of directors of Allergan Plc and Raytheon Company until 2020. Ms. Brown holds a Doctorate of Humane Letters and a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from Old Dominion University, and is a winner of its Distinguished Alumni Award. She also holds a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was a Sloan Fellow. Ms. Brown’s leadership in technology businesses and industrial companies as well as her investment and financial experience bring important expertise to the oversight and development of our business.
Matthew R. Cohler has been a member of our Board of Directors since December 2021. He is a former General Partner at the venture capital firm Benchmark, where for over a decade he led early-stage investments in Internet and software startup businesses. He currently serves as a director and nominating and governance committee member at Asana, as a director and audit committee member at 1stDibs and as a director at several privately held companies. Previously he served as a director, audit committee member and nominating and governance committee member at Domo, as a director and audit committee member at Uber and as a director at privately held companies including Duo Security, Instagram and Tinder. Prior to Benchmark, Matt was Vice President at Facebook, where he was the company’s seventh employee, and Vice President at LinkedIn, where he was part of the company’s founding team. He serves on the board of trustees at Environmental Defense Fund (Vice Chair), on the board of governors at the San Francisco Symphony (Vice President) and on the investment committee at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and at the Yale Investments Office. He holds a B.A. from Yale University, cum laude and with distinction in the study of music. Mr. Cohler’s knowledge and experience as a venture capitalist and director of multiple leading companies in the technology industry bring to our Board important insight and perspectives to our business and future development.
Mary N. Dillon has been a member of our Board of Directors since September 2018. Ms. Dillon is the Executive Chair of the board of directors of Ulta Beauty, Inc., a beauty products retailer, since June 2021 and has served as a member of its board of directors since 2013. From 2013 to June 2021, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Ulta Beauty, and before then she served as President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of United States Cellular Corporation, a provider of wireless telecommunication services, from 2010 to 2013. Prior to joining U.S. Cellular, Ms. Dillon served as Global Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of McDonald’s Corporation from 2005 to 2010, where she led its worldwide marketing efforts and global brand strategy. Prior to joining McDonald’s, Ms. Dillon held several positions of increasing responsibility at PepsiCo Corporation, including as President of the Quaker Foods division from 2004 to 2005 and as Vice President of Marketing for Gatorade and Quaker Foods from 2002 to 2004. Ms. Dillon served as a director of Target Corporation from 2007 to 2013 and as a member of its compensation committee from 2009 to 2013. Ms. Dillon joined the board of directors of Starbucks in January 2016 and serves as chair of its compensation and management development committee, and as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. Ms. Dillon provides our Board with valuable knowledge and insights she gained through her various senior management and leadership roles, including as the chief executive officer of a publicly traded company. In addition, with over 30 years of experience in consumer-driven businesses, Ms. Dillon brings to our Board her extensive operational and marketing expertise in the retail industry.
Joseph A. Grundfest has been a member of our Board of Directors since July 2010. Mr. Grundfest has been a member of the faculty of Stanford Law School since 1990, where he is the William A. Franke Professor of Law and Business. He is also senior faculty of the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University; co-director of Directors’ College, a venue for the continuing professional education of directors of publicly traded corporations; and co-founder of Financial Engines, Inc., a provider of services and advice to participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, where he served as a director since its inception in 1996 through 2018. Prior to joining the Stanford Law School faculty, Mr. Grundfest was a Commissioner of the SEC from 1985 to 1990. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Yale University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Mr. Grundfest's knowledge and expertise in capital markets, corporate governance, and securities laws provides to our Board significant value to the oversight and development of our business.
Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández has been a member of our Board of Directors since March 2021. Mr. Gutiérrez has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Arca Continental, one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the world, since January 2019. Mr. Gutiérrez held several executive positions in the company from 2001 to 2018, including Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Head of the Mexico Beverages Division, Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Director of Corporate Planning and General Counsel. He serves on several boards of industry-related companies, including Jugos del Valle and Piasa, and he holds positions on several international and national industry councils, such as the System Leadership Governance Board of Coca-Cola North America. He also serves in national and international chambers, such as the Nuevo Leon Transformation Industry Chamber, the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue and the Consumer Goods Forum in Latin America. Mr. Gutiérrez earned a law degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho, in Mexico City, and an L.L.M. from Harvard University, as a Fulbright Scholar. Mr. Gutiérrez provides our Board with valuable knowledge, perspectives and insights from his leadership of a large multinational business based in Latin America and from his broad experience in various aspects of the consumer staples, including operational, financial, business development and legal areas.
John B. Hess has been a member of our Board of Directors since July 2011. Mr. Hess has been the Chief Executive Officer of Hess Corporation since 1995 and a director since 1978. He serves as a member of the Business Council, the Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign Relations and on the executive committee of the American Petroleum Institute and previously served on the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Quadrennial Review Task Force. Mr. Hess is a member of the board of trustees at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mount Sinai Hospital, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Dean's Advisors at Harvard Business School, and former Chair of The Harvard Business School Campaign. Mr. Hess earned a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Mr. Hess provides significant value to the oversight and development of our business through his management and leadership roles at a global energy business, and his involvement with major businesses and public policy organizations also provides valuable perspectives for our Board.
Dane E. Holmes has been a member of our Board of Directors since March 2021. Mr. Holmes is the Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eskalera, Inc., an enterprise software company that builds inclusive, productive work cultures through talent development and data based insights, since 2020. Prior to Eskalera, Mr. Holmes was the Global Head of Human Capital Management at Goldman Sachs from 2017 to 2019 and served as a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He held many positions at Goldman Sachs from 2007 to 2017, including global head of Pine Street and global head of investor relations. During his career, he served on a variety of additional global committees, including Partnership Committee, Risk Committee, Client and Business Standards Committee, Finance Committee, and Global Diversity Committee. Mr. Holmes serves on several non-profit boards. He is currently the Chair of The Ron Brown Scholar Program and the Vice-Chair of StoryCorps. Mr. Holmes earned a B.A. from Columbia University. Mr. Holmes provides our Board with valuable knowledge, perspectives, and insights in the area of human capital management, including advancing diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as financial services, investor relations, capital markets, corporate governance, and risk management.
Xavier B. Niel has been a member of our Board of Directors since March 2018. Mr. Niel is the Founder and Chairman of the board of Iliad SA, a French telecommunications company that owns the internet provider Free and the low-cost mobile operator Free Mobile. Mr. Niel also owns majority stakes in telecom operators in various countries. He has been involved in the data communications, internet and telecommunications industry since the late 1980s. In 2010, Mr. Niel founded Kima Ventures SAS, which is an active early-stage investor. In 2013, he created 42, a school that trains computer specialists in France, and in 2017, he opened Station-F, a startup campus located in Paris. Mr. Niel brings significant value to our Board due to his extensive experience as an entrepreneur who founded multiple companies, in addition to his leadership and technology experience.
Patricia F. Russo has been a member of our Board of Directors since April 2011. Ms. Russo served as Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel-Lucent from 2006 to 2008. Prior to the merger of Alcatel and Lucent in 2006, she served as Chairman of Lucent Technologies, Inc. from 2003 to 2006, and as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2002 to 2006. Before rejoining Lucent in 2002, Ms. Russo was President and Chief Operating Officer of Eastman Kodak Company from March 2001 to December 2001. She has served as the Chairman of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company since 2015 and as a director of Merck & Co., Inc. since 2009 and General Motors Company since 2009. Prior to its merger with Merck in 2009, Ms. Russo served as a director of Schering-Plough since 1995, and she served as a director of Hewlett Packard Company from 2011 to November 2015. From November 2016 to May 2018, Ms. Russo also served on the board of Arconic Inc., which separated from Alcoa Inc., where Ms. Russo served as a director from 2008 to November 2016. She graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history, and obtained an Advanced Management Degree from
Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. Ms. Russo's management and leadership experience as chief executive officer of complex global companies as well as her experience with corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and sales and marketing brings to our Board important expertise to the oversight and development of our business. Ms. Russo also brings extensive experience in corporate governance as a member of boards and board committees of other public companies.
Thomas M. Schoewe has been a member of our Board of Directors since March 2011. Mr. Schoewe was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a position he held from 2000 to 2010, and was employed by Walmart in a transitional capacity to January 2011. Prior to his employment at Walmart, Mr. Schoewe served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Black and Decker Corp., a position he held from 1993 to 1999. Prior to that, he served for four years as Black and Decker’s Vice President of Finance. He previously held the position of Vice President of Business Planning and Analysis. He joined Black and Decker in 1986 after serving at Chicago-based Beatrice Companies, where he was Chief Financial Officer and Controller of Beatrice Consumer Durables, Inc. He has served on the board of directors of Northrop Grumman Corporation and General Motors Company since 2011. From 2001 to May 2012, he served on the board of directors of PulteGroup Inc., which merged with Centex Corporation in 2009 and previously served on the Centex board. Mr. Schoewe graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a bachelor’s of business administration degree in finance. Mr. Schoewe's experience in financial reporting, accounting and controls, and business planning and analysis, together with his significant international experience as an executive of large multinational companies, brings to the Board important expertise to the oversight and development of our business. Mr. Schoewe also has experience with large-scale, transformational information technology implementations at Wal-Mart and Black and Decker.
Robert W. Scully has been a member of our Board of Directors since July 2010. Mr. Scully was a member of the Office of the Chairman of Morgan Stanley from 2007 until his retirement in 2009, where he had previously been Co-President, Chairman of global capital markets and Vice Chairman of investment banking. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 1996, he served as a Managing Director at Lehman Brothers and at Salomon Brothers. Mr. Scully has served as a director of Zoetis Inc. since June 2013, Chubb Limited since January 2016, and prior to its acquisition of Chubb Limited, a director of ACE Limited from May 2014 to January 2016. Previously, he was a director of UBS Group AG from May 2016 to April 2020, a director of Bank of America Corporation from August 2009 to May 2013 and a public governor of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. from October 2014 to May 2016. He has also served as a director of GMAC Financial Services and MSCI Inc. He holds an A.B. from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Mr. Scully previously served on the Board of Dean’s Advisors of Harvard Business School. Mr. Scully's 35-year career in the financial services industry brings to the Board important expertise to the oversight of our business. In addition, his leadership experience with a global financial services company brings an industry perspective to our business development within and outside the United States as well as issues such as talent development, senior client relationship management, strategic initiatives, risk management and audit and financial reporting.
Evan T. Spiegel has been a member of our Board of Directors since October 2021. Mr. Spiegel is the Co-Founder of Snap Inc., a publicly traded camera company that believes reinventing the camera represents the greatest opportunity to improve the way that people live and communicate, and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of its board of directors since 2012. In 2017, Mr. Spiegel formed the Spiegel Family Fund, a non-profit humanitarian organization which supports organizations across the arts, education, housing and human rights. Mr. Spiegel currently serves on the boards of directors of Snap Inc. and the Berggruen Institute. Mr. Spiegel holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Product Design from Stanford University. Mr. Spiegel’s experience as a co-founder and executive of a leading company in technology and social media services brings to our Board important insight and perspectives to our business and future development.
Robert H. Lewin joined KKR in 2004 and is our Chief Financial Officer. Since joining KKR, Mr. Lewin held a number of positions at the firm, including as an investor in private equity, co-leading the firm’s credit and capital markets businesses, serving as Treasurer and Head of Corporate Development and most recently as Head of Human Capital & Strategic Talent. From 2006 through 2010, Mr. Lewin resided in Hong Kong, helping to launch KKR’s Asia business. Mr. Lewin has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the board of Answer the Call, a non-profit organization.
David J. Sorkin joined KKR in 2007 and is our General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Sorkin was a partner with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Mr. Sorkin serves as President of the board of directors of New Alternatives for Children. He received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Williams College and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Ryan D. Stork joined KKR in 2022 and is our Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Stork was at BlackRock Inc. where he held multiple leadership roles for more than 20 years, including most recently as Deputy Chief Operating Officer from 2019 to 2021 and as Chairman of Asia Pacific from 2014 to 2019. Previously, he was also the Global Head of Aladdin – BlackRock’s investment and risk management technology platform, Head of the Institutional Client Business in Continental Europe, and Co‐Head of the Financial Institutions Group. He was also a member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee and a board member of BlackRock’s Foundation. Prior to joining BlackRock, Ryan worked at PennCorp Financial Group, Conning Asset Management, and The Travelers Insurance Companies. Mr. Stork received a BBA in Finance & Accounting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Independence and Composition of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors consists of sixteen directors, twelve of whom, Messrs. Cohen, Grundfest, Gutiérrez, Hess, Holmes, Niel, Schoewe, Scully and Spiegel and Mses. Brown, Dillon and Russo, are independent under NYSE rules relating to corporate governance matters and the independence standards described in our corporate governance guidelines.
Because the Series I preferred stockholder has more than 50% of the voting power for the election of our directors, we are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the NYSE. Under these standards, a "controlled company" may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including the requirements (1) that a majority of its board of directors consist of independent directors, (2) that its board of directors have a compensation committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities and (3) that its board of directors have a nominating and corporate governance committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities. We currently utilize the second and third of these exemptions. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Common Stock—As a 'controlled company,' we qualify for some exemptions from the corporate governance and other requirements of the NYSE." While we are exempt from NYSE rules relating to board independence, we intend to maintain a board of directors that consists of at least a majority of directors who are independent under NYSE rules. In the event that we cease to be a "controlled company" and our shares of common stock continue to be listed on the NYSE, we will be required to comply with these provisions within the applicable transition periods. In connection with the Reorganization Agreement, at a future date not to be later than December 2026 and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we expect to no longer be a "controlled company", and thereafter we expect to comply with all of the then existing NYSE rules regarding corporate governance. For more information, see also "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Reorganization Agreement."
In addition, our Board has considered transactions and relationships between KKR and the companies and organizations on whose boards or other similar governing bodies where our independent directors also serve or where our independent directors serve as executive officers, including investments made by such companies in the portfolio companies in which KKR or its funds are invested, and certain personal investments made by our independent directors in companies in which certain of our executive officers have also invested. It was determined that none of these transactions or relationships adversely impacted the independence of our independent directors.
We seek to enhance the diversity of our board of directors to encompass a broad range of expertise, experience and backgrounds. We believe that a diverse board of directors can strengthen the board’s effectiveness in fulfilling its oversight role. Among our sixteen directors on our board of directors, three of our directors have self-identified as women, and four of our directors have self-identified as non-white.
Board Committees
Our Board of Directors has four standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Conflicts Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and an Executive Committee that operate pursuant to written charters as described below. Because we are a "controlled company," our Board is not required by NYSE rules to establish a Compensation Committee or a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or to meet certain other substantive NYSE corporate governance requirements until the consummation of all the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement. For more information about the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, see "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Reorganization Agreement." While the Board has established a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, we currently rely on available exemptions concerning the committee's composition and mandate.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee consists of Messrs. Grundfest (Chair), Schoewe and Scully. The purpose of the Audit Committee is to provide assistance to the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility with respect to its oversight of: (i) the quality and integrity of our financial statements, including investment valuations; (ii) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (iii) our independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications, independence and performance; and (iv) the performance of our internal audit function. The members of the Audit Committee meet the independence standards and financial literacy requirements for service on an Audit Committee of a Board of Directors pursuant to the Exchange Act and NYSE rules applicable to audit committees. Our Board of Directors has determined that each of Messrs. Grundfest, Schoewe and Scully is an "audit committee financial expert" within the meaning of Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Audit Committee has a charter, which is available on our website at www.kkr.com under the corporate governance page for our stockholders at the "Investor Center" section.
Conflicts Committee
The Conflicts Committee consists of Messrs. Scully (Chair) and Schoewe and Mses. Dillon and Russo. The Conflicts Committee is responsible for reviewing specific matters that the Board of Directors believes may involve a conflict of interest and for enforcing our rights under any of the exchange agreement, the tax receivable agreement, the limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (collectively, the "covered agreements") against KKR Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries and designees, a general partner or limited partner of KKR Holdings, or a person who holds a partnership or equity interest in the foregoing entities. The Conflicts Committee is also authorized to take any action pursuant to any authority or rights granted to such committee under any covered agreement or with respect to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver to any such agreement that would purport to modify such authority or rights. In addition, the Conflicts Committee shall approve any amendment to any of the covered agreements that in the reasonable judgment of our Board of Directors is or will result in a conflict of interest. The Conflicts Committee will determine if the resolution of any conflict of interest submitted to it is fair and reasonable to us. The Conflicts Committee may review and approve any related person transactions, other than those that are approved pursuant to our related person policy, as described under "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Statement of Policy Regarding Transactions with Related Persons," and may establish guidelines or rules to cover specific categories of transactions. The members of the Conflicts Committee meet the independence standards under our corporate governance guidelines as required for service on the committee in accordance with its charter.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Messrs. Kravis (Co-Chair), Roberts (Co-Chair) and Scully. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for appointment to the Board of Directors and for assisting and advising the Board of Directors with respect to matters relating to the general operation of the Board and corporate governance matters. Mr. Scully meets the independence standards under the rules of the NYSE as required for service on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in accordance with its charter.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee consists of Messrs. Kravis and Roberts. The purpose of the Executive Committee is to act, when necessary, in place of the full Board of Directors during periods in which the board is not in session or with respect to matters delegated to the committee, including oversight of our Equity Plans. The Executive Committee is authorized and empowered to act as if it were the full Board of Directors in overseeing our business and affairs, except that it is not authorized or empowered to take actions that have been specifically delegated to other Board committees or to take actions with respect to: (i) the declaration of dividends on our common stock; (ii) a merger or consolidation of us with or into another entity; (iii) a sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of our assets; (iv) a liquidation or dissolution of us; (v) any action that must be submitted to a vote of the Series I preferred stockholder or our stockholders; or (vi) any action that may not be delegated to a Board committee under our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws or the DGCL.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our principal executive officers, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer and is available on our website at www.kkr.com under the corporate governance page for our stockholders at the "Investor Center" section. In accordance with, and to the extent required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, we intend to disclose any amendment to or waiver of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on behalf of an executive officer or director either on our website or in a Current Report on Form 8-K filing.
Corporate Governance Guidelines
Our Board of Directors has a governance policy, which addresses matters such as the Board of Directors' responsibilities and duties, the Board of Directors' composition and compensation and director independence. The governance guidelines are available on our website at www.kkr.com under corporate governance section for our stockholders at the "Investor Center" section.
Communications to the Board of Directors
The non-executive members of our Board of Directors meet regularly. At each meeting of the non-executive members, the non-executive directors choose a director to lead the meeting. All interested parties, including any employee or stockholder, may send communications to the non-executive members of our Board of Directors by writing to: Investor Relations, KKR & Co. Inc., 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001.
Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Compensation Philosophy
In general, our compensation program for our employees has three primary objectives: (1) to attract, motivate and retain them, (2) to align their interests with those of our stockholders and other stakeholders and (3) to reinforce our culture and values.
Our employees. Our business is dependent on the services of our employees, including our named executive officers. Among other things, we depend on their ability, where applicable, to find, select and execute investments, manage and improve portfolio company operations, find and develop relationships with fund investors and other sources of capital, find, select and execute capital markets opportunities, and operate our various businesses, and we cannot compete effectively without their continued employment with us. Therefore, it is important that our key employees are compensated in a manner that motivates them to excel consistently and encourages them to remain with the firm.
Alignment of interests. Management equity ownership in the businesses in which we invest has been a guiding principle throughout our firm's history, and we apply that principle to ourselves: every senior employee of the firm is expected to have an equity interest in KKR. This equity ownership serves to align the interests of our senior employees, including our named executive officers, with those of our stockholders. In addition, because we invest in and alongside our investment funds and have a carry pool from which we can allocate to our senior employees 40%, 43% or 65%, as applicable, of the carried interest that we generate through our business, we believe that our senior employees' interests are also aligned with those of our investors in the funds, vehicles and accounts that we manage, which in turn benefits our stockholders. Moreover, senior Global Atlantic employees have equity interests based on the long term performance of Global Atlantic, which we believe aligns their interests with those of its various stakeholders.
Culture and values. One of our most important values for our senior employees is our "one firm" approach with shared responsibility and success, and we also subscribe to a culture of meritocracy and fairness. Therefore, compensation for our senior employees is based on the performance of the firm as a whole as well as on an individual's contributions to the firm. For example, we generally do not compensate our senior employees based merely on an individual's accomplishments in relation to the profits and losses of his or her business unit. In addition, we conduct, at least annually, an evaluation process based on input from a wide range of persons regarding each employee's contribution to the firm, including his or her commitment to the firm's culture and values. We believe that using this kind of an evaluation process also promotes a measure of objectivity as a balance to a single manager's judgment.
We refer to our two Co-Executive Chairmen (Henry Kravis and George Roberts), our two Co-Chief Executive Officers (Joseph Bae and Scott Nuttall), our Chief Financial Officer (Robert Lewin) and our General Counsel and Secretary (David Sorkin) as our "named executive officers" for the year ended December 31, 2021. We believe that the elements of compensation discussed below for our named executive officers serve these primary objectives. We are not required to conduct say-on-pay or say-on-frequency votes under the Dodd-Frank Act. However, we intend periodically to review the elements of our compensation, and we may make changes to the compensation structure relating to one or more named executive officers based on the outcome of such reviews from time to time.
KKR Holdings
Each of our named executive officers holds interests in our business through KKR Holdings, which is the entity that indirectly owns all of the outstanding KKR Group Partnership Units that are not allocable to us, including KKR Holdings II.
KKR Holdings units are, subject to certain restrictions, exchangeable for shares of our common stock, on a one-for-one basis, and generally cannot be sold to third parties for monetary value unless they are first exchanged for shares of our common stock. Because KKR Holdings units are exchangeable for shares of our common stock, we believe that our named executive officers' interests are aligned with those of our stockholders.
KKR Holdings, from time to time, receives distributions that are made on KKR Group Partnership Units that are held by it. To the extent such distributions are received on KKR Group Partnership Units that underlie any KKR Holdings units that have satisfied their respective vesting requirements, if any, at the time distributions are declared on the underlying KKR Group Partnership Units, such distributions will be allocated and further distributed to the named executive officers as and when received. To the extent that such distributions are made on KKR Group Partnership Units underlying any KKR Holdings units
that have not satisfied all vesting requirements at the time distributions are declared on the underlying KKR Group Partnership Units, such distributions may be allocated or otherwise applied in such amounts and in such manner as Messrs. Kravis and Roberts, acting through the general partner of KKR Holdings, may determine. As of February 24, 2022, approximately 1.1 million KKR Holdings units remain unallocated, which as discussed below, Messrs. Kravis and Roberts are authorized to allocate to themselves or others.
In 2021, our named executive officers received distributions from KKR Holdings, including distributions relating to tax liabilities, as well as dividends on shares of common stock they own, and because these distributions and dividends are not considered to be compensation, they have not been reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
As part of the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, 500,000 outstanding KKR Holdings units held by each of Messrs. Kravis and Roberts and 1,455,000 outstanding KKR Holdings units held by each of Messrs. Bae and Nuttall, each of which had previously been scheduled to vest on October 1, 2022, will be accelerated to vest immediately prior to the closing of the mergers contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, and such KKR Holdings units will become vested and receive their allocable share of the common stock contemplated to be issued pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement. The customary one- and two-year transfer restrictions applicable to such KKR Holdings units will continue to apply to the shares to be received in exchange therefor pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement until October 1, 2023 and October 1, 2024. The 500,000 KKR Holdings units held by each of Messrs. Kravis and Roberts are already considered fully vested given their age and years of service at KKR. In the case of Messrs. Bae and Nuttall only, in exchange for the accelerated vesting, each of their 1,455,000 KKR Holdings units (or shares of common stock to be received in respect thereof) will be subject to forfeiture if such executive is not employed by KKR on October 1, 2022 (except in the case of death or permanent disability).
In addition, KKR Holdings allocated 1,150,000 KKR Holdings units to each of Messrs. Bae and Nuttall, of which 30% will be subject to forfeiture if such executive is not employed by KKR on October 1, 2022 (except in the case of death or permanent disability). The number of KKR units allocated to Messrs. Bae and Nuttall was determined by Messrs. Kravis and Roberts, and the allocations were made as part of the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, which were approved by our board of directors following the recommendation of the conflicts committee. These KKR Holdings units (or shares of common stock to be received in respect thereof) are subject to customary one- and two-year transfer restrictions that
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Item 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our common stock and KKR Group Partnership Units that are, together with shares of our Series II preferred stock, exchangeable for shares of our common stock by:
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each person known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of any class of our outstanding voting securities based on our review of filings with the SEC;
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each of our directors, persons chosen to become a director and named executive officers; and
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our directors and named executive officers as a group.
The numbers of shares of common stock and KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock outstanding and the percentage of beneficial ownership are based on 591,145,410 shares of common stock issued and outstanding and 258,726,163 KKR Group Partnership Units that, together with shares of our Series II preferred stock, are exchangeable for shares of our common stock as of February 24, 2022. Beneficial ownership is in each case determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC, and includes equity securities of which that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days of February 24, 2022. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed a beneficial owner of securities as to which he has no economic interest.
| Common Stock Beneficially Owned | KKR Group Partnership Units and Series II Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned (1)(2) | Percentage of Combined Common Stock and Series II Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name (3) | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Percent (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KKR Holdings (5) | — | — | 258,726,163 | 100.0% | 30.4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BlackRock, Inc. (6) | 39,150,255 | 6.6 | — | — | 4.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Vanguard Group Inc. (7) | 33,016,281 | 5.6 | — | — | 3.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Henry R. Kravis (5) | 7,947,960 | 1.3 | 258,726,163 | 100.0 | 31.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| George R. Roberts (5) | 6,721,432 | 1.1 | 258,726,163 | 100.0 | 31.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph Y. Bae | 3,863,405 | * | 12,347,397 | 4.8 | 1.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scott C. Nuttall | 2,514,675 | * | 15,681,294 | 6.1 | 2.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adriane M. Brown | 785 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matthew R. Cohler | 68,127 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mary N. Dillon | 16,505 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph A. Grundfest | 82,979 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández | 1,900 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John B. Hess | 10,979 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dane E. Holmes | 1,900 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xavier B. Niel | 19,393 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Patricia F. Russo | 75,979 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas M. Schoewe | 83,579 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert W. Scully | 163,979 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Evan T. Spiegel | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert H. Lewin | 83,376 | * | 1,089,976 | * | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| David J. Sorkin | — | — | 3,143,593 | 1.2 | * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Directors and executive officers as a group (19 persons) (8) | 21,687,609 | 3.7 | 258,726,163 | 100.0% | 33.0% |
*Less than 1.0%.
(1)KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings are exchangeable (together with the corresponding Series II preferred stock) for our common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications and in compliance with the terms as described under "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Exchange Agreement."
Beneficial ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units and Series II preferred stock reflected in this table has not also been reflected as beneficial ownership of our common stock for which such KKR Group Partnership Units and Series II preferred stock may be exchanged.
(2)On any matters that may be submitted to a vote of the holders of common stock, holders of Series II preferred stock are entitled to one vote per share of Series II preferred stock subject to adjustments as provided in our certificate of incorporation, and such holders are entitled to participate in the vote on the same basis as the holders of our common stock.
(3)The address of each director is c/o KKR & Co. Inc., 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York, 10001. The address of each executive officer, except Mr. Roberts, is c/o Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. The address of Mr. Roberts is c/o Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., 2800 Sand Hill Road, Suite 200, Menlo Park, California 94025.
(4)This column assumes the exchange of KKR Group Partnership Units and Series II preferred stock into shares of common stock and a number of outstanding shares of common stock calculated in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d)(1) of the Exchange Act.
(5)KKR Holdings owns, beneficially or of record, 258,726,163 exchangeable KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock. Our principals hold interests in KKR Holdings that entitle them to participate in the value of the KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings. KKR Holdings is a limited partnership that is controlled by KKR Holdings GP Limited, its sole general partner, which has investment control over all KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock held by KKR Holdings and voting control over all shares of Series II preferred stock held by KKR Holdings. An affiliate of KKR Holdings also owns 2,677 shares of common stock previously held by KKR Holdings, which affiliate is controlled by KKR Holdings GP Limited, as its sole general partner, which has investment and voting control over all shares of common stock held by such affiliate. Messrs. Kravis and Roberts, by virtue of their rights under the organizational documents of KKR Holdings GP Limited (the general partner of KKR Holdings and such affiliate), may be deemed to share dispositive and/or voting power with respect to the KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock held by KKR Holdings and the common stock held by such affiliate. Each of Messrs. Kravis and Roberts disclaims beneficial ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by him, except to the extent of his own pecuniary interest therein. Mr. Kravis disclaims beneficial ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by him, except with respect to 72,814,740 KKR Group Partnership Units in which he and certain related entities he controls have a pecuniary interest. Mr. Roberts disclaims beneficial ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units and shares of Series II preferred stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by him, except with respect to 80,277,805 KKR Group Partnership Units in which he and certain related entities he controls have a pecuniary interest. The address of KKR Holdings is 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001.
(6)Based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 8, 2022, BlackRock, Inc. reports it is the beneficial owner of 39,150,255 shares of common stock, with sole voting power over 35,297,173 shares of common stock, and sole dispositive power over 39,150,255 shares of common stock. The address of BlackRock, Inc. is 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.
(7)Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 9, 2022, as of December 31, 2021, The Vanguard Group reports it is the beneficial owner of 33,016,281 shares of common stock, with sole dispositive power over 31,865,367 shares of common stock, shared voting power over 464,314 shares of common stock and shared dispositive power over 1,150,914 shares of common stock. The address of The Vanguard Group is 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.
(8)Shares of common stock include 33,333 shares of common stock underlying an executive officer's equity awards vesting within 60 days of February 24, 2022.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The table set forth below provides information concerning the awards that may be issued under our Equity Incentive Plans as of December 31, 2021.
| Number of Securities to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights (1) | Weighted‑Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights | Number of Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (excluding securities reflected in the first column) (2) | |||||||||
| Equity Compensation Plans Approved by Security Holders | 56,452,235 | — | 70,812,698 | ||||||||
| Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved by Security Holders | — | — | — | ||||||||
| Total | 56,452,235 | — | 70,812,698 |
(1)Reflects the aggregate number of restricted stock units granted under our Equity Incentive Plans and outstanding as of December 31, 2021.
(2)The aggregate number of shares of common stock available under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan is increased, on the first day of each fiscal year, by a number of shares of common stock equal to the positive difference, if any, between (x) 15% of the number of Diluted Common Shares outstanding at the close of business on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year minus (y) the number of shares of common stock available for issuance in respect of outstanding awards and the grant of future awards, in each case, under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan as of the last day of such year, unless the Administrator in its sole discretion should decide to increase the number of shares of common stock available under the plan by a lesser amount on any such date. We have filed registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of common stock covered by our Equity Incentive Plans. Accordingly, upon issuance pursuant to our Equity Incentive Plans, these shares of common stock will be available for sale in the open market.
Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The following description is a summary of the material terms of the agreements described below, and does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. For additional information, you should read the copies of our Reorganization Agreement, exchange agreement, registration rights agreement, tax receivable agreement and the limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership, all of which have been filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to this report.
Reorganization Agreement
On October 8, 2021, KKR entered into a Reorganization Agreement with KKR Holdings, KKR Associates Holdings, KKR Management and the other parties thereto. Pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement, the parties agreed to undertake a series of integrated transactions to effect a number of transformative structural and governance changes, including (a) the acquisition by KKR of KKR Holdings and all of the KKR Group Partnership Units held by it, (b) the future elimination of voting control by KKR Management and the Series I preferred stock held by it, (c) the future establishment of voting rights for all common stock on a one vote per share basis, including with respect to the election of directors, and (d) the future control of the carry pool by KKR. In particular, the Reorganization Agreement provides for:
(i) a simplifying reorganization of KKR’s current corporate structure whereby all holders of common stock of KKR & Co. Inc. immediately prior to such reorganization and all holders of interests in KKR Holdings immediately prior to such reorganization will receive the same common stock in a new parent company of KKR (“New KKR Parent”),
(ii) the future elimination of control of New KKR Parent by KKR Management, by having all voting power vested in the common stock of New KKR Parent on a one vote per share basis on the Sunset Date (as defined below), which will be no later than December 31, 2026,
(iii) also on the Sunset Date, the future acquisition of control by KKR of KKR Associates Holdings when a subsidiary of New KKR Parent will become the general partner of KKR Associates Holdings,
(iv) the termination of KKR's tax receivable agreement with KKR Holdings, other than with respect to certain exchanges occurring prior to the closing of the mergers contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, and
(v) in the merger of KKR Holdings with a subsidiary of New KKR Parent (the “Holdings Merger”), the issuance to limited partners of KKR Holdings of 8.5 million shares (as adjusted for any stock splits or similar adjustments) of common stock of New KKR Parent, which will not be transferable (except in the case of death or for estate planning purposes) prior to the Sunset Date.
The “Sunset Date” will be the earlier of (i) December 31, 2026 and (ii) the six-month anniversary of the first date on which the death or permanent disability of both Mr. Henry Kravis and Mr. George Roberts (collectively, "Co-Founders") has occurred (or any earlier date consented to by KKR Management, which is the holder of the sole outstanding share of Series I preferred stock, in its sole discretion). In addition, KKR Management agreed not to transfer its ownership of the sole share of Series I preferred stock.
The transactions contemplated to occur under the Reorganization Agreement (including the establishment of New KKR Parent, the Holdings Merger, the termination of the tax receivable agreement except with respect to exchanges of Holdings units made prior thereto, and the changes to occur effective on the Sunset Date) are all required to be consummated together as integrated transactions under the Reorganization Agreement. The consummation of the merger transactions is subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and other conditions to closing as provided in the Reorganization Agreement. While the Sunset Date itself is expected to occur after, and is conditioned upon, the completion of the merger transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, the changes to occur effective on the Sunset Date will be unconditional commitments upon the completion of the merger transactions.
See "Certain Terms Used in this Report" and "Business—Organizational Structure" for more information about KKR Management, KKR Holdings, KKR Associates Holdings and our current corporate structure as well as the changes to our corporate structure expected to occur pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement.
Exchange Agreement
We have entered into an exchange agreement with KKR Holdings, the entity through which certain of our employees, including Messrs. Kravis, Roberts, Bae, Nuttall, Lewin and Sorkin, indirectly hold their KKR Group Partnership Units.
Pursuant to the exchange agreement, KKR Holdings or certain transferees of its KKR Group Partnership Units may, on a quarterly basis (subject to the terms of the exchange agreement), exchange KKR Group Partnership Units held by them (together with corresponding shares of Series II preferred common stock) for shares of our common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for splits, stock distributions and reclassifications. At the election of the general partner of KKR Group Partnership, KKR Group Partnership may settle exchanges of KKR Group Partnership Units with cash in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of common stock that would otherwise be deliverable in such exchanges. To the extent that KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings or its transferees are exchanged for shares of our common stock, our interests in KKR Group Partnership will be correspondingly increased. Any shares of common stock received upon such exchange will be subject to any restrictions that were applicable to the exchanged KKR Group Partnership Units, including any applicable transfer restrictions. During the year ended December 31, 2021, 16,900,330 KKR Group Partnership Units were exchanged for shares of our common stock pursuant to this agreement.
Certain interests in KKR Holdings that are held by our employees are subject to transfer restrictions and vesting requirements that, unless waived, modified or amended, limit the ability of our employees to cause KKR Group Partnership Units to be exchanged under the exchange agreement so long as applicable vesting and transfer restrictions apply. The general partner of KKR Holdings, which is controlled by our founders, will have sole authority for waiving any applicable vesting or transfer restrictions.
As contemplated by the exchange agreement, a coordinated selling program has been established relating to sales of shares of common stock received pursuant to the exchanges by certain holders of KKR Holdings units and restricted holdings units. Pursuant to the program, sales generally take place quarterly, and management is permitted to establish an overall limit on such sales based upon the trading volume of our common stock or any other factor that may be considered relevant.
There will be no more exchanges of KKR Group Partnership Units held by KKR Holdings following the closing of the merger transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement. Our employees who hold restricted holdings units granted under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan will continue to be entitled to exchange those interests for common stock following the closing of these merger transactions, although exchanges of restricted holdings units will continue to be ineligible for payments under the tax receivable agreement.
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with our NYSE listing, we entered into a registration rights agreement with KKR Holdings pursuant to which we granted KKR Holdings, its affiliates and transferees of its KKR Group Partnership Units (including the shares of New KKR Parent following the closing of the merger transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement) the right, under certain circumstances and subject to certain restrictions, to require us to register under the Securities Act our common stock (and other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of our common stock) held or acquired by them. Under the registration rights agreement, holders of registration rights will have the right to request us to register shares of our common stock received upon the exchange of their KKR Holdings units and the sale of such shares and also have the right to require us to make available shelf registration statements permitting sales of shares of common stock into the market from time to time over an extended period. In addition, holders of registration rights will have the ability to exercise certain piggyback registration rights in connection with registered offerings requested by other holders of registration rights or initiated by us. On October 1, 2010, the registration statement we filed pursuant to this agreement was declared effective, and related post-effective amendments were declared effective on April 14, 2011, September 21, 2011 and July 10, 2018. As of December 31, 2021, 258,726,163 shares of common stock remain unissued under that registration statement.
Tax Receivable Agreement
We are required to acquire KKR Group Partnership Units from time to time pursuant to our exchange agreement with KKR Holdings. KKR Group Partnership has made an election under Section 754 of the Code that will remain in effect for each taxable year in which an exchange of KKR Group Partnership Units for shares of common stock occurs, which may result in an increase in our tax basis of the assets of KKR Group Partnership at the time of an exchange of KKR Group Partnership Units. Certain of these exchanges are expected to result in an increase in our share of the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets of KKR Group Partnership, primarily attributable to a portion of the goodwill inherent in our business that would not otherwise have been available. This increase in tax basis may increase depreciation and amortization deductions for tax purposes and therefore reduce the amount of income tax we otherwise would be required to pay in the future. This increase in tax basis may also decrease gain (or increase loss) on future dispositions of certain capital assets to the extent tax basis is allocated to those capital assets.
We have entered into a tax receivable agreement with KKR Holdings, which requires us to pay to KKR Holdings, or to current and former principals who have exchanged KKR Holdings units for shares of common stock as transferees of KKR Group Partnership Units, 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that we realize as a result of the increase in tax basis described above, as well as 85% of the amount of any such savings we actually realize as a result of increases in tax basis that arise due to future payments under the agreement. We expect to benefit from the remaining 15% of cash savings, if any, in income tax that we realize.
These payment obligations are obligations of KKR & Co. Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary and not of KKR Group Partnership. Payments made under the tax receivable agreement are required to be made within 90 days of the filing of our tax returns, which may result in a timing difference between the tax savings received by KKR and the cash payments made to the exchanging holders of KKR Group Partnership Units. There is no tax receivable agreement in place for any exchange of restricted holdings units granted under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, and therefore we will receive 100% of any tax benefits arising from such exchange.
For purposes of the tax receivable agreement, cash savings in income tax will be computed by comparing our actual income tax liability to the amount of such taxes that we would have been required to pay had there been no increase to the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets of KKR Group Partnership as a result of the exchanges of KKR Group Partnership Units and had we not entered into the tax receivable agreement. The term of the tax receivable agreement continues until all such tax benefits have been utilized or expired, unless we exercise our right to terminate the tax receivable agreement for an amount based on the agreed payments remaining to be made under the agreement.
Effective July 1, 2018, we amended the tax receivable agreement to reflect our conversion to a corporation. The amendment also provides that, in the event the maximum U.S. federal corporate income tax rate is increased to a rate higher than 21.0% within the five-year period following the Conversion, for exchanges pursuant to the exchange agreement that take place within that five-year period (other than exchanges following the death of an individual), payments of cash tax savings realized as a result of such exchanges shall be calculated by applying a U.S. federal corporate income tax rate not to exceed 21.0%. The amendment also clarifies that the tax benefit payments with respect to exchanges completed at any time prior to the Conversion will be calculated without taking into account the step-up in tax basis in our underlying assets that we generated in 2018 as a result of the Conversion.
Estimating the amount of payments that may be made under the tax receivable agreement is by its nature imprecise, insofar as the calculation of amounts payable depends on a variety of factors. The actual increase in tax basis, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under the tax receivable agreement, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including:
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the timing of exchanges—for instance, the increase in any tax deductions will vary depending on the fair market value, which may fluctuate over time, of the KKR Group Partnership Units, which will depend on the fair market value of the depreciable or amortizable assets of KKR Group Partnership at the time of the transaction;
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the price of our common stock at the time of the exchange—the increase in any tax deductions, as well as the tax basis increase in other assets, of KKR Group Partnership is directly proportional to the price of our common stock at the time of the exchange; and
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the amount of tax, if any, we are required to pay aside from any tax benefit from the exchanges, and the timing of any such payment—if we do not have taxable income aside from any tax benefit from the exchanges, we will not be required to make payments under the tax receivable agreement for that taxable year because no tax savings will have been actually realized.
We expect that as a result of the amount of the increases in the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets of KKR Group Partnership, assuming no material changes in the relevant tax law and that we earn sufficient taxable income to realize the full tax benefit of the increased amortization of our assets, future payments under the tax receivable agreement could be substantial. The payments under the tax receivable agreement are not conditioned upon our principals' continued ownership of us and are required to be made within 125 days of the filing of our tax returns. During the year ended December 31, 2021, an aggregate of $7.2 million was made to our current and former principals, including our executive officers, and KKR Holdings. The independent directors of our board of directors are not eligible to receive payments under the tax receivable agreement.
Decisions made by our senior principals in the course of running our business, such as with respect to mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control, may influence the timing and amount of payments that are received by an exchanging or selling holder of partner interests in KKR Group Partnership under the tax receivable agreement. For example, the earlier disposition of assets following an exchange or acquisition transaction will generally accelerate
payments under the tax receivable agreement and increase the present value of such payments, and the disposition of assets before an exchange or acquisition transaction will increase a principals' tax liability without giving rise to any rights of a principal to receive payments under the tax receivable agreement.
Payments under the tax receivable agreement will be based upon the tax reporting positions that we will determine. We are not aware of any issue that would cause the IRS to challenge a tax basis increase. However, neither KKR Holdings nor its transferees will reimburse us for any payments previously made under the tax receivable agreement if such tax basis increase, or the tax benefits we claim arising from such increase, is successfully challenged by the IRS. As a result, in certain circumstances payments to KKR Holdings or its transferees under the tax receivable agreement could be in excess of our cash tax savings. Our ability to achieve benefits from any tax basis increase, and the payments to be made under this agreement, will depend upon a number of factors, as discussed above, including the timing and amount of our future income. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure—We will be required to pay our principals for most of the benefits relating to our use of tax attributes we receive from prior and future exchanges of our common stock for KKR Group Partnership Units and related transactions, and the timing and value of these tax attributes differ from those of our restricted stock units."
Upon the consummation of the merger transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement, the tax receivable agreement with KKR Holdings will terminate, other than with respect to exchanges that have occurred prior to the closing of the mergers contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement.
KKR Group Partnership Agreement
We control the general partner of KKR Group Partnership and, through KKR Group Partnership and its subsidiaries, the KKR business. KKR Group Partnership is the owner of the entirety of KKR's business.
Pursuant to the limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership, we, as the controlling general partner of KKR Group Partnership, have the indirect right to determine when distributions will be made to the holders of KKR Group Partnership Units and the amount of any such distributions.
On August 11, 2020, in connection with the issuance of the 6.00% Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock of KKR & Co. Inc., the limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership was amended to provide for preferred units with economic terms designed to mirror those of the Series C Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock.
The limited partnership agreement of KKR Group Partnership provides for tax distributions to the holders of KKR Group Partnership Units if the general partner of the KKR Group Partnership determines that distributions from the KKR Group Partnership would otherwise be insufficient to cover the tax liabilities of a holder of a KKR Group Partnership Unit. Generally, these tax distributions will be computed based on our estimate of the net taxable income of the relevant partnership allocable to a holder of a KKR Group Partnership Unit multiplied by an assumed tax rate equal to the highest effective marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate prescribed for an individual or corporate resident in New York, New York (taking into account the nondeductibility of certain expenses and the character of our income).
The limited partnership agreement of the KKR Group Partnership authorizes the general partner of the KKR Group Partnership to issue an unlimited number of additional securities of the KKR Group Partnership with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties that are different from, and may be senior to, those applicable to the KKR Group Partnership Units, and which may be exchangeable for KKR Group Partnership Units.
Firm Use of Private Aircraft
Companies associated with Messrs. Kravis and Roberts own aircraft that are used for KKR's business in the ordinary course of our operations. Messrs. Kravis and Roberts funded the purchase of these aircraft with their personal funds and fund all operating, personnel and maintenance costs associated with their operation. The hourly rates that we pay for the use of these aircraft are based on current market rates for chartering private aircraft of the same type. Since January 1, 2021, we paid a total of $1.7 million (including applicable taxes) for the use of these aircraft, of which substantially all was borne by us rather than our investment funds (which indirectly bear the cost of some of these flights at commercial airline rates). Of this total, $1.2 million relates to use of an aircraft owned by an entity controlled by Mr. Kravis, and $0.5 million relates to use of an aircraft owned by an entity controlled by Mr. Roberts.
Side-By-Side and Other Investments
Because fund investors typically are unwilling to invest their capital in a fund unless the fund's manager also invests its own capital in the fund's investments, our investment fund documents generally require the general partners of our investment funds to make minimum capital commitments to the funds. The amount of these commitments, which are negotiated by fund investors, generally range from 2% to 8% of a fund's total capital commitments at final closing, but may be greater for certain funds pursuing new strategies. When investments are made, the general partner contributes capital to the fund based on its fund commitment percentage and if applicable, acquires a capital interest in the investment that is not subject to a carried interest or management fees. Historically, these capital contributions have been funded with cash from operations that otherwise would be distributed to our employees.
We did not acquire capital interests in certain investments that were funded by our employees or others involved in our business prior to October 1, 2009. Rather, those capital interests were allocated to our employees or others involved in our business and are reflected in our financial statements as noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities to the extent that we hold the general partner interest in the fund. Any capital contributions that our private equity fund general partners are required to make to a fund will be funded by us and we will be entitled to receive our allocable share of the returns thereon.
In addition, certain of our current and former employees and certain other qualifying personnel are permitted to invest, and have invested, their own capital in our investment funds and vehicles, in side-by-side investments with our funds and the firm, as well as in funds managed by our hedge fund partnerships. Side-by-side investments are investments generally made on the same terms and conditions as those available to the applicable fund or the firm and, they, together with their investments in our funds and vehicles or the funds managed by our hedge fund partnerships, are not generally subject to management fees or a carried interest. The cash invested by our current and former employees and certain other qualifying personnel and their investment vehicles aggregated to $685.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, of which $45.1 million, $117.7 million, $30.3 million, $24.6 million, $3.0 million and $1.5 million was invested by Messrs. Kravis, Roberts, Bae, Nuttall, Lewin and Sorkin and their personal or estate planning vehicles, respectively. These investments are not included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In addition, our funds invested $1.3 million in 2021 from the commitments of certain estate planning vehicles associated with Mr. Hess. Such investments associated with Mr. Hess were made on the same terms and conditions as for other fund investors including management fees and/or a carried interest applicable to the relevant fund.
Indemnification of Directors, Officers and Others
Under our certificate of incorporation, in most circumstances we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts: (a) the Series I preferred stockholder; (b) KKR Management LLP (formerly known as KKR Management LLC) in its capacity as the former general partner of KKR & Co. L.P. (the "Former Managing Partner"); (c) any person who is or was an affiliate of the Series I preferred stockholder or the Former Managing Partner; (d) any person who is or was a member, partner, tax matters partner (as defined in the Code, as in effect prior to 2018), partnership representative (as defined in the Code), officer, director, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of us or our subsidiaries, the KKR Group Partnership, the Series I preferred stockholder or the Former Managing Partner or any affiliate of us or our subsidiaries, the Series I preferred stockholder or the Former Managing Partner; (e) any person who is or was serving at our request or the Former Managing Partner or any affiliate of us or the Former Managing Partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, tax matters partner, partnership representative, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another person (provided that a person shall not be an indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis or similar arms-length compensatory basis, agency, advisory, consulting, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services); or (f) any person designated by us as an indemnitee as permitted by applicable law.
We have agreed to provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We have also agreed to provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings. Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, the Series I preferred stockholder will not be liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. The indemnification of the persons described above shall be secondary to any indemnification such person is entitled from another person or the relevant KKR fund to the extent applicable. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons in connection with its activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our certificate of incorporation. We currently maintain liability insurance for our directors and officers. Such insurance would be available to our directors and officers in accordance with its terms.
In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with KKR Management LLP and each of our directors. Each indemnification agreement provides that the indemnitee, subject to the limitations set forth in each indemnification agreement, will be indemnified and held harmless by us on an after-tax basis from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which the indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an indemnitee or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, whether arising from alleged acts or omissions to act occurring on, before or after the date of such indemnification agreement. Each indemnification agreement provides that the indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by an arbitral tribunal or court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to the indemnification agreement, the indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct.
Guarantee of Contingent Obligations to Fund Partners; Indemnification
The partnership documents governing KKR's carry-paying investment funds and vehicles generally include a "clawback" provision that, if triggered, may give rise to a contingent obligation requiring the general partner to return amounts to the fund for distribution to the fund investors at the end of the life of the fund. Under a clawback obligation, upon the liquidation of a fund, the general partner is required to return, typically on an after-tax basis, previously distributed carry to the extent that, due to the diminished performance of later investments, the aggregate amount of carry distributions received by the general partner during the term of the fund exceed the amount to which the general partner was ultimately entitled, including the effects of any performance thresholds. As of December 31, 2021, $76.0 million of carried interest was subject to this clawback obligation, assuming that all applicable carry-paying funds were liquidated at their December 31, 2021 fair values. Had the investments in such funds been liquidated at zero value, the clawback obligation would have been approximately $2.5 billion. Carried interest is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations based on the contractual conditions set forth in the agreements governing the fund as if the fund were terminated and liquidated at the reporting date and the fund's investments were realized at the then estimated fair values. Amounts earned pursuant to carried interest are earned by the general partner of those funds to the extent that cumulative investment returns are positive and where applicable, preferred return thresholds have been met. If these investment amounts earned decrease or turn negative in subsequent periods, recognized carried interest will be reversed and to the extent that the aggregate amount of carry distributions received by the general partner during the term of the fund exceed the amount to which the general partner was ultimately entitled, a clawback obligation would be recorded. For funds that are consolidated, this clawback obligation, if any, is reflected as an increase in noncontrolling interests in the consolidated statements of financial condition. For funds that are not consolidated, this clawback obligation, if any, is reflected as a reduction of KKR's investment balance as this is where carried interest is initially recorded.
Facilities
Certain trusts, whose beneficiaries include children of Mr. Kravis and Mr. Roberts, and certain other senior employees who are not our executive officers, are partners in a real-estate based partnership that maintains an ownership interest in our Menlo Park location. Payments made from us to this partnership aggregated $8.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Confidentiality and Restrictive Covenant Agreements
Our employees have entered into confidentiality and restrictive covenant agreements that include prohibitions on our employees competing with us or soliciting clients, investments or employees of our firm during a restricted period following their departure from the firm. For further information on these agreements, see "Executive Compensation—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards —Terms of Confidentiality and Restrictive Covenant Agreements."
Other Transactions with Related Persons
We have and may in the future continue to enter into ordinary course transactions with unaffiliated entities known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of any class of our outstanding voting securities. These transactions may include investments by them in our funds generally on the same terms and conditions offered to other unaffiliated fund investors and participation in our capital markets transactions, including underwritings and syndications, generally on the same terms and conditions offered to other unaffiliated capital markets participants. See "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters."
Statement of Policy Regarding Transactions with Related Persons
Our board of directors adopted a written statement of policy for our partnership regarding transactions with related persons (our "related person policy"). Our related person policy requires that a "related person" (as defined as in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K) must promptly disclose to our General Counsel or other designated person any "related person transaction" (defined as any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, including, without limitation, any loan, guarantee of indebtedness, transfer or lease of real estate, or use of company property that is reportable by us under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest) and all material facts with respect thereto. Those individuals will then communicate that information to the board of directors. No related person transaction will be consummated without the approval or ratification of a committee of the board consisting exclusively of disinterested directors; provided, however, the conflicts committee of our board of directors has pre-approved: certain ordinary course transactions with persons known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock on terms generally not less favorable as obtained from other third parties, including investments in our funds as limited partners and participation in capital markets transactions like underwritings and syndications; the renewal of pre-existing strategic relationships with persons known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock; the use of aircraft owned by our senior employees for business purposes; certain investments by eligible employees in our funds, in side-by-side investments with our funds and the firm, as well as in funds managed by our hedge fund partnerships; and certain pro rata cash contributions to the KKR Group Partnership for cash management purposes. It is our policy that directors interested in a related person transaction will recuse themselves from any vote on a related person transaction in which they have an interest.
Director Independence
See "Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance—Independence and Composition of the Board of Directors" for information on director independence.
Item 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The following table summarizes the aggregate fees for professional services provided by Deloitte & Touche LLP (PCAOB ID No. 34), the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited or their respective affiliates (collectively, the "Deloitte Entities") for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
| For the Year Ended December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| KKR | Completed Transactions | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Audit Fees | $ | 47,836 | (1) | $ | — | |||||||||
| Audit-Related Fees | $ | 12,908 | (2) | $ | 19,132 | (5) | ||||||||
| Tax Compliance Fees | $ | 35,640 | (3) | $ | — | |||||||||
| Tax Planning and Advisory Fees | $ | 8,318 | (4) | $ | 13,350 | (5) | ||||||||
| All Other Fees | $ | 537 | $ | — |
| For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| KKR | Completed Transactions | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
| Audit Fees | $ | 28,588 | (1) | $ | — | |||||||||
| Audit-Related Fees | $ | 10,245 | (2) | $ | 16,416 | (5) | ||||||||
| Tax Compliance Fees | $ | 37,512 | (3) | $ | — | |||||||||
| Tax Planning and Advisory Fees | $ | 7,752 | (4) | $ | 17,706 | (5) | ||||||||
| All Other Fees | $ | — | $ | — |
(1)Audit Fees consisted of estimated fees for each audit year for (a) the audits of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and services related to, or required by, statute or regulation; (b) reviews of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements included in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; (c) comfort letters, consents and other services related to SEC and other regulatory filings; and (d) audit services provided to KKR funds and other corporate entities.
(2)Audit-Related Fees primarily included merger, acquisition, and investment due diligence services for strategic acquisitions or investments in target companies for in-process transactions and transactions not completed.
(3)Tax Compliance Fees consisted of fees for services rendered for tax compliance.
(4)Tax Planning and Advisory Fees primarily included tax planning and advisory services, as well as tax fees for merger, acquisition, and investment structuring services for strategic acquisitions or investments in target companies for in-process transactions and transactions not completed.
(5)Audit-Related and Tax Planning and Advisory Fees included merger, acquisition, and investment due diligence services for strategic acquisitions or investments in portfolio companies that have been completed. In addition, the Deloitte Entities provided audit, audit-related, tax and other services to the portfolio companies, which are approved directly by the portfolio company's management and are not included in the amounts presented here.
Our Audit Committee charter, which is available on our website at www.kkr.com under "Investor Center—Stockholders (KKR & Co. Inc.)—Corporate Governance—Audit Committee Charter," requires the Audit Committee to approve in advance all audit and non-audit related services to be provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with the audit and non-audit related services pre-approval policy. All services reported in the Audit, Audit-Related, Tax, and All Other categories above were approved by the Audit Committee.
PART IV
Item 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report.
- Financial Statements
See Item 8 above.
- Financial Statement Schedules:
See Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts - Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 and Schedule IV - Reinsurance - Year Ended December 31, 2021 - of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The other schedules are omitted as they are not applicable or the amounts involved are not material.
- Exhibits:
- Management contract or compensatory plan in which directors and/or executive officers are eligible to participate.
† Certain information contained in this agreement has been omitted because it is not material and is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.
The registrant hereby agrees to furnish to the SEC at its request copies of long-term debt instruments defining the rights of holders of outstanding long-term debt that are not required to be filed herewith.
The agreements and other documents filed as exhibits to this report are not intended to provide factual information or other disclosure other than with respect to the terms of the agreements or other documents themselves, and you should not rely on them for that purpose. In particular, any representations and warranties made by us in these agreements or other documents were made solely within the specific context of the relevant agreement or document and may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
| SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valuation Allowance for Deferred Tax Assets | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asset Management | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at Beginning of Period | Tax Valuation Allowance Charged to Income Tax Provision | Tax Valuation Allowance Credited to Income Tax Provision | Balance at End of Period | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2019 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2020 | $ | — | $ | 23,082 | (1) | $ | — | $ | 23,082 | ||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2021 | $ | 23,082 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 23,082 | |||||||||||||||
| (1) A valuation allowance has been recorded for deferred tax assets related to foreign loss carryforwards that are not considered to be more likely than not realized prior to their expiration. |
| Insurance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Additions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at Beginning of Period | Charged to costs and expenses | Assumed | Deductions | Balance at End of Period | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reserves deducted from assets to which they apply: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit loss allowance on available-for-sale securities | $ | 120,895 | $ | (25,316) | $ | 10,854 | $ | (18,300) | $ | 88,133 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Credit loss allowance on loans | 120,259 | 252,979 | 1,636 | (797) | 374,077 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit loss allowance on unfunded commitments | — | 21,675 | — | — | 21,675 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit loss allowance on reinsurance recoverables | — | 8,386 | — | — | 8,386 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SCHEDULE IV—REINSURANCE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As of December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross Amount | Ceded to Other Companies | Assumed from Other Companies | Net Amount | Percentage of Amount Assumed to Net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Life insurance in-force | $ | 98,911,475 | $ | (53,299,613) | $ | 16,762,152 | $ | 62,374,014 | 27 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Premiums and other considerations: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premiums | $ | 107,733 | $ | (2,455,580) | $ | 4,573,925 | $ | 2,226,078 | 205 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Policy fees | $ | 860,170 | $ | (1,127) | $ | 288,870 | $ | 1,147,913 | 25 | % |
Item 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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: | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||
| KKR & CO. INC. | |||||||||||
| /s/ ROBERT H. LEWIN | |||||||||||
| Name: | Robert H. Lewin | ||||||||||
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated below on the dates indicated below.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ HENRY R. KRAVIS | Co-Executive Chairman, Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Henry R. Kravis | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ GEORGE R. ROBERTS | Co-Executive Chairman, Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| George R. Roberts | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JOSEPH Y. BAE | Director, Co-Chief Executive Officer | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Joseph Y. Bae | (principal executive officer) | |||||||||||||
| /s/ SCOTT C. NUTTALL | Director, Co-Chief Executive Officer | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Scott C. Nuttall | (principal executive officer) | |||||||||||||
| /s/ ADRIANE M. BROWN | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Adriane M. Brown | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ MATTHEW R. COHLER | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Matthew R. Cohler | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ MARY N. DILLON | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Mary N. Dillon | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JOSEPH A. GRUNDFEST | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Joseph A. Grundfest | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ARTURO GUTIÉRREZ HERNÁNDEZ | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JOHN B. HESS | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| John. B. Hess | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ DANE E. HOLMES | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Dane E. Holmes | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ XAVIER B. NIEL | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Xavier B. Niel | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ PATRICIA F. RUSSO | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Patricia F. Russo | ||||||||||||||
| Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ THOMAS M. SCHOEWE | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Thomas M. Schoewe | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ROBERT W. SCULLY | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Robert W. Scully | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ EVAN T. SPIEGEL | Director | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Evan T. Spiegel | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ROBERT H. LEWIN | Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) | February 28, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Robert H. Lewin |