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☐
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Preliminary Proxy Statement | |||||||||||||
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☐
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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|||||||||||||
| ☒ | Definitive Proxy Statement | |||||||||||||
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☐
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Definitive Additional Materials | |||||||||||||
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☐
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 | |||||||||||||
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(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
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| (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant) | ||
| ☒ | No fee required. | |||||||||||||
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☐
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | |||||||||||||
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☐
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | |||||||||||||
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| LETTER | ||||||||
| FROM OUR CHAIRMAN | ||||||||
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| NOTICE | ||||||||
| OF ANNUAL MEETING | ||||||||
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DATE & TIME |
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LOCATION |
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RECORD DATE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tuesday, June 17, 2025
at 11:00 a.m, Eastern Time
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www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
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April 21, 2025
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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To elect the nominees for Class I and Class III directors recommended by our board of directors, to serve until the 2026 and 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, respectively, or until such time as their respective successors are elected and qualified;
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||||||||||||||
| 1 | ||||||||||||||
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To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers for fiscal year 2024;
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||||||||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||||||||
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To ratify the appointment of Pistrelli, Henry Martin y Asociados S.A., a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited, as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025;
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||||||||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||||||||
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To approve the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion; and
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||||||||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||||||||
| To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting. | ||||||||||||||
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5
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IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE 2025 ANNUAL MEETING.
The notice of meeting and proxy statement for the 2025 annual meeting and our 2024 Annual Report are available electronically at
www.proxyvote.com
. On or about April 28, 2025, we first mailed to our stockholders (other than those who previously requested electronic or paper delivery of the proxy statement) a Notice of Internet Availability containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our proxy statement and our 2024 Annual Report.
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LIVE WEBCAST |
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WEBCAST STARTS |
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REPLAY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
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at 11:00 a.m., June 17, 2025 Eastern Time
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available until June 17, 2026
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For Questions Regarding: | You May Contact: | ||||||||||||||||
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2025 Annual Meeting
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MercadoLibre Investor Relations, by going to
https://investor.mercadolibre.com/contact
and submitting your question or request
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||||||||||||||||
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Voting Stock Ownership
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Computershare
Regular Mail: PO BOX 430006, Providence, RI, 02940-3000, USA
Courier Delivery (overnight): 150 Royall St., Canton, MA 02121
888 313 1478 (U.S. investors)
+1 (201) 680 6578 (Non-U.S. investors)
www.computershare.com/investor
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||||||||||||||||
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AN
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||||||||
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ECOSYSTEM
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|||||
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FOR
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3P MARKETPLACE
>90% of our GMV and over 40 billion dollars in products sold every year. Our commerce platform serves tens of millions of buyers and sellers across the region with a diverse range of categories and a seamless shopping experience.
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1P RETAIL
Mercado Libre also operates a first party operation that offers products that are complementary to our marketplace assortment, representing <10% of our GMV. We focus on continuously improving the user experience and our value proposition to drive the development of online retail.
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||||||||
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ADVERTISING
Full funnel tool to serve all types of brands and sellers. Mercado Libre has developed advertising solutions for the awareness, consideration and conversion stages of the funnel. With a platform that we believe is world class, sellers and brands can reach millions of qualified buyers at different stages of the shopping journey, supported by our proprietary data.
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||||||||
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SHIPPING
Efficiency driven by proprietary technology. Mercado Libre’s logistics is one of our strongest competitive advantages. We believe we are able to deliver a world class experience to buyers, which means greater traffic, conversion and sales for sellers, and higher NPS and cost efficiency for Mercado Libre.
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FINTECH
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||||||||
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FINANCIAL SERVICES
Mercado Pago serves merchants with a wide range of payment solutions tailored to different needs, all combined with the ability to anticipate / discount receivables: Mobile Point of Sale, QR Payments and Merchant Services.
Mercado Pago users access a number of financial services through their free digital accounts, beyond payments, transfers and other day to day transactions: Debit and Credit Cards, Investments, Insurance and Crypto Wallet.
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LENDING
We leverage the proprietary first party data from our commerce and fintech businesses, enabling us to score users of our ecosystem. The more our users engage with our ecosystem, the better we can score them for credit and offer options tailored to their needs in different touchpoints. We distribute credit through our apps and website in a user friendly and fast manner, with low customer acquisition costs.
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||||||||
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| TABLE | ||||||||
| OF CONTENTS | ||||||||
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Impact Highlights
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WE
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USE
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||||||||
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TECHNOLOGY
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|||||
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TO
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|||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
1
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|||||||||||||||
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WE
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ACT
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TODAY
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FOR LATIN
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|||||||||||||||||
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MercadoLibre is celebrating 25 years as a driver of transformation across Latin America.
|
||||||||
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|||||||||||
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We work to expand economic opportunities and financial inclusion for sustainable businesses and underserved user segments, positioning our ecosystem as a catalyst for positive social and economic impact. We achieve this by offering the largest curated selection of sustainable products in the region on our marketplace, developing triple-impact brands and businesses, and enhancing the financial and digital skills of business owners and users facing barriers to accessing our platforms, such as geographical, educational or technological gaps.
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| We support the development of our communities by democratizing access to training opportunities and resources. Our focus is on projects and initiatives that enhance social development capabilities in increasingly digitalized contexts. Through programs like Mercado Libre Solidario, we enhance the digitalization and fundraising capabilities of social organizations in the region, improving their ability to address today’s social and environmental challenges. | |||||||||||
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|||||||||||
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We manage the environmental impact of our operations through innovative, efficient, and scalable solutions, focusing on what we can do best today to grow sustainably. Measuring our carbon footprint allows us to identify key operational and value chain impacts and target efforts to the most efficient initiatives to mitigate them, with a focus on sustainable mobility, energy management, and circular economy.
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|||||||||||
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2
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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Topic
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Where to find
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||||||||||
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Company Reports
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|||||||||||
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Impact Report
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section
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||||||||||
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Sustainable Bond Report
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section
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||||||||||
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Impacts that Matter
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section
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||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
3
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|||||||||||||||
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Topic
|
Where to find
|
||||||||||
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Standards and Frameworks
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|||||||||||
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GRI Standard Reporting
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section, in Impact Report frameworks section
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||||||||||
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SASB Reporting
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section, in Impact Report frameworks section
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||||||||||
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Integrated Reporting
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Investor Relations website under the Impact section, in Impact Report frameworks section
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||||||||||
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CDP Reporting
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Available in the CDP Portal
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||||||||||
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Policies
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|||||||||||
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MELI Code
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Investor Relations website under the About MELI section, in Governance Documents
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||||||||||
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Code of Ethics for suppliers and business partners
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Investor Relations website under the About MELI section, in Governance Documents
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||||||||||
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GOVERNANCE
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||||||||
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4
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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Proposal One
|
||
| ELECTION | ||||||||
| OF DIRECTORS | ||||||||
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Directors Currently Comprising Each Class
|
Class | Current Term Expiration Date | ||||||||||||
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Susan Segal
Stelleo Passos Tolda
(1)
Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin
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Class I | 2026 Annual Meeting | ||||||||||||
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Nicolás Galperin
Henrique Dubugras
Richard Sanders
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Class II |
2027 Annual Meeting
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||||||||||||
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Emiliano Calemzuk
Marcos Galperin
Andrea Mayumi Petroni Merhy
(2)
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Class III | 2025 Annual Meeting | ||||||||||||
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Director Nominee
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Class |
Expiration Date
|
||||||||||||
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Stelleo Passos Tolda
|
Class I | 2026 Annual Meeting | ||||||||||||
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Emiliano Calemzuk
Martin Lawson
Marcos Galperin
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Class III
|
2028 Annual Meeting
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||||||||||||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | ||||||||||
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RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES FOR CLASS I AND CLASS III DIRECTORS.
|
|||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
5
|
|||||||||||||||
|
6
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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Comprehensive Review by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee:
■
Identifies, reviews, and evaluates candidates based on overall merits.
■
Assesses candidates using criteria in corporate governance guidelines.
■
Reviews candidates for independence and potential conflicts of interest.
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||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
7
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|||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 57 | |||||
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DIRECTOR
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SINCE
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| 2024 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
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KEY
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SKILLS
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| BANKING | ||
| FINANCE | ||
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RISK
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OVERSIGHT
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MARKETING
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| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | ||
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INDUSTRY
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EXPERIENCE
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(COMMERCE)
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LATAM
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MARKETS
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MANAGEMENT
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CORPORATE
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GOVERNANCE
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| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
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CAREER
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HIGHLIGHTS
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OTHER
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BOARDS
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WITHIN
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THE
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PAST
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FIVE
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YEARS
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OTHER
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AFFILIATIONS
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8
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 52 | |||||
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DIRECTOR
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SINCE
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| 2007 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
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KEY
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SKILLS
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MEDIA &
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ENTERTAINMENT
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| MARKETING | ||
| CYBERSECURITY | ||
| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | ||
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INDUSTRY
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EXPERIENCE
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(COMMERCE)
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LATAM
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MARKETS
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MANAGEMENT
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CORPORATE
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GOVERNANCE
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| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
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CAREER
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HIGHLIGHTS
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| EDUCATION | ||
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OTHER
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PUBLIC
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BOARDS
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WITHIN
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THE
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PAST
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FIVE
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||
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YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
9
|
|||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 52 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
| None | |||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
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||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
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||
|
(COMMERCE)
|
||
| FINANCE | ||
| MANAGEMENT | ||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
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PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
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||
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WITHIN
|
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THE
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||
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PAST
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||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
|
KEY
|
||
|
ATTRIBUTES
|
||
|
AND
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
|
10
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 53 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 1999 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
| None | |||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(FINTECH)
|
||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(COMMERCE)
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
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MARKETS
|
||
|
MANAGEMENT
|
||
|
MEDIA &
|
||
|
ENTERTAINMENT
|
||
| FINANCE | ||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
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||
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PUBLIC
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||
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BOARDS
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WITHIN
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THE
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PAST
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FIVE
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||
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YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEE FOR CLASS I AND NOMINEES FOR CLASS III DIRECTORS NAMED ABOVE.
|
||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
11
|
|||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 72 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 2012 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | ||
| FINANCE | ||
|
RISK
|
||
|
OVERSIGHT
|
||
|
BANKING
|
||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(FINTECH)
|
||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(COMMERCE)
|
||
|
CORPORATE
|
||
|
GOVERNANCE
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
|
||
|
MANAGEMENT
|
||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
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AWARDS
|
||
|
AND
|
||
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HONORS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
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BOARDS
|
||
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WITHIN
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THE
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PAST
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FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
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||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
|
12
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 56 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 2017 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
|
CORPORATE
|
||
|
GOVERNANCE
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(FINTECH)
|
||
| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | ||
|
FINANCE
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
|
||
| BANKING | ||
| MANAGEMENT | ||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | ||
|
RISK
|
||
|
OVERSIGHT
|
||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
|
||
|
WITHIN
|
||
|
THE
|
||
|
PAST
|
||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
13
|
|||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 56 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 1999 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
| None | |||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
|
FINANCE
|
||
|
RISK
|
||
|
OVERSIGHT
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
|
||
|
CORPORATE
|
||
|
GOVERNANCE
|
||
| BANKING | ||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | ||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
|
||
|
WITHIN
|
||
|
THE
|
||
|
PAST
|
||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
|
14
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 29 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 2021 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
| None | |||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
|
FINANCE
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
|
||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(FINTECH)
|
||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
|
||
|
WITHIN
|
||
|
THE
|
||
|
PAST
|
||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
15
|
|||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 53 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 2022 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | ||
|
INDUSTRY
|
||
|
EXPERIENCE
|
||
|
(COMMERCE)
|
||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | ||
| FINANCE | ||
|
RISK
|
||
|
OVERSIGHT
|
||
|
MANAGEMENT
|
||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
|
||
|
WITHIN
|
||
|
THE
|
||
|
PAST
|
||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
|
16
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| AGE | ||
| 50 | |||||
|
DIRECTOR
|
||
|
SINCE
|
||
| 2022 | |||||
| COMMITTEES | ||
| None | |||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
SKILLS
|
||
|
RISK
|
||
|
OVERSIGHT
|
||
|
FINANCE
|
||
|
BANKING
|
||
|
LATAM
|
||
|
MARKETS
|
||
|
CORPORATE
|
||
|
GOVERNANCE
|
||
| MANAGEMENT | ||
|
CAREER
|
||
|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
PUBLIC
|
||
|
BOARDS
|
||
|
WITHIN
|
||
|
THE
|
||
|
PAST
|
||
|
FIVE
|
||
|
YEARS
|
||
|
OTHER
|
||
|
AFFILIATIONS
|
||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
17
|
|||||||||||||||
|
18
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| Skills and Experience |
Passos Tolda
|
Segal
|
Aguzin
|
N. Galperin
|
Dubugras
|
Sanders
|
Calemzuk | M. Galperin | Petroni |
Lawson
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FINANCE | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RISK OVERSIGHT | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
LATAM MARKETS
|
■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BANKING | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE (COMMERCE) | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE (FINTECH) | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MARKETING | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MANAGEMENT | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CYBERSECURITY | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | |||||||||||
|
Identify opportunities and innovate solutions in fast-changing markets.
|
|||||||||||
| RISK OVERSIGHT | |||||||||||
|
Identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to safeguard the Company's assets and reputation in a dynamic landscape.
|
|||||||||||
| CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | |||||||||||
|
Knowledge of best practices in corporate governance, ensuring accountability, transparency, and ethical standard.
|
|||||||||||
|
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
(FINTECH)
|
|||||||||||
|
A deep understanding of the financial technology sector, including emerging technologies, and regulatory challenges.
|
|||||||||||
| MANAGEMENT | |||||||||||
|
Strong leadership abilities to foster team collaboration and operational efficiency.
|
|||||||||||
| PRIVATE EQUITY | |||||||||||
|
Identify, evaluate and manage investment opportunities.
|
|||||||||||
|
LATAM MARKETS
|
|||||||||||
|
In-depth understanding of the diverse socioeconomic and regulatory environments in Latin America.
|
|||||||||||
| BANKING | |||||||||||
|
Insight into financial systems and regulations that affect corporate finance and investment.
|
|||||||||||
| MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | |||||||||||
|
Familiarity with the media landscape, enhancing strategic partnerships and offerings in content-driven segments.
|
|||||||||||
| CYBERSECURITY | |||||||||||
|
Expertise in safeguarding digital assets and protecting user data, ensuring compliance with regulations.
|
|||||||||||
| FINANCE | |||||||||||
|
Strong financial acumen that enables decision-making regarding capital allocation and financial forecasting.
|
|||||||||||
| INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY | |||||||||||
|
Proficiency in the latest technological advancements.
|
|||||||||||
|
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
(COMMERCE)
|
|||||||||||
|
A comprehensive knowledge of the commercial landscape, consumer behavior, market dynamics, and sales.
|
|||||||||||
| MARKETING | |||||||||||
|
Develop effective marketing strategies, driving brand engagement and market penetration.
|
|||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
19
|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
| CORPORATE | ||||||||
| GOVERNANCE | ||||||||
|
20
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| Director Name | Age | Independent | Audit | Compensation | Nominating & Corporate Governance | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Emiliano Calemzuk
|
52
|
■ | C |
C
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Susan Segal
|
72
|
■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||
|
Stelleo Passos Tolda
|
57 | ■ | C | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||
|
Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin
|
56
|
■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||||||||||||||
|
Richard Sanders
|
53
|
■ | ■ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| RESPONSIBILITIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AUDIT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
■
Overseeing our independent registered public accounting firm and having the sole authority to select and, where appropriate, replace the independent registered public accounting firm, approve the compensation and terms of the firm’s engagement and evaluate its performance;
■
Considering and approving all audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm and establishing procedures in respect thereof;
■
Overseeing management’s establishment and maintenance of our accounting and financial reporting processes, including our internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures, and the audits of our financial statements;
■
Establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal control, and auditing and non-audit/accounting matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting, auditing or other matters;
■
Investigating any matter brought to its attention within the scope of its duties and engaging independent counsel and other advisers as the audit committee deems necessary;
■
Approve the compensation and terms of engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm, compensation of advisors hired by the audit committee and ordinary administrative expenses;
■
Reviewing annual and quarterly financial statements prior to their release;
■
Preparing the report required by the rules and regulations of the SEC to be included in our annual proxy statement;
■
Reviewing and assessing the adequacy of the committee’s formal written charter on an annual basis;
■
Overseeing and evaluating the Company’s risk management framework (including risk assessment and risk management policies and procedures) to identify, evaluate, measure and manage existing and potential risks, including financial, operational, cybersecurity and fraud, strategic and compliance risks, and the steps we have taken to detect, monitor and actively manage such exposures;
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMMITTEE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEMBERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Stelleo Passos Tolda
(1)
(Chairman and Financial expert)
Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin
Susan Segal
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDEPENDENCE | 3 out of 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MEETINGS IN 2024
|
5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ACTIONS BY UNANIMOUS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WRITTEN CONSENT | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
21
|
|||||||||||||||
|
■
Reviewing significant legal, compliance and regulatory matters that could have a material impact on our financial statements or our business, including material notices to or inquiries received from governmental agencies;
■
Receiving and considering the independent auditors’ comments as to controls, adequacy of staff, and management performance and procedures in connection with audit and financial controls;
■
Reviewing the experience and qualifications of senior members of the internal audit function on an annual basis, including the responsibilities, staffing, budget and quality control procedures of the internal audit function;
■
Handling such other matters that are specifically delegated to the audit committee by our board from time to time; and
■
Periodically reviewing management reports regarding the effectiveness of the Company’s risk management program, any corrective action and progress of key risk initiatives, and seeking, as necessary, reports on selected risks.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RESPONSIBILITIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMPENSATION | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
■
Developing and overseeing the implementation of the Company’s philosophy relating to the compensation of our directors, executive officers, and other key employees;
■
Developing and maintaining an executive compensation policy that creates a direct relationship between pay levels and corporate performance;
■
Recommending to our board for determination, the compensation and benefits of all of our executive officers and key employees, including the Chief Executive Officer;
■
Recommending to our board for determination, the compensation and benefits of non-employee directors;
■
Monitoring and reviewing our compensation and benefit plans to ensure that they meet corporate objectives;
■
Administering our clawback policy;
■
Administering our stock plans and other incentive compensation plans and preparing recommendations and periodic reports to our board concerning these matters;
■
Reviewing and recommending to the Board for approval the frequency with which the Company will conduct Say-on-Pay Votes, taking into account the results of the most recent stockholder advisory vote;
■
Overseeing, in conjunction with the nominating and corporate governance committee and the Board, engagement with stockholders and proxy advisory firms on executive compensation matters;
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMMITTEE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEMBERS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Emiliano Calemzuk
(Chairman)
Richard Sanders
Susan Segal
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDEPENDENCE | 3 out of 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MEETINGS IN 2024
|
1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ACTIONS BY UNANIMOUS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WRITTEN CONSENT | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
22
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
■
Preparing the report required by the rules and regulations of the SEC to be included in our annual proxy statement and assisting management in the preparation of the compensation discussion and analysis included in this proxy statement; and
■
Such other matters that are specifically delegated to the compensation committee by our board from time to time.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RESPONSIBILITIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOMINATING | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
■
Developing director selection criteria and evaluating and recommending to our board, nominees for election to our board;
■
Making recommendations to our board regarding the size and composition of the board, committee structure and membership and the termination and resignation of board members;
■
Reviewing and recommending to our Board director independence determinations;
■
Taking a leadership role in shaping the Company’s corporate governance, including reviewing the corporate governance guidelines and considering public policy issues that may arise from time to time and affect the Company;
■
Overseeing our board’s performance and annual self-evaluation process and developing continuing education programs for our directors;
■
Monitoring our performance in meeting our obligations of fairness in internal and external matters and our principles of corporate governance;
■
Reviewing correspondence received from stockholders; and
■
Such other matters that are specifically delegated to the nominating and corporate governance committee by our board from time to time.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AND CORPORATE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GOVERNANCE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMMITTEE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEMBERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Emiliano Calemzuk
(Chairman)
Stelleo Passos Tolda
(1)
Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDEPENDENCE | 3 out of 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MEETINGS IN 2024
|
None | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ACTIONS BY UNANIMOUS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WRITTEN CONSENT | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
23
|
|||||||||||||||
|
24
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
25
|
|||||||||||||||
|
26
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
27
|
|||||||||||||||
| Lead independent director | $30,000 | ||||||||||
| Audit committee chair | $21,913 | ||||||||||
| Compensation committee chair | $21,913 | ||||||||||
|
Nominating and corporate governance
committee chair
|
$15,000 | ||||||||||
| Name |
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash
($)
(1)
|
Stock Awards
($)
(2)
|
All Other Compensation
($)
(3)
|
Total
($) |
||||||||||||||||
| Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin | 80,324 | 119,000 | 7,216 | 206,540 | ||||||||||||||||
| Emiliano Calemzuk | 139,913 | 119,000 | — | 258,913 | ||||||||||||||||
| Henrique Dubugras | 73,000 | 119,000 | — | 192,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Andrea Mayumi Petroni Merhy | 73,000 | 119,000 | 6,989 | 198,989 | ||||||||||||||||
| Richard Sanders | 73,000 | 119,000 | 6,989 | 198,989 | ||||||||||||||||
| Susan Segal | 73,000 | 119,000 | — | 192,000 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Mario Eduardo Vázquez
(4)
|
62,983 | 78,551 | 1,116 | 142,650 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 575,220 | 792,551 | 22,310 | 1,390,081 | ||||||||||||||||
|
28
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
||
| ADDITIONAL | ||||||||
| GOVERNANCE | ||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
29
|
|||||||||||||||
|
30
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
31
|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
| EXECUTIVE | ||||||||
| OFFICERS | ||||||||
| Name | Age | Position | ||||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin |
53
|
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos |
55
|
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||||||
| Ariel Szarfsztejn |
43
|
Commerce President | ||||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez |
54
|
Fintech President | ||||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich |
47
|
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer | ||||||||||||
| Marcelo Melamud |
54
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer | ||||||||||||
| Juan Martín de la Serna |
58
|
Executive Vice President - Corporate Affairs | ||||||||||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
32
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
33
|
|||||||||||||||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
KEY
|
||
|
QUALIFICATIONS
|
||
| EDUCATION | ||
|
34
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
||
| DELINQUENT | ||||||||
| SECTION 16(A) | ||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
35
|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
|
BENEFICIAL
|
OWNERSHIP |
OF
|
OUR
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Total Common Stock
(1)
|
||||||||||||||
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number
(#) |
Percentage
(%) |
||||||||||||
|
Five percent stockholders
(1)
:
|
||||||||||||||
|
Baillie Gifford & Co.
(2)
|
4,689,139 | 9.25 | ||||||||||||
|
Galperin Trust
(3)
|
3,550,136 | 7.00 | ||||||||||||
| Directors and executive officers: | ||||||||||||||
|
Marcos Galperin
(4)
|
35 | * | ||||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos | 410 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Ariel Szarfsztejn
(5)
|
76 | * | ||||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | — | — | ||||||||||||
|
Osvaldo Giménez
(6)
|
18,402 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Emiliano Calemzuk
(7)(8)
|
408 | * | ||||||||||||
| Nicolás Galperin | — | — | ||||||||||||
|
Richard Sanders
(7)
|
350 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Susan Segal
(7)(9)
|
725 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Stelleo Passos Tolda
(10)
|
98,107 | * | ||||||||||||
|
36
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
Total Common Stock
(1)
|
||||||||||||||
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number
(#) |
Percentage
(%) |
||||||||||||
|
Alejandro Nicolás Aguzin
(7)
|
4,691 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Henrique Dubugras
(7)(11)
|
1,221 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Andrea Mayumi Petroni Merhy
(7)
|
288 | * | ||||||||||||
|
Director Nominees:
|
||||||||||||||
|
Martin Lawson
(12)
|
5,841 | * | ||||||||||||
|
All current directors and executive officers as a group (15 persons)
(13)
|
124,968 | * | ||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
37
|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
| EXECUTIVE | ||||||||
| COMPENSATION | ||||||||
|
The named executive officers in this proxy statement are:
■
Marcos Galperin
, President and Chief Executive Officer
■
Martín de los Santos
, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
■
Osvaldo Giménez
, Fintech President
■
Daniel Rabinovich
, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
■
Ariel Szarfsztejn,
Commerce President
|
||||||||
|
38
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
83.81%
|
||||||||
|
OF STOCKHOLDERS VOTED IN FAVOR
OF OUR 2023 ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
|
||||||||
| Element of Pay | Description of Element | ||||||||||
| Base Salary | Annual fixed cash compensation established based on the scope of the responsibilities and individual experience of our named executive officers, taking into account competitive market compensation. | ||||||||||
| Annual Bonus | Annual cash bonuses to compensate named executive officers for achieving short-term financial and operational goals during the preceding fiscal year. | ||||||||||
| Long-Term Retention Plan Bonus (“LTRP”) | Long-term cash incentive paid over a six-year period through annual fixed payments as well as annual variable payments that depend on the value of our stock over the six-year period over which the bonus is paid. | ||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
39
|
|||||||||||||||
|
40
|
2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| In U.S. Dollars | Year |
Base Salary
($)
(1)
|
Annual Bonus
($)
(1)
|
Long-Term Retention Plans
2019-2024 (Cash)
($)
(2)
|
All Other Compensation
($)
(3)
|
Total
($)
(
*
)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Marcos Galperin
President and CEO
|
2024 | 565,871 | 220,159 | 12,961,103 | — | 13,747,133 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Martín de los Santos
Executive VP and CFO
|
2024 | 537,466 | 201,937 | 1,929,708 | 3,396 | 2,672,507 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Osvaldo Giménez
Fintech President
|
2024 | 565,053 | 212,303 | 4,106,919 | 3,396 | 4,887,671 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Daniel Rabinovich
Executive VP and COO
|
2024 | 558,473 | 157,730 | 3,983,989 | 74,724 | 4,774,916 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ariel Szarfsztejn
Commerce President
|
2024 | 630,100 | 177,960 | 2,792,295 | 90,018 | 3,690,373 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
41
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Consolidated Performance
(1)
|
Marcos
Galperin
|
Martín De
Los Santos
|
Osvaldo
Giménez
|
Daniel
Rabinovich
|
Ariel
Szarfsztejn
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Net revenues and financial income
|
40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income from operations | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total Payment Volume - adjusted | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Competitive NPS | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Overall Performance
(2)
|
100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||
|
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|
Consolidated Performance
(1)
|
Marcos
Galperin
|
Martín De
Los Santos
|
Osvaldo
Giménez
|
Daniel
Rabinovich
|
Ariel
Szarfsztejn
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Individual Performance Multiplier
(3)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Above Expectations | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Meet Expectations | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Below Expectations | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Metrics |
Metric Percentage Weight
|
2024 Actual
(in MM)
|
2024 Target
(in MM)
|
Minimum Achievement as Percentage of Target
(2)
|
Actual % of
Objective
(3)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Consolidated Performance
(1)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net revenues and financial income
|
40 | % | 21,940.4 | 21,420.0 | 88.8 | % | 102.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Income from operations
(4)
|
35 | % | 4,864.1 | 5,232.2 | 75.0 | % | 84.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total Payment Volume - adjusted | 10 | % | 200,118.4 | 191,402.1 | 88.5 | % | 104.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Competitive NPS | 15 | % | 66.2 | % | 63.1 | % | 95.0 | % | 105.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Weighted Average - Overall Performance | 84.9 | % | 96.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Individual Performance Multiplier
(5)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Messrs. Rabinovich and Szarfsztejn | 1.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Messrs. Galperin, de los Santos and Giménez | 1.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Target Bonus
|
x
|
Consolidated Performance
|
x
|
Individual Performance Multiplier
|
= |
Bonus Amount Payout
|
||||||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
Nominal Target Value of 2024 LTRP Bonus
($)
(1)
|
Portion of 2024 LTRP Bonus Paid Out in Respect of 2024
($)
|
|||||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin | 10,000,000 | 1,969,566 | ||||||||||||
|
Martín de los Santos
|
2,000,000 | 393,913 | ||||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez | 3,500,000 | 689,347 | ||||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | 3,500,000 | 689,347 | ||||||||||||
|
Ariel Szarfsztejn
|
3,500,000 | 689,347 | ||||||||||||
|
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
Name and Principal Position
|
Year |
Salary
($)
(1)
|
Bonus
($)
(2)
|
Non-Equity Incentive Compensation Plan
($)
(3)
|
All Other Compensation
($)
|
Total
($)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Marcos Galperin
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
2024
|
565,871 | 3,713,194 | 9,468,068 |
(4)
|
— | 13,747,133 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 522,883 | 2,879,862 | 6,188,431 | — | 9,591,176 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 448,824 | 2,046,528 | 5,775,215 | — | 8,270,567 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Martín de los Santos
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
|
2024
|
537,466 | 598,258 | 1,533,387 |
(4)
|
3,396 |
(5)
|
2,672,507 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 511,299 | 431,591 |
1,189,617
|
3,396
|
2,135,903 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Osvaldo Giménez
Fintech President
|
2024
|
565,053 | 1,249,755 | 3,069,467 |
(4)
|
3,396 |
(6)
|
4,887,671 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 527,858 | 958,089 | 2,044,375 | 3,396 | 3,533,718 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 450,314 | 666,423 | 1,541,505 | 11,436 | 2,669,678 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Daniel Rabinovich
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
|
2024
|
558,473 | 1,198,999 | 2,942,720 |
(4)
|
74,724 |
(7)
|
4,774,916 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 558,511 | 948,377 | 1,863,338 | 64,334 | 3,434,560 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 537,875 | 615,667 | 1,700,817 | 100,969 | 2,955,328 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ariel Szarfsztejn
Commerce President
|
2024
|
630,100 | 914,703 | 2,055,552 |
(4)
|
90,018 |
(8)
|
3,690,373 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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|
Estimated Possible Payouts Under
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | Grant Date |
Threshold
($) |
Target
($) |
Maximum
($) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin | 41,275 |
(1)
|
165,099 |
(1)
|
247,648 |
(1)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 18, 2024 | 5,000,000 |
(2)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos | 37,859 |
(1)
|
151,434 |
(1)
|
227,151 |
(1)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 18, 2024 | 1,000,000 |
(2)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez | 39,802 |
(1)
|
159,207 |
(1)
|
238,810 |
(1)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 18, 2024 | 1,750,000 |
(2)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | 44,356 |
(1)
|
177,424 |
(1)
|
266,137 |
(1)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 18, 2024 | 1,750,000 |
(2)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ariel Szarfsztejn | 50,045 |
(1)
|
200,180 |
(1)
|
300,270 |
(1)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 18, 2024 | 1,750,000 |
(2)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||||
| Name |
Local Law Severance
($) |
||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin | 429,121 | ||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos | 354,064 | ||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez | 435,584 | ||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | 1,192,028 | ||||||||||
| Ariel Szarfsztejn | 575,620 | ||||||||||
| Name |
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
(2)
|
||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin | 14,438,225 | ||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos | 2,589,629 | ||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez | 5,074,498 | ||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | 4,935,099 | ||||||||||
| Ariel Szarfsztejn | 4,309,980 | ||||||||||
|
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| Name |
Salary
($)
(2)
|
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
(3)
|
Total
($) |
||||||||||||||
| Marcos Galperin | 429,121 | 28,876,449 | 29,305,570 | ||||||||||||||
| Martín de los Santos | 354,064 | 5,179,257 | 5,533,321 | ||||||||||||||
| Osvaldo Giménez | 435,584 | 10,148,995 | 10,584,579 | ||||||||||||||
| Daniel Rabinovich | 1,192,028 | 9,870,198 | 11,062,226 | ||||||||||||||
| Ariel Szarfsztejn | 575,620 | 8,619,959 | 9,195,579 | ||||||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
THE ANNUAL TOTAL COMPENSATION OF OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR PURPOSE OF DETERMINING THE PAY RATIO WAS
$13,747,133;
AND
THE ANNUAL TOTAL COMPENSATION OF OUR MEDIAN EMPLOYEE WAS
$8,650
|
||||||||
| MercadoLibre Main Locations |
Monthly Minimum Wage in USD
($) |
||||||||||
| Brazil | 291 | ||||||||||
|
Mexico
|
412 | ||||||||||
|
Argentina
|
276 | ||||||||||
| Colombia | 328 | ||||||||||
| Chile | 535 | ||||||||||
| Uruguay | 544 | ||||||||||
| U.S. (California) | 2,970 | ||||||||||
|
50
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|
Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO
($)
(1)
|
Compensation Actually Paid to PEO
($)
(1)
|
Average Summary Compensation Table Total for NEOs
($)
(2)
|
Average Compensation Actually Paid to NEOs
($)
(2)
|
Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On:
|
Net Income
(in millions)
($)
|
Income from Operations
(in millions of constant dollars)
($)
(4)(5)(6)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year |
Total Shareholder Return
($)
|
Peer Group Total Shareholder Return
($)
(3)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (A) | (B) | (C) | (D) | (E) | (F) | (G) | (H) | (I) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
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|
52
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|
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|
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||
|
Proposal Two
|
||
| ADVISORY | |||||
| VOTE | ||||||||
| TO APPROVE | ||||||||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | ||||||||||
|
RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
|
|||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
| AUDIT | ||||||||
| COMMITTEE REPORT | ||||||||
|
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|
||
|
Proposal Three
|
||
| RATIFICATION | ||||||||
| OF INDEPENDENT | ||||||||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | ||||||||||
|
RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF EY AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2025.
|
|||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
2024
($)
|
2023
($)
|
|||||||||||||
| Audit Fees | 12,016,368 | 9,008,650 | ||||||||||||
| Audit-Related Fees | 997,423 | 655,096 | ||||||||||||
| Tax Fees | 403,475 | 181,029 | ||||||||||||
| All Other Fees | — | 105,729 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 13,417,266 | 9,950,504 | ||||||||||||
|
58
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF EY AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.
|
|||||||||||
|
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
||
|
Proposal Four
|
||
|
APPROVAL
|
||||||||
|
OF
|
||||||||
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | ||||||||||
|
RECOMMENDS A
VOTE
FOR
THE REDOMESTICATION FROM DELAWARE TO TEXAS BY CONVERSION AND THE ADOPTION OF THE REDOMESTICATION RESOLUTION.
|
|||||||||||
|
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|
62
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| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
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|
64
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|
|||||||||||||||
|
Issue
|
Delaware Charter
|
Texas Charter
|
|||||||||||||||
| Cumulative Voting | Under the DGCL, cumulative voting for the election of directors is allowed only as provided in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. The current Delaware Charter provides that stockholders of the Company shall not be permitted to cumulate their votes for the election of directors or for any other purpose. | Under the TBOC, in order to vote cumulatively in a board of directors election, cumulative voting must be authorized by the certificate of formation. The proposed Texas Charter does not provide for cumulative voting. | |||||||||||||||
| Acts requiring shareholder approval (by a majority or more of voting stock) | Under the DGCL, certain matters subject to a stockholder vote, including certain business transactions including, without limitation, mergers, conversions, sales of substantially all assets, require a default vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, unless the charter specifies a higher voting threshold. The current Delaware Charter does not include a higher voting threshold so the default voting standard for such business transactions applies. | Under the TBOC, certain matters subject to a shareholder vote, including “fundamental business transactions” such as mergers, sales of substantially all assets, and other transactions, require a default vote of 2/3 of the shareholders of each class, unless the charter specifies a lower voting threshold. Accordingly, the proposed Texas Charter contains language setting the default voting thresholds at a majority standard unless a different standard is specified elsewhere. | |||||||||||||||
| Board of Directors Vacancies | The current Delaware Charter refers to the Delaware Bylaws, which provide that vacancies on the Board shall be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board, or by a sole remaining director. |
The TBOC provides that director vacancies may be filled (1) by a vote of a majority of the remaining members of the board of directors, (2) by a sole remaining director, or (3) by a vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock.
Additionally, the TBOC prevents a board of directors from filling more than two vacancies caused by an increase in the size of the board of directors between any two annual meetings of shareholders, and any directors appointed or elected by the board of directors or shareholders to fill a vacancy can only serve until the next annual meeting of the shareholders (or special meeting called to elect directors). The proposed Texas Charter provides that director vacancies may be filled in any manner permitted by the TBOC, in each case to the extent permitted by the TBOC.
|
|||||||||||||||
| Classified Board |
The current Delaware Charter provides that the Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes as nearly equal in number as possible, with one class to be elected annually.
The DGCL provides that the certificate of incorporation, an initial bylaw, or a bylaw adopted by a vote of the stockholders may classify the board of directors into 1, 2, or 3 classes, with the terms of office of directors in such classes to be 1, 2, or 3 years, respectively.
|
The proposed Texas Charter provides for the same classified Board.
Under the TBOC, the certificate of formation or the bylaws may classify the board of directors into 2 or 3 classes, with each group containing the same or a similar number of directors as each other class, and that have staggered terms of office.
|
|||||||||||||||
| Action by Written Consent | The current Delaware Charter prohibits stockholder action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. | Under the TBOC, shareholders are required to have the option to act by written consent in lieu of a meeting, and so the proposed Texas Charter provides that shareholders may act by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting. This option most closely aligns with the terms of the current Delaware Charter, which prohibits shareholder action by written consent. In particular, in light of our widely held shareholder base, we do not believe that action by unanimous written consent is likely. | |||||||||||||||
|
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|
Issue
|
Delaware Charter
|
Texas Charter
|
|||||||||||||||
| Calling of Special Shareholder Meetings | The current Delaware Charter provides that special stockholder meetings may be called for any purpose or purposes only by a majority of the Board, the chairperson of the Board or the chief executive officer, unless otherwise required by law. | The proposed Texas Charter provides that special shareholder meetings may be called by a majority of the Board of Directors, the chairperson of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, or by shareholders holding 50% of the shares entitled to vote on the proposed action of such meeting. Under the TBOC, the president of a corporation is required to have the right to call a shareholder meeting as are shareholders holding a specified percentage of the shares entitled to vote at such meeting. We have acknowledged that statutory right in the proposed Texas Charter. In light of our widely held shareholder base, we do not believe that a shareholder called special meeting is likely. | |||||||||||||||
| Indemnification |
The current Delaware Charter provides that the corporation shall indemnify directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law as it exists or may be amended from time to time, or any other applicable laws presently or thereafter in effect. The current Delaware bylaws similarly provide that the corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.
Under Delaware law, a corporation may indemnify (among others) a director or officer against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement reasonably incurred by the person in connection with a legal proceeding, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, provided such a director or officer acted in good faith and reasonably believed: (1) that such person’s conduct was in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (2) in the case of a criminal proceeding, that such person had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful.
In connection with an action by or in the right of the corporation against (among others) a director or officer, the corporation may indemnify such director or officer for expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such suit: (1) if such person acted in good faith and a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (2) if such person is found liable to the corporation, only if ordered by a court of law.
|
The proposed Texas Charter authorizes the indemnification of directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Texas law as it exists or may be amended from time to time.
Under the TBOC, a corporation may indemnify a director or officer against judgments and expenses reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with a legal proceeding if the director or officer: (1) acted in good faith, (2) reasonably believed, in the case of conduct in the person’s official capacity, that the person’s conduct was in the corporation’s best interests, and otherwise, that the person’s conduct was not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, and (3) in the case of a criminal proceeding, did not have reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.
If, however, the director or officer is found liable to the corporation or is found liable on the basis that such director or officer received an improper personal benefit, then indemnification is limited to the reimbursement of reasonable expenses actually incurred. Additionally, no indemnification will be available if a director or officer is found liable for: (1) willful or intentional misconduct, (2) breach of the duty of loyalty, or (3) an act or omission not committed in good faith that constitutes a breach of a duty owed to the corporation.
|
|||||||||||||||
| Advancement of Expenses | The current Delaware Charter and Delaware Bylaws provide that expenses reasonably incurred by an officer or director defending with any action, suit or proceeding for which such director or officer has a right to indemnification will be advanced by the Company upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay such amounts if it is ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to indemnification; provided that the Company shall not be required to advance any expenses to a director or officer against whom the Company directly brings a claim, in a proceeding, alleging that such person has breached his or her duty of loyalty to the Company, committed an act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or derived an improper personal benefit from a transaction. | Under the TBOC, before a corporation can advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in connection with any legal proceedings, a director or officer is also required to provide, in addition to an undertaking to repay any expenses advanced if such director or officer is ultimately not entitled to indemnification, a written affirmation attesting in good faith to such director’s or officer’s compliance with the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification, which requirement is included in the proposed Texas Charter. | |||||||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||||
| Issue |
Delaware Bylaws
|
Texas Bylaws
|
|||||||||||||||
| Board of Directors Vacancies | The current Delaware Bylaws provide that vacancies on the Board shall be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board, or by a sole remaining director. | The proposed Texas Bylaws provide that director vacancies may be filled in any manner permitted by the TBOC, in each case to the extent permitted by the TBOC, the effect of which is described in the above comparison summary of the Delaware Charter and the proposed Texas Charter under “Board of Directors Vacancies.” | |||||||||||||||
| Action by Written Consent | The current Delaware Bylaws (and Delaware Charter) prohibit stockholder action by written consent. | Under the TBOC, shareholders are required to have the option to act by written consent in lieu of a meeting. The proposed Texas Bylaws set this at the highest standard permitted under the TBOC, which is unanimous written consent. | |||||||||||||||
| Calling of Special Shareholder Meetings | The current Delaware Bylaws provide that special stockholder meetings may be called by a majority of the Board, the chairperson of the Board, the president of the Company or the chief executive officer of the Company. In addition, the Charter does not permit the president of the Company to call a special meeting of stockholders. | Under the TBOC, shareholders that own a certain percentage of shares having the right to vote thereat, as specified in the certificate of formation, but not to exceed 50%, are required to have the right to call special shareholder meetings, and the proposed Texas Bylaws provide that holders of not less than 50% of our shares of stock entitled to vote thereat may call a special meeting of shareholders. | |||||||||||||||
| Cancellation or Postponement of Special Shareholder Meetings | The current Delaware Bylaws provide that the Board or the chairperson of the Board may postpone a previously scheduled special stockholder meeting. | The proposed Texas Bylaws provide that the Board may not cancel a special shareholder meeting called by shareholders, although the Board retains the right to postpone and reschedule shareholder meetings. The Board may cancel a meeting that is not called by shareholders, to the extent permitted under the TBOC. | |||||||||||||||
| Proxies | Under the DGCL, no proxy authorized by a stockholder is valid after three years from the date of its execution, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The current Bylaws do not address the expiration of proxies and therefore the foregoing rule under the DGCL applies. | Under the TBOC, a proxy is not valid for more than eleven months after the date the proxy is executed, unless otherwise provided by the proxy, and so the proposed Texas Bylaws provide that no proxy shall be voted or acted upon after eleven months from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. | |||||||||||||||
| Board of Directors Committees | The current Delaware Bylaws provide that each committee shall have the powers and duties as the Board may confer pursuant to the DGCL. Under the DGCL, no committee of directors shall have the power or authority to (1) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (2) adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws. |
The proposed Texas Bylaws provide that committees shall not have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the shareholders any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the TBOC to be submitted to shareholders for approval or which otherwise may not be delegated to a committee, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the corporation. The proposed Texas Bylaws, by reference to the TBOC, acknowledge that, under the TBOC, a committee of directors is prohibited from taking certain actions. The TBOC provides that a committee of the board of directors may not:
1.
amend the certificate of formation, except to: (A) establish a series of shares; (B) increase or decrease the number of shares in a series; or (C) eliminate a series of shares established by the board of directors;
2.
propose a reduction of stated capital;
3.
approve a plan of merger, share exchange, or conversion of the corporation;
4.
recommend to shareholders the sale, lease, or exchange of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the corporation not made in the usual and regular course of its business;
5.
recommend to the shareholders a voluntary winding up and termination or revocation of a voluntary winding up and termination;
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Delaware Bylaws
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Texas Bylaws
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Board of Directors Committees, continued
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6.
amend, alter, or repeal the bylaws or adopt new bylaws;
7.
fill vacancies on the board of directors;
8.
fill vacancies on or designate alternate members of a committee of the board of directors;
9.
fill a vacancy to be filled because of an increase in the number of directors;
10.
elect or remove officers of the corporation or members or alternate members of a committee of the board of directors;
11.
set the compensation of the members or alternate members of a committee of the board of directors; or
12.
alter or repeal a resolution of the board of directors that states that it may not be amended or repealed by a committee of the board of directors.
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| Partly Paid Stock | The issuance of partly paid stock is permitted under the DGCL. The current Delaware Bylaws do not address the issuance of partly paid stock and therefore the foregoing rule under the DGCL applies. | Under the TBOC, partly paid stock is prohibited due to the TBOC’s requirement that full consideration for shares be paid before issuance, and so the proposed Texas Bylaws do not provide for the issuance of partly paid stock. | |||||||||||||||
| Notice to Shareholders | The current Delaware Bylaws provide that written notice of every meeting of stockholders shall be given by personal delivery or by mail or by electronic communication to the extent permitted by the DGCL. The DGCL permits the corporation to deliver a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. The DGCL further provides that any stockholder who fails to object within 60 days of having been given written notice by the corporation of the intention to send the single notice shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single notice. | The TBOC does not currently contain provisions allowing for a single notice to be delivered to multiple shareholders at the same address, and so the right of the corporation to so deliver notice is limited by the TBOC. The TBOC does not have provisions specifically allowing the corporation not to deliver notice where such notice would be unlawful, and so the Texas Bylaws do not contain such provisions. | |||||||||||||||
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Exclusive Forum and Jury Trials
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The current Delaware Bylaws do not include an exclusive forum provision.
The current Delaware Bylaws also do not include a waiver of the right to jury trials. Were a shareholder to file suit in the Delaware Court of Chancery, there would be no right to a jury trial as the Court of Chancery does not have jury trials.
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The Texas Bylaws provide the exclusive venue and forum for (a) derivative claims; (b) claims for breach of fiduciary duty; (c) claims under the TBOC, the Texas Charter or the Texas Bylaws; (d) claims concerning the Company’s internal affairs; or (e) internal entity claims shall be the Eighth Business Court Division, or, in each case, if such court lacks jurisdiction, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, or, if both such courts lack jurisdiction, the state courts of Texas located in Tarrant County.
If the TBOC Amendments have passed, the TX Bylaws will contain a waiver of the right to jury trial concerning any internal entity claim.
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Delaware
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Texas
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| Fiduciary Duties |
In Delaware, fiduciary duties are generally developed by case law.
In general, directors and officers are subject to the fiduciary duties of care and loyalty (which further include the duties of good faith, oversight, and disclosure).
The duty of care requires directors not to act with gross negligence, including, depending on the facts and circumstances, by being well-informed and gathering and considering reasonably available relevant information.
The duty of loyalty requires directors to act in good faith and under the belief that their actions will be best for the corporation and its stockholders.
Directors are “fully protected” if they rely in good faith upon the records of the corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the corporation by any of the corporation's officers or employees, or committees of the board of directors, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the corporation.
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In Texas, fiduciary duties are generally developed by case law.
Directors and officers owe fiduciary duties of loyalty, due care, and obedience (i.e., duty to follow the law) to the corporation.
Directors and officers may rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the entity, legal counsel, a certified public accountant, an investment banker, a person who the director or officer reasonably believes possesses professional expertise in the matter, or a committee of the corporation on which the director or officer does not serve.
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| Business Judgment Rule |
Under Delaware law, directors and officers are generally protected by the business judgment rule, which is a presumption that in making a business decision the directors of a corporation acted on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the company. Under the business judgment rule, a court will generally not second-guess directors’ decisions unless the business judgment rule’s presumptions have been rebutted for a majority of directors who made the challenged decision. If the business judgment rule’s presumptions have been rebutted for a majority of directors, directors will not be personally liable absent a finding of non-exculpated fiduciary misconduct. Personal liability for breach of the duty of care cannot occur unless (1) the director acted with gross negligence and (2) the certificate of incorporation lacks an applicable exculpation provision. The Delaware Charter has an exculpation provision which forecloses personal liability for duty of care breaches.
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Under Texas law, directors and officers are generally protected by the business judgment rule, which protects directors and officers from liability for decisions that may be considered negligent or unwise if made in good faith and within their discretion in furtherance of the corporation’s interests. Texas courts have typically not imposed liability on disinterested directors unless the conduct involves fraud or an ultra vires act, although Texas case law is not clear as to whether “gross negligence” will support a breach of the duty of loyalty and therefore impose liability. In addition, the Texas Charter has an exculpation provision which forecloses personal liability for duty of care breaches, including those involving gross negligence.
The Texas Law Amendments would codify the business judgment rule and establish a presumption that directors and officers, in deciding upon matters of business, are presumed to act in good faith, on an informed basis, in furtherance of the interests of the corporation, and in obedience to the law and the corporation’s governing law. Proposed Texas legislation would establish the business judgment rule as the governing standard for director and officer liability in all circumstances.
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Delaware
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Texas
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Business Judgment Rule, continued
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Delaware courts apply enhanced scrutiny in certain scenarios involving the adoption of defensive measures, certain change of control transactions, and certain scenarios involving interference with stockholders’ voting rights. If enhanced scrutiny applies, the court generally reviews directors’ actions for reasonableness. Delaware courts apply the entire fairness standard of review where either (1) a majority of directors who made the challenged decision were interested or lacked independence or (2) the transaction involved a conflicted controlling stockholder. However, the DGCL provides that if a statutory safe harbor applies, the act or transaction cannot be the subject of equitable relief or give rise to an award of money damages against directors, officers, or controlling stockholders.
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| Increasing or Decreasing Authorized Capital Stock, Including Number of Unissued Shares of a Series of Preferred Stock | Under the DGCL, the board cannot increase or decrease the amount of authorized capital stock without stockholder approval unless the increase in the number of authorized shares is in connection with a forward stock split, in which case the number of authorized shares can be increased up to an amount proportionate to the subdivision without stockholder approval, provided that the corporation only has one class of stock outstanding and such class is not divided into series (unless stockholder approval is expressly required by the certificate of incorporation). See “Charter Amendments” below. |
Under the TBOC, once stock has been issued, the board cannot unilaterally increase or decrease the authorized capital stock without shareholder approval, and there is no express exception for forward stock splits.
With respect to a series of shares of preferred stock established by the board of directors if authorized by the corporation’s certificate of formation (and subject thereto), unless the certificate of formation expressly restricts the board of directors from increasing or decreasing the number of unissued shares of a series to be established by the board of directors, the board of directors may increase or decrease the number of shares in each series to be established, except that the board of directors may not decrease the number of shares in a particular series to a number that is less than the number of shares in that series that are issued at the time of the decrease.
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| Number of Directors | Under the DGCL, the number of directors shall be fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the bylaws, unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors. If the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, then a change in the number of directors shall be made only by amendment of the certificate of incorporation. |
Under the TBOC, the number of directors shall be set by, or in the manner provided by, the certificate of formation or bylaws, except that the number of directors on the initial board of directors must be set by the certificate of formation.
The number of directors may be increased or decreased by amendment to, or as provided by, the certificate of formation or bylaws.
If the certificate of formation or bylaws do not set the number constituting the board of directors or provide for the manner in which the number of directors must be determined, the number of directors is the same as the number constituting the initial board of directors as set by the certificate of formation.
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| Procedures for Filling Vacant Directorships |
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws: (1) vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director; and (2) whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect 1 or more directors by the certificate of incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series may be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected.
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Under the TBOC, except as provided below with respect to class voting, vacancies may be filled by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, or by the election at an annual or special meeting of shareholders called for that purpose.
The term of a director elected to fill a vacancy occurring in the board of directors is the unexpired term of the director’s predecessor in office.
Except as provided below with respect to class voting, a directorship to be filled because of an increase in the number of directors may be filled by the shareholders or by the board of directors for a term of office continuing only until the next election of one or more directors by the shareholders. The board of directors may not fill more than two such directorships during the period between any two successive annual meetings of shareholders.
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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Procedures for Filling Vacant Directorships, continued
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In the case of a Delaware corporation the directors of which are divided into classes, any directors chosen under (1) or (2) of the above shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such directors shall have been chosen, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.
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Unless otherwise authorized by a corporation’s certificate of formation, a vacancy or a newly created vacancy in a director position that the certificate of formation entitles the holders of a class or series of shares or group of classes or series of shares to elect may be filled only: (1) by the affirmative vote of the majority of the directors then in office elected by the class, series, or group; (2) by the sole remaining director elected in that manner; or (3) by the affirmative vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the class, series, or group.
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Removal of Directors
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Under the DGCL, subject to the exceptions discussed below, holders of a majority of shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors may remove a director or the entire board of directors with or without cause.
Unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise, if, like ours, the board of directors of a Delaware corporation is classified (i.e., elected for staggered terms), a director may only be removed by stockholders for cause.
If a Delaware corporation uses cumulative voting and less than the entire board is to be removed, a director may not be removed without cause if the votes cast against his or her removal would be sufficient to elect him or her if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire board of directors or, if the board of directors is classified, at an election of the class of directors of which such director is a part.
Where the certificate of incorporation provides that separate classes or series of stockholders are entitled, as such a class or series, to elect separate directors, in calculating the sufficiency of votes for removal without cause of such a director, only the votes of the holders of such a class or series are considered.
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Under the TBOC, subject to the exceptions discussed below or as otherwise provided by the certificate of formation or bylaws of a corporation, the holders of a majority of shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors may remove a director or the entire board of directors with or without cause.
Unless the certificate of formation provides otherwise, if a Texas corporation’s directors serve staggered terms, as ours will, a director may only be removed for cause.
If the certificate of formation expressly permits cumulative voting and less than the entire board is to be removed, a director may not be removed if the votes cast against the removal would be sufficient to elect him or her if cumulatively voted at an election of the entire board of directors, or if there are classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which the director is a part. Where the certificate of formation provides that separate classes or series of shareholders are entitled, as such a class or series, to elect separate directors, in calculating the sufficiency of votes for the removal of such a director, only the votes of the holders of such a class or series are considered.
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| Committees | Under the DGCL, the board of directors may, by resolution, designate one or more committees, each consisting of one or more directors. The board may also designate one or more director(s) as alternate committee members who can replace any absent or disqualified member. The board can authorize any committee to have and to exercise all the powers and authority of the board in the management of the business, but no committee of a corporation (like the Company) formed after July 1, 1996 can: (1) approve, adopt, or recommend to the stockholders any action or matter (other than election or removal of directors) expressly required by statute to be submitted to stockholders for approval; or (2) adopt, amend, or repeal any bylaw. | Under the TBOC, the boards of directors may designate committees composed of one or more directors if authorized by the certificate of formation or the bylaws of the corporation. Once appointed, a committee has the full authority of the board of directors, though such authority may be limited by the resolution that created the committee, the certificate of formation, the bylaws, or the TBOC. A committee cannot (1) amend the certificate of formation, except to establish a series of shares, change the number of shares in a series, or eliminate a series of shares; (2) propose a reduction of stated capital; (3) approve a plan of merger, share exchange, or conversion; (4) recommend to the shareholders the sale, lease, or exchange of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the corporation not made in the ordinary course of business; (5) recommend to the shareholders a voluntary winding up and termination or revocation of such action; (6) amend, adopt, or repeal bylaws; (7) fill board vacancies; (8) fill committee vacancies or designate alternate committee members; (9) fill vacancies due to an increase in the number of directors; (10) elect or remove officers or committee members; (11) set committee member compensation; or (12) alter or repeal a board resolution that states that the board resolution cannot be amended or repealed by a committee. | |||||||||||||||
| Action by Written Consent of Directors | Under the DGCL, unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, the board of directors of a Delaware corporation may act without a meeting if all of the directors consent in writing. | Under the TBOC, unless otherwise provided by the certificate of formation or bylaws, a written consent stating the action taken and signed by all members of the board of directors of a Texas corporation is also an act of the board of directors. | |||||||||||||||
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Delaware
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Texas
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| Action by Written Consent of Stockholders |
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, stockholders may act without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, with the written consent of the stockholders having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. If less than unanimous written consent is given, the corporation must give prompt notice of the action taken to the nonconsenting stockholders.
The Delaware Charter prohibits action by written consent.
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Under the TBOC, shareholders may act without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, with the written consent of (1) all shareholders or (2) if authorized by the certificate of formation, the shareholders having at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the action that is the subject of the consent at a meeting, in which each owner or member entitled to vote on the action is present and votes. If less than unanimous written consent is given, the corporation must give prompt notice of the action taken to the non-consenting shareholders. | |||||||||||||||
| Special Meetings of the Stockholders | Under the DGCL, the board of directors, or any other one or more persons authorized in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, may call a special meeting. Stockholders do not have a statutory right to call a special meeting, but the certificate of incorporation or bylaws for the corporation may provide for such right. |
Under the TBOC, special meetings of the shareholders of a corporation may be called by: (1) the president, the board of directors, or any other person authorized to call special meetings by the certificate of formation or bylaws of the corporation; or (2) the holders of the percentage of shares specified in the certificate of formation, not to exceed 50 % of the shares entitled to vote or, if no percentage is specified, at least 10 % of all of the shares of the corporation entitled to vote at the proposed special meeting.
Under the TBOC, a corporation cannot prohibit its shareholders from calling a special meeting of shareholders.
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| Adjournment of Stockholder Meetings |
Under the DGCL, unless the bylaws provide otherwise, a meeting of stockholders may be adjourned to another time or place without notice if the time, place, if any, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are: (1) announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; (2) displayed, during the time scheduled for the meeting, on the same electronic network used to enable stockholders and proxy holders to participate in the meeting by means of remote communication; or (3) set forth in the notice of meeting.
Under the DGCL, if a meeting of stockholders is adjourned for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting, or each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting as of the new record date set for notice of the adjourned meeting, respectively.
At the adjourned meeting the corporation may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.
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Under the TBOC, unless the certificate of formation or bylaws provide otherwise, a meeting of shareholders may be adjourned due to lack of quorum until the time and to the place as may be determined by a vote of the holders of the majority of the shares who are present or represented by proxy at the meeting.
The TBOC does not have a specific provision on the notice for an adjourned meeting or the business that may be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
Generally, under the TBOC, the only business that may be conducted at a special meeting of the shareholders is business that is within the purposes described in the notice.
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| Voting by Proxy | Under the DGCL, a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy. A proxy is valid for three years from its date unless a longer period is provided in the proxy. | Under the TBOC, a shareholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such shareholder by proxy. A proxy is valid for eleven months from its date of execution unless otherwise provided in the proxy. | |||||||||||||||
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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| Quorum and Required Vote for Stock Corporations |
Under the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of a Delaware corporation may specify the number of shares and/or the amount of other securities having voting power the holders of which must be present or represented by proxy at any meeting in order to constitute a quorum for, and the votes that shall be necessary for, the transaction of any business, but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting, except that, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a quorum shall consist of no less than one-third of the shares of such class or series or classes or series.
In the absence of such specification in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation: (1) a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders; (2) in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders; (3) directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors; and (4) where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter and, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or series or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series.
A bylaw amendment adopted by stockholders which specifies the votes that shall be necessary for the election of directors shall not be further amended or repealed by the board of directors.
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Under the TBOC, subject to the following sentence, the holders of the majority of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting of the shareholders of a Texas corporation that are present or represented by proxy at the meeting are a quorum for the consideration of a matter to be presented at that meeting. The certificate of formation of a corporation may provide that a quorum is present only if: (1) the holders of a specified portion of the shares that is greater than the majority of the shares entitled to vote are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy; or (2) the holders of a specified portion of the shares that is less than the majority but not less than one-third of the shares entitled to vote are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy.
The certificate of formation or bylaws of a corporation may provide that a director of a corporation shall be elected only if the director receives: (1) the vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors; (2) the vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors and represented in person or by proxy at a meeting of shareholders at which a quorum is present; or (3) the vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the votes cast by the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election of directors at a meeting of shareholders at which a quorum is present. If no standard is specified, directors of a corporation shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.
Subject to the following sentence, with respect to a matter other than the election of directors or a matter for which the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion of the shares entitled to vote is required by the TBOC, the affirmative vote of the holders of the majority of the shares entitled to vote on, and who voted for, against, or expressly abstained with respect to, the matter at a shareholders’ meeting of a corporation at which a quorum is present is the act of the shareholders. With respect to a matter other than the election of directors or a matter for which the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion of the shares entitled to vote is required by this code, the certificate of formation or bylaws of a corporation may provide that the act of the shareholders of the corporation is: (1) the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote on that matter; (2) the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote on that matter and represented in person or by proxy at a shareholders’ meeting at which a quorum is present; (3) the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote on, and who voted for or against, the matter at a shareholders’ meeting at which a quorum is present; or (4) the affirmative vote of the holders of a specified portion, but not less than the majority, of the shares entitled to vote on, and who voted for, against, or expressly abstained with respect to, the matter at a shareholders’ meeting at which a quorum is present.
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Delaware
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Texas
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| Stockholder Vote for Fundamental Business Transactions | Under the DGCL, a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote thereon generally must approve fundamental changes, such as: (1) certain mergers or consolidations; (2) a sale, lease, or exchange of all or substantially all of the corporation’s assets (provided that no stockholder authorization or consent is required (A) to mortgage or pledge the corporation’s property and assets unless the certificate of incorporation so requires or (B) where the property or assets in the sale, lease or exchange is collateral that secures a mortgage or is pledged to a secured party and certain additional conditions are met); (3) dissolution; (4) conversion of a domestic corporation to other entities; and (5) transfer, domestication or continuance of a domestic corporation to a foreign jurisdiction. The certificate of incorporation may contain provisions requiring for any corporate action the vote of a larger portion of the stock or of any class or series thereof than is required by the DGCL. |
Under the TBOC, unless otherwise provided for in the TBOC or the certificate of formation of a corporation, shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of a class entitled to vote on the matter must typically approve fundamental business transactions such as: (1) a merger; (2) an interest exchange; (3) a conversion; or (4) a sale of all or substantially all of the corporation’s assets that is not made in the usual and regular course of the corporation’s business. The certificate of formation can provide for a different threshold of approval, but not less than a majority of the shares entitled to vote.
Except as provided by the TBOC, if a class or series of shares is entitled to vote as a class or series on a fundamental business transaction, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares in each such class or series of shares entitled to vote on the transaction as a class or series is also required to approve the fundamental business transaction, unless a different threshold, not less than a majority, is specified in the certificate of formation. Shares entitled to vote as a class or series shall only be entitled to vote as a class or series on the fundamental business transaction unless that class or series is otherwise entitled to vote on each matter submitted to the shareholders generally or is otherwise entitled to vote under the certificate of formation, although proposed legislation would allow corporations to provide that all shares vote as a single class even in such transactions. If the Texas Law Amendments are in effect, a corporation may include in its certificate of formation a provision that all shares vote as a single class in all instances.
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Stockholder Vote for Sales, Leases, Exchanges or Other Dispositions
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Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of its property and assets when and as authorized by a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote thereon.
No such approval is required, however, if the assets being sold, leased or exchanged are not all or substantially all of the corporation’s assets. There is no specific quantity or percentage that definitively governs whether a given portion of assets to be sold constitutes substantially all of assets. Instead, the inquiry hinges on a fact-intensive evaluation of whether the assets to be sold are quantitatively and qualitatively vital to the business of the corporation.
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Under the TBOC, generally the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property and assets of a Texas corporation requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled to vote, unless the corporation’s certificate of formation sets a lower threshold (which may not be less than a majority of the voting shares).
No such approval is required, however, if the transaction is made in the usual and regular course of a Texas corporation’s business. Under Texas law, even the transfer of substantially all of a corporation’s assets in such a manner that the corporation continues directly or indirectly to engage in one or more businesses is deemed not to be a transaction requiring shareholder approval under the TBOC.
Except as provided by the TBOC, if a class or series of shares is entitled to vote as a class or series on a sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property and assets, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares in each such class or series of shares entitled to vote on the transaction as a class or series is also required to approve the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property and assets, unless a different threshold, not less than a majority, is specified in the certificate of formation. Shares entitled to vote as a class or series shall only be entitled to vote as a class or series on the fundamental business transaction unless that class or series is otherwise entitled to vote on each matter submitted to the shareholders generally or is otherwise entitled to vote under the certificate of formation, although the Texas Law Amendments would allow corporations to provide that all shares vote as a single class even in such transactions.
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Delaware
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Texas
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| Business Combinations Statute |
Under the DGCL, unless a Delaware corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws (original, or approved by stockholders) provide otherwise, Delaware corporations that have a class of voting stock listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by 2,000 or more persons are prohibited from entering into any “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder. The DGCL generally defines a “business combination” as (i) certain mergers and consolidations; (ii) sales leases, exchanges, mortgages, pledges, transfers or other dispositions of assets having an aggregate market value of 10% or more of either the consolidated assets or the outstanding stock of a company; (iii) certain transactions that would result in the issuance or transfer of stock of the corporation to an interested stockholder; (iv) certain transactions that have the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of stock of the corporation which is owned by the interested stockholder, subject to exceptions; and (v) any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly, of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation, subject to certain exceptions.
“Interested stockholder” is generally defined as a person (including the affiliates and associates of such person) that is directly or indirectly a beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of a Delaware corporation or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within the 3- year period before the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder, and the affiliates and associates of such person, in each case subject to certain exceptions.
The DGCL provides an exception to this prohibition if: (i) the corporation’s board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction in which the stockholder became an interested stockholder prior to the date the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder; (ii) the interested stockholder acquired at least 85% of the voting stock of that company (excluding shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans in which participants do not have the right to determine whether shares will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer) in the transaction in which it became an interested stockholder; or (iii) the business combination is approved by the board of directors and the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by disinterested stockholders at an annual or special meeting (and not by written consent).
A corporation may expressly elect in its certificate of incorporation to not be governed by this statute.
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Under the TBOC, a Texas “issuing public corporation” is generally prohibited from, directly or indirectly, entering into (i) mergers, share exchanges or conversions with an affiliated shareholder or other entity that after such transaction would be an affiliate or associate of an affiliated shareholder, and certain other entities, (ii) sales, leases, exchanges, mortgages, pledges, transfers or other dispositions of assets having an aggregate market value of 10% or more of (a) the aggregate market value of the consolidated assets of such Texas public corporation, (b) the aggregate market value of the outstanding voting stock of such Texas public corporation or (c) the earning power or net income of such Texas public corporation on a consolidated basis, (iii) certain transactions that would result in the issuance or transfer of shares of such Texas public corporation to an affiliated shareholder or an affiliate or associate, (iv) liquidation or dissolution plans or proposals with an affiliated shareholder or an associate or an affiliate of an associate of an affiliated shareholder, (v) certain transactions, including reclassifications of securities or other share distributions or recapitalizations, that have the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate ownership percentage of the outstanding shares of a class or series of voting shares or securities convertible into voting shares of the issuing public corporation that is beneficially owned by the affiliated shareholder or an affiliate or associate of the affiliated shareholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or (vi) loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial assistance or a tax credit or other tax advantages the recipient of which is an affiliated shareholder or an affiliate or associate of an affiliated shareholder, in each case, with an “affiliated shareholder” or any affiliate or associate of the “affiliated shareholder” for a period of three years after the date the shareholder obtained “affiliated shareholder” status.
“Affiliated shareholder” is generally broadly defined as a person who beneficially owns (or has owned within the preceding three-year period) 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of a Texas public corporation.
“Issuing public corporation” means a Texas corporation that has: (i) 100 or more shareholders of record as shown by the share transfer records of the corporation; (ii) a class or series of the corporation’s voting shares registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. Section 77b et seq.), as amended; or (iii) a class or series of the corporation’s voting shares qualified for trading on a national securities exchange.
The TBOC provides an exception to this prohibition if: (i) the board of directors of the corporation approves the transaction or the acquisition of shares by the affiliated shareholder prior to the affiliated shareholder becoming an affiliated shareholder; or (ii) the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting shares not beneficially owned by the affiliated shareholder or an affiliate or associate of the affiliated shareholder approve the transaction at a meeting held no earlier than six months after the shareholder acquires such ownership. The TBOC expressly provides that the foregoing shareholder approval may not be by written consent.
A corporation may expressly elect in its certificate of incorporation to not be governed by this statute.
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Delaware
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Texas
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| Charter Amendments |
Under the DGCL, subject to limited exceptions, an amendment to the certificate of incorporation must be approved by (i) the board of directors and (ii) the holders of a majority of a Delaware corporation’s outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon, unless the certificate of incorporation provides for a greater number. Whether or not entitled to vote by the certificate of incorporation, the holders of the outstanding shares of a class are entitled to vote as a class on a proposed amendment, if the amendment would (1) increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of such class; (2) increase or decrease the par value of the shares of such class; or (3) alter or change the powers, preferences, or special rights of the shares of such class so as to affect them adversely. However, the DGCL permits corporations to provide in their certificate of incorporation that no separate class vote(s) shall be required to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of such class, in which case a share increase/decrease amendment would instead be approved by the holders of all outstanding shares, voting together as a single class.
In addition, unless otherwise expressly required by the certificate of incorporation: (1) no meeting or vote of stockholders is required to adopt an amendment that reclassifies by subdividing the issued shares of a class of stock into a greater number of issued shares of the same class of stock (and, in connection therewith, such amendment may increase the number of authorized shares of such class of stock up to an amount proportionate to the subdivision), provided the corporation has only one class of stock outstanding and such class is not divided into series; and (2) an amendment to increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of a class of capital stock or an amendment to reclassify by combining the issued shares of a class of capital stock into a lesser number of issued shares of the same class of stock may be made and effected, without obtaining the vote or votes of stockholders otherwise required if: (A) the shares of such class are listed on a national securities exchange immediately before such amendment becomes effective and meet the listing requirements of such national securities exchange relating to the minimum number of holders immediately after such amendment becomes effective, (B) at a properly called meeting, a vote of the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class, is taken for and against the proposed amendment, and the votes cast for the amendment exceed the votes cast against the amendment, and (C) if the amendment increases or decreases the authorized number of shares of a class of capital stock for which no provision in the certificate of incorporation has been made in accordance with the DGCL, the votes cast for the amendment by the holders of such class exceed the votes cast against the amendment by the holders of such class.
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Under the TBOC, subject to limited exceptions, an amendment to the certificate of formation requires the approval of (i) the board of directors and (ii) the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of a Texas corporation, unless a different threshold, not less than a majority, is specified in the certificate of formation.
If a class or series of shares is entitled to vote as a class or series on an amendment to the certificate of formation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds, unless a different threshold, not less than a majority, is specified in the certificate of formation, of the outstanding shares in each such class or series of shares entitled to vote on the amendment as a class or series is also required to approve an amendment to the certificate of formation, although the Texas Law Amendments would allow corporations to provide that all shares vote as a single for such an amendment. In addition, the Texas Law Amendments would also allow corporations to provide in their certificate of formation that no separate class vote(s) shall be required to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of a class, in which case a share increase/decrease amendment would instead be approved by the holders of all outstanding shares, voting together as a single class.
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| Bylaw Amendments | Under the DGCL, stockholders of a Delaware corporation entitled to vote have the right to amend, repeal or adopt the bylaws. If a Delaware corporation’s certificate of incorporation so provides, the Delaware corporation’s board of directors may also have the right to amend, repeal or adopt the bylaws. | Generally, under the TBOC, the board of directors may amend, repeal or adopt a Texas corporation’s bylaws. However, (i) the shareholders may amend, repeal or adopt bylaws even if the directors also have that power and (ii) a Texas corporation’s certificate of formation may wholly or partly reserve the power to amend, repeal or adopt bylaws exclusively to the shareholders. Similarly, the shareholders, in amending, repealing or adopting a particular bylaw, may expressly provide that the board of directors may not amend, readopt or repeal that bylaw. | |||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
77
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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| Dividends and Distributions |
Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation may, subject to any restrictions contained in its certificate of incorporation, pay dividends out of surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the current and/or the preceding fiscal year, unless the capital of the corporation is less than the capital represented by issued and outstanding stock having preferences on asset distributions.
In addition, a Delaware corporation may not pay dividends if doing so would render the corporation insolvent in the sense that its liabilities exceed its assets or it could not pay its debts as they come due, and also may not pay dividends if doing so would impair the corporation’s ability to continue as a going concern.
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Under the TBOC, a distribution is defined as a transfer of cash or other property (except a corporation’s own shares or rights to acquire its shares or a split-up or division of the issued shares of a class of a corporation into a larger number of shares within the same class that does not increase the stated capital of the corporation), or an issuance of debt, by a corporation to its shareholders in the form of: (i) a dividend on any class or series of a Texas corporation’s outstanding shares; (ii) a purchase or redemption, directly or indirectly, of its shares; or (iii) a payment in liquidation of all or a portion of its assets.
Under the TBOC, a Texas corporation may not make a distribution if such distribution violates its certificate of formation, if the corporation’s surplus is less than the amount of the corporation’s stated capital (as determined by the TBOC) or, unless a Texas corporation is in receivership or the distribution is made in connection with the winding up and termination of the Texas corporation, if it either renders a Texas corporation unable to pay its debts as they become due in the course of its business or affairs, or exceeds, depending on the type of distribution, either the net assets or the surplus of the Texas corporation, or, subject to certain exceptions, if the distribution will be made to shareholders of another class or series.
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| Stock Redemption and Repurchase |
Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation may purchase or redeem shares of any class except when its capital is impaired or would be impaired by such purchase or redemption. A Delaware corporation may, however, purchase or redeem out of capital, shares that are entitled upon any distribution of its assets to a preference over another class or series of its stock, or, if no shares entitled to such a preference are outstanding, any of its own shares, if such shares are to be retired and the capital reduced. However, a corporation may not purchase redeemable shares for a price greater than that at which they would be redeemed.
In addition, a Delaware corporation may not effect a repurchase or redemption if doing so would render the corporation insolvent in the sense that its liabilities exceed its assets or it could not pay its debts as they come due, and also may not repurchase or redeem shares if doing so would impair the corporation’s ability to continue as a going concern.
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As noted above, under the TBOC, the purchase or redemption by a Texas corporation of its shares constitutes a distribution. Accordingly, the discussion above relating to distributions is applicable to stock redemptions and repurchases.
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| Ratification |
Under the DGCL, there is a codified ratification process for defective corporate acts.
The board of directors must adopt a resolution that, among other things, ratifies the defective corporate act and, if stockholder approval would have been required for the defective corporate act to have been taken, the defective corporate act must be submitted to stockholders for approval (subject to exceptions).
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Under the TBOC, there is a codified ratification process for defective corporate acts.
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Delaware
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Texas
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Ratification, continued
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In addition to the foregoing, under the DGCL, the corporation, any successor entity to the corporation, any director, or certain stockholders can apply to the Delaware Court for an order determining the validity and effectiveness of defective corporate acts, including without limitation to confirm whether a prior ratification was effective and whether a defective corporate act can be validated even if not previously ratified. In connection with such applications, the Delaware Court has broad discretion to fashion appropriate relief, including without limitation declaring ratifications effective, validating and declaring effective any defective corporate act, and making such other orders regarding such matters as it deems proper under the circumstances.
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The board of directors must adopt a resolution and then submit the ratified defective corporate act for shareholder approval (shareholder approval is subject to certain exceptions). In the absence of actual fraud in the transaction, the judgment of the board of directors of a Texas corporation that shares of the Texas corporation are valid shares or putative shares is conclusive, unless otherwise determined by a Texas district court or a Texas Business Court.
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| Inspection of Books and Records |
Under the DGCL, any stockholder may inspect, and make copies and extracts from, a Delaware corporation’s books and records during normal business hours for any proper purpose (defined to mean a purpose reasonably related to the stockholder’s interest as a stockholder) upon written demand under oath stating the purpose of the inspection. The DGCL defines “books and records” to mean a specific set of materials that include, without limitation, the governing documents, minutes of board and stockholder meetings, actions by written consent of the board and stockholders, annual financial statements, and director independence questionnaires. The stockholder may only inspect books and records if the stockholder’s demand is made in good faith, is for a proper purpose, and describes with reasonable particularity the stockholder’s purpose and the books and records sought.
The DGCL provides that the corporation may impose reasonable restrictions on the confidentiality, use, and distribution of books and records and may require the stockholder to stipulate that any books and records received are deemed incorporated by reference in any follow-on complaint in a plenary action relating to the subject matter of the demand.
If a Delaware corporation refuses to permit inspection or does not reply to the demand within five business days after the demand has been made, the stockholder may apply to the Delaware Court for an order to compel such inspection.
The Delaware Court may not order inspection of any documents beyond those defined as “books and records” unless either of two exceptions applies. First, if the corporation does not have certain materials defined as “books and records,” the Delaware Court may order the production of their functional equivalent only if and to the extent the stockholder has met other requirements of the books and records statute and only to the extent necessary and essential to fulfill the stockholder’s proper purpose. Second, the Delaware Court may order production of additional materials only if (i) the stockholder has met other requirements of the books and records statute, (ii) the stockholder made a showing of compelling need for such materials, and (iii) the stockholder has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that such materials are necessary and essential to further their proper purpose.
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Under the TBOC, a shareholder may inspect a Texas corporation’s books and records during normal business hours upon written demand stating a proper purpose if such shareholder holds at least 5% of the outstanding shares of stock of the Texas corporation or has been a holder of shares for at least six months prior to such demand.
If a Texas corporation refuses to allow a person to examine and make copies of account records, minutes, and share transfer records under the TBOC, the Texas corporation is liable to the shareholder for any cost or expense, including attorney’s fees, incurred in enforcing the shareholder’s rights under the TBOC.
A Texas corporation may defend against an inspection action by establishing that the shareholder: (1) has sold or offered for sale, or has aided or abetted a person in procuring a list of shareholders or of holders of voting trust certificates for the purpose of selling, a list of shareholders or of holders of voting trust certificates for shares of the Texas corporation or any other corporation within the two years preceding the date the action is brought; (2) has improperly used information obtained through prior examination of the books, account records, minutes, or share transfer records of the corporation or any other corporation; or (3) was not acting in good faith or for a proper purpose in making the request.
The Texas Law Amendments would (i) clarify that emails, text messages, and social media information are not considered corporate records unless effectuating a corporate action and (ii) prohibit shareholders from inspecting corporate records related to active or pending derivative suits or litigation involving the corporation as an adversarial party.
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79
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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Inspection of Books and Records, continued
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The Delaware Court may not order inspection of any documents beyond those defined as “books and records” unless either of two exceptions applies. First, if the corporation does not have certain materials defined as “books and records,” the Delaware Court may order the production of their functional equivalent only if and to the extent the stockholder has met other requirements of the books and records statute and only to the extent necessary and essential to fulfill the stockholder’s proper purpose. Second, the Delaware Court may order production of additional materials only if (i) the stockholder has met other requirements of the books and records statute, (ii) the stockholder made a showing of compelling need for such materials, and (iii) the stockholder has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that such materials are necessary and essential to further their proper purpose.
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| Insurance |
Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation is allowed to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the DGCL.
The DGCL does not prohibit a Delaware corporation from establishing and maintaining arrangements, other than insurance, to protect such persons, including a trust fund or surety arrangement.
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Under the TBOC, a Texas enterprise is allowed to purchase or procure or establish and maintain insurance or another arrangement to indemnify or hold harmless an existing or former governing person, delegate, officer, employee, or agent against any liability: (1) asserted against and incurred by the person in that capacity or (2) arising out of the person’s status in that capacity. The insurance or other arrangement established may insure or indemnify against the liability described above without regard to whether the enterprise otherwise would have had the power to indemnify the person against that liability under the TBOC. Under the TBOC, for the benefit of persons to be indemnified by the enterprise, an enterprise may, in addition to purchasing or procuring or establishing and maintaining insurance or another arrangement: (1) create a trust fund; (2) establish any form of self-insurance, including a contract to indemnify; (3) secure the enterprise’s indemnity obligation by grant of a security interest or other lien on the assets of the enterprise; or (4) establish a letter of credit, guaranty, or surety arrangement.
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| Interested Party Transaction Approvals |
Section 144 of the DGCL provides safe harbor procedures for acts or transactions in which one or more directors or officers as well as controlling stockholders and members of control groups have interests or relationships that might render them interested or not independent with respect to the act or transaction. If one of the statutory safe harbors applies, the act or transaction at issue may not be the subject of equitable relief or give rise to an award of damages against a director or officer. Section 144 of the DGCL provides that certain acts or transactions involving interested directors or officers will be protected if the act or transaction is (1) approved or recommended by a majority of the disinterested directors, either serving on a board of directors or a committee of the board of directors acting with knowledge as to the material facts, (2) approved or ratified by an informed, uncoerced, affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the disinterested stockholders entitled to vote thereon, or (3) fair to the corporation. If a majority of the directors are not disinterested directors with respect to the act or transaction, any such disinterested director approval or recommendation must be provided through a disinterested director committee that consists of 2 or more directors. In addition, the proposed legislation adds statutory definitions of what parties constitute a controlling stockholder or control group and provides safe harbor procedures that can be followed to insulate from challenge specified acts or transactions from which a controlling stockholder or control group receives a unique benefit.
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The TBOC provides that an otherwise valid and enforceable contract or transaction between a corporation and (1) one or more directors or officers, or one or more affiliates or associates of one or more directors or officers, of the corporation; or (2) an entity or other organization in which one or more directors or officers, or one or more affiliates or associates of one or more directors or officers, of the corporation: (A) is a managerial official; or (B) has a financial interest is valid and enforceable, and is not void or voidable, notwithstanding such relationship or interest if any one of the following conditions is satisfied: (1) the material facts as to the applicable relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed to or known by: (A) the corporation’s board of directors or a committee of the board of directors, and the board of directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the approval of the majority of the disinterested directors or committee members, regardless of whether the disinterested directors or committee members constitute a quorum; or (B) the shareholders entitled to vote on the authorization of the contract or transaction, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by a vote of the shareholders; or (2) the contract or transaction is fair to the corporation when the contract or transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified by the board of directors, a committee of the board of directors, or the shareholders.
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Delaware
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Texas
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Interested Party Transaction Approvals, continued
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A controlling stockholder transaction that does not constitute a “going private transition” would be entitled to the statutory safe harbor protection if it is (1) approved or recommended by a fully empowered committee of disinterested directors acting with knowledge of the material facts, (2) approved or ratified by the informed and uncoerced vote of a majority of the votes cast by the disinterested stockholders entitled to vote thereon, or (3) fair to the corporation. A controlling stockholder transaction that constitutes a “going private transaction” may be entitled to the statutory safe harbor protection if items (1) and (2) of the foregoing sentence are both obtained or the act or transaction is fair to the corporation. The proposed Delaware legislation also provides, among other things, criteria for determining the independence and disinterestedness of directors and stockholders and provides for a rebuttable presumption of independence where directors satisfy exchange rules for independence.
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The TBOC differs from the DGCL’s interested party transaction statute in that it expressly provides that if at least one of the above conditions is satisfied, neither the corporation nor any of the corporation’s shareholders will have a cause of action against any of the corporation’s directors or officers for breach of duty with respect to the making, authorization, or performance of the contract or transaction because the person had an applicable relationship or interest.
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| Limitation of Liability of Stockholders |
Under the DGCL, unless the certificate of incorporation otherwise provides, the stockholders of a corporation shall not be personally liable for the payment of the corporation’s debts except as they may be liable by reason of their own conduct or acts.
Delaware law permits shareholders to be liable under the doctrine of veil piercing, which allows the court to apply a multi-factor test to determine whether to hold a stockholder liable for obligations of a corporation.
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A shareholder is not liable to the corporation or its creditors for: (1) the shares, other than the obligation to pay to the corporation the full amount of consideration; (2) the corporation’s contractual obligations based on an alter ego theory, a theory of fraud, or other similar theories; or (3) the corporation’s obligations due to a failure to follow corporate formalities required by the TBOC or the corporation’s governing documents.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a shareholder may be liable to a creditor of the corporation if: (1) the shareholder used or caused the corporation to commit actual fraud primarily for the shareholder’s direct personal benefit; (2) the shareholder expressly assumes, guarantees, or agrees to be personally liable; or (3) the TBOC or another applicable statute imposes liability on the shareholder.
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Limitation of Personal Liability of Directors and Officers and Controlling Stockholders
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Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation is permitted to adopt a provision in its certificate of incorporation eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director or officer to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, provided that such provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of: (i) a director or officer breaching the duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) a director or officer failing to act in good faith, engaging in intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) a director declaring an illegal dividend or approving an illegal stock purchase or redemption; (iv) a director or officer obtaining an improper personal benefit from the corporation; or (v) an officer in any action by or in the right of a Delaware corporation.
The DGCL further provides that controlling stockholders and control groups, in their capacity as such, cannot be liable for monetary damages for breach of the fiduciary duty of care.
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Under the TBOC, a Texas corporation is permitted to provide that a director is not liable, or is liable only to the extent provided by the certificate of formation, to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for an act or omission by the person in the person’s capacity as a director. Proposed Texas legislation would expand this to include officers.
The TBOC does not, however, permit any limitation of the liability of a director for: (i) a breach of the duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders; (ii) an act or omission not in good faith that constitutes a breach of duty of the person to the corporation or involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) a transaction from which the director obtains an improper benefit, regardless of whether the benefit resulted from an action taken within the scope of the person’s duties; or (iv) an act or omission for which the liability of a director is expressly provided by an applicable statute (such as wrongful distributions).
The Texas Law Amendments would also provide that corporations and their shareholders will not have a cause of action against a director or officer of the corporation as a result of any act or failure to act, unless: (1) the presumption of the business judgment rule is rebutted; (2) the director’s or officer’s actor failure to act constituted a breach of a fiduciary duty; and (3) such breach involved fraud, intentional misconduct, an ultra vires act, or a knowing violation of law. Proposed Texas legislation would establish the business judgment rule as the governing standard for director and officer liability in all circumstances.
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| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
81
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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Considerations by Directors Permitted by Statute
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Under the DGCL, except for corporations that have opted to become public benefit corporations, directors of Delaware corporations do not have any express statutory authority to consider constituencies beyond stockholders when discharging their fiduciary duties. Delaware case law provides that fiduciary duties generally require directors to seek to maximize the value of the corporation for the long-term benefit of the stockholders and that directors can consider the interests of other constituencies so long as doing so serves the ultimate goal of value maximization.
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Under the TBOC, in discharging the duties of a director and in considering the best interests of the corporation, a director is entitled to consider the long-term and short-term interests of the corporation and the shareholders of the corporation, including the possibility that those interests may be best served by the continued independence of the corporation.
In discharging the duties of a director or officer under the TBOC or otherwise, a director or officer of a corporation is entitled to consider any social purpose specified in the corporation’s certificate of formation. In addition, the TBOC provides that nothing in the applicable section thereof prohibits or limits a director or officer of a corporation that does not have a social purpose specified as a purpose in the corporation’s certificate of formation from considering, approving, or taking an action that promotes or has the effect of promoting a social, charitable, or environmental purpose. Texas also has a public benefit corporation statute.
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| Business Opportunities |
Under Delaware law, the corporate opportunity doctrine holds that a corporate officer or director may not generally and unilaterally take a business opportunity for his or her own. Factors to be considered include: (i) whether the corporation is financially able to exploit the opportunity; (ii) if the opportunity is within the corporation’s line of business; (iii) whether the corporation has an interest or expectancy in the opportunity; and (iv) whether by taking the opportunity for his or her own, the corporate fiduciary will thereby be placed in a position inimical to his duties to the corporation.
The DGCL permits a Delaware corporation to renounce, in its certificate of incorporation or by action of the board of directors, any interest or expectancy of the corporation in, or being offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities or specified classes or categories of business opportunities that are presented to the corporation or one or more of its officers, directors or stockholders.
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Texas law generally follows the Delaware corporate opportunity doctrine.
The TBOC permits a Texas entity to renounce, in its certificate of formation or by action of its board of directors, an interest or expectancy of the entity in, or an interest or expectancy of the entity in being offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities or a specified class or category of business opportunities presented to the entity or one or more of its directors, officers or owners.
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| Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation is permitted to indemnify any person who is a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, to which such director, officer, employee or agent may be a party or threatened to be made a party, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and in the case of a criminal proceeding, that he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
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Under the TBOC, a Texas corporation is permitted to indemnify a director, former director, or delegate who was, is, or is threatened to be made a respondent in a proceeding, against (i) judgments and (ii) expenses (other than a judgment) reasonably and actually incurred by the person in connection with a proceeding if the person: (a) acted in good faith; (b) reasonably believed, in the case of conduct in the person’s official capacity, that the person’s conduct was in the corporation’s best interests, and in any other case, that the person’s conduct was not opposed to the corporation’s best interests; and (c) in the case of a criminal proceeding, did not have a reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. In addition, the TBOC permits indemnification of other persons as described in the section entitled “Persons Covered” below.
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82
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Delaware
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Texas
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Indemnification of Directors and Officers, continued
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In connection with any threatened, pending or completed action by or in the right of the corporation involving a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, a Delaware corporation has the power to indemnify such a person who is a party or is threatened to be made a party for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit: (i) if such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and (ii) if such person is found liable to the corporation, only to the extent the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought determined that in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. This is not exclusive of any other indemnification rights, which may be granted by a Delaware corporation to its directors, officers, employees or agents.
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If, however, the person is found liable to a Texas corporation, or is found liable on the basis that he or she received an improper personal benefit, then indemnification under the TBOC is limited to the reimbursement of reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with the proceeding, and which excludes a judgment, a penalty, a fine, and an excise or similar tax, including an excise tax assessed against the person with respect to an employee benefit plan. Furthermore, no indemnification will be available if the person is found liable for: (i) willful or intentional misconduct in the performance of the person’s duty to the corporation; (ii) breach of the person’s duty of loyalty owed to the corporation; or (iii) an act or omission not committed in good faith that constitutes a breach of a duty owed by the person to the corporation.
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| Advancement of Expenses | Under the DGCL, expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the corporation in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in Section 145 of the DGCL. | Under the TBOC, a corporation may pay or reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by a present director or officer who was, is, or is threatened to be made a respondent in a proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding without making the determinations required for permissive indemnification after the corporation receives: (1) a written affirmation by the person of the person’s good faith belief that the person has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification; and (2) a written undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay the amount paid or reimbursed if the final determination is that the person has not met that standard or that indemnification is prohibited by the TBOC. | |||||||||||||||
| Procedure for Indemnification | Under the DGCL, a determination that indemnification of a director or officer is appropriate generally must be made: (i) by a majority vote of directors who are not party to the proceeding, even though less than a quorum; (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum; (iii) if there are no such directors or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion; or (iv) by the stockholders. | Under the TBOC, a determination that indemnification is appropriate generally must be made: (i) by a majority vote of the directors who, at the time of the vote, are disinterested and independent, regardless of whether such directors constitute a quorum; (ii) by a majority vote of a special committee of the board of directors if the committee is designated by a majority vote of the directors who at the time of the vote are disinterested and independent, regardless of whether such directors constitute a quorum, and is composed solely of one or more directors who are disinterested and independent; (iii) by special legal counsel selected by majority vote under (i) or (ii) above; (iv) by the shareholders in a vote that excludes those shares held by directors who, at the time of the vote, are not disinterested and independent; or (v) by a unanimous vote of the shareholders of the corporation. | |||||||||||||||
| Mandatory Indemnification | The DGCL requires indemnification for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred with respect to any claim, issue or matter on which the director or officer is successful on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of the proceeding. | The TBOC requires indemnification for reasonable expenses actually incurred only if the director is wholly successful on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of the proceeding. | |||||||||||||||
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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| Persons Covered | Under the DGCL, directors and officers, but not employees, agents, or others, are entitled to mandatory indemnification for expenses incurred when successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of litigation. Other than in that instance, the DGCL provides the same indemnification rights to directors, officers, employees, agents of the corporation, and those serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. | Under the TBOC, a corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to a person who is not a director, including an officer, employee or agent, as provided by: (1) the corporation’s governing documents; (2) general or specific action of the corporation’s board of directors; (3) resolution of the shareholders; (4) contract; or (5) common law. A corporation must indemnify an officer to the same extent that indemnification is required under the TBOC for a director. A determination of indemnification for a person who is not a director of a corporation, including an officer, employee, or agent, is not required to be made in accordance with the procedures set out in the relevant sections of the TBOC. | |||||||||||||||
| Rights Plans | Delaware has no statutory authorization for stockholder rights plans, but stockholder rights plans have been upheld by Delaware courts. Adoption of stockholder rights plans is viewed as a defensive action and is subject to enhanced scrutiny by the Delaware courts, with the burden initially on the board of directors to demonstrate that the adoption of the rights plan is reasonable in response to a reasonably identified threat posed. |
Texas case law has generally upheld shareholder rights plans, but indicates that rights plans will be scrutinized for validity at the time of adoption and for continued validity in the face of changing circumstances.
In addition, the TBOC expressly permits directors to look to the “longterm” benefit to shareholders in taking action.
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| Selection of Forum/Venue |
Under the DGCL, a Delaware corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws may require, consistent with applicable jurisdictional requirements, that any or all internal corporate claims shall be brought solely and exclusively in any or all of the courts in Delaware, and no provision of a Delaware corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws may prohibit bringing such claims in the courts of Delaware.
“Internal corporate claims” means claims, including claims in the right of the corporation, (i) that are based upon a violation of a duty by a current or former director or officer or stockholder in such capacity; or (ii) as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction upon the Delaware Court.
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Under the TBOC, the governing documents of a Texas entity may require, consistent with applicable state and federal jurisdictional requirements, that any internal entity claims shall be brought only in a court in Texas.
“Internal entity claim” means a claim of any nature, including a derivative claim in the right of an entity, that is based on, arises from, or relates to the internal affairs of the entity. Internal affairs include the rights, powers, and duties of the entity’s governing persons, officers, owners, and members, and matters relating to the entity’s membership or ownership interests.
Venue-selection, as distinct to forum-selection, clauses are not enforceable unless the contract involves a major transaction, or if the venue-selection clause is expressly made enforceable by another Texas statute.
A “major transaction” is one that generally involves over $1 million.
The Texas Law Amendments would allow a Texas entity to identify a particular court in Texas, such as the business court, as the sole venue.
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| Pre-Suit Demand in Derivative Suits |
Under Delaware court rules and case law, in order for a stockholder to commence a derivative action on behalf of the corporation, the stockholder must: (1) make a demand on the company’s board of directors; or (2) show that demand would be futile. Demand will be deemed futile if at least half the members of the board in receipt of the demand: (1) received a material personal benefit from the alleged misconduct that is the subject of the litigation demand; (2) faces a substantial likelihood of liability on any of the claims that would be the subject of the litigation demand; or (3) lacks independence from someone who received a material personal benefit from the alleged misconduct that would be the subject of the litigation demand or who would face a substantial likelihood of liability on any of the claims that are the subject of the litigation demand.
If demand is excused, the board or a board committee determines not to bring suit, and the board or committee files a motion to dismiss the stockholder’s derivative suit, the court will evaluate the independence and good faith of the board or the committee, the reasonableness of its investigation into the subject of the demand, and the proffered reasons
|
Texas is a universal demand jurisdiction. Under the TBOC, the focus is on harm to the corporation rather than the Delaware standard of futility. A shareholder may not institute a derivative proceeding until the 91st day after the date a written demand is filed with the corporation stating with particularity the act, omission, or other matter that is the subject of the claim or challenge and requesting that the corporation take suitable action.
The foregoing waiting period is not required or, if applicable, shall terminate if: (1) the shareholder has been notified that the demand has been rejected by the corporation; (2) the corporation is suffering irreparable injury; or (3) irreparable injury to the corporation would result by waiting for the expiration of the 90-day period.
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Delaware
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Texas
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Pre-Suit Demand in Derivative Suits, continued
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for dismissing the demand. The court will then apply its own judgment to determine whether the dismissal was in fact in the best interests of the corporation.
If a demand is received and the board or a board committee refuses to pursue litigation, the business judgment rule applies to the board or committee’s decision, and a plaintiff claiming wrongful demand refusal must raise a reasonable doubt about the good faith and reasonableness of the board or committee’s investigation.
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| Stock Ownership Requirement for Derivative Suits; Jury Trials |
Under the DGCL, subject to limited exceptions, a stockholder may not institute or maintain a derivative suit unless the plaintiff was a stockholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction of which such stockholder complains or that such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved upon such stockholder by operation of law, and the plaintiff maintains such ownership throughout the litigation. Certain Delaware corporations have included an ownership threshold for derivative claims in their bylaws; however, the Delaware Courts have not opined on the enforceability of these provisions.
Jury trials are generally not available in the Delaware Court of Chancery, which is the Court in which stockholder suits relating to the internal affairs of a Delaware corporation must be filed.
|
Under the TBOC, a shareholder may not institute or maintain a derivative proceeding unless: (1) the shareholder was a shareholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction in question, or became a shareholder by operation of law originating from a person that was a shareholder at the time of the transaction in question; and (2) the shareholder fairly and adequately represents the interests of the corporation in enforcing the right of the corporation. The Texas Law Amendments would allow publicly traded corporations and corporations with over 500 shareholders, to set an ownership threshold in their governing documents (not to exceed 3%) that shareholders must satisfy to bring a derivative claim.
Under Texas law, in civil cases, a party generally has a right to a jury trial to determine questions of fact if the party timely demands a jury and pays the jury fee. The Texas Law Amendments would allow a corporation to include a waiver of jury trial in its bylaws, and that such waiver will constitute an intentional consent to waiver if enforced against a party approving the bylaws or acquiring a security after such bylaws are adopted, continuing to hold a security of a public company after bylaws are adopted, or by other methods permitted under law.
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| Dissent and Appraisal Rights |
Under the DGCL, a stockholder of a corporation that is a constituent in a merger, consolidation, conversion, domestication, transfer, or continuance may, under certain circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant to which the stockholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair market value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court.
Under the DGCL, stockholders have no appraisal rights in the event of a merger, consolidation, conversion, domestication, transfer or continuance if (i) prior to the effective time of the transaction the stock of the corporation is listed on a national securities exchange or is held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders, and (ii) in the merger, consolidation conversion, domestication, transfer or continuance they receive solely shares of stock of the surviving corporation or entity or of any other corporation which shares at the effective date of the merger or consolidation will be either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders.
|
Under the TBOC, except for the limited classes of mergers, consolidations, sales and asset dispositions for which no shareholder approval is required under Texas law, shareholders of Texas corporations with voting rights have dissenters’ rights in the event of a merger, consolidation, interest exchange, conversion, sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all, or substantially all, the property and assets of the corporation. However, a shareholder of a Texas corporation has no dissenters’ rights with respect to any plan of merger or conversion in which there is a single surviving or new domestic or foreign corporation, or with respect to any plan of exchange if: (1) the ownership interest, or a depository receipt in respect of the ownership interest, held by the owner is part of a class or series of ownership interests, or depository receipts in respect of ownership interests, that are, on the record date set for purposes of determining which owners are entitled to vote on the plan of merger, conversion, or exchange, as appropriate: (A) listed on a national securities exchange; or (B) held of record by at least 2,000 owners; (2) the owner is not required by the terms of the plan of merger, conversion, or exchange, as appropriate, to accept for the owner’s ownership interest any consideration that is different from the consideration to be provided to any other holder of an ownership interest of the same class or series as the ownership interest held by the owner, other than cash instead of fractional shares or interests the owner would otherwise be entitled to receive; and (3) the owner is not required by the terms of the plan of merger, conversion, or exchange, as appropriate, to accept for the owner’s ownership interest any consideration other than: (A) ownership interests, or
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| Issue |
Delaware
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Texas
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Dissent and Appraisal Rights, continued
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depository receipts in respect of ownership interests, of another entity of the same general organizational type that, immediately after the effective date of the merger, conversion, or exchange, as appropriate, will be part of a class or series of ownership interests, or depository receipts in respect of ownership interests, that are: (i) listed on a national securities exchange or authorized for listing on the exchange on official notice of issuance; or (ii) held of record by at least 2,000 owners; (B) cash instead of fractional ownership interests the owner would otherwise be entitled to receive; or (C) any combination of the ownership interests and cash above.
Under the TBOC, an owner of an ownership interest in a Texas domestic entity subject to dissenters’ rights is entitled to dissent from an amendment to a Texas for-profit corporation’s certificate of formation to add required provisions to elect to be a public benefit corporation or delete required provisions, which in effect cancels the corporation’s election to be a public benefit corporation if the owner owns shares that were entitled to vote on the amendment; except if the shares held by the owner are part of a class or series of shares listed on a national securities exchange; or held of record by at least 2,000 owners.
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| Independence of Corporate Code | Delaware does not have a comparable statute to Texas' proposed legislation. | Proposed Texas legislation would prohibit the plain meaning of the statutes under the TBOC from being supplanted, contravened, or modified by the laws or judicial decisions of any other jurisdiction. | |||||||||||||||
| Judicial Certification of Committees and Panels | Delaware does not have a comparable statute to Texas' proposed legislation. | Proposed Texas legislation would permit corporations to request a court, at the start of a transaction or investigation of a derivative claim, to judicially certify the independence and disinterestedness of directors on special committees reviewing transactions or individuals on panels reviewing derivative claims. Future challenges to independence or disinterestedness would require new facts. | |||||||||||||||
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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE REDOMESTICATION FROM DELAWARE TO TEXAS BY CONVERSION AND THE ADOPTION OF THE REDOMESTICATION RESOLUTION.
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| ADDITIONAL | ||||||||
| INFORMATION | ||||||||
| Q | Why am I receiving these materials? | |||||||
| A |
Our board of directors is providing these proxy materials to you in connection with our board’s solicitation of proxies for use at our 2025 Annual Meeting that will take place on June 17, 2025. Stockholders are invited to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting and are requested to vote on the proposals described in this proxy statement.
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| Q | What information is contained in these materials? | |||||||
| A |
The information included in this proxy statement relates to the proposals to be voted on at the 2025 Annual Meeting, the voting process, our corporate governance practices, the compensation of our directors and our named executive officers and certain other required information.
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| Q | Why did I receive a notice in the mail regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials instead of a full set of proxy materials? | |||||||
| A |
In accordance with SEC rules, we may furnish proxy materials, including this proxy statement and our 2024 Annual Report, which includes our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, to our stockholders by providing access to these documents on the Internet instead of mailing printed copies. On or about April 28, 2025, we first mailed to our stockholders (other than those who previously requested electronic or paper delivery) a Notice of Internet Availability containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our proxy statement and our 2024 Annual Report. The Notice of Internet Availability also instructs you on how to access your proxy card to vote through the Internet, by telephone or by mail. You will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials unless you request them. If you would like to receive a paper or electronic copy of our proxy materials, including a copy of our 2024 Annual Report, you should follow the instructions in the Notice of Internet Availability for requesting these materials.
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| Q | How do I get electronic access to the proxy materials? | |||||||
| A |
The Notice of Internet Availability will provide you with instructions regarding how to:
■
access and review our proxy materials for the 2025 Annual Meeting on the Internet; and
■
instruct us to send our future proxy materials to you electronically by e-mail.
Choosing to receive your future proxy materials by e-mail will save us the cost of printing and mailing documents to you and will reduce the impact of printing and mailing these materials on the environment. If you choose to receive future proxy materials by e-mail, you will receive an e-mail next year with instructions containing a link to those materials and a link to the proxy voting site. Your election to receive proxy materials by e-mail will remain in effect until you terminate it.
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| Q |
What proposals will be voted on at the 2025 Annual Meeting?
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| A |
There are four proposals scheduled for a vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting:
■
the election of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors recommended by our board, each to serve until the 2026 and 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, respectively, or until such time as their respective successors are elected and qualified;
■
the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers for fiscal year 2024;
■
the ratification of the appointment of Pistrelli, Henry Martin y Asociados S.A., a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited, as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025; and
■
the approval of the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion.
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| Q | What are our board’s voting recommendations? | |||||||
| A |
Our board recommends that you vote your shares:
■
“FOR”
the election of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors recommended by our board, each to serve until the 2026 and 2028 Annual Meetings of Stockholders, respectively, or until such time as their respective successors are elected and qualified;
■
“FOR”
the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers for fiscal year 2024;
■
“FOR”
the ratification of the appointment of Pistrelli, Henry Martin y Asociados S.A., a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited, as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025; and
■
“FOR”
the approval of the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion.
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| Q | How many shares are entitled to vote? | |||||||
| A |
Each share of our common stock outstanding as of the close of business on April 21, 2025, the record date, is entitled to one vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. At the close of business on April 21, 2025, 50,697,375 shares of our common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. You may vote all of the shares owned by you as of the close of business on the record date and each share of common stock held by you on the record date represents one vote. These shares include shares that are (1) held of record directly in your name and (2) held for you as the beneficial owner through a stockbroker, bank or other nominee.
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| Q | What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder of record and as a beneficial owner? | |||||||
| A |
Most stockholders of MercadoLibre hold their shares beneficially through a stockbroker, bank or other nominee rather than directly in their own name. There are some distinctions between shares held of record and shares owned beneficially, specifically:
■
Shares held of record
If your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Computershare, you are considered the stockholder of record with respect to those shares, and the Notice of Internet Availability was sent directly to you. As the stockholder of record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to us. If you requested to receive printed proxy materials, we have enclosed or sent a proxy card for you to use. Each stockholder of record is entitled to vote by proxy as described in the Notice of Internet Availability and below.
■
Shares held in brokerage account or by a bank
If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of shares held in street name, and the Notice of Internet Availability was forwarded to you by your broker or nominee who is considered, with respect to those shares, the stockholder of record. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or other nominee on how to vote the shares in your account.
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| Q |
Can I attend the 2025 Annual Meeting?
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| A |
Any stockholder of record or a beneficial owner at the close of business on April 21, 2025 can attend the 2025 Annual Meeting via the Internet at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
. We encourage you to access the 2025 Annual Meeting prior to its start time. Online check-in will start approximately 15 minutes before the 2025 Annual Meeting on June 17, 2025. If you encounter any difficulties while accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time, a technical assistance phone number will be made available on the virtual meeting registration page 15 minutes prior to the start time of the meeting.
Shareholders who log in via the virtual meeting website at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
using their 16-digit control number will have the ability to listen, vote and submit questions during the virtual 2025 Annual Meeting. Your 16-digit control number can be found in the box marked by the arrow for postal mail recipients of the notice, the voting instruction form, or the proxy card, or within the body of the email for electronic delivery recipients, at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
. As part of the 2025 Annual Meeting, we will hold a live Q&A session, during which we will answer questions as they come in, as time permits. Questions that are substantially similar may be grouped and answered once to avoid repetition, and questions that are determined to be irrelevant or inappropriate will not be addressed.
Shareholders without a control number may attend and listen to the virtual 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders as a guest, but will not have the ability to vote, ask questions or otherwise participate in the 2025 Annual Meeting.
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| Q | How can I vote my shares? | |||||||
| A |
Whether you hold shares directly as the stockholder of record or beneficially in street name, you may vote as follows:
■
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote by proxy over the Internet or by telephone by following the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability, or, if you requested to receive printed proxy materials, you can also vote by mail pursuant to instructions provided on the proxy card. You may also attend the Annual Meeting at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on June 17, 2025 via the Internet at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MELI2025
and vote during the Annual Meeting using the 16-digit control number we have provided to you.
■
If you hold shares beneficially in street name, you may also vote by proxy over the Internet or by telephone by following the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability, or, if you requested to receive printed proxy materials, you can also vote by mail by following the voting instruction card provided to you by your broker, bank, trustee or nominee.
Under Delaware law, votes cast by Internet or telephone have the same effect as votes cast by submitting a written proxy card.
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| Q | Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy? | |||||||
| A |
If you are the stockholder of record, you may change your proxy instructions or revoke your proxy at any time before your proxy is voted at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Proxies may be revoked by any of the following actions:
■
filing a timely written notice of revocation with our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office (WTC Free Zone Dr. Luis Bonavita 1294, Of. 1733, Tower II Montevideo, Uruguay, 11300);
■
granting a new proxy bearing a later date (which automatically revokes the earlier proxy) using any of the methods described above (and until the applicable deadline for each method); or
■
attending the 2025 Annual Meeting online and voting via the Internet using the control number we have provided to you (attendance at the meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy).
If your shares are held through a brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you may change your vote by:
■
submitting new voting instructions to your broker, bank or nominee following the instructions they provided; or
■
if you have obtained a legal proxy from your broker, bank or nominee giving you the right to vote your shares, by attending the 2025 Annual Meeting and voting via the Internet using the control number we have provided to you (attendance at the meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy).
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| Q | How are votes counted? | |||||||
| A |
Election of the nominees for Class I and III Directors.
In the election of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors, you may vote “for” any or all of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors or you may “withhold” your vote with respect to any or all of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors. Only votes “for” will be counted in determining whether a plurality has been cast in favor of a nominee for Class I and Class III directors.
Advisory Vote to Approve our Named Executive Officers’ Compensation for 2024.
In the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers for fiscal year 2024, you may vote “for,” “against” or “abstain.”
Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditor.
In the proposal to ratify the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm for 2025, you may vote “for,” “against” or “abstain.”
Redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion.
In the approval of the redomestication of MercadoLibre Inc from Delaware to Texas by conversion, you may vote "for", "against" or "abstain."
No cumulative voting rights are authorized, and dissenter’s rights are not applicable to these matters.
If you sign and return your proxy card or broker voting instruction card without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted “FOR” the election of the nominees for Class I and Class III directors recommended by our board and named in this proxy statement, “FOR” approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, “FOR” the ratification of the approval of our independent auditors, “FOR” the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion, and at the discretion of the proxies in any other matters properly brought before the 2025 Annual Meeting.
If you are a beneficial holder and do not return a voting instruction card, your broker is only authorized to vote on the ratification of the approval of our independent auditors.
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| Q | Who will count the votes? | |||||||
| A |
A representative of Broadridge will tabulate the votes at the 2025 Annual Meeting and act as the inspector of elections.
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| Q |
Who will bear the cost of soliciting votes for the 2025 Annual Meeting?
|
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| A | We will pay the entire cost of preparing, assembling, printing, mailing and distributing these proxy materials. If you choose to access the proxy materials and/or vote over the Internet, you are responsible for any Internet access charges you may incur. If you choose to vote by telephone, you are responsible for telephone charges you may incur. In addition to the mailing of these proxy materials, the solicitation of proxies or votes may be made in person, by telephone or by electronic communication by our directors, officers and employees, who will not receive any additional compensation for such solicitation activities. | |||||||
| Q |
What is the quorum requirement for the 2025 Annual Meeting?
|
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| A |
The quorum requirement for holding the 2025 Annual Meeting and transacting business is a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. The shares may be present in person or represented by proxy at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Both abstentions and broker non-votes are counted as present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.
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| Q | What are broker non-votes and what effect do they have on the proposals? | |||||||
| A |
Generally, broker non-votes occur when shares held by a broker, bank or other nominee in “street name” for a beneficial owner are not voted with respect to a particular proposal because (1) the broker, bank or other nominee has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and (2) the broker, bank or other nominee lacks discretionary voting power to vote those shares. A broker, bank or other nominee is entitled to vote shares held for a beneficial owner on “routine” matters without instructions from the beneficial owner of those shares, but is not entitled to vote shares held for a beneficial owner on any non-routine matter without instruction from the beneficial owner. The ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm is considered to be a routine matter for which brokers, banks or other nominees holding shares in street name may exercise discretionary voting power in the absence of voting instructions from the beneficial owner. As a result, broker non-votes will not arise in connection with, and thus will have no effect on, this proposal.
Unlike the proposal to ratify the appointment of our independent auditors, the election of directors, the advisory vote on our named executive officers’ compensation for fiscal year 2024 and the approval of the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion are each considered a “non-routine” matter. As a result, brokers, banks or other nominees holding shares in street name that have not received voting instructions from their clients cannot vote on their clients’ behalf on these proposals. Therefore, it is very important that you provide your broker, bank or other nominee who is holding your shares in street name with voting instructions with respect to these proposals in one of the manners set forth in this proxy statement. Under Delaware law, broker non-votes that arise in connection with the election of directors or the advisory vote on our named executive officers’ compensation for fiscal year 2024 will have no effect on these proposals.
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| Q | What is the voting requirement to approve each of the proposals and the effect, if any, of each vote? | |||||||
| A |
The following table describes the proposals to be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the vote required to elect directors and to adopt each of the other proposals, and the manner in which votes will be counted:
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| Proposal | Vote Required | Effect of Abstentions |
Effect of Broker Non-Votes
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Election of the nominees for Class I and Class III Directors.
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Plurality of votes cast |
No effect
(1)
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No effect | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers for fiscal year 2024.
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Majority of shares present and entitled to vote thereon | Same as vote against | No effect | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ratification of the appointment of Independent Auditor. | Majority of shares present and entitled to vote thereon | Same as vote against | No effect; Brokers have discretion to vote | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Approval of the redomestication of MercadoLibre, Inc. from Delaware to Texas by conversion
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Majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon
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Same as vote against
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No effect
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4
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1.
A vote to “Withhold” will not have any effect on the election. Stockholders do not have the option to “Abstain” from voting on the proposal for election of the nominees for Class I and Class III Directors.
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| Q |
Where can I find the voting results of the 2025 Annual Meeting?
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| A |
We will announce final voting results in a current report on Form 8-K that will be filed with the SEC within four business days after the 2025 Annual Meeting and that will also be available on our investor relations website.
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94
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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| APPENDIX: | ||||||||
| RECONCILIATION OF | ||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
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2024
($ in millions)
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2023
(1)
($ in millions)
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2022
(1)
($ in millions)
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| Income from operations | 2,631 | 2,207 | 1,069 | ||||||||||||||
| FX Neutral effect | 2,134 | 909 | 57 | ||||||||||||||
| Income from operations (in constant dollars) | 4,765 | 3,116 | 1,126 | ||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
95
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| HEADQUARTERS | ||||||||
| INFORMATION | ||||||||
| STOCKHOLDER |
PROPOSALS
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FOR
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96
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A-1
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A-2
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B-1
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B-2
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B-3
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B-4
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B-5
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| Marcos Galperin | ||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
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B-6
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
| MercadoLibre | 2025 Proxy Statement |
C-1
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C-2
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C-3
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C-4
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C-5
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C-6
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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C-7
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C-8
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2025 Proxy Statement | MercadoLibre | |||||||||||||||
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C-9
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D-1
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No information found
* THE VALUE IS THE MARKET VALUE AS OF THE LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER FOR WHICH THE 13F WAS FILED.
| FUND | NUMBER OF SHARES | VALUE ($) | PUT OR CALL |
|---|
| DIRECTORS | AGE | BIO | OTHER DIRECTOR MEMBERSHIPS |
|---|
No information found
No Customers Found
No Suppliers Found
Price
Yield
| Owner | Position | Direct Shares | Indirect Shares |
|---|