Form 20-F
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☑
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Form 40-F
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☐
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(i)
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a Notice and Proxy Statement with respect to the Annual General Meeting describing the proposals to be voted upon at the meeting, the procedure for voting in person or by proxy at the meeting and various
other details related to the meeting; and
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(ii)
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a Proxy Card whereby holders of ordinary shares of the Company may vote at the meeting without attending in person (the “Proxy Card”).
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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Notice and Proxy Statement with respect to the Company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on September 4, 2024.
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Proxy Card for the Company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on September 4, 2024.
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COGNYTE SOFTWARE LTD.
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|||
Date:
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July 30, 2024
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||
By: |
/s/ Elad Sharon | ||
Name:
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Elad Sharon
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||
Title:
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Chief Executive Officer
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A Letter from our Chairman
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2
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Financial Highlights
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6
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Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
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8
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Proxy Statement
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10
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Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners
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18
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Compensation of Executive Officers
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22 |
Corporate Governance
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23
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Overview
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23
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Corporate Governance Practices
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23
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Board of Directors
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24
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Committees of our Board of Directors
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28
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Internal Oversight
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31
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Shareholder Engagement
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31
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Proposal 1 - Re-Election of Directors
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33
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Proposal 2 - Approval of Amendments to the Terms of Employment of our CEO
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35 |
Background
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35
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Executive Compensation
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37
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Pay for Performance Philosophy
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37
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Executive Compensation Objectives
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38 |
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Factors in Establishing Executive Officers Pay Opportunities
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39
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Elements of Compensation
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41
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Equity Plan Governance
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43 |
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Policy for Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation
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44 |
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Proposed Chief Executive Officer Compensation
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44
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Proposal 3 - Approval and Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Auditors
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48
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Appendix A - Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited)
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51
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Summary of Financial Figures for FYE24 and FYE23 in millions of US$
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FYE24
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FYE23*
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YoY
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|||
Non-GAAP Revenue
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313.5
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283.0
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10.80%
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||
Non-GAAP Gross Profit
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217.0
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177.6
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22.20%
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Non-GAAP Gross margin
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69.20%
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62.80%
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647 bps
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||
Adjusted EBITDA
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9.0
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(55.9)
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64.9
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Cash
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83.3
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56.6
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47.20%
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||
Cash from operations
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34.6
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(37.0)
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71.6
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Summary of Operating Results for the Fiscal Quarters Q1FYE25 - Q1FYE24 in millions of US$
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|||||||
Q1-FYE25
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Q4-FYE24
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Q3-FYE24
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Q2-FYE24
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Q1-FYE24
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Non-GAAP Revenue
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82.7
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83.7
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79.4
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77.1
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73.4
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YoY%*
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12.7%
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17.6%
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29.1%
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5.8%
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-5.3%
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Non-GAAP Gross Profit
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58.8
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57.8
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55.7
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53.3
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50.2
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YoY%*
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17.1%
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25.1%
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48.4%
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13.1%
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7.5%
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Adjusted EBITDA
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5.0
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4.3
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4.6
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2.3
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(2.3)
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YoY change in $*
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7.3
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9.2
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22.9
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16.5
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16.4
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(*) as adjusted to reflect the divestiture on December 1, 2022, of our situational intelligence solutions business.
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
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TO BE HELD ON
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024
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(1)
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to re-elect each of Mr. Earl Shanks and Mr. Elad Sharon as Class III directors, to hold office until the close of the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2028,
and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified; and
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(2)
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to approve amendments to the terms of employment of Mr. Elad Sharon, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer; and
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(3)
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to approve the appointment of Kesselman & Kesselman, a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025, and until the next
annual general meeting of shareholders, and to authorize Company’s Board (with power of delegation to its audit committee), to set the fees to be paid to such auditors.
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(1)
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to re-elect each of Mr. Earl Shanks and Mr. Elad Sharon as Class III directors, to hold office until the close of the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2028,
and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified; and
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(2)
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to approve amendments to the terms of employment of Mr. Elad Sharon, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer; and
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(3)
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to approve the appointment of Kesselman & Kesselman, a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 and until the next
annual general meeting of shareholders, and to authorize the Board (with power of delegation to its audit committee), to set the fees to be paid to such auditors.
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Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” each of the above proposals.
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+
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By Internet – If you are a shareholder of record as of the Record Date, you can submit a proxy over the Internet by logging on to the website
listed on the enclosed proxy card, entering your control number located on the enclosed proxy card and submitting a proxy by following the on-screen prompts. If you hold shares in “street name,” and if the brokerage firm, bank or
other similar nominee that holds your shares offers Internet voting, you may follow the instructions shown on the enclosed voting instruction form in order to submit your proxy over the Internet.
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+
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By telephone – If you are a shareholder of record as of the Record Date, you can submit a proxy by telephone by calling the toll-free number
listed on the enclosed proxy card, entering your control number located on the enclosed proxy card and following the prompts. If you hold shares in “street name,” and if the brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization that
holds your shares offers telephone voting, you may follow the instructions shown on the enclosed voting instruction form in order to submit a proxy by telephone.
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+
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By mail – If you are a shareholder of record as of the Record Date, you can submit a proxy by completing, dating, signing and returning your
proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided. You should sign your name exactly as it appears on the enclosed proxy card. If you are signing in a representative capacity (for example, as a guardian, executor, trustee,
custodian, attorney or officer of a corporation), please indicate your name and title or capacity. If you hold shares in “street name,” you have the right to direct your brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization on how to
vote your shares, and the brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization is required to vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. To provide instructions to your brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization
by mail, please complete, date, sign and return your voting instruction form in the postage-paid envelope provided by your brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization.
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+
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each person or entity known by us to own beneficially more than 5% of our outstanding shares;
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+
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each of our directors and executive officers individually; and
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+
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all of our executive officers and directors as a group.
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Shares Beneficially Owned |
Name of beneficial owner
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Number
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%
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Directors and executive officers
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Elad Sharon
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395,823
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0.55%
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Earl Shanks
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207,621
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0.29%
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Richard Nottenburg
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—
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—
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Dafna Sharir
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63,692
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*
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Avi Cohen
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32,215
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*
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Sarit Sagiv
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—
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—
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Ron Shvili
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—
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—
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David Abadi
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279,018
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0.39%
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Amir Barel
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6,665
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*
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Gil Cohen
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67,120
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*
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Ilan Rotem
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34,140
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*
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Sharon Chouli
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163,327
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0.23%
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Efi Nuri
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74,691
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0.10%
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Rini Karlin
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135,359
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0.19%
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All directors and executive officers as a group (14 persons)
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1,461,671
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2.03%
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Major Shareholders
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Value Base Ltd. and affiliates (1)
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6,706,674
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9.32%
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Edenbrook Capital, LLC (2)
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6,075,551
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8.6%
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American Capital Management, Inc. (3)
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5,802,415
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8.2%
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Neuberger Berman, LLC (4)
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5,038,357
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7.16%
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Topline Capital Management, Inc. (5)
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3,754,643
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5.2%
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Senvest Management, LLC (6)
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3,582,753
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5.0%
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(*) Less than 0.10% |
(1)
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As reported on Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on June 26, 2024, by Value Base Ltd. (“Value Base”), Ido Nouberger, Victor Shamrich, Value Base Hedge Fund Ltd. acting as the general partner to Harmony Base, Limited
Partnership (the “Harmony GP”), Value Base Fund General Partner Ltd., acting as the general partner to Value Base Fund, Limited Partnership (“VBF GP”) and Tal Yaacobi. Because the reporting persons named in the Schedule 13D
may be deemed to constitute a “group” for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, each of Harmony GP, VBF GP, Value Base, Mr. Shamrich, Mr. Nouberger and Mr. Yaacobi may share the power to vote, or direct the voting of,
and share the power to dispose of, or direct the disposition of, the 6,706,674 Cognyte shares held in the aggregate by the reporting persons. The address of each of the reporting persons is 23 Yehuda Halevi St., Tel-Aviv
6513601, Israel.
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(2)
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According to a Schedule 13D/A filed on October 13, 2022, by Edenbrook Capital, LLC (“Edenbrook Capital”) and Jonathan Brolin, each had shared voting and dispositive power over 6,538,998 Cognyte ordinary shares. The number
of shares set forth in the table is based on 6,075,551 shares reported in a Form 13F- HR filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024, by Edenbrook Capital and Jonathan Brolin. The address of each of the reporting persons is 116
Radio Circle, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549.
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(3)
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As reported on Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024, by American Capital Management, Inc. (“ACMI”). ACMI has sole voting power over 1,787,581 Cognyte ordinary shares and sole dispositive power over 5,802,415
Cognyte ordinary shares. The address of ACMI is 575 Lexington Avenue, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10022.
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(4)
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As reported on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 12, 2024 by Neuberger Berman Group, LLC (“NB Group”) and Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“NBIA”). NB Group has shared voting power over 4,098,684
shares and shared dispositive power over 5,038,357 shares. NBIA has shared voting power over 4,005,531 shares and shared dispositive power over 4,880,459 shares. Neuberger Berman Trust Co N.A., Neuberger Berman Trust Co of
Delaware N.A., Neuberger Berman Asia Ltd., Neuberger Berman Canada ULC, and NBIA and certain affiliated persons may be deemed to beneficially these Cognyte ordinary shares in their various fiduciary capacities. NB Group,
through its subsidiaries Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers Holdings LLC and Neuberger Trust Holdings LLC controls Neuberger Berman Trust Co N.A., Neuberger Berman Asia Ltd., Neuberger Berman Canada ULC, Neuberger Berman
Trust Co of Delaware N.A. and NBIA and certain affiliated persons. Each of NB Group, NBIA, Neuberger Trust Holdings LLC, Neuberger Berman Trust Co N.A., Neuberger Berman Asia Ltd., Neuberger Berman Canada ULC, Neuberger
Berman Trust Co of Delaware N.A. and Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC and certain affiliated persons disclaim beneficial ownership of these Cognyte ordinary shares. The address of each of these reporting persons is
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104.
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(5)
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As reported on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on April 29, 2024, by Topline Capital Management, LLC (“TCM”), Collin McBirney and Topline Capital Partners, LP (“TCP”), TCP beneficially owns 3,754,643 Cognyte ordinary
shares. The securities reported on the Schedule 13G as beneficially owned by TCM are held by and for the benefit of TCP.
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TCM, as the investment manager and general partner of TCP, and Mr. McBirney, as the member-manager of TCM, may be deemed to beneficially own the securities held by TCP insofar as they may be deemed to have the power to
direct the voting or disposition of those securities. Each of TCM and Mr. McBirney expressly disclaims beneficial ownership as to the securities held by TCP, except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interests therein. The
address of each of the reporting persons is 544 Euclid Street, Santa Monica, CA 90402.
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(6)
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As reported on Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on June 28, 2024 by Senvest Management, LLC (“Senvest”) and Richard Mashaal. Each of Senvest and Mr. Mashaal has shared voting and dispositive power over 3,582,753 Cognyte
ordinary shares. The address of Senvest and Mr. Mashaal is 540 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10022.
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Board Composition
& Evaluation
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Executive Compensation
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Board Members
Communication & Education
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Maintain a majority independent Board
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Base a significant portion of the compensation opportunity of our executive officers on financial performance
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Executive sessions between directors and key management members
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Keep Chair and CEO positions separated
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Set annual incentive targets for our executive officers based on objective performance measures
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Shareholders’ views are shared with our Board, and incorporated in discussions of our strategy, operational performance, financial results, capital allocations, corporate governance, compensation programs, and related matters
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Maintain entirely independent Board committees
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Offer equity and cash compensation which we believe incentivizes our executive officers to deliver both short and long-term shareholder value
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Continuing education program for directors
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Annual Board and committees performance review
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Cap cash bonus payments and equity-based compensation
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Discussions between the Board and shareholders
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Independent directors’ executive sessions
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Regularly review the executive compensation and peer group data
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Regularly review and update Board expertise
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Director Skills and
Experience
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Earl
Shanks
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Elad
Sharon
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Richard
Nottenburg
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Dafna
Sharir
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Avi
Cohen
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Sarit
Sagiv
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Ron
Shvili
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CEO / Senior Leadership
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Public Company Leadership Experience
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Public Company Board Experience
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Accounting Expertise & Financial Reporting
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Software Business
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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International Business Experience
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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M&A / Capital Markets
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Strategic Planning
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Information Technology/ Cybersecurity / IT
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Security Analytics Domain Expertise
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X
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X
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X
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||||
Executive
Compensation
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Risk Oversight & Management
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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ESG / Sustainability
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X
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X
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Country of Principal Executive Offices
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Israel
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Foreign Private Issuer
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Yes
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Disclosure Prohibited under Home Country Law
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No
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Total Number of Directors
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7
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Part I: Gender Identity
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Female
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Male
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Non-
Binary
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Did Not
Disclose
Gender
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Directors
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2
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5
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0
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0
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Part II: Demographic Background
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-
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|||||||
Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction
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-
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|||||||
LGBTQ+
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-
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|||||||
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background
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-
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+
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retaining and terminating our independent auditors, subject to the ratification of our Board, and in the case of retention, to that of our shareholders;
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+
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pre-approving of audit and non-audit services and related fees and terms, to be provided by the independent auditors;
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+
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overseeing the accounting and financial reporting processes of our company and audits of our financial statements, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and making
such reports as may be required of an audit committee under the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act;
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+
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reviewing with management and our independent auditor our annual and quarterly financial statements prior to publication or filing (or submission, as the case may be) to the SEC;
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+
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recommending to our Board the retention and termination of the head internal auditor, and the head internal auditor’s engagement fees and terms, in accordance with the Companies Law as well as approving the yearly or
periodic work plan proposed by the internal audit department;
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+
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reviewing with our Chief Legal Officer and/or external counsel, as deemed necessary, legal and regulatory matters that could have a material impact on the financial statements;
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+
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identifying irregularities in our business administration, inter alia, by consulting with the head internal auditor or with the independent auditor, and suggesting corrective measures to our Board;
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+
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reviewing policies and procedures with respect to transactions (other than transactions related to the compensation or terms of services) between the Company and officers and directors, or affiliates of officers or
directors, or transactions that are not in the ordinary course of the Company’s business and deciding whether to approve such acts and transactions if so required under the Companies Law; and
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+
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establishing procedures for the handling of employees’ complaints as to the management of our business and the protection to be provided to such employees.
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+
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approving and recommending to our Board for its approval a compensation policy in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Law as well as other compensation policies, incentive-based compensation plans and equity-
based compensation plans, and overseeing the development and implementation of such policies and recommending to our Board any amendments or modifications the committee deems appropriate, including as required under the
Companies Law;
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+
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approving and recommending to our Board for its approval the granting of options and other incentive awards to our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, including reviewing and approving corporate goals and
objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, including evaluating their performance in light of such goals and objectives;
|
+
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approving and exempting certain transactions regarding office holders’ compensation pursuant to the Companies Law; and
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+
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assisting the Board in administering our equity- based compensation plans, including without limitation, recommending to our Board the adoption and/or amendment of such plans, interpreting such plans and the awards and
agreements issued pursuant thereto, and approving and recommending to our Board the approval of awards to eligible persons under the plans and the terms of such awards.
|
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+
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evaluating and making recommendations to our Board concerning the structure, composition and functioning of our Board and any committee thereof, to ensure the Board has the requisite expertise and its membership consists of
persons with sufficiently diverse and independent backgrounds;
|
+
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recommending to our Board for its approval criteria for the Board and committee membership, including a description of any specific and minimum qualifications that the Nominating and Governance Committee believes must be
met by a committee- recommended nominee;
|
+
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identifying and evaluating individuals, including individuals proposed by our shareholders, qualified to serve as members of our Board, consistent with criteria established by the committee, a new director candidate
evaluation process and the qualification requirements set forth under the Companies Law and Nasdaq corporate governance rules;
|
+
|
recommending to the Board candidates for election or reelection by our Board at each annual general meeting of shareholders;
|
+
|
establishing procedures for and oversee performance evaluations of the members of our Board and our Board and the committees thereof on a collective basis;
|
+
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reviewing our Board meeting procedures, including the appropriateness and adequacy of the information supplied to directors prior to and during meetings of our Board;
|
+
|
establishing and maintaining effective corporate governance policies and practices, including, but not limited to, developing and recommending to the Board a set of corporate governance
guidelines applicable to our Company; and
|
+
|
assisting our Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to corporate responsibility and environmental, social and governance matters.
|
+
|
providing the Board with recommendations, in relation to the development and execution of the Company’s strategy, including its strategic plans and initiative;
|
|
providing guidance and support to management in the execution of strategic projects and initiatives, including resource allocation and performance management; and
|
|
+
|
assisting management in assessing and monitoring external factors such as regulatory changes, technological advancements, and economic conditions that may impact the Company’s strategy. The Strategy Committee shall also
maintain a cooperative, interactive planning process with management, including but not limited to, identifying and prioritizing strategic goals.
|
As a result of the foregoing extensive engagement process, we have taken the following actions:
+ We added two highly experienced Board members to enhance expertise and governance, especially in the domains of capital markets,
financial reporting and security analytics.
|
+ We enhanced our disclosure regarding our corporate governance practices and policies, and added:
• a skills matrix to highlight the diverse skills and backgrounds of our Board members; and
• disclosures on the oversight, responsibilities and practices of our Board to provide greater
clarity on the Board’s role in overseeing the Company’s management and strategy.
In addition, we added detailed disclosure regarding our approach to and philosophy for compensation of executive officers, including disclosure on the peer group we use as a benchmark and the
criteria used in setting the performance-based compensation.
|
|
PROPOSAL 1
|
RE-ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS
|
+
|
the Class I directors are Mr. Richard Nottenburg, Ms. Sarit Sagiv and Mr. Ron Shvili and their terms expire at our annual meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2026;
|
+
|
the Class II directors are Ms. Dafna Sharir and Mr. Avi Cohen, and their terms expire at our annual meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2027; and
|
+
|
the Class III directors are Mr. Earl Shanks and Mr. Elad Sharon, and their terms expire at the Meeting.
|
|
“RESOLVED, to approve that Mr. Earl Shanks be re-elected as Class III director, to serve until the annual meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending on January 31, 2028 and
until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until his office is vacated in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association or the Companies Law.”
“RESOLVED, to approve that Mr. Elad Sharon be re-elected as Class III director, to serve until the annual meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending on January 31, 2028, and
until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until his office is vacated in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association or the Companies Law.”
|
|
PROPOSAL 2
|
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE TERMS
OF EMPLOYMENT OF MR. ELAD SHARON,
THE COMPANY’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
|
|
|
What we do
|
What we do not do
|
|
Equity compensation grants to promote executive retention and reward long-term value creation
|
Do not grant uncapped cash incentives or guaranteed equity compensation
|
|
Fully independent directors on Compensation Committee, composed of at least three members
|
Do not provide compensation-related tax gross ups
|
|
Engage an independent compensation consultant to advise our Compensation Committee
|
Do not provide significant perquisites
|
|
Carefully managing our equity dilution level (currently below 10%)
|
Do not permit hedging or pledging of Company securities
|
|
Continuously enhancing our compensation practices to include a significant performance- based component in our executives’ compensation. Currently, at least 50% of our executives’ annual equity grant is subject to
performance-based criteria
|
|
|
+
|
Software companies, prioritizing companies with a security focus and selling primarily into government channels.
|
+
|
Companies with revenues of between $150 million and $800 million reflecting a range of approximately 50% to 200% of our revenues over the past three years.
|
+
|
Companies with a market value of between $150 million to $3.0 billion.
|
+
|
Companies with a headcount of 500 to 2,600 employees, reflecting approximately 30% to 150% of our projected headcount for the next couple of years.
|
+
|
Preference was given to companies based in Israel that went public within the last five years with shares listed on Nasdaq, ensuring that the list has sufficient representation from companies with headquarters in Israel.
|
|
Following review and consideration of the different factors, our Compensation Committee and Board approved the below as our Peer Group for FYE25:
|
||
AvePoint
|
Domo
|
Rimini Street
|
BigCommerce
|
Enfusion
|
Riskified
|
C3.ai
|
Everbridge
|
SecureWorks
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Cellebrite DI
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Kaltura
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Similarweb
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Consensus Cloud Solutions
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MeridianLink
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WalkMe
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Zuora
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Rapid7
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Base Salary: Base salary attracts and retains talented executives, recognizes individual roles and responsibilities, and provides
stable income. The base salary payable to each executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role, and responsibilities. Base salaries
provide our executive officers with a reasonable degree of financial certainty and stability. Each executive officer’s initial base salary was provided in their employment agreement. The FYE24 and FYE25 base salaries
for our executive officers, other than of our Chief Executive Officer, were updated in order to be more competitive and attractive in relation to the market standards. Based on the study conducted by our compensation
consultant, after giving effect to such increases, our executive officers’ base salaries remain below the 25th percentile of the Peer Group.
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Cash Incentive Bonus: Performance based annual cash bonuses are primarily intended to reward superior performance of financial and,
to a lesser extent, qualitative and non-financial goals by our executive officers and support fixed compensation in attracting and retaining our executive officers. The performance goals that underlie the bonus
entitlement are determined by our Compensation Committee and our Board and are designed to ensure that bonuses are paid to reward for achievements with respect to the Company’s business objectives and targets. Such
goals generally include revenues, booking, collection, adjusted EBITDA or other parameters.
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Annual Performance Metric
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Weight
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Booking
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30%
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Non-GAAP Revenue
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25%
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Collection
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25%
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Personal goals
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20%
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Long Term Incentive Compensation: Equity compensation, provided in the form of time vesting restricted share units (RSUs) as well as
performance-based restricted share units (PSUs), aligns executives’ interests with our shareholder’ interests, emphasizes long-term financial and operational performance, and helps retain executive talent. Equity-based
compensation creates an ownership culture among our executive officers that provides an incentive to contribute to the continued growth and development of our business and aligns the interests of our executives with
those of our shareholders. The vesting of both RSUs and PSUs is subject to continued service by the executive officer, which vesting condition further strengthens the executive officer’s long- term commitment.
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Two-Year Performance Metric
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Weight
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Non-GAAP Revenue
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33.3%
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Adjusted EBITDA
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33.3%
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Collection
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33.3%
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Base Salary: A monthly salary of NIS 140,000 (equivalent to $37,534, based on the average conversion rate for the month ended June
30, 2024 (the “Base Salary”).
The Board will evaluate the Base Salary every year and shall have authority to increase such Base Salary on an annual basis by up to (i) 5% of the then effective base salary plus (ii) the increase of the Consumer
Price Index in Israel since the previous increase of the Base Salary. In the event that in any anniversary the increase referred to above is at a lower rate than the maximum permitted above, subsequent increase in the
following year may be at a higher rate up to the aggregate that would have been had the Base Salary increased at the maximum rate permitted.
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Annual On Target Cash Bonus: An annual cash bonus of up to 12 monthly Base Salaries (the “Annual On Target Cash Bonus”).
The Annual On Target Cash Bonus will be paid subject to achievement of certain pre-established quantitative performance goals and objectives that will be determined by our Compensation Committee and Board to be key components in the Company’s medium- and long-term success. Up to 20% of the Annual On Target Cash Bonus may be subject to qualitative performance at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and the Board. In addition, subject to the Company and Chief Executive Officer overachieving the performance objectives determined by the Compensation Committee and the Board by pre-established thresholds in any fiscal year, the Chief Executive Officer may be entitled to an additional bonus equal to up to 12 monthly Base Salaries (the “Overachievement Bonus”). The bonus structure does not reflect any increase to Mr. Sharon’s current bonus structure. |
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Number of Shares: An equal number of RSUs and PSUs such that the aggregate number of such RSUs and PSUs will equal $3.5 million
divided by the fair market value of the shares of the Company on the date of grant, which fair market value will be calculated in the manner then calculated by the Company for all of its members of management.
To ensure that that the dilutive effect of Mr. Sharon’s equity grants does not have an excessive dilution effect on our share capital, the aggregate number of RSUs and PSUs granted to Mr. Sharon in any fiscal
year will be capped at 600,000.
With respect to FYE25, Mr. Sharon has already received, pursuant to his existing compensation terms, an equity award, comprised of an equal number of RSUs and PSUs, with an aggregate fair market value at the time
of the grant of $2.5 million. Subject to the approval of the shareholders of the proposed amendments, Mr. Sharon will be granted a supplemental award in FYE25, comprised of an equal number of RSUs and PSUs, with an
aggregate fair market value of $1.0 million on the date of grant.
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Vesting Terms:
PSUs: The Compensation Committee and Board will annually assess Mr. Sharon’s performance in the previous year and his expected contribution to the Company’s short- and long-term success. The Compensation
Committee and the Board will then determine the appropriate performance vesting terms of Mr. Sharon’s PSUs for the two fiscal years following the grant. The performance terms are expected to be determined by
reference to financial KPIs of the Company based on its operating plans for the relevant years. The PSUs may settle into up to two times the number of underlying shares to the extent that the performance is
overachieved on the basis of pre-determined over-achievement levels.
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PROPOSAL 3
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APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION OF THE
APPOINTMENT OF KESSELMAN & KESSELMAN, AS
THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS OF THE COMPANY
FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AT THE CLOSE
OF THE NEXT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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Year Ended January 31,
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in thousands of US $
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2024
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2023
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Audit Fees
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$736
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$805
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Audit-Related Fees
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75
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Tax Fees
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13
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24
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Total
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$749
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$904
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(1)
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“Audit fees” include fees for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements or services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or
engagements, including consents and assistance with and review of documents filed with the SEC.
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(2)
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“Audit-related fees” include fees for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the financial statements, other than those included in “Audit
fees” namely, services related to other statutory or regulatory filings and due diligence.
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(3)
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“Tax fees” include fees for professional services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning on actual or contemplated transactions.
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Board Recommendation
The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the foregoing resolution approving the appointment of Kesselman & Kesselman, a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers
International Limited, as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2025.
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APPENDIX A
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SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
ABOUT NON-GAAP FINANCIAL
MEASURES |
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facilitating the comparison of our financial results and business trends between periods, by excluding certain items that either can vary significantly in amount and frequency, are based upon subjective
assumptions, or in certain cases are unplanned for or difficult to forecast,
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facilitating the comparison of our financial results and business trends with other software companies who publish similar non-GAAP measures, and
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allowing investors to see and understand key supplementary metrics used by our
management to run our business, including for budgeting and forecasting, resource allocation, and compensation matters.
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Q1-FYE25
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Q4-FYE24
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Q3-FYE24
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Q2-FYE24
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Q1-FYE24
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FYE24
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FYE23
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Revenue
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|||||||
Total GAAP revenue
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82.7
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83.7
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79.4
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77.1
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73.3
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313.4
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312.1
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Revenue adjustments
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-
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-
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-
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-
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0.1
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0.1
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1.0
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SIS adjustments (*)
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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(30.1)
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Total non-GAAP revenue
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82.7
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83.7
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79.4
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77.1
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73.4
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313.5
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283.0
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Gross profit
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GAAP gross profit
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58.4
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57.4
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55.3
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52.9
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49.8
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215.4
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192.1
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GAAP gross margin
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70.6%
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68.5%
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69.7%
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68.7%
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67.9%
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68.7%
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61.6%
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Stock-based compensation expenses
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0.4
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0.4
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0.4
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0.3
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0.3
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1.4
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3.3
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Other adjustments, net
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-
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-
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-
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0.1
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0.1
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0.2
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3.3
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SIS adjustments (*)
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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(21.2)
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Non-GAAP gross profit
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58.8
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57.8
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55.7
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53.3
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50.2
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217
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177.6
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Non-GAAP gross margin
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71.1%
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69.0%
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70.2%
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69.2%
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68.4%
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69.2%
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62.8%
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Operating loss and adjusted EBITDA
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|||||||
GAAP operating loss
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(2.3)
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(2.9)
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(2.8)
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(5.6)
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(6.9)
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(18.1)
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(103.3)
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Stock-based compensation expenses
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3.9
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4.0
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3.6
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2.7
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1.9
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12.2
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25.2
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Other adjustments, net
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0.2
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(0.1)
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0.4
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1.9
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(0.6)
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1.7
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10.4
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SIS adjustments (*)
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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(3.8)
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Non-GAAP operating (loss) income
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1.8
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1.0
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1.2
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(0.9)
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(5.5)
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(4.2)
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(71.4)
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Depreciation and
amortization
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3.2
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3.3
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3.4
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3.3
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3.2
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13.2
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15.5
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Adjusted EBITDA
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$5.0
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$4.3
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$4.6
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$2.3
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$(2.3)
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$9.0
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$(55.9)
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FYE24
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FYE23
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Cash from operations
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34.6
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(37.0)
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Purchases of property and equipment
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(7.0)
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(8.3)
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Cash paid for capitalized software development costs
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(2.0)
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(3.4)
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Free cash flow
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25.5
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(48.7)
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COGNYTE SOFTWARE LTD.
C/O BROADRIDGE CORPORATE ISSUER SOLUTIONS
P.O. BOX 1342
BRENTWOOD, NY 11717
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VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode above
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date.
Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
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ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports
electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in
future years.
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you
call and then follow the instructions.
VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717 as
soon as possible (the proxy card must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) the day before the meeting date).
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V54810-P16816
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KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
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DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
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COGNYTE SOFTWARE LTD.
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following proposals:
1. To re-elect each of Mr. Earl Shanks and Mr. Elad Sharon as Class III directors, to hold office until the close
of the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders to be held during the fiscal year ending on January 31, 2028 and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified, or until their respective offices are
vacated in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association or the Companies Law 5759-1999 (the “Companies Law”).
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Nominees:
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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||||
1a. Earl Shanks
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1b. Elad Sharon
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For
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Against |
Abstain
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2.
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To approve amendments to the terms of employment of Mr. Elad Sharon, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as detailed in the Proxy Statement, dated July 30, 2024.
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Please note: By voting, whether by means of the enclosed proxy card, via telephone or internet voting, you will be deemed to confirm to the Company that you DO NOT have a personal
interest in Proposal 2 and that you are NOT a controlling shareholder under the Companies Law (an “Interested Shareholder”). If you are an Interested Shareholder, please notify the Company, as described in this proxy card (in which case
your vote will only count for or against the ordinary majority, and not for or against the special tally, required for approval and adoption of Proposal 2)
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3.
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To approve the appointment of Kesselman & Kesselman, a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year
ending January 31, 2025 and until the next annual general meeting of shareholders, and to authorize the Company’s board of directors (with power of delegation to its audit committee) to set the fees to be paid to such auditors.
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Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint
owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.
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Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]
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Date |
Signature (Joint Owners)
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Date |
V54811-P16816
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