KEY 8-K
Keycorp /New/ (KEY)
8-K
2026-05-14
For: 2026-05-13
View Original
Added on
May 15, 2026
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 | ||
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 13, 2026
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
| State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization: | Commission File Number | I.R.S. Employer Identification Number: | ||||||||||||
| Address of principal executive offices: | Zip Code: | |||||||||||||
(216 ) 689-3000
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
| Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): | |||||
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | |||||
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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. ☐
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
The Board of Directors (the “Board” or “Board of Directors”) of KeyCorp (“KeyCorp” or the “Company”) previously approved, subject to shareholder approval, the KeyCorp 2026 Equity Compensation Plan (the “2026 Plan”). As described below under Item 5.07, KeyCorp shareholders approved the 2026 Plan at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) held on May 14, 2026. The 2026 Plan provides the Company with the ability to offer equity-based compensation to its employees and non-employee directors in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, restricted share units, performance shares, performance units, dividend equivalents, and other awards. These awards are designed to advance the interests and long-term success of the Company and its shareholders by providing equity-based incentives for effective service and high levels of performance by plan participants. The 2026 Plan also increased the annual limit on the equity and cash compensation of non-employee directors from $500,000 to $750,000.
A description of the material terms of the 2026 Plan was included in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 27, 2026 (the “Proxy Statement”). The foregoing description of the 2026 Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2026 Plan, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
At the Annual Meeting, shareholders elected all fourteen of the directors nominated by the KeyCorp Board of Directors. Each director received a greater number of votes cast for his or her election than votes against his or her election, as stated below. The shareholders also ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as KeyCorp’s independent auditors for the 2026 fiscal year, approved on an advisory basis KeyCorp’s executive compensation (as described in the Proxy Statement), and approved the 2026 Plan.
The final voting results from the Annual Meeting are as follows, rounded down to the nearest whole share:
Proposal One—Election of Directors
| NOMINEE | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON-VOTE | ||||||||||
| Jacqueline L. Allard | 841,985,117 | 9,932,868 | 8,393,757 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Alexander M. Cutler | 773,026,827 | 78,899,226 | 8,385,652 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| H. James Dallas | 809,798,865 | 42,171,181 | 8,341,695 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Antonio DeSpirito | 845,329,425 | 6,504,368 | 8,477,949 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Elizabeth R. Gile | 813,468,511 | 38,536,006 | 8,307,225 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Christopher M. Gorman | 818,710,265 | 30,917,284 | 10,684,192 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Robin N. Hayes | 848,543,907 | 3,422,963 | 8,344,871 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Christopher L. Henson | 846,488,895 | 5,393,937 | 8,428,910 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Richard J. Hipple | 808,605,771 | 43,350,740 | 8,355,230 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Somesh Khanna | 842,504,574 | 9,348,917 | 8,458,124 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Devina A. Rankin | 848,836,215 | 3,165,252 | 8,310,148 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Barbara R. Snyder | 810,966,865 | 40,993,299 | 8,351,577 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Richard J. Tobin | 846,234,580 | 5,707,108 | 8,370,053 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
| Todd J. Vasos | 813,003,449 | 38,924,978 | 8,383,314 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||||
Proposal Two—Ratification of the Appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as KeyCorp’s Independent Auditors for 2026
| FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | ||||||
| 903,632,285 | 46,346,408 | 806,491 | ||||||
Proposal Three—Advisory Approval of KeyCorp's Executive Compensation
| FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON-VOTE | ||||||||
| 791,394,228 | 65,005,570 | 3,911,944 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||
Proposal Four—Approval of the 2026 Plan
| FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON-VOTE | ||||||||
| 834,392,478 | 23,587,892 | 2,331,231 | 90,473,444 | ||||||||
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On May 13, 2026, KeyCorp announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program pursuant to which the Company may purchase up to $3.0 billion of KeyCorp common shares. A copy of the press release announcing the share repurchase program is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
From time to time, the Company has made or will make forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company’s disclosures in this report contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “outlook,” “goal,” “objective,” “plan,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “explore,” “may,” or other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements represent management’s current expectations and forecasts regarding future events. If underlying assumptions prove to be inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties arise, actual results could vary materially from these projections or expectations. Factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as well as in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC, all of which have been or will be filed with the SEC and are or will be available on the Company’s website (www.key.com/ir) and on the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect new information or future events.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description of Exhibit | |||||||
| 10.1 | ||||||||
| 10.2 | ||||||||
| 99.1 | ||||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within Inline XBRL document). | |||||||
| SIGNATURE | ||||||||
| Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. | ||||||||
| KEYCORP | ||||||||
| Date: May 14, 2026 | /s/ Andrea R. McCarthy | |||||||
| By: Andrea R. McCarthy | ||||||||
| Title: Assistant Secretary | ||||||||
KEYCORP
2026 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN
2026 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN
1.Establishment, Purpose, Duration.
(a)Establishment. KeyCorp (the “Corporation”) establishes this KeyCorp 2026 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), effective as of May 14, 2026 (the “Effective Date”), subject to the approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Corporation at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on the Effective Date. Definitions of certain capitalized terms used in the Plan are contained in Section 2 of the Plan.
(b)Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain Directors, officers and other key Employees of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, and to provide those persons with incentives and rewards for superior performance.
(c)Duration. No Award may be granted under the Plan on or after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, or such earlier date as the Board may determine. The Plan will remain in effect with respect to outstanding Awards until no Awards remain outstanding.
(d)Termination of 2019 Plan. If the Corporation’s stockholders approve the Plan at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Corporation’s 2019 Equity Compensation Plan (the “2019 Plan”) will terminate in its entirety effective upon stockholder approval of the Plan, and no further awards may be granted under the 2019 Plan; provided that all outstanding awards under the 2019 Plan as of the Effective Date will remain outstanding and will be administered and settled in accordance with their terms and the provisions of the 2019 Plan.
2.Definitions. As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply.
(a)“Applicable Laws” means the applicable requirements relating to the administration of equity-based compensation plans under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, the rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which Common Shares are listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted or administered or in which Participants work or reside.
(b)“Award” means an award of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(c)“Award Instrument” means either: (i) an agreement, in written or electronic format, entered into by the Corporation and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under the Plan; or (ii) a statement, in written or electronic format, issued by the Corporation to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award, which need not be signed by the Participant. Acceptance of the Award Instrument by a Participant constitutes agreement to the terms of the Award.
(d)“Beneficial Owner” will have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.
(e)“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
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(f)“Cause” as a reason for Key’s termination of an Employee’s Continuous Service will have the meaning given to it in any applicable change in control agreement between the Corporation or a Subsidiary and the Employee, any Award Instrument or any other written agreement between Key and the Employee. If no applicable agreement exists or if such agreement does not contain a definition of “Cause”, then “Cause” will mean the occurrence of any of the following prior to the termination of the Employee’s Continuous Service (regardless of whether such occurrence is known to the Corporation at the time of such termination of employment):
(i)the Employee’s willful and continued failure to perform the principal duties of his or her employment (other than any such failure resulting from vacation, authorized leave of absence or incapacity due to injury, accident or disability), as reasonably determined by Key;
(ii)the Employee’s material breach of any agreement, covenant or representation made in any employment or other agreement with Key or a material violation of Key’s internal policies or procedures as are in effect as of the date such violation occurred;
(iii)the Employee’s material violation of any law, rule, regulation or by-law of any governmental authority (state, federal or foreign), any securities exchange or association or other regulatory or self-regulatory body or agency applicable to Employee or to Key;
(iv)the Employee’s arrest for, conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a crime involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, fraud or unethical business conduct, or any felony of any nature;
(v)the Employee’s failure to obtain or maintain any registration, license or other authorization or approval that the Employee is required to maintain or that Key reasonably believes is required in order for the Employee to perform the Employee’s duties;
(vi)the Employee’s willful failure to execute a directive of the Employee’s supervisor (unless such directive would result in the commission of an act which is illegal or unethical) or commission of an act against the directive of the Employee’s supervisor;
(vii)the Employee commits an act or series of acts of misconduct in the course of the Employee’s employment which is materially detrimental to the financial condition or business reputation of Key, whether as a result of adverse publicity or otherwise;
(viii)Key has been ordered or directed by any federal or state regulatory agency with jurisdiction to terminate or suspend the Employee’s employment; or
(ix)the Employee shall have intentionally engaged in Harmful Activity (as defined in Section 20) while the Employee remains in the employ of Key.
(g)“Change of Control” means, unless otherwise provided in the relevant Award Instrument or a Deferred Compensation Plan, the occurrence of any of the events under any of clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) below. For these purposes, the Corporation will be deemed to have become a subsidiary of another corporation if any other corporation (which term will, for all purposes of this Section 2(g), include, in addition to a corporation, a limited liability
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company, partnership, trust, or other organization) owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total combined outstanding voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any successor to the Corporation.
(i)A Change of Control will have occurred under this clause (i) if the Corporation is a party to a transaction pursuant to which the Corporation is merged with or into, or is consolidated with, or becomes the subsidiary of another corporation and either:
(A)Immediately after giving effect to that transaction, less than 65% of the then outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or (if the Corporation becomes a subsidiary in the transaction) of the ultimate parent of the Corporation represent or were issued in exchange for voting securities of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to the transaction, or
(B)Immediately after giving effect to that transaction, individuals who were directors of the Corporation on the day before the first public announcement of (I) the pendency of the transaction or (II) the intention of any person or entity to cause the transaction to occur, cease for any reason to constitute at least 51% of the directors of the surviving or resulting corporation or (if the Corporation becomes a subsidiary in the transaction) of the ultimate parent of the Corporation.
(ii)A Change of Control will have occurred under this clause (ii) if a tender or exchange offer shall be made and consummated for 35% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation or any Person is or becomes the beneficial owner of 35% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation or there is a report filed on Schedule 13D or Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor schedule, form or report), each as adopted under the Exchange Act, disclosing the acquisition of 35% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation in a transaction or series of transactions by any Person.
(iii)A Change of Control will have occurred under this clause (iii) if either:
(A)Without the prior approval, solicitation, invitation, or recommendation of the Board any person or entity makes a public announcement of a bona fide intention (x) to engage in a transaction with the Corporation that, if consummated, would result in a Change Event (as defined below in this clause (iii)), or (y) to “solicit” (as defined in Rule 14a-1 under the Exchange Act) proxies in connection with a proposal that is not approved or recommended by the Board, or
(B)Any person or entity publicly announces a bona fide intention to engage in an election contest relating to the election of directors of the Corporation (pursuant to Regulation 14A, including Rule 14a-11, under the Exchange Act),
(h)AND,
(i)at any time within the 24-month period immediately following the date of the announcement of that intention, individuals who, on the day before
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that announcement, constituted the directors of the Corporation (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless both (x) the election, or the nomination for election by the Corporation’s shareholders, of each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors in office at the time of the election or nomination for election of such new director, and (y) prior to the time that the Incumbent Directors no longer constitute a majority of the Board, the Incumbent Directors then in office, by a vote of at least 75% of their number, reasonably determine in good faith that the change in Board membership that has occurred before the date of that determination and that is anticipated to thereafter occur within the balance of the 24-month period to cause the Incumbent Directors to no longer be a majority of the Board was not caused by or attributable to, in whole or in any significant part, directly or indirectly, proximately or remotely, any event under subclause (A) or (B) of this clause (iii).
(j)For purposes of this clause (iii), the term “Change Event” means any of the events described in the following subclauses (I), (II), or (III) of this clause (iii):
(I)a tender or exchange offer shall be made for 25% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation or any Person is or becomes the beneficial owner of 25% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation or there is a report filed on Schedule 13D or Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor schedule, form, or report), each as adopted under the Exchange Act, disclosing the acquisition of 25% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation in a transaction or series of transactions by any Person;
(II)the Corporation is a party to a transaction pursuant to which the Corporation is merged with or into, or is consolidated with, or becomes the subsidiary of another corporation and, after giving effect to such transaction, less than 50% of the then outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or (if the Corporation becomes a subsidiary in the transaction) of the ultimate parent of the Corporation represent or were issued in exchange for voting securities of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such transaction or less than 51% of the directors of the surviving or resulting corporation or (if the Corporation becomes a subsidiary in the transaction) of the ultimate parent of the Corporation were directors of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction; or
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(k)(III) there is a sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all the assets of the Corporation.
(i)A Change of Control will have occurred under this clause (iv) if there is a sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation.
(l)“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated and in effect thereunder.
(m)“Committee” means the Compensation and Organization Committee of the Board, or such other committee or subcommittee of the Board as may be duly appointed to administer the Plan, and having such powers in each instance as may be specified by the Board. To the extent required by Applicable Laws, the Committee will consist of two or more members of the Board, each of whom is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and an “independent director” within the meaning of applicable rules of any securities exchange upon which Common Shares are listed.
(n)“Common Shares” means common shares of the Corporation, with a par value $0.001 per share, or any security into which such common shares may be changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type referred to in Section 17 of the Plan.
(o)“Continuous Service” means the uninterrupted provision of services to Key in any capacity of Employee or Director. Continuous Service will not be considered to be interrupted in the case of (i) any approved leave of absence; (ii) transfers among the Corporation, any Subsidiaries, or any successor entities, in any capacity of Employee or Director; or (iii) any change in status as long as the individual remains in the service of the Corporation, a Subsidiary, or successor of either in any capacity of Employee or Director (except as otherwise provided in such individual’s Award Instrument).
(p)“Corporation” means KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, and any successor thereto.
(q)“Date of Grant” means the date specified by the Committee on which the grant of an Award is to be effective. The Date of Grant may not be earlier than the date of the resolution and action therein by the Committee to grant such Award. In no event may the Date of Grant be earlier than the Effective Date.
(r)“Deferred Compensation Plan” means the KeyCorp Deferred Savings Plan, the KeyCorp Second Deferred Savings Plan, the KeyCorp Long-Term Incentive Deferral Plan, the KeyCorp Directors’ Deferred Share Sub-Plan and any other plan, agreement or program of the Corporation that may be designated by the Committee, for purposes of this Plan, as a “Deferred Compensation Plan”.
(s)“Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board and who is not an Employee.
(t)“Effective Date” has the meaning given such term in Section 1(a) of the Plan.
(u)“Employee” means any employee of the Corporation or a Subsidiary; provided, however, that for purposes of determining whether any person may be a Participant for
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purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options, the term “Employee” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3401(c) of the Code, as interpreted by the regulations thereunder and Applicable Laws.
(v)“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated and in effect thereunder, as such law, rules and regulations may be amended from time to time.
(w)“Fair Market Value” means the value of one Common Share on any relevant date, determined as the closing sale price per Common Share on that date as reported on the New York Stock Exchange or such other principal exchange on which Common Shares are then trading, if any, or if there are no sales on that date, on the next preceding trading day during which a sale occurred.
(x)“Good Reason” will the meaning given to such term in any change in control agreement, Award Instrument or other written agreement between the Corporation and the Employee. If no agreement exists or if such agreement does not contain a definition of “Good Reason”, “Good Reason” will mean the occurrence of any the events listed in clauses (i) through (iv) of this Section 2(t) without the written consent of the Employee, provided that the Employee has provided notice of such event(s) to the Corporation and an opportunity by the Corporation to cure, and the Corporation has failed to effect a cure:
(i)a material reduction in the Employee’s base salary;
(ii)a material reduction in the Employee’s authority, duties, or responsibilities;
(iii)a relocation of the Employee’s principal place of employment to a location more than 50 miles from where such principal place of employment was located; or
(iv)any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach of the Employee’s terms or conditions of employment.
(y)For purposes of this Section 2(t), the Corporation will be deemed to have had an opportunity to cure and will have failed to effect a cure if the circumstance(s) otherwise constituting Good Reason persists and the Employee has notified the Corporation within 90 calendar days of the material reduction, change, or breach (as the case may be), and the Corporation has not effectuated a cure for such material reduction, change or breach within 30 calendar days following the Employee’s notice of the Good Reason circumstance.
(z)“Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means a Stock Option that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
(aa)“Key” means the Corporation and its Subsidiaries collectively.
(ab)“Nonqualified Stock Option” means a Stock Option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or otherwise does not meet such requirements.
(ac)“Other Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan.
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(ad)“Participant” means any eligible individual as set forth in Section 5 who holds one or more outstanding Awards.
(ae)“Performance Award” has the meaning given such term in Section 15(a).
(af)“Performance Goals” means the performance goal or goals that may be established by the Committee with respect to an Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Any Performance Goals may relate to the performance of the Corporation or one or more of its Subsidiaries, divisions, departments, units, functions, partnerships, joint ventures or minority investments, product lines or products, or the performance of the individual Participant, and may include, without limitation, the Performance Goals listed in Section 15(a). The Performance Goals may be made relative to the performance of a group of comparable companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or the Corporation may select Performance Goals as compared to various stock market indices. Performance Goals may be stated as a combination of such factors. Any Performance Goals that are financial metrics may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), if applicable, or may be adjusted when established to include or exclude any items otherwise includable or excludable under GAAP.
(ag)“Performance Period” means one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and/or overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, within which the Performance Goals relating to one or more Awards are to be achieved.
(ah)“Performance Shares” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan that is denominated in Common Shares and contingent upon attainment of one or more Performance Goals over a Performance Period.
(ai)“Performance Units” means a bookkeeping entry that records one or more units with a value equal to $1.00 per unit granted pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan, contingent upon attainment of one or more Performance Goals over a Performance Period.
(aj)“Person” will have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, and will include a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.
(ak)“Plan” means this KeyCorp 2026 Equity Compensation Plan, as amended from time to time.
(al)“Prior Plans” the 2019 Plan and the KeyCorp 2013 Equity Compensation Plan.
(am)“Restricted Shares” means Common Shares granted or sold pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan as to which neither the substantial risk of forfeiture nor the prohibition on transfers referred to in such Section 8 has expired.
(an)“Restricted Share Unit” means a grant or sale of the right to receive Common Shares or cash at the end of a specified restricted period made pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.
(ao)“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.
(ap)“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.
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(aq)“Stock Option” means a right to purchase a Common Share granted to a Participant under the Plan in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6 of the Plan. Stock Options may be either Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options.
(ar)“Subsidiary” means: (i) with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, a “subsidiary corporation” as defined under Section 424(f) of the Code; and (ii) for all other purposes under the Plan, any corporation or other entity in which the Corporation owns, directly or indirectly, a proprietary interest of more than fifty percent (50%) by reason of stock ownership or otherwise.
(as)“Substitute Award” means an Award that is granted in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, an outstanding award previously granted by an entity acquired directly or indirectly by the Corporation or with which the Corporation directly or indirectly combines.
(at)“Ten Percent Stockholder” means any Participant who owns more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(au)“Termination Under Limited Circumstances” means except as otherwise set forth in the Award Instrument, an Employee’s termination from the Corporation or any Subsidiary under circumstances in which: (i) the Employee enters into an Employment Separation Agreement under (and as defined in) the KeyCorp Separation Pay Plan as in effect at the time of the Employee’s termination, and such Employment Separation Agreement has become effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms, or (ii) the Employee enters into any other employment separation or letter agreement with the Corporation or any Subsidiary, including, without limitation, a Change of Control Agreement, which provides for separation benefits to the Employee and includes the Employee’s release of legal claims against the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, and such agreement has become effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms.
(av)“Transferee” means, solely with respect to a Nonqualified Stock Option, any person or entity to which a Participant transfers or assigns all or part of such Nonqualified Stock Option with permission by the Committee, in its sole discretion.
(aw)“2019 Plan” has the meaning given such term in Section 1(d) of the Plan.
(ax)“Voluntary Resignation” means that the Employee has terminated his or her employment with Key by voluntarily resigning at his or her own instance without having been requested to so resign by the Corporation or a Subsidiary, except that any resignation by the Employee will not be deemed to be a Voluntary Resignation if, the Employee terminates his or her employment for Good Reason within two years after the occurrence of a Change of Control.
3.Shares Available Under the Plan.
(a)Shares Available for Awards. The maximum number of Common Shares that may be granted pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be 24,000,000 Common Shares, all of which may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options, increased by the number of Common Shares authorized for issuance under the 2019 Plan immediately prior to shareholder approval of the Plan on the Effective Date but not subject to outstanding awards granted under the 2019 Plan at that time. Common Shares issued or delivered pursuant to an Award may be authorized but unissued Common Shares, treasury shares, including Common Shares purchased in the open market, or a combination of the foregoing. The aggregate number of Common Shares
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available for issuance or delivery under the Plan will be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 17 of the Plan.
(b)Share Counting. Except as provided in Section 3(c) of the Plan, the following Common Shares will not count against, or will be added back to, the aggregate share limit in Section 3(a) of the Plan: (i) Common Shares covered by an Award that expires or is forfeited, canceled, surrendered, or otherwise terminated; (ii) Common Shares covered by an award granted under either of the Prior Plans that, after the Effective Date, is forfeited, canceled, surrendered, or otherwise terminated; (iii) Common Shares covered by an Award that is settled only in cash; and (iv) Substitute Awards (except as may be required by reason of the rules and regulations of any stock exchange or other trading market on which the Common Shares are listed). This Section 3(b) applies to the number of Common Shares reserved and available for Incentive Stock Options only to the extent consistent with applicable Code provisions relating to Incentive Stock Options under the Code.
(c)Prohibition of Liberal Share Recycling. Notwithstanding Section 3(b), the following Common Shares subject to an Award may not again be available for grant as described above, regardless of whether those Common Shares are actually issued or delivered to the Participant: (i) Common Shares tendered in payment of the exercise price of a Stock Option; (ii) Common Shares withheld by the Corporation or any Subsidiary to satisfy a tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; and (iii) Common Shares that are repurchased by the Corporation with Stock Option proceeds. Without limiting the foregoing, with respect to any Stock Appreciation Right that is settled in Common Shares, the full number of Common Shares subject to the Award will count against the number of Common Shares available for Awards under the Plan regardless of the number of Common Shares used to settle the Stock Appreciation Right upon exercise.
(d)Limits on Awards to Certain Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary and except as otherwise provided in this Section 3(d), the aggregate grant date fair value (determined as of the Date of Grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of all Awards granted to any Director during any single fiscal year, together with the aggregate cash fees paid to such Director during such fiscal year, may not exceed $750,000.
4.Administration of the Plan.
(a)In General. The Plan will be administered by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided by the Board, the Committee will have full and final authority in its discretion to take all actions determined by the Committee to be necessary in the administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, discretion to: (i) select Award recipients; (ii) determine the sizes and types of Awards; (iii) determine the terms and conditions of Awards in a manner consistent with the Plan; (iv) grant waivers of terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations applicable to any Award, or (v) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of any Award, in a manner consistent with the Plan; (vi) construe and interpret the Plan and any Award Instrument or other agreement or instrument entered into under the Plan; (vii) establish, amend, or waive rules and regulations for the Plan’s administration; and (viii) take such other action, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee deems appropriate. To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, the Committee may, in its discretion, delegate to one or more Directors or Employees any of the Committee’s authority under the Plan. The acts of any such delegates will be treated hereunder as acts of the Committee with respect to any matters so delegated.
(b)Determinations. The Committee has no obligation to treat Participants or eligible Employees or Directors uniformly, and the Committee may make determinations under
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the Plan selectively among Participants who receive, or Employees or Directors who are eligible to receive, Awards (whether or not such Participants or eligible Employees or Directors are similarly situated). All determinations and decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and all related orders and resolutions of the Committee will be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Corporation, its Subsidiaries, stockholders, Directors, Employees, Participants and their estates and beneficiaries.
(c)Authority of the Board. The Board may reserve to itself any or all of the authority or responsibility of the Committee under the Plan or may act as the administrator of the Plan for any and all purposes. To the extent the Board has reserved any such authority or responsibility, or during any time that the Board is acting as administrator of the Plan, it will have all the powers of the Committee hereunder, and any reference herein to the Committee (other than in this Section 4(c)) will include the Board. To the extent that any action of the Board under the Plan conflicts with any action taken by the Committee, the action of the Board will control.
5.Eligibility and Participation. Awards may be granted to Employees and Directors selected by the Committee in its sole discretion. The granting of any Award to a Participant will not entitle that Participant to, nor disqualify the Participant from, participation in any other grant of an Award.
6.Stock Options. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Stock Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Stock Option will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the exercise price, the term of the Stock Option, the number of Common Shares covered by the Stock Option, the conditions upon which the Stock Option will become vested and exercisable and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan. The Award Instrument also will specify whether the Stock Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option. No dividend equivalents may be granted with respect to the Common Shares underlying a Stock Option.
(b)Exercise Price. The exercise price per Common Share of a Stock Option will be determined by the Committee at the time the Stock Option is granted and will be specified in the related Award Instrument; provided, however, that in no event may the exercise price per Common Share of any Stock Option (other than a Substitute Award) be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the Date of Grant.
(c)Term. The term of a Stock Option will be determined by the Committee and set forth in the related Award Instrument; provided, however, that in no event may the term of any Stock Option exceed ten (10) years from its Date of Grant.
(d)Exercisability. Stock Options will become vested and exercisable at such times and upon such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and set forth in the related Award Instrument, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan. Such terms and conditions may include, without limitation, the satisfaction of (i) one or more Performance Goals, and (ii) time-based vesting requirements.
(e)Exercise of Stock Options. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or in a related Award Instrument, a Stock Option may be exercised for all or any portion of the Common Shares for which it is then exercisable. A Stock Option shall be exercised by the
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delivery of a notice of exercise to the Corporation or its designee in a form specified by the Corporation which sets forth the number of Common Shares with respect to which the Stock Option is to be exercised and full payment of the exercise price for such Common Shares. The exercise price of a Stock Option may be paid, in the discretion of the Committee and as set forth in the applicable Award Instrument: (i) in cash or its equivalent; (ii) by tendering (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired Common Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price; (iii) by a cashless exercise (including by withholding Common Shares deliverable upon exercise or through a broker-assisted arrangement to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws); (iv) by a combination of the methods described in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and/or (iii); or (v) through any other method approved by the Committee in its sole discretion. As soon as practicable after receipt of the notification of exercise and full payment of the exercise price, the Corporation will cause the appropriate number of Common Shares to be issued to the Participant.
(f)Special Rules Applicable to Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Plan to the contrary:
(g)(i) Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. The terms and conditions of Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
(h)(ii) To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Common Shares (determined as of the Date of Grant) with respect to which an Incentive Stock Option is exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries) is greater than $100,000 (or such other amount specified in Section 422 of the Code), as calculated under Section 422 of the Code, then the Stock Option will be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option.
(i)(iii) No Incentive Stock Option may be granted to any Participant who, on the Date of Grant, is a Ten Percent Stockholder, unless (A) the exercise price per Common Share of such Incentive Stock Option is at least one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the Date of Grant, and (B) the term of such Incentive Stock Option will not exceed five (5) years from the Date of Grant.
7.Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Stock Appreciation Right will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the exercise price, the term of the Stock Appreciation Right, the number of Common Shares covered by the Stock Appreciation Right, the conditions upon which the Stock Appreciation Right will become vested and exercisable and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan. No dividend equivalents may be granted with respect to the Common Shares underlying a Stock Appreciation Right.
(b)Exercise Price. The exercise price per Common Share of a Stock Appreciation Right will be determined by the Committee at the time the Stock Appreciation Right is granted and will be specified in the related Award Instrument; provided, however, that in no event may the exercise price per Common Share of any Stock Appreciation Right (other than
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a Substitute Award) be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the Date of Grant.
(c)Term. The term of a Stock Appreciation Right will be determined by the Committee and set forth in the related Award Instrument; provided, however, that in no event may the term of any Stock Appreciation Right exceed ten (10) years from its Date of Grant.
(d)Exercisability of Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right will become vested and exercisable at such times and upon such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and set forth in the related Award Instrument, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan. Such terms and conditions may include, without limitation, the satisfaction of (i) one or more Performance Goals, and (ii) time-based vesting requirements.
(e)Exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or in a related Award Instrument, a Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised for all or any portion of the Common Shares for which it is then exercisable. A Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Corporation or its designee in a form specified by the Corporation which sets forth the number of Common Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is to be exercised. Upon exercise, a Stock Appreciation Right will entitle a Participant to an amount equal to (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the exercise date over (B) the exercise price per Common Share, multiplied by (ii) the number of Common Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised. A Stock Appreciation Right may be settled in Common Shares, cash or a combination of Common Shares and cash, as specified by the Committee in the related Award Instrument.
8.Restricted Shares. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Restricted Shares may be granted or sold to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Restricted Share Award will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the number of Restricted Shares, the restricted period(s) applicable to the Restricted Shares, the conditions upon which the restrictions on the Restricted Shares will lapse and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(b)Terms, Conditions and Restrictions. The Committee may impose such other terms, conditions and/or restrictions on any Restricted Shares as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant pay a purchase price for each Restricted Share, restrictions based on the achievement of specific Performance Goals, time-based restrictions or holding requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Restricted Shares by the Corporation upon vesting of such Restricted Shares subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan. Unless otherwise provided in the related Award Instrument or required by Applicable Law, the restrictions imposed on Restricted Shares will lapse upon the expiration or termination of the applicable restricted period and the satisfaction of any other applicable terms and conditions.
(c)Book Entries. Any Restricted Shares will be registered in book entry format in the name of the Participant, and any such book entry will reflect the restrictions on transfer and vesting conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares until such time as all terms, conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares have been satisfied or lapse.
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(d)Rights Associated with Restricted Shares during Restricted Period. During any restricted period applicable to Restricted Shares: (i) the Restricted Shares may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated; (ii) unless otherwise provided in the related Award Instrument, the Participant will be entitled to exercise any voting rights associated with such Restricted Shares; and (iii) the Participant will be entitled to any dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Restricted Shares during the restricted period; provided, however, that any dividends with respect to unvested Restricted Shares will be accumulated or deemed reinvested in additional Restricted Shares (as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the applicable Award Instrument), subject to the same terms and conditions as the original Award (including service-based vesting conditions and any Performance Goals) until such Award is earned and vested.
9.Restricted Share Units. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Restricted Share Units may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Restricted Share Unit Award will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the number of units, the restricted period(s) applicable to the Restricted Share Units, the conditions upon which the restrictions on the Restricted Share Units will lapse, the time and method of payment of the Restricted Share Units to the Participant, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan.
(b)Terms, Conditions and Restrictions. The Committee may impose such other terms, conditions and/or restrictions on any Restricted Share Units as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, restrictions based on the achievement of specific Performance Goals or time-based restrictions or holding requirements.
(c)Form of Settlement. Restricted Share Units may be settled in Common Shares, cash or a combination Common Shares and cash, as specified by the Committee in the related Award Instrument.
10.Performance Shares and Performance Units. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted to Participants in such number or amount, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units, the applicable Performance Period and Performance Goals, the time and method of payment of the Award to the Participant, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan.
(b)Terms, Conditions and Restrictions. The Committee may impose such other terms, conditions and/or restrictions on any Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, time-based restrictions or holding requirements.
(c)Form of Settlement. Each Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units may be settled in Common Shares, cash or a combination of Common Shares and cash, as specified by the Committee in the related Award Instrument.
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11.Other Awards. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Other Awards may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and conditions, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan. Other Awards are Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Common Shares or factors that may influence the value of Common Shares. Other Awards may be granted in such form as the Committee may determine, including without limitation, unrestricted Common Shares (subject to the limitations of Section 13 of the Plan) or time-based or performance-based units that are settled in Common Shares and/or cash. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award granted under the Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 11. The Committee may grant Other Awards in lieu of obligations of the Corporation or a Subsidiary to pay cash or deliver other property (including Common Shares) under the Plan, a Deferred Compensation Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, subject to such terms as determined by the Committee in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
(a)Award Instrument. Each Other Award will be evidenced by an Award Instrument that specifies the terms and conditions upon which the Other Award will become vested, if applicable, the time and method of settlement, the form of settlement and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine and which are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the minimum vesting provisions of Section 13 of the Plan.
(b)Form of Settlement. An Other Award may be settled in Common Shares, cash or a combination of Common Shares and cash, as specified by the Committee in the related Award Instrument.
12.Dividend Equivalents. Awards granted under the Plan (other than Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights) may provide the Participant with dividend equivalents, payable on a contingent basis and either in cash or in additional Common Shares, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the related Award Instrument; provided, however, that any dividend equivalents with respect to an unvested Award will be either accumulated in cash or deemed reinvested in additional Restricted Share Units or Performance Shares, subject to the same terms and conditions as the original Award (including service-based vesting conditions and the achievement of any Performance Goals) until such Award is earned and vested. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no dividend equivalents may be granted under the Plan with respect to the Common Shares underlying any Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right.
13.Minimum Vesting Provisions. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, Awards granted under the Plan may not become vested or exercisable in full any earlier than the first anniversary of the Date of Grant of the Award (excluding, for this purpose, any (a) Substitute Awards, and (b) Awards to Directors that vest in full no later than the earlier of the first anniversary of the date of grant or the next annual meeting of stockholders (provided that such vesting period is not less than 50 weeks after the Date of Grant)); provided, however, that the Committee may grant Awards without regard to the foregoing minimum vesting requirement with respect to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Common Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a) of the Plan; and, provided further that the foregoing restriction does not apply to the Committee’s discretion to provide for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award, including in cases of retirement, death, disability, other termination of employment or a Change of Control, by the terms of the Award Instrument or otherwise. For purposes of clarity, an Award that vests or becomes exercisable in installments over a period that ends on or after the first anniversary of the Date of
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Grant of the Award will be considered to comply with the minimum vesting provisions of this Section 13.
14.Compliance with Section 409A. Awards granted under the Plan will be designed and administered in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Instrument will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code upon a Participant. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Instrument (unless the Award Instrument provides otherwise with specific reference to this Section 14): (a) an Award may not be granted, deferred, accelerated, extended, paid out, settled, substituted, modified or adjusted under the Plan in a manner that would result in the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code upon a Participant; and (b) if an Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, and if the Participant holding the award is a “specified employee” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code, with such classification to be determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Corporation), then, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code upon a Participant, no distribution or payment of any amount may be made before the date that is six (6) months following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code) or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death. Although the Corporation intends to administer the Plan so that Awards will be exempt from, or will comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Corporation does not warrant that any Award under the Plan will qualify for favorable tax treatment under Section 409A of the Code, or any other provision of federal, state, local, or non-United States law. The Corporation will not be liable to any Participant for any tax, interest, or penalties the Participant might owe as a result of the grant, holding, vesting, exercise, or payment of any Award under the Plan.
15.Performance Goals.
(a)In General. As provided in the Plan, the vesting, exercisability and/or payment of any Award may be conditioned upon the achievement of one or more Performance Goals (any such Award, including any Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units, a “Performance Award”). Any Performance Goals will be based on the achievement of one or more criteria selected by the Committee, in its discretion, which may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(i)return measures (e.g., earnings per share, return on equity, return on tangible common equity, return on assets, economic profit added, earnings before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization);
(ii)revenue (e.g., total revenue, gross revenue, net revenue, revenue growth);
(iii)income (e.g., gross income, net income (before or after tax), net income after cost of capital, net interest income, noninterest income, fee income);
(iv)expense factors (e.g., noninterest expense, personnel expense, non-personnel expense, efficiency ratio);
(v)balance sheet measures (e.g., loans, deposits, assets, tangible equity);
(vi)pre provision net revenue;
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(vii)operating leverage;
(viii)risk measures (e.g., net charge-offs, nonperforming assets, risk weighted assets, classified assets, criticized assets, allowance for loan and lease losses);
(ix)share price measures (e.g., share price, share price increase, total shareholder return);
(x)capital measures (e.g., common equity tier 1, tangible common equity to tangible assets, risk based capital);
(xi)market capitalization;
(xii)strategic objectives (e.g., branding, mergers and acquisitions, succession management, dynamic market response, expense reduction initiatives, cost savings & synergies, risk management and regulatory compliance);
(xiii)environmental, social and governance measures; and
(xiv)any other criteria selected by the Committee.
(b)Establishment of Performance Goals. With respect to any Performance Award, the Committee will establish in writing the Performance Goals, the Performance Period, and any formula for computing the payout of the Performance Awards. Such terms and conditions will be established in writing during the first ninety days of the applicable Performance Period (or by such other date as may be determined by the Committee, in its discretion).
(c)Certification of Performance. Prior to payment, exercise or vesting of any Performance Award, the Committee will certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals and other material terms imposed on such Performance Award have been satisfied, and, if they have, ascertain the amount of the payout or vesting of the Performance Award.
(d)Adjustments. If the Committee determines that a change in the Corporation’s business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure, or in the manner in which it conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the Performance Goals unsuitable, the Committee may, in its discretion and without the consent of any Participant, adjust such Performance Goals or the related level of achievement, in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate and equitable, including, without limitation, to exclude the effects of events that are unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence (as determined in accordance with applicable financial accounting standards), cumulative effects of tax or accounting changes, discontinued operations, acquisitions, divestitures and material restructuring or asset impairment charges.
16.Transferability. Except as otherwise may be determined by the Committee, in its discretion, with respect to a Nonqualified Stock Option, no Award or dividend equivalents paid with respect to any Award may be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution; provided, that if so determined by the Committee, each Participant may, in a manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant with respect to any Award upon the death of the Participant and to receive cash, Common Shares or other property issued or delivered under such Award. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights will be exercisable during a Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or, in the event of the Participant’s legal
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incapacity to do so, by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative acting on behalf of the Participant in a fiduciary capacity under state law and/or court supervision.
17.Adjustments.
(a)Mandatory Adjustments for Equity Restructuring. In the event of any equity restructuring (within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto), such as a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, spinoff, rights offering, or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, the Committee will cause there to be an equitable adjustment in the number and kind of Common Shares specified in Section 3(a) of the Plan and, with respect to outstanding Awards, in the number and kind of Common Shares subject to outstanding Awards and the exercise price or other price of Common Shares subject to outstanding Awards, in each case to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants.
(b)Other Discretionary Adjustments. In the event of any other change in corporate capitalization, or in the event of a merger, consolidation, liquidation, or similar transaction, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, cause there to be an equitable adjustment as described in the foregoing sentence, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights. Moreover, in the event of any such transaction or event, the Committee, in its discretion, may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Awards such alternative consideration (including cash) as the Committee, in good faith, may determine to be equitable in the circumstances, and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Awards so replaced.
(c)In General. The Committee will not make any adjustment pursuant to this Section 17 that would cause an Award to fail to satisfy any applicable requirements of Section 409A. The determination of the Committee as to any adjustment pursuant to this Section 17 will be conclusive and binding on all Participants and any other persons claiming under or through any Participant.
18.Fractional Shares. The Corporation will not be required to issue any fractional Common Shares pursuant to this Plan. The Committee may provide for the elimination of fractions or for the settlement of fractional Common Shares in cash.
19.Withholding Taxes. To the extent required by Applicable Laws, a Participant will be required to satisfy, in a manner satisfactory to the Corporation or Subsidiary, as applicable, any withholding tax obligations that arise by reason of the exercise of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the vesting of or settlement of Common Shares under an Award, an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code or otherwise with respect to an Award. The Corporation and its Subsidiaries will not be required to issue or deliver Common Shares, make any payment, or recognize the transfer or disposition of any Common Shares, until such withholding tax obligations are satisfied. The Committee may permit or require these obligations to be satisfied by having the Corporation withhold a portion of the Common Shares that otherwise would be issued or delivered to a Participant upon exercise of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the vesting or settlement of an Award, or by tendering Common Shares previously acquired, in each case having a value (as determined by the Corporation) equal to the amount required to be withheld. Any such elections are subject to such conditions or procedures as may be established by the Committee and may be subject to disapproval by the Committee. In no event will the value of the Common Shares to be withheld or tendered pursuant to this Section 19 to satisfy applicable withholding taxes exceed the amount of taxes required to be withheld based on the maximum statutory tax rates in the applicable taxing jurisdictions.
20.Harmful Activity. If the Corporation determines that an Employee has engaged in any “Harmful Activity” prior to or within twelve months after termination of employment
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with Key, then the Corporation may, in its discretion and as may be permitted by state law, provide that (a) any Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards held by the Employee that have vested, (b) any Profits realized upon the exercise of any Covered Option or SAR and (c) any Profits realized upon the sale of any vested Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards, on or after one year prior to the termination of employment with Key shall inure to the Corporation. The provisions of the preceding sentence shall not apply in the event that employment with Key terminates within two years after a Change of Control of the Corporation if any of the following have occurred: (i) a relocation of an Employee’s principal place of employment more than 35 miles from an Employee’s principal place of employment immediately prior to the Change of Control, (ii) a reduction in an Employee’s base salary after a Change of Control, or (iii) Employee’s termination of employment as a result of a Termination Under Limited Circumstances. If any vested Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards or any Profits realized upon the exercise of any Covered Option or SAR or upon the sale of any vested Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards inure to the benefit of the Corporation in accordance with the first sentence of this paragraph, an Employee shall provide all such forfeited Awards and pay all such Profits to the Corporation within 30 days after receiving notice from the Corporation of its determination pursuant to this Section 20, and all Awards that have not yet vested and all unexercised Covered Options or SARs shall be forfeited and canceled, effective as of the date of such determination by the Corporation (or as of such other date as may be determined by the Corporation). The determination by the Corporation as to whether an Employee engaged in Harmful Activity prior to or within twelve months after termination of employment with Key shall be final and conclusive. Unless otherwise provided in the relevant Award Instrument with specific reference hereto, the provisions of this Section 20 shall apply to all Awards made under the Plan.
21.For purposes of this Plan, “Harmful Activity” shall have occurred if an Employee shall do any one or more of the following: (a) engage in any unfair competition, as specified in any restrictive covenant by and between the Employee and Key, including, but not limited to, the Employee’s Award Instrument or any severance plan maintained by Key that covers the Employee, during the period of restriction specified in the agreement or plan prohibiting the Employee from engaging in such activity; (b) the disclosure of confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets to anyone other than Key, or the use of such information other than in Key’s business, in violation of any covenant not to disclose set forth in any written agreement between the Employee and Key, including, but not limited to, the Employee’s Award Instrument or any severance plan maintained by Key that covers the Employee, during the period of restriction specified in the agreement or plan prohibiting the Employee from engaging in such activity; (c) the violation of any development and inventions, ownership of works, or similar provision set forth in any written agreement between the Employee and Key, including, but not limited to, the Employee’s Award Instrument, offer letter, or any severance plan maintained by Key that covers the Employee; or (d) any other activity or occurrence that is defined as Harmful
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Activity in the Employee’s Award Instrument or other written agreement between Key and the Employee.
22.For purposes of this Section 20:
23.“Covered Option or SAR” means any Stock Option or SAR granted under this Plan unless the relevant Award Instrument expressly excludes the Stock Option or SAR from the provisions of this Section 20.
24.“Profit” means, (a) with respect to any Covered Option or SAR, the spread between the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of exercise and the Exercise Price or the Base Price, as the case may be, multiplied by the number of Common Shares exercised under the Covered Option or SAR; and (b) with respect to any Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units, any profit realized upon the sale of any Common Shares that were acquired upon the vesting of such Awards.
25.Non-U.S. Participants. Without amending the Plan, the Committee may grant Awards to Participants who are foreign nationals, or who are subject to Applicable Laws of one or more non-United States jurisdictions, on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may in the judgment of the Committee be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan, and, in furtherance of such purposes, the Committee may approve such sub-plans, supplements to or amendments, modifications, restatements or alternative versions of this Plan as may be necessary or advisable to comply with provisions of Applicable Laws of other countries in which the Corporation or its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees.
26.Compensation Recovery Policy. Any Award granted to a Participant will be subject to forfeiture or repayment pursuant to the terms of any applicable compensation recovery or “clawback” policy adopted by the Corporation, including any policy maintained to comply with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or any rules or regulations issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any applicable securities exchange.
27.Change of Control.
(a)In General. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise specified in the relevant Award Instrument, change of control agreement or other written agreement, if, within two years following the date of a Change of Control, an Employee’s Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than a Voluntary Resignation or a termination by Key for Cause, then each Award granted to such Employee prior to the Change of Control that then remains outstanding will be treated as follows:
(i)Any such Stock Options and SARs will become immediately exercisable in full and will remain exercisable during the Extended Period (as defined below);
(ii)The restrictions, conditions or contingencies on any such Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units will immediately terminate;
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(iii)Unless otherwise provided pursuant to a Deferred Compensation Plan, the restrictions, conditions or contingencies on any such Other Awards will immediately terminate; and
(iv)The restrictions, conditions, or contingencies on any such Performance Shares and Performance Units will be modified in such manner as the Committee may specify to give the Employee the benefit of those Performance Shares or Performance Units through the date of termination.
As used in Section 23(a), the term “Extended Period” means the longer of (x) the period that the Stock Option or SAR would otherwise be exercisable in the absence of Section 23(a), or (y) the period ending with the second anniversary of the Employee’s Employment Termination Date; provided, however, that in no event will the Extended Period end any later than the latest possible date by which the Stock Option or SAR could expire under any circumstances in accordance with its original terms.
(b) Cancellation Right. The Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any Participant, either by the terms of the Award Instrument applicable to any Award or by resolution adopted prior to the occurrence of the Change of Control, provide that any outstanding Award (or a portion thereof) will, upon the occurrence of such Change of Control, be cancelled in exchange for a payment in cash or other property (including shares of the resulting entity in connection with a Change of Control) in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares subject to the Award, over any exercise price related to the Award, which amount may be zero if the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of the Change of Control does not exceed the exercise price per Common Share of the applicable Awards.
28.Amendment, Modification and Termination.
(a)In General. The Board may at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that no alteration or amendment that requires stockholder approval in order for the Plan to comply with any rule promulgated by the SEC or any securities exchange on which Common Shares are listed or any other Applicable Laws shall be effective unless such amendment is approved by the requisite vote of stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon within the time period required under such applicable listing standard, rule or law.
(b)Adjustments to Outstanding Awards. The Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any Participant, at any time (i) provide that all or a portion of a Participant’s Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully or partially exercisable; (ii) provide that all or a part of the time-based vesting restrictions on all or a portion of the outstanding Awards shall lapse, and/or that any Performance Goals or other performance-based criteria with respect to any Awards shall be deemed to be wholly or partially satisfied; or (iii) waive any other limitation or requirement under any such Award, in each case, as of such date as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, declare.
(c)Prohibition on Repricing Without Stockholder Approval. Except for adjustments made pursuant to Sections 17 or 23 of the Plan, the Committee will not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Corporation, authorize the amendment of any outstanding
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Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce the exercise price of such Award. No Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be cancelled and replaced with an Award having a lower exercise price, or for another Award, or for cash, without approval of the stockholders of the Corporation, except as provided in Sections 17 or 23 of the Plan. Furthermore, no Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right will provide for the payment, at the time of exercise, of a cash bonus or grant or sale of another Award without further approval of the stockholders of the Corporation. This Section 24(c) is intended to prohibit the repricing of “underwater” Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights without stockholder approval and will not be construed to prohibit the adjustments provided for in Sections 17 or 23 of the Plan.
(d)Effect on Outstanding Awards. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary (other than Sections 15(d), 17, 23, 24(b) and 26(e) of the Plan, which specifically do not require the consent of Participants), no termination, amendment, suspension, or modification of the Plan or an Award Instrument may adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award; provided, however, that the Committee may modify an ISO held by a Participant to disqualify such Stock Option from treatment as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code without the Participant’s consent.
29.Applicable Laws. The obligations of the Corporation with respect to Awards under the Plan will be subject to all Applicable Laws and such approvals by any governmental agencies as the Committee determines may be required. The Plan and each Award Instrument shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.
30.Miscellaneous.
(a)Stock Ownership Guidelines. By accepting any Award under the Plan, each Participant shall thereby agree to comply with the terms and conditions of any stock ownership guidelines the Corporation may maintain or establish, as the same may be applicable to the Participant from time to time, including any applicable stock retention requirements thereunder.
(b)Deferral of Awards. Except with respect to Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and Restricted Shares, the Committee, in its discretion, may permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance or delivery of Common Shares or the settlement of Awards in cash under the Plan pursuant to such rules, procedures or programs as it may establish for purposes of the Plan. The Committee also may provide that deferred issuances and settlements include the payment or crediting of dividend equivalents or interest on the deferral amounts. Any elections and deferrals permitted under this provision shall comply with Section 409A of the Code, including setting forth the time and manner of the election (including a compliant time and form of payment), the date on which the election is irrevocable, and whether the election can be changed until the date it is irrevocable.
(c)No Right of Continued Service. The Plan will not confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuance of employment or other service with the Corporation or any Subsidiary, nor will it interfere in any way with any right the Corporation or any Subsidiary would otherwise have to terminate such Participant’s employment or other service at any time. Awards granted under the Plan will not be considered a part of any Participant’s normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or
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similar payments, and in no event will any Award be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Corporation or any Subsidiary or affiliate.
(d)Unfunded, Unsecured Plan. Neither a Participant nor any other person shall, by reason of participation in the Plan, acquire any right or title to any assets, funds or property of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, including without limitation, any specific funds, assets or other property which the Corporation or any Subsidiary may set aside in anticipation of any liability under the Plan. A Participant will have only a contractual right to an Award or the amounts, if any, payable under the Plan, unsecured by any assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, and nothing contained in the Plan shall constitute a guarantee that the assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary shall be sufficient to pay any benefits to any person.
(e)Severability. If any provision of the Plan or an Award Instrument is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any Applicable Law, as determined by the Committee, such provision will be construed or deemed amended or limited in scope to conform to such Applicable Law or, in the discretion of the Committee, it will be stricken and the remainder of the Plan will remain in full force and effect.
(f)(f) Acceptance of Plan. By accepting any benefit under the Plan, each Participant and each person claiming under or through any such Participant will be conclusively deemed to have indicated their acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, all of the terms and conditions of the Plan, any Award Instrument and any action taken under the Plan by the Committee, the Board or the Corporation, in any case in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(g)(g) Successors. All obligations of the Corporation under the Plan and with respect to Awards granted hereunder will be binding on any successor to the Corporation, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or other event, or a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Corporation and references to the “Company” herein and in any Award Instruments will be deemed to refer to such successors.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
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RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
KeyCorp grants to the Participant named below, in accordance with the terms, and subject to the conditions, of the KeyCorp 2026 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), this Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement (the “Award Agreement”) and the attached Acceptance Agreement, an award of the number of Restricted Share Units (“Units” or “Award”), on the Date of Grant, each as set forth below. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan.
Each Unit represents the contingent right to receive one Common Share (rounded down to the nearest whole Common Share), subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan, this Award Agreement and the Acceptance Agreement.
Name of Participant: | [Participant Name] | ||||
Number of Units: | [Shares Granted] | ||||
Date of Grant: | [Grant Date] | ||||
Vesting: | The Units shall vest in accordance with the “distribution schedule” reflected in the records of the Plan administrator and viewable on the Participant’s homescreen (the “Vesting Date” if only one such date, or if more than one such date, each a “Vesting Date”), provided that the Participant shall have remained in the continuous employ of KeyCorp and its affiliates (“Key”) through the applicable Vesting Date, except as otherwise provided herein. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the unvested portion of the Award shall vest immediately (i) in the event of the Participant’s death, Disability, or Termination Under Limited Circumstances, or (ii) if, within two years following the date of a Change of Control, the Participant’s employment with Key terminates for any reason other than a Voluntary Resignation or a Termination for Cause. | ||||
Payment: | The Common Shares underlying any portion of the Award that becomes vested (including dividend equivalents as provided pursuant to Section 2 of this Award Agreement) shall be delivered within 45 days after the applicable Vesting Date, except as otherwise provided in this Award Agreement. | ||||
The Participant must accept the Award online within one year from the Date of Grant and in accordance with the procedures established by KeyCorp and the Award administrator or this Award Agreement may be cancelled by KeyCorp, in its sole discretion. By accepting the Award in accordance with these procedures, the Participant acknowledges that:
•This Award is subject to the KeyCorp Incentive Compensation Program and Policy and the KeyCorp Compensation Recovery Policy, each as amended from time to time. The Participant understands and agrees that the Award is subject to risk adjustment and/or clawback in accordance with the procedures set forth therein. These procedures permit
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Key, in its sole discretion, to decrease, forfeit, delay vesting or distribution for a reasonable period of time, or initiate a clawback of all or any part of the Award or the Common Shares underlying any portion of the Award that becomes vested and/or is distributed under certain circumstances, including, without limitation, in the event that the Participant receives a "Does Not Meet" risk rating as part of the Participant’s annual performance review, and/or in the event of a significant credit, market or operational loss or significant risk event (e.g., high criticality findings, significant failures in the control environment, etc.) (collectively referred to as “risk events”). If a risk event occurs, whether at the individual or business level, a root cause analysis may be conducted, which may result in a risk adjustment of the Award.
•The Participant understands that as a condition to receiving the Award, the Participant must agree to be bound by and comply with the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Award Agreement and related Acceptance Agreement. As soon as the Participant accepts the Award, the terms and conditions of the Award Agreement and Acceptance Agreement will constitute a legal contract that will bind both the Participant and KeyCorp.
Additional Terms
1. Effect of Termination. The unvested portion of the Award shall be forfeited automatically without further action or notice if the Participant ceases to be continuously employed by Key for any reason other than as provided under the “Vesting” section above (related to death, Disability, Termination Under Limited Circumstances or certain terminations in connection with a Change of Control). For purposes of this Section 1, the continuous employment of the Participant shall not be deemed to have been interrupted, and the Participant shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an employee of Key, by reason of the transfer of employment among KeyCorp and its affiliates.
2. Dividend Equivalents. Each Unit is granted with a related dividend equivalent which is subject to the same terms and conditions as the Units. Each dividend equivalent represents the right to be credited with any dividends paid on a Common Share between the Date of Grant and the Vesting Date of the related Unit. Dividend equivalents are deemed reinvested in Common Shares (based upon the Fair Market Value per Common Share on the date the related dividend is paid to KeyCorp shareholders), which will be delivered at the same time as the Common Shares are delivered upon vesting in the related Unit.
3. Harmful Activity. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Award Agreement to the contrary, if the Participant engages in any Harmful Activity prior to or within twelve months after the Participant’s termination of employment with Key, then the Units shall be immediately forfeited without further action or notice, and any Common Shares delivered in payment of the Award within one year prior to the Participant’s termination of employment, and any Profits realized by the Participant from the sale of such Common Shares, shall become immediately due and payable to KeyCorp on KeyCorp’s demand. This Section 3 shall not apply in the event that Participant’s employment with Key terminates within two years after a Change of Control if any of the following have occurred: (a) a relocation of Participant’s principal place of employment more than 35 miles from Participant’s principal place of employment immediately prior to the Change of Control, (b) a reduction in Participant’s base salary after a Change of Control, or (c) Participant’s termination of employment as a result of a Termination Under Limited Circumstances. This Section 3 shall survive the termination of Participant’s employment.
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4. KeyCorp’s Reservation of Rights. As a condition of receiving this Award, the Participant acknowledges and agrees that Key intends to comply with the requirements of (a) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (including clawback provisions), as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) the banking regulatory agencies’ Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Policies; and (c) KeyCorp’s Compensation Recovery Policy, Incentive Compensation Program and Policy, and other risk requirements and policies. As a condition of receiving this Award, the Participant understands and agrees that KeyCorp may, in its sole discretion, (x) delay vesting or distribution of, decrease or cause the forfeiture of all or any part of this Award, (y) initiate a clawback of all or any part of this Award, and/or (z) demand the Participant’s repayment to KeyCorp of any Common Shares paid to the Participant under this Award, or the Profits realized from the sale of such Common Shares, if KeyCorp determines that such action is necessary or desirable.
5. Relation to Other Benefits. Any economic or other benefit to the Participant under this Award Agreement shall not be taken into account in determining any benefits to which the Participant may be entitled under any profit-sharing, retirement or other benefit or compensation plan maintained by Key and shall not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage available to any beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of Key.
6. KeyCorp Stock Ownership Guidelines. If the Participant is subject to and has not met the KeyCorp Stock Ownership Guidelines, the Participant may not sell or otherwise transfer the Common Shares provided upon vesting of the Award (if any) until and unless the Participant meets the Stock Ownership Guidelines or terminates employment with Key; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant may sell the number of Common Shares necessary to satisfy any withholding tax obligation that may arise in connection with the vesting of this Award even if the Participant has not met the Stock Ownership Guidelines.
7. Taxes and Withholding. To the extent that Key is required to withhold any federal, state, local or other taxes in connection with the delivery of Common Shares under this Award Agreement, then Key shall retain a number of Common Shares otherwise deliverable hereunder with a value equal to the required withholding (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares on the date of delivery). To the extent that Key is required to withhold any federal, state, local or other taxes at any time other than upon delivery of Common Shares under this Award Agreement, then Key shall have the right in its sole discretion to (a) require the Participant to pay or provide for payment of the required tax withholding, (b) retain a number of Common Shares that otherwise would remain subject to this Award with a value equal to the required withholding amount (determined based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares on the date the applicable taxes are required to be withheld) and make a corresponding reduction in the number of Units subject to this Award, or (c) deduct the required tax withholding from any other compensation payable in cash to the Participant. To the extent that withholding taxes are satisfied by the retention of Common Shares, the value of the Common Shares so retained shall not exceed the amount of taxes required to be withheld based on the maximum statutory tax rates in the applicable taxing jurisdictions. Further, to the extent that this Award constitutes a deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, any retention of Common Shares pursuant to clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence to satisfy tax withholding requirements at any time other than at the time of delivery of Common Shares shall be effected only as permitted pursuant to Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A-3(j)(4)(vi) and 1.409A-3(j)(4)(xi), as applicable.
8. Non-Transferability. Except as otherwise provided in this Award Agreement or the Plan, the Award may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner, or
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be subject to execution, attachment or similar process, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any purported transfer or encumbrance in violation of the provisions of this Section 8 shall be void, and the other party to any such purported transaction shall not obtain any rights to or interest in the Award.
9. No Employment Contract. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement shall confer upon the Participant any right with respect to continuance of employment by Key, nor limit or affect in any manner the right of Key to terminate the employment or adjust the compensation of the Participant.
10. Source of Payments. Any cash payments to the Participant under this Award Agreement shall be paid from KeyCorp’s general assets.
11. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Award Agreement, along with the Plan and the related Acceptance Agreement, contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter contained therein, and supersedes all prior written or oral communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto. KeyCorp may modify or amend this Award Agreement at any time upon written notice to the Participant, provided that KeyCorp may not amend this Award Agreement in a manner adverse to the interests of the Participant without the Participant’s consent. Except where the Plan provides that the Award Agreement and/or related Acceptance Agreement may provide for different or additional terms or conditions to those provided in the Plan (in which case those terms or conditions contained in the Award Agreement and/or Acceptance Agreement will govern), in the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Award Agreement or the related Acceptance Agreement, on the one hand, and the Plan, on the other, the Plan shall govern.
12. Administration. KeyCorp shall have the right, in accordance with the Plan, to determine any questions which arise in connection with the Award. All such determinations and decisions shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including Key, the Participant and the Participant’s estate and beneficiaries.
13. Successors and Assigns. Without limiting Section 8, the provisions of this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, administrators, heirs, legal representatives and assigns of the Participant, and the successors and assigns of KeyCorp.
14. Compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Award comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”). The Award shall accordingly be administered in a manner consistent with this intent, and any provision that would cause the Award to fail to satisfy Section 409A shall have no force and effect until amended to comply with Section 409A. In particular, if Participant is a "specified employee," as determined by Key in accordance with Section 409A, then to the extent required in order to comply with Section 409A, all payments, benefits or reimbursements paid or provided under this Award that constitute a "deferral of compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A, that are provided as a result of Participant’s separation from service and that would otherwise be paid or provided during the first six months following Participant’s separation from service shall be accumulated through (without interest) and paid or provided no earlier than six (6) months following Participant’s separation from service (or, if Participant should die during such six-month period, as soon as administratively possible). Further, but solely to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A, a transaction shall be considered a Change of Control only if it also qualifies as a “change in the ownership,” a “change in the effective control” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of KeyCorp within the meaning
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of Section 409A, and the Participant’s “Disability” will be treated as such only if the Participant would also be considered “disabled” within the meaning of Section 409A.
15. Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan, as in effect on the Date of Grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following capitalized terms shall have the following definitions for purposes of this Award Agreement:
(a) “Disability” shall mean that the Participant has been determined to be disabled for purposes of benefits under any long-term disability plan maintained by Key in which the Participant participates.
(b) “Termination for Cause” shall mean termination of the Participant’s employment by Key for Cause.
(c) “Termination Under Limited Circumstances” shall mean the Participant’s termination of employment with Key wherein all of the following events occur: (1) the Participant’s employment with Key terminates under circumstances in which the Participant becomes entitled to receive either: (i) a severance payment under the KeyCorp Separation Pay Plan as in effect at the time of the Participant’s Employment Termination Date, or (ii) salary continuation benefits under the terms and conditions of an employment separation or letter agreement with Key, including, without limitation, a Change of Control Agreement; (2) Participant executes and delivers to Key, within 50 calendar days after the termination of Participant’s employment, a release of claims in a form provided by Key; and (3) such release of claims becomes effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms.
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ACCEPTANCE AGREEMENT
I acknowledge receipt of the attached Award and in consideration thereof, I accept such Award subject to the terms and conditions of the KeyCorp 2026 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), the related Award Agreement, and the restrictions that are set forth in this Acceptance Agreement.
I also understand and agree that the restrictions set forth in this Acceptance Agreement are (i) in addition to, and do not in any way limit or vary the restrictions that are contained in any other agreement, plan, policy, or practice that are applicable to me as an employee of Key, and (ii) binding upon me regardless of whether I vest, sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, or otherwise dispose of the Award or any of the Common Shares to be paid to me upon vesting in the Award.
I also understand that this Acceptance Agreement contains restrictive covenants and that Key hereby advises me to consult with an attorney.
1. I recognize the importance of preserving the confidentiality of Non-Public Information of Key, and I acknowledge and agree that: (a) during my employment with Key, I will acquire, reproduce, and use such Non-Public Information only to the extent reasonably necessary for the proper performance of my duties; (b) both during and after my employment with Key, I will not use, publish, sell, trade or otherwise disclose such Non-Public Information; and (c) upon the termination of my employment with Key, I will immediately return to Key all documents, data, information and equipment in my possession or to which I have access that may contain such Non-Public Information. I also agree to enter into and to execute nondisclosure agreements in favor of Key and others doing business with Key with whom Key has a confidential relationship. “Non-Public Information” shall mean, but is not limited to, trade secrets, confidential processes, programs, software, formulas, methods, business information or plans, financial information, and listings of names (e.g., employees, customers, and suppliers) that are developed, owned, utilized, or maintained by an employer such as Key, and that of its customers or suppliers, and that are not generally known by the public.
I acknowledge that Key has informed me that I will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of Non-Public Information that: (1) is made (a) in confidence to a Federal, state or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and (b) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (2) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Disclosure of Non-Public Information to attorneys, made under seal, or pursuant to court order is also protected in certain circumstances under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. This provision does not limit my right to respond accurately and fully to any question, inquiry or request for information when required by legal process or from initiating communications directly with, or responding to any inquiry from, or providing testimony before, any self-regulatory organization or state or federal regulatory authority, regarding Key, my employment, or this provision. Furthermore, I am not required to contact Key regarding the subject matter of any such communications before engaging in such communications. I understand that my rights as set forth in this paragraph apply to this Acceptance Agreement, as well as any similar agreement that I have entered into, or may enter into, with Key regarding non-disclosure of information.
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2. I acknowledge and agree that the duties of my position at Key may include the development of Intellectual Property, and that any Intellectual Property which I create with any of Key’s resources or assistance, in whole or in part, and which pertains to the business of Key is the property of Key. I hereby agree and I hereby assign to Key all right, title, and interest in and absolute title to such Intellectual Property, including, without limitation, copyrights, trademarks, service marks, and patents in or to (or associated with) such Intellectual Property and I agree that I will execute all patent applications and assignments thereof on Key’s behalf without additional compensation. “Intellectual Property” shall mean any invention, idea, product, method of doing business, market or business plan, process, program, software, formula, method, work of authorship, or other information, or thing.
3. Except in the proper performance of my duties for Key, I acknowledge and agree that from the date hereof through a period of one (1) year after the termination of my employment with Key for any reason, I will not, directly or indirectly, for myself or on behalf of any other person or entity, hire or solicit or entice for employment any Key Employee, without the written consent of Key (which consent Key may grant or withhold in its discretion). “Key Employees” shall include (i) all current Key employees, and (ii) all persons who were employed by Key at any time during the six (6) month period prior to my termination from Key. I understand that, if I work for Key in a state that limits the enforceability of employee non-solicitation covenants to employees that qualify as managers, officers, directors, or executives of Key, then the obligations of this paragraph shall only apply to such Key employees.
4. (a) During the course of my employment at Key, I may become aware of Key's customers and prospects through access to trade secrets, as defined by the Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, et seq., and the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, as adopted in applicable states, including Ohio [Ohio Rev. Code § 1333.61, et seq.] (“Trade Secrets”), or other confidential or proprietary information. Except in the performance of my duties for Key, I acknowledge and agree that, from my employment date through a period of one (1) year following my termination of employment with Key for any reason, I will not, directly or indirectly, for myself or on behalf of any other person or entity:
(1) solicit any Key customer or potential Key customer for the purposes of directly or indirectly furnishing any financial or banking products or services that compete with or are a substitute for the products and/or services offered by Key, provided that such restriction shall only apply to: (a) any Key customers (i) with whom I directly interacted regarding Key’s products or services, (ii) for whom I provided products or services, or (iii) about whom I was provided access to Trade Secrets or other confidential and proprietary information as an employee of Key; and (b) any Key prospects with whom I directly interacted regarding Key’s products or services in the 12 months immediately preceding the termination of your employment with Key and about whom I was provided access to Trade Secrets or other confidential and proprietary information as an employee of Key; and
(2) conduct business with any such Key customers and prospects, provided that such restriction only would apply to financial and banking products and services that compete with or are a substitute for the products and/or services offered by Key and as such restrictions may be limited by FINRA Rule 2140.
If anything contained in this non-solicitation provision or the non-solicitation provision in paragraph 3 above should be determined by any court to be illegal, invalid, unenforceable, or otherwise contrary to public policy, the validity and enforceability of the remaining parts, terms,
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or provisions shall not be affected thereby and said illegal or invalid part, term, or provision shall be amended to make it enforceable.
(b) [Reserved]
5. The aforementioned restrictions in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4(a) of this Acceptance Agreement shall not apply in the event that, within the 2-year period commencing on a Change of Control: (i) my employment with Key is terminated as a result of a Termination Under Limited Circumstances, or (ii) I terminate employment with Key after either (x) a relocation of my principal place of employment more than 35 miles from my principal place of employment immediately prior to the Change of Control, or (y) a reduction in my base salary after a Change of Control.
6. I agree that the Plan, the Award Agreement and this Acceptance Agreement will be governed by Ohio law without regard to the conflicts of laws principles, and that if any term, condition, clause or provision of the Plan, the Award Agreement or this Acceptance Agreement is determined by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be void or invalid at law, then only that term, condition, clause or provision determined to be void or invalid shall be stricken, and the remainder of the Plan, the Award Agreement and this Acceptance Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in all other aspects.
I also understand and agree that if I engage in any activity that is in violation of the Plan, the Award Agreement or this Acceptance Agreement, such conduct may cause serious damage and irreparable injury to Key, and Key at its election may terminate my employment (if I am still employed), seek monetary damages and attorney fees, and injunctive relief without the necessity of posting bond, as well as any and all other equitable relief to which it may be entitled under the law, the Plan, the Award Agreement and this Acceptance Agreement.
* * * * *
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Exhibit 99.1
NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KEYCORP DECLARES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND ON COMMON SHARES
AND PREFERRED STOCKS AND ANNOUNCES
NEW SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM
CLEVELAND, May 13, 2026 – KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) announced today that its Board of Directors declared the following dividends for the second quarter of 2026:
•A cash dividend of $0.205 per share on the corporation’s outstanding common shares (NYSE: KEY). The dividend is payable on June 15, 2026, to holders of record of such Common Shares as of the close of business on June 2, 2026;
•A dividend of $312.50 per share (equivalent to $12.50 per depositary share (CUSIP #493267AK4)) on the corporation’s outstanding Fixed-to-Floating Rate Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D (CUSIP #493267603), payable on June 15, 2026 to holders of record as of the close of business on June 1, 2026, for the period commencing on (and including) March 15, 2026 to (but excluding) June 15, 2026;
•A dividend of $15.3125 per share (equivalent to $.382813 per depositary share (NYSE: KEY.I)) on the corporation’s outstanding Fixed-to-Floating Rate Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E (CUSIP #493267801), payable on June 15, 2026 to holders of record as of the close of business on June 1, 2026, for the period commencing on (and including) March 15, 2026 to (but excluding) June 15, 2026;
•A dividend of $14.1250 per share (equivalent to $.353125 per depositary share (NYSE: KEY.J)) on the corporation’s outstanding Fixed Rate Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F (CUSIP #493267884), payable on June 15, 2026 to holders of record as of the close of business on June 1, 2026, for the period commencing on (and including) March 15, 2026 to (but excluding) June 15, 2026;
•A dividend of $14.0625 per share (equivalent to $.351563 per depositary share (NYSE: KEY.K)) on the corporation’s outstanding Fixed Rate Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G (CUSIP #493267850), payable on June 15, 2026 to holders of record as of the close of business on June 1, 2026, for the period commencing on (and including) March 15, 2026 to (but excluding) June 15, 2026; and
•A dividend of $15.50 per share (equivalent to $.3875 per depositary share (NYSE: KEY.L)) on the corporation’s outstanding Fixed Rate Reset Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series H (CUSIP #493267835), payable on June 15, 2026 to holders of record as of the close of business on June 1, 2026, for the period commencing on (and including) March 15, 2026 to (but excluding) June 15, 2026.
KeyCorp also announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a new share repurchase program pursuant to which KeyCorp may purchase up to $3.0 billion of KeyCorp common shares, through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, or other means, including through Rule 10b5-1 plans and other programs, at the discretion of management and on terms that management determines to be advisable. The new repurchase authorization replaces KeyCorp’s existing $1.0 billion share repurchase authorization, which had approximately $280 million in common stock repurchases remaining. The timing and price of repurchases as well as the actual number of shares repurchased under the new program will depend on a variety of factors, including general market conditions, the stock price, regulatory requirements and limitations, corporate liquidity requirements and priorities, and other factors.
About KeyCorp
KeyCorp's roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189 billion at March 31, 2026.
Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,100 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.
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Note to Editors: For up-to-date company information, media contacts and facts and figures about Key lines of business, visit our Media Newsroom at Key.com/newsroom.
For more information contact:
Investor Relations: Brian Mauney, 216.689.0521, [email protected]
Media: Beth Strauss, 216.471.2787, [email protected]
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