Proxy Statement

The accompanying proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2015. A Notice of Internet Availability of the Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access proxy materials via the Internet and how to vote online (www.proxyvote.com) is first being mailed to stockholders on or about March 19, 2015. For those stockholders who previously requested to receive proxy materials in printed form by mail or electronically by email on an ongoing basis, you will not receive the Notice and will continue to receive a paper or electronic copy of the proxy materials, which is also being mailed on or about March 19, 2015.

In accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), instead of mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to each stockholder of record, we are furnishing proxy materials by providing access to such documents on the Internet. Most stockholders will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials unless they request them. Instead, a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) is being sent to most of our stockholders

commencing on or about March 19, 2015, which will instruct you as to how you may access and review all of the proxy materials on the Internet. The Notice also instructs you as to how you may submit your proxy on the Internet. If you would like to receive a paper or email copy of our proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials in the Notice.

The proxy materials for the Sears Holdings 2015 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) include the Notice of Annual Meeting, this proxy statement and our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. If you received a paper copy of these materials, the proxy materials also include a proxy card or voting instruction form.

A proxy statement is a document that SEC regulations require us to give you when we ask you to sign a proxy designating individuals to vote on your behalf. A proxy is your legal designation of another person to vote the stock you own. That other person is called a proxy. If you

designate someone as your proxy in a written document, that document also is called a proxy or a proxy card. We have designated three of our officers as proxies for the Annual Meeting. These three officers are Robert A. Schriesheim, Kristin M. Coleman and Robert A. Riecker.

The form of proxy and this proxy statement have been approved by the Board of Directors and are being provided to stockholders by its authority.

If you hold your shares directly in your own name, you are a “registered stockholder” and can vote in person at the Annual Meeting or you can complete and submit a proxy through the Internet, by telephone or by mail. If your shares are registered in the name of a broker or other

nominee, you are a “street-name stockholder” and will receive instructions from your broker or other nominee describing how to vote your shares.

A subsequent vote by any means will change your prior vote. For example, if you voted by telephone, a subsequent Internet vote will change your vote. If you are a registered stockholder and wish to change your vote by mail, you may do so by requesting, in writing, a proxy card from the Corporate Secretary at Sears Holdings

Corporation, Law Department, 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179, Attn: Corporate Secretary. The last vote received prior to the meeting will be the one counted. If you are a registered stockholder, you may also change your vote by voting in person at the Annual Meeting.

Yes, registered stockholders may revoke a properly executed proxy at any time before it is exercised by submitting a letter addressed to and received by the Corporate Secretary at the address listed in the answer to the previous question. Street-name stockholders cannot revoke their proxies in person at the Annual Meeting because the actual registered

stockholders, the brokers or other nominees, will not be present. Street-name stockholders wishing to change their votes after returning voting instructions to their broker or other nominee should contact the broker or nominee directly.

It means your shares are registered differently or are in more than one account. For all Notices you receive, please enter your vote by Internet for each control number you have been assigned. If you received paper copies of proxy materials, please provide voting instructions for all proxy and voting instruction cards you receive. We encourage you to register all your accounts in the same name and address. Registered

stockholders may contact our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., at P.O. Box 30170, College Station, Texas 77842-3170 (1-800-732-7780). Street-name stockholders holding shares through a broker or other nominee should contact their broker or nominee and request consolidation of their accounts.

Your Notice includes all shares registered to your account in the same social security number and address, including any full and fractional shares you own under one or more of the following plans:

We refer to the Sears Holdings Savings Plan and the Sears Holdings Puerto Rico Savings Plan, collectively, as the “Savings Plans.”

If you participate in a Savings Plan, you may direct the trustee how to vote your shares of common stock that you hold through the Savings Plan through the Internet, by telephone, or by U.S. mail. Your direction will be held in confidence by the Plan trustee. If you do not vote shares that you hold through a Savings Plan (or you submit your proxy card with an unclear voting designation or with no voting designation at all), then the Plan trustee will vote the shares in your account in proportion to the way other participants in the Savings Plans vote their shares, unless contrary to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of

1974. To allow sufficient time for the trustees of the Savings Plans to tabulate the vote of the Savings Plan shares, you must vote through the Internet, by telephone or return your proxy card so that it is received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2015. Because shares of common stock held in the Savings Plans are registered in the name of the Savings Plan trustee, participants in the Company’s Savings Plans cannot vote Savings Plan shares or revoke prior voting instructions at the Annual Meeting.

Item 1: The director nominees will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and present in person or represented by proxy. This means that the eight nominees who receive the most affirmative votes will be elected as directors.

Item 2: Advisory approval of the compensation of our named executive officers requires the affirmative vote of a majority of those shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Item 3 : Ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm requires the affirmative vote of a majority of those shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Under Delaware law and our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-Laws, all votes entitled to be cast by stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter, whether those stockholders vote “for,” “against” or abstain from voting, will be counted for purposes of determining the minimum number of affirmative votes required to (1) approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named

executive officers, and (2) ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm. With regard to the election of directors, votes may be cast in favor or withheld; votes cast in favor of a nominee will be counted for purposes of determining the nominees who will be elected; votes that are withheld will be excluded and have no effect.

Abstentions occur when stockholders are present at the Annual Meeting, but fail to vote. The shares of a stockholder who abstains from voting on a matter will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the meeting so long as the stockholder is present in person or represented by proxy. Abstentions may be specified on all proposals (other than the election of directors). An abstention from voting on a matter by a stockholder present in person

or represented by proxy at the meeting has the same legal effect as a vote “against” the proposal to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers, and the proposal to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm.

If you hold shares beneficially in street name and do not provide your broker with voting instructions, your shares may constitute “broker non-votes.” Generally, broker non-votes occur on a matter when a broker is not permitted to vote on that matter without instructions from the beneficial owner and instructions are not given. Brokers are not entitled to vote on the election of directors or the advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers unless they receive voting instructions from the beneficial owner. The shares of a

stockholder whose shares are not voted because of a broker non-vote on a particular matter will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the meeting so long as the stockholder is represented by proxy. In tabulating the voting result for any particular proposal, shares that constitute broker non-votes are not considered votes cast on that proposal. Thus, broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of any matter being voted on at the meeting, assuming that a quorum is obtained.

Any stockholder as of the Record Date may attend. Seating and parking are limited and admission is on a first-come basis. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m. and seating will begin at 8:00 a.m.

An admission ticket (or other proof of stock ownership) and some form of government-issued photo identification (such as a valid driver’s license or passport) will be required for admission to the annual meeting. Only stockholders who own Sears Holdings common stock as of the close of business on March 9, 2015 will be entitled to attend the meeting. An admission ticket will serve as verification of your ownership. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and will not be requesting a printed copy of the proxy materials, please bring

that Notice with you as your admission ticket. If you are a registered stockholder and you received printed copies of your proxy materials by mail, an admission ticket is attached to your proxy card. Each stockholder may be asked to present valid picture identification (for example, a driver’s license or passport). If you are a street-name stockholder, you will need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement, proxy or letter from the broker or other nominee confirming ownership of Sears Holdings shares as of the Record Date. You may also contact your bank or broker to obtain a written legal proxy. Cameras, recording devices and other electronic devices will not be permitted at the meeting.

Yes. Registered stockholders can sign up for electronic delivery at www.proxyvote.com. If you vote through the Internet, you can also sign up for electronic delivery. Just follow the instructions that appear after you finish voting. You will receive an e-mail next year containing our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the proxy statement for our 2016 annual meeting. Street-name stockholders may also have the

opportunity to receive copies of these documents electronically. Please check the information provided in the proxy materials mailed to you by your broker or other nominee regarding the availability of this service. This procedure reduces the printing costs and fees our company incurs in connection with the solicitation of proxies.

Sears Holdings has adopted a procedure called “householding,” which has been approved by the SEC. Under this procedure, stockholders of record who have the same address and last name and do not receive proxy materials electronically will receive a single Notice or set of proxy materials, unless one or more of these stockholders notifies the company that they wish to continue receiving individual copies. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to receive separate proxy cards. This procedure can result in significant savings to our company by reducing printing and postage costs.

If you participate in householding and wish to receive a separate Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or set of proxy materials, or if you wish to receive separate copies of future Notices, annual reports

and proxy statements, please call 1-800-542-1061 or write to: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717. The Company will deliver the requested documents to you promptly upon your request.

Any stockholders of record who share the same address and currently receive multiple copies of proxy materials who wish to receive only one copy of these materials per household in the future may contact Broadridge Financial Solutions at the address or telephone number listed above. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank or other nominee, please contact your broker, bank, or other nominee to request information about householding.

If you are a holder of record and share an address and last name with one or more other holders of record, and you wish to continue to receive separate annual reports, proxy statements and other disclosure documents, you may revoke your consent by writing to Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717. You may also revoke your consent by contacting Sears Holdings’ householding agent by calling toll free at 1-800-542-1061 and following the voice

prompts. You will be removed from the householding program within 30 days of receipt of the revocation of your consent.

A number of brokerage firms have instituted householding. If you hold your shares in street-name, please contact your bank, broker or other holder of record to request information about householding.

Our Board of Directors (the “Board”) is committed to effective corporate governance. The Board has approved and adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that provide the framework for governance of our company. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews and assesses the Corporate Governance Guidelines annually and recommends changes to the Board as appropriate. The Corporate Governance Guidelines, along with the charters of Board committees, our Code of Conduct and our Board of Directors Code of Conduct are available on our website at www.searsholdings.com under the heading “Corporate Governance.”

Among other things, the Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that:

Based on the review and recommendation by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Board analyzed the independence of each director. In making its independence determinations, the Board considers transactions, relationships and arrangements between Sears Holdings and entities with which directors are associated as executive officers, directors and trustees. When these transactions, relationships and arrangements exist, they are in the ordinary course of business and are of a type customary for a retail company such as Sears Holdings.

As a result of this review, the Board affirmatively determined that the following directors meet the standards of independence under our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the applicable NASDAQ listing rules, including that each member is free of any relationship that would interfere with his or her individual exercise of independent judgment:

Cesar L. Alvarez

Paul G. DePodesta

Kunal S. Kamlani

William C. Kunkler III

Steven T. Mnuchin

Ann N. Reese

Thomas J. Tisch

In determining that director Alvarez met the applicable independence standards, the Board considered his relationship with an affiliate of Fairholme Capital Management, LLC, a significant stockholder, and the annual amounts paid by Sears Holdings to the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, where he serves as co-chairman.

The Board has also determined that all members of the Audit Committee meet additional, heightened independence criteria applicable to audit committee members under the NASDAQ listing rules. The Board has further determined that Ann N. Reese, the chair of the Audit Committee, Kunal S. Kamlani and William C. Kunkler, III are “audit committee financial experts,” as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC.

The Board has also determined that all members of the Compensation Committee meet independence criteria applicable to compensation committee members under the NASDAQ listing rules.

Item 1 is the election of eight nominees to our Board. If elected, eight nominees will hold office until the next annual meeting or until their successors are elected and qualified. The persons named in the proxy card (the “proxies”) will vote FOR the election of all of the nominees listed below, unless otherwise instructed.

The number of Directors constituting the entire Board of Directors is currently fixed at eight. The proxies may not vote for the election of more than eight nominees for Director at the Annual Meeting.

The Board of Directors expects all nominees to be available for election. If any nominee should become unavailable to serve as a director for any reason prior to the Annual Meeting, the Board may substitute another person as a nominee. In that case, your shares will be voted for that other person. Kunal S. Kamlani was elected to the Board on December 3, 2014.

Cesar L. Alvarez

Director since 2013

Cesar L. Alvarez, 67, has served since February 2012 as Co-Chairman of the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and previously served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1997 until his election as Executive Chairman in January 2010 and as its Executive Chairman from January 2010 until his election as Co-Chairman. He joined Greenberg Traurig in 1973. Mr. Alvarez also serves on the board of directors of Fairholme Funds, Inc.; Intrexon Corporation; Mednax, Inc.; St. Joe Co.; and Watsco, Inc. Mr. Alvarez brings to the Board 19 years of management experience at one of the nation’s largest law firms (with over $1.3 billion in revenue with professionals providing services in 36 locations across the country and abroad), as well as his many years of corporate experience both advising clients on corporate and securities matters and serving on the boards of directors of publicly traded and private companies.

Paul G. DePodesta

Director since 2012

Paul G. DePodesta, 42, is Vice President, Player Development & Amateur Scouting for the New York Mets major league baseball club and has served in that position since November 2010. From November 2008 until November 2010, he served as Executive Vice President for the San Diego Padres major league baseball club. From July 2006 until November 2008, he served as Special Assistant for Baseball Operations with the San Diego Padres. For nine years prior to joining the San Diego Padres, Mr. DePodesta worked in a variety of positions with other major league baseball clubs, including time as the Executive Vice President and General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers major league baseball club. Mr. DePodesta brings to the Board extensive experience as a leader and manager, including expertise in evaluating, procuring and developing talent and in creating and using processes and systems to evaluate individuals, teams and organizations.

Kunal S. Kamlani

Director since 2014

Kunal S. Kamlani, 42, served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Prestige Cruise Holdings, the parent company of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, from August 2011 until December 2014, prior to which he served as its chief financial officer from August 2009 to March 2010. From March 2010 to May 2011 he served as head of the multi-billion dollar Global Investment Solutions division of Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. Mr. Kamlani also served as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Smith Barney from October 2006 until June 2009. Mr. Kamlani brings to the Board extensive experience in corporate finance, financial reporting and organizational leadership.

William C. Kunkler, III

Director since 2009

William C. Kunkler, III, 58, is the Executive Vice President-Operations of CC Industries, Inc., an affiliate of Henry Crown and Company, and has served in that position, as well as other officer positions, since 1994. CC Industries, Inc. is a private equity firm focused on manufacturing companies and real estate investments. Mr. Kunkler has extensive manufacturing company experience and a thorough understanding of business operations, including finance and accounting principles and functions as well as operational methodologies, garnered from his experience as an executive officer and director of various companies. He also has strong ties to the Chicago area, the location of Sears Holdings Corporation’s corporate headquarters.

Edward S. Lampert

Director since 2005

Edward S. Lampert, 52, is Chairman of our Board of Directors, and our Chief Executive Officer. He is also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ESL Investments, Inc., which he founded in April 1988. Mr. Lampert has extensive experience in business and finance, and he has invested in many retail companies. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Kmart Holding Corporation, a company that emerged from bankruptcy in 2003 and was transformed into a profitable business prior to its merger with Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2005.

Steven T. Mnuchin

Director since 2005

Steven T. Mnuchin, 52, has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of One West Bank Group LLC, the holding company of OneWest Bank, since January 2009. Mr. Mnuchin is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dune Capital Management LP, a private investment firm, and he has served in that or a similar capacity since September 2004. Mr. Mnuchin has served as Co-Chairman of Relativity Media Holdings LLC since October 2014. Mr. Mnuchin is a trustee of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and LAPD Foundation and life trustee of New York Presbyterian Hospital. Mr. Mnuchin brings extensive experience in investment strategy and finance to the Sears Holdings Board through his positions at a financial institution and a private investment firm. He also gained extensive information technology experience during his tenure as the Chief Information Officer of Goldman, Sachs & Co. He served as a director of Kmart Holding Corporation, a company that emerged from bankruptcy in 2003 and was transformed into a profitable business prior to its merger with Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2005.

Ann N. Reese

Director since 2005

Ann N. Reese, 62, co-founded the Center for Adoption Policy in New York in 2001 and serves as its Executive Director. Prior to co-founding the Center, Ms. Reese served as a Principal with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a private equity investment firm, in 1999 and 2000. From 1995 to 1998, she was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ITT Corporation, a hotel and gaming company. Ms. Reese is a director of Xerox Corporation and Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Ms. Reese served as a director of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. from July 2004 until its acquisition by Bank of America Corporation in January 2009. Ms. Reese also served as director of The Jones Group Inc. from July 2003 to May 2011. Ms. Reese has extensive executive experience in corporate finance, financial reporting and strategic planning through her position as a public company chief financial officer as well as corporate governance expertise gained from her experience on other public company boards. Ms. Reese also served as a director of Kmart Holding Corporation, a company that emerged from bankruptcy in 2003 and was transformed into a profitable business prior to its merger with Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2005.

Thomas J. Tisch

Director since 2005

Thomas J. Tisch, 60, has served as the Managing Partner of Four Partners, a private investment firm, since 1992. He has served as the Chancellor of Brown University since July 2007, and he is also a trustee of New York University Medical Center. Mr. Tisch is a director of Synageva BioPharma Corp. Mr. Tisch brings financial and general business expertise to the Sears Holdings Board from his position at a private investment firm. Mr. Tisch also served as a director of Kmart Holding Corporation, a company that emerged from bankruptcy in 2003 and was transformed into a profitable business prior to its merger with Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2005.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors is responsible for reviewing the qualifications and independence of members of the Board and its various committees on a periodic basis, as well as the composition of the Board as a whole. This assessment includes members’ qualification as independent and their economic interest in the Company through meaningful share ownership, as well as consideration of diversity, skills and experience in relation to the needs of the Board. Director nominees will be recommended to the Board by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in accordance with the policies and principles in its charter. The ultimate responsibility for selection of director nominees resides with the Board of Directors.

While the Company does not have a formal diversity policy, as mentioned above, the Board considers diversity in identifying director nominees. The Board and the Nominating and Governance Committee believe that it is important that our directors represent diverse viewpoints. In addition to diversity of experience, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee seeks director candidates with a broad diversity of professions, skills and backgrounds.

The Board met 15 times during fiscal year 2014 (the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015). All of the directors attended at least 75% of the Board meetings and the meetings of the committees on which they served. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that directors are expected to attend the annual meeting of stockholders. All directors who stood for election at the 2014 annual meeting attended that meeting.

The Audit Committee has a Related Party Transactions Subcommittee (the “RPT Subcommittee”) to assist the Audit Committee by reviewing potential related party transactions; material amendments to, or modifications, terminations or extensions of agreements involving related party transactions; and the Company’s guidelines and policies with regard to related party transactions generally. The RPT Subcommittee may approve or pre-approve certain types of related party transactions (and present them to the Audit Committee or the Board at its next scheduled meeting) or may, if it deems it advisable, refer them to the Audit Committee or the Board for review. The RPT Subcommittee met five times in fiscal year 2014. The members of the RPT Subcommittee for fiscal year 2014 were Ms. Reese (chair), Mr. Kunkler and, following his election to the Board, Mr. Kamlani.

The Company has a standing Stock Plan Committee. The sole member of the Stock Plan Committee for fiscal year 2014 was Thomas J. Tisch. The Compensation Committee has delegated authority to the Stock Plan Committee to approve restricted stock awards of up to $150,000 to employees below the level of Senior Vice President. The Compensation Committee also has delegated authority to the Stock Plan Committee and to the Vice President, Talent & Human Capital Services, to approve increases in base salary of up to 10% and/or annual incentive plan award increases of up to 10% to officers at the level of Senior Vice President and above. No actions were taken pursuant to this delegation during fiscal year 2014.

You may contact any non-employee director, or the entire Board, at any time, subject to the exceptions described below. Your communication should be sent to the Sears Holdings Corporation Board of Directors—c/o Corporate Secretary, Sears Holdings Corporation, Law Department, 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179. Communications are distributed to the Board, a committee of the Board, or any Board

member as appropriate, depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication. Certain items that are unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the Board will be excluded, such as new product suggestions, resumes and other job inquiries, surveys and business solicitations or advertisements.

The Board has no policy that mandates the separation of the offices of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board believes that it is in the best interest of the Company to make such a determination at the time that it elects a new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lampert, our Chairman of the Board, was also elected by the Board to the position of Chief Executive Officer and thus serves in both capacities. The Board

selected Mr. Lampert to ensure continuity of leadership, sharpen the Company’s strategy, continue the momentum of the transformation of the Company and accelerate the progress that the Company has made. The Company’s By-Laws provide that the independent directors may appoint a lead independent director to preside over each executive session of the independent directors.

Consistent with our leadership structure, our Chief Executive Officer and other members of senior management are responsible for the identification, assessment and management of risks that could affect the Company, and the Board provides oversight in connection with these efforts. The Board’s oversight is conducted primarily through committees of the Board, as disclosed in the descriptions of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and the Finance Committee above and in the charters of the Audit Committee, the Compensation

Committee and the Finance Committee. The full Board has retained responsibility for general oversight of risks. The Board satisfies this responsibility through full reports by each committee chair regarding the committee’s considerations and actions, as well as through regular reports directly from officers responsible for oversight of particular risks within the Company, including our Chief Financial Officer and our General Counsel.

Directors may be nominated by the Board or by stockholders in accordance with our By-Laws. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will, when appropriate, actively seek individuals qualified to become Board members, and solicit input on director

candidates from a variety of sources, including current directors. As a matter of course, the Committee will evaluate a candidate’s qualifications and review all proposed nominees for the Board of Directors, including those proposed by stockholders, in accordance

with its charter and our Corporate Governance Guidelines. This will include a review of the person’s qualifications and independence, economic interest in the Company through meaningful share ownership, as well as consideration of diversity, age, skills and experience in the context of the needs of the Board. While the Committee has the ability to retain a third party to assist in the nomination process, the Company did not pay a fee to any third party to identify or assist in identifying or evaluating potential nominees in fiscal year 2014.

Director nominees recommended by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are expected to be committed to representing the long-term interests of our stockholders. The Committee believes that it is important to align the interests of directors with those of our stockholders, and therefore encourages each director and director nominee to own shares of our common stock in an amount that is meaningful to that individual. Board members should possess a high degree of integrity and have broad knowledge, experience and mature judgment. In addition to a meaningful economic commitment to our company as expressed in share ownership, directors and nominees should have predominately business backgrounds, have experience at policy-making levels in business and/or technology, and bring a diverse set of business experiences and perspectives to the Board.

You can nominate a candidate for election to the Board by complying with the nomination procedures in our By-Laws. For an election to be held at an annual meeting of stockholders, nomination by a stockholder must be made by notice in writing delivered to the Corporate Secretary not later than 90 days in advance of such meeting. However, if the annual meeting is not held on or within eight days of the fourth Tuesday

in May of a year, and if the Company provides stockholders with less than 100 days’ notice or public disclosure of the meeting date, the stockholder notice must be given not later than the 10th day following the notice or public disclosure of the meeting date. For an election to be held at a special meeting of stockholders, notice by a stockholder must be given not later than the 10th day following the date on which the Company first provides stockholders with notice or public disclosure of the meeting date.

A stockholder’s notice to the Corporate Secretary must be in writing and be delivered to Sears Holdings Corporation, Law Department, 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179, Attn: Corporate Secretary, and must include:

The chairman of the meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person not made in compliance with the foregoing procedures. A stockholder’s compliance with these procedures will not require the Company to include information regarding a proposed nominee in the Company’s proxy solicitation materials.

Investment of Surplus Cash

Our Board has delegated authority to direct investment of our surplus cash to Mr. Lampert, subject to various limitations that have been or may be from time to time adopted by the Board of Directors and/or the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Mr. Lampert is Chairman of our Board of Directors and its Finance Committee and is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Investments, Inc. (together with its affiliated funds, “ESL”). Additionally, on February 1, 2013, Mr. Lampert became our Chief Executive Officer, in addition to his role as Chairman of the Board. Neither Mr. Lampert nor ESL will receive compensation for any such investment activities undertaken on our behalf, other than Mr. Lampert’s compensation as our Chief Executive Officer. ESL owned approximately 49% of our outstanding common stock at January 31, 2015.

Further, to clarify the expectations that the Board of Directors has with respect to the investment of our surplus cash, the Board has renounced, in accordance with Delaware law, any interest or expectancy of the Company associated with any investment opportunities in securities that may come to the attention of Mr. Lampert or any employee, officer, director or advisor to ESL and its affiliated investment entities (each, a “Covered Party”) who also serves as an officer or director of the Company other than (a) investment opportunities that come to such Covered Party’s attention directly and exclusively in such Covered Party’s capacity as a director, officer or employee of the Company, (b) control investments in companies in the mass merchandising, retailing, commercial appliance distribution, product protection agreements, residential and commercial product installation and repair services and automotive repair and maintenance industries and (c) investment opportunities in companies or assets with a significant role in our retailing business, including investment in real estate currently leased by the Company or in suppliers for which the Company is a substantial customer representing over 10% of such companies’ revenues, but excluding investments of ESL that were existing as of May 23, 2005.

Unsecured Commercial Paper

During fiscal year 2014, ESL and its affiliates held unsecured commercial paper issued by Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp. (“SRAC”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings. For the commercial paper outstanding to ESL, the weighted average of each of maturity, annual interest rate, and principal amount outstanding for this commercial paper in fiscal year 2014 was 18.8 days, 3.68% and $27.7 million, respectively. The largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding to ESL at any time since the beginning of fiscal year 2014 was $150 million and the aggregate amount of interest paid by SRAC to ESL during fiscal year 2014 was $1 million. ESL held none of our commercial paper at January 31, 2015, including any held by Mr. Lampert. The commercial paper purchases were made in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates, as terms prevailing for comparable transactions with other persons, and did not present features unfavorable to the Company.

Secured Short-Term Loan

In September 2014, the Company, through Sears, Sears Development Co., and Kmart Corporation (“Borrowers”), entities wholly-owned and controlled, directly or indirectly by the Company, entered into a $400 million secured short-term loan (the “Loan”) with JPP II, LLC and JPP, LLC (together, the “Lender”), entities affiliated with ESL. The Loan was originally scheduled to mature on December 31, 2014. As permitted by

the Loan agreement, the Company paid an extension fee equal to 0.5% of the principal amount to extend the maturity date of the Loan to February 28, 2015. The Loan has an annual base interest rate of 5%. The Loan is guaranteed by the Company and is secured by a first priority lien on certain real properties owned by the Borrowers. The Lender sold certain participating interests in the Loan during the third quarter of 2014, which may restrict the Lender’s ability to take certain actions with respect to the Loan without consent of the purchasers of such participating interests, including the waiver of certain defaults under the Loan.

At January 31, 2015, the outstanding balance of the Loan was $400 million. During 2014, the Borrowers paid an upfront fee of $7 million, an extension fee of $2 million and interest of $5.6 million to the Lender. On February 25, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to amend and extend the Loan, effective February 28, 2015. Under the terms of the amendment, the Company repaid $200 million of the outstanding principal amount of the Loan, together with all interest accrued thereon, on March 2, 2015 and, in connection with this repayment, the Lender agreed to release, at the Company’s option, one half of the value of the pledged collateral under the Loan. The maturity date of the Loan was extended until the earlier of June 1, 2015 or the receipt by the Company of the sale proceeds pursuant to a sale/leaseback or similar transaction involving the sale or other transfer by the Company of at least 200 Company properties to a newly formed real estate investment trust capitalized in part through a rights offering to the Company’s stockholders, which, as first disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 7, 2014, is under consideration by the Company. At any time prior to maturity of the Loan, Borrowers may make a one-time election to re-borrow up to $200 million from the Lender (the “Delayed Advance”), subject to certain conditions, including payment to the Lender of a fee equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of the Delayed Advance. In the event the Company elects to re-borrow the Delayed Advance, Borrowers would again grant a lien on the released properties to secure the Loan.

Senior Secured Notes and Subsidiary Notes

At January 31, 2015, Mr. Lampert and ESL held an aggregate of $205 million of principal amount of the Company’s 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 and an aggregate of $3 million of principal amount of unsecured notes issued by SRAC.

Senior Unsecured Notes and Warrants

At January 31, 2015, Mr. Lampert and ESL held an aggregate of $299 million of principal amount of the Company’s 8% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2019 and 10,530,633 warrants to purchase shares of Sears Holdings’ common stock.

Trade Receivable Put Agreements

On January 26, 2012, ESL entered into an agreement with a financial institution to acquire from the financial institution an undivided participating interest in a certain percentage of its rights and obligations under trade receivable put agreements that were entered into with certain vendors of the Company. These agreements generally provide that, in the event of a bankruptcy filing by the Company, the financial institution will purchase such vendors’ accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods or services to the Company. ESL may from time to time choose to purchase an 80% undivided participating interest in the rights and obligations primarily arising under future trade receivable put agreements that the financial institution enters into with our vendors during the term of its agreement. The Company is not a party to any of

these agreements. At January 31, 2015, ESL held no participating interest.

Sears Canada

On November 7, 2014, the Company completed a rights offering (the “rights offering”) for 40 million shares of Sears Canada Inc. (“Sears Canada”). The subscription rights were distributed to all stockholders of the Company, and every stockholder had the right to participate on the same terms in accordance with its pro rata ownership of the Company’s common stock. In connection with the rights offering, each holder of Holdings’ common stock received one subscription right for each share of common stock held at the close of business on October 16, 2014, the record date for the rights offering. Each subscription right entitled the holder thereof to purchase their pro rata portion of the Sears Canada common shares being sold by the Company in the rights offering at a cash subscription price of Canadian $10.60 per whole Sears Canada share, which was the closing price of Sears Canada’s common shares on September 26, 2014, the last trading day before the Company requested Sears Canada’s cooperation with the filing of a prospectus regarding the rights offering. The Company received aggregate proceeds of $380 million by the closing date.

On October 16, 2014, ESL exercised a portion of its pro rata portion of the basic subscription rights to the offering. At that time, we sold a total of approximately 18 million common shares of Sears Canada to ESL, for which we received approximately $169 million of proceeds. Following such sale to ESL and the completion of the rights offering, the Company is the beneficial holder of approximately 11.7% of the outstanding common shares of Sears Canada. As such, the Company no longer maintained control of Sears Canada resulting in the de-consolidation of Sears Canada.

ESL is the owner of approximately 49% of the outstanding common stock of the Company as of March 5, 2015 and directly owns approximately 49.5% of the outstanding common shares of Sears Canada. ESL, thus, directly or indirectly owns approximately 55.2% of the outstanding common shares of Sears Canada.

The Company and certain of its subsidiaries engage in transactions with Sears Canada pursuant to the following agreements and arrangements: (1) a licensing agreement pursuant to which the Company gives Sears Canada a royalty-free license to use the name “Sears” as part of Sears Canada’s corporate name, as well as to use other brand names such as Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard; (2) a cross border vendor agreement that allows the Company and Sears Canada to use each other’s websites to sell merchandise in the U.S. and Canada; (3) an information technology agreement pursuant to which the Company and Sears Canada share information technology and software development, ownership and costs; (4) an import services agreement pursuant to which a subsidiary of the Company will perform certain import services at Sears Canada’s request, including coordination of merchandise shipments and inspections of imported merchandise; and (5) the performance by the Company of other services for Sears Canada outside the scope of the foregoing agreements on market terms and conditions which may include, among other services, financial advisory, operations and maintenance, development, and operations management. In fiscal year 2014, Sears Canada paid the Company or its subsidiaries an aggregate of approximately $4 million, and the Company or its subsidiaries paid Sears Canada approximately $1 million, under the foregoing arrangements.

Lands’ End

On April 4, 2014, the Company completed the separation of our Lands’ End business through a spin-off transaction (the “Lands’ End separation”). ESL owns approximately 49% of the outstanding common stock of Lands’ End, Inc. (“Lands’ End”) (based on publicly available

information as of April 4, 2014). The Company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a transition services agreement in connection with the spin-off pursuant to which Lands’ End and the Company will provide to each other, on an interim, transitional basis, various services, which may include, but are not limited to, tax services, logistics services, auditing and compliance services, inventory management services, information technology services and continued participation in certain contracts shared with the Company and its subsidiaries, as well as agreements related to Lands’ End Shops at Sears and participation in the Shop Your Way^® program.

Amounts due to or from Lands’ End are non-interest bearing, and generally settled on a net basis. The Company invoices Lands’ End on at least a monthly basis. Amounts related to revenue from retail services and rent for Lands’ End Shops at Sears, participation in the Shop Your Way^® program, and corporate shared services were $63 million during fiscal year 2014. The amounts Lands’ End earned related to call center services and commissions were $9 million during fiscal year 2014. During fiscal year 2014 following the Lands’ End separation, the Company also paid Lands’ End $1,655,000 for uniforms and work-related clothing and $353,000 related to inventory for resale in one Kmart store.

Sears Hometown

On October 11, 2012, the Company completed the separation of our Sears Hometown and Outlet businesses through a rights offering (the “Sears Hometown separation”). ESL owns approximately 47% of the outstanding common stock of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (“Sears Hometown”) (based on publicly available information as of July 31, 2014). The Company and certain of its subsidiaries engage in transactions with Sears Hometown pursuant to various agreements with Sears Hometown which, among other things, (1) govern the principal transactions relating to the rights offering and certain aspects of our relationship with Sears Hometown following the Sears Hometown separation, (2) establish terms under which Sears Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries will provide Sears Hometown with services, and (3) establish terms pursuant to which Sears Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries will obtain merchandise for Sears Hometown.

These agreements were made in the context of a parent-subsidiary relationship and were negotiated in the overall context of the Sears Hometown separation. A summary of the nature of related party transactions involving Sears Hometown is as follows:

Sears Hometown obtains a significant amount of its merchandise from the Company. We have also entered into certain agreements with Sears Hometown to provide logistics, handling, warehouse and transportation services. Sears Hometown also pays a royalty related to the sale of Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard products and fees for participation in the Shop Your Way^® program.

Sears Hometown receives commissions from the Company for the sale of merchandise made through www.sears.com, extended service agreements, delivery and handling services and credit revenues.

The Company provides Sears Hometown with shared corporate services. These services include accounting and finance, human resources, information technology and real estate.

Amounts due to or from Sears Hometown are non-interest bearing, settled on a net basis, and have payment terms of 10 days after the invoice date. The Company invoices Sears Hometown on a weekly basis. Amounts related to the sale of inventory and related services, royalties, and corporate shared services were $1.6 billion during fiscal year 2014. The net amounts Sears Hometown earned related to commissions were $99 million during fiscal year 2014. Additionally, the Company has guaranteed lease obligations for certain Sears Hometown store leases that were assigned as a result of the Sears

Hometown separation. During fiscal year 2014, the Company also paid Sears Hometown $280,000 for purchases in Sears Hometown and Sears Outlet stores related to merchandise used for in-home service repairs (inventory for resale) and local purchases.

Also in connection with the Sears Hometown separation, the Company entered into an agreement with Sears Hometown and the agent under Sears Hometown’s secured credit facility, whereby the Company committed to continue to provide services to Sears Hometown in connection with a realization on the lender’s collateral after default under the secured credit facility, notwithstanding Sears Hometown’s default under the underlying agreement with us, and to provide certain notices and services to the agent, for so long as any obligations remain outstanding under the secured credit facility.

AutoNation

Sears Holdings, through its subsidiaries, engages in commercial transactions with AutoNation, Inc. and its controlled affiliates (collectively, “AutoNation”) in the ordinary course of business. In fiscal

year 2014, we paid AutoNation approximately $108,000 for automotive parts, accessories and services, and AutoNation paid us approximately $14,000 for automotive parts and accessories. ESL owns 19.2% of the outstanding common stock of AutoNation, Inc. (based on publicly available information as of July 31, 2014).

Consulting Agreement

George L. Mikan III, President of ESL Investments, Inc., and the Company were parties to an agreement under which Mr. Mikan provided consulting services to the Company. The consulting services involved general corporate, operational, organizational and other matters. The agreement provided for payments to Mr. Mikan of a monthly fee of $100,000, plus reasonable out of pocket expenses. The agreement also contained confidentiality, non-solicit and non-compete covenants as well as cross-indemnity provisions. The agreement was terminated as of February 28, 2015. In fiscal year 2014, the Company paid Mr. Mikan $1,255,342 under this agreement.

The Company’s Audit Committee charter requires that the Audit Committee review and approve all related party transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to SEC rules. The Audit Committee has adopted a written Related Party Transactions Policy that governs the Audit Committee’s practices with respect to related party transactions. In doing so, the Audit Committee takes into account, among other factors it deems appropriate, whether the transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or its subsidiaries than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction and the extent of the

related person’s interest in the transaction. In addition, the Audit Committee has established the RPT Subcommittee to assist the Audit Committee by reviewing potential related party transactions; any material amendments to, or modifications, terminations or extensions of agreements involving related party transactions; and the Company’s guidelines and policies with regard to related party transactions generally. See, “Election of Directors—Committees of the Board of Directors—Audit Committee.”

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis provides information relevant to understanding the fiscal year 2014 compensation of the executive officers identified in the Summary Compensation Table below, whom we refer to as our named executive officers. Our named executive officers are:

Effective February 6, 2015, Mr. Jooma resigned from the Company.

Our compensation policies and objectives during fiscal year 2014 were primarily influenced by our recent poor operating performance, the retail

market conditions and the related impacts to our financial results. As a result, the Compensation Committee continued to take a fiscally conservative approach to compensation programs in fiscal year 2014.

Sears Holdings believes that its long-term success is directly related to our ability to attract, motivate and retain highly talented associates who are committed to our company’s mission, key results and cultural beliefs. The Compensation Committee has developed a compensation philosophy for our named executive officers designed to pay for performance. Total annual compensation paid to the named executive officers generally depends on company financial performance, business unit performance, the level of job responsibility and individual performance, as well as the need to attract, retain and motivate top executive talent. The Compensation Committee also believes that compensation should reflect the value of positions in the marketplace. The Compensation Committee also noted the approval of executive compensation by the Company’s stockholders by a large majority in the advisory vote on this subject held at the 2014 annual meeting and believes this affirms our stockholders’ support for the Company’s approach to executive compensation.

Our experience demonstrates that in order to attract qualified external candidates and motivate valuable executive officers, we must offer executive compensation packages that are competitive with the packages offered by companies with which Sears Holdings competes for talent. In making compensation recommendations for the executive officers, we analyze internal compensation and external market data. We gather market data with a focus, where appropriate, on retail-specific and online-specific organizations. We do not benchmark against a set list of competitors or a peer group. We believe that our competitive pay analyses provide a reference point in validating proposed or recommended compensation, thereby assuring that we are offering competitive pay packages to the named executive officers.

We have also maintained compensation practices that we believe contribute to prudent governance.

Annual Compensation

Long-Term Compensation

In fiscal year 2014, the Compensation Committee sought to achieve the objectives of our compensation program through the grant of annual or long-term incentive awards, or both, to our named executive officers. The 2014 annual incentive awards offer participating named executive officers an opportunity for cash compensation (or, in the case of Mr. Lampert, cash or equity compensation) based upon SHC EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) or a combination of SHC EBITDA and business unit operating profit (“BOP”), in each case during the fiscal year.

The Compensation Committee granted long-term performance-based awards to certain of our named executive officers that become payable following a three-year performance cycle upon achievement of EBITDA or a combination of EBITDA and BOP targets during the three-year performance period. The Compensation Committee also granted long-term time-based awards to certain of our named executive officers that become payable following the three-year service period, provided that the participating named executive officer is actively employed on the vesting date. The 2014 long-term incentive awards are designed to retain and motivate our participating named executive officers to focus on long-term financial performance of the Company.

The Compensation Committee believes that the most fair and effective way to motivate the Company’s named executive officers to produce the best results for its stockholders is to increase the proportion of an executive officer’s total compensation that is performance-based or otherwise “at risk,” including equity compensation, as the executive’s ability to affect those results increases. Additionally, the Compensation Committee believes that the value of incentive compensation should depend upon the performance of the Company and/or its business units in a given performance period or over the applicable vesting period.

Except for Mr. Lampert, the annual incentive plan (“AIP”) targets for the Company’s participating named executive officers in fiscal year 2014 were calculated based on a multiple of base salary, which ranged from 0.75 to 1.5. Mr. Lampert’s AIP target in fiscal year 2014 was $2,000,000. Target AIP opportunities for the participating named executive officers are generally established when the Compensation Committee approves a new annual incentive plan or at the time the Compensation Committee otherwise approves a compensation package for a newly hired or promoted participating named executive officer. Target AIP opportunities are based upon the participating named executive officer’s relative level of responsibility and potential to affect the Company’s overall performance. The performance-based long-term awards and time-based long-term awards granted to the Company’s participating named executive officers under the long-term incentive programs in fiscal year 2014 also were calculated based on a multiple of base salary, which ranged from 1.0 to 1.5.

The Compensation Committee determines whether the applicable financial performance targets have been attained under our applicable annual and long-term performance-based incentive programs. The Compensation Committee has not exercised its discretion to adjust performance targets or payout amounts for any of our participating named executive officers. The Compensation Committee also considers the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) (“Section 162(m)”). The impact of Section 162(m) on compensation awarded to our named executive officers is described in “Certain Tax Consequences” on page 26 of this proxy statement.

During fiscal year 2014, the Compensation Committee worked with Dean Carter, our Vice President, Talent & Human Capital Services, and in selected cases, Edward S. Lampert, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, in determining named executive officers’ total

compensation. Management presented recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding a named executive officer’s total compensation for review and final approval.

Base salaries are set to reflect: a named executive officer’s performance and experience; the individual’s expected future contributions to our company; the responsibilities, impact and importance of the position within our company; internal pay equity; and competitive pay research. The timing and amount of base salary increases depend on the named executive officer’s past performance, promotion or other change in responsibilities, expected future contributions to our company and current market competitiveness; provided, however, that Mr. Lampert’s annual base salary does not reflect the foregoing factors.

Mr. Lampert received a salary of $1.00 for fiscal year 2014. The annual base salary of Mr. Arora of $500,000 was set when he joined the Company in fiscal year 2014. The base salaries of Messrs. Schriesheim, Jooma and Balagna remained unchanged for fiscal year 2014 from fiscal year 2013.

The AIP is a cash-based (or, in the case of Mr. Lampert, cash or equity-based) program that is intended to reward participants, including our named executive officers, for their contributions to the achievement of certain SHC EBITDA, BOP or other financial goals or a combination of these goals. The Compensation Committee approved 2014 performance measures under the AIP (together with the AIP plan

document, the “2014 AIP”). Any payouts under the 2014 AIP generally were designed to range from 20% of the target incentive award, at threshold level of performance, to 200% of the target incentive award, at maximum level of performance. The following table sets forth the primary financial performance goals for each of our named executive officers under the 2014 AIP.

SHC EBITDA under the 2014 AIP is defined as earnings of our company before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the performance period computed as operating income (loss) on the statement of operations of the Company, excluding Sears Canada Inc., (the “domestic company”) for the applicable reporting period, adjusted for depreciation and amortization and gains/(losses) on the sales of assets. In addition, it is adjusted to exclude:

The SHC EBITDA incentive target contemplates that the domestic company remains approximately the same size over the performance period. If after the beginning of the performance period, the domestic

company divests itself of assets or an entity equal or greater than $100,000,000, the SHC EBITDA target amount for the performance period will be decreased by the actual SHC EBITDA of such assets or entity for the portion of the last full fiscal year prior to the divestiture corresponding to the portion of the performance period (in which the divestiture occurs) remaining after the divestiture occurs.

We continue to use SHC EBITDA as a performance goal because it is a key metric used by management to measure business performance. We also believe that it accurately reflects our compensation philosophy of encouraging growth and creating increased stockholder value through the efficient use of corporate assets.

BOP for each domestic business unit of the Company that is covered by the 2014 AIP is defined as SHC EBITDA, as adjusted as described above if related to the business unit, as reported in the Company’s domestic internal operating statements. We believe that BOP performance goals support our financial goals by reinforcing responsibility and accountability at the business unit level.

Online Revenue under the 2014 AIP is defined as sales generated on the following sites: Sears.com, Kmart.com, SearsPartsDirect.com, ShopYourWay.com, mygopher.com, Kenmore.com and Craftsman.com.

Mr. Balagna earned an annual incentive payment under the 2014 AIP of $111,459. His payout was attributable to the overall business units

BOP portion of his award. None of the other named executive officers are expected to receive a payout under the 2014 AIP.

Long-term compensation opportunities for fiscal year 2014 consisted of performance-based awards under the Sears Holdings Corporation Long-Term Incentive Program (“LTIP”) and time-based awards under the Sears Holdings Corporation Cash Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Cash LTI”). In fiscal year 2014, the Compensation Committee approved 2014 performance goals, measures, definitions and other particulars under the LTIP (together with the LTIP plan document, the “2014 LTIP”) and 2014 particulars under the Cash LTI (together with the Cash LTI plan document, the “2014 Cash LTI”).

These opportunities also consist of awards under the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Program (the “2013 LTIP”), a cash program dependent upon the achievement of Company financial goals during fiscal years 2013 through 2015 that was designed to be performance-based, the 2013 Cash Long-Term Incentive Plan, a cash program that was designed to be time-based (the “2013 Cash LTI”), and the 2012 Long-Term Incentive Program (the “2012 LTIP”), a cash program dependent upon the achievement of Company financial goals during fiscal years 2012 through 2014 that also was designed to be performance-based.

In making compensation decisions, no formal weighting formula is used in determining individual award amounts under our long-term incentive programs. Instead, the Compensation Committee considers the participating named executive officer’s relative level of responsibility and potential to affect the Company’s overall performance when it awards

long-term compensation. The Compensation Committee believes that at the time the performance goals for each LTIP were set, achievement of those levels of performance would require a high level of performance that would be difficult to attain.

SHC LTIP EBITDA is defined substantially the same for LTIP purposes as SHC EBITDA with respect to the 2014 AIP (as defined above). However, the specific financial goal under each plan year is specific to each plan period.

The 2012 LTIP, the 2013 LTIP, the 2013 Cash LTI, the 2014 LTIP and the 2014 Cash LTI are described in further detail below.

2012 LTIP

The 2012 LTIP provides the opportunity for salaried employees who generally hold a position of divisional vice president or higher to receive a long-term incentive award equal to either a percentage of his or her base salary or a dollar amount subject to the attainment of performance goals for a three-year period (fiscal years 2012 through 2014). Awards under the 2012 LTIP represent the right to receive cash or, at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, shares of the Company’s common stock in lieu of cash, or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, upon the achievement of certain performance goals.

The only named executive officer who participated in the 2012 LTIP was Mr. Jooma. Because Mr. Jooma resigned from the Company effective February 6, 2015 and thus will not be actively employed by the Company on the payment date, he is no longer a participant in and will not receive any payment under the 2012 LTIP.

2013 Long-Term Incentive Structure: 2013 LTIP and 2013 Cash LTI

For 2013, the LTIP was intended as a performance-based incentive program and the addition of the Cash LTI was intended to provide a time-based incentive program. The named executive officers who participate in the 2013 LTIP and the 2013 Cash LTI are Messrs. Jooma and Balagna. However, because Mr. Jooma resigned from the Company effective February 6, 2015 and thus will not be actively employed by the Company on the payment date, he is no longer a participant in and will not receive any payment under the 2013 LTIP or 2013 Cash LTI.

For Mr. Balagna, his 2013 long-term incentive opportunity is 150% of base salary, of which 75% is under the 2013 LTIP and 25% is under the 2013 Cash LTI.

2013 LTIP

The 2013 LTIP provides the opportunity for salaried employees who generally hold a position of divisional vice president or higher to receive a long-term incentive award equal to a percentage of his or her base salary or a dollar amount subject to the attainment of performance goals for a three-year period (fiscal years 2013 through 2015). Awards under the 2013 LTIP represent the right to receive cash or, at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, shares of our common stock in lieu of cash, or a combination of cash and shares, upon the achievement of certain performance goals.

The 2013 LTIP contains two different performance measures: SHC LTIP EBITDA and a BOP-based measure calculated for each business unit. Opportunities for participants under the 2013 LTIP consist of either 100% SHC LTIP EBITDA or a combination of SHC LTIP EBITDA and BOP-based measures for one or more business units. The Compensation Committee determined the level of financial performance for each performance measure, the performance measure or measures to apply to each business, and which performance measure or measures applies to each participating senior officer. Threshold, target and maximum goals have been established for all performance measures under the 2013 LTIP.

In the event of a participant’s death or disability before the payment date for his or her award, a payment will be made with respect to that participant in an amount equal to his or her pro-rated target cash incentive opportunity, but only if (1) the applicable performance measure(s) for the period of the performance period through the month preceding the participant’s termination of employment is equal to or greater than the performance goals for such measure(s), pro-rated through the date of termination, (2) the applicable performance measure(s) is equal to or greater than the performance goals for the applicable performance measure(s) for the performance period and (3) the participant has been employed by us for at least 12 months of the performance period. In the event of voluntary termination or termination with cause (as defined in the 2013 LTIP) before the payment date for his or her award, the participant will forfeit all of his or her LTIP award. Except as noted above, to be eligible to receive payment of an award, a participant must be actively employed as of the payment date following completion of the performance period.

For Mr. Balagna, achievement of the SHC LTIP EBITDA performance goal accounts for 100% of his 2013 LTIP award.

Under the 2013 LTIP, the threshold level of performance for the LTIP EBITDA measure is 70% of the cumulative three-year LTIP EBITDA target. A threshold level of performance will generate a payout at 25% of the 2013 LTIP target opportunity and a target level of performance will generate a payout at 100% of the 2013 LTIP target opportunity. The maximum incentive opportunity under the 2013 LTIP is 200% of the participant’s target award amount.

If performance goals are achieved, the Company will pay awards earned under the 2013 LTIP to participants no later than April 15, 2016, provided that the participant is actively employed by the Company on the payment date (unless otherwise prohibited by law).

2013 Cash LTI

The second component of the 2013 long-term incentive structure is the 2013 Cash LTI.

The 2013 Cash LTI provides the opportunity for participants to receive a long-term incentive payout, provided that the participant is actively employed by the Company on the vesting date, which is the April 1st following the end of the service period. The service period refers to the applicable fiscal years under which the 2013 Cash LTI award was granted. Awards under the 2013 Cash LTI represent the right to receive cash as soon as administratively feasible after the vesting date but in no case later than the date that is the 15th day of the third month following the vesting date. The service period for the 2013 Cash LTI is the beginning of the Company’s 2013 fiscal year through the end of its 2015 fiscal year. In 2013, Mr. Balagna received an award of $253,941 under the 2013 Cash LTI. Payment of such amount is contingent upon his remaining actively employed by the Company through April 1, 2016.

In the event of a participant’s death or disability before the payment date for his or her award, a payment will be made with respect to that participant in an amount equal to his or her pro-rated cash incentive opportunity, but only if the participant has been employed by the Company for at least 12 months of the service period. In the event of voluntary termination or involuntary termination (for any reason other than death or disability) before the vesting date for his or her award, the participant will forfeit all of his or her Cash LTI award.

2014 Long-Term Incentive Structure: 2014 LTIP and 2014 Cash LTI

For 2014, the LTIP was intended as a performance and time-based incentive program. The named executive officers who participate in the 2014 LTIP and the 2014 Cash LTI are Messrs. Arora, Jooma and Balagna. However, because Mr. Jooma resigned from the Company effective February 6, 2015 and thus will not be actively employed by the Company on the payment date, he is no longer a participant in and will not receive any payment under the 2014 LTIP or 2014 Cash LTI. The 2014 long-term incentive opportunity for Messrs. Arora and Balagna is equal to 150% of base salary, of which 75% is under the 2014 LTIP and 25% is under the 2014 Cash LTI.

2014 LTIP

The 2014 LTIP provides the opportunity for salaried employees who generally hold a position of vice president or higher to receive a long-term incentive award equal to a percentage of his or her base salary or a dollar amount subject to the attainment of performance goals for a three-year period (fiscal years 2014 through 2016). Awards under the 2014 LTIP represent the right to receive cash or, at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, shares of our common stock in lieu of cash, or a combination of cash and shares, upon the achievement of certain performance goals.

The 2014 LTIP for the participating named executive officers contains two different performance measures: SHC LTIP EBITDA and BOP-based measures calculated for Mr. Arora’s business units. Opportunities for participants under the 2014 LTIP consist of either 100% SHC LTIP EBITDA or a combination of 25% SHC LTIP EBITDA and 75% BOP-based measures. The Compensation Committee determined the level of financial performance for each performance measure, the performance measure or measures to apply to each business, and which performance measure or measures applies to each participating senior officer. Threshold, target and maximum goals have been established for all performance measures under the 2014 LTIP.

In the event of a participant’s death or disability before the payment date for his or her award, a payment will be made with respect to that

participant in an amount equal to his or her pro-rated target cash incentive opportunity, but only if (1) the applicable performance measure(s) for the period of the performance period through the month preceding the participant’s termination of employment is equal to or greater than the performance goals for such measure(s), pro-rated through the date of termination, (2) the applicable performance measure(s) is equal to or greater than the performance goals for the applicable performance measure(s) for the performance period and (3) the participant has been employed by us for at least 12 months of the performance period. In the event of voluntary termination or termination with cause (as defined in the 2014 LTIP) before the payment date for his or her award, the participant will forfeit all of his or her LTIP award. Except as noted above, to be eligible to receive payment of an award, a participant must be actively employed as of the payment date following completion of the performance period.

Under the 2014 LTIP, the threshold level of performance for the LTIP EBITDA measure is 70% of the cumulative three-year LTIP EBITDA or BOP target during the performance period. A threshold level of performance will generate a payout at 25% of the 2014 LTIP target opportunity and a target level of performance will generate a payout at 100% of the 2014 LTIP target opportunity. The maximum incentive opportunity under the 2014 LTIP is 200% of the participant’s target award amount.

If performance goals are achieved, the Company will pay awards earned under the 2014 LTIP to participants no later than April 15, 2017, provided that the participant is actively employed by the Company on the payment date (unless otherwise prohibited by law).

2014 Cash LTI

The second component of the 2014 long-term incentive structure is the 2014 Cash LTI.

The 2014 Cash LTI provides the opportunity for participants to receive a long-term incentive payout, provided that the participant is actively

employed by the Company on the vesting date, which is the April 1st following the end of the service period. The service period refers to the applicable fiscal years under which the 2014 Cash LTI award was granted. Awards under the 2014 Cash LTI represent the right to receive cash as soon as administratively feasible after the vesting date but in no case later than the date that is the 15th day of the third month following the vesting date. The service period for the 2014 Cash LTI is the beginning of the Company’s 2014 fiscal year through the end of its 2016 fiscal year. In 2014, Messrs. Arora and Balagna received awards of $174,113 and $281,250, respectively, under the 2014 Cash LTI. Payment of such amounts is contingent upon their remaining actively employed by the Company through April 1, 2017.

In the event of a participant’s death or disability before the payment date for his or her award, a payment will be made with respect to that participant in an amount equal to his or her pro-rated cash incentive opportunity, but only if the participant has been employed by us for at least 12 months of the service period. In the event of voluntary termination or involuntary termination (for any reason other than death or disability) before the vesting date for his or her award, the participant will forfeit all of his or her Cash LTI award.

Mr. Schriesheim’s offer letter provides for a long-term compensation opportunity of grants of restricted stock on each of the first and second anniversaries of his date of hire by the Company. On August 16, 2013, Mr. Schriesheim was granted 12,142 shares of restricted stock, which had a value of approximately $500,000 based on the market closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date and which will vest in full on August 16, 2015, provided he is actively employed on this date. Mr. Schriesheim received this long-term restricted stock award to induce him to join the Company, to compensate him for other foregone compensation opportunities and in recognition of his expected future contributions to the Company.

Mr. Arora’s offer letter provides for a long-term cash award in the amount of $700,000, which vests in parts, with $200,000 of the award vesting on the second anniversary of his start date and $500,000 vesting on the third anniversary of his start date, provided he is actively employed on the applicable vesting date.

On February 4, 2013, Mr. Jooma was granted a long-term incentive cash award in the amount of $1,250,000, which vests in parts, with $350,000 of the award vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date and $450,000 vesting on the second and third anniversaries of the grant date, provided he is actively employed on the applicable vesting date. This long-term incentive cash award was granted to motivate and retain Mr. Jooma and in recognition of his expected future contributions to the Company. Because Mr. Jooma resigned from the Company effective February 6, 2015, he will not receive the third payment under such award.

Mr. Balagna’s offer letter provides for a long-term cash award in the amount of $1,200,000, which vests in parts, with $200,000 of the award vesting on the first anniversary of his start date and $500,000 vesting on both the second and third anniversaries of his start date, provided he is actively employed on the applicable vesting date.

Time-Based Cash and Equity Compensation

Time-based cash and equity (i.e., equity that vests with the passage of time) compensation is granted from time to time to assist Sears Holdings to:

Time-based cash and equity compensation is intended to complement base salary, annual incentive awards and long-term incentive awards.

Time-based equity compensation is currently awarded on a limited basis in the form of restricted stock and restricted share units. On such occasions where equity compensation is awarded, our practice is to determine the dollar amount of equity compensation and then grant a number of shares of restricted stock or a number of restricted share units having a fair market value equal to that dollar amount on the date of grant. We determine the fair market value based upon the closing price of our stock on the grant date. Individual grant amounts are generally based on factors such as relative job scope, expected future contributions to our company and internal pay equity. Additionally, restricted stock and restricted share unit grants are an effective means of offsetting equity awards that executives may lose when they leave a former company to join Sears Holdings.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of the Company’s interest in Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation, each person, including

named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of December 16, 2011, the record date for the spin-off, was granted a cash award in lieu of shares of Orchard common and preferred stock distributed in the spin-off in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash rights were granted in lieu of Orchard shares to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect to the distribution (the “Orchard Make-Whole Awards”). The Orchard Make-Whole Awards are payable on the applicable vesting dates for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Orchard Make-Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average price per share of the Orchard common and preferred stock over the 10-trading day period beginning January 3, 2012. The Orchard Make-Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma total $71,139 and $10,704, respectively. The amounts that vested during fiscal year 2014 for Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma were $23,713 and $3,966, respectively.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of transferable subscription rights (“Sears Hometown Rights”) to purchase shares of common stock of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc., each person, including named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of September 7, 2012, the record date for the distribution, was granted a cash award in lieu of Sears Hometown Rights distributed in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash awards were granted in lieu of Sears Hometown Rights to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect to the distribution (the “Sears Hometown Make Whole Awards”). The Sears Hometown Make Whole Awards will be payable on the applicable vesting dates for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Sears Hometown Make Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average price per right of the Sears Hometown Rights over the 10-trading day period beginning September 11, 2012. The Sears Hometown Make Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma total $124,645 and $24,201, respectively. The amounts that vested during fiscal year 2014 for Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma were $71,031 and $8,968, respectively.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of common shares (“Sears Canada Shares”) of Sears Canada Inc., each person, including named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of November 1, 2012, the record date for the distribution, was granted a cash award in lieu of Sears Canada Shares distributed in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash awards were granted in lieu of Sears Canada Shares to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect to the distribution (the “Sears Canada Make-Whole Awards”). The Sears Canada Make-Whole Awards will be payable on the applicable vesting date for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Sears Canada Make-Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average price per share of the Sears Canada Shares over the 10-trading day period beginning November 13, 2012. The Sears Canada Make-Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma total $288,143, and $38,340, respectively. The amounts that vested during fiscal year 2014 for Messrs. Schriesheim and Jooma were $164,203 and $20,731, respectively.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of the Company’s interest in Lands’ End, Inc., each person, including named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of March 24, 2014, the record date for the spin-off, was granted a cash award in lieu of shares of Lands’ End, Inc., common stock distributed in the spin-off in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash rights were granted in lieu of Lands’ End, Inc., shares to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect

to the distribution (the “Lands’ End Make-Whole Awards”). The Lands’ End Make-Whole Awards are payable on the applicable vesting dates for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Lands’ End Make-Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average price per share of Land’s End, Inc. common stock over the 10-trading day period beginning April 4, 2014. The Lands’ End, Inc. Make-Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim, Jooma and Balagna total $373,142, $34,665, and $270,194, respectively. The amounts that vested during fiscal year 2014 for Messrs. Schriesheim, Jooma and Balagna were $274,569, $34,665 and $90,065, respectively. In lieu of a cash payment as discussed above, and to preserve the benefit of this rights offering for the shares scheduled to be issued to Mr. Lampert from the record date through January 31, 2015 in connection with his March 18, 2013 offer letter, the Compensation Committee also approved an award of additional shares of Sears Holdings’ common stock to Mr. Lampert, the economic value of which was based on the volume-weighted average trading price per subscription right for the 10 trading-day period beginning on April 4, 2014. The actual number of shares of Sears Holdings common stock awarded to Mr. Lampert (25,446) was determined by taking the economic value as set forth in the previous sentence divided by the volume-weighted average trading price per common share of Sears Holdings common stock for the 10 trading-day period beginning on April 4, 2014.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of subscription rights to purchase Sears Canada Shares, each person, including named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of October 16, 2014, the record date for the distribution, was granted a cash award in lieu of any and all rights such person may have had to receive subscription rights to purchase Sears Canada Shares distributed in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash awards were granted to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect to the distribution (the “Sears Canada Subscription Right Make-Whole Awards”). The Sears Canada Subscription Right Make-Whole Awards will be payable on the applicable vesting date for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Sears Canada Subscription Right Make-Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average trading price per subscription right for the 10-trading day period beginning October 16, 2014. The Sears Canada Subscription Right Make-Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim and Balagna total $2,018 and $3,688, respectively. No portion of Messrs. Schriesheim’s or Balagna’s Sears Canada Subscription Right Make-Whole Awards vested during fiscal 2014. In lieu of a cash payment as discussed above, and to preserve the benefit of this rights offering for the shares scheduled to be

issued to Mr. Lampert from the record date through January 31, 2015 in connection with his March 18, 2013 offer letter, the Compensation Committee also approved an award of additional shares of Sears Holdings’ common stock to Mr. Lampert, the economic value of which was based on the volume-weighted average trading price per subscription right for the 10 trading-day period beginning on October 16, 2014. The actual number of shares of Sears Holdings common stock awarded to Mr. Lampert (251) was determined by taking the economic value as set forth in the previous sentence divided by the volume-weighted average trading price per common share of Sears Holdings common stock for the 10 trading-day period beginning on October 16, 2014.

In connection with the pro-rata distribution of rights to purchase up to $625 million in aggregate principal amount of 8% senior unsecured notes due 2019 and warrants to purchase shares of common stock (the “Units”), each person, including named executive officers, who held outstanding shares of unvested restricted stock of the Company as of October 30, 2014, the record date for the distribution, was granted a cash award in lieu of any and all rights such person may have had to receive rights to purchase Units distributed in respect of such unvested restricted stock. The cash awards were granted to preserve the benefit of the unvested restricted stock award with respect to the distribution (the “Unit Right Make-Whole Awards”). The Unit Right Make-Whole Awards will be payable on the applicable vesting date for such unvested restricted stock. The amounts of the Unit Right Make-Whole Awards were calculated based on the volume-weighted average trading price per subscription right for the 10-trading day period beginning October 30, 2014. The Unit Right Make-Whole Awards granted to Messrs. Schriesheim and Balagna total $28,564 and $52,300, respectively. No portion of Messrs. Schriesheim’s or Balagna’s Unit Right Make-Whole Awards vested during fiscal 2014. In lieu of a cash payment as discussed above, and to preserve the benefit of this rights offering for the shares scheduled to be issued to Mr. Lampert from the record date through January 31, 2015 in connection with his March 18, 2013 offer letter, the Compensation Committee also approved an award of additional shares of Sears Holdings’ common stock to Mr. Lampert, the economic value of which was based on the volume-weighted average trading price per subscription right for the 10 trading-day period beginning on October 30, 2014. The actual number of shares of Holdings’ common stock awarded to Mr. Lampert (3,058) was determined by taking the economic value as set forth in the previous sentence divided by the volume-weighted average trading price per common share of Holdings’ common stock for the 10 trading-day period immediately following October 30, 2014.

Discretionary Bonuses

We have paid, and may in the future pay, sign-on, guarantees and other bonuses where determined necessary or appropriate to attract top executive talent from other companies and motivate or retain key executives or both. Executives we recruit often have unrealized value in the form of unvested equity and other forgone compensation opportunities. Sign-on bonuses are an effective means of offsetting compensation opportunities executives may forfeit when they leave a former company to join Sears Holdings. In fiscal year 2014, Mr. Arora received a sign-on bonus of $700,000 and a Special Incentive Award of $500,000. The payment date for Mr. Arora’s Special Incentive Award was accelerated to January 9, 2015 and is subject to repayment if Mr. Arora is not actively employed by the Company on April 15, 2015, the original scheduled payment date. For a discussion of bonuses granted prior to fiscal year 2014 that had scheduled payouts in fiscal year 2014, see “Other Long-Term Compensation Opportunities” on page 24.

Perquisites and Other Benefits

The Company may provide its named executive officers with perquisites and other personal benefits that the Compensation Committee deems reasonable and consistent with our overall compensation program. None of its named executive officers received any perquisites or other personal benefits during fiscal year 2014.

Retirement Plans

We provide 401(k) savings plans to allow participants to contribute towards retirement on a pre-tax (including catch-up contributions) and after-tax basis. The U.S. 401(k) savings plan allows pre-tax contributions of up to 50% of eligible compensation (or the limit determined by the Internal Revenue Service) and after-tax contributions of up to 25% of eligible compensation, provided however that in the aggregate these contributions do not exceed 50% of eligible

compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, effective January 31, 2009, additional contribution restrictions were imposed on plan participants who were highly compensated employees as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Each named executive officer was subject to these additional contribution restrictions, other than Mr. Arora who joined the Company after the beginning of the Company’s 2014 fiscal year. In addition, the Company has previously suspended its matching contributions to the 401(k) savings plans.

Severance Benefits

Each of our named executive officers other than Mr. Lampert has entered into a severance agreement with the Company. The severance agreements contain non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition restrictions. Additionally, the severance payments provide individuals a window of time to locate a new position in the marketplace. While the following description of the terms and conditions applies generally to our severance agreements with our named executive officers, severance agreements with certain of our executive officers may contain different or additional terms and conditions that served as additional inducements for those named executive officers to join the Company and, if applicable, are more fully described under “Payments Pursuant to Severance Agreements” starting on page 31. Under the agreement, severance is provided for involuntary termination by the Company without cause (as defined in the agreement) or termination by the executive officer for “good reason” (as defined in the agreement). Named executive officers, except Mr. Lampert and, if applicable, except as described under the heading “Payments Pursuant to Severance Agreements,” will receive severance

payments equal to one year of annual base salary, subject to mitigation for salary or wages earned from another employer, including self-employment depending on the form of agreement.

If a named executive officer becomes entitled to benefits under the severance agreement, the named executive officer will be entitled to other company benefits such as continued participation in Sears Holdings medical and dental plans during the salary continuation period. Except as described below under the heading “Payments Pursuant to Severance Agreements—Other Severance Benefits,” the forms of executive severance agreements do not have specific change-in-control or similar provisions that would give rise to or impact the payment of severance benefits to the executive officers.

Awards under an annual or a long-term incentive program are payable in the event of a termination of employment as a result of death or disability during a performance period if certain conditions are met, as described under the applicable long-term incentive program. Please see “2014 Annual Incentive Plan Opportunity” on page 20, “Long-Term Incentive Opportunities” on page 21 and “Potential Payments Upon Termination of Employment” on page 31 for additional information.

Except as described under the heading “Payments Pursuant to Severance Agreements—Other Severance Benefits,” a named executive officer’s unvested restricted stock award under the 2006 Stock Plan and the Sears Holdings Corporation 2013 Stock Plan will be forfeited upon termination of employment. In the event of a named executive officer’s death, disability, retirement or involuntary termination, at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, such officer’s restricted stock awards may be accelerated.

In accordance with the terms of Mr. Lampert’s offer letter dated March 18, 2013, which was previously approved by the Compensation Committee and the Board, Mr. Lampert is paid an annual base salary of $1, effective as of February 1, 2013, the date on which Mr. Lampert began to serve as our Chief Executive Officer. In addition, during each of the first three years of Mr. Lampert’s service as our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lampert will (1) participate in the Company’s Annual Incentive Plan, with a target incentive opportunity of $2,000,000 (based in fiscal year 2014 solely on the achievement of the SHC EBITDA goal), payout under which (if any) may be paid, at Mr. Lampert’s election, in cash or in common stock of the Company, and (2) receive stock with a value of $4,500,000 per annum, payable in monthly installments subject to his continued service as Chief Executive Officer. For fiscal 2014, the number of shares issued to Mr. Lampert pursuant to his annual equity award through January 31, 2015 totaled 123,728. This total was calculated by dividing $4,500,000 by the value of the Company’s common stock on January 31, 2014 of $36.37 per share, payable in monthly installments and subject to his continued service as Chief Executive Officer. As a result of the Lands’ End, Inc., Sears Canada Inc. and Sears Holdings offerings extended during fiscal year 2014

described above, Mr. Lampert received an additional 28,755 make-whole shares (resulting in a total of 152,483 shares being issued during fiscal 2014). The make-whole shares were also payable in monthly installments after the share determination was finalized through January 31, 2015. The number of shares to be issued to Mr. Lampert from February 1, 2015 through January 31, 2016 was calculated by dividing $4,500,000 by the value of the Company’s common stock on February 1, 2015, payable in monthly installments and subject to his continued service as Chief Executive Officer. To the extent there is not a sufficient number of shares available under the Company’s equity plans to make any award contemplated under Mr. Lampert’s offer letter, Mr. Lampert will be entitled to receive compensation of substantially equivalent economic value in such form as the Company and Mr. Lampert agree upon. Mr. Lampert’s primary place of employment is located in the Miami, Florida metropolitan area. He is not eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive programs. Mr. Lampert is not entitled to severance benefits if his employment with the Company is terminated for any reason, and has not entered into a severance agreement with the Company.

In setting an executive officer’s compensation package, the Compensation Committee considers the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m), which provides that compensation in excess of $1 million paid to certain executive officers is not deductible unless it is performance-based and paid under a program that meets certain other legal requirements. Neither base salary nor time-based cash or equity awards that vest based solely on continued service

qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m). Although a significant portion of each executive officer’s compensation is intended to satisfy the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m), the Compensation Committee retains the ability to evaluate the performance of our executives and to pay appropriate compensation, even if it may result in the non-deductibility of certain compensation under federal tax law.

The Compensation Committee is appointed by the Board to fulfill the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of our senior officers. The Compensation Committee has overall responsibility for approving and evaluating all compensation plans, our policies and programs as they affect the Chief Executive Officer and the senior officers. The Compensation Committee is composed of independent members of the Board and consists of no fewer than two members.

The Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain or terminate any compensation consultant to be used to assist it in the evaluation of Chief Executive Officer or senior officer compensation and has the sole authority to approve the consultant’s fees and the terms and conditions of the consultant’s retention. The Compensation Committee also has authority to obtain advice and assistance from internal or external legal, accounting or other advisors.

The Compensation Committee duties include:

The Compensation Committee also receives periodic reports on our compensation programs as they affect all associates.

During fiscal year 2014, pursuant to authority delegated by the Compensation Committee in fiscal 2013, the Company’s Stock Plan Committee was authorized to grant restricted stock awards to executives below the senior vice president level, excluding any executives who are subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, of up to $150,000 per individual, and the Stock Plan Committee and the Vice President, Talent & Human Capital Services, were authorized to approve increases in base salary and/or annual incentive target awards by up to 10% to officers at the level of senior vice president and above. In fiscal year 2014, the sole member of the Stock Plan Committee was Thomas J. Tisch, the Chairman of the Compensation Committee. No actions were taken pursuant to this delegation during fiscal year 2014 with respect to our named executive officers.

During fiscal year 2014, the following directors (none of whom was or had been an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries) served on the Company’s Compensation Committee: Paul

G. DePodesta, Ann N. Reese, and Thomas J. Tisch. There were no interlocks during fiscal year 2014 with other companies within the meaning of the SEC’s proxy rules.

The amount of compensation paid to each of the named executive officers of the Company in the event of termination of such executive’s employment is discussed below, and potential payouts are detailed in the tables beginning on page 33. The amounts shown assume that such termination was effective as of January 30, 2015, the last business day of fiscal year 2014. Therefore, the tables include amounts earned

through such time and are estimates of the amounts which would have been paid to each named executive officer upon his or her termination, subject to mitigation (as applicable). The actual amounts that would have been paid to the executives can be determined only at the time of such executive’s separation from the Company.

As described under the heading “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 18, the Company provides severance benefits to our named executive officers pursuant to severance agreements that the Company entered into with each of such executive officers, other than Mr. Lampert, who is not entitled to severance benefits and with whom there is no severance agreement. The amounts shown in the table for termination for “good reason” or termination without “cause” are based on the following agreement provisions, for those named executive officers with severance agreements.

Severance Benefits upon termination for “good reason” or without “cause”

Other Severance Benefits

The forms of severance agreements do not provide for payments to the participating named executive officers upon termination of employment due to death, disability or retirement. If a termination had been effective as of January 30, 2015 due to death or disability, the participating

named executive officers would have been eligible to receive payments under the Company’s annual and long-term incentive programs, as provided below.

An eligible named executive officer will not be entitled to a severance payment under the severance agreements in the event of termination for “cause” or voluntary termination.

Under the severance agreements, the named executive officers agree to non-disclosure of confidential information, non-solicitation and non-compete covenants, as well as a release of liability for certain claims against the Company.

2014 Annual Incentive Plan

If a named executive officer with a severance agreement voluntarily terminates employment (for any reason other than disability) or is involuntarily terminated for any reason (other than death), he or she will forfeit his or her 2014 AIP award, except as prohibited by law. If such a named executive officer’s employment is terminated because of death or disability, the named executive officer will be entitled to a pro-rated payment through the termination date if the financial criteria under the 2014 AIP are satisfied. Because certain of the Company’s business units were successful in achieving the threshold level of performance under their BOP goals and Messrs. Jooma and Balagna would be scheduled to receive payouts under the 2014 AIP if employed on the payment date, Messrs. Jooma and Balagna would have been entitled to receive a pro-rated distribution under the 2014 AIP if his respective employment had terminated due to death or disability on January 31, 2015. The pro-ration would be based upon a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full days worked on active payroll during fiscal year 2014 and the denominator of which is the number of full days in fiscal year 2014. The remaining named executive officers with severance agreements would not have been entitled to a distribution under the 2014 AIP in the event of death or disability because the financial goals pertaining to their AIP assignments were not achieved (see page 20).

2012 Long-Term Incentive Program; 2013 Long-Term Incentive Program; 2014 Long-Term Incentive Program

Any awards under the 2012 LTIP, 2013 LTIP and 2014 LTIP are subject to forfeiture by a named executive officer with a severance agreement in the event of voluntary termination of employment (for any reason other than disability) or involuntary termination for any reason (other than death), except as prohibited by law. If such a named executive officer’s employment is terminated because of death or disability, the named

executive officer will be entitled to a pro-rated payment through the termination date if the financial goals under the 2012 LTIP, 2013 LTIP or 2014 LTIP, as of the termination date, equal or exceed the applicable performance goals and the named executive officer was a participant in the applicable LTIP for at least 12 months of the performance period. Any pro-ration would be based on a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full months during the performance period in which the executive was a participant, and the denominator of which is the number of full months in the applicable performance period.

As of January 31, 2015, the financial goals under 2012 LTIP, 2013 LTIP and 2014 LTIP were not equal to or in excess of the applicable performance goals and, with respect to the 2013 LTIP and 2014 LTIP, participation requirement; therefore, no named executive officer participating in the 2012 LTIP, 2013 LTIP or 2014 LTIP would have been entitled to any payments under these plans in the event of death or disability on January 31, 2015.

2013 Cash Long-Term Incentive Program; 2014 Cash Long-Term Incentive Program

If a named executive officer with a severance agreement voluntarily terminates employment (for any reason other than disability) or is involuntarily terminated for any reason (other than death) prior to the applicable vesting date, he or she will forfeit his or her 2013 Cash LTI award and 2014 Cash LTI award, if any, in each case except as prohibited by law. If such named executive officer’s employment is terminated because of death or disability, the named executive officer will be entitled to a pro-rated payment through the termination date if the named executive officer was employed by one or more of the Company or one of its subsidiaries for at least 12 months of the three year service period. As of January 30, 2015, Messrs. Jooma and Balagna would have been employed for at least 12 months of the 2013 and 2014 Cash LTI Plans respective service periods, and therefore would be entitled to payments under this program in the event of death or disability.

In accordance with Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we are providing our stockholders with an annual opportunity to vote to approve, on a nonbinding, advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement.

At the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders held in May 2014, over 99% of the votes cast on the advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers were voted in favor of the proposal. The Compensation Committee believes this affirms our stockholders’ support for the Company’s approach to executive compensation.

As described in detail under the heading “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” we seek, to the extent practicable, to link the compensation of our named executive officers with the Company’s performance. Our compensation programs are designed to reward our named executive officers for the achievement of short-term and long-term financial goals, while minimizing excessive risk taking in the short term. We believe that our compensation program is strongly aligned with the long-term interests of our stockholders. We urge you to read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement for additional details on our executive compensation, including our compensation philosophy and objectives and the 2014 compensation of our named executive officers.

The vote on this resolution is not intended to address any specific element of compensation; rather, the vote relates to the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this proxy statement in accordance with the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. The vote is advisory, which means that the vote is not binding on the Company or our Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board. However, the Board and Compensation Committee value the opinions expressed by our stockholders in their vote on this proposal, and will continue to consider the outcome of the vote when making future compensation decisions and policies regarding our named executive officers.

Accordingly, we ask our stockholders to vote on the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

“RESOLVED, that the Company’s stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and any related material disclosed in this proxy statement.”

Item 3 is the ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the financial statements of the Company for

fiscal year 2015. Representatives of Deloitte will be present at the Annual Meeting. They will be available to respond to your questions and may make a statement if they so desire.

The following table shows the fees paid or accrued by the Company and its subsidiaries for the audit and other services provided by Deloitte, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and their respective affiliates, for each of the past two fiscal years: