ALAMO GROUP, INC. AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
I. Purpose
This Charter governs the operations of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Alamo Group Inc. (the “Company”). The primary objectives of the Committee are to:
(a) Represent and assist the Board of Directors in discharging its oversight responsibility relating to: (i) the accounting, reporting, and financial practices of the Company and its subsidiaries, including the integrity of the Company's financial statements; (ii) the surveillance of administration and financial controls and the Company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (iii) the outside auditor's qualifications and independence; and (iv) the performance of the Company's internal audit function and the Company's outside auditor; and
(b) Prepare the report required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to be included in the Company's annual proxy statement.
II. Organization
The Committee will obtain Board approval of this Charter and will review and reassess its Charter at least annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.
The Committee shall be appointed by the Board. The Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members, each of whom shall satisfy the applicable independence requirements of the Company and the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and questions of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board shall designate one member as chairperson or delegate the authority to designate a chairperson to the Committee.
Each member of the Audit Committee must be financially literate and at least one member must have accounting or related financial management expertise, as determined by the Board. In addition, at least one member of the Audit Committee shall be an "audit committee financial expert," as determined by the Board in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
The Committee shall meet at least four times per year, either in person or telephonically, and at such times and places as the Committee shall determine. The majority of the members of the Audit Committee shall constitute a quorum. Periodically, the Committee shall meet separately in executive session with each of management, the principal internal auditor of the Company, and the outside auditor. The Committee shall report regularly to the full Board of Directors with respect to its activities.
III. Goals and Responsibilities
Among its specific duties and responsibilities, the Committee shall:
(a) Be directly responsible, in its capacity as a committee of the Board, for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the outside auditor. In this regard, the Committee shall appoint and retain, subject to ratification by the Company's stockholders, compensate, evaluate, and terminate, when appropriate, the outside auditor, which shall report directly to the Committee.
(b)Obtain and review, at least annually, a report by the outside auditor describing: the outside auditor's internal quality-control procedures and any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the outside auditing firm, and any steps taken to deal with any such issues.
(c)Approve in advance all audit services to be provided by the outside auditor. (By approving the audit engagement, an audit service within the scope of the engagement shall be deemed to have been pre-approved.)
(d)Establish a process for the engagement of the outside auditor to provide audit and permissible non-audit services, which shall include pre-approval of all permissible non-audit services to be provided by the outside auditor.
(e)Consider, at least annually, the independence of the outside auditor, including whether the outside auditor's performance of permissible non-audit services is compatible with the auditor's independence, and obtain and review a report by the outside auditor describing any relationships between the outside auditor and the Company or any other relationships that may adversely affect the independence of the auditor.
(f)Review and discuss with the outside auditor: (i) the scope of the audit, the results of the annual audit examination by the auditor, and any difficulties the auditor encountered in the course of their audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of the outside auditor's activities or on access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management; and (ii) any reports of the outside auditor with respect to interim periods.
(g)Review and discuss with management and the outside auditor the annual audited and quarterly financial statements of the Company, including: (i) an analysis of the auditor's judgment as to the quality of the Company's accounting principles, setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements; (ii) the Company's specific disclosures under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," including accounting policies that may be regarded as critical; (iii) major issues regarding the Company's accounting principles and financial statement presentations, including any significant changes in the Company's selection or application of accounting principles and financial statement presentations; and receive reports from the outside auditor as required by SEC rules and (iv) the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives and off-balance sheet structures on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. [Required by General Commentary to Sec. 303A.07 (c).]
(h)Recommend to the Board based on the review and discussion described in paragraphs (e) - (g) above, whether the financial statements should be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Quarterly 10-Qs.
(i)Review and discuss the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company's internal controls, including any significant deficiencies in internal controls and significant changes in such controls reported to the Committee by the outside auditor or management.
(j)Review and discuss the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures and management reports thereon.
(k) Review and approve with the principal internal auditor of the Company the scope and results of the internal audit program.
(l)Review and discuss corporate policies and procedures with respect to earnings press releases, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and ratings agencies.
(m)Review and discuss the Company's policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management.
(n)Oversee the Company's compliance systems with respect to legal and regulatory requirements, review the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Policy and monitor compliance with such Code.
(o)Establish procedures for handling complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls and auditing matters, including procedures for confidential, anonymous submission of concerns by employees regarding accounting and auditing matters.
(p) Review the Company’s adherence to regulations for the hiring of employees and former employees of the outside auditor.
(q) Review and evaluate annually the qualifications, performance and independence of the lead partner of the outside auditor and assure regular rotation of the lead audit partner as required by law. To that effect the Committee shall take into account the opinions of management and the Company’s internal auditors. The Committee will provide its conclusions to the Board. [Required by Commentary to Sec. 303A.07 (c)(iii)(A).]
IV. Performance Evaluation.
The Committee shall evaluate on an annual basis its performance under this Charter. In conducting this review, the Committee shall evaluate whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that are or should be within its scope.
The Committee shall deliver to the Board a verbal report of this evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Company’s or the Board’s policies or procedures addressed by this Charter.
V. Committee Resources.
Subject to the Board’s approval, the Committee shall have the authority to conduct studies or authorize investigations into matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities and may retain such outside counsel, accountants, experts and other advisors as it determines appropriate to assist the Committee in the performance of its functions and shall receive appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, from the Company for payment of compensation to any such advisors. The Company shall also provide for appropriate funding for the payment of (i) compensation to the outside auditor engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services or other permitted services for the Company; and (ii) ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties and responsibilities.
This document was last updated on Nov 1, 2006.
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