INSIDER TRADING POLICY
Introduction
The securities laws of the United States and the various states impose important restrictions on employees, officers, directors and temporary contract workers (“Covered Persons”) of Cardinal Infrastructure Group Inc. and its affiliates (“Cardinal Infrastructure”) with respect to sales, purchases, exercises of options or other similar transactions involving securities. This policy reviews these restrictions concerning securities transactions by Cardinal Infrastructure and Covered Persons. It is important to note that the securities laws are both far-reaching and frequently changing. Therefore, while the following review provides a useful overview, it is not a comprehensive attempt to deal with all potential restrictions. In general, it will help you identify potential problems and be aware of areas where caution is warranted and advice should be sought.
This policy also establishes specific procedures, designed to ensure compliance with the securities laws, to be followed by Cardinal Infrastructure and Covered Persons engaging in transactions in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities and, in certain circumstances, securities of third parties. Compliance with this Policy is necessary to protect Cardinal Infrastructure’s business and reputation, to prevent violations of law by you and by Cardinal Infrastructure and to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
If you encounter a problem or have any doubts about your transactions in securities, you should consult with the Legal Department, so that the proper advice can be given and the proper actions can be taken.
General Restrictions and Policies
Insider Trading
It is unlawful for an “insider” (as defined below) to trade in securities on the basis of material information known to that individual but not to the public (“material non-public information”), or to transmit material non-public information to any other person who may trade on the basis of such information. Violation of this prohibition is a serious federal offense and the penalties can include a prison term and disgorgement of any profits. The fact that the insider did not intend to defraud anyone may not insulate the insider from liability. It is Cardinal Infrastructure’s policy that it and its employees comply with this prohibition. In particular, Covered Persons are prohibited from using material non-public information in connection with:
In addition, when a Covered Person is in possession of material non-public information about Cardinal Infrastructure, the Covered Person may not pass (or “tip”) that information to others or recommend to anyone the purchase or sale of the relevant securities.
The foregoing restrictions apply to securities and information of Cardinal Infrastructure as well as to the securities and information of another company (e.g., a proposed acquisition target) to the extent material non-public information regarding the other company is obtained through a Covered Person’s relationship with Cardinal Infrastructure. See “Applicability of Policy to Material Non-Public Information Regarding Other Companies” below.
An “insider” is any person who has access to material non-public information. Insiders include all individuals who have access to such information, including, among others, legal and financial personnel, secretaries, administrative assistants, file personnel and any person (a “tippee”) to whom they relate such insider information. An immediate family member, defined as a child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, spouse, sibling, mother- in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law and any person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing the household of the specified person may also be deemed to be insiders. In addition, Cardinal Infrastructure may become a temporary insider of a client it advises or for which it performs other services. If a client expects Cardinal Infrastructure to keep its nonpublic information confidential and the relationship implies such a duty, then Cardinal Infrastructure will be considered an insider.
Trading on the basis of “material non-public information” is forbidden. This term is subject to many interpretations, but for your purposes, you should assume that it includes any non-public information which a reasonable investor is likely to consider important in determining whether to buy, sell or hold securities. Moreover, the fact that an insider (or a tippee of an insider) has traded on the basis of particular information which has not been made public may itself be regarded as evidence that the information is material. Either good or bad information could be material.
Examples of the types of information concerning an issuer that are likely to be deemed “material” include, but are not limited to the following:
If you are unsure whether the information is material, you should assume that it is material rather than risk violating the securities laws by trading while possessing information.
Securities transactions by insiders in possession of material information, provided they are otherwise consistent with the procedures set forth in this policy, should be made only when the insider is certain that such information has been sufficiently publicized by official announcements. Information is not public merely because it is reflected by rumors or other unofficial statements in the marketplace. Moreover, the insider may not attempt to “beat the market” by trading simultaneously with, or shortly after, the official release of such information. Information is considered to be available to the public only (1) after it has been released to the public through appropriate channels (e.g., by means of a press release or Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filing) and (2) enough time has elapsed to permit the investment market to absorb and evaluate the information. Depending on the circumstances then, information normally should not be regarded as public until at least 24 hours after it has been disseminated through a national news medium.
Except where otherwise expressly indicated, this policy does not apply under the following circumstances:
Questions
Whenever you have any doubt as to the materiality or non-public nature of any information known to you, you should consult with and receive clearance from the Legal Department before trading in such securities for your own account or for the account of an advisory client (including a Fund), or disclosing the information to others. The process of consultation and clearance in advance should serve to avoid potential liability or other serious consequences (i.e., exposure to costly investigations or litigation).
Trading Restrictions
General Restrictions
In order to prevent the misuse of material, inside information and to avoid potential liability to Cardinal Infrastructure and its officers, directors and employees under the federal securities laws, the following restrictions on trading in Cardinal Infrastructure stock and other securities, generally, are to be observed by all Covered Persons:
Limits on Trades In Cardinal Infrastructure’s Securities — “Blackout” Periods.
A “blackout” period is a period during which a Covered Person may not execute transactions in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities, including related accounts, other than through an outstanding 10b5-1 trading plan. Even if a blackout period is not then in effect, a Covered Person may not trade in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities if the Covered Person is aware of material nonpublic information about Cardinal Infrastructure, other than through an outstanding 10b5-1 trading plan. For example, if Cardinal Infrastructure issues a quarterly earnings press release and a Covered Person is aware of other material non-public information concerning Cardinal Infrastructure not disclosed in the earnings press release, the Covered Person may not trade in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities. The prohibition on trading while being aware of material non-public information about Cardinal Infrastructure extends to sales of shares issued upon exercise of stock options or upon vesting of restricted stock units granted under a Firm stock incentive plan.
Rules Regarding Stock Options and Other Stock-Related Awards
Covered Persons may exercise stock options during a blackout period if none of the shares issued upon the exercise are sold during the blackout period. Accordingly, a Covered Person may exercise stock options during a blackout period if he or she pays the exercise price, tax withholding, and any other exercise-related fees in cash and not through a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” where a broker sells shares issued upon exercise to raise those funds.
The use of share withholding that does not involve a market transaction in order to satisfy exercise price or tax obligations related to the vesting of an award made under any of Cardinal Infrastructure’s stock-based incentive plans is not prohibited by this policy.
Other Trading Restrictions Applicable to Cardinal Infrastructure’s Securities
Cardinal Infrastructure considers it improper and inappropriate for Covered Persons to engage in short- term or speculative transactions in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities or in other transactions in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities that may lead to inadvertent violations of insider trading laws. Accordingly, transactions in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities by Covered Persons are subject to the following.
Applicability of Policy to Material Non-Public Information Regarding Other Companies
This Policy and the guidelines described herein also apply to material non-public information relating to other companies, including Cardinal Infrastructure’s clients, vendors or suppliers (“business partners”), when that information is obtained in the course of employment with, or other services performed on behalf of, Cardinal Infrastructure. The Consequences for Violations discussed below may result from trading on material non-public information regarding Cardinal Infrastructure’s business partners. All Covered Persons should treat material non-public information about Cardinal Infrastructure’s business partners with the same care required with respect to information related directly to Cardinal Infrastructure.
Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan Guidelines
Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) provides an affirmative defense against a claim of insider trading for transactions made pursuant to a pre-existing Rule 10b5-1 trading plan (a “10b5-1 Plan”) which meets the required conditions set forth below. Covered Persons may establish written programs which (i) permit automatic trading of Cardinal Infrastructure’s stock through a third-party broker or (ii) trading of Cardinal Infrastructure’s stock by an independent person (e.g., an investment broker) who is not aware of material non-public information at the time of the trade. Once a program is implemented in accordance with Rule 10b5-1, trades pursuant to such program will not be subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth in other sections of this Policy.
A 10b5-1 Plan must have the below characteristics:
Consequences for Violations
Upon determining that a violation or possible insider trading violation has occurred, the Legal Department will report his/her recommendation for resolution of the violation to the Covered Person’s supervisor and the Company’s chief legal officer. After consultation, the supervisor and the Legal Department will discuss the matter with the Covered Person believed to have violated
the Policy. The matter will then be reported to the Chief Executive Officer, who may impose sanctions against the Covered Person, as he or she deems appropriate under the circumstances.
Internal Sanctions for Violations
Appropriate sanctions imposed by the Chief Executive Officer may include without limitation:
Regulatory Sanctions
If a Covered Person trades in Cardinal Infrastructure securities or in the securities of Cardinal Infrastructure’s business partners while in possession of material non-public information, it could subject the Covered Person to potential criminal and civil liability under applicable securities laws.
In addition, liability may also be imposed for improper transactions by any person (commonly referred to as a “tippee”) to whom a Covered Person has disclosed material nonpublic information or to whom a Covered Person has made recommendations or expressed opinions on the basis of such information as to trading in securities of Cardinal Infrastructure or one of its business partners. Both the disclosing person (i.e., the “tipper”) and the tippee can be held liable for violations of this nature.
Post-Employment Transactions
If a Covered Person is aware of material non-public information concerning Cardinal Infrastructure when the Covered Person’s employment or service relationship terminates, the Covered Person may not trade in Cardinal Infrastructure’s securities until that information has been publicly released, notwithstanding the termination of the Covered Person’s employment or service relationship.
Annual Review of Policy
The Board of Directors shall review this policy and make changes as appropriate on an annual basis.