Exhibit 19
Securities Trading Windows and Insider Trading Policy
Revised and Effective November 20, 2023
For your reference, set forth below are Gaia’s policies regarding the buying, selling or pledging of Gaia stock by Gaia, members of its Board of Directors or employees. As a reminder, if you have any non-public information that a reasonable investor is likely to consider important or “material” in making an investment decision (such information is referenced below as “Inside Information”), then additional blackout dates will apply. Please read the entire policy prior to making any trades to ensure additional restrictions do not apply. If you have any questions interpreting this policy or have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Chief Financial Officer directly at 303-222-3254 or ned.preston@gaia.com.
Securities Trading Windows
The open trading windows for employees that do not possess any Inside Information at the time of trading are generally two trading days after the release of the quarterly earnings and conference call until seven calendar days prior to the end of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31).
Policy Overview
The SEC, certain stock exchanges, and countries outside the U.S. have developed laws and regulations regarding the use and public disclosure of material nonpublic information. The purpose of such regulations is to protect the interests of shareholders by providing them with prompt and complete information about significant corporate developments which might affect the value of their investments and to assure that Insiders do not profit from information not available to the investing public. These laws and regulations are based on the principle that all persons trading in a company’s securities should have equal access to all “material” information about that company, and they require Gaia and its directors, employees and agents to ensure that information about Gaia is not used unlawfully in connection with the purchase and sale of securities.
Gaia is committed to fair and open markets for its publicly traded securities. We have established standards of trading conduct for our directors, officers, employees and others who obtain Inside Information through their work for or with Gaia. Insider Trading and stock tipping are criminal offenses (which could subject a person to criminal fines, imprisonment and possibly civil penalties as well), and our policy not only requires full compliance with applicable laws, but also requires the avoidance of even the appearance of Insider Trading or tipping. Our policy also limits short-term or speculative transactions in Gaia securities that might be deemed to be contrary to the interests of our shareholders.
Definitions
General Rules
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Trading Rules
Rule 10b5-1
Under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, an individual has an affirmative defense against an allegation of Insider Trading if he or she demonstrates that the purchase, sale, or other trade in question took place pursuant to a binding contract, specific instruction or written plan that was put into place before he or she became aware of Inside Information. Such contracts, irrevocable instructions, and plans are commonly referred to as “Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans”. An “Approved Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan” means a trading plan adopted pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b5-1(c) (17 C.F.R. §240.10b5-1(c)) and approved by Gaia’s Chief Financial Officer.
Employees will be permitted to trade in Gaia’s securities outside of a permitted trading period pursuant to an Approved Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan, which requires:
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For persons other than Gaia itself, the Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan must provide for a waiting period between the date of signing and the earliest possible trade date under the Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan (a “cooling-off period”). The required cooling-off period for directors and Section 16 Individuals is the later of (a) ninety (90) days, or (b) two business days following the filing of the Form 10-Q or Form 10-K for the fiscal quarter in which the plan was adopted, subject to a maximum of 120 days. The cooling-off period for persons other than Section 16 Individuals is thirty (30) days. Modifications of a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan will trigger a new cooling-off period if the modification changes the amount, price, or timing of trades, including a change to a formula that affects these inputs. Modifications do not trigger a new cooling-off period if they are immaterial or administrative, such as an adjustment for stock splits or a change in account information.
Insiders (other than issuers) may not have more than one Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan in place at the same time, other than:
Anyone (other than Gaia itself) may only once during any 12-month period rely on the Rule 10b5-1 affirmative defense for a single-trade plan (one designed to effect the purchase or sale of the total amount of the securities subject to the plan as a single transaction) with the exception of “sell-to-cover” plans as described above. The determination of whether a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan constitutes a single-trade plan pursuant to the exception provided in Rule 10b5-1 will be made by Gaia’s Chief Financial Officer in his or her sole determination.
Prohibition on Hedging, Margin Accounts and Pledges
Certain forms of hedging or monetization transactions, such as zero-cost collars and forward sale contracts, allow an Insider to lock in much of the value of his or her stock holdings, often in exchange for all or part of the potential for upside appreciation in the securities. These transactions allow the Insider to continue to own the covered securities, but without the full risks and rewards of ownership. When that occurs, the Insider may no longer have the same objectives as Gaia’s other shareholders. Therefore, Gaia prohibits Insiders from hedging or monetization transactions, including through the use of financial instruments such as prepaid variable forwards, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds, or through other transactions that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of Gaia securities.
Insiders are also prohibited from pledging, hypothecating or otherwise using Gaia securities as collateral for a loan or other form of indebtedness and are also prohibited from holding any Gaia securities as collateral for margin accounts. Securities held in a margin account may be sold by the broker without the customer’s consent if the customer fails to meet a margin call. Similarly, stock pledged as collateral for a loan may be sold in foreclosure if the borrower defaults on the loan. Because a margin sale or foreclosure sale may occur at a time when the customer or borrower is aware of material nonpublic information or
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otherwise is not permitted to trade in Gaia securities, you further understand that you are prohibited from holding Gaia securities in a margin account or pledging Gaia securities as collateral for a loan.
Reporting and Other Considerations
All Insiders must advise the Chief Financial Officer via email of the particulars of any anticipated trading in Gaia’s securities before each trade. If shares are pledged as collateral for non-margin purposes as of the date of the filing of the annual proxy, this must be communicated to the Chief Financial Officer so that it can be properly disclosed.
Enforcement and Consequences of the Insider Trading Laws
The SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice, NASDAQ (the exchange on which Gaia’s Class A common stock is traded), and private litigants have been vigorously pursuing violations of Insider Trading laws. Although most of the publicity about Insider Trading has centered around violations by individuals, federal law also imposes liability on companies and on “controlling persons” for Insider Trading law violations by company personnel. Gaia’s reputation for integrity and ethical conduct is extremely important to all of us. None of us can afford to have that reputation damaged by even the appearance of improper conduct by anyone employed by or associated with our company.
The penalties for Insider Trading law violations are significant:
A Word of Caution
Any transaction that becomes the subject of an Insider Trading inquiry will be viewed by the SEC and the courts with 20-20 hindsight. Therefore, you must consider the appearance of any transaction both now and in the future. If you have any questions at all about the propriety of a transaction, you should contact the Chief Financial Officer directly at 303-222-3254 or ned.preston@gaia.com for advice before Trading Gaia’s Securities.
Gaia, Inc. | 833 W. South Boulder Road Louisville, CO 80027 | 303-222-3600 | Gaia.com