Audit Committee Charter
(as amended August 1, 2024)
Organization and Composition
This charter governs the operations of the NVE Corporation Audit Committee. The
Committee shall review and reassess the charter at least annually and obtain the
board of directors' approval. The Committee and its chair shall be appointed by
the board of directors and comprise at least three directors. All members of the
Committee shall be independent as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") and the Nasdaq Stock Market. All members of the Committee shall
have a basic understanding of finance and accounting and be able to read and understand
fundamental financial statements, and at least one member of the Committee shall
be an Audit Committee Financial Expert as defined by the SEC. The Committee shall
perform an annual self-assessment.
Statement of Policy
The Audit Committee shall provide oversight of the Company's financial statements
and the financial reporting process, the systems of internal accounting and financial
controls, and the annual independent audit of the Company's financial statements.
In so doing, the Committee will encourage free and open communication between
the Committee, the independent auditors, and the management of the Company. In
discharging its oversight role, the Committee is empowered to investigate any
matter brought to its attention with full access to all books, records, facilities,
and personnel of the Company. The Committee shall have the authority to retain,
at the expense of the Company, such special legal, accounting, or other consultants
or experts it deems necessary in the performance of its duties.
Responsibilities and Processes
The primary responsibility of the Committee is to oversee the Company's financial
reporting process on behalf of the board and the Company's shareholders. Management
is responsible for preparing the Company's financial statements, and the independent
auditors are responsible for auditing those financial statements. The Committee
will endeavor to set the corporate tone for quality financial reporting, sound
business risk practices, and ethical behavior.
The following shall be the principal recurring processes of the Committee in carrying
out its oversight responsibilities. The processes are set forth as a guide with
the understanding that the Committee may supplement them as appropriate.
1. Independent Auditors and Audit Function
a. Provide oversight of the independent registered public accounting
firm and have sole authority and responsibility for their appointment, compensation,
retention, and termination.
b. Approve the engagement of the independent registered public accounting
firm. The Audit Committee shall pre-approve audit and permissible non-audit services
provided by the Company's independent auditors. During the fiscal year, in the
eventIf it becomes necessary to engage the independent auditor for additional
services not contemplated in the original pre-approval, the Company will obtain
the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee before engaging the independent
auditor. This pre-approval policy requires the Audit Committee to to be informed
of each service performed by the independent auditor, and the policy does not
include any delegation of the Audit Committee's responsibilities to management.
The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one or more of its
members. The member to whom such authority is delegated will report any pre-approval
decisions to the Audit Committee as a whole at its next scheduled meeting.
c. The Audit Committee shall receive on an annual basis a written statement
from the independent auditor detailing all relationships between the independent
auditor and the Company, consistent with requirements of the Independence Standards
Board. The Committee shall review services performed by the independent auditor,
including the type and extent of non-audit services performed and the impact that
these services may have on the independent auditors' independence.
d. Review with the independent auditor (i) the proposed scope of
their examination with emphasis on accounting and financial areas where the Committee,
the accountants or management believe special attention should be directed; (ii) results
of their audit, including their opinion on the financial statements and the independent
auditors' judgment on the quality, not just the acceptability, of the Company's
accounting principles as applied in the financial statements; (iii) their
evaluation of the adequacy of the system of internal controls; (iv) significant
disputes, if any, with management; and (v) cooperation received from management
in the conduct of the audit.
e. Discuss with the auditors the results of the audit, any significant
changes to the Company's accounting principles and items required to be communicated
by the independent auditors in accordance with PCAOB Auditing Standard 1301.
f. Review with management and the independent auditors,
based on reports required from the independent auditors, all critical
accounting policies and practices to be used; all alternative
treatments of financial information within generally accepted
accounting principles that have been discussed with management,
ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments;
and other material written communications between the independent
auditor and management.
g. Provide sufficient opportunity for the independent
auditors to meet with the members of the Audit Committee without
members of management present.
2. Financial Results and Financial Statements
a. Review with management and the independent auditors the
Company's annual financial results before the release of earnings. Review the
Company's audited financial statements before filing or distribution. Review of
the annual audited financial statements should include discussions with management
and independent auditors of significant issues regarding accounting principles,
practices, and judgments. Review and comment on the Company's annual reports.
Recommend to the Company's Board of Directors the inclusion of the audited financial
statements in the Company's annual report.
b. Review with management and the independent auditors the Company's quarterly
financial results before the release of earnings. Review the Company's quarterly
financial statements before filing or distribution. Review and comment on the
Company's quarterly reports. Discuss with the independent auditors the results
of their review and any other matter required to be communicated to the Committee
by the independent auditors under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
3. Financial Controls and Procedures
a. Ensure that management has the proper review
system in place to assure that the Company's financial statements,
reports, and other financial information disseminated to governmental
organizations and the public satisfy legal requirements.
b. In consultation with the management and the independent auditors, consider
the integrity of the Company's financial reporting processes and controls. Discuss
significant financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor,
control, and report such exposures. Review significant findings prepared by the
independent auditors together with management's responses. Meet with management
at least quarterly to review management's disclosure of fraud and/or deficiencies,
if any, in the design or operations of the Company's internal controls. Receive
reports from management regarding the Company's system of internal controls and
disclosure controls and procedures.
c. Resolve any disagreements between management and the
independent auditors regarding financial reporting.
4. Ethics and Compliance
a. Establish and administer a code of ethics for senior officers
to ensure that the Company's financial statements, reports and other financial
information disseminated to governmental organizations and the public satisfy
legal requirements. Grant waivers to senior officers from such code of ethics
when appropriate and in the best interest of the Company. Establish and administer
any other code of corporate conduct required by the Nasdaq Stock Market or the
SEC.
b. Review with the Company's counsel any legal matters that could have
a significant impact on the Company's financial statements, the Company's compliance
with applicable laws and regulations, and inquiries received from regulators or
governmental agencies. Receive reports from the Company's legal counsel regarding
any material violation of securities laws or breach of fiduciary duty or similar
violation by the Company or any agent of the Company.
c. Establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment
of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal controls,
or auditing matters; and (ii) the submission by employees of concerns on
a confidential and anonymous basis regarding accounting and auditing matters.
d. Periodically review with management programs established to monitor
compliance with the Company's codes of conduct or other business ethics policies.
e. Review and provide oversight of the Company's insider trading policy.
f. Review and Approval of Related Party Transactions
The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving (with the concurrence
of a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors) any related
party and affiliated party transactions. In addition, Section 4350(h) of the rules
of The Nasdaq Stock Market provide that all related party transactions must be
reviewed for conflicts of interest by the audit committee. In accordance with
policies adopted by the audit committee, the following transactions must be presented
to the Audit Committee for its review and approval:
i. Any transaction in which the Company was or is to be a
participant (within the meaning of Regulation S-K, Item 404(a)), and a related
person (as defined in Regulation S-K, Item 404(a)) has or will have a direct or
indirect material interest (within the meaning of Regulation S-K, Item 404(a)).
ii. Any contract or other transaction between the Company and one or
more directors of the Company, or between the Company and an organization in or
of which one or more directors of the Company are directors, officers, or legal
representatives or have a material financial interest within the meaning of Minnesota
Statutes, Section 302A.255.
In addition to the Company's Board of Directors complying with the requirements
of Minnesota Statutes, Section 302A.255 with respect to any proposed transaction
with a potential director's conflict of interest, all proposed transactions covered
by the policy must be approved in advance by a majority of the members of the
audit committee. If a proposed transaction covered by the policy involves a member
of the audit committee, such member may not participate in the audit committee's
deliberations concerning, or vote on, such proposed transaction. Prior to approving
any proposed transaction covered by the policy, the following information concerning
the proposed transaction will be fully disclosed to the audit committee:
i. The names of all parties and participants involved in the
proposed transaction, including the relationship of all such parties and participants
to the Company.
ii. The basis on which the related person is deemed to be a related
person within the meaning of Regulation S-K, Item 404(a), if applicable.
iii. The material facts and terms of the proposed transaction.
iv. The material facts as to the interest of the related person in the
proposed transaction.
v. Any other information that the Audit Committee requests concerning
the proposed transaction.
The Audit Committee may require that all or any part of such information be
provided to it in writing.
The Audit Committee may approve only those transactions covered by the policy
that a majority of the members of the Audit Committee in good faith determine
to be (i) fair and reasonable to the Company, (ii) on terms no less
favorable than could be obtained by the Company if the proposed transaction did
not involve a director or the related person, as the case may be, and (iii) in
the best interests of the Company.
5. Cybersecurity
a. Oversee the Company's enterprise risk assessment and management
policies, procedures and practices, including those risks related to cybersecurity,
information security, and data protection.
b. Receive management or independent reports on information technology
risks, including cybersecurity and data security risks.
6. Other Areas of Responsibility
a. Keep and submit the minutes of all meetings of the Audit
Committee to, or discuss the matters discussed at each committee meeting with,
the Board of Directors.
b. Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter at least annually.
Publish this Charter as required by the SEC or the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Indemnification
Audit Committee members will be indemnified by the Company to the maximum extent
provided under Minnesota law or by any indemnification agreements between the
Company and such Committee members.
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