Company: HLX
Filing Date: 2025-04-02
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001140361-25-011655
Chunk: 67

Company: HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP INC
Filing Date: 2025-04-02
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 67
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 Messrs. Sparks, Staffeldt and Neikirk do not contain any excise tax “gross-up” protections. For purposes of the named executive officers’ employment agreements, “Change in Control” is defined as (1) one person or group acquiring stock that gives that person or group control of more than 50% of the value or voting power of Helix, (2) during any 12-month period, any person or group obtaining 45% or more of the voting power of Helix, or a majority of the Board being replaced by persons not endorsed by a majority of the then-existing Board, or (3) a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of Helix during any 12-month period. “Cause” means embezzlement or theft, breach of a material provision of the employment agreement, any act constituting a felony or otherwise involving theft, fraud, gross dishonesty or moral turpitude, negligence or willful misconduct, any breach of the named executive officer’s fiduciary obligations, a material violation of our policies or procedures or any chemical dependence that adversely affects the performance of the named executive officer. “Good Reason” means the material diminution of the named executive officer’s base salary, material diminution of his authority, duties or responsibilities, a material change in the named executive officer’s reporting relationship, a material change in the geographic location at which the named executive officer must perform his duties, or any action that would constitute a material breach of the employment agreement by Helix.

| Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. |     | 2025 Proxy Statement |     | 63 |

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Compensation

Potential Payments upon Certain Events Including Termination after a Change in Control Our named executive officers would have been eligible to receive the payments set forth below if (a) their employment had been terminated as of December 31, 2024 for reasons other than a Change in Control or (b) a Change in Control had occurred within three months of the end of 2024:

|                                                          |     |       ​Kratz |     |     ​Sparks |     | ​Staffeldt |     |    ​Neikirk |
| Normal and Early Retirement(1)                           |     |              |     |             |     |            |     |             |
| ​2024 annual cash incentive compensation(2)              |     |    $​914,400 |     |   $​350,520 |     |  $​335